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PJ Star 4/16/08

I've got to agree with him on BU.........................How Les' staff develops these big men and how this team chooses to practice, perfect, and "buy in" to the defensive scheme will determine our success next year.

If the "bigs" play like they did in CBI run, and the guards are as good as advertised (which I think they will be), I think this BU team has a legitimate shot at winning the MVC and of having yet another 20+ win season :)
 
Well said IMO.....we have size we just need to develop it. Much like Collins is coming along.

I still say he starts and wins the most improved player next year.
 
dogsrus said:
Well said IMO.....we have size we just need to develop it. Much like Collins is coming along.

I still say he starts and wins the most improved player next year.
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Wouldn't be surprised if you're right . . . there were moments in the CBI where he looked awfully good. And he absolutely dwarfs everyone else on the court . . . he's every milimeter of 7 feet.
 
I think Wessler is pretty much right on in his column. He did leave one thing out about this guard-oriented system......NO REBOUNDING! I think this is the aspect of the game that frustrates people the most--especially me.

The really tough part to get over is that you don't need 3 bigs on the floor to rebound. It helps, but it's not required. Wessler talks about buying into a defensive system and rebounding goes along with that. As long as everyone gets a body on their man (or finds a man in the zone) we shouldn't get blasted on the boards every night no matter how small the lineup is.
 
As most in this thread have said, KW is spot-on. I too like the up-and-down, perimeter-oriented style. We just need some quality post threats and quality post depth to truly make this a well-oiled machine on both ends (quality being the operative word). We certainly had the bodies this year, but not the quality. Hopefully the quality can be developed over the summer, as every returning post player has at least 1 season of DI experience (practice counts) under their belts.
 
I think the "how he and his staff develop the big guys" will be the key to next year.

It seemed that Merf was a decent developer of big men. I am hopeful that Merf spent most of the season laying a foundation, and we'll see true Big man skill growth next year. Otherwise we did not see much big man skill growth this year.

Of course, I thought starting out, Les's coaching strong point would be outside shooting. It took about 4 years of no noticable shooting improvement before a Les team improved shooting, when they rocketed to the best 3 point team in the nation (only top10 in 3 point made and 3 point % last season)
 
Guinness said:
Anyone know Bradley's record for consecutive 20 win seasons and the MVC record? I would like to know.
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Well, Creighton has done it 9 straight years. I'm not sure if that's an MVC record, but we have a ways to go. I look at next year as being year #4 of our own streak at the very, very minimum.
 
I think the BU record is six. so JL has to stay 3 more years at least.

BTW, I agree about Merf . . . his forte is big guys . . . hope he has a busy summer!
 
Braves4Life said:
If the "bigs" play like they did in CBI run, and the guards are as good as advertised (which I think they will be), I think this BU team has a legitimate shot at winning the MVC and of having yet another 20+ win season :)
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i like the positive outlook but creighton is going to be a beast of a team next year. i'd say second isn't so bad for next year.
 
I agree with KW's take on needing to develop the big men. But, is there evidence for this statement?

"You're seeing more of the three- and four-guard sets in college basketball; going small and fast and forcing bigger, slower teams to try to keep up with you."

I don't recall seeing any four-guard sets (especially among the BCS and at-large teams) in the NCAA tournament this year and I don't care what the non-NCAA tournament teams are doing.
 
Dallas Brave said:
I agree with KW's take on needing to develop the big men. But, is there evidence for this statement?

"You're seeing more of the three- and four-guard sets in college basketball; going small and fast and forcing bigger, slower teams to try to keep up with you."

I don't recall seeing any four-guard sets (especially among the BCS and at-large teams) in the NCAA tournament this year and I don't care what the non-NCAA tournament teams are doing.
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Within the ever expanding world of D1, throughout the last 20 years, 3 and 4 guard sets happen more often. Really, it is a matter of the law of averages, there are more quality basketball players that grow to around and below the average human height, than above.

You are technically correct about NCAA teams this year, although I think KW was referring to D1 as a whole. And, in general, a large philosophy shift will only take place through coaching changes, as most coaches do not change their systems.
 
If you look at Memphis and Kansas even their bigs could run up and down the court except that real wide body guy on Memphis.
 
ph said:
Within the ever expanding world of D1, throughout the last 20 years, 3 and 4 guard sets happen more often. Really, it is a matter of the law of averages, there are more quality basketball players that grow to around and below the average human height, than above.

You are technically correct about NCAA teams this year, although I think KW was referring to D1 as a whole. And, in general, a large philosophy shift will only take place through coaching changes, as most coaches do not change their systems.
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If I'm reading his words correctly, he implies that the 3- and 4-guard sets are by design, not necessity. The only meaningful basis I would use is what NCAA tournament teams are doing, not the full set of college basketball teams. I saw a lot of big guys on the NCAA tournament teams. Even their guards are big like Rose. That's one of the reasons I'm excited with DD coming on board. A 6'3" point guard ... that will be great! Plus DC and RA can certainly run the court well for big guys as can AT based on his red-white performance.
 
Sorry to not line up with the rest of you behind KW's article today, but I also disagree with this statement , "Once again, I hear some fans pining for Les to recruit more bigs and run a more conventional, post-oriented offense. I'm going to repeat my standard reply: Offense is not the problem at Bradley. Les's teams have rarely been stumped when it comes to scoring points."

I don't know what fans he might be referring to, but I don't remember any fans on this board stating that playing the bigs more would result in a higher scoring offense. That is silly ... must have been the PJS Board ;)

Plus, while I am at it ... most posters on this board that have been wanting to recruit another big guy in this class were saying it for the 2009-10 season and beyond, not next year as KW implies.

I would say the only thing he got right in the article was that there is plenty of height on next year's team and the coaches need to have the big guys ready to go. (I guess we wont have to play a 4-guard set which is the new rage :))
 
Dallas Brave said:
Sorry to not line up with the rest of you behind KW's article today, but I also disagree with this statement , "Once again, I hear some fans pining for Les to recruit more bigs and run a more conventional, post-oriented offense. I'm going to repeat my standard reply: Offense is not the problem at Bradley. Les's teams have rarely been stumped when it comes to scoring points."

I don't know what fans he might be referring to, but I don't remember any fans on this board stating that playing the bigs more would result in a higher scoring offense. That is silly ... must have been the PJS Board ;)

Plus, while I am at it ... most posters on this board that have been wanting to recruit another big guy in this class were saying it for the 2009-10 season and beyond, not next year as KW implies.

I would say the only thing he got right in the article was that there is plenty of height on next year's team and the coaches need to have the big guys ready to go. (I guess we wont have to play a 4-guard set which is the new rage :))
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Dallas, for the most part I think we are on the same page. I also disagreed with KW's article today on that very statement. What I really want from the 2008 recruiting class was a 6'6-6'8 four year forward who can run the court in a transition offense--not the conventional post oriented offense that KW has implied.
 
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