Lots of thoughts on different subjects that I'll just condense here as opposed to in 3 different threads.
Although I hope another big gets added and a dead eye shooter wing...I think that with no more transfers and our current signees....18-19 will be better than 17-18.
Black leaving looks like a glaring hole. And I give him a TON of credit for becoming the person I was most confident in while shooting a 3 (i Never thought I'd say that in a million years)....but his defense/rebounding was still not great. Finke guarding the other team's 4 as long as its not someone like Bridges who is a sure fire NBAer will be fine because Finke is longer than Black. He'll still get blown by on occasion but he;ll have Ebo or Kane as an athletic Rim protector behind him...as opposed to the unathletic version of himself. I think if Finke gets his shot going early in the year and some confidence, he becomes a valuable offensive weapon as far as spacing, and a serviceable defensive player.(I didn't say great...i didn't even say good).
Black leaving is absolutely the right decision for him. He is who he is, which is a very good offensive college basketball player with limitations that will most likely keep him from the NBA. His fiancee is graduating, he has his degree as well. Sticking around another year doesn't make him grow 3 more inches or change the limitations he has. His earning years as a professional athlete is finite....and signing with an agent will help him navigate those waters of international basketball. Even if he's not making 100K+ somewhere....he'll start making some money and he and his fiancee can get started with their life.
As much as I rooted for Mark Smith...his transfer I almost welcomed. He looked lost as soon as the level of competition stepped up. Although it's hindsight, the people who said he was exposed against Simeon were probably right. His handle looked loose even without pressure at times. He's gonna have to tighten that up if he (or his dad) expect him to be a point whether it be at the P5 level or even the Mid-Major level. Mid major hoops is full of ultra quick but undersized pest type point guards that just aren't big enough to get on the radar of big schools.
I can tell his a somewhat introverted , quiet kid. But his body language once he started struggling was brutal. He looked defeated, shoulders slouched or shrugged. Completely the opposite of AJ, even when AJ struggled. he was clapping, cheering, first off the bench. He's limited with what he can do, but he does what he can to the best of his ability and is a phenomenal teammate....he's certainly making the most of his time at UI and I'm happy for him.
I also think BU felt somewhat obligated to play Smith and Alstork (and the vision of how to average 20 PPG as a recruiting tool). It was glaringly obvious that their time on the floor wasn't what most of us hoped...and i hoped each would snap out of it, but neither one did. I wonder if the TJL alley opp to Alstork would have connected back in December...if he hammers that home, the SFC goes crazy...the entire season goes different because alstork is a different player with more confidence. I really feel like he felt he never got the love from fans that he expected based on his use of social media, how he announced, etc, and was almost chasing after that adulation the entire year...and then it unraveled, and then it was a downhill slide from there. A deep, long, dark slide.
TJL(assuming he stays) can play the Alstork role this year ...we'll have more depth (Ayo, Demonte, Kipper, Griffin)...and with the aggressive nature of the defense, we will always foul, just need to avoid the Alstork 60 feet from the basket fouls.
In summary...we'll be better next year....I'll sign the contract with my beach house with a Sharpie.
