Practice Today

[crymdg2]

I had a chance to stop in and watch the guys practice for a little while. I know this may cause some controversy here, but Anthony Drejaj will start this year. There is no way that he won't. For those at the Billiken Madness event this year, when Coach Soderberg talked of him as the first player/coach he means it in the fullest extent. If the season started right now, I really do see Coach going with a 4 guard line-up. Obviously Ian will start but after that, in simple terms, our best players in order are guards. I see it happening like this:

PG: Polk

SG: Drejaj

WG: Lisch

WG/SF: Liddell

C: Ian V.

Now I don't know how long this will last or if it will even happen, but as of today that is how I see thinks going. Also Danny Brown could very very easily take any of the above guards spots. He looks very impressive.

As far as today goes though:

Luke: Still in a walking boot, shoots short jumpers on side and watches

Polk: Shot looks improved, running the offense smoothly

Brown: As I said before looks really good, God it's nice to have some depth finally!

Obi: Best practice of the year by far from him today. Looked a lot more aggressive. Starting to get into shape you can tell. Starting to get a little more mobility back. I still think he should redshirt this year though.

Ian V: Looks a lot better this year, in much better shape. He is getting some nice drives to the basket and dunking with authority. Also I have seen him hit the 15 ft jumper very consistently so far.

Drejaj: As stated above, clearly the leader of the team. Always there for encouragement when guys do good, but first one to get on someone if they are not hustling or doing stuff wrong. Basically knows where everyone should be on all plays. Will be very tough keeping him out of the line up at the beginning.

Kevin: Best shooter on the team without a doubt. Creates shot very well and can pull up and hit from anywhere. Today he passed up on a wide open 3 and Soderberg asked him why he didn't shoot it. He shrugged and Soderberg said I sure didn't recruit you for your looks.

JJ: Can see him cracking the starting line up this year. I think he looks better than VN right now. Coaches are really trying to get him to work.

Tommie: Best player on the team. He is so athletic. I don't know if this is accurate or not but he reminds me of Mo Jeffers in a way. Very big upside on him. He is starting to get more vocal too which is good.

VN: As previously stated by someone else on the board, he practices with the guards. So I dont really know what to think of that considering our weakness is the 4. Very emotional and works very hard. Good shot, but not what we need for the 4.

Bryce: Much improved from last year but still needs a lot of work.

Overall I think things are looking good. To all the other people that have seen a practice this year, does it seem like Coach Soderberg has joked around and seems to be having more fun this year than in the past? It is really encouraging to see that. Thats all I got.

[Hardball]

Thanks for the update. I think AD should start but we will not win many games with a 4 guard line-up.

[AlumniFan]

Brad definitely seems more at ease than last year. He also seems pretty excited about the team. I get the sense that in his mind he is thinking, "When these freshman and sophomores are juniors and seniors, we have a real shot at the prize." That being said, we still have a lot of freshman and sophomores. I think this year is a building year for the next two or three years. If we end up a little above .500 and get a decent 4 for next year, then we contend for the A-10 and definitely make the dance. If we finish below .500 and do not get the 4, then it is more of what we have seen the last two years.

[Billikenbooster]

Ahhh, i just love spring training. Everyone's curve is breaking, the line drives all go between the outfielders, and there is no thought of rainy days, injuries or other bumps in the road.

Sorry, I want the Bills to succeed as much as anyone. I cringe whenever I see my Mi$$ou friends, as they laugh at our recent performance. All the "Wait til we play you for real" cat calls just don't do it.

We will be better, but the thinness at the front line really scares me, and IV will be tested and they will try to foul him out. This is where I wish BH had been given 2-3 minutes/half last year, especially after Tom went down.

And I won't believe it til I see it that coach will let these guys run. I guess I still see Rich Grawer, the best 'take the air out of the ball' guy ever, scowling at every TO, every guy afraid to make a mistake. Can Brad loosen up and accept the increased TOs that come with a running team? Will we give the guys a looser way to go on missed opportunities on fast break? We have NEVER had a fast break. I'm going back to before Grawer...maybe with David Burns, but gawd who did he pass it to? Probably took them all himself back then.

