Taj79 Posted February 8, 2019 Author Share Posted February 8, 2019 I guess $77k is a step up from $0. I'd like to point out that Toppin had a rather difficult time against a front line of Foreman and French -- not exactly NBA stalwarts. But hey, I don't do the drafting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted February 8, 2019 Share Posted February 8, 2019 1 hour ago, Taj79 said: I guess $77k is a step up from $0. I'd like to point out that Toppin had a rather difficult time against a front line of Foreman and French -- not exactly NBA stalwarts. But hey, I don't do the drafting. i definitely dont disagree with you. but we have seen the nba make draft choices that make no sense many times that are based on nothing more than the dimensions and athleticism of a player. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheeseman Posted February 8, 2019 Share Posted February 8, 2019 4 minutes ago, billiken_roy said: i definitely dont disagree with you. but we have seen the nba make draft choices that make no sense many times that are based on nothing more than the dimensions and athleticism of a player. The NFL has done the same thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slu72 Posted February 8, 2019 Share Posted February 8, 2019 Thanks, Taj Mahal 79, for the preview on the 19-20 A10 season. Since, a lot of teams will be returning with their rosters basically intact and adding talent from their new recruits, I think we can expect the return of the A10 to being a top 7 or 8 conference by racking up some big wins in the OOC season. While we shouldn't lose sight of this season, which still has 8 games to go, the Bills will definitely have their work cut out for them next year in the A10. We'll return two potential all A10 players in Goodwin and French, a solid defensive player in SO Fred, and really not much else. Hankton and Jacobs still have to prove they can play at this level, so you have to put them into the questionable category along with all the incoming FR. As for Perkins, he definitely looks good on paper and videos but it's still a leap from JUCO ball to D1. Put him in the promising column. My question is how does Ford look at next year given what appears to be a much tougher A10 gauntlet. Does he go shopping again in the GT market for talented mercenaries? That didn't work all that well for us this year, but there are still those upcoming 8 games and Brooklyn to change our minds about GT's. I do think, however, he has to scrounge around for a serviceable GT big, hopefully something more substantial than Anthony, to provide depth on the inside. Maybe a JUCO big too, but we all know the JUCO market for SLU has never produced much value when it comes to bigs. That leaves finding a FR big or two, and we all know bigs take time to develop. A couple of big FR names tossed around on here are Jitboh (?) and Janovic (?). Pistol will have to give us his best assessment of whether these guys could help us next year or are they longer term projects. My dream addition would be a SO transfer who we could make eligible thru the waiver route. Maybe even go overseas to find a Euro or Pac Rim big. So, if he adds a big or two, how does he go about filling the other two scholies? I'm sure he's got some plan and is targeting certain players that none of us know about. So, why speculate at this point? Bottom line here is at next year's A10 media day, I'd see us being picked to finish somewhere between 8-10th place given what we know today. All subject to change of course based on moves made this spring and summer. The good news; the A10 should return to it's rightful place as a D1 top conferences. The bad news; we just maybe too young to compete for a top spot in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierPal Posted February 8, 2019 Share Posted February 8, 2019 1 hour ago, Taj79 said: I guess $77k is a step up from $0. I'd like to point out that Toppin had a rather difficult time against a front line of Foreman and French -- not exactly NBA stalwarts. But hey, I don't do the drafting. OK, I get it. You're not high on Toppin. I guess it is lucky for him that NBA scouts have a higher opinion of him than you do. If I recall you couldn't understand "where Davidson got all the pre-season love" also. Evaluating Toppin on the one SLU game would be the same as evaluating Bess on his 2 point game against Rhode Island. It wouldn't give you a very accurate picture. I trust you have seen Toppin more than once. I have also. I'm not saying he is the next NBA all star, I just don't agree with your low opinion of him. I'd take him on the Billiken team in a heartbeat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billikenfan05 Posted February 8, 2019 Share Posted February 8, 2019 23 minutes ago, slu72 said: Thanks, Taj Mahal 79, for the preview on the 19-20 A10 season. Since, a lot of teams will be returning with their rosters basically intact and adding talent from their new recruits, I think we can expect the return of the A10 to being a top 7 or 8 conference by racking up some big wins in the OOC season. While we shouldn't lose sight of this season, which still has 8 games to go, the Bills will definitely have their work cut out for them next