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Topic: RE: Recruiting Bigs

Topic: RE: Recruiting Bigs

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Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame
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RE: Recruiting Bigs

Posted: 12/18/2024 11:52:02 AM

SBH wrote:

We've had a lot decent bigs who didn't exactly jump out of the gym. Doug Taylor, Ed Sears, Vic Alexander, etc. They used their bodies well, though, to fill space on D and get to the hoop on offense.

Agreed. In fact, I'd argue that over the last few regimes at Ohio University our successful bigs basically fit into three categories:

1) Big bodies that aren't plus athletes -- hence their ending up in the MAC and not a P5 program. A few of these guys were very skilled, but still slipped to us because they didn't profile as excellent athletes. Think Antonio Campbell, Reggie Keeley, KVK, Leon Williams and Dwight Wilson. None of them were jumping out of the gym.

2) Strong but short and lacking length. Brandon Hunter, Jerome Tillman, Terren Harbut, types. Not true 5s and spend a lot of time facing up on offense, but capable of guarding bigs and rebounding their positions.

3) Tweeners. Essentially long wings who weren't skilled enough with the ball in their hands as wings to get P5 offers, and who end up playing a position up in the MAC because of their length. Think Clayton, DeVaughn Washington, Jason Carter, Maurice N'Dour, Ivo Baltic, Treg Setty, etc. All are plus athletes as bigs, but less effective on the wing where their size would warrant they play at a higher level. Worth noting that a bunch of these guys had somebody from category 1 or 2 next to them. Clayton doesn't.

Where we've basically never been successful is with guys who have NBA/Elite P5 size. That sort of size is so valuable, that anybody who filters down to us has too many issues to contribute meaningfully. Think Marin Bota, Clay McGowan, Wiz, Ethan Jacobs, etc. These guys are fools gold. If it looks too good to be true that somebody with that size is coming here, it is.

There's a reason those three profiles are available to the MAC, and a reason why true 7 footers aren't, and that the ones we get are underwhelming.

Boals has been very light on groups 1 and 2, and far too reliant on group 3. Think that's a big part of why we play so small -- even our best guys in group 3 had bigger bodies alongside of them.

Last Edited: 12/18/2024 11:55:24 AM by Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame

FJC31
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RE: Recruiting Bigs

Posted: 12/18/2024 12:15:43 PM

Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame wrote:

SBH wrote:

We've had a lot decent bigs who didn't exactly jump out of the gym. Doug Taylor, Ed Sears, Vic Alexander, etc. They used their bodies well, though, to fill space on D and get to the hoop on offense.

1) Big bodies that aren't plus athletes -- hence their ending up in the MAC and not a P5 program. A few of these guys were very skilled, but still slipped to us because they didn't profile as excellent athletes. Think Antonio Campbell, Reggie Keeley, KVK, Leon Williams and Dwight Wilson. None of them were jumping out of the gym.

Solid analysis, but it is bonkers to me that you have Campbell, Keeley, and Dwight, in the same category as KVK. Leon was a little bit before my time in Athens.

One of these is not like the others

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/player/_/id/...
https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/player/_/id/...
https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/player/_/id/...
https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/player/_/id/...

Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame
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RE: Recruiting Bigs

Posted: 12/18/2024 12:20:51 PM

FJC31 wrote:

Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame wrote:

SBH wrote:

We've had a lot decent bigs who didn't exactly jump out of the gym. Doug Taylor, Ed Sears, Vic Alexander, etc. They used their bodies well, though, to fill space on D and get to the hoop on offense.

Just talking about body type and size.

FJC31
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RE: Recruiting Bigs

Posted: 12/18/2024 12:27:01 PM

Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame wrote:

FJC31 wrote:

Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame wrote:

SBH wrote:

We've had a lot decent bigs who didn't exactly jump out of the gym. Doug Taylor, Ed Sears, Vic Alexander, etc. They used their bodies well, though, to fill space on D and get to the hoop on offense.

Just talking about body type and size.

Got it, makes more sense now.

Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame
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RE: Recruiting Bigs

Posted: 3/8/2025 7:55:15 AM

Just re-upping this thread, because it's pretty apparent that until we get the frontcourt figured out, we're going to struggle to keep up with the best teams in the MAC.

GoCats105 pointed out in the recruiting thread where we offered the 7'1 guy from London that the roster's full next year. So curious to hear how folks think we address the bigs issue. Here's what we have next year in current state:

1:
Paveletzke
Elliot
Sheldon

2:
Brown
James
Burris
Nicol
Fisher
Kelly

3:
Mosley

4:
Hadaway
Kuany

5:
Evans

--------------

We offered the British kid despite a full roster, so it's clear something's going to change. And it's also very obvious from the above that something has to change.

Evans is a long ways off and certainly isn't our starting 5 next year. The kid from London looks raw and is unlikely to be a starter/rotation guy if he signs.

So who goes, and how do we fill out a big rotation beyond Hadaway's 30 minutes a game at the 4?

FearLeon
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RE: Recruiting Bigs

Posted: 3/8/2025 10:03:51 AM

Last Edited: 3/8/2025 10:15:39 AM by FearLeon

#BleedGreen #TrentIsGOAT

FearLeon
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RE: Recruiting Bigs

Posted: 3/8/2025 10:17:49 AM

Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame wrote:

So who goes, and how do we fill out a big rotation beyond Hadaway's 30 minutes a game at the 4?

Nicol and Sheldon go. Business decision for all. The portal and NIL have changed roster construction and recruiting philosophy. You have to treat scholarships as one year contracts. If not, these coaches are going to lose their jobs a lot sooner than later.

