Columbia Game and Obekpa
- Thread starter jsk68/73
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I wondered about that too. Perhaps it was because we needed on the floor at the same time Sampson's potential offense and
Sanchez's rebounding more than we needed blocked shots.
Sanchez's rebounding more than we needed blocked shots.
Class of 72
Active member
I just hope it does not have a negative effect on Cheick Diallo the 6-foot-9 center from Our Savior New American.
All we need are opposing coaches pointing to Obekpa's lack of progress, his benching and shrinking minutes as a Soph to influence our top recruit in our own back yard.
This year is a critical year in terms of winning and going to the NCAA but next year it will be recruiting a top 10 class.
There is enough apathy with a decent team this year in the watered down Big East so you can imagine the powers that be at St. John's, Fox and UA will push hard to improve the New York market and home of the new Big East.
The pressure is already on Lavin and staff but next year may be the turning point IMO.
All we need are opposing coaches pointing to Obekpa's lack of progress, his benching and shrinking minutes as a Soph to influence our top recruit in our own back yard.
This year is a critical year in terms of winning and going to the NCAA but next year it will be recruiting a top 10 class.
There is enough apathy with a decent team this year in the watered down Big East so you can imagine the powers that be at St. John's, Fox and UA will push hard to improve the New York market and home of the new Big East.
The pressure is already on Lavin and staff but next year may be the turning point IMO.
WTF?
I doubt Diallo is looking at Obekpa's stats on a line or bar graph after every game. Maybe he didn't feel well or maybe the staff thought he wasn't the best option against this particular opponent in a close game? Whatever the case may be, any time we can get a W and Obekpa doesn't add to his already NBA-enticing block total...I'm a happy guy.
Class of 72
Active member
You make it sound like we have Kentucky-like talent where the 6th man has NBA potential. LOL!
In the wizards ever changing starting lineups and lab experiments, we have the nation's leading shot blocker who is not starting and was rendered useless by a 6'10 schlemiel frosh from long island and a guy named Rosenberg. Does that sound NBA enticing to you??
You should be scratching your head with the rest of us as to why we went small with 3 guards against a big Columbia front line that was slower than Marco Baldi. I personally loved the play where Phil Greene was guarding the 6'8 Rosenberg who drove around him for a lay in in your classic mismatch or where Columbia ran 3 back door plays with not a SJ big in sight.
But I digress! For CO to continue to be a possible NBA pick in one or two years he needs to play quality minutes and show quality effort and improvement. That was not evident in the piss-poorly played Columbia game.
Class of 72
Active member
Rosenberg does not roll off an NBA scouts tongue like Gordon, Randle, Wiggins, or Parker if you missed the drift!
CO's 18 minutes were useless, meaningless and uninspiring against pork chop competition.
As stated by others Obekpa's lack of minutes on Saturday could have been for any number of reasons, but he's been in the teens three straight games now which is odd given that he had been one of our best players to that point. Sanchez was terrific on Saturday, but that was also a strange game to scale back on Obekpa given that Columbia's bigs - while skilled offensively - were not physical presences defensively. We should have been pounding it to Obekpa and even Gift early and often on the block. The one time I recall us doing so (on a beautiful entry from Sheed) Gift made a quick double move for a baby hook that was one of the easiest hoops we got all day. Not to mention Obekpa being an instant deterrent to Columbia's backcuts. This all notwithstanding, I'm sure Obekpa will go back to his typical mid-20s in minutes against Big East front lines as he will be needed.
9-3 is really solid as 10-2 is about as good as we could have reasonably expected at this point. The one dissapointing piece is what is being discussed in this thread, not just as it relates to Obekpa, but as a broader theme. It's been generally established that (1) Harrison and Sampson are going to play 30 or more almost every game, and (2) Jordan, Harrison, Greene, Sampson, Sanchez, Pointer, and Obekpa are going to be the 7 primary minute getters. Both of which are terrific, but I wish we had established a bit more rotation/role wise heading into BE play.
I view Lavin's rotation flexibility as a big strength of his, but these 12 games have been borderline erratic at times. Any one move - starting Felix in his first game, playing him 3 minutes the next; scaling back the number of minutes for the nation's leading shot-blocker; etc. - taken in isolation could be justified in any number of ways. But combined it's just seemed a bit all over the place, and as the revolving door that was the first half Saturday further demonstrated we don't really have a rotation yet. Getting the chance to watch a number of the top teams in the country on multiple occassions over the course of the last few weeks, this definitely is not the norm.
