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Message: [QUOTE="iommi, post: 1903067, member: 249"] I've seen him in person more than a handful of times. Granted, it was mostly his sophomore and senior year, since his junior year was a washout with injuries. He could play the 3 but here's why he's a 2. Your description is spot on, starting with, "great athlete." The 2 accentuates his strengths better than any other position. He's a wing, and in the SU system, being up top in the zone brings out his defense and ability to turn it into offense. He's an excellent on-ball defender. He's 6'6 1/2", that size is ideal for the top of the zone, where he can harass smaller players. Throw him down low and that advantage is negated. Battle is a decent passer but not elite, that's why I don't see him as a 1. He's unselfish but much better off being set up to score than setting up others. I'm surprised you said, "floaters" because when I've seen him he had a mid range game but not a floater in the way I think of floaters (I think of Josh Pace's floater). His jumper is mostly a face up traditional jumper, unless he's added a floater to his repertoire. His handle is good not point guard great. As you said, he shines in transition, where his strength and athleticism makes him a cut above. I'd prefer to have him as a guard for that reason as well. Let him be a one man fast break with his defense and ability to finish. Battle is more than capable of helping us getting ball up against pressure and initiating our offense when need be. The only reason he might not be an ideal 2 is everybody's favorite knock on him: deep ball shooting. The Battle I've seen was a streaky shooter. That still might be the case. I still think he can shoot for a serviceable % from 3-- let's say 30-33% this year. He won't be a liability by any stretch and with the talent around him, he will take good shots. The kid is very smart, with a tremendous hoops IQ. He plays like a son of a coach/ instructor because that's what he is. In closing, I want the ball in hands. It'd be in his hands more in the 2 than in the 3. And as I've said, we have two better pure lead guards on the roster, so why force the issue? [/QUOTE]

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