Illini Basketball 2018-2019

[Joel Goodson]

Funny how many dwell on who isn't on the team when the guys who are were highly rated entering college. Let's be grateful for the high-character young men on the team and trust in the development that occurs.

C'mon! We have to win, man! Fans are very tired of this long slide into oblivion.

This season's team needs to show demonstrable strides. Until the season starts, there isn't a whole lot new to discuss. Hence, the rehash.

 

[Tevo]

And so is Frazier. I think both Feliz and Ayo are more combo guards IMO. But independent of the that, I expect we will play 3 guards by necessity, so the 3rd guard position (Frazier and Ayo are guaranteed starters IMO) will be likely covered by either AJ or Feliz starting the season. I believe when Frazier, Ayo, and Feliz are in the same lineup you will see all 3 getting touches at PG.

I been playing with a big Venn Diagram of our players and positions. Seems like we might have a bunch of guys playing a bunch of spots based on lineups. For example, you could argue that these "positions" (I know, positionless blah blah) could be filled by any of these guys:

PG: Trent, Feliz, Ayo
SG: Trent, Feliz, Ayo, DW, AJ
SF: Ayo, DW, AJ, Kipper, Tevian
PF: AJ, Tevian, Kipper, Higgs, Giorgi
C: Giorgi, Higgs, Kane, De La Rosa

I think only Kane and De La Ross are clearly "one position" players. Everyone else could theoretically be put in a variety of roles*, which makes any predictions of lineups really difficult and perhaps just silly.


*I know, freshman are usually taught one position to start and then they expand, but in the Positionless World, that one position may be similar for the SG, SF and PF labels, with just differences in emphasis and defensive roles.

 

[Newman]

Besides Ward at MSU, and Happ at Wisconsin, are there any other notable big guys we go up against in conference? Last year size definitely bothered the team but with more depth/experience/talent on the perimeter I feel that inexperience inside isn't that detrimental. Furthermore, team's big guys are athletic.

Funny how many dwell on who isn't on the team when the guys who are were highly rated entering college. Let's be grateful for the high-character young men on the team and trust in the development that occurs.

Juwan Morgan and Deron Davis at Indiana
Tyler Cook and Luke Garza at Iowa
Isaac Copeland, Isaiah Roby, Dedoch Chan at Nebraska. Not 5's but they're in the frontcourt.
Amir Coffey, Jordan Murphy at Minnesota
Kaleb Wesson, tOSU
Someone will probably step up for Michigan but no current returner that was an impact big last year that I know of
Bruno Fernando at Maryland will be huge
Matt Haarms at Purdue. I personally don't see him doing well next year but others are projecting him to have a breakout year.
Derek Pardon at NU scored 11 ppg last year.

So.. yes, we'll go against some good frontcourt players almost every game this season, before and during conference play.

 

[Illiniguy13]

Juwan Morgan and Deron Davis at Indiana
Tyler Cook and Luke Garza at Iowa
Isaac Copeland, Isaiah Roby, Dedoch Chan at Nebraska. Not 5's but they're in the frontcourt.
Amir Coffey, Jordan Murphy at Minnesota
Kaleb Wesson, tOSU
Someone will probably step up for Michigan but no current returner that was an impact big last year that I know of
Bruno Fernando at Maryland will be huge
Matt Haarms at Purdue. I personally don't see him doing well next year but others are projecting him to have a breakout year.
Derek Pardon at NU scored 11 ppg last year.

So.. yes, we'll go against some good frontcourt players almost every game this season, before and during conference play.

Mike Watkins at PSU is also a beast

 

[TCTORNADO]

delete

 

[Epsilon]

I'm just glad we finally have some quality ball handlers that won't get their pockets picked bringing the ball down the court.

 

[kaptain80]

We were terrible at post D and rebounding. Can't get much worse.

Please don't jinx us.

 

[Joel Goodson]

Please don't jinx us.

lulz! As if a fan (die-hard or otherwise) has anything to do with it.

