Guys on Matt’s Radar

[quote="Paultzman" post=281532][quote="NCJohnnie" post=281530]Beginning to think a grad (or other) big man is just a figment of redmen.com posters collective imaginations. Suspect staff has LJ, Eli or Marcellus penciled in as backup center....[/quote]
In that case;
Keita, Clark, Roberts, Earlington & a touch of Simon occasionally man the interior I guess[/quote]

Hopefully Keita is not foul prone because I don't see any improvement in rebounding if this staff cannot find a banger.
There have been a lot of talented bigs in the tri-state area since the Mullin experiment and many serviceable bigs nation-wide but if they invest a lot of time in Kofi and still lose him then this staff will never be able to construct a front line capable of competitive basketball in the Big East. If Ewing restores the "big" tradition at Georgetown other players will follow. Mullin needs to do the same with Kofi because if he can't stop the bleeding of bigs and talent from the city any advantage of his name recognition will be ancient history with the new generation of players. Waiting to be surprised instead of disappointed.
 
[quote="JohnnyFan" post=281539]I will have a tough time forgiving if we don't land a grad transfer big. It is fair to say that we have had two years to line-up candidates. Completely striking out (again) would be a real head scratcher.

At this point, my outlook on the staff hinges on this one issue.[/quote]

I would be stunned if the Staff cannot sign a Grad Big, a Juco Big, somebody's very big cousin--whomever--totally befuddled.
It would be inexplicable to not find a decent big guy, as Johnny Fan rightly points out, following 2 years of looking.
DePaul can, yet we cannot?
Failure would jeopardize next season and our chances for our 2019 recruiting targets.
Unbelievable.
 
[quote="sjc88" post=281541][quote="Paultzman" post=281536][quote="Boo Harvey" post=281535][quote="Paultzman" post=281534][quote="NCJohnnie" post=281533]Paultzman wrote: In that case;
Keita, Clark, Roberts, Earlington & a touch of Simon occasionally man the interior I guess

Just don't see any success in that case. But as many have said, staff will have dug their own grave if they let that happen. I continue to hope Chris & team succeed but they need to make it happen. There was not a successful BE team last year that didn't have at least 2 decent big men.[/quote]
Can’t argue w that. Hopefully they still surprise us[/quote]

Paultz,

Are you still optimistic we’ll get a serviceable big fifth year transfer?[/quote]
Not seeing anything on specific players yet is not giving me confidence. We will see.[/quote]

If that is the case then this team is fatally flawed heading into next season. I respect Paultz's assessment (and others here) that Roberts, ME, and Diakite will need some time to make significant contributions. We now have seen Clark and he is not really a back to the basket guy. So basically Diakite is our hope in the post? Offensively it looks to me we will be killed on the glass. Defensively we will miss Owens shot blocking ability. IF staff doesn't get some sort of big guy they might as well start looking for jobs. I like CM and support him but (like we said last year) this will be a major fail. Fail to address one year, frustrating but they got a pass. Fail to address two years in a row, with a talent like Ponds in the Program is unforgiveable.
However, I (won't jump the gun yet) will hold out hope that they will deliver someone.[/quote]

Diakite isn't a post player.
 
True. However, I was reiterating others who have indicated that they feel these guys may not be ready to contribute immediately. From what I am hearing Diakite may not even be fully rehabbed to play. At this point everyone may need to be a "post" player since Keita may be our one and only option.
 
We still have the 6’10’Roberts as well. People are forgetting him. He might not be a dynamo from day 1 but he’s big and athletic and hits the boards and glass. It’s not just Keita. That said we need a grad or juco big so we aren’t constantly overmatched with depth at the C/PF spot.
 
There is no grad big or anyone else coming at this point to play down low. Maybe that will change but realistically we may have no one else to fill this void.

Ready or not Josh Roberts projects to be Keita's backup at the five assuming we do not bring in another player. Hopefully he can develop into a serviceable backup and be a contributor next season. It seems right now that his development will be critical for us.

We lost Owens, Alibegovic and Yakwe as inside players. We have added Keita and Roberts. This looks like it is a downgrade but we will see how it plays out.

From what I have heard we can't be certain about Earlington being able to contribute next year. My understanding is that Diakite is really a small forward not a 4 or a 5 and who knows how he will play off the knee injury anyway.

