Keita's minutes will decline

[Cuse4]

If/When Fab returns, don't you think Rak will at least split minutes with BMK? To me, Rak has been the better player all season, not just last night, despite limited minutes... Better upside as well and will benefit from the increase as we did with Fab... BMK has almost taken a step back from last year, playing pretty soft... I really wonder where he will fit in this program in the future if Fab sticks around for next season... Fab, Coleman, Rak and hopefully can bring in Noel or Anya in future

 

[Orangemen]

Rak had a nice game, but freshman are inconsistent, and he's more likely to throw a bad game out there than a good one.

Rak will get more minutes than he has been, but Baye is a known commodity, and he will be more consistent than Rak, albeit with a lower upside.

Either way, it's a really good development for the team.

 

[All4SU]

Keita's minutes will be determined by how he is doing in practice, and how much JB thinks he can help the team. Glad Rak had a good game last night. But Keita will be in the mix too.

 

[stuckinbig11]

Rak makes freshman mistakes. When they are too frequent, Baye will replace him.

 

[Millhouse]

Keita can't catch the ball. I don't know if that's a freshman mistake or a senior mistake but either way, it warrants fewer minutes.

 

[memcorsu]

BMK will still play his minutes if Fab comes back. Rak is the primary 4 and will be moved back to the 4 if Fab comes back. Rak is third on the depth chart at the 5. If Fab departs this year, Rak will remain at the 4 and not be shifted to the 5. JB has stated that, (discussing Rak) "he is our only true 4". The 4 is the postion that JB wants him to play while here at SU. Rak=RJ both can play the 5, both played the 5 in HS due to be bigger than anyone else (with some time at the 4), both are seen at the 4 at the next level, and both will/did get time at the 5 in a pinch. Although BMK is not offering us much right now, he is there to give the 5 a breather. Least we not forget, BMK was the better of the two freshmen centers last year and he was injured at the end of last year and is injured now. JB is not going to slide Rak over from the 4 to the 5 to give Fab a breather.

Fab/BMK
Rak/JS
KJ/CJ
Scoop/Dion)dash of MCW
BT/Dion)dash of MCW

The major issue that we had on Sat was that the loss of Fab so close to game time really played with this line-up (we did stink it up bad). Just like at any level, one must have time to adjust to change. When you have been placed in a situation where something becomes "second nature" and then asked to adjust, there is a learning curve. Rak might have more upside than BMK , but he is not be groomed for the 5. BMK's sole role the last two years, and probably his SU career, is going to be the guy that can sub in and be blind-sided about what he is supposed to be doing. He knows his postion;he knows his mission. Our most productive line-up is the one that got us to 20-1. This is the line-up that we are able to run out of and wear teams down with.

 

[pfister1]

I agree. I don't see much of value coming from Keita at the moment other than giving us some fouls. He can't seem to catch the ball whether it is to secure a rebound or catch a pass. He isn't blocking shots and he was just getting pushed all over the place last night on the interior.

Was he also part of the great SU Offseason Biggest Loser program? They haven't said anything about it, but the way he is getting pushed around I'm wondering if he also dropped 20lbs in the off season.

 

[ImperialOrange]

With Baye struggling with wide bodies why not move him to the 4 at times? Seems he would match up better there and be a better help side defender as well as off the ball rebounder. Not saying it would solve everything but having Fab/Rak, Fab/Baye, Rak/Baye at 4 & 5 should get us a few more rebounds.

 

[memcorsu]

I agree. I don't see much of value coming from Keita at the moment other than giving us some fouls. He can't seem to catch the ball whether it is to secure a rebound or catch a pass. He isn't blocking shots and he was just getting pushed all over the place last night on the interior.

Was he also part of the great SU Offseason Biggest Loser program? They haven't said anything about it, but the way he is getting pushed around I'm wondering if he also dropped 20lbs in the off season.

It have heard it mentioned a few times from staff and TV analysts that they feel that BMK does not eat enough and needs to change his diet/eat more. No inside news, just following articles/watching games.

 

[pfister1]

With Baye struggling with wide bodies why not move him to the 4 at times? Seems he would match up better there and be a better help side defender as well as off the ball rebounder. Not saying it would solve everything but having Fab/Rak, Fab/Baye, Rak/Baye at 4 & 5 should get us a few more rebounds.

Because there is no need to play Baye and Melo at the same time and you would put yourself at a huge offensive disadvantage (two non threats) if you played Baye and Rak at the same time.

 

[ImperialOrange]

Because there is no need to play Baye and Melo at the same time and you would put yourself at a huge offensive disadvantage (two non threats) if you played Baye and Rak at the same time.

True but it's not like we continously feed the post now anyway. Our offense depends on the 1, 2, & 3 on the court. I'm just saying as a potential alternative when we are getting hammered on the boards.

 

[pfister1]

True but it's not like we continously feed the post now anyway. Our offense depends on the 1, 2, & 3 on the court. I'm just saying as a potential alternative when we are getting hammered on the boards.

We get a decent amount of offense from the 4 with either CJ or Dirty out there. They are threats and must be guarded as such both near and away from the basket. Baye not so much.

 

[memcorsu]

With Baye struggling with wide bodies why not move him to the 4 at times? Seems he would match up better there and be a better help side defender as well as off the ball rebounder. Not saying it would solve everything but having Fab/Rak, Fab/Baye, Rak/Baye at 4 & 5 should get us a few more rebounds.

I think the struggle over the last two games has been the zone. It is really up to the wing players on the weak-side to dump down and help the center. The zone is all about "smoke and mirrors". You show a percieved "weakness" and the other team "takes advantage of it" only forcing them into a trap. Problem is when the other team is shooting out of their minds and possibly above their ability/norm, they wings stayed out. Both BMK and Rak got little weak side help. They also played possibly two of the more polished/skilled centers in the BE. We were 20-0 going into the ND game. I would go with the old addage, "if it ain't broke down fix it". I would accept the ND game for what it was; an anomaly.

 

[ImperialOrange]

We get a decent amount of offense from the 4 with either CJ or Dirty out there. They are threats and must be guarded as such both near and away from the basket. Baye not so much.

Run CJ or Dirty at the 3 when Kris is on the bench? I'm not saying it's the end all answer, I'm just curious to see what Baye could do at a spot other than the 5 since he's about 25 lbs shy of rebounding in the post.