Playing time

[GOSLU68]

I suggested awhile back that John would ride the pine so we're in agreement there. But RM has to get somebody groomed to play the 3 next year after Tommie leaves -- I think Cassity gets minutes by default.

Only time I saw KC was limited minutes in the Chaifetz all star game; he look tall and fast and moved well without the ball; I think PE always gave us

error free time but too short, not quite fast enough; if he can shoot I think KC may be coach's next pet ball player as he appears to have a nose for the ball and may play better than raw talent seems I recall coach said something regarding superior awareness, crisp passing, etc. sounds like someone who get some playing time and I think minutes are really going to be competitive. We should have lots more talent and ability to score on the floor this year

[Quality Is Job 1]

3 Star good point and interesting question. Isaac Ohanon and Drejaj, though, also come to mind.

But Ohanon and Drejaj got pretty regular time during their first seasons. Vouyoukas played sparingly as a freshman.

[thetorch]

But Ohanon and Drejaj got pretty regular time during their first seasons. Vouyoukas played sparingly as a freshman.

Vouyoukas was ineligible for the first dozen or so games. After that he was a backup but played regularly. Drejaj played tons his freshman year. Ohanon was also ineligible for a few games I believe.

[brianstl]

And we all know that it's common for bigs to develop slowly. Surely you're not equating the ability gap between Frericks as a junior and Ian as a freshman to Eckerle as a sophomore and Cassity as a freshman?

I think Cassity will get some minutes. I think he as a far higher upside than Eckerle. I am just not going to right him or John off if they don't get many minutes this year. Tommie and Kevin will eat up so many minutes. I also think Cotto will be the first option at the 2 after Kevin. I think Cassity will end up averaging close to or slightly more minutes than Eckerle, especially as the season wears on.

[Majerus Magic]

I think Cassity will get some minutes. I think he as a far higher upside than Eckerle. I am just not going to right him or John off if they don't get many minutes this year. Tommie and Kevin will eat up so many minutes. I also think Cotto will be the first option at the 2 after Kevin. I think Cassity will end up averaging close to or slightly more minutes than Eckerle, especially as the season wears on.

IMHO I don´t think Cassity or John are going to play more than Paul this year. I believe RC and KM will play the same if not more mins than Paul, but I dont see that with Cassity and John.

[3star_recruit]

My bad, I was counting gaurds as all the same. How do you see the minutes being divided?

Unless Cotto gets injured, I see Eckerle and Cassity as interchangeable as the 9th player in the rotation with Cassity eventually winning out. This is a guy that Beilein also wanted, that Majerus regards "among among the two or three best passers I have seen during the course of this past season", that Moser claims can play three positions and who is already lauded by both for his basketball IQ. That sounds like they expect Cassity to be a quick study.

[billiken_roy]

Unless Cotto gets injured, I see Eckerle and Cassity as interchangeable as the 9th player in the rotation with Cassity eventually winning out. This is a guy that Beilein also wanted, that Majerus regards "among among the two or three best passers I have seen during the course of this past season", that Moser claims can play three positions and who is already lauded by both for his basketball IQ. That sounds like they expect Cassity to be a quick study.

3 star, it has been 30+ years since i saw doug collins play for benton high school. but my memory says that cassity is his high school reincarnation. now of course collins became a man at illinois state and for the usa olympic team and then for the 76ers and i wont deny that possibly my memory is swayed by that collins, but i have all the confidence in the world that kyle cassity is going to eventually be a very very good billiken. in fact long term, he is the freshmen i feel the best about.

that doesnt mean that i am not excited about cotto, mitchell, thompson, john, conklin or reed. we have what appears to be an outstanding group of freshmen that are all lauded for different aspects of their games. so it will be very interesting to watch them all mature over the next four years. this truly might be the best recruiting class saint louis university has ever assembled.

[slufanskip]

Unless Cotto gets injured, I see Eckerle and Cassity as interchangeable as the 9th player in the rotation with Cassity eventually winning out. This is a guy that Beilein also wanted, that Majerus regards "among among the two or three best passers I have seen during the course of this past season", that Moser claims can play three positions and who is already lauded by both for his basketball IQ. That sounds like they expect Cassity to be a quick study.

Maybe so, but how many minutes will be left for him.

