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Topic: Thoughts on this season and on the future

Topic: Thoughts on this season and on the future

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FlashGary
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Thoughts on this season and on the future

Posted: 3/11/2017 9:51:38 PM

Some thoughts on the season, which should continue in a lesser tournament, and the future: The second seed and 20 wins are commendable accomplishments considering that Antonio Campbell couldn’t play for most of the conference schedule. And do not sleep on the season-long unavailability of Khari Harley, Wadley Mompremier and James Gollon; we may have made it to the Big Dance anyway if we had those guys. We really can't judge them by what you last saw of them (think Mike Laster).

The loss of personnel created the opportunity for accelerated growth from Laster and Jason Carter; this should really pay off big-time next season. A key aspect to me for next season is whether Jordan Dartis and Doug Taylor will have the type of proficiency spurt, in accordance to their skill sets, that we’ve seen from many previously Bobcats going into their junior season.

I don’t have any inside knowledge on this topic, but I think five players currently on the roster won’t be on the team next season. If this happens, Coach Phillips will have two more scholarship to utilize that aren't available right now. I still contend a post player, who is a rim protector, is needed if we want to make any noise beyond the MAC tournament, which we should be very much in the mix to win.

Last Edited: 3/11/2017 9:53:26 PM by FlashGary

Obc2
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RE: Thoughts on this season and on the future

Posted: 3/12/2017 12:01:21 AM

2017-18

PG -Jaaron
SG - Dartis
F - Block
F - Carter
F - laster

Bench
Taylor, Culver, Dozier

Unknowns
Frosh impact, Gollon.

Bobcat1998
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RE: Thoughts on this season and on the future

Posted: 3/12/2017 9:10:19 AM

Obc2 wrote:

2017-18

PG -Jaaron
SG - Dartis
F - Block
F - Carter
F - laster

Bench
Taylor, Culver, Dozier

Unknowns
Frosh impact, Gollon.

I have seen Gareri play. He will not be as impactful as Carter was but he will play for us off the bench and be a nice piece, maybe 10 minutes per game. I also see, from what I read and see online, that Butler will be a solid backup PG which will be huge for us to give Jaaron some time off. Vander Plas just looks like a specimen athletically. And you have to think that Gollon, who played some minutes as a freshman, will be stronger and mentally tougher. He looks like he's having fun all year and learned from some solid guys in Kenny and Tone.

Chicken George
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RE: Thoughts on this season and on the future

Posted: 3/12/2017 10:32:56 AM

Obc2 wrote:

2017-18

PG -Jaaron
SG - Dartis
F - Block
F - Carter
F - laster

Bench
Taylor, Culver, Dozier

Unknowns
Frosh impact, Gollon.

So how does everyone feel going into next year with this as your returning nucleus? SP entering his 4th season and this being the resources we've developed up until this point? Thoughts?

FearLeon
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RE: Thoughts on this season and on the future

Posted: 3/12/2017 10:40:43 AM

Chicken George wrote:

Obc2 wrote:

2017-18

PG -Jaaron
SG - Dartis
F - Block
F - Carter
F - laster

Bench
Taylor, Culver, Dozier

Unknowns
Frosh impact, Gollon.

So how does everyone feel going into next year with this as your returning nucleus? SP entering his 4th season and this being the resources we've developed up until this point? Thoughts?

I don't see that as our starting 5. Going to have to plug in a "big"...hopefully Taylor takes a giant leap or one of the freshman.

#BleedGreen #TrentIsGOAT

cbus cat fan
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RE: Thoughts on this season and on the future

Posted: 3/12/2017 10:55:41 AM

The fourth season is where the rubber hits the road for many coaches. Coach Groce and Coach O'Shea both made in the NCAA tournament in their fourth year. Even though Coach Groce made into the Big Dance in his 2nd year, there still was grumbling on this board in January of his fourth before things turned around in February for 2012's magical run.

