3star_recruit

The thing that bothered me most about last year's team was the inability to keep road games close the first 2/3 of the season. Butler, Kansas St., Louisville and Houston kicked our a$$ at their places. We've got to play better on the road early in the season for the program to move forward.

I remember at least a half dozen posters saying we would be better than last year but recall only person (nark) getting much more specific than that. Personally, I will be disappointed with another 16-14 campaign. Such a record indicates that we will again lose to the likes of SMS and Houston, get swept by Marquette and only win 3 games on the road. I can't accept that.

Why will Cinci be WAY better than last year with they lose both their leading scorer and their leading assist man but SLU only has a chance to better? Why will Marquette only be a LITTLE down with the loss of a player that led them in scoring, steals, blocks and was second in assists and the loss of another player that averaged 15.4 ppg and 7.5 rpg? Signing 6'5 185 lb high-schooler Dameon Mason and 7.5 ppg juco scorer Marcus Jackson doesn't nearly make up for those losses.

Marquette lost the #5 draft pick, who led them in scoring, was 2nd in assists, led them in steals and led them in blocks. They lose a post player who averaged 15.4 ppg. They are replacing them with a 6'5 185 lb high school player and a juco post player who averaged 7.5 ppg. We lost Marque Perry and Kenny Brown and are replacing them with Reggie Bryant and Tom Frericks, two players who have similar numbers to the guys they are replacing at the same point in their careers. I think BRoy could replace Braun's 3.4 ppg and 2.1 ppg, if he has any eligibility left. Think Izik can score a lot more than Diener's 6 ppg now that he gets to play his natural position, is 4 inches taller, can get to the basket and is working his tail off to get better this summer? I'm not saying we're going to the Sweet 16 but Geez Louise, the cupboard is not bare. I refuse to be satisfied with a 16-14 season. I will NOT accept another loss to SMS, a team that is relying on Blake Ahearn to play point guard next year. I will NOT accept being swept by a depleted Marquette squad. Maybe I'm too demanding.

Ian scored 23 in the opener, which Greece lost by 7 and scored 10 in the 2nd game, which Greece won by 17. Of course I didn't see the game but I have a hard time believing a "Heinrich-clone" could score 23 points against top-flight international competition. It's not too late to back off that assumption, Roy. http://www.basket.gr/wcj2003/

Kent St. http://www.islandsun.com/2003-May/24052003...ts5-v11i01.html

"then you will see Husek, Clarke, and some of the others show up from time to time." This is Husak and Clarke's first week on campus.

Put yourselves in other posters' shoes. You never posted here before. Then you post a dozen times telling us how great Blake Ahearn is. No rational person is going to derive from that you're a St. Louis sports fans who loves all teams and players equally. In fact a rational person would think that you might be someone close to Blake Ahearn. If you would have posted the same stuff on Tigerboard you would have gotten 20x worse than you got here. Don't you see that?

nm

Liddell not qualifying was always a possiblity. I didn't see the Taj Gray thing coming at all. Figured we were done recruiting jucos due to academic concerns.

If they became a 16 team conference it would soon crumble under its own weight anyway. The current members aren't exactly marching in lockstep right now. The Billikens need to be part of a stable situation.

Kent would not have addressed our need at small forward at the time. Maurice could play the 2 or the 3, just like Darren Clarke can play the 2 or the 3. Randal Falker would not have addressed the need to replace Kenny Brown and Chris Braun at center. Besides Randal is majoring in civil engineering, which SLU doesn't have. As for Matt Shaw, I'm his biggest fan on this board. I'm just not sure what the staff's intentions are at the power forward position. If they are comfortable with Izik and JJ defending that position on defense, they may not sign a 4 this year. Darren Clarke is big enough to play some three, but signing a 6'5 kid to play that position would be nice.

Congratulations to Blake on a great all-star game. But whether he scored 44 or 80 points, that doesn't change the fact that we need someone to back up the 3 this year. Darren Clarke, 6'3 195 lb is more physically prepared to do that than Blake Ahearn, 6'2 170 lb. The 1 and 2 guard positions are pretty much set with Fisher, Morris, Bryant and Drejaj.

With the loss of the only Big East teams to be ranked in the top 10 the last 4 years, 1) the Big East will lose its BCS slot 2) their next TV contract in football will be significantly lower than their present one. One article I've read says the contract would be slashed in half with the loss of Miami alone.

Darren Clarke scored 41 points also, in the Nike Super Showcase last summer in Orlando. So both players have shown they can score 41 points in meaningless games. What does that prove?

"no the way i had heard it was that one of either husak or the greek would redshirt, however brad would wait until the fall to decide which would sit this year." And Brad has never said anything different. But I knew better when I compared Coach's comments regarding both players. Bryce's fundamentals are "good". Ian's fundamentals are "tremendous" and "excellent". Ian has a chance to be "special". Read between the lines.

"all i am saying is that the first of 3 revelations of our actual inside position has been uncovered. that is my sigh." What revelation? Frericks, Vouyoukas and JJ are replacing Brown and Braun. We've pretty much agreed that Husak would be a redshirt for almost two months now. So why the concern about Husak?

This 41 point All-Star game performance has really spooked you, hasn't it?

Nobody should be surprised Husak is a project based on Brad's own comments: "I don't want people to get the impression that he will come in and be a 30-minute per game player, but few big men his age are. Because we were in a position to sign five players this year, it was a great time to take on a player that will work hard and become a valuable post player in our conference." But the other guys can play, again based on Brad's words. "Tom brings that strength, rebounding and defensive ability that we need to fill the hole left by Kenny Brown and Chris Braun," Soderberg said. "He also has the ability to score in the post, so we can throw it to him with some confidence." "Ian has excellent post moves, great hands and tremendous passing ability," Soderberg continued. "He's serious about becoming an outstanding player, and that passion for the game also is a highly desirable quality." Coach hasn't given me any reason not to trust him, and I'm not about to start now. You'd think from some posters hand-wringing we're replacing Mourning and Mutombo instead of Brown and Braun in the frontcourt.

"His feet looked like they were in quick sand." I don't think he's finished growing yet. Did you see the size of those puppies? Had to be size 20s. It takes a big man to fill those shoes and hopefully Husak will grow into one.

I was surprised by Clarke's court vision. I know he can shoot it so I'm not worried about last night's brickfest. And you're right, he is 6'3. I'm not sure if I reported this before, but Clarke sprained his ankle in March and had to be held out a week. Not sure if it was a high ankle sprain but I've had one and those suckers hurt.

"The National team had a real jerk in #7 LaKeith Blanks." He was rather . . demonstrative, wasn't he? Lots of screaming, scowling and strutting. Must be a fan of the NBA.

I don't think we'll find out anything useful about Husak or Clarke in this game. First, no one feeds the post in an All-Star game so the only shots Husak will get is off an offensive rebound. Second, Clarke can shoot it, but he may have to trip Richard McBride and Anthony Harris on the way downcourt to get the ball from them.

"I'm beginning to tremble." It's just basketball, man.

Thanks for the link, Nate. I don't really see Husak getting much PT in a run-and-gun all-star game. Maybe we'll get to see Clarke take a few shots after McBride, Gardner and Harris take their 20 shots apiece.