toughness

[MarsupialMadness]

I'd be shocked if we started a freshman point guard next year.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

I don't think he's saying we'll have more trouble scoring next year, rather that after all the trouble we'll have this year Buzz will be open to new blood helping next year.

I see his point, but it's also true that Buzz has shown a reluctance to give freshmen big minutes. Maybe, though, Duane (or JJJ, Dawson or Burton) will be good enough to change his mind.

All true, I guess I'm counting on the development of the 6 players I mentioned to cure some offensive woes.

Nobody on the team is currently a natural scorer like DJO, but Jae wasn't a great scorer as a junior, but was very efficient as a senior. Guys do get better, so if all of the guys can be a little more efficient next year, I don't think there is a gaping need on the offensive end.

With this said, I wouldn't be shocked to see Wilson/Wilson share time. Like I said before, Buzz will play a frosh., but that frosh. better be ready to work on defense. All of the guys who have gotten min. as frosh. (Reggie Smith, Maymon, Vander, Taylor) have been able to hold their own on defense.

Plus, my own bias is to not count on Frosh. playing. Role players? Yes. Major minutes? Maybe. Major impact? Doubtful... but that's my own expectations, regardless of who the player is.

[MU82]

Freshmen have to be pretty special to get minutes from Buzz.
Duane will have to play defense. I think Derrick will continue to improve on the offensive end. Could see the offense/defense substitutions with Otule and Derrick alternating with Duane and Ox.

Was Vander "special" as a freshman? Averaged 19 minutes. Was Mayo "special"? Averaged 21 minutes.

Buzz will play the guys he believes will help him win. He is a coach. He wants to win. Is it that big a stretch to think that any of Duane, Deonte and JJJ will be at least as big impact freshman as Vander and Mayo?

And this is coming from a cynic who rarely believes the recruiting hype. I'm not sure I believe the hype about these guys, either, but there definitely will be a need next season. Buzz will play the most deserving players.

[The Equalizer]

Agree, i expect Derrick to start ahead of Duane, i'm not sure why there's speculation he shouldn't.

Anybody? 

The speculation comes from the observation that great PGs at MU have either started as frosh (Tony Miller, Dominic James, Cordell Henry) or demonstrated skllls at that level but had to wait behind a great senior (Diener behind Henry, Hutchins behind Miller).

Derrick Wilson hasn't yet demonstrated the proficiency of Diener or Hutchins, reducing confidence he'll be able to step up.  

That leaves hope that Duane is next in line for the Miller/Henry/James list of 4-year starting PGs.

 

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

The speculation comes from the observation that great PGs at MU have either started as frosh (Tony Miller, Dominic James, Cordell Henry) or demonstrated skllls at that level but had to wait behind a great senior (Diener behind Henry, Hutchins behind Miller).

Derrick Wilson hasn't yet demonstrated the proficiency of Diener or Hutchins, reducing confidence he'll be able to step up.  

That leaves hope that Duane is next in line for the Miller/Henry/James list of 4-year starting PGs.

 

Not to nitpick, but Cordell Henry wasn't good as a frosh. Bart Miller was the starter initially, but he was worse.

Realistically, Cordell shouldn't have been starting. He developed into a nice player, but wasn't very good his first 2 seasons. He should have been a secondary player, not a starter and a primary ball handler.

The Wilson/Wilson combo should be very good for the next 2 seasons.

[RJax55]

Not to nitpick, but Cordell Henry wasn't good as a frosh. Bart Miller was the starter initially, but he was worse.

Realistically, Cordell shouldn't have been starting. He developed into a nice player, but wasn't very good his first 2 seasons. He should have been a secondary player, not a starter and a primary ball handler.

The Wilson/Wilson combo should be very good for the next 2 seasons.

Yeah, Cordell was playing mainly due to the lack of talent MU had at the time. It wasn't until his junior year that he started to turn the corner. He did have a great, and IMO extremely underrated senior season.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

Yea, he had a nice senior year, no doubt.

Good college player. Nice development from year to year.

But, the idea that he was a magical 4 year starter is a bit of a stretch. He was a below average player starting on a bad team for the first couple of years. Not his fault, but he shouldn't really get "credit" like James does.

[MU82]

Maybe Duane won't be a four-year starter because he'll be really great and the NBA will come a'callin' sooner!

[keefe]

I averaged plenty of points in high school.

At what? The AV team?

[keefe]

Not to nitpick, but Cordell Henry wasn't good as a frosh. Bart Miller was the starter initially, but he was worse.

Realistically, Cordell shouldn't have been starting. He developed into a nice player, but wasn't very good his first 2 seasons. He should have been a secondary player, not a starter and a primary ball handler.

The Wilson/Wilson combo should be very good for the next 2 seasons.

Cordell was the starting PG on a great Whitney Young team that won AA State in 98. Q Richardson, Dennis Gates, Najeeb Echols and Henry. He was a solid PG and he had a great floater that was unstoppable. Huggins said he was the best PG in the Conference that year.

[Stretchdeltsig]

I would not be shocked if Duane started next year.  He is really, really good!

[avid1010]

i've been impressed with d. wilson's improvement this year...that said, while i get excited about his progress, i still believe his potential will max out very similar to junior's. 

[AirPunches]

It's hard to see if Wilson will start as a freshman next year. He is very good but Dominican is pretty crummy. It will be interesting to see how he plays with better players around him. He will make a lot of mistakes and have a lot of stupid turnovers but he is a lot of fun to watch, that's for sure.

[keefe]

Two words - Terry Reason. Hyped as the all-time leading HS BB scorer in Cali history...no left hand and no hops. He did sport some incredible  Jheri Curls though.

[GGGG]

It's hard to see if Wilson will start as a freshman next year. He is very good but Dominican is pretty crummy. It will be interesting to see how he plays with better players around him. He will make a lot of mistakes and have a lot of stupid turnovers but he is a lot of fun to watch, that's for sure.

I think Derrick starts and Duane's minutes will be earned, positively or negatively, as the season wears on.  He could really be a great change of pace off the bench.

[Golden Avalanche]

Not to nitpick, but Cordell Henry wasn't good as a frosh. Bart Miller was the starter initially, but he was worse.

Realistically, Cordell shouldn't have been starting. He developed into a nice player, but wasn't very good his first 2 seasons. He should have been a secondary player, not a starter and a primary ball handler.

The Wilson/Wilson combo should be very good for the next 2 seasons.

Bart Miller? Intellect from Kentucky? I don't remember him playing the PG position. Must have been drunk.

[keefe]

Bart Miller? Intellect from Kentucky? I don't remember him playing the PG position. Must have been drunk.

Didn't Miller go to Harvard after MU? I know Marotta did. Diggs went to MIT.

Just remembered that Miller went to MIT after Marquette. Not bad.