SLU's post needs, if any.....

[tseugnekillib]

A bball friend, who has seen Matt Shaw play more games than any poster on this board, raised a couple of good questions. Does SLU really need to add another post player this year and do we have enough information to answer that question today, July 27th?

If 6-8 230# freshman JJ is the real deal, "plays above the rim", screens, and then hits a open 10 footer.....and

if 6-10 250# freshman Ivan Vouyoukas is the real deal, passing alot, scoring a little, and rebounding abit.....and

if 6-9 250# junior Tom Frericks can use his size to screen well, rebound abit, get some putbacks, make 75% of his FTs, and grabs 4-5 rebounds per game.....and

if 6-9 junior 220# Izik can spend 15 of his 30 game minutes in the post, screening, scoring and rebounding.....and

if 7-0 250# redshirt freshman Bryce Husak can, in two years, contribute 15-20 minutes, screening, rebounding, changing shots, get a few putbacks and short jumpers.....

do you need to "offer" Matt Shaw a scholarship in July?

Why not wait until early November, after three or so weeks of hard practices, to see how many of the above "ifs" can really happen? So we may need to answer two questions: (1) do we really need to sign another post player in the Fall and (2) if so, who is the best PF out there that SLU can sign.

[Billiken Rich]

The word tweener comes to mind everytime I hear Matt Shaw's name. Admittedly I haven't seen much of him but I'll accept brad's judgement on this one. I never again want to see a big ten team like Minnesota come in here and man handle us around. If Shaw is undersized and Brad doesn't want him--then neither do I.

[thetorch]

We do have some depth at big, but they are all new save Sloan, and who knows how they will pan out. If there is a high quality post man available i would take him and then focus all efforts on a wing like Liddell. The idea for this recruiting class is to cover all the bases, ie geta small guard and wing player and a post player.

Big man rotation in 03-04

PF - Sloan, JJ, Izik, Varner

C - Frericks, Ian, Varner

Big Man rotation in 04-05

PF - JJ, Izik

C - Frericks, Ian, Husak

PF is one spot where we lose alot of depth after this year. If a top player is a vailable who will sign with us why not offer him now? Match him and JJ up next year and see who wins the starting role.

[billiken_roy]

well this is a good point. just because we have 3 scholarships to give doesnt mean we have to use them. and if all of the "IF'S" are for real, it makes sense. we lose only sloan and fisher correct? so we will still have a full roster.

[Quality Is Job 1]

>well this is a good point. just because we have 3

>scholarships to give doesnt mean we have to use them. and

>if all of the "IF'S" are for real, it makes sense. we lose

>only sloan and fisher correct? so we will still have a full

>roster.

Besides Chris Sloan and Josh Fisher, Ross Varner is a scholarship senior this year. If SLU is to continue to have 13 scholarship players on the roster (one can redshirt if necessary), then they'll have to sign three in the 2004 class.

While we aren't expecting to have to replace any production from Varner, I think Brad Soderberg wants to fill that roster spot.

[Billiken Rich]

That we are looking for? I don't know. Once again it all comes down to how much you trust Brad. I'll admit I do. His hiring didn't thrill me but turning a big nothing into something last year earned my respect. I'd love to see a "Big Ten type" team on the floor for the Bills. If Matt doesn't fit the mold good-bye and good luck.