In addition to some incoming highly regarded talent, we have most of our firepower returning and hopefully becoming more polished at that. Even though there was pressure on Coach Nee (who made into the Big Dance his 3rd year) and Coach Hunter who made into the Big Dance his fifth year after doing some serious rebuilding, it still seems more stressful now than it did then. Most notably because of the salaries coaches now make and the amount of television time the Bobcats now receive. Next year becomes serious for all involved, expectations will be sky high which I hope leads to players resolving to take their talent to the next level. Needless to say, the microscope will be intensely focused on Coach Phillips. I am looking forward to the upcoming season, but I am also aware the stress level for players and coaches will be seriously elevated.

Last Edited: 3/12/2017 11:04:03 AM by cbus cat fan

Chicken George
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RE: Thoughts on this season and on the future

Posted: 3/12/2017 11:09:12 AM

cbus cat fan wrote:

The fourth season is where the rubber hits the road for many coaches. Coach Groce and Coach O'Shea both made in the NCAA tournament in their fourth year. Even though Coach Groce made into the Big Dance in his 2nd year, there still was grumbling on this board in January of his fourth before things turned around in February for 2012's magical run.

In addition to some incoming highly regarded talent, we have most of our firepower returning and hopefully becoming more polished at that. Even though there was pressure on Coach Nee (who made into the Big Dance his 3rd year) and Coach Hunter who made into the Big Dance his fifth year after doing some serious rebuilding, it still seems more stressful than it did then. Most notably because of the salaries coaches now make and the amount of television time the Bobcats now receive. Next year becomes serious for all involved, players resolving to take their talent to the next level and the microscope on Coach Phillips. I am looking forward to it, but I am also aware the stress level for players and coaches will be seriously elevated.

Always love the unknown of how any individual player may develop over the off-season. For example, when Culver arrived I think most had assumed Laster's days on the court at OHIO were over, only to find out he was a very important piece of this years puzzle and much improved. I also hear that Vander Plas is a bigger version of Carter and Butler will be a serviceable back-up PG. Is Gollon another serviceable back-up PG option? Will someone help develop Culvers shot and overall offensive game? Those are the unknowns to a random fan like me.

But in my estimation not knowing the unknowns of the impact of the recruits; the improvement of any given player; and without going through each conference teams roster to see who they lose and what their recruiting classes are like--just based on this past year--I'd be VERY concerned going into next season with the current roster. If this were a pro league where I could trade in the off-season, I'd say I have 2 untouchables on my roster (Simmons/Carter) and I'd be open to free agents signing or trades for any of the other 3 starting positions. I'd be hitting transfer list/JUCO scene hard looking for someone who could play the 2 or 3 who could add instant offense. A slasher, someone who could create for themselves, a play maker. I'm sure every coach is searching for the same thing, but I look at this roster and I feel I've got 2 building blocks moving forward and all other positions are open competitions.

Last Edited: 3/12/2017 11:12:13 AM by Chicken George

allen
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RE: Thoughts on this season and on the future

Posted: 3/12/2017 12:26:29 PM

Hopefully, two spots open and we can grab a big and a wing. Maybe we can bring in Lepear tiles. Coach SP will have to remedy the scoring droughts and paint defense. If he can get Dartis, Block and Carter to add to their games we will be dangerous. I think we should skip the post season and go to Europe this summer.

Nobody despises to lose more than I do. That's got me into trouble over the years, but it also made a man of mediocre ability into a pretty good coach. Woody Hayes

FearLeon
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RE: Thoughts on this season and on the future

Posted: 3/12/2017 12:29:25 PM

allen wrote:

Desperately need a JUCO big....hope it happens.

#BleedGreen #TrentIsGOAT

bigtillyoopsupsideurhead
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RE: Thoughts on this season and on the future

Posted: 3/12/2017 12:30:25 PM

I think we are set up pretty well for the near future.

