How about Maymon at Center?

[Murffieus]

I went to the fish fry last night and then to the scrimmage. Both Otule and Mbao have improved parts of their game-----in fact Mbao was the most improved player on the floor since I saw the Madness Scrimmage two weeks ago. However both have glaring weaknesses----Otule has very bad hands----must have wiffed on or bobbled 4-5 passes or rebs last night. Mbao showed two excellent postup moves one with the left hand and one with the right hand, but neither dropped-----Otule had one also that did drop. However neither is a good rebounder or defender (not strong enough)-----neither had a block last night that I recall----both lack court sense at this time.

Meanwhile Maymon is strong has brute force moves underneath and is our best bet for a rebounder & defender at #5. In addition this would give more minutes for Fulce to be the first backup at both #3 & #4, as Maymon who ordinarily would be the primary backup at #3 & #4 is now playing major mPG at #5.

It looks to me like this is the way it will ultimately will play out this year.

BTW----Fulce also showed considerable improvement over two weeks ago-----in addition to being the most athletic player on the team, he's also the most fundamentally sound player on the team. Have to find mpg for him!

[DomJamesToTheBasket]

Well, Buzz demonstrated last year that he will play his best guys regardless of size.  I've been a proponent of J-MAY at center for a long time. The Big East has an incredible history of "undersized" post players. Shorter guys than you'd like, but thick beasts with a ton of skill......and they usually had huge wingspans.  Otule has size on him. That's it.  The difference in skills between the two is laughable.  We were top 10 last season with DWIGHT BURKE!!! J-MAY is just as long(with his freakish wingspan) and 100 times more skilled than Burke.  Will Buzz play his best guys again?  If his one year history says anything,  it is a resounding YES!  This is one of the reasons why I think Buzz is a superior coach to Crean.  TC didn't play his best guys.  It's asinine to just put a guy out there because he's BIG and TC had a history of doing this.  Personally, I prefer the shorter strong guys that actually have skills.  J-MAY is a undersized, but HE IS THE MISMATCH. Can you imagine former starting centers Grimm and Barro matching up against Maymon? WHO WOULD WIN????? Centers on the NCAA level are by and large, garbage on offense.  So, being undersized on defense has virtually ZERO impact. Take a look at the centers in the Big East.  Monroe is excellent.....Koshwal is a decent offensive player on a bad team......other than those two guys, every team has a center that is the 5th option to score. I don't think Maymon would lose any games for us by a taller guy lighting us up. The smart play would be to counter the other team's 7-foot STIFF with a PLAYER.


Our last good big,  Rob Jackson wasn't 6'10"........He was more like 6'8"...........and much more Maymon than Otule in him.  Will we ever have another center with skills?  We could this year and every year if we recognize that opposing centers are HORRID and we don't need to play a token big guy because the other team has a token big guy.  The center position is such a joke.......even most NBA teams have garbage at that position.  I just don't understand the logic of playing a 7-footer for the primary reason of "stopping" some other stiff. They are rarely a threat to beat you.  On the other hand, a skilled player can put up BIG numbers.

Maymon would be the 2nd best "center" in the league. Give him 30 minutes at the 5.  Let him defend the WORST player on the floor.  I think he can defend bad players very well.  Then, on offense he DESTROYS the WORST player on the floor.  Who would stop him???  His jumpshot would also open up driving lanes that Otule would not. Seeing as this is Guard U, open driving lanes = SUCCESS

[tower912]

I have thought for some time that we would run some 4 forward sets.   If we are running Fulce, Butler, Lazar and Maymon out there with a PG, we are not undersized, can switch on picks at will, can probably handle all but the toughest presses.    In this scenario, Fulce and Butler and Maymon would all have to look for and hit their jumpers. (I take Lazar's versatility as a given)   Heck, we could almost run the swing with that lineup.           I predict that Buzz starts Otule, but he sees minutes like Burke last year.      BTW, for those that have been to the scrimmages, what are accurate heights for our forwards?     I have read insinuations that Fulce is more like 6'5 and Butler may be closer to 6'8.    True/False?    How about Ewill and JM?

[GGGG]

Dom...I couldn't have said it better.

