2022-2023 Season

[Aquinas]

We are in a good position with a very good group of returning players and the opportunity to address our weaknesses in the transfer market and we may not have a full roster until the end of the summer. I think this is be best Billiken team that we have had in a long time.

Hopefully the new additions get on campus soon.  The departure of our bench means the incoming freshman will have more opportunities to play. .

Yuri Collins, Yr. 3, 6’ 185#,  Pos 1, Grade A+,  -34 mpg, 11.1 pts/game, 45/36/81, Reb 4.1
Francis Okoro, Yr. 4, 6’9” 235, Pos 5, Grade B,   24 mpg, 10.8 pts/game, 59/0/77, Reb 8
Gibson Jimerson, Yr. 2, 6’5” 200, Pos 2-3, Grade B+, 34 mpg, 16.2 pts/game, 45/41/82, Reb 2.2
Terrence Hargrove Jr. 6’4” 215, Pos 3,4 Grade C, 21 mpg, 6.7 pts/game, 45/36/63, Reb 4.2
Javonte Perkins, Yr. 4, 6’6” 215, Pos 3,4 Grade A, 30.6 mpg, 17.1 pts/game, 47,38,87, Reb 3.9
Fred Thatch Jr., Yr 3, 6’3” 215, Pos 3,4, Grade C+, 21 mpg, 6.3 pts/game, 42/29/71, Reb 3.9

New Additions:
Sincere Parker Juco, Yr. 2, 6’3” 180, Pos 2-3, 15.6 pts/game, 44/40/82 Reb 4.9 – 27 TO, 16 Asst
Nick Kramer, Yr. 1, 6’4” 200, Pos 2-3, 16 pts/game, Reb 6.7
Kellen Thames, Yr.1, 6’6” 185, Pos 1-2-3, 19.2 pts/game,  Reb 7.5     5.6 asst

Departures:
Jordan Nesbitt, Yr.1 6’6” 200,  Pos 1,2,3,4, 26 mpg, 8 pts/game, 39/34,69
Martin Linssen, 6’8” 240, Pos 5, Grade C+, 14 mpg, 7 pts/game, 53/0/77, Reb 3.7
Deandre Jones, 5’11” 160, Pos 1-2 Grade C+,15 mpg, 4 pts/game 40/37/83 Reb 3.2
Markhi Strickland, Yr. 2, 6.5” 210, Pos 3-4 Grade Inc
Lassina Traore, Yr. 2, 6’9” 215, Pos 5,4. Grade Inc, GP 13, 8 mpg, 2.4 pts/game, 61/0/75, Reb 2.9
Rashad Williams, Yr 4, 6’2” 185, Pos 2,1. Grade Inc GP 19, 8 mpg, 2.2 pts/game, 23/26/100 Reb .5
Andre Lorentsson, Yr. 2, 6’8” 215, Pos 4, Grade Inc GP 7,  7 mpg, 1.5 pts/game, 83/67/0, Reb .6
 

[Taj79]

In actuality, this is a five-man roster.  Perkins recovery is unknown.  The three newcomers are just that, newcomers.  We don't know how they will adapt to Ford's demand to play defense.  If Ford insists on a seven or eight man rotation, these three will have to get defensive religion soon enough.  Or someone else still in the portal.  There are too many roster holes here as well --- no back up point guard, no front line depth, no proven shooters outside Jimerson.  It's a long leap of faith to take this roster and call it the best Billiken team in a long time.  Only time will tell.  

[HoosierPal]

 

[slufanskip]

1 hour ago, Taj79 said:

In actuality, this is a five-man roster.  Perkins recovery is unknown.  The three newcomers are just that, newcomers.  We don't know how they will adapt to Ford's demand to play defense.  If Ford insists on a seven or eight man rotation, these three will have to get defensive religion soon enough.  Or someone else still in the portal.  There are too many roster holes here as well --- no back up point guard, no front line depth, no proven shooters outside Jimerson.  It's a long leap of faith to take this roster and call it the best Billiken team in a long time.  Only time will tell.  

Isn’t this true of every team? Players leave and you have to fill the hole. It isn’t always a glass half full scenario 
 

is Perkins a sure thing? Nope but I’ll wager right now he averages 15+ ppg. 
 

Wasn’t Parker a 1st team Juco all American? How many of those have we had. 
 

Fred!s season averages don’t reflect the player he was at the end of the year.

