Which sub cracks the crunchtime rotation first?

[Uncle Rico]

Let me just make sure I understand all this correctly.  We have "Literally the worst defensive big in the league" Gold, and "Will be addition by subtraction when he's gone" Joplin, both starting, combining for 56 mpg, and we're still 10-2 and ranked in the top 10. Either Shaka is the greatest coach in the history of the game, or there are some bad takes on the Scoop. I wonder which is more likely?

As I always say, fans are idiots

[The Sultan]

You mean none good except the "TAMU eyetest"?

Ben does some defensive things well - he plays well in a zone and provides decent help. If he's in position he can defend the rim/alter shots. But overall his defense is below average - precisely why Shaka was subbing him O for D late. This isn't a controversial take for those without blue and gold glasses on.

He was subbing him out on defense mostly because Butler went five-out and spread the floor with shooters. Ben has been on the floor plenty in crunch time so far.

He looks bad when he gets isolated up top against a guard, like most bigs, and when he has to guard someone with bulk. He's fine...not great, but completely serviceable.

[tower912]

He subbed him because Butler had gone very small.  Then, two made 3 pointers later, he was back in the game.

[DoctorV]

Dude is literally the worst defensive big in the league. He makes some nice plays here and there, but overall his D is not good.

 Not sure why there are so many Ben slurpers here.

https://basketball.realgm.com/ncaa/conferences/Big

Dude is literally the worst defensive big in the league. He makes some nice plays here and there, but overall his D is not good.

 Not sure why there are so many Ben slurpers here.

https://basketball.realgm.com/ncaa/conferences/Big-East-Conference/59/stats/2025/Advanced_Stats/Qualified/All/Season/C/per/desc/1/

-East-Conference/59/stats/2025/Advanced_Stats/Qualified/All/Season/C/per/desc/1/

You must've missed Christ, man. He was the worst on that list

[Its DJOver]

As I always say, fans are idiots

What I don't understand is how, for the most part, Scoopers think that Shaka has done a good job, yet at the same time think all of his players are bad. The results literally speak for themselves, back to back 2 seeds, Beast Championship, Beast tourney Championship, top 10 team, "Shaka is so great", but "all of Shaka's players suck". I guess some people are truly only happy when they're complaining.

[Scoop Snoop]

What I don't understand is how, for the most part, Scoopers think that Shaka has done a good job, yet at the same time think all of his players are bad. The results literally speak for themselves, back to back 2 seeds, Beast Championship, Beast tourney Championship, top 10 team, "Shaka is so great", but "all of Shaka's players suck". I guess some people are truly only happy when they're complaining.

Great post. All I will add is that there is a fine line between commenting on players' performances, strengths and weaknesses, and fantasizing (consciously or unconsciously) about one's ability to coach the team. One scooper, whom I will leave anonymous, even writes what are basically fairly lengthy, detailed pregame talks for Shaka to deliver to the team. 

[Uncle Rico]

What I don't understand is how, for the most part, Scoopers think that Shaka has done a good job, yet at the same time think all of his players are bad. The results literally speak for themselves, back to back 2 seeds, Beast Championship, Beast tourney Championship, top 10 team, "Shaka is so great", but "all of Shaka's players suck". I guess some people are truly only happy when they're complaining.

Some fans would rather be right than happy

[Newsdreams]

As I always say, fans are idiots

They're dung

[tower912]

Some fans would rather be right than happy

Hold the phone.  That is what one of my old chiefs said about me.  That I would rather be right than promoted.

[1SE]

He was subbing him out on defense mostly because Butler went five-out and spread the floor with shooters. Ben has been on the floor plenty in crunch time so far.

He looks bad when he gets isolated up top against a guard, like most bigs, and when he has to guard someone with bulk. He's fine...not great, but completely serviceable.

He's a below average big, it's ok to admit that. His defense is worse than his offense, but neither is great.

It's fine, we're not going to have an All-American at every position. He's what we have, he does some things well, and it's also fine to admit that the C is the weakest spot on our team and that with a better C we would probably be a national title favorite.

It's also reasonable to think that our ceiling is higher with our Frosh taking big in-season leaps than it is with Ben playing at the level he's shown over the past 3 years.

[Uncle Rico]

He's a below average big, it's ok to admit that. His defense is worse than his offense, but neither is great.

It's fine, we're not going to have an All-American at every position. He's what we have, he does some things well, and it's also fine to admit that the C is the weakest spot on our team and that with a better C we would probably be a national title favorite.

It's also reasonable to think that our ceiling is higher with our Frosh taking big in-season leaps than it is with Ben playing at the level he's shown over the past 3 years.

It's too early in the day to be this drunk

[Galway Eagle]

It's a dangerous/stupid/
It's too early in the day to be this drunk

Hey it's Christmas time...

[The Sultan]

He's a below average big, it's ok to admit that. His defense is worse than his offense, but neither is great.