Akron, Kent, and Buffalo all lose two of their three best players while we only lose our 4th best player.

I think Akron falls back to the pack next year and any of the top four teams could win the conference title.

allen
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RE: Thoughts on this season and on the future

Posted: 3/12/2017 1:28:21 PM

bigtillyoopsupsideurhead wrote:

Buffalo had a lot of athletic depth. I hope you are right.

Nobody despises to lose more than I do. That's got me into trouble over the years, but it also made a man of mediocre ability into a pretty good coach. Woody Hayes

PhiTau74
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Location: Columbia, SC
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RE: Thoughts on this season and on the future

Posted: 3/12/2017 1:45:37 PM

Carter's talent is being wasted having to cover the other teams big, either Taylor or a Juco big needs to start. Carter would average close to 20 if he didn't have to cover the bigs. We lose in the MAC again if he is forced to play 5.

OU_Country
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RE: Thoughts on this season and on the future

Posted: 3/12/2017 2:06:21 PM

allen wrote:

Hopefully, you don't have plans on being a basketball coach or athletic director in the near future. Hoping away two scholarship players to replace them isn't a great look.

FearLeon wrote:

Desperately need a JUCO big....hope it happens.

As I'm sure you're aware, there's not a spot open as things stand now. I'm sure you're also aware that it's highly unlikely that this coaching staff is going to seek out a JUCO player.

OU_Country
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RE: Thoughts on this season and on the future

Posted: 3/12/2017 2:16:46 PM

FlashGary wrote:

I don’t have any inside knowledge on this topic, but I think five players currently on the roster won’t be on the team next season. If this happens, Coach Phillips will have two more scholarship to utilize that aren't available right now. I still contend a post player, who is a rim protector, is needed if we want to make any noise beyond the MAC tournament, which we should be very much in the mix to win.

Five? We know of two that won't be for sure because they're graduating. A third, Wadley, is assumed to be moving on as well.

Obc2 wrote:

2017-18

PG -Jaaron
SG - Dartis
F - Block
F - Carter
F - laster

Bench
Taylor, Culver, Dozier

Unknowns
Frosh impact, Gollon.

You're leaving out ALL of the true freshmen coming in. Vanden Plas, Gareri, and Butler. One of Gareri and Vanden Plas will get significant playing time, and I'd lean toward Vanden Plas based on the recruiting threads, and conversations had.

My hope is that Butler is a impact player from the start, and that we see Taylor and Culver take noticeable steps forward. I'm anxious to see how Gollon comes back from injury as well. He was a scoring machine in HS that has abilities that could really help this team. Those factors put this team in a position of having a lot of competition for PT again when October rolls around.

I think saying there will be pressure on Saul, or this staff, next year is far fetched. I can't see how there's any pressure from anyone whose opinions matter other than Saul himself and the team. The work this team did to get to Friday in Cleveland without Tony, and only 8 healthy scholarship players that played, was outstanding. We have to assume that next year, barring injury, there will be 10-11 guys capable of being in the rotation.

bobcatsquared
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RE: Thoughts on this season and on the future

Posted: 3/12/2017 2:25:30 PM

OU_Country wrote:

We have to assume that next year, barring injury, there will be 10-11 guys capable of being in the rotation.

I think I've heard this since the Reagan administration, dating back to the Nee/Hahn coaching regimes. Usually includes some sort of the following: "Ohio will be so deep that we should employ fullcourt pressure and just run every chance we get."

Then, November/December rolls around and Ohio is going with a 7- or 8-man rotation.

This annual projection almost rivals the "Ohio is the team nobody wants to face in the MAC tournament" posturing from BA posters.

OU_Country
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RE: Thoughts on this season and on the future

Posted: 3/12/2017 2:40:40 PM

bobcatsquared wrote:

OU_Country wrote:

We have to assume that next year, barring injury, there will be 10-11 guys capable of being in the rotation.

