Hate To Say It

[anomander]

but I don't think we win this game if JS is eligible. Nothing against JS, but Grant is a better fit for this team right now. Been pushing to see him get PT all year. This kid played big time HS ball at an extremely high level. His older brother, who doesn't have near the talent, came in and took the Big East by storm last year. You just knew this kid was going to be a player just watching him run up the court a few times during the exhibition games.

With that said I was extremely disappointed with the lack of minutes he was getting once BE play started. I thought he showed plenty that he could more then hold his own and really help this team throughout conference play. Then JS goes 1-11 or something in the 1st half of the PC game, but still plays 35 mins to Grant's 5. JS is having a great SR yr, and when he is on from 3 there is nobody better, but unfortunately he is still limited offensively. He consistently gives up weak side rebounds, and just doesn't have the knack for the ball defensively like Grant does. As for Jerami, obviously he isn't the shooter JS is, but I think he has him in every other aspect except experience. JG is the 2nd best defender on the team, behind MCW. The kid is always in the right spot with his help defense, and his rotations. He is a physical rebounder on both ends, is great from 15 feet and in, is a great finisher, and most importantly has a high IQ.

Now with all that said even JB sad after the game that Jerami is the most active athlete he has EVER had. Wow. I couldn't believe what i read. So with that said what does JB do when/if JS becomes eligible? I am in no way saying JS shouldn't play, but I definitely think JG has more then earned PT. You can usually tell what type of game JS is going to have after his first shot or 2. I don't think it's a shoe in that James gets 30+ mins, and Grant gets under 10 if he comes back though.

Thoughts?

 

[RF2044]

No way of knowing. One thing that I am 100% sure about when it comes to sports: the transitive property doesn't apply.

 

[iommi]

Spot on.

 

[jekelish]

I think it's impossible to say, simply because Southerland and Grant bring such different things. Southerland, even when he's not hitting his threes, whenever he is on the floor the opposing team HAS to have a defender stretching to cover him. He opens up the lane for guys like MCW and Brandon and CJ to drive into the lane. Maybe if he was there, those guys would get into the paint and draw more fouls or get easier buckets than they did today (well, maybe not Brandon, who was finishing like an NBA All-Star today, but MCW and CJ).

It doesn't matter, though, because a win is a win is a win.

We are, however, a better team when we can use a weapon like Southerland. I hope when/if he comes back, Jimmy finds a way to utilize him AND Grant effectively.

 

[Jaka]

The only positive thing about JS being out is the ability to get more PT for the young pups.

 

[RF2044]

I think it's impossible to say, simply because Southerland and Grant bring such different things. Southerland, even when he's not hitting his threes, whenever he is on the floor the opposing team HAS to have a defender stretching to cover him. He opens up the lane for guys like MCW and Brandon and CJ to drive into the lane. Maybe if he was there, those guys would get into the paint and draw more fouls or get easier buckets than they did today (well, maybe not Brandon, who was finishing like an NBA All-Star today, but MCW and CJ).

It doesn't matter, though, because a win is a win is a win.

We are, however, a better team when we can use a weapon like Southerland. I hope when/if he comes back, Jimmy finds a way to utilize him AND Grant effectively.

At the beginning of the season, after seeing Grant play for the first time, I claimed that he was too good not to get consistent minutes this year. He's playing even better than I expected, and clearly is earning JB's trust.

Most importantly, he's going to give us another big in the arsenal down the stretch. And he's a kid who it isn't tough to imagine being a great stretch 4 in our system.

 

[iommi]

I'll add it's nice to see him drain a few FTs lately.

 

[RF2044]

I'll add it's nice to see him drain a few FTs lately.

Good point.

 

[anomander]

i meant to say thoughts on what JB does when/if JS comes back. obviously we won today and who the hell cares who played or how we won. i'm interested to see what JB does going forward. Honestly i think this could potentially be the best thing that could have happened to this team. This forced JB to play JG in some huge games, and he showed up and some. I actually think JS and JG complement each other extremely well. JS is obviously the stretch shooter, while JG does everything else. I would love to see them split time, and play based on situation. To me this could be something we look back on when we are making our run to the Final 4.

 

[SU in Hershey]

but I don't think we win this game if JS is eligible. Nothing against JS, but Grant is a better fit for this team right now. Been pushing to see him get PT all year. This kid played big time HS ball at an extremely high level. His older brother, who doesn't have near the talent, came in and took the Big East by storm last year. You just knew this kid was going to be a player just watching him run up the court a few times during the exhibition games.

