Thoughts about Chukwu

[SBU72]

IMHO, PC has become at least an adequet center. Yeah, lots of room for improvment but still serviceable. Imagine a) what would last years team been like if he had played all year? A real center and Lydon not playing out of position. And b) what would thiz years team be like witha guy with more than 7 games experience p,zying center.

 

[Ghost]

IMHO, PC has become at least an adequet center. Yeah, lots of room for improvment but still serviceable. Imagine a) what would last years team been like if he had played all year? A real center and Lydon not playing out of position. And b) what would thiz years team be like witha guy with more than 7 games experience p,zying center.

Honestly, he's way better than I expected. Admittedly I was expecting almost nothing. He's not as impactful as you'd hope from someone 7'3",but he's presenting for passes, and if he could finish even a little and/or hit some free throws he'd be adequate enough.

Well, he'd be adequate enough if we had someone at PF.

 

[SoBeCuse]

Good points. Very true not having a reliable or even serviceable PF. Marek does some positive meddling against teams but it’s kinda just junkyard stuff with no offense. I’m a Marek fan though and, yes, Chukwu has far exceeded my expections and has really improved.

 

[Briancuse]

IMHO, PC has become at least an adequet center. Yeah, lots of room for improvment but still serviceable. Imagine a) what would last years team been like if he had played all year? A real center and Lydon not playing out of position. And b) what would thiz years team be like witha guy with more than 7 games experience p,zying center.

Big guys take longer to develop, its going to be a process, the free throws have to improve though.

 

[tbonezone]

yes !!!! and i would've gotten that board and put back too if it weren't for that meddling marek

 

[SWC75]

IMHO, PC has become at least an adequet center. Yeah, lots of room for improvment but still serviceable. Imagine a) what would last years team been like if he had played all year? A real center and Lydon not playing out of position. And b) what would thiz years team be like witha guy with more than 7 games experience p,zying center.

And what would this team be with Lydon playing forward with Brissett?

 

[tbonezone]

lydon plays forward too ? well i thought he was a center !

 

[HoustonCuse]

It must have been talked about, but that technical on the missed dunk. Like dubya-tee-funk?

 

[jncuse]

This was the first chance I had to see the team this year. Hard to get games in Canada and the package I have did not carry the Maryland game. Chukwu had better hands then I expected.

 

[Dmcnabbrules]

I have been pretty happy with his play but I though the missed dunk and T was a huge momentum shifting playing in the first half. That was one of the worst missed dunks I have ever seen. We need 8 to 10 points out of the centers on lobs and but backs to have a chance. Frank and Tyus have to be able to trust these guys on the pick and rolls. It is nice to have the length and quickness in the middle of the zone again.

 

[Newhouser]

If we keep him near the rim his effectiveness increases ten fold.

 

[rocklloyd]

very worried when team employ the Hack-a-Shaq strategy. It'll kill us in close games if he does not start making them.

 

[LarryC44]

I think he has improved a lot this season. I saw the Orange-White scrimmage and thought he looked terrible

 

[TexanMark]

Big guys take longer to develop, its going to be a process, the free throws have to improve though.

He'll be a 60% guy eventually...He nailed a few yesterday.

 

[OrangeFoo]

I have been pretty happy with his play but I though the missed dunk and T was a huge momentum shifting playing in the first half. That was one of the worst missed dunks I have ever seen. We need 8 to 10 points out of the centers on lobs and but backs to have a chance. Frank and Tyus have to be able to trust these guys on the pick and rolls. It is nice to have the length and quickness in the middle of the zone again.

Agree... that play was the turning point of the game. Not saying that Kansas wouldn’t have rolled us regardless but that blown dunk and T started the run they used to get to a double digit lead which we really never overcame. Having said that he has improved a lot.

 

[Shrmdougluvr]

Much better rebounder than I expected.
Which goes to his having better hands that I expected.
More active than I expected.
His feel for the game is pretty good.

But, he is a much worse athlete that I expected. He's not stiff, but he doesn't jump or run well, and nothing is explosive. I was thinking (not sure I was stereotyping, body tying, or what) his athleticism would be more in line with Keita, who could run the floor like a gazelle, but basically struggled at most other things.

