March lineup 2018

[TinyManInside]

The starters in our first round NIT game will be Howard, Battle, Moyer, Brisset, and Thompson.

 

[Alsacs]

I'm out of the loop... who is thorpe?

Grad transfer target Geno Thorpe from South Florida.
He is a combo guard who our staff is interested in but the HC is enjoying AAU ball to get the kid on campus.

If he comes to campus we should get him to be a grad transfer guard next year.

 

[rrlbees]

He is a combo guard who our staff is interested in but the HC is enjoying AAU ball to get the kid on campus.

These are the type of takes that drive some people crazy.

 

[CuseLifer11]

If we get Thorpe, I don't see Washington playing at all. Guard rotation will be set with the 3 we have. Battle is playing minimum 35 mpg and the other 45 minutes split between Thorpe and Howard.

This is accurate. Howard Washington would redshirt if we had a larger roster. He's bottom of the pecking order no matter who we bring in.

I know the staff plans on FH starting at the 1... that's regardless of who we bring in. But I agree that Thorpe would pass him as the year goes on. Ayala will not.

I think Ayala ends up here, so my guess is...
If Ayala comes:
Howard Battle OB Marek TT.

If Thorpe comes:
Thorpe Battle Moyer Marek TT

Staff loves the Slovak. LOVES. He is going to start and probably be one of our best players. He played against far superior talent to any of the others Frosh.

I do think we make the Dance. People are sleeping on this team just because it's young

 

[jordoo]

This is accurate. Howard Washington would redshirt if we had a larger roster. He's bottom of the pecking order no matter who we bring in.

I know the staff plans on FH starting at the 1... that's regardless of who we bring in. But I agree that Thorpe would pass him as the year goes on. Ayala will not.

I think Ayala ends up here, so my guess is...
If Ayala comes:
Howard Battle OB Marek TT.

If Thorpe comes:
Thorpe Battle Moyer Marek TT

Staff loves the Slovak. LOVES. He is going to start and probably be one of our best players. He played against far superior talent to any of the others Frosh.

I do think we make the Dance. People are sleeping on this team just because it's young

Out of curiosity why are you flopping Brissett and Moyer as starters depending on the guard?

I think my guess a couple weeks ago in the front court thread was Solejaz, Moyer, Thompson. Obviously Battle is starting at the 2 and right now its Howard at the 1. I wouldn't count Ayala out as the eventual starter at PG if he comes to SU. Things can take strange turns during the season.

 

[KaiserUEO]

These are the type of takes that drive some people crazy.

and what others may consider the life blood of the board.

 

[SoBristol]

How often is the majority view, in late May, wrong?

Let's see -- last year, most were assuming Chukwu with the benefit of his red-shirt year could be effective at our C, Howard would build on his play in the tournament and be decent as a starting PG, and Lydon's natural and preferred position was SF.

When White and Thompson were added, White was projected as a SG (to allow Lydon to play SF), and Thompson was a question mark (but not many projected his weakness on D or his offensive skills).

And now? Can Malek Dolzaj hold his own, at 175 to 180 lbs? Is he better, one on one, than Oshae Brissett? How much has Moyer improved since last seen in November? Is Sidibe a better defensive center and rebounder as a frosh than Thompson will be as a soph? Not sure any of these questions can be answered without more actual observations in summer competition or early play the Melo Center.

 

[RF2044]

IMO, the lineup question will be based upon three factors:

1. Do we eventually add Thorpe or Ayala to the backcourt?
2. How much will Frank Howard improve, can he be counted upon, and will he provide consistent shooting / scoring?
3. Is Chukwu capable of more than he showed last year, or was his lackluster [and abbreviated] performance indicative limited ability / upside?

All other things stem from those three factors. Again, my opinion only.

 

[jordoo]

IMO, the lineup question will be based upon three factors:

1. Do we eventually add Thorpe or Ayala to the backcourt?
2. How much will Frank Howard improve, can he be counted upon, and will he provide consistent shooting / scoring?
3. Is Chukwu capable of more than he showed last year, or was his lackluster [and abbreviated] performance indicative limited ability / upside?

All other things stem from those three factors. Again, my opinion only.

1. Yes
2. Ummm . . . . . who knows.
3. Again who knows but I'd say it may be less likely than #2

We know that baring foul issues Battle and Thompson will start and play big minutes. After that SoBristol's post says it all. We are guessing on most of this stuff. I do think that our 3 forwards may wind up being good enough to keep Thompson primarily at the 5 which would put a squeez on potential minutes for Sidibe and Chukwu.

 

[Eric15]

Thompson will be better on defense . . . . Since it would take a huge effort to be worse.

God if I had a nickel last year for everytime I yelled at my TV: "watch behind you Taurean, watch behind you Taurean, watch behind you Taurean, AHHHH DAMN IT!!!"

 

[justgold315]

Out of curiosity why are you flopping Brissett and Moyer as starters depending on the guard?

I think my guess a couple weeks ago in the front court thread was Solejaz, Moyer, Thompson. Obviously Battle is starting at the 2 and right now its Howard at the 1. I wouldn't count Ayala out as the eventual starter at PG if he comes to SU. Things can take strange turns during the season.

