Billikan Posted January 30, 2005 Share Posted January 30, 2005 I have never left a Billiken game more frustrated than yesterday. Our so called veterans killed us down the stretch. I understand that Brad feels that he needs to give the opportunity to win the games to our most experienced players but from my point of view that time is now over. Our young guys deserve to play a bigger role from now on so they can get badly needed experience for next year. The best example of what a full commitment to a young player can do is the incredible blossoming of Ian. He played 45 MINUTES in a tough physical game where they were rotating big guys trying to wear him down. He drew numerous fouls. He had ZERO turnovers and he played his heart out. He has the best touch at the line we have seen from a big center in 25-30 years. He made 7 for 10 and two that he missed were very soft shots that somehow did not fall. He played great defense and had only one foul. He rebounded tough and made at least one great pass to IO for a layup. IN my view, this incredible development would have never occured if Tom had not been injured. Ian would have had a few minutes off the bench. I am not in any way saying that it was good for the team that Tom could not play up to what we expected--because I for one thought he would have a great year if he was healthy and then he came out and did almost nothing. However, for the future of this team the big minutes that Ian has played recently will help us immensely. I urge everyone to be very positive about Ian--even though he still has some rough edges. Danny Brown reminds me of a very talented player who as a sophomore in high school was just promoted to the varsity. He has absolutely no fear and that is good and bad. He really hustles on defense--the block of a 3 point atttempt by a 6'10" player was incredible. He is also very fast in running the court. But as many young players, he sometimes forces very bad shots and makes bad passes. However, in my opinion, from now on he has to play, play and play. Hopefully he will learn to understand to control some of his wildness and channel it into great play. He is a key part of next year's team and we need him to get as much pt as possible. Luke Meyer impressed me greatly yesterday. He plays hard on both ends and really goes after the loose balls. He has a release on his shot that looks like a kid from Indiana 20 years ago but he has nice touch and he hit a 22 foot 3 pointer yesterday. We were playing great as a team when he was in the game and when he came out it was like letting the air out of the balloon. He has a lot of the good attributes of chris Sloan but he is a better ballhandler. He is not Chris Sloan yet but he seems to have real potential. We need to get him more minutes to get ready for next year. Polk needs to play big minutes just because it will make him more comfortable and more familiar with different situations. His on ball defense is excellent but he will be posted up by big guards so he needs to learn how to deal with the situation. Yesterday they tried but were basically unsucesful in posting him up. On offense he is more confident all of the time with his ballhandling and he pushes the ball beautifully but he is not yet as good as we need in moving the ball in the set offense and his shooting is very suspect. I have to believe that his shooting will come around because he was such a great shooter at Vashon. The bottom line is that for us to be a success next year Polk needs to play. Although he drove me crazy with his bad play and missed shots late in the game yesterday we need to play IO big minutes for the rest of the year because he is playing hard, rebounding like a madman and he is doing a great job of tutoring Ian. If he can hit some short shots in the paint he will score 20 points a game now that Ian has become a player the the other big man really has to concern himself with. JJ still reminds me of a sophomore in high school who runs and thinks he is playing hard but does not understand the game. I guess he should get some minutes to give us an indication as to what we might expect for the future but I do not hold out much hope that he will ever be a significant contributor. I see the rest of the season as preseason games for next year. the vets have failed miserably to get it done so lets move on to the young guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aj_arete Posted January 30, 2005 Share Posted January 30, 2005 with playing the youngsters is that you're giving them a false impression that they can actually compete at this level. I would never be in favor of running players off the team, however I'm not interested in giving them minutes that they don't deserve. You might be right, though, I could see Brad going with the youngsters soon. I just don't think it's bad if we see a few of them transfer. That is if they want to get any significant playing time in the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheeseman Posted January 30, 2005 Share Posted January 30, 2005 If players transfer, how does that impact our graduation rate - the NCAA has put in some pretty stiff penalties if you do not meet the goals. I agree with Billikan - play the younger players who have promise. DB, LM, JJ, DP, IV are ready to get or continue to get more minutes. DC - what is up with him. I know some of you are not sold on JJ but did you see that shot he made yesterday - we have not had a PF who could do that for years. I still think JJ needs more minutes so he can prove himself once and for all. JJ had a good game awhile back and Brad talked about how he would get more time in the future. I realize he did not deliver the second game like he did the one before but if Brad had played him last year maybe he would not be so inconsistent. I might be wrong on JJ but I think he has not been given a true chance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StLouBlue Posted January 31, 2005 Share Posted January 31, 2005 I agree with you on JJ, I think he is our only real hope at having