With that said I was extremely disappointed with the lack of minutes he was getting once BE play started. I thought he showed plenty that he could more then hold his own and really help this team throughout conference play. Then JS goes 1-11 or something in the 1st half of the PC game, but still plays 35 mins to Grant's 5. JS is having a great SR yr, and when he is on from 3 there is nobody better, but unfortunately he is still limited offensively. He consistently gives up weak side rebounds, and just doesn't have the knack for the ball defensively like Grant does. As for Jerami, obviously he isn't the shooter JS is, but I think he has him in every other aspect except experience. JG is the 2nd best defender on the team, behind MCW. The kid is always in the right spot with his help defense, and his rotations. He is a physical rebounder on both ends, is great from 15 feet and in, is a great finisher, and most importantly has a high IQ.

Now with all that said even JB sad after the game that Jerami is the most active athlete he has EVER had. Wow. I couldn't believe what i read. So with that said what does JB do when/if JS becomes eligible? I am in no way saying JS shouldn't play, but I definitely think JG has more then earned PT. You can usually tell what type of game JS is going to have after his first shot or 2. I don't think it's a shoe in that James gets 30+ mins, and Grant gets under 10 if he comes back though.

Thoughts?

I think it depends on which JS showed up. He brings spacing even if he isn't "hot", which helps CJ a lot, and also MCW with his drives. But I like your hypothesis. We might be better off, and this issue happened early enough to let JG grow. I cannot wait til he has a little more strength! Loved the rebound he had (that didn't count, btw) on the ball that went over the backboard. His arms just seemed so long. Hadn't seen a rebound like that since maybe DC (the original). May be hyperbole, but it was a "Wow!" moment for me.

 

[anomander]

the best part of Grant's game right now imo is his defense. He is always in the right spot, and is tremendous on the weak side rebounding the ball. One of the highest IQ players we have had in a long long time

 

[stuckinbig11]

I will welcome James back any day, whether Grant plays well or not. Some people fail to see all the other things he does besides shoot.

 

[anomander]

I will welcome James back any day, whether Grant plays well or not. Some people fail to see all the other things he does besides shoot.

Like?

 

[stuckinbig11]

Like?

steals, rebounds, blocks, creating disarray with his long arms when the other team tries to inbound or pass the ball

 

[Sgt Cuse]

If JS comes back he will get his spot back in the rotation. I hope JB will sub more and give JG more time, but there can only be one closer between the two and that will be JS. It is the time honored way JB operates - when it's close between two players give the senior player the edge.

Watching JG gives all of us a good feeling about this run SU is on to keep on rolling. Another really good player is in the hopper.

 

[anomander]

steals, rebounds, blocks, creating disarray with his long arms when the other team tries to inbound or pass the ball

he consistently gets rebounded over, and hurts us at times on the bottom of the zone against big teams. he is good with blocks/steals, but Grant is better in both categories. This isn't a knock on JS either, I just think Grant is extremely good at these categories and would hope to see them get more like split minutes, then the 3 to 1 JS was getting. This team needs a player like Grant, just as much as they need JS shooting.

 

[VaBeachOrFan]

Hopefully Grant will earn enough trust from JB to equal JS so that they both can be used situationally. Grant is more useful against a team like Louisville because he can get fight for rebounds and get us second-chance points. Southerland can do some of this, but Jeremy is constantly in the thick of things scrapping for rebounds -- reminds me of Kong in that respect, and we need to have that kind of weapon available if we meet teams like Gonzaga. Southerland might be the better choice against teams like Butler unless he's ice cold. The more weapons the better.-VBOF

 

[rrlbees]

This team is better with JS. Even when be isn't on he is a threat which gains the other teams attention. Grant is CJ and not JS.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2

 

[SoBeCuse]

At the beginning of the season, after seeing Grant play for the first time, I claimed that he was too good not to get consistent minutes this year. He's playing even better than I expected, and clearly is earning JB's trust.

Most importantly, he's going to give us another big in the arsenal down the stretch. And he's a kid who it isn't tough to imagine being a great stretch 4 in our system.

Yep. He just has it. He has a motor also and the desire to board more than JS. He would've converted that awesome spin-move dunk attempt against any other team without a stud shot blocker like Dieng. He has a real live body. Great win today in a game where things could've turned south very quickly. Nice to see the guys respond well when Louisville pushed the lead to 6-8 a couple of times.

 

[jdubs30]

As good as Grant was today, if Southerland plays and hits 6 3's we win going away. It was pretty much covered in this thread, they both bring different things to the table. Grant is getting there, but I think we'd be a better team with Southerland right now, but who knows if that will be true in a month.

With that said, he's done a very good job of filling in and becoming more confident with each game; and I'm feeling more comfortable with him in there.