Last Edited: 3/8/2025 10:18:24 AM by FearLeon

#BleedGreen #TrentIsGOAT

Bobcat1998
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RE: Recruiting Bigs

Posted: 3/8/2025 10:41:21 AM

FearLeon wrote:

Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame wrote:

So who goes, and how do we fill out a big rotation beyond Hadaway's 30 minutes a game at the 4?

I hate to agree on Sheldon but I do. I had hoped he would become Tommy Schmock 2.0 but he never developed more than the outside shot which has gone kaput. Does anyone remember Sheldon's performance at Memphis? It was an anomaly the likes of we haven't seen since Wadley Mompremier went for a double double to start a season!!

FJC31
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RE: Recruiting Bigs

Posted: 3/8/2025 10:46:50 AM

Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame wrote:

Over in the portal thread, I�ve been posting random bigs who have entered the portal from lower levels � low-major to D2.

This is more of a practice to show that we can find immediate help, if we look under every rock and throw water on the whole �bigs are too expensive narrative�. There is no way we couldn�t afford to bring in a player from New Orleans (for example) or a higher floor Searls.

I�m not sure I understand the scholarship offer to the London kid unless even more spots are opening up to address next year�s 5.

Last Edited: 3/8/2025 10:47:28 AM by FJC31

Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame
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RE: Recruiting Bigs

Posted: 3/8/2025 11:03:01 AM

FJC31 wrote:

The London kid and Evans seem superfluous to me. Both projects that require a lot to contribute at starter level; don't think there's room for two of them on the roster. Wouldn't surprise me if the London kid's the next Evans-like swing, and Evans is out next season.

As much as I dislike a guy leaving after 3 years with the program, it feels like Sheldon's the odd man out in the backcourt. If Sheldon, Nicol, and Evans all moved on that would be a big help in terms of filling out the frontcourt with guys more likely to play.

FJC31
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RE: Recruiting Bigs

Posted: 3/8/2025 11:29:03 AM

Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame wrote:

FJC31 wrote:

I don't disagree. If we saw more from Evans this year and it was positive, then the offer to me makes a little more sense.

I'm curious to see what happens with Burris. There are others on here who know more about him than I do, but I feel like it has never really worked out long term for RS players (someone correct me if wrong) in the Boals era. Kuany likely being the exception given size and his being tied to a visa.

Last Edited: 3/8/2025 11:29:50 AM by FJC31

Bobcat1998
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RE: Recruiting Bigs

Posted: 3/8/2025 12:06:58 PM

Wild card wish from portal that has not entered portal: Sean Jones of Marquette via Gahanna. Smallish but a Sullinger type to replace Reef.

FearLeon
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RE: Recruiting Bigs

Posted: 3/8/2025 12:11:43 PM

Bobcat1998 wrote:

FearLeon wrote:

Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame wrote:

So who goes, and how do we fill out a big rotation beyond Hadaway's 30 minutes a game at the 4?

In his last 21 three-point attempts�.Sheldon has made 3 of them.

I get that Sheldon has to spell PAV and Elliott some minutes, but I�m sorry, Elliott and PAV have to go 35 minutes a game in Cleveland. You have to limit Sheldon to 7-10 minutes moving forward. The fact that Sheldon is averaging 20 minutes per game this season is coaching malpractice by Boals.

Last Edited: 3/8/2025 12:13:43 PM by FearLeon

#BleedGreen #TrentIsGOAT

Bobcat1998
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RE: Recruiting Bigs

Posted: 3/8/2025 1:36:50 PM

FearLeon wrote:

Bobcat1998 wrote:

FearLeon wrote:

Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame wrote:

So who goes, and how do we fill out a big rotation beyond Hadaway's 30 minutes a game at the 4?

I agree. It is why I compared him to Tommy Schmock in that they are smaller guards, tough as Hell, smart players but the difference is, Tommy could drive the lane and create mid-range shots. I love Ajay's defensive intensity so yes, 10 mins a game would suffice. Elliott always seems to get in a rhythm and he is pulled for Ajay.

I do like Burris for next year in the third guard, 10 min per game role. He was a calm, strong guard in HS who was not afraid to mix it up, rebound and could create his own shot.

OhioCatFan
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RE: Recruiting Bigs

Posted: 3/8/2025 5:58:39 PM

I can see it now, Sheldon goes on fire and hits numerous threes in the MAC tourney and helps us win the MAC Championship. This seems to be what happens when the general consensus on a sports board gets really down on a player. I'm not predicting it, I'm just saying sometimes conventional wisdom, ain't wisdom at all.

The only BLSS Certified Hypocrite on BA

"It is better to be an optimist and be proven a fool than to be a pessimist and be proven right."

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FearLeon
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RE: Recruiting Bigs

Posted: 3/8/2025 6:21:14 PM

OhioCatFan wrote:

Sign me up for this.

#BleedGreen #TrentIsGOAT

OhioCatFan
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RE: Recruiting Bigs

Posted: 3/8/2025 9:58:02 PM

FearLeon wrote:

OhioCatFan wrote:

Sign me up for this.

Trying to liberally pass the Green Kool-Aid around. Have a sip, it's delicious and has hallucinatory properties. Just one more sip, and you'll see the Bobcats in the Final 4.

shabamon
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RE: Recruiting Bigs

Posted: 3/9/2025 6:21:07 AM

Watching some footage around the state, we should offer the junior big man from Toledo St. Francis. Offers from Toledo and YSU. 6'9" listed but looks taller in videos. Boals and Thornton follow on X

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