Illini Basketball 2018-2019
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Because the people voting in the poll aren't looking at our guards through rose colored lenses. We have an honorable mention all conference point guard returning, a highly rated freshmen point guard coming in, and ....? A senior who can shoot but hasn't been able to create his own shot and has a tendency to disappear. A sophomore who average 3.5 ppg in 17 minutes last year. Some other freshmen who were not terribly highly rated. Kipper, who will be forced to play mostly out of position at the 4.
I get it. I hope Jordan has a great year and we can get more shots for him with Ayo/Frazier combo. I hope DW makes big strides and becomes reliable on both sides of the ball. I hope the freshman outperform their rankings. But all those things might not happen. Then our back court looks more pedestrian. And combine that with our front court.... that's how you get to 12th.
Where's Lucas Johnson when you need him? I completely agree with you Five. If a team takes a couple charges early, the opponents get scared to drive. This is a lost art and a critical part of effective defense. Building a new Flying Illini will give us the lateral speed we need to do that.
Time will tell....when Brian Randle suited up for the Illini, I was really excited...thought he was going to possibly be one of the best Illini ever...NBA for sure.....well we know how that turned out.....hope you're correct....Kipper has the build and the necessary tools to be really good
I'm not expecting all the new guys to come and exceed expectations, but I think we have the pieces in place to be better than Penn State, Northwestern, Rutgers, and maybe even Ohio State. I think 8th is our ceiling but I don't expect it to happen. 10th or 11th is where I feel comfortable placing a bet. Ayo really impressed me playing for the US team and I have high expectations for Jones. I also feel more comfortable with Bez being a serviceable big with his size and passing ability.
Agree 100%!!! It's laughable to compare any Illinois team to that '89 bunch. Once we start landing five stars left and right (like that team had), then we can do that. Until then.....it's an absolute joke.
I hope you're right. I think Ayo and Frazier will be one of the better guard combos in the conference. But for a third guard and for our depth, we will be relying on big steps forward from AJ and DW or freshmen outplaying their rank. I can see those things happening, but I can just as easily see none of them happening. Also, I would say that a 366th ranked true freshman being a serviceable center in the B10 is exceeding expectations.
I think the excitement is more of relief than true excitement, but it is telling non the less.
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The problem is there's a third component that's equally important and much more frequent and that's altering shots. As you stated Kane is the only one who even has a chance to do this and that's putting a responsibility on a freshman project.
I would also like to say that this is a process and I'm extremely high on this class and what it can become (with higher rated pieces in the next few classes).
https://www.hudl.com/video/3/5000019/5a8a1dd73deb460e84049a45
Impressed overall with his highlights. He looks like he can really shoot which along with his size and athleticism could make him a tough cover. Highly doubt there’s 350 better players in this class.
Impressed overall with his highlights. He looks like he can really shoot which along with his size and athleticism could make him a tough cover. Highly doubt there’s 350 better players in this class.
Thank you, that was my exact concern.
Other than height not sure what you are comparing. The skillset and abilities were tremendously different as was the talent level. Not even in the same universe. Battle also had true PF skills, one of the best in Illini history. He was undersized for the NBA, but a tremendous PF in college. Comparing Kipper or anyone else to Battle at PF (other than size) is total apples and oranges.
Furthermore, the 89 Flyin' Illini had uber athleticism, that is where the Flyin' came from. The current team has nowhere near that level of athleticism. Even Ayo, who I have watched many many times, he is not a high flying athlete. A tremendously efficient player, but if you are expecting a lot of high flying dunks, you'd be thoroughly disappointed.
What kind of resemblance are you talking about though, because for some of us who watched and experienced the Flyin Illini era, there is absolutely no resemblance. As EJ33 correctly pointed out, if you are just comparing roster height, you might as well compare us to the Golden State Warriors - the comparison would be just as relevant.
Higgs can fill in some of what Leron was doing (maybe not as efficient at scoring), but he’s a better athletic body type. HUUUUGE get for the Illini. So thrilled!!!
I don't have time to follow all our recruiting that closely to know the exact details of every recruitment. I rely on posts from you guys when I can afford to spend a few minutes reading through all of the posts. It doesn't mean I don't love our Illini as much as anyone else. I just don't have the time, maybe when I retire I can dig into recruiting more deeply and reply to others with snarky answers.
blackdog
- Champaign
Just quick notes but in the first 3:00 of the video he already has blocked shots, finished layups, and dunked with both hands. That is a really good sign for a player.
It is nice to see people coming off the ledge after everything was falling apart. I am sure we still are going to add a transfer big and I think this team is going to be a lot better than people think. Considering we were in most games last year and we actually have players now that can move their feet, shoot better, make free throws, and have better depth. A top 6 finish is not out of the question.
