?'s for this Upcoming Season...

[davidnark]

I haven't had much time to browse and post lately, but between the Ahearn string of posts and several similar strings, it appears that everyone is getting a little testy and is ready for the season to begin. That being said, I offer the following questions to discuss:

1. How much has Ian improved? There is a lot of talk about Ian benefiting from his international play this summer and returning quicker, leaner, and stronger. Am I the only one that has noticed that his international statistics this summer were pretty dreadful? Should this be a concern? I assume everyone agrees that we cannot succeed this season without Ian having success.

2. Is Tommie Liddell the next Larry Hughes or the next Corey Frazier? When I was a junior in college, we kept hearing about how Corey Frazier was this superstar athlete who could flat our score. It turns out that he was nothing more than an above-average role player. We all appear to have huge expectations for Tommie. Does anyone fear we may be disappointed?

3. Can Dwayne figure out how to score at the college level? I watched Dwayne play half a dozen times in high school. In high school, he was a do-everything kind of athlete whose game was similar in style to Dee Browns. Unfortunately, last season he looked more like an undersized and inexperienced freshmen who couldn't find his comfort zone. Is Dwayne ready to step up and be the key component of a more up-tempo offense?

4. Is Kevin Lisch Travis Deiner or Jeff Gaona? Those of us who have followed the program for a long time will remember the highly touted DeSmet superstar, Jeff Gaona. Unfortunately, those memories don't include any success on the court at SLU. If Kevin can live up to half of what Roy has built him up to be, then he will be a success. If nothing else, I hope that Kevin can bring some much-needed outside shooting.

5. What are Danny Brown and Luke Meyer's roles on this team? Both Danny and Luke had the good fortune of logging quality minutes late last season. Now, with Liddell and Lisch added to the mix, what will be there rolls on this team? Will they be the fourth guard in Brad's purported four-guard lineup?

6. Will we get anything out of the four spot? Newborne is cursed with a strange form of white man's disease and JJ is cursed with a Teflon doghouse. Can we expect rebounds, quality defense, and at least garbage points from this pair? If not, can we succeed this season?

7. To run or not to run. Last year, Unca Brad promised us that the team, inspired by Polk's speed, would score in transition. Either I have early amnesia induced from too many years of drinking or Brad failed to keep his word--because I cannot remember any easy buckets in transition. With the addition of Liddell and Lisch and the maturation of Brown, Polk and JJ, will Brad keep his promise this season?

[thetorch]

1. How much has Ian improved?

Hopefully leaps and bounds. The only thing that concerns me is boards. For the past few seasons our guards have had to stay back to get rebounds. This takes away from the running game. If Ian can clean a little glass and then apply his adept passing skills to the outlet we will be in good shape. I don't pay attnetion to his international stats. He says he was gassed and he he was holding himself out of games. The competition there is atl least high level college if not low level pro.

2. Is Tommie Liddell the next Larry Hughes or the next Corey Frazier?

End the Hughes comparisons. Hughes was a once in a lifetime player, a freshman who could dominate immediately. There are just one or two of those guys in the NCAA every year. Liddell won't be one of them. Liddell may have a better group around him then Larry did. He can be a team in several statistical categories but I don't expect to see Larry or Wade like numbers from him till his jr or sr years if we get that and that is still a big IF.

3. Can Dwayne figure out how to score at the college level?

It is a big thing to overcome being Dwayne's size in college basketball. To be really good, like the Nate Robinsons, Brevin Knights, even Pee Wee, you have to have a fearlessnes to take it to guys twice or more your size. He has a distinct advantage with his speed and quickness at this level and he is an underrated passer on this board. Shooting and finishing is his nemesis. I don't think right now he has the guts to penetrate and take the beating inside, but hsi outisde stroke isn't there. One or the other will have to work out if he is to be a good player at SLU.

4. Is Kevin Lisch Travis Deiner or Jeff Gaona?

I'll take Drake Diener. Or a more athletic Drejaj who has a consistent shot.

5. What are Danny Brown and Luke Meyer's roles on this team?

The 4 guard on the floor has been bandied about this preseason but I don't see it happening. So therefore Brown and Meyer will fight for backup wing spots. I see Meyer as the odd man out. Brown can do everything Meyer can do but is quicker, and faster and his shot is sound. Meyer may have to wait for an injury or till next year for signifigant time. Brown will push the wings for time and may beat drejaj out if he is slumping or polk out if he can't get his shot and Lisch and or Liddell is capable at the point.