If Kevin is indeed our best shooter, and Tommy our best athlete, I guess we'll see AD and DP share pg duties, with DB as guard when Tommy is up top.

Sorry but JJ just doesn't excite me. I have never seen him look relaxed on the court. The one practice I went to, in the drill I remember most, it was a 3 on 3 half court drill, and when JJ's team was on D, the offense kept throwing it around til JJ's man shot, and it always went in. The only time they got to go on offense was when one of the other two with him stole a ball or a pass went out of bounds on the O team.

This is what preseason games are for. These UMSL and Mary ville games will be interesting to watch, for what they are worth.

Let's just calm ourselves and observe, and remember we will not be playing against ourselves come December.

mhg

[slu72]

I tend to side with Billikenbooster on this, but love the practice reports. Please keep them coming. I think this year's squad is going to be a work in progress unitl at least mid January. No doubt KL, TL, DP, IV and DB right now are the future of this team and it looks promising especially if IV is a force. AD a sure starter is understandable, you don't send a bunch of raw recruits into battle without a veteran leader. That said verbal encouragement or correction doesn't get the ball in the hoop. It would have been nice to hear "his 3's much improved." The 4 guard lineup with TL at WG/SF makes me wonder if we're not keeping the ball out of the hands of our best player. That would certainly be a waste of talent. You don't even want to think how a 4g lineup is going to stack up against the likes of Gonzaga, Iowa, UNC, GW, Charlotte, etc. Hard to have an uptempo team if you can't get rebounds. And if IV is left to protect the inside, well BH will certainly get his minutes. It's a puzzle for sure, and UB is going to have to show some patience and restraint with them.

[3star_recruit]

As it does every fall, hopes springs eternal on Billikens.com. If Brad really intends on starting 4 guards, I'm afraid he's in for a rude awakening when we play Julian Sensley and company and Joah Tucker and company on the road. 5-9, 6'1, 6'2, 6'5 isn't gonna cut it. It only looks good in practice because frankly the size and athleticism that Polk, Drejaj, Lisch and Liddell face in practice isn't anywhere near what they'll face in real games.

[billiken_roy]

3 star is right. yes our 4 guard offense looks nails in practice. that is because they are the best players on this team. keep in mind, without a true power forward, that puts the likes of our biggest wings guarding the opposing forwards. the thought of lisch guarding adam morrison or liddell guarding sensley or withers doesnt appeal to me as well.

i cant beleive we truly are messing with this as a possible fulltime lineup. johnson has to play.

[slu72]

Playing without a 4 is not a good omen.

[jjray]

I'd be shocked if we started 4 guard and especially if Anthony Drejaj and Dwayne Polk were 2 of the 4 (we'd be incredibly small). Agree with the others who comment that the best practice team is not the best team that we can put on the floor against conference competition.

[kshoe]

Crymdg2 said HE say it going down like that. Last time I checked Crymdg2 was Roy's son and not the head coach. Personally, I seriously doubt that Brad plans on going to a 4 guard offense for more than a few minutes in any given game. I'm sure if Brad read this thread he'd just shake his head.

[slu72]

Hey Broy's son goes to practice and reports. No reason to take a shot at the kid. I'm sure UB avoids this board like the Bird flu, but if he does read it, I'm sure he laughs his a** off. What the hell do we know? We're just fans having some yuks and taking a break from our otherwise everday hum drum life. Personally, my starting 5 would be IV, BH, JJ at 3, VN at 2, and TL as PG. Now there's some matchup problems.

[TEE]

I've said this before.

If AD is logging heavy minutes we're in for a LONG and PAINFUL season.

We haven't played a game yet, just practice.