a solid 4 & would like to see him get the minutes during this lost season. I haven't seen too many games, but to me I think DB looks like a AD, a physical type player especially on defense, but a very inconsistant shot. I just hope in 2 years we are still not disappointed in his shot like we are AD's. I would also like to see DC playing, if not then he should go because we could use the scholarship. If DC can't earn playing time this year, what reason would he have be believe he will get any next year with Lisch & Tommie L next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NYBill Posted January 31, 2005 Share Posted January 31, 2005 On Ian, I didn't see the game but 7 rebounds in 45 minutes doesn't excite me. He's 6'10" how could he not get that many in 45 minutes? I'm glad he hit the throws but I would hope he'd have a better ability to rebound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjray Posted January 31, 2005 Share Posted January 31, 2005 Ian's rebound total was respectable but not great because Izik was sucking in every loose ball in sight AND Ian has his man (the opposing center) well screen off the boards. Ian has made huge strides. As to JJ, who do you take minutes from to give to JJ? Izik? Ian? Those two guys are playing over 30 minutes a game so it does not leave many minutes at 4/5 for JJ. The only way I can see to get JJ more minutes would be to slide Izik over to 3 for 10 minutes a game. Against Marquette with Novak at SF, it would have been a good fit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlumniFan Posted January 31, 2005 Share Posted January 31, 2005 Danny Brown, in my opinion, is much more athletic than Drejaj. I think he is a big part of the Billikens' future and we are lucky to have him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheeseman Posted January 31, 2005 Share Posted January 31, 2005 JJ can have VN's minutes and yes I don't see anything wrong with shaving some of IO time if we are pointing towards developing something for next year. I am sorry for the seniors but this is just a lost year and we have to do what is necessary for the future of the program. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quality Is Job 1 Posted January 31, 2005 Share Posted January 31, 2005 Additionally, I think Brown is a better slasher and better finisher than Drejaj. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted January 31, 2005 Share Posted January 31, 2005 jjray, i think you have a good thought with the idea of using izik at the 3 vs marquette. newborne and drejaj did little to stop him, brown was better, but he still scored on him as well. izik would neutralize that height difference and izik is just as fast as novak. it would be a very good match up. second, since marquette does not have an athletic inside guy besides novak, it would easily allow justin and ian to keep up if not have an advantage. i hope we see some of that when we rematch in milwaukee. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billikan Posted January 31, 2005 Author Share Posted January 31, 2005 It drives me crazy that someone who did not even see the game is commenting on Ian's rebounding. In fact he was taking up space and clearing out under the basket so that IO could get the rebounds. He blocked out beautifully against a series of bug guys that Marquette threw at him and he grabbed 7 rebounds of his own. I wish people would at least see the games before they criticise Ian. Tha kid played well! Their three centers that played had a total of 5 rebounds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted January 31, 2005 Share Posted January 31, 2005 i hope you arent comparing our inside players to marquette's because imo marquette's inside players suck as well. that was not a good team we lost to saturday. without deiner they are far from a contender. we had our chance to bury them and did not. there is really no excuse for that loss imo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjray Posted January 31, 2005 Share Posted January 31, 2005 >jjray, i think you have a good thought with the idea of >using izik at the 3 vs marquette. newborne and drejaj did >little to stop him, brown was better, but he still scored on >him as well. izik would neutralize that height difference >and izik is just as fast as novak. it would be a very good >match up. second, since marquette does not have an athletic >inside guy besides novak, it would easily allow justin and >ian to keep up if not have an advantage. i hope we see some >of that when we rematch in milwaukee. The thought occurred to me late in the game when Novak hit those two long 3s. Izik is faster and just as long. If Diener is healthy for the rematch, we probably need Danny Brown's size to guard Diener. Hope the coaching staff reviews the film and comes to the same conclusion: Izik on Novak. I also like the idea of Izik posting up Novak on the other end of the floor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGoat Posted January 31, 2005 Share Posted January 31, 2005 While I am loyal to AD for the things that he has done in the past, there is always a point in time where someone else has to come in. That time is now and that person is Danny Brown. For DB to be better and younger than AD, there really isn't a question of whom to play ahead of the other. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guest Posted February 2, 2005 Share Posted February 2, 2005 You have missed one HUGE element to the entire Marquette loss - Drejaj. Time after time he was outhustled and outdesired by the spirited Warriors of Marquette. Drejaj has wilted as a player in my mind, and that's totally awesome you see players blooming, but like any botanist would tell you, the whole garden looks bad if one flower decides to wilt. Drejaj's game and attitude has folded more quickly than his numerous blackjack hands at the Casino Queen. Talk to him there and draw your conclusions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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