6. Will we get anything out of the four spot?

Doubtful. Newborne is undersized and doesn't work on the glass on the defensive end. He has no inside game whatsoever. His only offense is to pop rainbows from 3 once every couple games. Until I see JJ gain the maturity to play under Brad's system I always expect Brad to begrudgingly put him on the court when all other options have been exhausted.

7. To run or not to run.

I have to believe we will run. We have the personnel and are more than deep enough at the wing spots. I don't think Brad will be able to stop these guys from getting up and down the floor. The only thing that will stop it is poor rebounding, a great possibilty, or poor defense, less likely. We won't be Phi Slamma Jamma but we will score in the 70s a few times this year.

[Major Majerus]

I agree a lot with what you say. However, from the practices I've attended, it looks like Vashun's going to be a 3; when the bigs and littles separate, he goes with the guards. JJ goes with the bigs - which is fine with me. I'm hoping for early major minutes with JJ, and hoping he swims. I think the biggest thing holding Luke back is the stress fracture - it may dog him all year. I think I expect a little more from Lisch and Liddell. Remember all those great moves by Izik where he didn't finish? I think Tommie will just dunk it. I expect 40% of 3's from Kevin - now there's a change from last year. Danny has looked like the 2nd best shooter on the team - a really nice consistent 3 with a touch on it. I expect more scoring, and defense just as good.

[guest]

I still say Red Shirt Luke.

[thetorch]

That means we have JJ and I guess Obi as his backup. Husak and Ian at the 5. I don't think Obi is going to play this year. He looks gimpy still. I don't see how we can play 2 positions for the season with 3 players then. Vashun playing on the wing would be riding pine behind even Meyer.

[slu72]

I think most of the answers to Nark's questions depend a lot on what happens with the #4 position. If IV is our only legit inside player, he will struggle to get points, may be plagued with early fouls, and struggle to get rebounds especially against teams that are solid at both 4 and 5 positions. What sticks in one's mind are the 10ppg avg he posted after he started last year. The summer of international ball had to help. He still was good enough to log significant minutes. But he had supporting casts around him. If he doesn't get it our inside game is not the answer. Which effects the transition game, which effects DP's effectiveness, ie speed. Who can answer what TL and KL are going to be? Time will tell. The guy I am looking to come through big time is DB. Flashes of brilliance last year and he was the leading scorer at prep school. Hopefully more comfortable with his role after a year in UB's system, and I'm thinking he's going to be a major contributor this year.

[Hardball]

1. How much has Ian improved?

Won't really know umtil the games start. He has to stay out of foul trouble or we are in big trouble.

2. Is Tommie Liddell the next Larry Hughes or the next Corey Frazier?

Somewhere in the middle. My question is his style compatable with Brad.

3. Can Dwayne figure out how to score at the college level?

I think size will hurt. Can't really shoot therfore people sag on defense and this negates his speed. Also I agree with some he has trouble finishing.

4. Is Kevin Lisch Travis Deiner or Jeff Gaona?

Closer to Travis, The real question is how close.

5. What are Danny Brown and Luke Meyer's roles on this team?

Danny should be the first 2 or 3 man of the bench. Luke I like the RS idea.

6. Will we get anything out of the four spot?

No. Will be our achilles heel all year.

7. To run or not to run.

I think we will start running but will BS go back to the old style after we loose a couple of games by double digits.

[VTIME]

Polk CAN shoot. He's a sg. He only plays pg, because Brad wont let him play off the ball. Polk is a spot up open shooter and always has been. He was never the starting pg at Vashon. Someone has to penetrate and kick to him. Liddell is a penetrator not a guy you want on the wing shooting spot up jumpers. Liddell has to play the pg with Polk at shooting guard. Then Polk can go back to being the marksman we saw in high school. That's Polk's game along with his ability to get out in transition whether leading the break or streaking down on the wing for the score. But in the half court offense you want Polk at the sg.

[Iggy]

Really? I never heard that suggestion from you before.

[slu72]

I can see this post after every game: "If UB would just put DP and TL in the right positions, SLU would win every game." Actually, I wouldn't mind seeing TL at the point. It's what he did at Hargrave and look what they accomplished. If DP's 3pt shooting would improve dramatically by being a SG, I'd agree with V-time. I have a hard time imaginging a 5'9" guy shooting effectively over guys 3-4 inches taller but hey who knows. In transition it doesn't matter whose the pg as long as you get it down quick.

[Billiken Law]

How will Ian's lack of an off-season affect him? The kid has been playing year round for 2 straight years now and not just in casual summer leagues but all over the world in hardcore competition. It worries me that his body may become fatigued as the season wears on due to all of this competition and travel.

