moytoy12 Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 Per TT's blog, Willie Reed said he will qualify. Hope Willie is right, sounds like he gives us the type of athleticism we haven't seen in a long time. With his athletic ability and RM's ability to mold bigs, I have high hopes for WR. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billikenfan05 Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 God I knew we should have listened to SS he is always right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WVBilliken Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 Many are saying Willie is too skinny/weak to contribute this year. I have not seen the kid play but based on the descriptions I have seen over the past 6 months I got to believe he will be a contributor. In fact, he has to be. I count only four true front court players on the Bills' roster. I think RM will make use of a big, athletic player who can dribble, hit the outside shot, etc. I have seen many so-called "too skinny" players excel in college and the NBA. Heck, look at Rip Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince of the Detroit Pistons. I am not saying Willie is in their league but they sure a "bean poles" that don't do to bad. Quickness and speed can make up for lack of bulk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STL Hoops Insider Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 If the roster stays as is, Willie will play a LOT. He is the only center on the roster besides Thompson. He's not going to be a psot up player. He'll be a guy who flashes to the high post and makes passes. He also has a nice face up game. He'll be a player who finishes off penetration, WAY ABOVE the rim. Defensively he's very long and will block shots. I'm not sure what enforcers there are on the billikens schedule that would have fans worried about Reed being overpowered or pushed around inside. If they are stronger than Reed, they probably arent as big and long, and if they are thats a heck of a specimen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLIKNS Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 Anyone remember when Louis Orr played at Syracuse?If so,first you are old,and he was like 6-8 and 155. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WVBilliken Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 Well I do remember Harry Rogers for the Bills around 1970. He was a bean pole but was also quite the player. One of SLU's greatest players on some very good teams. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MusicCityBilliken Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 Anyone remember when Louis Orr played at Syracuse?If so,first you are old,and he was like 6-8 and 155. I don't consider myself old but I do remember Orr. Saw him play a few times in the old Manley Field House. He had unbelievable quickness and as you described was kind of a pogo-stick type player. Played on final 4 team with Bug Williams. Danforth was his coach at SU. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcthebillikenfan Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 Willie has to get a lot better on the offensive end. He is very raw and if it was not for a thin bench WR would be a perfect red shirt candidate, but I don't see him being very signinicant this year for the Bills. I hope BC is more ready and I see BT playing a lot also although he still is raw offensively also. BT loves to shoot rather than post. I hope rickma can get him to become a low post threat very quick because he has never been one that wants to mix it up down low as I think WR is also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billikan Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 Willie has to get a lot better on the offensive end. He is very raw and if it was not for a thin bench WR would be a perfect red shirt candidate, but I don't see him being very signinicant this year for the Bills. I hope BC is more ready and I see BT playing a lot also although he still is raw offensively also. BT loves to shoot rather than post. I hope rickma can get him to become a low post threat very quick because he has never been one that wants to mix it up down low as I think WR is also. Based upon what I saw last night with KM, I think Reed can provide some offense off the break and hitting mid range jumpers off of pass outs. Also, he is very mobile and can run the pick and roll for a dunk. He is fairly thin but I see him as having a lot more potential this year as an athletic big man who can block some shots and run the floor. He will be an upgrade over Bryce by Christmas and maybe sooner. the good thing about this class as I see it is that the new players are better at every position than the ones they are replacing except for Luke Meyer and I hope that Conklin can mature quickly and give us the hustle and toughness of luke by the time the conference starts. We will struggle on defense from time to time but the offense will be better, maybe much better with KM penetrating and running the floor with the intention of passing to Kevin or Tommie. Add Cotto and Femi to the mix and we have a very nice set of offensive players in the backcourt--more depth than we have had in many years and that does not even include Eckerle who I assume will be much better after a year in the system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moytoy12 Posted June 30, 2008 Author Share Posted June 30, 2008 Willie has to get a lot better on the offensive end. He is very raw and if it was not for a thin bench WR would be a perfect red shirt candidate, but I don't see him being very signinicant this year for the Bills. I hope BC is more ready and I see BT playing a lot also although he still is raw offensively also. BT loves to shoot rather than post. I hope rickma can get him to become a low post threat very quick because he has never been one that wants to mix it up down low as I think WR is also. Will we need much on the offensive end this year from Willie (other than dunks, put backs and a jump shot from time to time)? Heck, a 6-10 - 7-0 tall (guessing he's somewhere in that range) guy with quick feet, great athleticism