year in the A10. We'll return two potential all A10 players in Goodwin and French, a solid defensive player in SO Fred, and really not much else. Hankton and Jacobs still have to prove they can play at this level, so you have to put them into the questionable category along with all the incoming FR. As for Perkins, he definitely looks good on paper and videos but it's still a leap from JUCO ball to D1. Put him in the promising column. My question is how does Ford look at next year given what appears to be a much tougher A10 gauntlet. Does he go shopping again in the GT market for talented mercenaries? That didn't work all that well for us this year, but there are still those upcoming 8 games and Brooklyn to change our minds about GT's. I do think, however, he has to scrounge around for a serviceable GT big, hopefully something more substantial than Anthony, to provide depth on the inside. Maybe a JUCO big too, but we all know the JUCO market for SLU has never produced much value when it comes to bigs. That leaves finding a FR big or two, and we all know bigs take time to develop. A couple of big FR names tossed around on here are Jitboh (?) and Janovic (?). Pistol will have to give us his best assessment of whether these guys could help us next year or are they longer term projects. My dream addition would be a SO transfer who we could make eligible thru the waiver route. Maybe even go overseas to find a Euro or Pac Rim big. So, if he adds a big or two, how does he go about filling the other two scholies? I'm sure he's got some plan and is targeting certain players that none of us know about. So, why speculate at this point? Bottom line here is at next year's A10 media day, I'd see us being picked to finish somewhere between 8-10th place given what we know today. All subject to change of course based on moves made this spring and summer. The good news; the A10 should return to it's rightful place as a D1 top conferences. The bad news; we just maybe too young to compete for a top spot in it. Hankton has impressed this season for an spring signed, undersized SF/PF. He's dealt with some injuries and that's okay. It is okay to bring in depth/speculative players that aren't expected to make a serious impact. Well I think it's a little more nuanced than you're making it seem. Our grad transfers at the guard position have both led the team in scoring in games this season. Has Isabell looked bad on defense, yeah. Has he been rough turning the ball over, yeah. But 90% of of the time he's a very good player, just makes poor decisions. Wiley was a gamble, low risk, high upside. When you're talking grad transfers I think there is something to be said with looking for guards vs forwards/centers. I believe bringing in a GT big will be much more seamless than bringing in someone expected to help run our offense. ACE likes this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clocktoweraccords2004 Posted February 8, 2019 Share Posted February 8, 2019 1 hour ago, Taj79 said: I guess $77k is a step up from $0. I'd like to point out that Toppin had a rather difficult time against a front line of Foreman and French -- not exactly NBA stalwarts. But hey, I don't do the drafting. 77$ is not a lot to some people who wanna live like the other millionaires in their business Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianstl Posted February 8, 2019 Share Posted February 8, 2019 14 minutes ago, billikenfan05 said: Hankton has impressed this season for an spring signed, undersized SF/PF. He's dealt with some injuries and that's okay. It is okay to bring in depth/speculative players that aren't expected to make a serious impact. Well I think it's a little more nuanced than you're making it seem. Our grad transfers at the guard position have both led the team in scoring in games this season. Has Isabell looked bad on defense, yeah. Has he been rough turning the ball over, yeah. But 90% of of the time he's a very good player, just makes poor decisions. Wiley was a gamble, low risk, high upside. When you're talking grad transfers I think there is something to be said with looking for guards vs forwards/centers. I believe bringing in a GT big will be much more seamless than bringing in someone expected to help run our offense. Bringing a good grad transfer big in is almost as hard as landing a 5 star recruit. They are the highest in demand players. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billikenfan05 Posted February 8, 2019 Share Posted February 8, 2019 3 minutes ago, brianstl said: Bringing a good grad transfer big in is almost as hard as landing a 5 star recruit. They are the highest in demand players. Completely understand. I was more commenting on the idea of bringing one in than putting the idea into practice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3star_recruit Posted February 8, 2019 Share Posted February 8, 2019 35 minutes ago, billikenfan05 said: Hankton has impressed this season for an spring signed, undersized SF/PF. He's dealt with some injuries and that's okay. It is okay to bring in depth/speculative players that aren't expected to make a serious impact. Well I think it's a little more nuanced than you're making it seem. Our grad transfers at