Illini Basketball 2023-2024
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pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
I like him better than either of epps or clark from last year...........playing time will be determined by how good he plays defense and pays attention to instruction......
I hope at least 10 mpg.......JMHO
Yup. As much as I’m loving the DGL hype, he’s a freshman, and just 6 months ago I recall this board having nightly aneurisms watching freshmen make freshmen mistakes, collectively longing for an older team. The rotation will more than likely shake out with experienced college basketball players getting the lion’s share of minutes. I can’t see a scenario where a 14 PPG scorer from a top 75 team is 9th or 10th in our rotation
Well.. I’d argue the fact one of our freshmen having an opportunity to steal minutes from a 14 ppg scorer from a top 75 team could be a great problem to have?
DGL looked every bit like the hype we heard in the practice footage. Kid can play.
Flashback to Officer friendly Peoriaman’s famous “No one here knows that”
With the demand for playing time, and the desire to be competitive for NIL money, seems like muscial chairs at the end of each season is going to be the norm not the exception.= team-building and "chemistry creation" will be increasingly valuable coaching skills.
I dont expect anyone to average 35 minutes a game. Hopefully we can win enough games by a comfortable margin to give others playing time and rest TSJ, Hawk, and others. That said in the more competitive games I do expect, baring foul trouble that TSJ and Hawk will play 35 or more. Much like Ayo, Trent, TSJ has and others baring foul trouble. Some guys just have to play as much as possible vs top opponents for us to win.
I thought Epps had an overall good freshman year and he was needed so he played a lot. I also think DGL is very needed and looks to be an even better PG than Epps. DGL is a freak athlete and its amazing he is already up to 180 lbs of muscle and is right at Trent and Harris' playing weight while being an bit shorter. As driven and hard working as DGL is plus his intense attitude I fully expect he will do well on defense. Those that have seen the practices and videos are excited about DGL as it seems you are. He most certainly has the most potential at PG the way he handles the rock, combined with his passing and shooting. With his intensity, work ethic, drive, and abilities our team clearly needs I don't see how BU can't play him similar to Epps by mid-season. It appears he will be our best option at PG eventually and he may be already after watching tape. He has the ability and drive to defend and he will. Like I said I am shocked at what Fletch and DGL have done in such a short time to put on 15lbs to get him up to 180lbs. Trent and Harris caused issues at PG on D around thar weight and the athlete and drive DGL has imo he will adjust, learn, and play extensive minutes as the season rolls on. For the Illini to excell he must.
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Ty and DGL may both be excellent point guards, each in his own way. Their style will be so different I would think we will have trouble adjusting, mid-game, to the different style. I suspect there will be few substitutions in which the only sub is DGL for Ty or vice versa. BU will need to change a significant part of a lineup to get the most value of our two very different point guards. Of course, the other team may have as much or even a bigger adjustment when the lineups change.
Illini in Indiana
- Indiana
Fans love offense, coaches love defense.
What Sencire has is hard to learn or train to do. His "motor" and defensive minds set does make him elite and will earn him minutes. I am excited about DGL too, and personally would like to see them both on the floor at the same time. It could an incredibly hard defense to run an offense against.
What Sencire has is hard to learn or train to do. His "motor" and defensive minds set does make him elite and will earn him minutes. I am excited about DGL too, and personally would like to see them both on the floor at the same time. It could an incredibly hard defense to run an offense against.
At the end of last season many kept saying we need a PG and shooting. Well DGL can do both. Also our addition if DGL and the 3s and 4s in Goode and the transfers will play a lot to fill that shooting void from last season.
Were the 1989 and 2005 teams the best shooting teams in this history or the program? Thoughts?
Were the 1989 and 2005 teams the best shooting teams in this history or the program? Thoughts?
While Ty can play PG, it is not his natural position. He is capable of playing PG but is better suited elsewhere and after this season I expect him to slide into that role. If DGL can be a solid starting PG later this season then Ty may play more 3 or 4 and lead to more minutes for Harris at PG.
If either one of them is a serviceable PG, I’d be happy. Neither one has played PG at the college level. Practice reports are a very different thing from doing it in real time (eg Alex Legion).
Also how TF can people say DGL is better than our two FR from last year (who FWIW were way higher rated than him)? DGL hasnt pkayed one minute of college ball! Clark’s problem was he quit the team, Epps’ problem was lack of desire to play defense, plus injury, plus he quit the team. Both had talent, though Clark may not have been totallly over his knee injury.
Joel Goodson
- ties will be resolved
Clark's problem was that he kinda sucked. Couldn't defend, dribbled too much/held onto the ball too long, was so-so at finishing at the rim, so-so outside shot. He was a shadow of his former 5 star self. I'm sure he wasn't over his injury, but his play was disappointing.
The NIL money will be there based on overall results. If a player isn’t getting as much playing time but is allocated a good chunk of the funds, I’d move on and find a new player unless they’re good for the culture and patient. The ROI needs to make sense at the end of the day.
Idk about this any more. The P2 is here. Eventually we will be paying our players, plus they’ll get NIL. Are kids gonna wanna move on so quickly from guaranteed income for playing time at a G9 school? At that point you’d need to go somewhere that the NIL covers your P2 salary + P2 NIL. But if you aren’t getting tick, are you gonna get that kind of NIL from Kansas, Duke or Arizona, who might be the only G9 schools who will still be able to do it.
Your right Skyy Clark was coming off injury and I for one never said DGL was better than Skyy. I think Skyy will end up being very good. That said I do not think BU pays attention to rankings. Once they start playing I don't either. It appears obvious that DGL is a better athlete than Epps. That DGL is quicker, jumps higher, handles the ball better and has a better shot. I don't look at rankings. Hell Trey Burke was a 6'1" 170lb, outside the top 100 and was as tough a college PG as anyone. When you can tell BU is trying not to pour on too much praise and is clearly giddy about DGL, it is for a reason. It may be why after Ray J we didn't add anyone. Its different with him. He flat out said DGL is going to play and play a lot. It is not just a practice report when it is an open practuce. It was a practice report when he dunked on TSJ, I would have loved to have seen that but your right it is not the same as seeing it. DGL was the most impressive player on the court at the open practice and its fine to be optimistic about it. BU certainly is. Others saw the practice and some moved us from 6th to third so its not just illini fans that feel this way.. Go Illini
Before he broke his ankle DGL was rated way higher than Epps ever was. I do believe he was rated a five star at one point
Certainly don’t understand what his natural position is. At 6’6” he is undersized at the four and 2 and 3’s generally are better shooters than the avg PG. He can be a DaMonte type defensive specialist but am hoping for a higher ceiling than that. Actually see his shooting weakness less of a problem as a distributor where he can cause the defense to collapse to stop his bully ball and leave three point shooters open.
We were so proud that we stole a recruit from Kentucky
I agree with you in regards to his hieght and shooting. Some guys like Sir Charles, Battle, Nick Anderson or others just play bigger than they are. I know there is only one Barkley, and Ty ain't that. But Ty does however cause major havoc on the glass, plays bigger, can pass out of doubles l, is quicker than most 4s and gets extra possessions. I hope Ty at least gets a little mid range game and can be that for us some if not this coming season then in the future. He is great at that.
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I know we want everyone to be able to hit jumpers, but I’d like to see Ty work on a post game, too. He likes to use his strength inside. I’d like to see him back his guy down and create. I do know he needs to somehow develop better touch to become better offensively.
I was going to mention Barkley myself. He not only made a career playing by the basket at 6"4' 1/2, he was a dominant force. Ty with his rebounding knack could definitely be a solid 4 while here at Illinois.
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