 

[rtbritt]

I been playing with a big Venn Diagram of our players and positions. Seems like we might have a bunch of guys playing a bunch of spots based on lineups. For example, you could argue that these "positions" (I know, positionless blah blah) could be filled by any of these guys:

PG: Trent, Feliz, Ayo
SG: Trent, Feliz, Ayo, DW, AJ
SF: Ayo, DW, AJ, Kipper, Tevian
PF: AJ, Tevian, Kipper, Higgs, Giorgi
C: Giorgi, Higgs, Kane, De La Rosa

I think only Kane and De La Ross are clearly "one position" players. Everyone else could theoretically be put in a variety of roles*, which makes any predictions of lineups really difficult and perhaps just silly.


*I know, freshman are usually taught one position to start and then they expand, but in the Positionless World, that one position may be similar for the SG, SF and PF labels, with just differences in emphasis and defensive roles.

If by "one position" you mean, positionless, then yes, they are one-position players, along with everyone else.

 

[rtbritt]

Don't see playing a 6'1" and a 6'2" when you have a problem with size in the front court. DaMonte with his 6'11' wing span and Ayo will play with one of the above. Special matchups or a press may have them playing together but it won't be the std IMO. BU didn't recruit 6'5" - 6'7" with length to ride the bench particularly when you have two proven shooters with AJ and AG. However think we are all in the dark until we actually see them play.

Not sure we should call Griffin a proven shooter. AJ was also considered a great shooter coming out of HS and he wasn't able to hit his freshman or sophomore season.

 

[rtbritt]

Spot on. Our backcourt is loaded (tempered by inexperience), so 3 guards will be on the floor, most of the time. Jones is almost certainly going to play a lot of 4 (it is what it is). At the risk of stating the obvious, he's going to have to play his way into more playing time. This is a great "problem" to have.

If we can become a good team, we can utilize 4 guards as an advantage that other teams have to adjust to, but as long as we are not better than most teams we play, it will be a disadvantage that we have to use a 4th guard or undersized 3 at the 4 position.

 

[Epsilon]

If by "one position" you mean, positionless, then yes, they are one-position players, along with everyone else.

We have a lot of positionless PGs!

 

[Tacomallini]

I feel Frazier is more of a combo than Feliz.

Starting three points who can also score is a good thing. I like Feliz at the point with Ayo and Frazier attacking/facilitating from the wing although all three will run the point.

I will tell you if I change my mind after seeing them scrimmage on Friday and Saturday.

Thanks, Combes...would like to hear your impressions of the team this weekend. Same with anyone else that's able to make it! Would love to be there too.

 

[Newman]

Mike Watkins at PSU is also a beast

Yep. Regardless of how strong our backcourt is, we can't afford to have the worst frontcourt in the conference and that is a possibility this year.

 

[PtownIllini8]

Yep. Regardless of how strong our backcourt is, we can't afford to have the worst frontcourt in the conference and that is a possibility this year.

If you have the best backcourt and the worst frontcourt, you'll have a winning team.

 

[Newman]

If you have the best backcourt and the worst frontcourt, you'll have a winning team.

We don't have the best backcourt. Probably not even top 6 for this season but it has the potential to be one of the best. Right now we do have the worst frontcourt though.

 

[PlayAZ]

If we can become a good team, we can utilize 4 guards as an advantage that other teams have to adjust to, but as long as we are not better than most teams we play, it will be a disadvantage that we have to use a 4th guard or undersized 3 at the 4 position.

Especially when 3 of the 4 have wingspans that allow them to play 6-7/6-8, and we have wings that can play 2-3" taller as well....athletes is the name of this game...used to be skills and fundamentals, those have given way for the most part to ability and potential. You can take an athlete, add skill and have a helluva ball player. You cannot take skill/fundamental and add athleticism....still just skills and fundamentals. We want/need athletes!

 

[PtownIllini8]

We don't have the best backcourt. Probably not even top 6 for this season but it has the potential to be one of the best. Right now we do have the worst frontcourt though.

I was responding to your statement that "Regardless of how strong our backcourt is...." I think that is an incorrect statement. I think our backcourt will be top 5 in the B1G, but time will tell.

 

[Illiniguy13]

Who wants to list out/rank this year's Big10 back courts ?

