Sky's not falling...

[Hoov50]

First off let me say I am a big fan of Fab. From last year to this year he has made huge improvements.

With that being said he is still very much a work in progress. Before this season very few of us fans would have predicted this level of improvement. He has has stretches where he has played very well, but he has also had quite a few game where he picked up a few quick fouls and played much like he did last season.

My point is we have won every game this season. Some games in large part because of Fab. Other times in spite of Fab. Being ten deep is a huge advantage for us in situations like this where one or two of our guys can't play (regardless of the reason). When one of our guys hasn't played well other guys have had to step up. That's what needs to happen and will happen today and Monday.

I am hopeful Fab returns this season. However, there is plenty of time left for us to adjust to him not being there. It isn't like when AO was out an we had two tournament games to try to adjust to his absence.

Fab not playing will undoubtedly hurt us, but we still have a very very good basketball team. We were a top 5 team before we saw how much better Fab and Dion had gotten. We are still a very good team without Fab.

The tone (which I momentarily fell into also) on this board I that without Fab we can't win certain games. I think we can still win every game we play and will (rightfully so) be the favorite in the games. Part of sports is adjusting. We will adjust with the help of our HOF coach if Fab is out long term. The road may be bumpier but we still have the talent to be playing on a Monday night in early April!

 

[Hoov50]

One factoid I forgot to mention. Fab never had a double digit rebound game until last week. So it isn't like he is putting up 10 and 10 every game.

 

[jdubs30]

Agreed.

I also think Dion, Scoop, KrisJo and CJ would have been tougher to lose. Offensively we don't lose much, defensively will be a bit of a struggle though. The guards can go for all those steals because Fab was such a eraser behind them, and BMK won't be able to make up for that. But I think our defense will be still be good and our offense will still be able to put up 80+ ppg (which many BE teams can't do this year).

 

[Noexcuse]

The defense takes a major hit without him in there. It's just an unfortunate reality.

 

[Marsh01]

Lets not kid ourselves, this is a major loss. He is the defensive anchor in the middle and the way he was blocking shots led to many additional possessions. Guys need to step up now (Calling you Rak) . I just hope we can tread water until he comes back if he indeed does.

 

[Hoov50]

The defense takes a major hit without him in there. It's just an unfortunate reality.

You are right but there have been plenty of lengthy stretches this year when Fab has been in foul trouble and on the bench and we still have played stellar defense.

 

[jdubs30]

Lets not kid ourselves, this is a major loss. He is the defensive anchor in the middle and the way he was blocking shots led to many additional possessions. Guys need to step up now (Calling you Rak) . I just hope we can tread water until he comes back if he indeed does.

I think Rak will step up. He will get alot more PT now and has the chance to prove himself.

Hell, he might play so well that when/if Fab comes back Xmas will have earned more time come March.

 

[Hoov50]

I think we, as fans, can see how valuable Fab is because we know how bad he was last year. Had this been his freshman year I don't think the reaction would be as spastic.

 

[Marsh01]

I think Rak will step up. He will get alot more PT now and has the chance to prove himself.

Hell, he might play so well that when/if Fab comes back Xmas will have earned more time come March.

Well he now has an opportunity to step up and help this team out. Yancey Gates has to be licking his chops right about now.

 

[Hoov50]

Well he now has an opportunity to step up and help this team out. Yancey Gates has to be licking his chops right about now.

Gates and his style is/was going to be hard to defend regardless of who we had playing down low. He is like a Pitt post player, tough and rough and sometimes very dirty, but with some pretty good basketball skills.

 

[Dick_in_MI]

It's falling a little though.

Baye hasn't improved much from last year and Rak is Rak (so far).

In the next two games, Rak will get a lot more run than he has all year and a lot of it in the middle. James' minutes at the 4 are about to go up significantly.

We're not a great rebounding team, so Baye and Rak are going to have to step up a lot.

 

[Marsh01]

It's falling a little though.

Baye hasn't improved much from last year and Rak is Rak (so far).

In the next two games, Rak will get a lot more run than he has all year and a lot of it in the middle. James' minutes at the 4 are about to go up significantly.

We're not a great rebounding team, so Baye and Rak are going to have to step up a lot.

Two words. Make shots

 

[dasher]

This is crazy talk. This is a major loss. It even hits at our greatest asset, our depth.

 

[MaxwellCuse]

If games were only 30 minutes long I wouldn't have too much concern. Question is: Can Rak and Baye split 40 minutes without both of them fouling out? Who would have thought we might have needed Dash this year?

 

[OrangeFreek]

Let's not forget BMK!!! He held his own last year.. He will get some burn today... I just hope his hip is better...

 

[DNABB5]

Let's not forget BMK!!! He held his own last year.. He will get some burn today... I just hope his hip is better...

Prediction for tonight. BMK 6 pts. 8 boards 3 blocks 2 steals in a 12 point Orange win.

 

[uchuskies08]

Isn't he only gone for 2 games? Or am I missing something?

 

[DNABB5]

Isn't he only gone for 2 games? Or am I missing something?

For sure 2. Maybe all of them. We don't know yet.

 

[rrlbees]

I think Melo is the one I would least want to lose because IMO there is the biggest drop on impact between him and his backup.

Sent from my DROIDX

 

[Hoov50]

Isn't he only gone for 2 games? Or am I missing something?

Ever since the whole, "there is a chance Arinze could be back for the second weekend of the tournament," BS I have a tough time believing SU Athletic's timetables for returns.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

Ever since the whole, "there is a chance Arinze could be back for the second weekend of the tournament," BS I have a tough time believing SU Athletic's timetables for returns.

It's easier to fix a term paper than a quad tendon.

 

[Hoov50]

It's easier to fix a term paper than a quad tendon.

Haha. You are right, although I heard it was an attendance policy issue. Which, if true, is even more of a What. Go to class!

 

[007]

I think Melo is the one I would least want to lose because IMO there is the biggest drop on impact between him and his backup.

Sent from my DROIDX

To me, there is no question that Melo is the X factor for this team. His size and ability to move is part of what sets SU apart from the pack. It is more than the drop off to his replacement. It will impact how teams attack the zone, it will impact how teams defend them on O, and it will impact the rotation. The loss of no other player on the team would have the same impact, and it's not even close, IMO.

You can not have BMK and Rak on the floor at the same time for large stretches because neither are a threat to score. CJ and Joseph will have to play more minutes. Fab was not a big scorer for this team, but he always presents the threat to score and teams needed to defend that. That wont be the case now.

There are 5 less fouls to use at C position, and the BMK and Rak are extremely foul prone. Teams are going to try to exploit this and are going to attack the zone inside.

Not all doom and gloom, but this team will be very different without Fab.

 

[Dick_in_MI]

I think Melo is the one I would least want to lose because IMO there is the biggest drop on impact between him and his backup.

Sent from my DROIDX

That's an excellent point. If anyone else were top go down, the big impact would be depth; Reese would back up the remaining two guards as an example if one of the Big Three went down.

There is a drop to Baye and an even bigger one to Rak now that Fab is gone. I think that Rak can play better than freshman year Fab, but that isn't saying much. Baye hasn't shown much improvement at all over last year and he isn't going to gain 20 lbs before tipoff tonight.

 

[JeremyCuse]

Ever since the whole, "there is a chance Arinze could be back for the second weekend of the tournament," BS I have a tough time believing SU Athletic's timetables for returns.

Bingo, I wouldnt trust one freeking thing they say at this point. At this point it seems he maybe done for the year. Jakes absence on the subject is very concerning.