Illini Basketball 2019-2020

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#3      
Is there anyone on this board that still thinks Kofi will NOT start ? (I'm not talking about an exhibition game).
 
#4      
Is there anyone on this board that still thinks Kofi will NOT start ? (I'm not talking about an exhibition game).
There are some that don't think we will play our two best big defensive players together. Defense be damned have to shoot threes.
 
#5      
Yes - add me to the group that isn't quite sold on Kofi-Giorgi together from the start of a game. I like the hi-low options but it actually probably works better with Kofi at the Hi and showing he can hit that 15 footer or pass to Giorgi who is a magician within 5 feet of the rim. Giorgi not being a good shooter really hampers the possibilities of that lineup.

I think they are better alternating (mostly) at the 5. Will help to limit foul trouble as well hopefully. I don't think that means Kofi off the bench though, I think it's possible Giorgi comes in at the first timeout as a change of pace. The 4 in BU's scheme needs to be a threat from deep and that is not Giorgi. Teams would lay off him and double Kofi on the inside - which would be the worst of all worlds for us.

By January, I'm hopeful we see a starting 5 of: Ayo, Trent, Alan, Kipper, and Kofi. That's assuming the 'good' Kipper makes an appearance. Could very well be surpassed by BBV. I am still hopeful that a dogfight between Alan and Tev rages all year to be our production at the 3. Both of those guys have size, shooting and upside. Cycle between Ayo, Trent and Feliz for most of the game with DMW getting spot minutes at times.
 
#7      

CoalCity

St Paul, MN
Yes - add me to the group that isn't quite sold on Kofi-Giorgi together from the start of a game. I like the hi-low options but it actually probably works better with Kofi at the Hi and showing he can hit that 15 footer or pass to Giorgi who is a magician within 5 feet of the rim. Giorgi not being a good shooter really hampers the possibilities of that lineup.

I think they are better alternating (mostly) at the 5. Will help to limit foul trouble as well hopefully. I don't think that means Kofi off the bench though, I think it's possible Giorgi comes in at the first timeout as a change of pace. The 4 in BU's scheme needs to be a threat from deep and that is not Giorgi. Teams would lay off him and double Kofi on the inside - which would be the worst of all worlds for us.

By January, I'm hopeful we see a starting 5 of: Ayo, Trent, Alan, Kipper, and Kofi. That's assuming the 'good' Kipper makes an appearance. Could very well be surpassed by BBV. I am still hopeful that a dogfight between Alan and Tev rages all year to be our production at the 3. Both of those guys have size, shooting and upside. Cycle between Ayo, Trent and Feliz for most of the game with DMW getting spot minutes at times.
Kipper starting ahead of Giorgi is completely ludicrous. Good Kipper or not. If Great Kipper shows up he'll start at the 3, otherwise he's comin off the bench.

Tev has to get back on the floor first to be able to have a dogfight with anybody.
 
#8      
It's not really Kipper 'starting ahead of' Giorgi, it's more about lineup cohesion. If our 3 best players were centers, we couldn't start them all at once, even if it meant some lesser player is 'starting ahead of' one of our better players. I've been wanting Kipper at the 3 for 3 years, but he just doesn't have it in him. I'm trying to keep my enthusiasm for BBV under wraps until I see him in 5-10 real games, but if he is the real deal, he will take Kipper's minutes. I hope Tev is back soon. He would be awesome at the 3 for us - with size, shooting, and aggressiveness.
 
#9      
Yes - add me to the group that isn't quite sold on Kofi-Giorgi together from the start of a game. I like the hi-low options but it actually probably works better with Kofi at the Hi and showing he can hit that 15 footer or pass to Giorgi who is a magician within 5 feet of the rim. Giorgi not being a good shooter really hampers the possibilities of that lineup.

I think they are better alternating (mostly) at the 5. Will help to limit foul trouble as well hopefully. I don't think that means Kofi off the bench though, I think it's possible Giorgi comes in at the first timeout as a change of pace. The 4 in BU's scheme needs to be a threat from deep and that is not Giorgi. Teams would lay off him and double Kofi on the inside - which would be the worst of all worlds for us.

By January, I'm hopeful we see a starting 5 of: Ayo, Trent, Alan, Kipper, and Kofi. That's assuming the 'good' Kipper makes an appearance. Could very well be surpassed by BBV. I am still hopeful that a dogfight between Alan and Tev rages all year to be our production at the 3. Both of those guys have size, shooting and upside. Cycle between Ayo, Trent and Feliz for most of the game with DMW getting spot minutes at times.

Good post and I will add in the defensive side. Many opposing 4's will be quicker than Giorgi. He could have a real problem defending on the perimeter.
 