 

[PlayAZ]

Who wants to list out/rank this year's Big10 back courts ?

I will take a stab at it: Based on player and I think system/coach! Here goes!

1) Michigan, Purdue, Wisconsin Tied
2) Maryland, Michigan State, Indiana, ILLINI, tied
3) Iowa, Ohio State Tied
4) Penn State, Minny, Nebraska tied
5) NW, Rutgers Tied.

After the top 5 places it's anybodies guess as to whom is better. I would have actually ranked ILLINI tied with 1st, but it looked to be a little to Homerish!

 

[BWilson25]

I will take a stab at it: Based on player and I think system/coach! Here goes!

1) Michigan, Purdue, Wisconsin Tied
2) Maryland, Michigan State, Indiana, ILLINI, tied
3) Iowa, Ohio State Tied
4) Penn State, Minny, Nebraska tied
5) NW, Rutgers Tied.

After the top 5 places it's anybodies guess as to whom is better. I would have actually ranked ILLINI tied with 1st, but it looked to be a little to Homerish!

Too many ties, make some tough decisions...

 

[ChiefIllini]

I will take a stab at it: Based on player and I think system/coach! Here goes!

1) Michigan, Purdue, Wisconsin Tied
2) Maryland, Michigan State, Indiana, ILLINI, tied
3) Iowa, Ohio State Tied
4) Penn State, Minny, Nebraska tied
5) NW, Rutgers Tied.

After the top 5 places it's anybodies guess as to whom is better. I would have actually ranked ILLINI tied with 1st, but it looked to be a little to Homerish!

Slide Wiscky down, and I have a hard time arguing with anything else. I'm not sold on anyone except Davison; King has upside, but the trio of Trice, Pritzl and Iverson were way to up and down to be considered on the same level as UM and PU. Those two backcourts are probably top 10 in the NCAA. Wisc probably isn't even top 30.

 

[jrichisamazing]

I will take a stab at it: Based on player and I think system/coach! Here goes!

1) Michigan, Purdue, Wisconsin Tied
2) Maryland, Michigan State, Indiana, ILLINI, tied
3) Iowa, Ohio State Tied
4) Penn State, Minny, Nebraska tied
5) NW, Rutgers Tied.

After the top 5 places it's anybodies guess as to whom is better. I would have actually ranked ILLINI tied with 1st, but it looked to be a little to Homerish!

Putting the Illini backcourt anywhere in the top half of the B1G is homerish. There are way too many newcomers to know what to expect. We can reasonably expect 2 things from our backcourt. Frazier is a star and AJ is a good 3 pt shooter who is average to mediocre at everything else. We can only hope everyone else lives up to their potential (and there is certainly a lot of potential in this group).

 

[PlayAZ]

Putting the Illini backcourt anywhere in the top half of the B1G is homerish. There are way too many newcomers to know what to expect. We can reasonably expect 2 things from our backcourt. Frazier is a star and AJ is a good 3 pt shooter who is average to mediocre at everything else. We can only hope everyone else lives up to their potential (and there is certainly a lot of potential in this group).

AJ is a good shooter, and upperclassman, Frazier is a flat out Stud, Feliz was the #1 PG Juco, and Williams is an outstanding rebounding guard. What other 6-7 teams can boast that kind of background? Now granted, maybe it doesn't all translate we will see, but as of right now I say they are Top half easy actually.

 

[jrichisamazing]

AJ is a good shooter, and upperclassman, Frazier is a flat out Stud, Feliz was the #1 PG Juco, and Williams is an outstanding rebounding guard. What other 6-7 teams can boast that kind of background? Now granted, maybe it doesn't all translate we will see, but as of right now I say they are Top half easy actually.

Ok now look at it from an outsiders perspective. AJ can shoot...cool almost every team has a shooter. That's great as a complimentary piece but if AJ is playing major minutes we are probably not a top half backcourt. Feliz was supposedly the #1 Juco PG but also had very little interest from power 5 schools, so eh. Damonte could rebound. He also couldn't make a shot to save his life. Frazier is great. And freshmen are freshmen.

For all the positive things that can be said about the newcomers, there are also negative things that can be said.