Starting 5 Predictions

[SLU_Nick]

A walk on better not get into the game unless the game is already decided.

AM and GG are definitely going to take over the Kyle Cassity/Jake Barnett whipping boy role this season.

[Dwayne's_World]

I think Grandy will be used as a defensive specialist late in games where we are up and need to shut down the opposition. Other than that, I don't really see him starting over Reggie, Tanner, or even some of the freshmen...

[Cowboy]

I think Grandy will be used as a defensive specialist late in games where we are up and need to shut down the opposition. Other than that, I don't really see him starting over Reggie, Tanner, or even some of the freshmen...

-if that is the case he needs to rebound and shoot ft's better than he has shown

[thetorch]

-if that is the case he needs to rebound and shoot ft's better than he has shown

Grandy has the highest rebounding rates on the team and shot above 70% from the line last year.

[Billikenboy]

Remember energy guy who scores on putbacks, drives, and dunks all rank high in those percentages but it does not interpret to full game production because once the lane is closed this person is useless offensively. On defense, he is a beast. I will give him that!

[JettFlight5]

I think Grandy will be used as a defensive specialist late in games where we are up and need to shut down the opposition. Other than that, I don't really see him starting over Reggie, Tanner, or even some of the freshmen...

I thought Grandy worked really well in the full-court press we showed later in the year.

[TheA_Bomb]

Southlake, TX product Jolly with no votes. He did have a year of prep school then committed to SLU early. I think that cut out recruiting site reports on him so I'm not sure we know much. Could he surprise? Are we assuming he won't contribute cause he didn't get the pub others got? I hope he does surprise us but we know SLU big men usually aren't world beaters Freshman year. I think Manning was solid last year. He's not flashy but is a decent rebounder and good defensive presence.

[Bizziken]

I know we have size this season, but I wonder how a 'small' lineup (without a true Center) would do...Have McBroom/Roby at Point, Yacoubou, Crawford, Agbeko, and Lancona. Obviously, one could substitute Glaze, Yarbrough, Bartley, or Reynolds in to this equation. I suspect we will see this type of lineup at times, at least to start the season.

[thetorch]

I know we have size this season, but I wonder how a 'small' lineup (without a true Center) would do...Have McBroom/Roby at Point, Yacoubou, Crawford, Agbeko, and Lancona. Obviously, one could substitute Glaze, Yarbrough, Bartley, or Reynolds in to this equation. I suspect we will see this type of lineup at times, at least to start the season.

I could see that lineup potentially. Agbeko may warrant playing time despite the logjam at his position. Manning will play as many minutes as possible causing the freshman big men to get little experience. Agbeko then becomes the backup at the 5. I'm salivating at the thought of Agbeko taking some opposing centers off the dribble.

[TheA_Bomb]

I could see that lineup potentially. Agbeko may warrant playing time despite the logjam at his position. Manning will play as many minutes as possible causing the freshman big men to get little experience. Agbeko then becomes the backup at the 5. I'm salivating at the thought of Agbeko taking some opposing centers off the dribble.

I don't agree with your take on the Freshman big men getting little experience. Manning hasn't played extensive minutes before and I don't really see him being a 35 mpg guy. Those 6'11 dudes need more of a breather. I think we'll see other players get time. Last season Loe averaged 27.7 mpg and Manning 11.9. The year prior Loe 22.9 mpg. Manning and Loe are about the same size (Manning 5 lbs less).

So I think we'll see about 15 MPG at the 5 for a big man because Manning is more of an inside player banging more than Loe did. That time will probably be split amongst Jolly and Gillman and Jolly can probably pick up a few minutes at the 4 too. That's a good amount of time.

[SLU_Nick]

Rob Loe played the some of the best defense in all of D1 for a Center last year. I am much more worried about that loss then McCall, Jett and Evans.

There will be a signficant dropoff with Manning in there....then if we put freshmen centers out there to spell Manning for long stretches, people like Jerrell Wright out of LaSalle will score 50 points on us.

I think the better tactic is to just forget about who is labeled a 5 and run RA and/or TL out there to guard the opposing 5.

[hsmith19]

AM and GG are definitely going to take over the Kyle Cassity/Jake Barnett whipping boy role this season.

Haven't they already?

[TheA_Bomb]

Rob Loe played the some of the best defense in all of D1 for a Center last year. I am much more worried about that loss then McCall, Jett and Evans.

There will be a signficant dropoff with Manning in there....then if we put freshmen centers out there to spell Manning for long stretches, people like Jerrell Wright out of LaSalle will score 50 points on us.

I think the better tactic is to just forget about who is labeled a 5 and run RA and/or TL out there to guard the opposing 5.

What has Manning done/not done to make you so concerned about his defensive abilities? He has gotten in some foul trouble on occasion but that is the nature of Centers. Overall I think he's been effective and anticipate his defense to be adequate/above average. You can't coach height and I wouldn't put undersized RA/TL on the opposing 5 so they could get posterized.

[SLU_Nick]

Just doesn't pass the "eye-test". (if experts can use that when they don't have a real reason, then so can I). That comment was more a compliment to Rob then it was an indictment of JM.

Lancona guarded some big men last year and has experience with getting in good positional defense. That technique (plus a well-timed double team) provides more value to the team then having a lost baby giraffe out there just because he is 3 inches taller.