Maymon is also a very very smart and instinctive basketball player.  I've seen it during the state tournament and apparently he does well in team scrimmages as a freshman.  I really don't care who plays center because I am not sure it matters much in Buzz's system.  I do care who is on the floor however.

[DomJamesToTheBasket]

I have thought for some time that we would run some 4 forward sets.  

I read a quote from Vander after his recruitment about 4 guard sets.  It's just affirmation that Buzz wants to play his best guys.  MU has forwards that can shoot, pass, and dribble.....it's semantics.  Maymon at "center" is just a title.  He wouldn't play like a traditional stiff on offense.  Yeah, he can post up, but he would really open things up with his all-around game.

[DomJamesToTheBasket]

Maymon is also a very very smart and instinctive basketball player. 

I agree. That's why I want him at center.  Then we have 5 PLAYERS on the court.  The majority of centers in NCAA are not players.  They are just tall.  Maymon would pick them apart because he has so much more skill.  Maymon would win just about every match-up at center. Defacto scrubs would get dominated by J-MAY. A key to this season is J-MAY's dominance over the plethora of crappy centers we face. He's going to make a name for himself this year.

[The Lens]

Play your best 5.  I expected Hayward to be the starting C this year (with Maymon at the 4) if Maymon is the starting 5, fine.  Buzz seems to coach to win every game.  I expect another year of short rotations and line-ups that while un-conventional, find a way to put up W's.

[muhoops1]

It could be a college version of this year's Dallas Mavericks.  If anyone saw their win over the Lakers the other night, they saw a very long, athletic team team.  Not necessarily huge, but very good overall.

[Peoples_Republic_Warrior]

Maymon has 2 inches and 25 pounds on 'Zar..It would be foolish to not put him at 4 and Hayward at 5

[Peoples_Republic_Warrior]

I mean maymon at 5 and hayward at 4...sorry

[MuMark]

25 lbs yes....2 inches...no chance.

They are both about 6'6.

[chapman]

The bottom line continues to be that you have to play someone at the 5 for 40 minutes per game.  Right now it looks like Yous is good for no more than five of those 40 minutes: he’s raw, needs to bulk up, and it looks like he’s good for three fouls in those five minutes.  An improved Otule is good for 15, maybe 20 on a good night.  That leaves 15-20 minutes minimum that someone else must play the 5.  Otule is not a 30 minute per game player and probably never will be, and it will be fantastic if Yous can develop enough this year to come anywhere near 10 minutes of not being a liability.  Maymon’s got the body and the basketball IQ to play anywhere and be able to score, defend, and rebound, and he probably is the best bet at the five.  Let’s also remember the difference between “size” and “height”.  Maymon at the five isn’t much of a disadvantage in “size” as he’s going to be throwing around more muscle than the 6’11” center on the other side.

Still, let’s not pretend that giving up 3-5 inches of height to players like Monroe, Samuels, Koshwal, Ebanks, Gates, and Onuaku is somehow an advantage because these guys are “stiffs”.  It will be an uphill battle for Maymon to match up with these guys.  And on the other side of the coin, let’s not pretend that teams are loaded with 7 footers (there’s actually three official "7 footers" besides Yous in the Big East, and none have been or likely will be factors for their teams).  If you look at the roster depth and the players actually good enough to play for other teams, playing Otule and Yous for 10 minutes combined and going with Maymon and Hayward for 30 minutes-plus at the 5 would actually be in our benefit against teams like Nova, St. John’s, Providence, Pitt, or ND since half the Big East seems to have this “size problem” that we have.

[DomJamesToTheBasket]

Good points Chap. I would like to make it clear that I want Otule and Mbao to have roles.  I think Chap is right on......10-15 fror Otule......5 for Mbao in some games.  As they develop, they earn more minutes.  Right now, Maymon gives us the best chance to win with the majority of minutes at the 5. Again, those extra minutes that Maymon gets by playing center will really help him in the future.  J-MAY is gonna be a BEAST sooner than later. He's long, stout, and skilled. When we're really good in 2010 and beyond, we will hear about J-MAY and Vander from Madison......for us it will be just beating the drum......for UW fans it's going to be nails on the chalkboard!

