Jump to content

Biggest Step Up in 21-22


cgeldmacher

Recommended Posts

This site has been dead lately, so I thought I'd start a new topic to get the discussion rolling.  Which player is going to going to make the biggest leap in performance this season?  I know that's somewhat vague.  Let me try to define it.  What player is going to have the biggest increase as far as what people expect of them and what they actually contribute to the team this year.  If player gives us exactly what everyone thinks they will, that's not a step up.  I want to know who is going to surprise us and exceed expectations.

My pick is Hargrove.  I think that he is going to average over 10 points a game this year.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 minutes ago, cgeldmacher said:

This site has been dead lately, so I thought I'd start a new topic to get the discussion rolling.  Which player is going to going to make the biggest leap in performance this season?  I know that's somewhat vague.  Let me try to define it.  What player is going to have the biggest increase as far as what people expect of them and what they actually contribute to the team this year.  If player gives us exactly what everyone thinks they will, that's not a step up.  I want to know who is going to surprise us and exceed expectations.

My pick is Hargrove.  I think that he is going to average over 10 points a game this year.

I agree that I think Hargrove will improve, but it seems like expectations are already decently high for Hargrove.

I'm going to cheat by throwing out 2:

  1. Markhi Strickland - Didn't see much PT at all last year, but showed flashes of potential & great athleticism.  I haven't seen a lot in terms of expectations for him which is kind of understandable given the amount of depth we have.  Not hard to exceed non-existent expectations.  I think he is a key role player off the bench.  I like his potential on defense.
  2. Gibson Jimerson - Shooting slump near the end of last season put a damper on expectations for him.  I think he avoids a prolonged shooting slump this season and improves his overall game.  He's my pick for 2nd leading scorer behind Perkins.
HenryB likes this
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nobody.  If Rashad Williams wasn't here, then I think it would have been Thatch.  But since Williams is here and I expect that he will average about 7 ppg, the other guards will only score a tad more than last year or even stay the same.  I think Nesbitt will be our other double digit scorer.  We've never had a top 100 player average less than 10 ppg at the guard spot and I don't expect it to start now.

bauman and Coach314 like this
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, cgeldmacher said:

Which player is going to going to make the biggest leap in performance this season?  I know that's somewhat vague.  Let me try to define it.  What player is going to have the biggest increase as far as what people expect of them and what they actually contribute to the team this year.  If player gives us exactly what everyone thinks they will, that's not a step up.  I want to know who is going to surprise us and exceed expectations.

My pick is Hargrove.  I think that he is going to average over 10 points a game this year.

Obviously, looking at the way you described "biggest leap in performance", the easiest way to name the winner is to choose someone that is not really expected to do much at all. This does not mean he is incapable to do so, it just means that he has been kind of out of everyone's thoughts. My choice is Andre Lorentsson. I hope he gets the opportunity to play and do something for the team this year. Given how little he has played so far, it would not take much to vastly improve his performance in the upcoming season.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My pick is TJ. He might not jump to averaging 12 points/game, but I think his minutes jump up significantly and he could end up being an X-Factor this season. We all know how much energy he brings on and off the court. He’s oozing talent. Once he puts it all together, he’s going to be a special player. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i want hargrove to get the jump award.   the kid has exhibited such a great attitude with what i believe has been a shortened opportunity for some unknown reason.   not that he was necessarily better than anyone, but man is he loaded with talent and athleticism.   we shall see if he gets the chance to be an improved player.  

i also would like to see fred get big minutes for an opportunity.   he is the team junkyard dog that works so so hard.   but cant deny he isnt the best scorer.   gotta convert when given the chance.   

but the player  expect will come in this year and make the city buzz is okoro.   he was too often hurt at oregon to ever play up to his potential and get anything going.   just hoping that year off gave him the chance to finally get fully healthy and well come out as a hasan upgrade.   french was a tremendous future billiken hof'r.   but i believe okoro is that good.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The really great part is that we have multiple candidates.  Okoro, Nesbitt, R Williams as transfers.  Gibson and Fred as bounceback candidates.  TJ and Yuri as young guys progressing. 

 

I think Rashad Williams is going to come in and be a difference maker.

 

The difficulty is getting all the "upside" to mesh into a cohesive unit with some chemistry. 

