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Message: [QUOTE="IthacaMatt, post: 1858047, member: 405"] It's going to be 8 or 9 this year. This is one of those teams where he will actually do it, because we need all those different parts. For example, Coleman and Chukwu are going to play center, but Thompson is probably going to be needed in a handful of games, just like Xmas got some time as the third center behind Keita and Fab Melo in 2012. Everyone knows that Lydon, Roberson, Gillon and White are going to be in the rotation, without question. Then you have Frank Howard, who people are saying good things about. I think the amount of time Frankie sees this year depends on how well he feeds the post in the half-court offense. That could be the thing that gets him on the floor, along with excellent defense. Gillon and Battle are downhill, straight to the basket guys, and we are going to run out of the zone when those 2 are at the top, back like the days of Scoop and Dion and Triche. So Frank offers something the other 2 PGs don't. I think if he can throw the oop to Chukwu in the halfcourt, that could return as an offensive weapon that we haven't seen in a while. Then you have Moyer, who is a tremendous kid, but has his foot in a boot, and maybe didn't build up his upper body as much as they might have liked this summer. I think we'll see a fair amount of those 9 players this year. Depending on Matt Moyer's foot or ankle, if it's broken and he takes a redshirt, it may help him in the long run. He's got a great motor and is a combo forward whose outside game still needs a bit of development. Ryan Blackwell sat out that year when he transferred in from Illinois, and it really helped him fill out and improve as a player. I think the question is who is number 8 and who is number 9 among Howard and Thompson. If White is not much of a guard as some fear, then Howard will be needed. If White is a competent guard, Howard's minutes will probably be limited to about 10 per game, but that's ok, that's how much time guys like MCW and Allen Griffin got, and then they really improved an enormous amount the next year. I'm so happy that Coleman had a healthy year. I'm hopeful that he can improve this year, but he's knees limit his athleticism. The kid is as fit as you could hope. He has really trimmed down. But he lacks explosiveness down low. Can he adjust his game and have an Arinze or Rick Jackson, below-the-rim offensive game? Can he use his body better on offense this year and give us a dependable 8 or 10 PPG, and be a legit low post threat in the half-court offense? If the answer is yes, and Coleman plays 20+ minutes a game, and not 12 or 14, then Thompson won't get a lot of run this year, unless there's foul trouble or we play a deep physical team inside, like a North Carolina or Florida State from last season. However, if Coleman still is getting his shots blocked by ACC level defenders, Thompson has some offensive skills and can shoot the little jump hook over either shoulder. He really came on and improved his senior year. He had been a bit slow and not that assertive as a junior and that summer before on the AAU circuit. But he was a late bloomer last year, and could help us if Coleman and Chukwu don't offer us any offense in a half court game. So, to me, those are the scenarios for who will make up the rotation this year. I am SO glad we have White. His three point shooting to go with Lydon, Gillon and Battle makes them all more of a threat, because it won't all be on them so much to hit the threes to loosen up a packed-in defense to cut off Gillon and Battle on the drive. We can have shooters on either side of the floor from the guy who drives. White helps our spacing enormously, so people don't just cheat off on Rico as the pick and pop guy. We have another great target man. I think White as a trailer on the break is going to be devastating, like a Southerland or a Shumpert. [/QUOTE]

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