slu72 Posted May 31, 2006 Share Posted May 31, 2006 Let's say IV really impresses in Orlando and goes round 1. What's UB gonna pull off then? Is BH progressing to the point he could play 20 decent mpg? Does it open the door wider for JJ? Obviously Obi and AK's minutes should get a boost. Has he got another foreigner up his sleeve? Would have figured he'd have been in the fold by now. I can't imagine UB's not considering a plan b if IV's gone. This would definitely be a blg blow to our chances of having the breakout year most of us are expecting. Would we really be "toast" as Gordo suggests, or would KL, TL, and current company be enough to make us a top 4 team in the A-10? And on the other side of the coin, what if we finish at or below .500? How loud will the calls be for a regime change? I don't think UB will get away with sluffing off another mediocre season by saying, "well we would have been great if IV hadn't left." Good leaders plan for every eventuality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted May 31, 2006 Share Posted May 31, 2006 i have no worry about ian going to the nba. now the greek's coming to get ian, that would worry me more. in fact, it wouldnt surprise me if coach soderberg's efforts to help ian get to the orlando camp wasnt an effort to make sure ian did not head back to greece this summer. i dont think great leaders plan for EVERY eventually. only those that might actually happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLUDrew Posted May 31, 2006 Share Posted May 31, 2006 There is no doubt about it. I sure Bryce is a great guy and you hate getting down on college kids, but he is just not a high D-1 player. For God's sake he has trouble grabbing the ball, forget making a play with it. If Knollmeyer, JJ and Obi all greatly exceeded expectations, we could finish in the top four in the A-10, but I doubt it. I am with Roy though, there is no way Ian is going to the NBA this year. Our biggest concern is him returning to Greece to play ball. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slu72 Posted May 31, 2006 Author Share Posted May 31, 2006 C'mon, B'roy, you always play the " what if " game. And I'm sure UB is having some sleepless nights pondering IV's future. I'm just curious to see what everyone thinks would be the outcome if IV happens to get scooped up. Also, do you really believe UB had anything to do with the invite...he's got connections in the NBA? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slu72 Posted May 31, 2006 Author Share Posted May 31, 2006 Greece would be an option no doubt. But isn't his family pretty well off? Course it would be hard to turn down a high 6 figure deal no matter how much $$$$ mom and dad have. Guess it would come down to which place, here or home, would position him better for the NBA. With communication being what it is these days, he won't be under the radar anymore than he would here by playing in Greece. Does anyone know if he's leaning one way or the other? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billiken Rich Posted May 31, 2006 Share Posted May 31, 2006 He is not the clumfing dufass that you claim he is. He needs to get stronger and more endurance. Like many biggs he can look like a mess if you give him the ball 12 feet from the basket and expect him to dribble in for a lay up. I don't see a problem with his hands that a summer or two (hopefully this past one counts) in the gym wouldn't help. Offensively he's got a nice soft hook that falls. Defensively he can block some shots but needs to be stronger for rebounding and bodying up. My Predictions: HE WILL BE AN DECENT REPLACEMENT FOR IAN AFTER IAN GRADUATES. HE WILL BE SERVICABLE THIS YEAR IF IAN GOES HOME. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billiken Rich Posted May 31, 2006 Share Posted May 31, 2006 According to TK he's already gone but TK is busom-buddies with Metz so I'd assume Ian will be a Billiken next year...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLUDrew Posted May 31, 2006 Share Posted May 31, 2006 Rich, I wish I had your confidence in him. When I refer to that fact that he has trouble "grabbing" the ball I am not referring to him having trouble 12 feet from the basket. I am referring to him having trouble grabbing the ball off the boards or receiving a pass from a teammate. I saw him having trouble with those basic skills countless times. Anyone that saw him play saw that. At this level you can still improve. I don't question that. However, when you are 19 or 20 years old you should be able to catch the basketball. Good hand-eye coordination is something that you are born with. I don't think he has it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StLouBlue Posted May 31, 2006 Share Posted May 31, 2006 I do agree with B-Rich and think that BH would be serviceable next year if IV is gone. Now this is assuming that he would not be asked to takeover IV's role on the team where the offense runs through him. I don't think BH is at that point and I think this is what you are trying to say. If our offense depended upon BH getting multiple touches and taking shots or making passes each time down then we would probably be in trouble. I would guess BH would serve more of a Kenny Brown or Varner type role of setting picks and looking for put backs. I don't think BH is ready to go from 6.0 minutes to the over 30 minutes that IV put in, but looking for around 20 would probably be possible. Our focus on offense would switch to TL and KL and we would really have to have someone else step up in a major way, either Brown or Polk most likely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billikenmetz Posted May 31, 2006 Share Posted May 31, 2006 Um, I highly doubt Soderberg had ANYTHING to do with Ian going to Orlando... A college coach, especially one at Saint Louis U. probably has no say or pull or leverage to get a kid in. Ian did it by impressing the scouts and GMs. Brad had nothing to do with it. He can't even recruit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billiken Rich Posted May 31, 2006 Share Posted May 31, 2006 It seemed to me that Bryce's trouble was with being stripped not with just catching. His tournovers seemed to happen when he was chucked the ball in heavy traffic or when he'd try to power dribble to the hole. He seemed to be suffering from the same disease that Ian was afflicted with earlier, lack of arm and upper body strength....