Dear Mr. 3-Star Recruit

[slufanskip]

No offense, but haven't we been down that road with minimal success?

Additionally, we have tried the KL-handles-the-ball-in-the-final-seconds strategy without much success.

I recall TL turning the ball over when he handles at the end and KL throwing up prayers when he handles it at the end. Of course, KM turned it over near the end against KSU (right?). But I'm sticking with KM, give it to your true pg and let him create. Neither KL or TL are true pgs.

I think we are talking about before RM when there didn't seem to be much of a plan. KM imo is still just 3 games into his career, a bit early for me. TL is our most dynamic player with the ball in his hands, we'd have a plan and I would depend on him to execute it. Of course we'd be looking to get KL free of a double screen and TL would know where he should be, should his penetration be stopped.

I don't really care to hear about him getting stripped or dribbling the ball off his foot 2 years ago when we seemed to go into that final play blind.

[Clock_Tower]

Agree with Billiken. It IS like which child do you like better. Without ducking the question, though, I agree with Roy and give the edge to KL but not by a whole lot. Did you all notice when TL left the game for a breather against BC, I believe the guy he had been guarding quickly posted up Cotto for an easy lay-up. KL is money down the stretch and at the line but TL does so many things well that we take for granted - defense, rebouding, etc. Guess we will just wait a year and then ***** about what big holes each have left. As good as our freshmen have been and will be at this time next year, KL and TL are really leading the team this year and I, for one, want to sit back and simply enjoy both.

I knew we'd be better this year as compared to last year. Not so sure about next year being better without them. I know that our frosh will be 1 year better and that we have some real talent coming in as well; but replacing these 2 seniors will be tough. Being young and contributing is one thing. Putting the team on your back in another. Experirence is the real key in college backetball.

[Cowboy]

so your answer to the hypothetical then is you want liddell to have the ball?

-isn't there more to the game than the last 12 seconds?

[Clock_Tower]

I think we are talking about before RM when there didn't seem to be much of a plan. KM imo is still just 3 games into his career, a bit early for me. TL is our most dynamic player with the ball in his hands, we'd have a plan and I would depend on him to execute it. Of course we'd be looking to get KL free of a double screen and TL would know where he should be, should his penetration be stopped.

I don't really care to hear about him getting stripped or dribbling the ball off his foot 2 years ago when we seemed to go into that final play blind.

Could one of the reasons why both KL and TL have not been all that successful is because the other teams quickly learned that they did not need to guard our point guard the 4 prior years and that aside from IV, we had little other offensive threats than KL and TL. Even I can game plan against our former teams - do what it takes - double team as needed - but don't let TL and KL beat you.

[billiken_roy]

-isn't there more to the game than the last 12 seconds?

just keep ducking.

[Archy McNally]

I like Tommy, but KL is the answer. He is the best shooter, passer, ballhandler, and defensive player on the team. He comes through in the clutch - made big shots in the final minutes against BC, Kent, and Xavier last year are examples. He playes the hardest (by far) and is the most physically fit. He leads by example.

In the last 12 seconds I want the ball to be swung around and kicked out to KL for 3, kind of like what happened against BC. I hate one-on-one plays b/c it rarely works. However, if we rely on that type of play, I would rather have KL do it, b/c he might get fouled and he is the best FT shooter.

[Cowboy]

just keep ducking.

-i will say it again, someone has a different opinion than you and you cannot handle that, the other person is wrong, or in my case, so wrong

[Quality Is Job 1]

I want the ball in Mitchell's hands. Even with his couple of TO's, I have a feeling he would be our best option to drive and dish. And i'd probably want him to dish it to KL if KL was open for a jump shot.

I agree. Kwamain Mitchell has a knack for getting to the basket and/or making a play with time winding down. At the end of regulation of the Kent State game, I was wanting the ball in Mitchell's hands. We'll never know, but I thought we might have won the game had we given the reins to Mitchell for that play. I understand that SLU has two very good -- possibly all-conference-caliber -- seniors, but there's nothing wrong with utilizing players' strengths, and, even though he's a freshman, there might not be any Billiken stronger at that last-second dash to the bucket than Mitchell.

Xavier wouldn't have beat Missouri, let alone won the Puerto Rico Tip-Off, if they hadn't trusted Holloway, a freshman.