AD might be a team leader, but he ain't gonna take this group and carry them. His "ROLE" is the spell the horses that we are going to be riding for the next 3 and 4 years. His "ROLE" is to be tough and physical in fall practice to get the young guys ready for D1 college ball. His "ROLE" will be for 10 min. a game to spell people. He might start the preseason games, but when the A10 season starts he will be where he is best suited 6th on the depth chart at guard.

I'm not basing the kid, I'm being realistic.

Enough of the little engine that could Sh*t.

FIGHT ON!

[kshoe]

but when you see two posts following up the original with comments like "If Brad really intends on starting 4 guards, I'm afraid he's in for a rude awakening" and then "yes our 4 guard offense looks nails in practice" it lends credence to the belief that we are going to play a four guard offense.

Where has Brad said this?

Even Crymdg2 says it like this "I really do see Coach going with a 4 guard line-up. Obviously Ian will start but after that, in simple terms, our best players in order are guards."

No where did Crymdg2 say something like "the teams were split into starters and bench guys and low and behold there were 4 guys on the blue squad. He simply said Ian and the guards are our best players, something that nobody debates, but he took a huge leap in assuming that the best players will all be on the court at the same time. Crymdg2 even says "JJ: Can see him cracking the starting line up this year. I think he looks better than VN right now. Coaches are really trying to get him to work."

In conclusion, nothing from this report leads me to believe we are going to a four guard offense unless Crymdg2 left out something important. Everybody that is already half criticizing Brad for something he hasn't even done yet should realize this.

[SLU_Nick]

We have way too much talent to start AD another year. Brad's Job is to win, not to show respect to his seniors.

[crymdg2]

I am only going off what Brad said late last week. He was really getting on JJ and VN saying that they better get going and start playing because right now Ian and 4 guards are starting. Those were his words not mine or any speculation of mine. I don't necessarily want to see a four guard offense, but right now I think at least for short periods of time Brad would be forecd into it. If it were up to me and I could have my lineup it would probably inclue:

Polk/Drejaj

Kevin

Tommie

JJ

Ian

[willie]

Sounds like'"you better eat your brussel sprouts or you'll get no dessert" to me.

[BILLIDOC]

doesnt seem like you have a clue teeeeeeee.that little horse can and will play and if your boy or boys dont play it is because they havent earned it.nothing is given everything is earned especially playing time.thats college bball.

[TEE]

flame on buddy.

I'll eat crow if AD carries this team on his back to a 20 plus win season, but like I said that "ain't" gonna happen.

IF AD is playing over 20 minutes a game we have problems, big problems.

AD is sixth on the depth chart at guard, the best play, AD has had three seasons to show what he has. Tommy, Kevin, Danny, Dwayne, Luke and AD.

out of those six whom do you want in the game when it's crunch time?

[Billiken Rich]

Think of AD as the gruff but lovable catcher that Kevin Costner played in "Bull Durham." Experience in place of talent.

[billiken_roy]

you are flat out wrong tee. you need to go to practice.

[slufanskip]

I'm with Tee ... I think once we get past the first few games, AD will be getting 15 minutes a game. He can do some good things, but he should be best used in spurts. When he is hot ride him as we have seen he will pull out a great game here and there ... but not on an every game basis.

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[billiken_roy]

my point is that if he is the best performancewise right now, there is no right way not to play him to begin the season. if after the season commences, others pass him by performance by, then by all means he shouldnt be in the game more just because he is a senior or some other intangible reason that makes little sense.

but right now, from what i have seen, he deserves the shot.

[Hardball]

How about just play your best players. If no one can beat AD out in practice they don't deserve to start. Don't hand the job over w/o competion like we did last year with Polk. Make them earn it!!!

[slufanskip]

How about thats what I say. I don't think AD is one of the top 3 guards right now.

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[Hardball]

Skip,

More than one person has stopped by practice and has said AD is playing great in practice maybe even the best. Should we just hand over the job to whomever just because we think he is better than AD?