4 players leaving , only 2 coming onboard

[Flacusian]

Okoboh will also be available this coming year so essentially we have 3 new comers... but with the way that JB structures his squad we were lacking in depth last season. Now with the departure of 4... pretty much all key players with the arguable exception of Baye, and only 2 incoming it seems we will be challenged with respect to team depth once again.

If you go on ESPN and look at their team recruiting rankings you'll see that we are currently ranked #22 and whereas we only have 2 incoming players most other teams have an average of 4 incoming players. Yikes!
I'm hopeful for next year but this business of losing players who we had been expecting to stay a season longer is really disruptive from a standpoint of trying to maintain program continuity. We've been fortunate lately with having newbies step in and fill roles / holes but without getting some of these kids to stay that extra year it's going to be hard to make it over the threshold we seem to be up against in the past several seasons.

 

[SWC75]

Your depth is the number of players you have confidence to play extended minutes in close games. It's usually 7-8 guys. Beyond that you want at least 10 scholarship players so you can practice 5 on 5 with nothing but scholarship-level talents. We will have ten scholarship players next year- Christmas, Coleman, Obokoh, Roberson, Johnson, McCullough, Gbinije, Cooney Patterson and Joseph. Coleman's health will be an issue. But beyond that, it's really a question of how many of these guys will practice and play well enough to gain the coach's confidence. That will determine how deep we are.

 

[jordoo]

Tyler Ennis was the early splash and big dividend of the 2013 class but there are 4 other talented guys who will make big contributions of the next few seasons. You cannot reasonably expect that Tyler, BJ and Ron will not all be much more prepared to contribute this year. Chino also had a season to practice and should at least be ready for back up minutes at the 5 this season.

 

[Dave85]

Tyler Ennis was the early splash and big dividend of the 2013 class but there are 4 other talented guys who will make big contributions of the next few seasons. You cannot reasonably expect that Tyler, BJ and Ron will not all be much more prepared to contribute this year. Chino also had a season to practice and should at least be ready for back up minutes at the 5 this season.

I hope Chino has a commanding presence at the center spot of the 2-3 zone. He has to be vocal but he's had a year to watch Keita do it. I think Chino has a lot on his plate next year. I hope he does well.

Boy, the defense two seasons ago may be the best 2-3 zone defense I've seen in all my 29 years of watching Orange basketball. That defense was amazing!

 

[Dave85]

Okoboh will also be available this coming year so essentially we have 3 new comers... but with the way that JB structures his squad we were lacking in depth last season. Now with the departure of 4... pretty much all key players with the arguable exception of Baye, and only 2 incoming it seems we will be challenged with respect to team depth once again.

If you go on ESPN and look at their team recruiting rankings you'll see that we are currently ranked #22 and whereas we only have 2 incoming players most other teams have an average of 4 incoming players. Yikes!
I'm hopeful for next year but this business of losing players who we had been expecting to stay a season longer is really disruptive from a standpoint of trying to maintain program continuity. We've been fortunate lately with having newbies step in and fill roles / holes but without getting some of these kids to stay that extra year it's going to be hard to make it over the threshold we seem to be up against in the past several seasons.

I think this is next year's starting five

K-JO2
TC
TR
CM
Xmas

This will be a season where whoever makes the first mistake, TR or CM, we be substituted by G.

 

[Alsacs]

It just amazes me we will have 3 walkons on scholarship next year. I don't see a problem with rewarding 1 walkon a year with a scholarship and in years we had a deep roster maybe 2 walkons on scholarship, but 3 is crazy especially because of SWC said about Coleman's health. I mean if we can't get any recruits late in the process fine, but to expect any player with NBA potential anymore to stay is crazy they all leave nowadays for the most part.

 

[rrlbees]

It just amazes me we will have 3 walkons on scholarship next year.

Putting 3 on scholie isn't a sure thing. We don't always use all 13.

 

[Alsacs]

With the APR issue always potentially their we will use all the scholarships. The 3 walkons on scholarship better post perfect APR scores next year. Their is no benefit except saving SU 45k to not using all the scholarships now with the APR.

 

[rrlbees]

With the APR issue always potentially their we will use all the scholarships. The 3 walkons on scholarship better post perfect APR scores next year. Their is no benefit except saving SU 45k to not using all the scholarships now with the APR.

We didn't use all 13 two years ago. Just saying that while JB keeps the apr benefit in mind, he usually rewards veteran walk ons. Maybe he will give 3 but it's not a given.

 

[Brooky03]

I'm not worried about depth. Unless we experience a rash of injuiries, it will be a non-issue.

 

[themorey]

Boy, the defense two seasons ago may be the best 2-3 zone defense I've seen in all my 29 years of watching Orange basketball. That defense was amazing!

I'm really looking forward to the 2016-2017 defense with sophmores 6-5+ Howard and 6'6" Richardson at the top of the zone and hopefully 6'9" shot blocker Diagne in the middle. Add in 6'9" Lydon at the SF. That could be epic

 

[LennX6]

We will be fine.

 

[SBU72]

Your depth is the number of players you have confidence to play extended minutes in close games. It's usually 7-8 guys. Beyond that you want at least 10 scholarship players so you can practice 5 on 5 with nothing but scholarship-level talents. We will have ten scholarship players next year- Christmas, Coleman, Obokoh, Roberson, Johnson, McCullough, Gbinije, Cooney Patterson and Joseph. Coleman's health will be an issue. But beyond that, it's really a question of how many of these guys will practice and play well enough to gain the coach's confidence. That will determine how deep we are.

And how is Coleman progressing to return to the court? The last update I saw said his progress had been slowed and some here were questioning if he'll be ready at all for next season.