Illini Basketball 2018-2019

[IlliniDent]

Does it honestly matter who starts the point? We will see combos of Feliz, Frazier, Ayo, and Damonte play significant minutes. Combine that with 2 of Kipper/AJ/a big. Really is going to be interesting to see who shows up and competes from the rest of the freshmen and can get into the top of the rotation. Either way, we are likely to see a lot of 4 guard line ups with a big or small ball all around at least until we see what Adonis can do when healthy.

It is extremely likely we see Feliz with Frazier and Ayo on the wing, it is also extremely likely we see Frazier at the point at time and Ayo at the point other times. Irregardless, all 4 guard spots are basically interchangeable in this offense and so it really doesn't matter who is the PG vs the SG vs the SF because it makes no difference. Last year we barely saw anything resembling BU's offense and everything it can run. Hopefully, this year our players will do a significantly better job at making the correct reads and cuts and actually move the ball around to create space and mismatches. If that is the case, it won't matter who is the so called PG one bit. Any of these guys can bring the ball up the court and initiate the offense which is something we haven't had in a long long time. I feel like people are still stuck in the mindset that we need to have distinct roles on this team and that just isn't the case if BU is able to play the way he wants to.

 

[Joel Goodson]

Does it honestly matter who starts the point? We will see combos of Feliz, Frazier, Ayo, and Damonte play significant minutes. Combine that with 2 of Kipper/AJ/a big. Really is going to be interesting to see who shows up and competes from the rest of the freshmen and can get into the top of the rotation. Either way, we are likely to see a lot of 4 guard line ups with a big or small ball all around at least until we see what Adonis can do when healthy.

It is extremely likely we see Feliz with Frazier and Ayo on the wing, it is also extremely likely we see Frazier at the point at time and Ayo at the point other times. Irregardless, all 4 guard spots are basically interchangeable in this offense and so it really doesn't matter who is the PG vs the SG vs the SF because it makes no difference. Last year we barely saw anything resembling BU's offense and everything it can run. Hopefully, this year our players will do a significantly better job at making the correct reads and cuts and actually move the ball around to create space and mismatches. If that is the case, it won't matter who is the so called PG one bit. Any of these guys can bring the ball up the court and initiate the offense which is something we haven't had in a long long time. I feel like people are still stuck in the mindset that we need to have distinct roles on this team and that just isn't the case if BU is able to play the way he wants to.

This, with one correction: "Combine that with 2 of Kipper/AJ/a big." Jones has to be added to that mx. Ultimately, the players will do 90% of the sorting.

 

[IlliniDent]

This, with one correction: "Combine that with 2 of Kipper/AJ/a big." Jones has to be added to that mx. Ultimately, the players will do 90% of the sorting.

Agreed, didn't include Jones yet just because I was talking most about the start of the season and we will have to see how he does, especially defensively if he will be able to guard the 4 spot or will have to slot into a position that will guard opposing 2s and 3s and therefore compete with Feliz/Ayo/Frazier/Damonte for a spot. Either way I think Jones will get significant minutes, just not sure where yet and how quickly he will adapt.

 

[Innocent Primate]

IMHO, if you go to a 3-guard lineup, you would probably want the statistically worst 3-point shooter at the point. At this juncture, that would seem to be Ayo.

 

[IlliniDent]

IMHO, if you go to a 3-guard lineup, you would probably want the statistically worst 3-point shooter at the point. At this juncture, that would seem to be Ayo.

All of the spots become the same once the offense is initiated, it literally does not matter who is at the point once the offense begins

 

[ILL in IA]

All of the spots become the same once the offense is initiated, it literally does not matter who is at the point once the offense begins

Agree. And that's when the offense can start to get dangerous. You can get the matchups you want coming off of the screens and play the switches.

 

[Bill Lumbergh]

Feliz likely starts at the point with Frazier and Ayo on the wings.

Oh God, not again. Click back to page 15 to see the the previous debate that erupted when this claim was made.

 

[ChiefIllini]

Feliz likely starts at the point with Frazier and Ayo on the wings.

It amazes me every year theres some new guy that's a)Not a 5 star talent and b)gonna come in and one of the best five right off the bat. Feliz may become a starter, but being a good JUCO player, and starting for a B1G team are different stratospheres on our team, especially because of the two guys you mentioned. I hope by all means Feliz is the best distributor/PG we have, given how good Frazier was last year, and the reports on Ayo. I still think Ayo, Fraizer, AJ, and Kipper start in the beginning, which means if Feliz is the fifth guy, we better hope Kipper can guard the Nick Ward's of the world (though by the time conference games starts, that lineup may change).

 

[TCTORNADO]

Oh God, not again. Click back to page 15 to see the the previous debate that erupted when this claim was made.

But since then, we have learned that Kipper is a guard.

 

[GForce]

I want the ball in the hands of two of our best players, Trent and Ayo, as much as possible. I see Feliz as more of a change of pace option.

 

[IlliniDent]

90% of the arguments about the team set up are based around a traditional line up with players at the 1 through 5. Last year didn't help at all because the offense was so broken that we rarely saw the ball movement and options that this offense should provide. Instead, we ended up seeing Frazier with the ball in his hands making plays because he had to or the ball sticking somewhere and breaking down the whole offense. We should not need Frazier or Ayo to have to make plays on their own to win games consistently. The opportunities will be there but they should be coming in the flow of the offense or opening up opportunities for the other 3 guys on the floor. Our team is incredibly young and lacking at certain key areas, if we want to truly be successful we are going to need to rely on the offense to create opportunities and space. The more we do that the more diverse our offense becomes and the harder it will be to go on long scoring droughts compared to the hero ball we turned to far too often these last several years.

The line up will probably be far more based on who can be relied on to play defense correctly than anything else because the offense should be able to function with any of our top 7-8 guys on the floor at one time since we do have several guys who can handle the ball and initiate the offense.

 

[Tevo]

Feliz likely starts at the point with Frazier and Ayo on the wings.

I heard a report that Feliz, Trent and Ayo have been working on a full-sprint three-man-weave deception play to bring the ball upcourt, almost like a basketball Three Card Monte to keep defenses on their heels and then BOOM someone shoots. Genius.

 

[sacraig]

I heard a report that Feliz, Trent and Ayo have been working on a full-sprint three-man-weave deception play to bring the ball upcourt, almost like a basketball Three Card Monte to keep defenses on their heels and then BOOM someone shoots. Genius.

Actual footage: