Defense

[Quality Is Job 1]

I guess you missed Porter's comments on how terrible RL's defense is. Laimbeer was was tough as nails, a very good defensive player, and a flat out monster on the defensive boards. Those are qualities RL lacks right now.

Rickma is not going to put his most highly touted recruit so far in a position to fail or force him to play a position he told him he wouldn't.

You're correct, I didn't get to hear those comments. If Loe's defense is weak, he won't play much at 4 or 5. I wasn't comparing Loe to Laimbeer; I was just trying to stipulate the concept of a perimeter-shooting center.

I don't know if Loe is really Majerus's most highly-touted recruit. Has he ranked them? Just because Loe was near the top of New Zealand's list doesn't mean that he would be on the level of a top 100 or 150 list in the U.S. I also doubt he would promise any player anything with regard to where he would play on the floor. If he needed him to guard a certain player and he could do it, that's what he would assign him. If the player weren't willing to do that for the team's success, he wouldn't really fit. If the Bills go up against a mobile 7-foot center and Loe is the best guy to stick him, is it in the team's best interest to stick Conklin on him (say Remekun is in foul trouble or needs a blow) just because Loe "isn't a center"?

[b.hayes]

I would be shocked if RL logged much time at the 5.

So then what? Cody Rob and Conklin are going to split time at the 4 and Cory is going to play the 5 40 minutes a game? Doesn't seem likely. He's going to have to or he's not going to see the court and we're going to be looking at a 6'6" backup center who hasn't show the ability to jump over a credit card.

[Clock_Tower]

So then what? Cody Rob and Conklin are going to split time at the 4 and Cory is going to play the 5 40 minutes a game? Doesn't seem likely. He's going to have to or he's not going to see the court and we're going to be looking at a 6'6" backup center who hasn't show the ability to jump over a credit card.

No, CE and RL split time at the 4 while CR plays 40 minutes at the 5 and slimmed down CE plays 40 minutes at the 3!!

[Clock_Tower]

I have been told repeatedly that Cody has really slimmed down. Curious to see how much so. Enough that he'll play himself out of a 4 role? I hope not.

In my head I imagine our frontcourt will see a breakdown something like CE: 18; BC: 15; CR: 7 at the 4 and a pretty even split of RL and CR at the 5, with Cody logging some additional minutes at the 3. Who knows, though. I'm getting excited for the season to start, all things considered.

We will see what the new CE looks like. Recall, though, that BC (before his injuries last year) came back for his Soph year after having lost alot of body fat/slimming down and adding muscle but no one ever thought he might play anything but the 4. Instead, I'd think that CE will just be a quicker player who will be in even better shape playing the 4.

[brianstl]

So then what? Cody Rob and Conklin are going to split time at the 4 and Cory is going to play the 5 40 minutes a game? Doesn't seem likely. He's going to have to or he's not going to see the court and we're going to be looking at a 6'6" backup center who hasn't show the ability to jump over a credit card.

I think BC and CR will get the minutes covering the other teams low post player. Rickma will hope that CR's athletism and BC's toughness along with help when needed will be enough.