I was wondering the same thing, and wouldn't Solejaz start at the 3 rather than the 4 if he is starting? I can see Thompson starting at 4, with Chukwu having the honorary start at 5 and being pulled after 77 sec with TT or Sidibe going to 5. I think there is going to be a lot of movement in the starting roster for the 3 and 4 spots given the high level of talent. It is going to be interesting who ends up producing consistently

 

[CuseLifer11]

Out of curiosity why are you flopping Brissett and Moyer as starters depending on the guard?

I think my guess a couple weeks ago in the front court thread was Solejaz, Moyer, Thompson. Obviously Battle is starting at the 2 and right now its Howard at the 1. I wouldn't count Ayala out as the eventual starter at PG if he comes to SU. Things can take strange turns during the season.

I don't know why i flipped em. No reason lol. I do think Marek is our locked in third starter though. People are really gonna be surprised. He may be gone in 1 yr.

 

[CuseLifer11]

I was wondering the same thing, and wouldn't Solejaz start at the 3 rather than the 4 if he is starting? I can see Thompson starting at 4, with Chukwu having the honorary start at 5 and being pulled after 77 sec with TT or Sidibe going to 5. I think there is going to be a lot of movement in the starting roster for the 3 and 4 spots given the high level of talent. It is going to be interesting who ends up producing consistently

3 vs 4 is a moot point. We don't run an offense. ISO and pick and pop.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Thompson wasn't close to the defenses attention. You get that when you are the defense fourth assignment you are going to get a lot easier shots right? You actually get this stuff right?
Lydon, White, Gillon, Battle were the top options last year.
Next year defenses are going to key on Battle and Thompson.

He also took way too many long 2s.

You say you expect his defense to improve and cite nothing but opinion to support your statement. Why is Thompson's D going to improve?

I guess you forgot to include your support.

Thompson can score in the low block, over either shoulder. He could be very good offensively next year, but he's got so far to go defensively that either Boeheim is going to kill him for not trying on defense, or he's going to foul out before playing 20 minutes most games.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Probably right. I'd like to see him redshirt, but then we have just three guards, which is what we are all worried about now. Though, a lot of that has to do with two of them being the Howards.

Eh, I think the kid probably improved a good deal while he played with Brissett in Canada. First team All Canada means something. He's probably better than he was when he played HS ball in Buffalo and we weren't interested.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Howard, Battle, Brissett, Moyer, Thompson.

Thorpe gets 2/3 the pt at the point but does not start. Sidibe earns time over PC. Moyer pleasantly surprised and holds down valuable minutes at the 4 so Thompson can slide over and we have a solid offensive lineup.

Brissett will turn heads, I think the Slovak will need a year to develop and adjust.

Both are unknowns, relatively speaking. Just so long as one of them works out, that will keep us from being terrible.
We need a lot more than that to break right for this to be a good team, though.
Right now, we've only got 2 shooters and last year we had 4.
And this year's team is looking weaker (on paper) defensively than last year's team did going into the season.

 

[IthacaMatt]

If we get Thorpe, I don't see Washington playing at all. Guard rotation will be set with the 3 we have. Battle is playing minimum 35 mpg and the other 45 minutes split between Thorpe and Howard.

Even if he's the fourth guard, we're going to need him to play probably 20-25 games, just so guys don't get too worn down, and so he can learn the system in case someone gets hurt and he is forced to play. It's like after all these years, so many of you guys seem to think that Boeheim's March rotation is the same number of players that we use all year long.

 

[pfister1]

Everyone rails on TT for his poor defense and generally seem to attribute it to lack of effort or not working hard enough on D. Given that seems his defense should be a place where we are likely (or at least would have high potential) to see improvement. Effort is easy to fix a lack of height, lack of quickness or flaw in your jumper not nearly as easy.

 

[Sherman20]

1. Yes
2. Ummm . . . . . who knows.
3. Again who knows but I'd say it may be less likely than #2

We know that baring foul issues Battle and Thompson will start and play big minutes. After that SoBristol's post says it all. We are guessing on most of this stuff. I do think that our 3 forwards may wind up being good enough to keep Thompson primarily at the 5 which would put a squeez on potential minutes for Sidibe and Chukwu.

Thompson's defensive liabilities could allow Sidibe to see more time at center than expected, maybe 10-15 minutes, when JB feels we need to get stops. Thompson will probably play the majority of his minutes at center, though.

 

[jordoo]

Thompson's defensive liabilities could allow Sidibe to see more time at center than expected, maybe 10-15 minutes, when JB feels we need to get stops. Thompson will probably play the majority of his minutes at center, though.

I agree with that. 25-30min is plenty of time for Thompson to do his damage on the offensive end, its not like he's shy about shooting. I am hoping Sidibe can come in and give us what Baye Keita did as a freshman on defense. If he can do that he will find some time because physically he is stronger than Baye was as a freshman and he has better hands.

 

[Rautins07]

This lineup doesn't score 60 PPG.

No spacing on the floor to penetrate and no shooting beyond Battle.

Don't sell Moyer short and Thompson certainly showed easy 15ft range, would not surprise me he shoots 3's quite regularly this season. But, I cant argue with your point, so remove Sidibe and add Brissett. I know everyone is concerned with where offense is going to come from, but we are going to be very long and athletic and maybe we just might stop some people this season, like shot blocking & rebounding, don't come into the paint type defense. Finally, I am a big fan of Brissett, but Moyer is going open a lot of eyes