#10      
After one game we already decided that Georgi can’t shoot, I guess that means Ayo can’t shoot either
 
#12      

Deleted member 29907

D
Guest
GB and Kofi will be on the court at the same time and start. Did anyone watch Wisconsin last year?
 
#13      

Deleted member 29907

D
Guest
Good post and I will add in the defensive side. Many opposing 4's will be quicker than Giorgi. He could have a real problem defending on the perimeter.
Just curious who are you thinking of for example? GB has pretty good feet and for every 'quicker 4' they have, they likely will not be able to handle GB down low.
 
#15      
After one game we already decided that Georgi can’t shoot, I guess that means Ayo can’t shoot either
The sample size is a little larger than one game. He is 5 of 31 on treys in his time at Illinois.
 
#18      
Good post and I will add in the defensive side. Many opposing 4's will be quicker than Giorgi. He could have a real problem defending on the perimeter.
I know this flies in the face of the “everybody has to shoot the 3” , but I’m sure the match ups against some teams will give the Illini an advantage by having Kofi and Giorgi on the court at the same time. Some will not.
 
#19      

Steelyunk

Tobacco Road
GB and Kofi will be on the court at the same time and start. Did anyone watch Wisconsin last year?
Exactly. You play your best players. GB and KC at 4 and 5 make this a different and more dangerous team. Maybe you all aren’t seeing the same team I saw. kofi will likely struggle some against better competition. But you can’t teach that size. And he doesn’t seem in the least bit tentative.

If - or should I saw WHEN - One of them gets in foul trouble, you sit one. It’s ludicrous to think you’d waste minutes with one of those two sitting more than necessary. how many minutes did we play with a small lineup last year? Maybe Hamlin can eat some minutes taking up space?

Maybe 2, 20 or 0 or BBV or tev when he gets his head out of his butt - can make this a tougher decision - but after what I saw in Kofis first game? No contest.
 
#20      
I'm still not convinced that Kofi isn't going to have the issue that most freshman big men have. That would be fouling. With all due respect to Lewis, he hasn't seen anything yet. Within the next six weeks, he's going to see size, speed, quickness, athleticism and physicality that he's never experienced before. I'm not just talking about the opposing center. I'm talking about every position on the floor. He'll foul because he's being overly aggressive, he'll foul because a lazy moment will happen and he'll foul to compensate for not being able to bully guys around. That's why the concern about them being on the floor at the same time is moot. Heck.....GB hasn't really shown the ability to stay out of foul trouble consistently. There are going to be games where they're both playing with four.

With this team, the starting lineup makes absolutely no difference. None at all. The flow of the game and game situation will determine who plays when, where and for how long. A HUGE concern of mine, over the last two years, has been foul shooting. How many games did we almost leak away because we were missing front ends? Can he shoot free throws with 15,000 sets of eyes on him?

It'll all get sorted out.
 
#23      

Steelyunk

Tobacco Road
I'm still not convinced that Kofi isn't going to have the issue that most freshman big men have. That would be fouling. With all due respect to Lewis, he hasn't seen anything yet. Within the next six weeks, he's going to see size, speed, quickness, athleticism and physicality that he's never experienced before. I'm not just talking about the opposing center. I'm talking about every position on the floor. He'll foul because he's being overly aggressive, he'll foul because a lazy moment will happen and he'll foul to compensate for not being able to bully guys around. That's why the concern about them being on the floor at the same time is moot. Heck.....GB hasn't really shown the ability to stay out of foul trouble consistently. There are going to be games where they're both playing with four.

With this team, the starting lineup makes absolutely no difference. None at all. The flow of the game and game situation will determine who plays when, where and for how long. A HUGE concern of mine, over the last two years, has been foul shooting. How many games did we almost leak away because we were missing front ends? Can he shoot free throws with 15,000 sets of eyes on him?

It'll all get sorted out.
Good point about starting lineup. Couple of things about Kofi- his play in high post looks natural. He made good decisions. Maybe he speeds up against B10 defense... maybe he’s cool like a little fonzi. We’ll see. But his stroke is pure. He didn’t look at all intimidated in his first college game. Yeah, it was Lewis. But Giorgi started fast last year and only got better - sooooooo (¯\_(ツ)_/¯
 
#25      

dish3

Seattle
Kofi looks solid from the free throw line w the high low... seemed like Egwu needed 3 yrs to get that. Giorgi may not need to hit a 3 to create space w movement. Giving him space to wiggle down low or then back out and hit the Tim Duncan bank shot would be a big option, and often open, shot even 10 feet in front of the 3 line. That would also let Kofi and our 3s get the boards if it doesnt fall...
 
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