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slu72 Posted June 1, 2006 Author Share Posted June 1, 2006 if IV goes NBA or returns to Greece, BH would be a starter? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slumn1 Posted June 1, 2006 Share Posted June 1, 2006 Interesting stat on turnovers: IV 1 every 12 minutes of PT BH 1 every 20 minutes of PT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLUDrew Posted June 1, 2006 Share Posted June 1, 2006 How many more touches does Ian get per minute on the floor? Of course Bryce has fewer turnovers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GV13 Posted June 1, 2006 Share Posted June 1, 2006 1st post, just a greek basketball junkie. Read about what Ian has done the past couple of years and suprised me. He really wasn't that good 3yrs ago but obviously improved a lot - so thanks to SLU. About him coming back to greece...you know greece ain't nowhere near as bad a place to play as some of the posts suggest here. Greece has a very strong league, and they won the European National Champioship last summer. The league is full of talented players from Serbia, Croatia, Lithuania and the US and is the best place to play along with Spain, Italy & Russia. A lot of players in the nba played in greece before moving: Peja, Marco Jaric, Smush Parker, Antonio Davis, John Amichi etc..... so Ian could be thinking Greece and then NBA. Rumours here suggest the Panathinaikos is looking at him, but he isn't the first option. I doubt he will make the national team for the world championships in Japan, he's probably the 3ed or 4th best centre right now and at power forward we have some real talented and strong guys....he'll have to waite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slufanskip Posted June 1, 2006 Share Posted June 1, 2006 welcome ... thanks for the info. I think most people here know the Greek league is pretty good. We just don't want to lose Ian so we try to justify why he should stay Official Billikens.com sponsor of H. Waldman and loyal subject of Billsboy and all ex D1 players and coaches everywhere. You da man Billsboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billiken Rich Posted June 1, 2006 Share Posted June 1, 2006 Yes. And likely we'd lose a couple games Ian would've won for us. It wouldn't be the end of the world though........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLUDrew Posted June 1, 2006 Share Posted June 1, 2006 He is not good. Yes he is a 7 footer and we would all like him to be good, but he isn't. I think you plug in Knollmeyer, let him grow with Tommie and Kevin, and let the team take its lumps next year. It may make for a long season, but at least we would be working towards the future. Also, you could speed up the games and try to take away our disadvantage inside. Knollmeyer is seemingly much better suited to that style than Husak is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slufanskip Posted June 1, 2006 Share Posted June 1, 2006 but then UB would get fired ... Official Billikens.com sponsor of H. Waldman and loyal subject of Billsboy and all ex D1 players and coaches everywhere. You da man Billsboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MICHAELSPAPPY Posted June 1, 2006 Share Posted June 1, 2006 Assuming that L&L get the usual sophomore "pop" in their game, our play at the 2 & 3 should be very good. Having such an offensive luxury as your 5 being your first offensive weapon is unusual these days. Maybe we will have to have "post by committee," like many schools in this 3-point era. Wouldn't be the end of the world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billiken Rich Posted June 1, 2006 Share Posted June 1, 2006 You will be surprised. I hope you will also be man enough to admit that you are wrong. Bryce is our starting certer if Ian doesn't come back AND will start after Ian graduates AND will be better than you could possibly expect. Did he step on you or something? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLUDrew Posted June 1, 2006 Share Posted June 1, 2006 No. Is he your brother or something? I can admit when I am wrong. I hope I am. I hope he becomes an All-American. Will you admit you are wrong if he turns out to be less of a player than you think? Then again I could see him averaging 6 points and 5 boards and you saying that is awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billiken_roy Posted June 1, 2006 Share Posted June 1, 2006 drew, i still have people tell me how awesome chris heinrich was and i still shake my head. so 6 and 5 will probably equate to awesome still. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billiken Rich Posted June 1, 2006 Share Posted June 1, 2006 I've got no personal dogs in this fight. Averaging 6 points and 5 boards AND good defense on a team that make it to the sweet sixteen would certainly be pretty good. I could certainly see him averaging a double double as a senior assuming he continues to get stronger. I'd consider that terrific. I only really take issue with your characterization of Bryce as someone who can't walk and chew gum at the same time.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NashvilleBilliken Posted June 1, 2006 Share Posted June 1, 2006 Rich, I agree with you on BH. When he came in last year, he definitely had an impact on the game. I posted some stats earlier, but basically, his per minute production was not too far behind Ian...a potential draft pick and A-10 first teamer. BH will be about as effective as Heinrich as a junior. NBA pick and leading scorer, NO. But a center for a top 100 program...definitely. People get way too wrapped up in athleticism. A 7'1 center doesn't have to be ultra athletic to be effective. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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