Illini Basketball 2018-2019

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#276      
BU did say their practices had emphasis on defense. Still believe that is issue rather than scoring and lineup will reflect that emphasis. Don't know if that makes DaMonte a starter but believe he is our best defender. Either way Ayo and/or DaMonte are a huge improvement over MS. Need Kipper to be > Black and Giorgi/ Adonis > Finke/Ebo. Doesn't seem like a huge stretch to me.
 
#277      
BU did say their practices had emphasis on defense. Still believe that is issue rather than scoring and lineup will reflect that emphasis. Don't know if that makes DaMonte a starter but believe he is our best defender. Either way Ayo and/or DaMonte are a huge improvement over MS. Need Kipper to be > Black and Giorgi/ Adonis > Finke/Ebo. Doesn't seem like a huge stretch to me.
As much as I like Kipper, it’s going to be tough to top Black.
 
#279      
I grew up in Champaign, but now live in Arizona. Bb can forever. However, my son goes to Gonazga University. I am in Spokane and got to go to their "Kraziness" in the Kennel, or whatever it is called yesterday. They do a really nice event where they show off the team with a three-point contest, dunk contest and then a short scrimmage. The place (McCarthy arena), although only 6,000 seats was jammed and pretty loud.
To the point, their guards are really good. Zach Norvell won the three point contest and hit maybe 9 or 10 in a row. In the scrimmage he finished around rim very well. But, Josh Perkins (hope I got the name right) was amazing. I felt he was their best player by far.
I was not so impressed with their big men. It was only a scrimmage, but they lost the ball on the way up a few times and just did not seem that physical compared to the Big10. But, I only stayed for the first part of the scrimmage -maybe they warmed up?
Bottom line, in my uneducated observation, I saw a very good but beatable team. Who knows how Illinois will do against them, but I think it will be a better game than most think. We have to do well, my son is already giving me crap about how we will get smoked. I did remind him of who is actually paying tuition.
 
#280      
Thanks Combes. I saw he was in the team photos. Just wondering if BU said anything about him or if there is any insight as to what to expect from him this year. I suppose he has only been on campus 6 weeks or so at this point.
Yesterday, Higgs was shooting around after practice without his walking boot.
 
#281      

Deleted member 29907

D
Guest
As much as I like Kipper, it’s going to be tough to top Black.
I don't think we have to have a one to one replacement given we have better scoring options all around the perimeter - but 5 points and 1 rebound per game is not that far off for Kipper yty.
 
#282      

skyIdub

Winged Warrior
My bad if I meant he’d be starting, just that he’d be taking some of his minutes. Guerrier is a stud.

Thanks for clarifying! Kipper may have turned some people off with his ups and downs, but when you drop 30 against a quality B1G opponent as a soph.....you have shown that you have All B1G potential.
 
#283      
#284      

Joel Goodson

respect my decision™
Thanks for clarifying! Kipper may have turned some people off with his ups and downs, but when you drop 30 against a quality B1G opponent as a soph.....you have shown that you have All B1G potential.

A lot of potential. It’s just maddening how he wouldn’t either have a great game or almost completely disappear. Not many have a game log like Kipper.

https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/kipper-nichols-1/gamelog/

The only thing holding Kipper back is himself. If he gets the mental aspect of his game locked in, he'll be a load.
 
#285      

skyIdub

Winged Warrior
The only thing holding Kipper back is himself. If he gets the mental aspect of his game locked in, he'll be a load.

I believe the locker room last year didn't help his mental game at all. This team is going to be different. The supporting cast is only going to help him rise.
 
#286      
Agreed but Kipper was a below average defender too, or a the very least really inconsistent defensive effort. We’ll see how much of an improvement we’ll get from Kipper but it’s a tall task to ask for for Kipper to be a wash for Black overall. If we get Guerrier, I think he’ll play the 4 in place of Kipper if he brings the inconsistency this season.
I assume you mean next year as he has said he wants to redshirt this season. Hope there are other possibilities in next year's class as well as this being a possibility.
 
#287      
Need Kipper to be > Black and Giorgi/ Adonis > Finke/Ebo. Doesn't seem like a huge stretch to me.

Actually, when it comes to frontcourt (4 and 5), the problem is that you also have to replace Kipper of last year as well. It is not that Kipper did not exist last year.

Kipper/Giorgi/Kane/Higgs/Adonis need to be > Kipper (last year)/Black/Finke/Ebo. Not really easy, especially with Adonis/Higgs starting the season with injuries.
 
#288      
Anybody know what's going on with Higgs foot? Richey, wrote in article he was down with foot injury.
 
