End of the 3 Guard Starting Lineup?

[mikem91288]

After being significantly undersized the past few years, is it possible that we start only 2 guards? I'm thinking

1.Junior
2. DJO
3. Jimmy
4. Fulce/Crowder
5. Otule
Buycks and Blue coming off the bench first.

Am I being unrealistic or will Buzz actually start a Center most games this year?

[reinko]

Still think initial SL will be:

JC
Buycks
DJO
Butler
Otule

[NavinRJohnson]

I will be very surprised if we don't start three guards. I see something like...

1. Junior
2. Buycks or Blue
3. DJO
4. Butler
5. O'Toule

Trying to figure it our makes my hair hurt though. There a whole lot of really good options, and some guys you just aren't sure what to expect.

[ErickJD08]

Alot of people here love Buycks.  I think he is just a good offensive spark plug from the bench.  He is not a great defensive player and he is a smaller player that can get to the rim but he has a difficult time finishing.  I think he comes off the bench all season.

Lineups are just impossible to guess at this stage since there are some many unknowns.  All I know is DJO and JB are starting.

[bilsu]

With the exception of Williams, O'tule and Gardner, every player on the team is capable of playing guard for Buzz. He wants interchangeable players and probably sees them all as guards. They can all handle the ball and most of them can shoot the ball from the outside. Look at Diener's senior year when he got hurt and we had no one that could bring the ball up. With the exception of the above 3 players  every player on this team could have stepped in and helped that team bring the ball up.

[HoopsMalone]

I think that there are advantages to being quicker to the ball in a three guard lineup.  

1-  True PG like Dj and Mo
2-  A highly skilled shooting guard like Jerel, DJO, Buycks.  Score, shoot, push the ball up the floor.
3-  A bigger shooting guard like Wes  (a little bigger than DJO ideally actually.  Jimmy would be good here if he has a shot and a good and a good handle on the ball.)  Score, shoot, and push the ball up the floor.
4-  A highly skilled and strong player like a Lazar/Jimmy/Crowder/EWill type.  Might be a SF in most systems, but spreads the floor out with ability to shoot.  His quickness allows him to get to the ball faster on rebounds.
5-  A big, bad banger.  Doesn't need a ton of skill necessarily, but it is definately welcomed.  Just slam the ball home when he gets it, rebound, defend, and be a problem for other teams to box out so that our athletes at the other spots can grab the rebounds.  Score points on tip ins when other big guys help out on slashing guards.

I think this is the most effective type of lineup.  Give or take, I would rather be a little bit quicker.  

[tower912]

   JC, Blue, DJO, Butler, Otule.    Buycks, Fulce, Crowder, EWill round out the 9 man rotation.   All 4 of the above listed guards see time at the 1.     

[bilsu]

Alot of people here love Buycks.  I think he is just a good offensive spark plug from the bench.  He is not a great defensive player and he is a smaller player that can get to the rim but he has a difficult time finishing.  I think he comes off the bench all season.

Lineups are just impossible to guess at this stage since there are some many unknowns.  All I know is DJO and JB are starting.

Do not underrate Buyckes. He led us in rebounding a couple of games last year. He did not start at the end because Buzz wanted 3 three point shooters on the floor (actually five if you count Hayward and Butler). I would not classify either Blue or Cadougan as 3 point shooters. I am not sure about Smith. At this point we do not really know how much Buzz is going to design his offense around the three point shot, but Buyckes is a better three point option than Blue or Cadougan.

[PGsHeroes32]

Crowder could end up starting depending on how he looks when he finally comes in August.

[OhioGoldenEagle]

I think a 3 guard lineup can be highly effective, but in my opinion, it's key to have 1-2 legitimate PF's/C's that can be in there to prevent the opposing team from absolutely dominaring the rebounding department.  This is especially important on the defensive side of the ball.  In coralling a majority of the defensive rebounds, you not only prevent giving up xtra shots, you can push the ball up court and allow your talented guards to attack in transition.  The "3 amigos" were outstanding at this!

[chapman]

O'tule

O'Toule

[reinko]

Yeah, here is his team photo this year, Chris "Baggo Lucky Charms" O'Toule"

[ErickJD08]

Do not underrate Buyckes. He led us in rebounding a couple of games last year. He did not start at the end because Buzz wanted 3 three point shooters on the floor (actually five if you count Hayward and Butler). I would not classify either Blue or Cadougan as 3 point shooters. I am not sure about Smith. At this point we do not really know how much Buzz is going to design his offense around the three point shot, but Buyckes is a better three point option than Blue or Cadougan.

Sure... But if JC is a pure PG and has great court vision, I want him running the point.  DJO is a lock for the 2.  Then by putting in Buycks, you might be sacrificing alot of size, depending on if JB plays SF or PF.  I know the roster has Buycks at 6'3, but from what I saw, he played like he was 6'0. 

I am not close to the program so I don't watch the work outs or practices, but from last season, there was nothing that screamed to me that this guy is an automatic starter.  Something tells me that he will come off the bench for an offensive jolt.