TL and KL are going to get at least 65 of 80 minutes at the 2/3. KM and RC are probably going to get most if not all of the minutes at the 1. There just isn't much left. Paul is going to get minutes, I'd bet on it. There just isn't much left. It's not a knock on Cassity's skill or his future, it's what we need, we'll be a better team when we are in that situation at all 5 positions. Maybe RM quickly decides KC gets PE's minutes, but I wouldn't bet on it. If KM and RC stay healthy ... Kyle will learn and wait his turn.

[Guest BillikenReport]

we have what appears to be an outstanding group of freshmen that are all lauded for different aspects of their games. so it will be very interesting to watch them all mature over the next four years.

That's what I like most about this recruiting class: they all bring different skills to the table.

It will be fun to see how these kids develop over the years. Everyone here has opinions about who will contribute the most early, who will step up to become go-to players as sophomores (in the post Lisch and Liddell era) and who has the best long-term potential. It will be interesting to see which of these guys develop into pro prospects. On the flip side, you'll also have kids who struggle and fall behind their classmates or new incoming recruits and end up leaving the program.

This team is going to be a lot of fun to watch. People are going to like watching Kwamain Mitchell push the ball, Ruben Cotto shoot it from anywhere in the building, Willie Reed and Femi John show off their athleticism, Brian Conklin and Brett Thompson put in work in the post and Kyle Cassity do a little bit of everything.

[willie]

Maybe so, but how many minutes will be left for him.

TL and KL are going to get at least 65 of 80 minutes at the 2/3. KM and RC are probably going to get most if not all of the minutes at the 1. There just isn't much left. Paul is going to get minutes, I'd bet on it. There just isn't much left. It's not a knock on Cassity's skill or his future, it's what we need, we'll be a better team when we are in that situation at all 5 positions. Maybe RM quickly decides KC gets PE's minutes, but I wouldn't bet on it. If KM and RC stay healthy ... Kyle will learn and wait his turn.

I think there may be some times when we will play a 4 guard offense, with Tommie playing the 4.

[Clock_Tower]

That's what I like most about this recruiting class: they all bring different skills to the table.

It will be fun to see how these kids develop over the years. Everyone here has opinions about who will contribute the most early, who will step up to become go-to players as sophomores (in the post Lisch and Liddell era) and who has the best long-term potential. It will be interesting to see which of these guys develop into pro prospects. On the flip side, you'll also have kids who struggle and fall behind their classmates or new incoming recruits and end up leaving the program.

This team is going to be a lot of fun to watch. People are going to like watching Kwamain Mitchell push the ball, Ruben Cotto shoot it from anywhere in the building, Willie Reed and Femi John show off their athleticism, Brian Conklin and Brett Thompson put in work in the post and Kyle Cassity do a little bit of everything.

BR. What's your take on Jonathan Smith. Will he make an impact in the post-Lisch and Liddell era? Presume he may try to fill TL's shoes as well. Possibly, 3 more guys in the mix as well in a few weeks. Plus, we should have an additional scholarship as well.

Without getting too far ahead of ourselves, the team has no Juniors. Do you think any remaining recruits this year will be JUCOs? If we have 7 sophomores next year and 4 freshmen. Even if someone redshirts this year, 6 sophomores and 5 freshmen?

[Guest BillikenReport]

BR. What's your take on Jonathan Smith. Will he make an impact in the post-Lisch and Liddell era? Presume he may try to fill TL's shoes as well. Possibly, 3 more guys in the mix as well in a few weeks. Plus, we should have an additional scholarship as well.

Without getting too far ahead of ourselves, the team has no Juniors. Do you think any remaining recruits this year will be JUCOs? If we have 7 sophomores next year and 4 freshmen. Even if someone redshirts this year, 6 sophomores and 5 freshmen?

On repeated viewings of several prospects, the SLU coaches backed off of some of the people they were previously recruiting. However, they did not do this with Smith, which is telling. The reports I've received on him are that he is a great athlete, which the program lacks, but he lacks the strength he needs to become a better player. SLU's new strength and conditioning facilities, along with the new coach, are going to do great things for the program. I expect Smith to get a lot of help in this area, so he'll be a player to watch down the line. As things stand now, when he arrives Smith will be the third or fourth tallest player on the team (depending on Conklin being 6-6 or 6-7). So I think he will help in that regard right away.

Losing Josh Harrellson and then Matt Read both hurt even more than losing out on most recruits because they were JUCOs who would have helped balance out the classes. Next year, the only upperclassman will be Paul Eckerle, who will be a junior and is essentially a walk-on. There won't be any seniors. They need to recruit some JUCOs for next year and I think they will.