and some guidance on the defensive end may be all we need from him this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taj79 Posted June 30, 2008 Share Posted June 30, 2008 " ... other than dunks, put backs and a jump shot from time to time" I seem to recall both Abdur Raheem al-Mateen AND Andre Craig being on the same Billiken team in the early 80's and both combined NEVER brought the "jump shot" part of the above equation. Ever. Both were defensive presences and added the occasional once-per-half, inbound alley-oop dunk shot and rebounded. Given that this team hasn't really had such a presence since then, I'll take whatever Willie can provide. Again, I've got to belief that Majerus will add a factor to the equation over and above what we have ever seen with Grawer, Spoon, Romar and Brad. If he can't, Willie (and anyone else for that matter) will be gone. The key will be the sum of the parts. If Kwamain Mitchell is a break-down, penetrating point guard, and has able big men to finish in terms of Reed, Thompson and Conklin, added to the ability to stop and pop in terms of Cotto and Cassity, coupled with the veteran, four-year leadership that is Liddell and Lisch, with some occassional enforcer-type minutes from Barry, this team's main issue appears to be its relative youth. The question then becomes can Liddell and Lisch provide enough of a veteran presence that compensates for the lack of overall experience? I think so --- the college game is guard-driven and while I am prejudiced, I can't think of another A10 team that returns equal firepower at the guard spot that we do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcthebillikenfan Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 I am pulling for Reed but I just don't see it ending on a good note. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonwich Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 Well I do remember Harry Rogers for the Bills around 1970. He was a bean pole but was also quite the player. One of SLU's greatest players on some very good teams. Harry, of course, was a guard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willie Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 Harry, of course, was a guard.I ran into Harry at the opening of the arena. He still looks like he weighs about 170. I think you can make the argument that he was the best billiken player in the last 40 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidlee Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 I ran into Harry at the opening of the arena. He still looks like he weighs about 170. I think you can make the argument that he was the best billiken player in the last 40 years. willie I agree with you. Harry was something special. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slu72 Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 willie I agree with you. Harry was something special. I had Harry in a couple of my classes. Good guy as was "The Ghost" Leonard. We had some good teams in that 69-72 period. Just quite never made it over the hump at crunch time. Harry was a guard/wing. He had a really smooth jumper that looked effortless when he shot it. I also thought Bob Polk was a pretty good coach. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MusicCityBilliken Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 I ran into Harry at the opening of the arena. He still looks like he weighs about 170. I think you can make the argument that he was the best billiken player in the last 40 years. I don't know if he was as good as Hughes but he was certainly in my top 3. In fact if I had to select my 'player of the decade' it would look like this> 70's Harry Rogers 80's Anthony Bonner 90's Larry Hughes 00's So far I have to give it to Marquee Perry Regarding Harry, I know he ended up a guard by the end of his sophomore year (freshmen didn't play back then) but it was with a 3 guard line-up. His sophomore year we had both Irving and Martinez in the guard spots also starting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AGB91 Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 When talking about best Billikens never forget the ultimate one man team David Burns! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clock_Tower Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 I don't know if he was as good as Hughes but he was certainly in my top 3. In fact if I had to select my 'player of the decade' it would look like this> 70's Harry Rogers 80's Anthony Bonner 90's Larry Hughes 00's So far I have to give it to Marquee Perry Regarding Harry, I know he ended up a guard by the end of his sophomore year (freshmen didn't play back then) but it was with a 3 guard line-up. His sophomore year we had both Irving and Martinez in the guard spots also starting. Not sure of your rules for "player of the decade" but I have to question your selection of Larry Hughes. Amazing player - but he played only 1 season. I'd argue that Claggett & Highmark (4 years) equalled or exceeded Larry (1 year). I'd give it both (Claggs and Highmark) and make them co-players of the 90's. No argument as to Bonner and Perry from me. Harry Rogers was before my time so I defer as to him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MusicCityBilliken Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 Posted Today, 04:12 PM When talking about best Billikens never forget the ultimate one man team David Burns! No argument from me that David was a player. Probably the fastest Billiken ever to play. I still take Harry but David would be a close 2nd. Not sure of your rules for "player of the decade" but I have to question your selection of Larry Hughes. Amazing player - but he played only 1 season. I'd argue that Claggett & Highmark (4 years) equalled or exceeded Larry (1 year). I'd give it both (Claggs and Highmark) and make them co-players of the 90's. No argument as to Bonner and Perry from me. Harry Rogers was before my time so I defer as to him. Clock, if we do it for one year I give it to Larry but overall I agree with you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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