We need a quality back up big and to a lesser extent a combo guard to help out though I’m less concerned with this than with the big

[Aquinas]

7 hours ago, Taj79 said:

In actuality, this is a five-man roster.  Perkins recovery is unknown.  The three newcomers are just that, newcomers.  We don't know how they will adapt to Ford's demand to play defense.  If Ford insists on a seven or eight man rotation, these three will have to get defensive religion soon enough.  Or someone else still in the portal.  There are too many roster holes here as well --- no back up point guard, no front line depth, no proven shooters outside Jimerson.  It's a long leap of faith to take this roster and call it the best Billiken team in a long time.  Only time will tell.  

In this new transfer era every teams are going to have more holes this time of year than they have historically. Of the returning players only Thatch shot below the NCAA 3 point percent average, and he hit well above it down the stretch. Okro is really the only returning player who shouldn't take an open 3. I count Perkins as a shooter. I think its reasonable to expect this returning group to shoot well above average.

The faith I have us in Fords ability to fill the holes. My optimism for the coming season is based on the quality of the returning players.

 

 

[A10Ref]

Once we snag any combo of Turnbull, Pickett, Bradford, Williams, (insert PG name here), (inset 4-5 name here), we’ll be looking pretty. Praying I get to see a few pitbull posts soon. 

[Taj79]

I like what A10Ref says ..... "once we snag any combo of ...."  That to me says tons in direct contrast to Aquinas that this "is the best Billiken team we've had in  long time."  I go back 48 years so his "long" may not be as "long" as my "long."  To me, the days of Mitchell, McCall. Loe, Evans, Ellis and Jett are just a heartbeat away.  Not really arguing with Aquinas, just pointing out that we have five known guys.   

And yes skip, Parker was a JUCO All-American.  So was Linton Brown coming in last year at Bonaventure.  So too I believe was Tony Manuel many moons ago in the Grawer era.  And Everne Carr a year or too before that.  David Burns was no such All-American but turned out pretty well.  So did Kelvin Henderson.   Was Perk an All-American?  I think he was just a regional award winning guy.  The point, my point, is you just don't know.,  

Hope always springs eternal.  And I don't care what anyone says ... without some help at the five and additional help at the 1, this team will fall short of lofty expectations.  

Here's a real scary thought to me ...... Yuri leaves.  Portal.  Pro.  Whatever.  I don't think it will happen however if it did, who plays point then?  UNI proved without a doubt we don't have one on the current roster and no one seems to want to tell me that Thames is the point future.  So yes, all future rosters are up in the air.  

[cgeldmacher]

16 hours ago, Taj79 said:

I like what A10Ref says ..... "once we snag any combo of ...."  That to me says tons in direct contrast to Aquinas that this "is the best Billiken team we've had in  long time."  I go back 48 years so his "long" may not be as "long" as my "long."  To me, the days of Mitchell, McCall. Loe, Evans, Ellis and Jett are just a heartbeat away.  Not really arguing with Aquinas, just pointing out that we have five known guys.   

And yes skip, Parker was a JUCO All-American.  So was Linton Brown coming in last year at Bonaventure.  So too I believe was Tony Manuel many moons ago in the Grawer era.  And Everne Carr a year or too before that.  David Burns was no such All-American but turned out pretty well.  So did Kelvin Henderson.   Was Perk an All-American?  I think he was just a regional award winning guy.  The point, my point, is you just don't know.,  

Hope always springs eternal.  And I don't care what anyone says ... without some help at the five and additional help at the 1, this team will fall short of lofty expectations.  

Here's a real scary thought to me ...... Yuri leaves.  Portal.  Pro.  Whatever.  I don't think it will happen however if it did, who plays point then?  UNI proved without a doubt we don't have one on the current roster and no one seems to want to tell me that Thames is the point future.  So yes, all future rosters are up in the air.  

How many teams have we had in "a long time" that were pre-season top 30 teams?  Not many.  So, if the prognosticators are correct, and there have been many of them putting us in the top 30 next year, then YES, we will have one of our best teams in a long time.  I don't know if I would say THE best, but ONE OF THE BEST.

[zman]

https://www.facebook.com/CBSSportsCBB/photos/4357369541032451

[A10Ref]

19 hours ago, A10Ref said:

Once we snag any combo of Turnbull, Pickett, Bradford, Williams, (insert PG name here), (inset 4-5 name here), we’ll be looking pretty. Praying I get to see a few pitbull posts soon. 