[reinko]

Sure... But if JC is a pure PG and has great court vision, I want him running the point.  DJO is a lock for the 2.  Then by putting in Buycks, you might be sacrificing alot of size, depending on if JB plays SF or PF.  I know the roster has Buycks at 6'3, but from what I saw, he played like he was 6'0. 

I am not close to the program so I don't watch the work outs or practices, but from last season, there was nothing that screamed to me that this guy is an automatic starter.  Something tells me that he will come off the bench for an offensive jolt.

I get you on all that JD, but it seems, to at least this untrained eye, Buzz doesn't play a standard 1-5.  Now, in the past that could have been out of necessity.  He has talked a lot of about a lot of "interchangable" parts, or some folks call them wings in your standard 2,3,4, and sometimes 5 spots.  But you are right, we have no idea how this will shape out, my money is still on DB to start, if anything because he is a senior, and knows Buzz's system and expectations over VB or Crowder...

[GB Warrior]

I think we will start with the 3-guard lineup, and it'll be a PG TBD, DJO and Buycks. I see Buycks improving considerably from last year, both with consistency and ball-handling, which will be the big thing. If he shows a better handle, especially in traffic, he might never leave the starting lineup. For now though, I think it'll be those three, with Jimmy and Crowder rounding it out. If Otule really has gotten better, maybe he's in Crowder's spot, but I'll believe it when I see it.

[ErickJD08]

I get you on all that JD, but it seems, to at least this untrained eye, Buzz doesn't play a standard 1-5.  Now, in the past that could have been out of necessity.  He has talked a lot of about a lot of "interchangable" parts, or some folks call them wings in your standard 2,3,4, and sometimes 5 spots.  But you are right, we have no idea how this will shape out, my money is still on DB to start, if anything because he is a senior, and knows Buzz's system and expectations over VB or Crowder...

100% agree... its obvious with how Buzz has played thus far and how he says he wants to recruit (one PG and one big every year), that Buzz wants a PG, Big, and three wings on the floor.  BUT, many other teams play with a standard 1-5.  So if Buzz can start three wings that are better match ups defensively and not much drop off in offense, that will be the line up... I guess.  But who knows.

[wadefan#1]

I will be very surprised if we don't start three guards. I see something like...

1. Junior
2. Buycks or Blue
3. DJO
4. Butler
5. O'Toule

Trying to figure it our makes my hair hurt though. There a whole lot of really good options, and some guys you just aren't sure what to expect.

I agree.

[MedicineHatSpanker]

Look at Diener's senior year when he got hurt and we had no one that could bring the ball up.

How dare you insult the ball handling prowess of Marcus Jackson! Tom Crean, the King of Preparation, was ready for any eventuality!

[🏀]

How dare you insult the ball handling prowess of Marcus Jackson! Tom Crean, the King of Preparation, was ready for any eventuality!

Dude, seriously. STFU.

[MedicineHatSpanker]

Dude, seriously. STFU.

Truth hurts, huh?

Gotta wonder about a guy who has "I feel the Master" as a quote on his identifier. Strange.

[willie warrior]

Crowder could end up starting depending on how he looks when he finally comes in August.

Crowder will start--bank on it!

[MedicineHatSpanker]

Crowder will start--bank on it!

Let's hope so. What a refreshing change to actually have a viable inside game. How far we have come since that April Fool's Day betrayal. Little did we know what a blessing that day was.

[🏀]

Truth hurts, huh?

Gotta wonder about a guy who has "I feel the Master" as a quote on his identifier. Strange.

No, it doesn't hurt at all. What hurts is your constant obsession. Move along, people. Move along. We only got about 5 percent of posters that still have their hard-ons, good and bad for TC.

Wonder about me? Sure. Look up my posting history, I'm not one that has to change screen names.

[Dr. Blackheart]

The Buzzer goes with efficiency:  Butler, DJO and Fulce to start as they are the highest ORating returnees and most likely the highest scoring options.  Buycks, EWill and Otule are sub-100 in ORating, so let's see who improves the most here to earn the nod as all three seem to have done over the summer.  

Small sample size, but JC was 0 for 2009-10 season in FGM and was not very efficient in limited minutes.  Judging from the first day of the ProAm, his shot has not improved. JC is a pass first PG, so he will pair with Otule when in the game to get it inside. Buzz loves Junior but he needs to take a step up.  Otherwise, DB earns the nod (which seems like as the PG) with EWill or Crowder (who I see more as a perimeter3/4 due to his passing skills and trey shooting).  

The freshman, while talented in various ways, give Buzz match-up depth...but as you can see from early returns, they are not as efficient.  They will be brought along in situations where they can be successful.  Vander with his on ball D, Smith with his energy, Jones with his shot against the zone, Gardner for his size and muscle.  Buzz goes with experience and with those who play defense--which gives Blue the best chance at frosh minutes.

[avid1010]

Let's hope so. What a refreshing change to actually have a viable inside game. How far we have come since that April Fool's Day betrayal. Little did we know what a blessing that day was.

I wasn't thinking Crowder will give us any more of an inside game than Lazar did.  I'm hoping I'm wrong in thinking that???