[ACE]

What has Manning done/not done to make you so concerned about his defensive abilities? He has gotten in some foul trouble on occasion but that is the nature of Centers. Overall I think he's been effective and anticipate his defense to be adequate/above average. You can't coach height and I wouldn't put undersized RA/TL on the opposing 5 so they could get posterized.

Manning will be a better shot-blocker than Rob and a better low-post scorer, although that is not saying much, but overall nobody is going to replace what Rob provided. I do think when Manning is out of the game, an undersized Reggie will be our best option at the 5. Also wouldn't be surprised if TL was our 5 by default depending on match-ups. CE did it sometimes when Rob was out of the game, so why not TL.

[thetorch]

I think Manning is really being downplayed. While Rob was a superlative one on one defender, I believe Manning will be just as good. His shotblocking abilities are really underplayed. If he can play 25+ minutes he could average 2-3 blocks a game. Neither Rob or Manning are great rebounders but as long as Manning can stay out of foul trouble he will be just as or more effective as a defender. Don't forget while not as mobile as Loe, Manning can pop outside as well. We will see a lot more jumpers from Manning than we have in the past.

[SShoe]

Just doesn't pass the "eye-test". (if experts can use that when they don't have a real reason, then so can I). That comment was more a compliment to Rob then it was an indictment of JM.

Lancona guarded some big men last year and has experience with getting in good positional defense. That technique (plus a well-timed double team) provides more value to the team then having a lost baby giraffe out there just because he is 3 inches taller.

I could say the same about Tanner. His biggest issue last year was his defense and it will likely be the biggest determining factor regarding his playing time this year. He has to be more physical and/or learn to take the charge, ala Cody, due to his lack of size.

Manning, on the other hand, has the ability to block or alter shots around the rim. Not saying he is Serge Ibaka or anything, but he had 33 blocked shots last year in limited action. If he stays out of foul trouble, he'll get about 20 minutes per game this year. Still plenty of minutes available for the underclassmen.

You are right about one thing, Rob played some terrific D last year. In particular, he was as good as any in the country at hedging out against opposing ball handlers during on-the-ball screens. Manning has real problems with it and often gets called for cheap fouls on it.

[TheChosenOne]

I think Manning is really being downplayed. While Rob was a superlative one on one defender, I believe Manning will be just as good.

Do you think Manning can move his feet nearly as well as Rob? Rob was really good hedging at the top of the key and kind of trapping the pg preventing teams from running their offensive sets cleanly. I think his defense was extremely undervalued. He is a big loss. Manning may be as good as an interior defender, but Loe's ability to move his feet on the perimeter allowed us to take teams out of their sets and that was one our biggest strengths in my opinion defensively. The other would probably be our ability to overplay passing lanes and denying/contesting passes again accomplishing the same result of taking teams out of their offensive sets. That was always something I never understood teams struggling with, seems like an easy thing to scout and prepare for.

[Duff Man]

Really surprised at the lack of attention for Milik Yarbough.

He's a scorer and - unless I'm missing something - his only competition for the starting spot at the 3 is Mike Crawford and Davell Roby.

I see Roby as a 6th or 7th man to come off the bench between the first 2 TV timeouts and raise defensive intensity the way Jett did previously.

Mike Crawford's ceiling is Scott Highmark. If Crawford develops into a volume 3pt shooter and emerges as a scorer, then I can see him starting. But this is the same guy who only scored 3 baskets from the floor once all year - and that was in 3 minutes of garbage time against SEMO. Aside from that, he only scored as many as 2 baskets from the floor TWICE all season. He couldn't establish himself as a regular bench option on a team that had hardly any bench to speak of. I see Crawford's natural role more as a sniper who comes in off the bench.

Everyone voted for Ash...and he's obviously the starting 2.

61 of 64 voted for Manning...a relative or friend of Gillmann voted for Gillmann, and 2 fools who would forfeit the opening tip

52 out of 64 have McBroom at PG. 8 for Miles Reynolds. 2 for Marcus Bartley, and again 2 fools who I guess have some combo of Roby/Ash/Crawford.

41 out of 64 people have Crawford starting - he must be the starting 3. I mean clearly he's not a PG and he's not a 4. These people are bullish on Crawford turning into Scott Highmark. I hope they're right!

4 voted for Yarbough. 3 voted for Roby - but remember 2 people have Roby at PG alongside Ash and Crawford.

That still leaves 18 out of 23 remaining people who have someone else starting at 3 besides Yarbrough/Roby/Crawford.

33 voted for Lancona.

31 for Agbeko.

20 for Grandy.

Nevemind that 2 voters had one of these 3 losing the tip off, that's still 18 of 64 people who have some combination of these players starting at the 3.

so 41 for Crawford, 18 for a 4 playing out of position, and only 4 for the guy who is arguably the most touted recruit in a deep class...seems low

[Duff Man]

Sorry for the double post, was on spotty internet.

[NH]

61 of 64 voted for Manning...a relative or friend of Gillmann voted for Gillmann, leaving 2 fools who would forfeit the opening tip

I voted for Gillmann. It was an accident.

[For-DaLove]

I voted for Gillmann. It was an accident.

You fool. Now who is the other fool?

[moytoy12]

You fool. Now who is the other fool?

Probably someone from OccupySLU

[VeniceMenace]

Looks like I'm the only one voting for Jolly...

[Billikenboy]

MY is a natural undersized 4 and a pure scorer to boot. He is not not afraid to mix it up in the paint. Log jam at the 3 so I do not see him spending anytime there. If defensively he proves well he will give us at the 4 what has eluded GG all these years.