Bump… 1/4 of the way there

[Aquinas]

3 hours ago, zman said:

https://www.facebook.com/CBSSportsCBB/photos/4357369541032451

Top 25 talk has to help Ford's recruiting efforts. Also see Dayton on the list. 2 A10 teams in top 25 is a very good thing.

[Aquinas]

Updating the addition of Javon Picket to the 22/23 team with his stats:

Javon Pickett, Yr. 4, 6’5” 215, Pos 3, Grade B, 32 MPG, 11.1. Pts/game, 43/25/74 3.1 Reb/Game
The previous year, when he played 18 mpg for a better Missouri team, he shot much better 50/36/88.
In the couple of games I watched Mizzou play last season, he was the best player on their team.
He is described as a tough defender and by some as a bigger version of Thatch.
If that is true, he should be able to help us with our 3-point defense and with defending 4s, especially if we don’t land a plug and play big.  It would be nice if he helped us match up better with teams like Davidson and St. B. 
I think he is a solid addition to the team and could get significant minutes if he returns to the better shooting numbers of his previous year. He won’t have to carry the team and won’t draw the opponents best guard defender.

[AnkielBreakers]

Ok, so, the entire team is built around Yuri. The coaching staff as well. I wonder how this will play out.

[wgstl]

2 minutes ago, AnkielBreakers said:

Ok, so, the entire team is built around Yuri. The coaching staff as well. I wonder how this will play out.

Good news is it should be able to sell an above average PG this role

[Slu let the dogs out?]

17 minutes ago, wgstl said:

Good news is it should be able to sell an above average PG this role

Any names that stand out to you?

[NH]

I'm excited to root for Javonte Perkins, a great Billiken and SLU representative, to have an amazing senior season.

[stmdragons]

https://fredthatchmerch.com/

 

[RiseOfTheBillikens]

1 minute ago, stmdragons said:

https://fredthatchmerch.com/

 

Yepppppp. Thought about this earlier. That'll be my next clothing purchase 

[laker119]

58 minutes ago, NH said:

I'm excited to root for Javonte Perkins, a great Billiken and SLU representative, to have an amazing senior season.

Out of reactions.  But amen to this.  If he needed any additional fire to burn inside (he probably has all the motivation he needs coming off injury), Yuri basically leaving him at the alter should definitely do the trick

[RiseOfTheBillikens]

 

Think there's some unfollowing of Yuri going on. Nobody from the team liked his Instagram about transferring from what I saw.

[NoCoBillsFan]

https://t.co/UWTPeAtqWK still #34 in Rothstein’s rankings after losing Yuri. That’s about where we were prior to 2020-21. That’s encouraging

[NH]

2 hours ago, NoCoBillsFan said:

https://t.co/UWTPeAtqWK still #34 in Rothstein’s rankings after losing Yuri. That’s about where we were prior to 2020-21. That’s encouraging

If the season started today I can't imagine we'd finish top 100. We have 0 ballhandlers and 1 big man. The roster makes zero sense right now. There is still time to fix it but anyone who thinks we'd finish 34th is taking crazy pills. 

[BilliesBy40]

6 minutes ago, NH said:

If the season started today I can't imagine we'd finish top 100. We have 0 ballhandlers and 1 big man. The roster makes zero sense right now. There is still time to fix it but anyone who thinks we'd finish 34th is taking crazy pills. 

The season doesn’t start today and people like Rothstein aren’t forecasting as though it does. 

[Bishop]

So who do we have on our non-con schedule next year?  I think the following were home-home but not 100% positive?

Memphis - home
Boise - home
Iona - away
Maryland/Miami/providence tourney - neutral 

Belmont???
Drake???
Auburn???

Also adding Loyola to the conference schedule - potentially twice - is huge.

[HoosierPal]

17 minutes ago, Bishop said:

So who do we have on our non-con schedule next year?  I think the following were home-home but not 100% positive?

Memphis - home
Boise - home
Iona - away
Maryland/Miami/providence tourney - neutral 

Belmont???
Drake???
Auburn???

Also adding Loyola to the conference schedule - potentially twice - is huge.

My notes, which have been wrong before:  Yes, Auburn away.  Add NC State away.  Add SIUC away.

We may get to see Miami's $.8 Million Dollar man.

There has been no word of the A10 expanding the league schedule beyond 18 games.  We HAVE to have Loyola and Dayton on our H/A list.  After that the usual top tier teams would be great.  With 15 teams, there would be 14 single games and then 4 doubles to keep it at 18.  Until rosters are settled, it is just a guess as to which teams will be 'pretty good'.