You make a fair point, but this year they would have had that depth were it not for injuries.

Buckeye to Bobcat
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RE: Thoughts on this season and on the future

Posted: 3/12/2017 2:49:31 PM

Chicken George wrote:

Obc2 wrote:

2017-18

PG -Jaaron
SG - Dartis
F - Block
F - Carter
F - laster

Bench
Taylor, Culver, Dozier

Unknowns
Frosh impact, Gollon.

So how does everyone feel going into next year with this as your returning nucleus? SP entering his 4th season and this being the resources we've developed up until this point? Thoughts?

I really like where we're at as a program talent wise and what kind of players we're recruiting. Yes, we lack in straight athletes, but we're going to have a team that will be consistently in the top for years to come. Our pipelines in the state continue to be great and the kids we will continue to go mine out of the Wisconsin region will benefit us greatly moving forward. That said, the only concern I have is our apparent lack of a true center in this year's recruiting cycle and next year's. That said, I am happy with the style of players we're recruiting. Recruiting folks is what wins championships, and because of our inroads in Central Ohio, I feel like we will be top 4 in the MAC every year no questions asked. At that point it will come down to one weekend in Cleveland.

Another thing I hope we do is start pushing the needle in terms of non-league games. This is something our program needs to begin getting back to. While we have home and home series with Cleveland State, Marshall, Western Kentucky (all of these help the gates despite what folks think), we need to begin getting Power 5's on the schedule. I know Purdue doing a home-and-home will be huge, but one more series like that a year to go with our annual matchups I think can make ourselves very attractive for at-large opportunities pending W's. Nonetheless, I am very happy with where the basketball program is.

bobcatsquared
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RE: Thoughts on this season and on the future

Posted: 3/12/2017 2:50:23 PM

Not sure they would have. With Tony, Saul was still using 8-9 players. Not convinced Harley is a regular when healthy. Wadley? Maybe, maybe not.

More players with Tony? Yes. 10-11 deep? I don't believe so.

perimeterpost
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RE: Thoughts on this season and on the future

Posted: 3/12/2017 3:29:56 PM

Kaminski
Gollon
Block
Carter
Vander Plas
Gareri

I think a lot of the questioning of, and hand-wringing about, Saul's recruiting efforts can be found in the commonality of these 6 recruits. But I'm guessing no one will admit it and all will feign offense to its suggestion.

MY STATE. MY TEAM.

FearLeon
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RE: Thoughts on this season and on the future

Posted: 3/12/2017 4:37:46 PM

perimeterpost wrote:

I see what you did there^^^^^^^^^

#BleedGreen #TrentIsGOAT

allen
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RE: Thoughts on this season and on the future

Posted: 3/12/2017 6:38:37 PM

OU_Country wrote:

allen wrote:

Hopefully, you don't have plans on being a basketball coach or athletic director in the near future. Hoping away two scholarship players to replace them isn't a great look.

FearLeon wrote:

Desperately need a JUCO big....hope it happens.

As I'm sure you're aware, there's not a spot open as things stand now. I'm sure you're also aware that it's highly unlikely that this coaching staff is going to seek out a JUCO player.

If you don't want to deal with reality than go and lay an egg. If Harley can't play, than we should find other grants for him to stay in school. If Wadley is really transferring than we should look at adding more talent. You definitely should not have any plans to be a coach. Go watch X Men or something, we are keeping it real in this thread. There is something called contingency planning or business continuity.

Last Edited: 3/13/2017 1:26:25 AM by allen

Nobody despises to lose more than I do. That's got me into trouble over the years, but it also made a man of mediocre ability into a pretty good coach. Woody Hayes

FearLeon
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RE: Thoughts on this season and on the future

Posted: 3/12/2017 7:30:53 PM

allen wrote:

OU_Country wrote:

allen wrote:

Hopefully, you don't have plans on being a basketball coach or athletic director in the near future. Hoping away two scholarship players to replace them isn't a great look.

