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Post by shooting the J on Oct 10, 2014 9:17:42 GMT -6
What will the depth chart look like this year? Here's my prediction:
1: Sykes Findlay Love 2: Love Findlay Small/Francis Sagal 3: Fouse McKinnie Humphrey 4: McKinnie Lowe Botz 5: Mays Kanter Uwadiae
The development of Lowe and Findlay should make this a deeper team than a year ago. Both should get 20 minutes a game. McKinnie's versatility helps get Lowe more playing time. A very long and athletic team. I'm guessing they play ten or even eleven early on, but will eventually settle on this 8 man rotation.
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Post by thetulsawarrior on Oct 10, 2014 17:36:15 GMT -6
Mays has a tendency to get into foul trouble. Lowe and Kanter may see a bit more time because of that.
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Post by can opener man on Oct 10, 2014 18:53:02 GMT -6
Depth chart is tough to put into that style of a chart this year. Too much versatility on this team with some specialist sprinkled in.
Starting in the backcourt, Keifer will eat up most minutes at point guard. Hopefully he can get a couple of extra minutes of rest with findlays development late last year and being a sophomore now. Love prolly get close to mid 20s for minutes with Findlay again first guy off bench at the 2. I see Francis and small getting more first half developmental minutes maybe even alternating games. Humphrey would likely get thrown in when a fresh defensive presence is needed.
Fouse will eat up most the time at the three. When he is out of the game, really could go either way smaller with an extra guard or more minutes for a post player. Lot of our post can play the three.
McKinnie is gonna be an energy guy wouldn't be shocked if he plays just 22-24 minutes a game. Mays he takes risk on defense another high energy guy prolly high 20s. Lowe has to be the first guy off the bench, I really see him with the most upside and growth this year. Remember last year when I said fouse was that guy to step up and some said I was crazy. This year that guy is gonna be Lowe, post player who can move like a guard, I love when he would bring a post player to the perimeter and drive right past him. Henry U, really is going to be looked for to just block shots and be a physical presence, team is too talented to need to ask for more. When we play teams that are more physical inside, he will be in there more. Would like to see botz carve his niche out as a 4-8 minute a game three point shooter. Kanters interesting can rebound, score in low post, physical, he's really going to be that developmental guy behind Lowe. I really think he has a high ceiling but were prolly a year away from seeing big improvements while he adapts to the college game. With his experience in the u18 worlds I really think he's an injury away from stepping into a bigger role and surprising us.
Lots of options, lots of versatility, tons of looks we can give others teams. Length on this team will cause havoc for other teams, with some young physical guys we needed a year go.
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Post by GBPhoenix1 on Oct 11, 2014 9:42:34 GMT -6
I agree with can opener man, there are plenty of options and it may be hard to put them in a box.
For the purpose of simplicity I will put my rotation in a box.
Starting: 1. Sykes 2. Love 3. Fouse 4. McKinnie 5. Mays
Bench Rotation: 1/2: Findlay 2: Small or Francis, I don't know who is more ready but I think one will play. 4: Kanter, I think his shooting and toughness will help him work into the rotation. 4/5: Lowe, I think he is going be very much improved.
Reserves: Small or Francis, whoever doesn't play from above. Botz, I am curious to see how much his game changes from last year. He could be a wildcard due to his shooting. Humphrey, I can see him coming in for energy purposes in spots but his past injuries and lack of offensive development will keep him off the floor with Fouse being available. Uwadiae, I can see him playing in spots due to his size but I also think he is the most raw player on the team so a rotation spot might be too much to ask for this year.
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Post by markus31x on Oct 11, 2014 11:31:10 GMT -6
Uwadiae sounds like a Pat Nelson clone. Valuable 4-10 mins a game with good defense and shot blocking. Zero offense.
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Post by can opener man on Oct 14, 2014 10:02:52 GMT -6
uwadiae seems more than a pat Nelson clone, that's not a fair comparison. Just athleticism and ability to run the floor isn't even the same type of players. For development purposes you look for a guy to develop into a guy like eastern michigan center last year was. He runs the court a lot better and be more of a factor in the secondary break with the ability to beat the guy guarding him down the court than Nelson ever did.
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Post by PantherU on Oct 14, 2014 15:49:26 GMT -6
A huge part of Wardle's rotation shuffling should be finding a way to keep Sykes off the court and under 30 mpg if possible. You're going to need him healthy and with rested legs for the tournament run. Hell, if Green Bay clinches a regular season title with games left in the season, I'd sit Sykes those full games to get him ready for March. It obviously worked in our favor that Jordan Aaron's suspension was four games - he had the most rested legs in the tournament. Maybe Wardle learned from that. The only way I wouldn't rest Sykes in that scenario is if GB were on the bubble or in the dance - you wouldn't want to lose it so your star can get rest.
To do that, though, Brian's going to need 4 guards he can trust. That means at least one newcomer has to pan out, preferably two at the guard spot. You can trust C-Love and what little I saw of Findlay last year leads me to believe he should take the standard boost.
Keeping Sykes under 30 mpg is going to be increasingly difficult if Love doesn't improve on his A/TO. It's passable as a second guy, but typically guys have huge boosts in turnovers when they handle the ball the most (Sykes-67 v Love-39 last season).
It's the same as last year for GB: the top of the rotation is set. Sykes, Fouse, Love, Mays, McKinnie...that is, at least to me, the best top 5 in the conference. It's getting recruits to pan out and keeping everyone healthy.
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Post by thetulsawarrior on Oct 15, 2014 7:23:27 GMT -6
Panther I think you have about the best read on the Nix this coming season.
Sykes can't be the do all and be all this season. GB needs him on the floor at crunch time but he has to have more help from the other back court players throughout the season and the team has to be able to go at least four deep with legit D1 level guards. They have two with Sykes and Love. Tevin Findlay showed something late last season and at 6-4 he could be a defensive nightmare. To date he doesn't have an outside shot. Freshman Khalil Small maybe a bigger version of Carrington Love. (35 pounds bigger)
There are other guards listed on the squad but not ones with point guard level ball handling skills.
The front court should be solid. What the team gets, from Kerem Kanter, Turner Botz (outside shooting and heady play), Henry Uwadiae will be gravy. (Henry still developing and green as can be) Daeshon Francis has athleticism but needs an outside shot to reach his potential.
The bottom line -- this team is deeper than last season and has the depth in the front court to compensate for the gradation of Alec Brown. Expect them to play with a chip on the shoulder. They have something to prove.
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Post by GBPhoenix1 on Oct 19, 2014 10:04:34 GMT -6
uwadiae seems more than a pat Nelson clone, that's not a fair comparison. Just athleticism and ability to run the floor isn't even the same type of players. For development purposes you look for a guy to develop into a guy like eastern michigan center last year was. He runs the court a lot better and be more of a factor in the secondary break with the ability to beat the guy guarding him down the court than Nelson ever did. Circling back to Henry, Coach Wardle shared his comments about him during the HL media day. If you go to the HL website video archive you can see the entire GB press conference. To summarize Wardle he indicated he is raw/new to the game, working hard to improve, hopes he can hit his stride by January, could help rebound and defend right now and is one of the biggest personalities on the team/the guys love him.
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