The staff has to know we need to add somebody for the interior, but probably the best transfer big out there (Omer Yetseven) went to rival Georgetown. I don't think St. John's had a plan for Owens leaving and hadn't built relationships with inside players for the 2018/19 season.

I haven't heard this guy mentioned in a while and I know he is more of a stretch four than a low post banger but we offered Sloan Seymour this past July. He is 6' 8" and seems like he can rebound. He is also a really good outside shooter (42% from beyond the arc). As far as I know he has not signed with anyone for next year. He would be better than whiffing for next season IMO.

[URL][URL]https://www.bigeastcoastb...johns-red-storm-basketball-2018-sloan-seymour[/URL][/URL]

[URL][URL]http://www.espn.com/nba/s...ball-partnership-means-future-draft-prospects[/URL][/URL]
 
[quote="MCNPA" post=281546]We still have the 6’10’Roberts as well. People are forgetting him. He might not be a dynamo from day 1 but he’s big and athletic and hits the boards and glass. It’s not just Keita. That said we need a grad or juco big so we aren’t constantly overmatched with depth at the C/PF spot.[/quote]
MCNPA, I don't think we are forgetting him. The part that is missing from another thread was it was thought that Roberts amongst some of the younger recruits might not be ready to give us significant minutes. Roberts is listed at 6'9' and 210 pounds. I think that is where some of the concern for getting an experienced big has come from. I admit I have not seen him or Diakite or any of next years 1st year kids play. Just going off what some knowledgeable posters have seen or heard from staff.
 
[quote="ghostzapper" post=281547]I haven't heard this guy mentioned in a while and I know he is more of a stretch four than a low post banger but we offered Sloan Seymour this past July. He is 6' 8" and seems like he can rebound. He is also a really good outside shooter (42% from beyond the arc). As far as I know he has not signed with anyone for next year. He would be better than whiffing for next season IMO.[/quote]

Maurice Calloo says, "Hello!" :) I don't know anything about Seymour (or, much about Calloo), but they could possibly be similar in style. Remember, Calloo is visiting us next weekend.
 
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[quote="MCNPA" post=281546]We still have the 6’10’Roberts as well. People are forgetting him. He might not be a dynamo from day 1 but he’s big and athletic and hits the boards and glass. It’s not just Keita. That said we need a grad or juco big so we aren’t constantly overmatched with depth at the C/PF spot.[/quote]

I actually do think Roberts may surprise to the upside. That said, I think it's a lot to ask a freshman to make any kind of significant contribution in the paint during conference play. Just an enormous jump from high school.
 
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[quote="MCNPA" post=281546]We still have the 6’10’Roberts as well. People are forgetting him. He might not be a dynamo from day 1 but he’s big and athletic and hits the boards and glass. It’s not just Keita. That said we need a grad or juco big so we aren’t constantly overmatched with depth at the C/PF spot.[/quote]

#229 nationally

#49 ranked SF

https://247sports.com/Player/Josh-Roberts-46041273
 
[quote="sjc88" post=281545]True. However, I was reiterating others who have indicated that they feel these guys may not be ready to contribute immediately. From what I am hearing Diakite may not even be fully rehabbed to play. At this point everyone may need to be a "post" player since Keita may be our one and only option.[/quote]

As of right now, it appears we've replaced Owens and Ahmed with Keita and Dixon in the starting lineup.
Does anyone see an improvement here?
Good thing Seton Hall will suck.
8th place is attainable.
 
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[quote="Tom in Salem" post=281558][quote="sjc88" post=281545]True. However, I was reiterating others who have indicated that they feel these guys may not be ready to contribute immediately. From what I am hearing Diakite may not even be fully rehabbed to play. At this point everyone may need to be a "post" player since Keita may be our one and only option.[/quote]

As of right now, it appears we've replaced Owens and Ahmed with Keita and Dixon in the starting lineup.
Does anyone see an improvement here?
Good thing Seton Hall will suck.
8th place is attainable.[/quote]

I would not assume Seton Hall will be taking a nose dive. Should be noted that NJIT grad transfer big Abdul Lewis was on the Pirate's campus on March 18th.
 
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[quote="MJDinkins" post=281549][quote="ghostzapper" post=281547]I haven't heard this guy mentioned in a while and I know he is more of a stretch four than a low post banger but we offered Sloan Seymour this past July. He is 6' 8" and seems like he can rebound. He is also a really good outside shooter (42% from beyond the arc). As far as I know he has not signed with anyone for next year. He would be better than whiffing for next season IMO.[/quote]

Maurice Calloo says, "Hello!" :) I don't know anything about Seymour (or, much about Calloo), but they could possibly be similar in style. Remember, Calloo is visiting us next weekend.[/quote]

Seymour is not the answer. Last I heard he’s going prep route after having some scholarships pulled. Not even the best Big on his high school team.
 