CBFan likes this
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The only expectation I have for this team is Perkins to be its leading scorer and Collins to be it's leading assist man.  The rest frankly are unknowns.  If only because last season was so disjointed given the COVID crisis.  I don't think anyone has anywhere to go but up.  Perkins can average a few more and pull down some rebounds.  Collins need to be more of a scoring option to keep his passing options open.  And I think he can improve his defense; he can't get toasted by the likes of Lofton, Gilyard, Shepherd,e tc.  He must do more than hold his own.  Okoro is an unknown.  Linssen should have a bigger role.  The shackles must come off Hargrove.  Jimerson can never see any more than a few minute slump.  Thatch must be an offensive option on a consistent basis.   Nesbitt is gravy.  I think this team will do well.  Time will only tell.

I was reading all the smack on the ESPN site about Memphis.  I just can't wait for that game.  The question remains can Penny bring all those forces together cohesively.  Before us, they play two exhibitions against LeMoyne-Owen and lane Colleges.  Then Tennessee Tech and North Carolina Central.  They will be just as developmental as we are when we get there.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Taj Mahal 79, getting Messphis in fighting shape is why Larry Brown was brought in. I think he makes them dangerous. 
As for us, I think Williams will be a big upgrade for us. Watch that MSU tape. They were all over him and he still scored 30. Anyone who puts up 30 against Izzo is a player. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, Slowry said:

If it’s not Yuri then I think this team will disappoint most of us.  Everything flows through him and he has to take that next step up.  His outside shot has to improve along with his willingness to take it.  He’s tough as nails and I think he can.  Im really hoping he does.

Or, if it’s not Yuri, we will see a lot of Rashad Williams / Deandre J. I think Yuri will improve, but I think his scoring will be 8 pts at best. Would love to be wrong.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 minutes ago, AnkielBreakers said:

Or, if it’s not Yuri, we will see a lot of Rashad Williams / Deandre J. I think Yuri will improve, but I think his scoring will be 8 pts at best. Would love to be wrong.

I would be very happy if we could get 8 points per game -PPG from Yuri to go along with his superior PG duties.

The following is just a early guestimate of POSSIBLE  PPG from the players.  Obviously it will not work out this way but I believe the individual numbers are possible averages for the players, acknowledging that it's not going to happen for each of the players.  I started out with the PPG mentioned above for Yuri.

YC       8;  JP    18;    GJ   10;   F Okoro   10;   J Nesbitt   12;  R Williams    10;   D Jones   6;   TJH   12;   FT   6;   ML    6;   Group of MS, AL and LT   5 total.  I think this comes to 103, so again this is not what I expect each and every player to average but rather what I see as possible for each individual.  I guess my point is that this team has the potential to score quite a few points per game, especially if TF uses the depth of this squad to up tempo the offense and apply more pressure on defense.

A side question for the Board, has RW been cleared by the NCAA to play this year?  I can't recall seeing anything on this.

We are just a little over a month away from the first game -Rockhurst - and I can't wait to see this new and improved version of the Billikens.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 9/16/2021 at 2:03 PM, cgeldmacher said:

This site has been dead lately, so I thought I'd start a new topic to get the discussion rolling.  Which player is going to going to make the biggest leap in performance this season?  I know that's somewhat vague.  Let me try to define it.  What player is going to have the biggest increase as far as what people expect of them and what they actually contribute to the team this year.  If player gives us exactly what everyone thinks they will, that's not a step up.  I want to know who is going to surprise us and exceed expectations.

My pick is Hargrove.  I think that he is going to average over 10 points a game this year.

Okoro.  Only averaged 3 pts/3 rebs per game during his injury prone stay with Oregon.  Think he goes about 10 pts/10 rebs for the Billikens.  Add a couple of blocks a game and he is a game changer for the team.

SLUMedBilliken15 likes this
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think the biggest jump will be the team as a whole. If this group can play as a team with different people stepping up as needed per game this eill be a very special season. With people keying even more than usual on Perkins he will need help from others to allow him to do his thing. This team has a very good roster that will require a team attitude to be really successful. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 9/16/2021 at 1:25 PM, AnkielBreakers said:

Hargrove would be my pick. Then Thatch, or Collins. I personally expect GJ to average over 10 points. I don’t really think of that as a big jump for him.

I am going to revise my statement. I think Thatch will make the biggest jump. His O-rebounding #’s were similar to Goodwin’s, but on a smaller level. I think he will get a lot of PT to make up for Goodwin’s absence. In those minutes, I think he will put up a substantial increase in points. Probably around 11 pts / game.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

those of you that have seen nesbitt a lot more than me in person, have me extremely intrigued/excited to watch his play making.   if he truly is a competent point guard option at 6'6" that is something!  his physical dimensions make me expect rebounding.   but that also dictates a wing or in billiken land an inside player as we havent landed bigs that big much in the past.  So no doubt, nesbitt can be a difference maker. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...