Illinois Hoops Recruiting Thread

Status
Not open for further replies.
#926      
RIP_Chief_2003
I need to lay off this forum. My phone is starting to give me GI emails…
IMG_4957.png
 
#927      
Curbelo Fanboy
That's crazy, that's such a burned in memory for me too. An Xmas break game if I recall correctly, and I'd driven down from the burbs and was in normal people seats rather than the student section. And yeah, we just were not playing the same sport as those guys, there had been a changing of the guard in the Big Ten.

And the thing about Bruce being suited for a mid-major job (or maybe it would be more accurate to say a scrappy ankle-biter major conference job like a Colorado or a Boston College or something) is that while everybody would say he got way more out of his 08-09 team with Chet and Trent Meacham and Mike Davis than Thad Matta would have, Matta got way more out of Oden and Conley than Bruce would have. He just wasn't able to take that star quality and guide it into big time winners, the only time he ever did that was with guys who someone else had already taught to play and win together.
Click to expand...
Yep - Bruce could coach up the "try hards" but the try hards don't play games after the 2nd/3rd weekend in March. Sweet 16 max kind of teams 9 times out 10.
 
#928      
BretMyBeachHouse
I have to hand it to Louisville. It looks to me like they are going all in, for better or worse, on their coach who so far has underperformed. Given the choices of a) hanging him out to dry, b) jumping on the carousel, or c) funding the he$% out of the program and giving him no excuses, it looks like they're going c.

If they don't make the FF with this load they could be shopping for both a coach and AD.
 
#930      
Mr. Tibbs
I hope we get Blackwell, but these things typically don't end well for us.

Perhaps things have changed; regardless, next year is going to be a fun year.
Click to expand...
yup

we lose the hat dance 7 outta 8 times
 
#931      
zentrails
HailtotheChief said:
Ty Rodgers is not a viable power 4 at 6'6" 210. All this talk about him being something he isnt needs to stop. Maryland and most others with big 4s like Michigan, Purdue, MSU. or Maryland's Pherrell Payne at 6'9" 250 would destroy him. We need a real power 4 or that crap wont stop with Mirk on the bench. If we dont add someone our best option after Mirk or Z isnt Ty.
Click to expand...
OTOH Boz did just fine guarding players that were a LOT taller
 
#932      
PepeSilvia
ChiefGritty said:
It was at least non-catastrophic this year, and without Humrichous we're going to have to be able to get away with a few minutes a game that way next year.

I just want more Z in general, that guy is so unique.
Click to expand...
I think Z will benefit a ton from another off-season with Fletch. He looked significantly bigger this year.

Defensively, you likely have to learn how to play a zone with both or it be a matchup where Z can guard on the perimeter.

Offensively I think it would be interesting to pound it inside with twin seven footers in the paint and see if teams can stop them from hitting floaters and getting offensive rebound. Then you have two good passers if perimeter defenders crash in.
 
#933      
ColSLU69
I still wish we had more than 15 fouls at those 2 spots. Especially if two of the three get 2 or 3 fouls fairly early.
Click to expand...
Agreed on the 15 fouls angle. Then there's the injury angle. No backup to Z or Mirk if, for instance, Tomi is injured.
 
#941      
Fly Illini Fly!
Last edited:
#942      
RimPressure
Indy Illini Fan said:
And Brad plans to have a full summer to work on playing the twins together …
Click to expand...
I would imagine part of the sell to get Z to come back would have to be that he will get more minutes in general, so yeah that'd mean more minutes with both twins on the floor.

The weird thing with Z on defense is he seems to move very well for his size, and thus is more capable than Tomi at guarding in space, and can make up for getting beat by being super long with good timing and explosion to contest a shot... But he's such a good shot blocker that you'd rather Z be the one protecting the rim instead of Tomi and not be guarding a 4 in space. Kind of a weird dynamic.
 
#944      
RollChief
HailtotheChief said:
I still wish we had more than 15 fouls at those 2 spots. Especially if two of the three get 2 or 3 fouls fairly early.
Click to expand...
Last year we were second in the nation for all D-1 teams in fouls given at 13.4. Foul discipline was a strong point for this year's team, especially in the front court.

Specifically for the front court (T, Z and Mirk), the highest total between those three was 11 fouls against MSU, and there was <6 times that they combined for more than 7 fouls.

I get where you're coming from but it's pretty tough to have a reserve guy as a 4th man in a top-tier front court rotation, who is serviceable enough and who we would want taking up minutes, vs getting one or two more high-caliber 1,2, or 3's.
 
#946      
Hessel Blvd
there is a big-time hole at the 5-spot coming up after next year.... I really expect there to be a big man in the mix this year too. China? Europe?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back