[Murffieus]

Position skills are important so I'm not for playing the "best 5 guys"----have to take position skills into account when establishing a rotation.

Maymon does not have the best picture perfect postup moves around and he's smaller than his counterparts will be so he is at center because of necessity because of his rebounding and defense (Otule & Mbao even though improved are lacking in those two areas)-----Maymon at #5 is outside of his natural position and therefore an exception -----but to suggest a 4 forward offense where others are also playing outside of there natural position won't happen----asking for chaos with a young team in that case.

As is, Maymon will have to make some adjustments to his game----like he will have boundaries, which he isn't used to. In addtion he will need to develop some finesse moves-----won't be able to overpower most BE centers.

[Skatastrophy]

25 lbs yes....2 inches...no chance.

They are both about 6'6.

When they were defending each other at Midnight Madness Jeronne looked taller than Lazar.

[1990Warrior]

ZI think one of the big unknowns is whether our guards will be able to keep the opposition in front of them this year.  If not, a 7'2 center could be a nice last line of defense.  Have to emphasize the "could" part because it is hard to know right now.

[tower912]

Remember last year when Buzz said that Lazar is only 6'4 3/4?     If Jeronne is a couple of inches taller, that makes him a legit 6'7.

[Murffieus]

I've stood next to both of them-----Maymon is a legit 6' 6 1/2 and Lazar a shade less----like 6' 6"-----Lazar has exceptionally long arms and large hands.

[Nukem2]

I've stood next to both of them-----Maymon is a legit 6' 6 1/2 and Lazar a shade less----like 6' 6"-----Lazar has exceptionally long arms and large hands.

Each is 6'5 3/4" .......

[Murffieus]

Each is 6'5 3/4" .......

Yea, maybe in stocking feet----but they wear shoes when walking the  streets or playing a game-----so tack some on.

But I sized them up Friday night----Maymon is a shade taller!

[muwarrior87]

Those suggesting 'Zar take any minutes at the 5 haven't looked at him this year. He seems to be much more agile and quick that last year.  These additions to his game would be somewhat wasted if he were matched up at the 5. I think this may be because he will see more time at the 3 and 4 showcasing his ability to play a wing role at the next level. Just a thought.

[Nukem2]

Yea, maybe in stocking feet----but they wear shoes when walking the  streets or playing a game-----so tack some on.

But I sized them up Friday night----Maymon is a shade taller!

Come on, Murff, can't you take a joke.   

[thanooj]

Those suggesting 'Zar take any minutes at the 5 haven't looked at him this year. He seems to be much more agile and quick that last year.  These additions to his game would be somewhat wasted if he were matched up at the 5. I think this may be because he will see more time at the 3 and 4 showcasing his ability to play a wing role at the next level. Just a thought.

do you think buzz is taking a page out of Al's book?  Showcasing a super talented senior with the hopes of getting him to the next level.  I always thought that Al was progressive in this approach, and by turning out NBA kids it helped his recruiting.  In a "rebuild/reload" year for MU it might be a really smart move to show off Lazar as an all around threat as a 2, 3, and 4.  He had a great stat line last year and him getting to the NBA from a 10-8 BE team would help MU down the line.

Plus he is our best player and our success will depend greatly on his ability to carry this young team anyway.

so if Lazar actually could start as a 4/3 interchangeable with Butler starting as a 3/4 and Maymon as a 4/5 I am all for it.  Lots of athletic forwards to throw in there.  It reminds me of the old Kentucky clones that Pitino had.  They were all cloned from the same sheep.  6'6" - 6-8"  athletes.

[muwarrior87]

All I'm saying is Lazar looks a lot more athletic and looks quicker than last year.  I think he may have the offense running through him more this year, not only because he's the best, most experienced player we currently have, but also because his versatility seems to be even greater than previous seasons based on the little I've seen from him this year.

[bilsu]

Those suggesting 'Zar take any minutes at the 5 haven't looked at him this year. He seems to be much more agile and quick that last year.  These additions to his game would be somewhat wasted if he were matched up at the 5. I think this may be because he will see more time at the 3 and 4 showcasing his ability to play a wing role at the next level. Just a thought.

Is Zar quicker or is the rest of the team slower. McNeal, James and Matthews were quicker than most players.