International Trip Details?

[wgstl]

7 minutes ago, RUBillsFan said:

Some MBMs are acting like it would be a bad thing if SLU had a veteran backup PG because we already have Thames.  No one thinks we should grab a total scrub and automatically play him over Thames.  I'm also not ready to anoint Thames the 2nd coming of Penny Hardaway after a few games against sub-par competition in Europe.  Healthy competition for the backup PG spot would've been good for the team ditto more depth at PG. 

We had/have an extra scholarship & PG is the spot I see as having the least depth.  I hate "saving" scholarships.  Soderberg used to do it because he'd miss on all his primary recruiting targets and be left with no one to fill the spot.  I don't expect that from Ford.  However, it is understandable that Ford would have a tough time luring a good PG because there is so little playing time to offer behind Yuri.

Its absolutely mind blowing people think its a anti - Thames thing

[3star_recruit]

3 minutes ago, RUBillsFan said:

Some MBMs are acting like it would be a bad thing if SLU had a veteran backup PG because we already have Thames.  No one thinks we should grab a total scrub and automatically play him over Thames.  I'm also not ready to anoint Thames the 2nd coming of Penny Hardaway after a few games against sub-par competition in Europe.  Healthy competition for the backup PG spot would've been good for the team ditto more depth at PG. 

We had/have an extra scholarship & PG is the spot I see as having the least depth.  I hate "saving" scholarships.  Soderberg used to do it because he'd miss on all his primary recruiting targets and be left with no one to fill the spot.  I don't expect that from Ford.  However, it is understandable that Ford would have a tough time luring a good PG because there is so little playing time to offer behind Yuri.

I think it's obvious that Thames was given a lot of run on this trip to prepare him to be the backup point guard.  And I can say with a high degree of confidence that there are no backup point guards on the market with his defensive potential.  Join the Thames bandwagon and be merry.

[Fraz]

10 minutes ago, wgstl said:

Its absolutely mind blowing people think its a anti - Thames thing

It shouldn’t be.  That said, I think it will be abundantly clear he’ll be able to hold his own when Yuri sits 

[BIG BILL FAN]

7 minutes ago, wgstl said:

Its absolutely mind blowing people think its a anti - Thames thing

Unlike you, I deal in reality… First of all, Thames was an early priority recruit. Secondly, school is getting ready to start, and there aren’t any quality point guards sitting around waiting to be called by SLU, to play maybe 5 minutes per game. To suggest that a player of marginal ability is going to come here and play ahead of a potential superstar ( Ford’s words not mine) is absolutely insulting to Thames and frankly, ludicrous… Finally, with the ability to transfer after every season, a coach better make sure that he’s using common sense in how he treats and develops his young players.

[slu72]

He had 10 steals? Unless this team was St Vincent’s school for the blind that’s impressive. Especially from a FR. I think his dad has drilled in him that your minutes will come by playing good D. 

[slu72]

Plus a 6’6” PG in the A10 is a rarity. 

[wgstl]

14 minutes ago, Fraz said:

It shouldn’t be.  That said, I think it will be abundantly clear he’ll be able to hold his own when Yuri sits 

I hope so, and *super* early practices seem like that could be the case.  But we also know one cant put to much into how a player does this early.  There are several players we would be wrong about if we relied on how they did in summer practice. 

[wgstl]

18 minutes ago, 3star_recruit said:

I think it's obvious that Thames was given a lot of run on this trip to prepare him to be the backup point guard.  And I can say with a high degree of confidence that there are no backup point guards on the market with his defensive potential.  Join the Thames bandwagon and be merry.

Agreed, that wingspan from Thames has to cause headaches.  Hopefully this also helps with maybe Yuri's biggest issue.

[dennis_w]

The idea that a competent is going  to come and play five minutes is not going to happen, school starts soon and grad transfer and such dont come to sit on the bench. There are enough ball handlers on the roster to take care of backup minutes. This topic is a dead horse that continues to be beat. 

[NoCoBillsFan]

19 minutes ago, slu72 said:

Plus a 6’6” PG in the A10 is a rarity. 

Thames up against the 6’7 Mike Sharavjamts from Dayton will be fun to watch in a year or two

[RUBillsFan]

56 minutes ago, 3star_recruit said:

I think it's obvious that Thames was given a lot of run on this trip to prepare him to be the backup point guard.  And I can say with a high degree of confidence that there are no backup point guards on the market with his defensive potential.  Join the Thames bandwagon and be merry.

Oh yeah.  I'm a lot more comfortable with the backup PG situation than I was at the beginning of summer.  Always excited to see what young talent brings to the table & dream on what they can become.

I also realize that this point it is way too late to get a good backup PG as a transfer.  I'm just saying I'd have preferred to have backup PG transfer over an empty roster spot.

[slufanskip]

1 hour ago, RUBillsFan said:

However, it is understandable that Ford would have a tough time luring a good PG because there is so little playing time to offer behind Yuri.

This is the key sentence. Any pg that was going to be better than Thames or had the ability to play in front of Thames has better options or situations than playing a few minutes a game behind the best pg in the country. 

[RUBillsFan]

15 minutes ago, slufanskip said:

This is the key sentence. Any pg that was going to be better than Thames or had the ability to play in front of Thames has better options or situations than playing a few minutes a game behind the best pg in the country. 