FearLeon wrote:

Desperately need a JUCO big....hope it happens.

As I'm sure you're aware, there's not a spot open as things stand now. I'm sure you're also aware that it's highly unlikely that this coaching staff is going to seek out a JUCO player.

If you don't want to deal with reality than go an lay an egg. If Harley can't play, than we should find other grants for him to stay in school. If Wadley is really transferring than we should look at adding more talent. You definitely should not have any plans to be a coach. Go watch X Men or something, we are keeping it real in this thread. There is something called contingency planning or business continuity.

+1000000^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Allen...what I've realized is that there are too many people on this board more concerned about players egos getting hurt over making the team better. Coaches get paid a ton of money to make very difficult decisions to make their programs go from average to good and good to great. Sometimes this means telling a player that you recruited who has been sitting on the bench for 2-3 year to perhaps explore other options if they want to actually play college basketball. And if that means replacing him with a better player that can help immediately, so be it. It's done all the time in the big boy world of college hoops. Some people can't handle the truth about it.

#BleedGreen #TrentIsGOAT

OU_Country
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RE: Thoughts on this season and on the future

Posted: 3/12/2017 7:47:03 PM

allen wrote:

OU_Country wrote:

allen wrote:

Hopefully, you don't have plans on being a basketball coach or athletic director in the near future. Hoping away two scholarship players to replace them isn't a great look.

FearLeon wrote:

Desperately need a JUCO big....hope it happens.

As I'm sure you're aware, there's not a spot open as things stand now. I'm sure you're also aware that it's highly unlikely that this coaching staff is going to seek out a JUCO player.

Trust me, your so called reality, and that of the majority of the rest of those on here is vastly different.

I think we could get more from another player that we're getting from Khari, yes. But my reasoning is simply related to his physical health. If healthy, Khari would have been a contributor this year. If you want to "keep it real", look at the recruiting chart. Unless someone leaves, or we get a scholarship back because of an injury waiver, we're full on scholarships, so saying we need to bring someone in if Wadley leaves isn't truly "reality" good sir.

http://www.bobcatattack.com/basketball/recruiting.asp

As for the movie choice, I've never been into X-Men. Maybe you have another selection that's more based on reality?

OU_Country
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RE: Thoughts on this season and on the future

Posted: 3/12/2017 7:57:24 PM

FearLeon wrote:

Two simple questions:

1) Do we, at Ohio University operate in a way where we effectively yank a kid's scholarship if he's been on the bench for a couple years? I'm not aware that we do. It might be done in the ACC (for example) - we aren't the ACC.

2) Is that what we want to be?

I'm fine with a coaching staff going to a player and saying, "Listen you're not likely to break into the rotation unless you get a lot better. We don't see that happening. If you want to play more, you might want to consider looking elsewhere." I'm not fine with yanking a scholarship, even if they're able to. Note, I have no idea what the rules are across the NCAA or at Ohio.

It has nothing to do with what some people can, or can't handle. I'm not sure about the truth you're referring to. The truth I'm referring to has Ohio Basketball with 13 scholarships accounted for next year, and Saul Phillips being on record stating he prefers 4 year players.

bobcatsquared
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Post Count: 5,417

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RE: Thoughts on this season and on the future

Posted: 3/12/2017 8:17:16 PM

I've seen nothing the past few years that says Harley would have/will be a contributor if healthy. Although, what exactly defines a contributor is subjective.

Gollon and Dozier being future contributors is also open to debate. When I saw Culver throw down a put-back rebound and an alley-oop pass early in the non-con season I thought he was going to be a MAC all-freshman candidate. As the season wore on, however, I found myself greatly tampering those expectations. That leaves next year's team with Simmons, Dartis, Carter, Taylor, Block and Laster and 3 frosh. I still don't see us matching the athleticism of Kent, UB, and Akron.

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