Christmas, Southerland laying foundation for 2012-13 at King of Kings League

[orangefog]

I really like James Southerland, but in order to be a threat beyond a spot up shooter, he has got to learn how to handle the ball adequately for a forward. I may be wrong, but I have never seen him make a dribble move. Even a head fake and two dribbles toward the basket would throw the defense into a frenzy. He can certainly jump. He can be a good secondary defender blocking shots and he is athletic enough to cover the wing. I really hope he has developed his handle and the confidence to use it.

 

[44cuse]

Fair is a very good player, but James has a pure shot and incredible leaping ability that adds more range to his game. With MCW and BT both being effective getting into the lane, DC2 being a post up guy, Rak more of a garbage and hopefully some post up.. you absolutely start James to spread the floor.. use BT/James to provide shooting/spacing and let MCW feed the post or drive the lane and dish/finish. You come off the Bench with CJ to either move Rak to the 5 or bring Rak out to bring a bit more ability to attack the basket. Keita and Cooney come in to provide your depth. I like the Cooney/James on the floor together with BT, DC2 and Rak or Fair. I lean towards Rak more for offensive boards alongside DC2 with two long bombers on the outside.

As for James.. he is a better shot fake and step through to the basket and a little Rautins like footwork of the curl screen from being bigtime. He really turned a corner last year in expanding his game and coming up big in important games. CJ will continue to be a very important player but I think he should be our sixth man.

I'll counter that with this:

CJ Has an uncanny ability to have himself in the right place at the right time for rebounds and put backs.

James has an uncanny ability to almost never find himself in the right place at the right time.

44cuse

 

[MyMeloMyMan]

Southerland is going to win BE POY without being able to put the ball on the deck? Wow...

There is no chance of this happening. He won't even be one of the 3 best players on his team.

 

[IthacaMatt]

I wouldn't be surprised to see Fair in the Waiters type role. I think Southerland is our best pure scorer and we are better off with him starting, but we'll see what JB does.

The only thing set in stone right now is a MCW/Triche backcourt.

It's got to be the other way around. Dirty is the instant offense guy. CJ is a glue guy.

 

[IthacaMatt]

CJ's mid range prowess is one of the great myths of Syracusefan.com


judging by minutes, stats and watching the games of the past two seasons, I'd say that Dirty was a pure 3 stuck behind an all conference 3, while CJ was the best option as a 4 on the roster

and, people haven't been saying that Southerland will make the leap, we simply have been pointing out that he has the physical tools to make an impressive one once (if) he ever puts it together mentally

I think we saw some good things from James at the foul line when other teams played zone against us. Or maybe that was my imagination ...