Despite what Boeheim said about Lydon last year, the zone always operates a lot better with a real five, with legitimate size (6'10" up), as the anchor. Christmas was decent because he was so athletic. But I don't recall the Onuaku teams being very good defensively, and last year's team was the worst I can ever recall.

As others mentioned, the bigger problem is the absolute lack of production from the 4. Lydon would really fit into this team perfectly, but I don't like to play the "what if" game like that. Almost all good programs lose players early.

 

[jdubs30]

We were actually feeding him yesterday and he was able to do some damage - if anything he should get the other bigs in foul trouble. He's definitely useful and along with Sidbie this might be our best C combo since AO-Rick.

As far as OP - I don't think it would have mattered last year. The main issue with the zone was Gillon's size IMO. Lydon was good in the middle. Roberson played it better than AW3 anyway but there's no way AW3 was gonna get benched in favor of Robey. AW3 and Gillon still would have played no matter who the C was and I think they were the main issues in the zone (and TT)

TBH I'm glad PC got a redshirt last year - this year and the next few years teams have way more potential to make an NCAA run than last years did IMO

 

[upperdeck]

I wonder if ever try the 2 bigs together in short spurts to go even bigger and get 2 bigs down low against some teams.

 

[kcsu]

Our 3 and 4 have to score. Next year with Baz added to the mix problem fixed.

 

[Orangezoo]

Good points. Very true not having a reliable or even serviceable PF. Marek does some positive meddling against teams but it’s kinda just junkyard stuff with no offense. I’m a Marek fan though and, yes, Chukwu has far exceeded my expections and has really improved.

In fairness , in most games I have watched this year and the past 4 or 5 years , the pf position as a whole has disappeared. Essentially Oshae is playing a hybrid wing role with Moyer and Marek just garbage guys. I think we need to really emphasize PC as an offensive option more via the lob and drive and dish guy given that his size and hands make him viable. It's also clear he is capable at the ft line if he gets into the flow. His offensive ability to be that guy is going to be really important given sidibe is going to be an injury concern all year.

 

[Cheriehoop]

very worried when team employ the Hack-a-Shaq strategy. It'll kill us in close games if he does not start making them.

In the close Maryland game , JB put in Geno, a very good free throw shooter and took out Chukwu with 7 seconds remaining to avoid Chukwu from being hacked again. Bet that's what set Geno off, wish cooler heads had prevailed.

Nice to see that Pascal has pretty good hands, he's making 70.8% of his field goals, probably the best % we've had in a long time - feed that man. He was even rotating way out to the wing - something he hadn't been doing defensively in prior games. Also, Sidibe is making 68.2% of his field goal attempts too - pretty darn good inside game- need to run more for our centers like late last night, would help open up more on the outside too. Late in the game the guards (particularly FH) seemed to be using his dribble drive game to pass to Pascal rather than attempting to drive all the way to the hoop. Diversity in our offensive game will only help down the line - especially for our outside shooters.

 

[SWC75]

I have been pretty happy with his play but I though the missed dunk and T was a huge momentum shifting playing in the first half. That was one of the worst missed dunks I have ever seen. We need 8 to 10 points out of the centers on lobs and but backs to have a chance. Frank and Tyus have to be able to trust these guys on the pick and rolls. It is nice to have the length and quickness in the middle of the zone again.

Our centers scored 9 points in this game and had 11 rebounds with only 5 fouls between them. I'd say they out-played their more highly recruited Kansas counter-parts who had 8, 9 and 8.

Chukwu's missed dunks hurt us and that first one was certainly a turning point. As to his foul shooting, he was 24/40 at Providence, 60% so he just needs some confidence to be at least be good enough that they won't automatically foul him. Kansas may have done him a favor as he wound up making 5 of 10, which may allow him to snap out of it.

I think his 'athleticism' will increase as his confidence increases. It's there.

 

[Cheriehoop]

In that clip from the Providence game, Chukwu looks heavier if not just as heavy as he does today. He doesn't seem rail thin in it. Myabe it's the gray color...

 

[pfister1]

As to Chuckwu's foul shooting. He finished the game on either a 5 of 6 or 5 of 7 streak. As SWC points out he was a 60% free throw shooter at Providence. Obviously he isn't as bad a free throw shooter as his time up at SU up to the second half yesterday would indicate. If he can shoot at 60% that would be good, a bit higher would be fantastic.

 

[cuse10]

Weight room.