[quote="Tom in Salem" post=281556][quote="MCNPA" post=281546]We still have the 6’10’Roberts as well. People are forgetting him. He might not be a dynamo from day 1 but he’s big and athletic and hits the boards and glass. It’s not just Keita. That said we need a grad or juco big so we aren’t constantly overmatched with depth at the C/PF spot.[/quote]

#229 nationally

#49 ranked SF

https://247sports.com/Player/Josh-Roberts-46041273[/quote]
I see that he's listed as a SF.
 
[quote="redken" post=281571][quote="Tom in Salem" post=281556][quote="MCNPA" post=281546]We still have the 6’10’Roberts as well. People are forgetting him. He might not be a dynamo from day 1 but he’s big and athletic and hits the boards and glass. It’s not just Keita. That said we need a grad or juco big so we aren’t constantly overmatched with depth at the C/PF spot.[/quote]

#229 nationally

#49 ranked SF

https://247sports.com/Player/Josh-Roberts-46041273[/quote]
I see that he's listed as a SF.[/quote]
Athletic, good upside, learning game after splitting time playing football, but really needs to bulk up if he is expected to bang inside seems to be common view.
 
Please ,no more of what Owns did. He was basically an average player at 6-11 could block shots and could not guard bigs his size and had no face up moves and thought he was a guard
 
[quote="Paultzman" post=281573][quote="redken" post=281571][quote="Tom in Salem" post=281556][quote="MCNPA" post=281546]We still have the 6’10’Roberts as well. People are forgetting him. He might not be a dynamo from day 1 but he’s big and athletic and hits the boards and glass. It’s not just Keita. That said we need a grad or juco big so we aren’t constantly overmatched with depth at the C/PF spot.[/quote]

#229 nationally

#49 ranked SF

https://247sports.com/Player/Josh-Roberts-46041273[/quote]
I see that he's listed as a SF.[/quote]
Athletic, good upside, learning game after splitting time playing football, but really needs to bulk up if he is expected to bang inside seems to be common view.[/quote]
If he needs to bulk up for basketball what the heck was he doing playing football? Must have been the worlds tallest field goal kicker.:huh:
 
[quote="bamafan" post=281578][quote="Paultzman" post=281573][quote="redken" post=281571][quote="Tom in Salem" post=281556][quote="MCNPA" post=281546]We still have the 6’10’Roberts as well. People are forgetting him. He might not be a dynamo from day 1 but he’s big and athletic and hits the boards and glass. It’s not just Keita. That said we need a grad or juco big so we aren’t constantly overmatched with depth at the C/PF spot.[/quote]

#229 nationally

#49 ranked SF

https://247sports.com/Player/Josh-Roberts-46041273[/quote]
I see that he's listed as a SF.[/quote]
Athletic, good upside, learning game after splitting time playing football, but really needs to bulk up if he is expected to bang inside seems to be common view.[/quote]
If he needs to bulk up for basketball what the heck was he doing playing football? Must have been the worlds tallest field goal kicker.:huh:[/quote]
Wide receiver
 
[quote="Paultzman" post=281582][quote="bamafan" post=281578][quote="Paultzman" post=281573][quote="redken" post=281571][quote="Tom in Salem" post=281556][quote="MCNPA" post=281546]We still have the 6’10’Roberts as well. People are forgetting him. He might not be a dynamo from day 1 but he’s big and athletic and hits the boards and glass. It’s not just Keita. That said we need a grad or juco big so we aren’t constantly overmatched with depth at the C/PF spot.[/quote]

#229 nationally

#49 ranked SF

https://247sports.com/Player/Josh-Roberts-46041273[/quote]
I see that he's listed as a SF.[/quote]
Athletic, good upside, learning game after splitting time playing football, but really needs to bulk up if he is expected to bang inside seems to be common view.[/quote]
If he needs to bulk up for basketball what the heck was he doing playing football? Must have been the worlds tallest field goal kicker.:huh:[/quote]
Wide receiver who is more like 6’8 than 6’10 referenced here at times and very thin, perhaps wiry if a positive spin is needed. :)
 
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