the guard position have both led the team in scoring in games this season. Has Isabell looked bad on defense, yeah. Has he been rough turning the ball over, yeah. But 90% of of the time he's a very good player, just makes poor decisions. Wiley was a gamble, low risk, high upside. When you're talking grad transfers I think there is something to be said with looking for guards vs forwards/centers. I believe bringing in a GT big will be much more seamless than bringing in someone expected to help run our offense. If a player makes very bad decisions, by definition he isn't a very good player. Couple that with the fact he's a 6'1 shooting guard that struggles from the perimeter and I'm perplexed by your assessment. He's creative with the ball and he can shoot free throws. That's an above average guard to me and qualities any team can use. But a very good guard does more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billikenfan05 Posted February 8, 2019 Share Posted February 8, 2019 1 minute ago, 3star_recruit said: If a player makes very bad decisions, by definition he isn't a very good player. Couple that with the fact he's a 6'1 shooting guard that struggles from the perimeter and I'm perplexed by your assessment. He's creative with the ball and he can shoot free throws. That's an above average guard to me and qualities any team can use. But a very good guard does more. Fair points. Let me rephrase, he's a very skilled player who lacks good decision making. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willie Posted February 8, 2019 Share Posted February 8, 2019 38 minutes ago, billikenfan05 said: Fair points. Let me rephrase, he's a very skilled player who lacks good decision making. I'm a broken record on this but I'm fine with him if he stops shooting the 3. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billikenfan05 Posted February 8, 2019 Share Posted February 8, 2019 3 minutes ago, willie said: I'm a broken record on this but I'm fine with him if he stops shooting the 3. I don’t like when he goes iso and does it but if he gets an open shot off ball movement I’m good with that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wgstl Posted February 8, 2019 Share Posted February 8, 2019 3 minutes ago, billikenfan05 said: I don’t like when he goes iso and does it but if he gets an open shot off ball movement I’m good with that Im fine with 1 or 2, but if their not falling, he needs to stop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taj79 Posted February 8, 2019 Author Share Posted February 8, 2019 I recognize everyone's points and opinions, I'll just beg to disagree or differ. As to my opinion of Obi Toppin, let me just say the pundits are even questioning now if Zion Williamson can play in the NBA. Does he have a game for it? All Toppin does is dunk. I don't see that transcending to the next level. He needs more is all I'm saying and unfortunately, as he develops it, we at SLU will feel its pain. And NBA scouts have been wrong ----- Chris Washburn, Michael Beasley, Anthony Bennett, Markelle Fultz, Darko Millic, Greg Oden, Jay Williams, Kwame Brown, Adam Morrison, Dejuan Wagner .... the list is endless. I now where Davidson got all the love --- it existed with Grady. I acknowledged that. But the supporting cast is weak. And I said a Grady injury, as it showed, makes them extremely weak. They are one twisted/broken ankle away from mediocrity. Now, I will say that JonAxel Icelander has impressed me more than Grady this year. Grady I expected; Thor Senior has had some incredible games, including the one against us. I never saw that with any consistency. Count me on the side that says Hankton hasn't impressed at all. He might. Some day. He has showed some promise. He's also showed a propensity for being the next Elliott Welmer. Many have said he's been pushed around too easily on defense. But he has done some good things. He comes back in the same physical shape next year, and his ship will have sailed. he needs bulk and strength and a Conklin summer. I'm with Brian on a bad player being one who makes bad decisions. What is more frustrating in that area is that he's a fifth-year senior. Guys are supposed to be smarter and better with just age alone someone on this board once told me. I can cut a break easier on Goodwin's errors in judgment than I can Isabell's. Isabell I snot the high-volume scorer we were promised. He's not a point guard. he's not a good shooter. He's not a good ballhandler. He had a great game against Dayton. So it goes. I think the root of my problems this year is this is year two of big promises. I only rooted for survial in Ford's first year; then again th second when it became apparent our Tiitle IXers were hell bent on misplaced justice. Then this year it was really ampe dup --- viable GTs, Santos, maybe Welmer, Gordon and a big recruiting class. Just makes the crash even more harder to accept. But that's me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheltiedave Posted February 8, 2019 Share Posted February 8, 2019 I hate to go here, but show me a team, over a two year period, that loses their starting center starting and backup point guard starting and backup 3 pt shooters In season, and i will show