BananaShampoo
Captain 'Paign
- Phoenix, AZ
IF (big if) Kipper can be 3/4 of what Leron was at the 4 I'll be optimistic because our guard play should be much improved and I really don't see how our 5 play can be much worse than last year. A lot also hinges on how much our B1G competition has risen or fallen.
Last year:
Much more talented than 14 -18 [4-14]? I think that's pretty close to were we will be. We may get 6 in B1G but overall record won't improve much.
We need a big with playing experience in the worst kind of way. Will be pushed around in nonconference because of scheduling and obviously the B1G is bruising down low. I see a team living and dying by the 3 ball right now.
I will note that leron and finke weren't exactly all big ten defenders or rebounders. We were awful defending the backline. I believe the extra athleticism will help there long term.
If anything, we will miss Tejon Lucas's on the ball defense. I also think Alstork was overrated on defense, so I doubt we will miss him much.
If anything, we will miss Tejon Lucas's on the ball defense. I also think Alstork was overrated on defense, so I doubt we will miss him much.
You can't be serious... You are comparing the ability of this team to the 1989 Flyin' Illini? Not only was the 1989 the greatest collection of talent, with 3 McD AA (current team has none), one of the best PF's who ever played for the Illini and the epitome of hard work and tenacity (i.e., Battle), arguably the best wing who ever wore the Illini uniform (i.e., Anderson), one of the best SG's who ever played for the Illini, etc. etc. but the 1989 was also a team of proven ability that culminated years of successful recruiting and on-court performances. The 1989 was no fluke, neither was a delusional shot in the dark.
Are some fans losing their minds here? People have gone from arguing ad nauseam whether this team can be better or worse than last year, a discussion that in meaningless IMO given that last year's season was on of the worst in modern history, to comparing the "ability" of this team to the Flying Illini 1989 team.
Illiniwek06
- N of I-80
You can't be serious... You are comparing the ability of this team to the 1989 Flyin' Illini? Not only was the 1989 the greatest collection of talent, with 3 McD AA (current team has none), one of the best PF's who ever played for the Illini and the epitome of hard work and tenacity (i.e., Battle), arguably the best wing who ever wore the Illini uniform (i.e., Anderson), one of the best SG's who ever played for the Illini, etc. etc. but the 1989 was also a team of proven ability that culminated years of successful recruiting and on-court performances. The 1989 was no fluke, neither was a delusional shot in the dark.
Are some fans losing their minds here? People have gone from arguing ad nauseam whether this team can be better or worse than last year, a discussion that in meaningless IMO given that last year's season was on of the worst in modern history, to comparing the "ability" of this team to the Flying Illini 1989 team.
+1. Hilarious stuff.
Once again....Height AND Ability....you cannot say this team is nowhere close anymore than I or another can say they are...hell we have what 6 new players as of now. How many of us have seen what they can do other than some video clips or a few in person sightings...not many if any really.
Ayo in ALL if his clips does not look like a pogo stick with a basketball, he does look as if he is the best player with the ball in his hands on the court...that is ability which most of the 89 team had.
Jones looks to be that above the rim type of player along with Higgs, where will they end up who knows, but they do have the athletic ability of say a Bardo/Liberty type at the least.
Kane may well be more athletic long run than ANY 89 player, who knows, but the clips are encouraging.
Feliz is well an experienced guard...not really athletic meaning above the rim type, but very slick with the ball in his hands.
Griffin would seem to be a very similar player to say a Bardo, but a much better shooter. Defensively they may end up being quite the same.
The moral is again height and abilities, BU wants the team, the students and most importantly the fans of the ILLINI and the overall population of Illinois to get behind a team in much the way we all did during the 89/05 years. The only way to do this is assemble a team of similar sorts of players. I believe he is doing just that, now where they all end up in regards to talent and evolution of their games, well who knows....I for one cant wait to see this season start again though!
B1G champs 2018-2019 book it
To put things in perspective. Earving Smalls would be the highest rated big man on the 2018 team by a mile. Jens Kujawa who left Illinois before there 89' run likely would of likely shared minutes with Hamilton at center and was an Olympian with Germany.
We not only had McAA talent but high level McAA talent. Need to let go of the 89 team a bit. Best comparison might be the Pruitt/Randle/McBride teams of 2007.
We not only had McAA talent but high level McAA talent. Need to let go of the 89 team a bit. Best comparison might be the Pruitt/Randle/McBride teams of 2007.
To put things in perspective. Earving Smalls would be the highest rated big man on the 2018 team by a mile. Jens Kujawa who left Illinois before there 89' run likely would of likely shared minutes with Hamilton at center and was an Olympian with Germany.
We not only had McAA talent but high level McAA talent. Need to let go of the 89 team a bit. Best comparison might be the Pruitt/Randle/McCamey teams of 2007.
We not only had McAA talent but high level McAA talent. Need to let go of the 89 team a bit. Best comparison might be the Pruitt/Randle/McCamey teams of 2007.
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