#289      
Actually, when it comes to frontcourt (4 and 5), the problem is that you also have to replace Kipper of last year as well. It is not that Kipper did not exist last year.

Kipper/Giorgi/Kane/Higgs/Adonis need to be > Kipper (last year)/Black/Finke/Ebo. Not really easy, especially with Adonis/Higgs starting the season with injuries.
Agree that Kipper of last year is the most difficult replacement. Wonder if Giorgi can replace some of those minutes if Adonis is healthy and Samba develops. Even wonder if AJ can spend some time there. Would be a huge matchup problem for the opponents. Jones the other possibility but will probably see some early experimenting. Guess I'm not really expecting much from Higgs. Conditioning, injury, and late arrival put him way behind.
 
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#291      
Agree that Kipper of last year is the most difficult replacement. Wonder if Giorgi can replace some of those minutes if Adonis is healthy and Samba develops. Even wonder if AJ can spend some time there. Would be a huge matchup problem for the opponents. Jones the other possibility but will probably see some early experimenting. Guess I'm not really expecting much from Higgs. Conditioning, injury, and late arrival put him way behind.
Jones and Jordan will definitely see time at Kipper’s spot.
 
#293      
Jones and Jordan will definitely see time at Kipper’s spot.

If you mean playing Kipper's natural position (3/SF) it obviously going to happen and is more of their natural fit at the wing. But if you mean Jordan/Jones playing PF, that will be even more of a problem than playing Kipper at the position. I do not like it, but I think Jones in particular will spend most of the year at the 4/PF spot out of necessity.
 
#294      
If you mean playing Kipper's natural position (3/SF) it obviously going to happen and is more of their natural fit at the wing. But if you mean Jordan/Jones playing PF, that will be even more of a problem than playing Kipper at the position. I do not like it, but I think Jones in particular will spend most of the year at the 4/PF spot out of necessity.
Need 30 mpg from Kipper. Trent did 29.6 in conference so not impossible just need to stay out of foul problems.
 
#295      

ILL in IA

Iowa City
Kipper does not have to be better than LB was last year. He will need to be close to LB was though. The rest can be made up with TF 18 better than TF 17. DW 18 >DW 17 ect. And how much better can Ayo and El General be compared to Alstork and TJL. I think we will be better, just a matter of how much. And will better mean doing the little things that lost us those close games. They gave away 3-4 wins last year. Can we win those and then some this year.
 
#296      
If you mean playing Kipper's natural position (3/SF) it obviously going to happen and is more of their natural fit at the wing. But if you mean Jordan/Jones playing PF, that will be even more of a problem than playing Kipper at the position. I do not like it, but I think Jones in particular will spend most of the year at the 4/PF spot out of necessity.
Jordan played some four last year. Jones will have to play there some out of necessity.

I guess “4” is an outdated term on this team. More like 4 perimeter players around one big.

Or five perimeter players with no big.
 
#297      
Jordan played some four last year. Jones will have to play there some out of necessity.

I guess “4” is an outdated term on this team. More like 4 perimeter players around one big.

Or five perimeter players with no big.

Be careful who you say that to. Almost sounds like you might know how the offense works and you can’t do that around here.
 
#298      
It's not really an outdated term on "this" team, we've been doing it for many years now out of necessity (including Malcolm Hill and Kipper, and even some AJ) with mediocre results. Yet, we think every year that it will now work. Personally, not a fan.

I’ve resigned myself to the fact that we’re gonna continually have this argument. But its what the offense requires. 4 guys with guard skills regardless of height. Obviously if you can throw some 6-8 guys with guard skills out there you will. But the skillset for the offense overrides number positions or height.
 
#299      
It's not really an outdated term on "this" team, we've been doing it for many years now out of necessity (including Malcolm Hill and Kipper, and even some AJ) with mediocre results. Yet, we think every year that it will now work. Personally, not a fan.
It’s outdated in that the 4 isn’t your traditional power forward. Our ideal 4 isn’t a banger it’s a tweeter that can stretch the floor and guard smaller players almost as well as bigger players. Kipper could be capable of doing that but I don’t think AJ or Jones can this season.
 
#300      

IlliniDent

Chicago, IL
It's not really an outdated term on "this" team, we've been doing it for many years now out of necessity (including Malcolm Hill and Kipper, and even some AJ) with mediocre results. Yet, we think every year that it will now work. Personally, not a fan.
Depends on the offense. Last year it was ran pretty poorly overall. If it's actually run correctly, its true that a classic 4 is an outdated term on this team. However, defensively, it still hold's up pretty well that you need someone with length at the 4 who can play against other teams 4s who don't play quite as positionless of a 1-4.
 
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