Time to stop the 'we need a big man' threads

[Canadian Dimes]

Of course we need another guy coming down the pipe. 


It took Otule three years to reap any benefits and it just takes Otule landing funny once and he's done for the year.


Gardner is never going to be a rebounding/defending presence, he just doesn't jump well enough.   He'll give you some offense.

wow never??

You must not remember Damon Key, DuJuan Blair and hundreds of other non high flyers that were not great defenders as freshamn yet improved over the course of their careers.  I think he is going to be a defending and rebounding presecence by his junior year

[VegasWarrior77]

Do you think someone on the Providence board started a post with: "Keno Davis can't recruit big men!"?  "Look at what Buzz has done with Chris Otule and he's bringing freshman Davante Gardner along too!"

[mugoose]

tower912...is that you scott walker?

stop taking away our rights

[Blackhat]

wow never??

You must not remember Damon Key, DuJuan Blair and hundreds of other non high flyers that were not great defenders as freshamn yet improved over the course of their careers.  I think he is going to be a defending and rebounding presecence by his junior year

Key is before my time, at least i can't give a thorough evaluation at 9.

But I don't know man,  Blair was a consensus freshman all-american who averaged 11 & 9 rebs his freshman year.

Gardner is at 4 & 1.76 rebs.

RJAX's senior year he went for 15 & 8.   Based on cankles and no spring I'd be surprised if come Gardner's senior year he averages 6 boards a game.  


I have no doubt he could get to double digits on offense but it's his d and rebounding where he's a huge project.

[El Duderino]

That's great and who will play the four the year after?  Do you want a first year player or someone who has some experience?  And what if Crowder gets into foul trouble?  We have Fulce this year as a backup but he will not be around next year.  I really think we need a power forward in the recruiting class.

If Buzz can't lock up a quality big guy out of the high school ranks, i'd be fine with him looking into the JUCO ranks for a big to replace Crowder. For whatever reason, Buzz seems to have some magic dust when it comes to signing JUCO players.

None have been a bust, all have contributed to varying degrees from the get go, and guys like Butler, DJO, and Crowder have been impact players.

Besides how good the JUCO kids as a whole have been on the court, they've also behaved wonderfully and represented the university in a very positive fashion. Sometimes JUCO kids come with the stigma of being problem kids, partially because of what coaches like Huggins had going at Cincinnati with what seems like his teams should have instead been called the Cincinnati Vice Lords. That hasn't been the case at all with Butler, Fulce, DJO, Buycks, and Cowder who all seem to be great kids.  

[tower912]

tower912...is that you scott walker?

stop taking away our rights

Well played.    I didn't make the connection at first, but I do remember Scott Walker at MU.   His character has remained consistent. 

[ATWizJr]

PC had no answer in the paint and has no serviceable big man.  Is Keno Davis getting heat?  Absolutely!

[RawdogDX]

That's great and who will play the four the year after?  Do you want a first year player or someone who has some experience?  And what if Crowder gets into foul trouble?  We have Fulce this year as a backup but he will not be around next year.  I really think we need a power forward in the recruiting class.

The year after next senior Eric William will be at the 4.  He'll start, play 30 minutes and be good.
Not that I'd complain about a 4 in this year's class, as long as he's a 4 year player.

[RawdogDX]

If Buzz can't lock up a quality big guy out of the high school ranks, i'd be fine with him looking into the JUCO ranks for a big to replace Crowder. For whatever reason, Buzz seems to have some magic dust when it comes to signing JUCO players.

None have been a bust, all have contributed to varying degrees from the get go, and guys like Butler, DJO, and Crowder have been impact players.

Besides how good the JUCO kids as a whole have been on the court, they've also behaved wonderfully and represented the university in a very positive fashion. Sometimes JUCO kids come with the stigma of being problem kids, partially because of what coaches like Huggins had going at Cincinnati with what seems like his teams should have instead been called the Cincinnati Vice Lords. That hasn't been the case at all with Butler, Fulce, DJO, Buycks, and Cowder who all seem to be great kids. 

-1.  Why get a two year player to play behind EW & Jae?  Would be better having a 4 year who can sit as a fresh, back up as a soph, and start as an upperclassmen.

[tower912]

Three forwards in rotation next year, EWill (6'7), Wilson(6'8), Jae (6'6).    Two bigs, Chris and DG (6'9).   Three guard rotation of Blue, Junior and DJO.    (Assumes Blue can play some point)   JJ splits 5-8 minutes a game at 2-3.     We will have decent sized 3's guarding the other team's 4.   Only thing missing is the Chism-type 4.   

[El Duderino]

-1.  Why get a two year player to play behind EW & Jae?  Would be better having a 4 year who can sit as a fresh, back up as a soph, and start as an upperclassmen.

The first word in my post was "if."

Of course the ideal situation would be for Buzz to land a quality young big man out of the high school ranks that could contribute at least a bit as a freshman and then by his sophomore year, that kid would be ready to be a major contributor.

If though Buzz struggled to land a quality big out of the high school ranks, i'd have no problem with him instead dipping into the JUCO ranks again so long as that JUCO kid could come in and contribute right away.

Unless a college coach lands one of the elite big man recruits out of high school, which is hard to do, often bigs coming from high school need at least a year on the bench to eventually develop into something useful. Sometimes it can also take part of or all of their sophomore year before they become a key contributor.

So while it is more ideal to land a quality big man recruit out of high school, unless that kid is a top 75ish recruit who can contribute a lot right away, odds are his freshman year won't bring much production. Kinda like what we've out out of Gardner this season. In effect then, you're really only getting one extra year compared to a JUCO big man assuming that that JUCO kid contributes right away.

[RawdogDX]

The first word in my post was "if."

Of course the ideal situation would be for Buzz to land a quality young big man out of the high school ranks that could contribute at least a bit as a freshman and then by his sophomore year, that kid would be ready to be a major contributor.

What do you mean by quality?  You mean any old big 3 star project?  If yes, than I agree. 

I'd rather have that than take a juco with our team.  If we can't land another Liam or Mbao than sure, why not.  As pointed ealier we'lll have a sr, 3 jrs and a soph who can play down low.  It isn't critical to get one in general.