[billiken_roy]

these are 20 year old kids. not old men. if ian wasnt traveling to greece playing, he would probably be playing even more and working out harder in st louis. and even then, a 20 year old kid just doesnt wear down from playing ball. i just dont buy that.

[3star_recruit]

>

>1. How much has Ian improved? There is a lot of talk

>about Ian benefiting from his international play this summer

>and returning quicker, leaner, and stronger. Am I the only

>one that has noticed that his international statistics this

>summer were pretty dreadful?

If he just plays at the same level he did the 2nd half of the season last year, we'll be in pretty good shape.

>2. Is Tommie Liddell the next Larry Hughes or the next

>Corey Frazier?

Neither. Tommie is like a more athletic Sammy Mejia.

>3. Can Dwayne figure out how to score at the college

>level? I watched Dwayne play half a dozen times in high

>school. In high school, he was a do-everything kind of

>athlete whose game was similar in style to Dee Browns.

>Unfortunately, last season he looked more like an undersized

Polk's 5'9 150. He can't physically impose his will on a D-1 game like he did in high school. I do expect him to shoot better from three and double his assist totals now that he has a guy that can finish off of one dribble.

>

>4. Is Kevin Lisch Travis Deiner or Jeff Gaona?

Call him whatever you want. I call him our best shooter and defender.

>

>5. What are Danny Brown and Luke Meyer's roles on this

>team? Both Danny and Luke had the good fortune of

>logging quality minutes late last season.

Danny Brown looks really good. If Brad is really interested in running this year, Brown should play close to 20 minutes a game. The only situation I see us playing four guards against anybody decent is when we're down double digits with 10 minutes left in the game and need to create some turnovers.

>6. Will we get anything out of the four spot?

>Newborne is cursed with a strange form of white man's

>disease and JJ is cursed with a Teflon doghouse. Can we

>expect rebounds, quality defense, and at least garbage

>points from this pair?

I think they are the very definition of garbage men. Newborne is a hustling tweener and JJ is an athletic power forward with virtually no back to the basket game. Their offensive contribution has been and will be of the opportunistic kind, not by design.

>7. To run or not to run. Last year, Unca Brad

>promised us that the team, inspired by Polk's speed, would

>score in transition. Either I have early amnesia induced

>from too many years of drinking or Brad failed to keep his

>word--because I cannot remember any easy buckets in

>transition. With the addition of Liddell and Lisch and the

>maturation of Brown, Polk and JJ, will Brad keep his promise

>this season?

The $64,000 question. If the answer is yes, we get at least 56 field goal attempts a game, average 65+ ppg and build a solid foundation for next season. If the answer is no, then we maintain our 50 FGA average, score in the high 50s and finish in 11th place as WH has predicted.

[Major Majerus]

I agree; then he can graduate with a Master's while the rest of his class is taking its 5th year for a bachelor's...:+

[SLU_Nick]

People are saying on this board that DB can shoot the three effectively now. I will not be comfortable with him shooting threes in games. Remember who shot the ball the best in practice a couple years ago. That's right, Ross Varner. KL should realistically be the only one we should count on for an outside shot.

[billiken_roy]

that isnt entirely fair. the fact we had a poor inside last year contributed to defenses cheating out and thus making shots tougher. one would hope the continued evolution of ian alone gives our guards the better opportunities. having the good power forward would help even more. it will be interesting to see how this team comes out of the chute. not just from a win/loss viewpoint, but from a strategy stance as well.

[slufanskip]

Danny shot 32% from the 3 last year, not great but not terrible either ... as a true freshman. As he gets more comfortable and the offense hopefully opens up, I can see that going up. Anything over 35% to go along with his ability to get to the hole will be very good. DB can shoot

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[slufanskip]

Polk hasn't shot well and it is not that big of a deal, we shouldn't need him to score in the teens. We need him to run the offense. We have guys that will be able to score in TL, KL, IV, and DB. Polk needs to control the tempo ... know when to push and get the ball inside to IV and to the other open players. When DP is on the floor he is the point. I will tell you what would be great though would be for DB to make it so we can't keep him off the floor. If he does ... that leaves either KL, TL, or DP coming off the bench ... now then I could see TL at the 1, KL the 2 and DB at the 3. When DP came in he would be the point and the other 2 would adjust depending on who was resting.

I don't care what DP did in HS ... he is not in HS anymore and he has not even come close to showing the ability to be a spot up shooter (he also doesn't have the body for it)... what he has shown is tremendous quickness and very good ball handling skills, he showed moments last year of being a good passer ... but it was hard to really make a judgement as our offense was so slow and motionless. Majic Johnson couldn't have been a great passing pg for us last year.

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[Billiken Law]

ask Yao Ming about that.....