It's fine, we're not going to have an All-American at every position. He's what we have, he does some things well, and it's also fine to admit that the C is the weakest spot on our team and that with a better C we would probably be a national title favorite.

It's also reasonable to think that our ceiling is higher with our Frosh taking big in-season leaps than it is with Ben playing at the level he's shown over the past 3 years.

I don't that's reasonable.

I also think that if he is indeed below average, he isn't much below. That's not me wearing blue and gold glasses - that's years of fine-tuned basketball knowledge.

[Uncle Rico]

Hey it's Christmas time...

I mean, I'm high

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

The Evan Miya site ranks Ben Gold as the 227th best player in the country, 26th in the BE.

But he's below average cuz "eye test."

[Its DJOver]

I think it's reasonable to say that no starter for any top ten team is below average. That certainly seems less outrageous than suggesting that if we would be national title favorites with a better C. We had a better C last year, were we title favorites then?

[Galway Eagle]

I think it's reasonable to say that no starter for any top ten team is below average. That certainly seems less outrageous than suggesting that if we would be national title favorites with a better C. We had a better C last year, were we title favorites then?

No because the two teams that ended up in the title had better Cs

[Newsdreams]

What is a C in Shaka's system?

[Hards Alumni]

What is a C in Shaka's system?

A big D

[1SE]

The Evan Miya site ranks Ben Gold as the 227th best player in the country, 26th in the BE.

But he's below average cuz "eye test."

The site has him as a 4 rather than 5, and has him 12th in DBPR (again, it's no TAMU eye test...) in the BE amongst 4s and 5s - so just below average amongst starters at those positions in the BE - comparing him nationally is ridiculous- of course he's better than most centers in the MEAC.

It's alright guys, we have a mediocre high major big man - I'm not saying he's the worst, or even that hes not even servicable, I'm just saying he's the weakest link of our starting 5 - he (like many, but not all, big men) has trouble defending on ball on the perimeter, and the is most likely to get subbed out at crunch time -

[wadesworld]

The site has him as a 4 rather than 5, and has him 12th in DBPR (again, it's no TAMU eye test...) in the BE amongst 4s and 5s - so just below average amongst starters at those positions in the BE - comparing him nationally is ridiculous- of course he's better than most centers in the MEAC.

It's alright guys, we have a mediocre high major big man - I'm not saying he's the worst, or even that hes not even servicable, I'm just saying he's the weakest link of our starting 5 - he (like many, but not all, big men) has trouble defending on ball on the perimeter, and the is most likely to get subbed out at crunch time -

So when you said he's the worst defensive 5 in the Big East, that means every 5 in the conference is better defensively than the best 4 is?  Hmm...

He's gotten subbed out defensively in crunch time in 1 of 12 games so far this year.  "Most likely" is a pretty big stretch there.  Especially when most teams won't have a 6'7" forward as the biggest guy on the floor against us.

[Its DJOver]

I'm not saying he's the worst

Dude is literally the worst

[The Sultan]

It's alright guys, we have a mediocre high major big man - I'm not saying he's the worst, or even that hes not even servicable, I'm just saying he's the weakest link of our starting 5

Really? This is your argument now?

Because you did say he was the worst defensive big man in the league.

Dude is literally the worst defensive big in the league.

Then you claimed he does "some defensive things well."

Ben does some defensive things well

Then you said he was "below average."

He's a below average big

Now he's "mediocre" and "serviceable," and "not the worst"...even though he was the worst defensively as of last night...  He's just the weakest link in the starting five. (Which to me is never really a good argument.)

Honestly I have no idea what you are trying to say.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

You mean none good except the "TAMU eyetest"?

Ben does some defensive things well - he plays well in a zone and provides decent help. If he's in position he can defend the rim/alter shots. But overall his defense is below average - precisely why Shaka was subbing him O for D late. This isn't a controversial take for those without blue and gold glasses on.

I mean I wouldn't call it the TAMU eyetest. But generally yeah eyetest is a lot more valuable on defense than it is on offense. There are some great stats that tell you specific things about a player's defensive ability. If you are going to use a stat to try to quantify a player's overall defensive impact over the course of a season, best IMHO is looking at defensive efficiency on/off stats. Ben is currently second on the team.

Shaka  was subbing Ben because Butler went small for the majority of the last ten minutes. You seem to have an idea that being good/bad at defense boils down to how does a player handle being isolated on the perimeter against a smaller and faster defender. Almost all centers are going to struggle in that situation, Ben does better than most.

[MuMark]

Really? This is your argument now?

Because you did say he was the worst defensive big man in the league.

Then you claimed he does "some defensive things well."

Then you said he was "below average."

Now he's "mediocre" and "serviceable," and "not the worst"...even though he was the worst defensively as of last night...  He's just the weakest link in the starting five. (Which to me is never really a good argument.)

Honestly I have no idea what you are trying to say.

By the end of this thread he will be saying he's " good but not all conference level"