you a team that will struggle mightily. Ford lost Santos without any time whatsoever to replace him. He lost the Sit2 players with no replacement time, and to make it worse, they also were bridge players taken to cover for lack of Crewgags recruiting. He lost Johnson over Gordon, and then Gordon, and all this made it critical that Wiley and isabell both come up spades, which they haven’t. Ford has to get one or two GT seniors for next year, just for leadership and practice if nothing else. If you don’t believe me, look back at our most heralded class ever, with Highmark, Claggett, Winfield, Grant, and Bickel? We had games where the definition of a successful possession devolved to managing to get the ball over halfcourt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billikenfan05 Posted February 8, 2019 Share Posted February 8, 2019 How can anyone be disappointed with KC Hankton? He's a wonderful surprise that I don't think anybody saw coming. Bizziken likes this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted February 8, 2019 Share Posted February 8, 2019 4 minutes ago, billikenfan05 said: How can anyone be disappointed with KC Hankton? He's a wonderful surprise that I don't think anybody saw coming. disappointed? absolutely not. he has exceeded my expectations. over the top enthused? not even close. lets just say i am not counting on his emergence for future success. anything he does accomplish is a plus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cincybill Posted February 8, 2019 Share Posted February 8, 2019 14 minutes ago, billikenfan05 said: How can anyone be disappointed with KC Hankton? He's a wonderful surprise that I don't think anybody saw coming. Nobody is or can be disappointed in him outside of his ability to stay healthy. Hope it's tough luck but it's definitely a concern. Nobody has seen enough of healthy Hankton to make a logical opinion of what he is or can be. I hope he gets healthy soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billikenfan05 Posted February 8, 2019 Share Posted February 8, 2019 13 minutes ago, Cincybill said: Nobody is or can be disappointed in him outside of his ability to stay healthy. Hope it's tough luck but it's definitely a concern. Nobody has seen enough of healthy Hankton to make a logical opinion of what he is or can be. I hope he gets healthy soon. 57 minutes ago, Taj79 said: Count me on the side that says Hankton hasn't impressed at all. 3 hours ago, slu72 said: Hankton and Jacobs still have to prove they can play at this level, These statements indicate disappointment with Hankton, even though he's put up decent numbers for a freshman when playing 10 or more minutes. Cincybill likes this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cowboy Posted February 8, 2019 Share Posted February 8, 2019 36 minutes ago, Sheltiedave said: I hate to go here, but show me a team, over a two year period, that loses their starting center starting and backup point guard starting and backup 3 pt shooters In season, and i will show you a team that will struggle mightily. Ford lost Santos without any time whatsoever to replace him. He lost the Sit2 players with no replacement time, and to make it worse, they also were bridge players taken to cover for lack of Crewgags recruiting. He lost Johnson over Gordon, and then Gordon, and all this made it critical that Wiley and isabell both come up spades, which they haven’t. Ford has to get one or two GT seniors for next year, just for leadership and practice if nothing else. If you don’t believe me, look back at our most heralded class ever, with Highmark, Claggett, Winfield, Grant, and Bickel? We had games where the definition of a successful possession devolved to managing to get the ball over halfcourt. -not sure I agree, I think the leaders on the team now are JB, JGood and HF and I am fine with next year being JGood, HF and perhaps FTJr, as for practice, I hope any players we bring are healthy and can play so practice is competitive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billikenfan05 Posted February 8, 2019 Share Posted February 8, 2019 2 minutes ago, Cowboy said: -not sure I agree, I think the leaders on the team now are JB, JGood and HF and I am fine with next year being JGood, HF and perhaps FTJr, as for practice, I hope any players we bring are healthy and can play so practice is competitive Maybe not leadership, but having experienced players on the team is rarely a bad thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheltiedave Posted February 8, 2019 Share Posted February 8, 2019 HF and JG need to practice against men, not boys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted February 8, 2019 Share Posted February 8, 2019 hes pretty much a one trick pony viewed as a sniper by many on this board, even though he is shooting only 28% from the 3 point line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cincybill Posted February 8, 2019 Share Posted February 8, 2019 9 minutes ago, billikenfan05 said: These statements indicate disappointment with Hankton, even though he's put up decent numbers for a freshman when playing 10 or more minutes. Haha touche ... #hottakes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.