9-3 is really solid as 10-2 is about as good as we could have reasonably expected at this point. The one dissapointing piece is what is being discussed in this thread, not just as it relates to Obekpa, but as a broader theme. It's been generally established that (1) Harrison and Sampson are going to play 30 or more almost every game, and (2) Jordan, Harrison, Greene, Sampson, Sanchez, Pointer, and Obekpa are going to be the 7 primary minute getters. Both of which are terrific, but I wish we had established a bit more rotation/role wise heading into BE play.
I view Lavin's rotation flexibility as a big strength of his, but these 12 games have been borderline erratic at times. Any one move - starting Felix in his first game, playing him 3 minutes the next; scaling back the number of minutes for the nation's leading shot-blocker; etc. - taken in isolation could be justified in any number of ways. But combined it's just seemed a bit all over the place, and as the revolving door that was the first half Saturday further demonstrated we don't really have a rotation yet. Getting the chance to watch a number of the top teams in the country on multiple occassions over the course of the last few weeks, this definitely is not the norm.
tom in salem
Well-known member
would like to see more of obekpa/sampson/sanchez on the floor.
not as quick without pointer but certainly more offensive.
Class of 72
Active member
Ler me draw you a picture then:
Gordon, Randle, Wiggins, or Parker are prime rib.
Osetkowski, Rosenberg and En'Wezoh are pork chops in comparison.
HOWEVER....the three Lion players I referenced played better and more meaningful minutes than our "future" NBA bound and NCAA leading shot blocker.
If I were an NBA scout at Barclay I would have been impressed with the potential of Osetkowksi and underwhelmed by Obekpa....whether by wizardry design or by accident.
I think whomever started this thread was seeking feedback on the shrinking minutes of Chris Obekpa.
I am not sure what trafe is but I prefer tripe in a spicy red sauce.
zackmorris
Active member
No question this team is better when Obekpa is on the floor.
He conceals a multitude of defensive lapses.
Starting 5 should be:
Jordan
Harrison
Sampson
Sanchez
Obekpa
That gives us scoring, ball handling, rebounding etc.
Pointer, Phil, and Branch will provide seamless substitutions to eat up the bulk of the minutes.
Come the end of January I would really like to see a more well defined rotation.
He conceals a multitude of defensive lapses.
Starting 5 should be:
Jordan
Harrison
Sampson
Sanchez
Obekpa
That gives us scoring, ball handling, rebounding etc.
Pointer, Phil, and Branch will provide seamless substitutions to eat up the bulk of the minutes.
Come the end of January I would really like to see a more well defined rotation.
beast of the east
Active member
I think one of the obvious things that have stuck out this year about Obekpa were illustrated clearly in the Syracuse game. His offensive skills have dramatically improved, but was made to look so inept offensively vs. Syracuse that it's clear he's not an offensive factor against better teams. Having said that, we know we can get points out of Harrison, Sampson, Greene/Jordan, and Sanchez. Pointer's offensive ability seems limited. I think it's just a matter of having the best 5 on the floor at most points in the game, and Obekpa is just a very valuable sub right now.
I like to see more of Hooper The only deep threat we had was Harrisson By now we should have managed keep Hooper is the game lomger and run more picks for him The ball is still getting to him late
Also Obekpa should have had more offensive moves Coaches should have made sure that moves to the basket improvement from last yr was dramatically taking place
Also Obekpa should have had more offensive moves Coaches should have made sure that moves to the basket improvement from last yr was dramatically taking place
I have no idea as to why CO is seeing less minutes. Could be an aggravating injury (really is their any other kind), a rotation thing, the feeling Sanchez is a better overall defender (positioning or denying) or defender, or trying to get Gift more minutes or that it just worked out that way. I got the sense early on Labin was trying to get everyone some minutes in the last couple of games before the league season starts. I suspect that once the league games stop, the rotation won't be as long.
I am not going to worry about whether his reduced minutes will affect Diallo's decision no more than I wondered or worried as to whether Harrison's suspension last year might affect Jordan's decision on whether to come here or not. The coach is managing his players on and off the court trying to win a game and will put out the best available players and rotation he feels gives him the best opportunity to do so and that decision might change from game to game based on opponents and his team's play.
I know people are concerned about recruiting but does it really need to be brought up in a thread about CO's playing time against Columbia?
I am not going to worry about whether his reduced minutes will affect Diallo's decision no more than I wondered or worried as to whether Harrison's suspension last year might affect Jordan's decision on whether to come here or not. The coach is managing his players on and off the court trying to win a game and will put out the best available players and rotation he feels gives him the best opportunity to do so and that decision might change from game to game based on opponents and his team's play.
I know people are concerned about recruiting but does it really need to be brought up in a thread about CO's playing time against Columbia?