This is kind of impossible to answer right now / has no "correct" answer and likely depends on matchups: would you play DeAndre Jones at PG ahead of Thames?  We were able to land Jones last season despite having Yuri on the roster and IMO that is the type of player I'd have loved to get again to provide PG depth.  That wouldn't preclude Thames from coming in, showing out in practice, and forcing minutes for himself, but it would give you a decent veteran backup to lean on.

[willie]

2 hours ago, RUBillsFan said:

Some MBMs are acting like it would be a bad thing if SLU had a veteran backup PG because we already have Thames.  No one thinks we should grab a total scrub and automatically play him over Thames.  I'm also not ready to anoint Thames the 2nd coming of Penny Hardaway after a few games against sub-par competition in Europe.  Healthy competition for the backup PG spot would've been good for the team ditto more depth at PG. 

We had/have an extra scholarship & PG is the spot I see as having the least depth.  I hate "saving" scholarships.  Soderberg used to do it because he'd miss on all his primary recruiting targets and be left with no one to fill the spot.  I don't expect that from Ford.  However, it is understandable that Ford would have a tough time luring a good PG because there is so little playing time to offer behind Yuri.

I like saving a scholarship for that possible mid term transfer. 

[willie]

2 hours ago, RUBillsFan said:

Some MBMs are acting like it would be a bad thing if SLU had a veteran backup PG because we already have Thames.  No one thinks we should grab a total scrub and automatically play him over Thames.  I'm also not ready to anoint Thames the 2nd coming of Penny Hardaway after a few games against sub-par competition in Europe.  Healthy competition for the backup PG spot would've been good for the team ditto more depth at PG. 

We had/have an extra scholarship & PG is the spot I see as having the least depth.  I hate "saving" scholarships.  Soderberg used to do it because he'd miss on all his primary recruiting targets and be left with no one to fill the spot.  I don't expect that from Ford.  However, it is understandable that Ford would have a tough time luring a good PG because there is so little playing time to offer behind Yuri.

I like saving a scholarship for that possible mid term transfer. 

[willie]

2 hours ago, RUBillsFan said:

Some MBMs are acting like it would be a bad thing if SLU had a veteran backup PG because we already have Thames.  No one thinks we should grab a total scrub and automatically play him over Thames.  I'm also not ready to anoint Thames the 2nd coming of Penny Hardaway after a few games against sub-par competition in Europe.  Healthy competition for the backup PG spot would've been good for the team ditto more depth at PG. 

We had/have an extra scholarship & PG is the spot I see as having the least depth.  I hate "saving" scholarships.  Soderberg used to do it because he'd miss on all his primary recruiting targets and be left with no one to fill the spot.  I don't expect that from Ford.  However, it is understandable that Ford would have a tough time luring a good PG because there is so little playing time to offer behind Yuri.

I like saving a scholarship for that possible mid term transfer. 

[willie]

Sorry for the repeats 

[3star_recruit]

32 minutes ago, RUBillsFan said:

This is kind of impossible to answer right now / has no "correct" answer and likely depends on matchups: would you play DeAndre Jones at PG ahead of Thames?  We were able to land Jones last season despite having Yuri on the roster and IMO that is the type of player I'd have loved to get again to provide PG depth.  That wouldn't preclude Thames from coming in, showing out in practice, and forcing minutes for himself, but it would give you a decent veteran backup to lean on.

When we landed Jones it was to back up a point guard who averaged 5 pg and wasn't even considered a top 20 player in the conference.  Yuri wasn't Yuri yet.  Fast forward a year. Even the Deandre Jones caliber players don't want to accept the backup gig.

[slufanskip]

2 hours ago, RUBillsFan said:

This is kind of impossible to answer right now / has no "correct" answer and likely depends on matchups: would you play DeAndre Jones at PG ahead of Thames?  We were able to land Jones last season despite having Yuri on the roster and IMO that is the type of player I'd have loved to get again to provide PG depth.  That wouldn't preclude Thames from coming in, showing out in practice, and forcing minutes for himself, but it would give you a decent veteran backup to lean on.

I'd rather have Thames knowing what little I know of him playing than DeAndre Jones. If a player of Deandre's caliber is playing pg for us for any real minutes the season is a disappointment.

[thunderdan]

I was Kellen’s 4th grade teacher, and played rec league ball with his dad (when Kellen was a toddler).
 

This family has had a special place in my heart for a long time, and I’m so excited to see Kellen continue his basketball journey as a Billiken.  

[billikenbill]

Bills made 17 triples today but no mention of how many attempts. Very likely we were at least in the high 40s precentage wise. Hoping there will be more stats or box scores available when they return.

[almaman]

23 minutes ago, thunderdan said:

I was Kellen’s 4th grade teacher, and played rec league ball with his dad (when Kellen was a toddler).
 

This family has had a special place in my heart for a long time, and I’m so excited to see Kellen continue his basketball journey as a Billiken.  

cool

[HoosierPal]

Good to see Junior and Jake contributing  

 

[CBFan]

6 hours ago, BilliesBy40 said:

Bizarre comment. I'll buy you and your significant other dinner at your favorite restaurant if Thames averages 8 and 4 this season.

Unnecessary post.

I have you on ignore and I should have not looked at your bizarre post, my bad.

Glad you set me straight about taking a swipe at Nesbitt that I did not take hall monitor.

[Taj79]

I also thought Cian Medley was mentioned as PG of the future?  Malachi Smith walked in and did well.  I am not so much concerned anywhere as I once was.  The wing is overstocked.  PG behind Collins with Thatch and Thames seems good.  And the front of Okoro/Forrester/Cisse seems fine.  Instead of another PG, I’d go front line but what can you get on August 19??