Josiah Turner - PG - SMU

I am torn on Josiah. I think a year ago signing him is a no brainer. I have to wonder how signing him now will affect the chemistry of this team. Branch is also a highly touted PG, though slightly less so than Turner was. How do you manage to keep everyone in the system right now on board? Neither of them is going to want to play 20 minutes a game and I can't picture trying to run the two of them and sitting Harrison who was our leading scorer last year. I like the idea of talent but I am not sure how i feel about how that talent mixes with what we already have, and I don't really want to lose any of the kids that we have. Does anyone see how this would work for us?
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Keep in mind that Turner wouldn't step on the court till 2014. I'm not one who believes this, but plenty of our fans think D'angelo could be a pro after his sophomore or junior season. So between the possibility of guys leaving for the nba, or transfers (which will happen, they happen to everyone), tomorrow is never guaranteed if you know what I mean.

We were the exception last year in that we had such a ridiculously short bench we got used to the notion that starters play 30+ minutes. Nothing wrong with Branch, Harrison, and Turner all playing 25 minutes two years from now if they are all still here.
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Fall 2013
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Yep, I edited the mistake.
My point is just that it's not an issue this year. And nobody knows who will still be here next year, or who might go pro, transfer, or get injured.
 
I am torn on Josiah. I think a year ago signing him is a no brainer. I have to wonder how signing him now will affect the chemistry of this team. Branch is also a highly touted PG, though slightly less so than Turner was. How do you manage to keep everyone in the system right now on board? Neither of them is going to want to play 20 minutes a game and I can't picture trying to run the two of them and sitting Harrison who was our leading scorer last year. I like the idea of talent but I am not sure how i feel about how that talent mixes with what we already have, and I don't really want to lose any of the kids that we have. Does anyone see how this would work for us?
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The key is Lavin's ability to get guys to buy into the team concept. Last year he signed a bunch of small forwards who apparently didn't mind sharing the position. There's no reason he can't do that on an ongoing basis. There were some pretty awesome yukon teams that had, and often started, two points.
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I don't discredit that at all, and I remember some good 'nova teams running a 3 guard/2 forwards type lineup. Just wasn't sure how this would work/look for us?
Turner
Branch
Harrison
Sampson
???Sanchez/Chandler(assuming he's here)/Garret/Pointer/???

It would almost seem anticlimatic to get bigs and then go small with a three guard line up.
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It would depend on the situation/matchups. With the kind of flexibility our lineup's gonna have Lavin can mix and match to create the scenario he wants.
 
I am torn on Josiah. I think a year ago signing him is a no brainer. I have to wonder how signing him now will affect the chemistry of this team. Branch is also a highly touted PG, though slightly less so than Turner was. How do you manage to keep everyone in the system right now on board? Neither of them is going to want to play 20 minutes a game and I can't picture trying to run the two of them and sitting Harrison who was our leading scorer last year. I like the idea of talent but I am not sure how i feel about how that talent mixes with what we already have, and I don't really want to lose any of the kids that we have. Does anyone see how this would work for us?
Click to expand...
 

The key is Lavin's ability to get guys to buy into the team concept. Last year he signed a bunch of small forwards who apparently didn't mind sharing the position. There's no reason he can't do that on an ongoing basis. There were some pretty awesome yukon teams that had, and often started, two points.
Click to expand...
 

I don't discredit that at all, and I remember some good 'nova teams running a 3 guard/2 forwards type lineup. Just wasn't sure how this would work/look for us?
Turner
Branch
Harrison
Sampson
???Sanchez/Chandler(assuming he's here)/Garret/Pointer/???

It would almost seem anticlimatic to get bigs and then go small with a three guard line up.
Click to expand...
 

It would depend on the situation/matchups. With the kind of flexibility our lineup's gonna have Lavin can mix and match to create the scenario he wants.
Click to expand...
 

Lavin will now be able to impart his pace and his style on the game. Three guards and two forwards or two guards, a wing like Garret or Pointer, and two forwards like Sanchez and Sampson will advantage STJ more offensively and pressuring defensively than it will disadvantage them in the half court.

It is going to be a track meet.
 
I know a guy close to the Soldiers program. If I see him shooting hoops when I take my daughter to the playground later I'll ask if he's heard anything about Turner's favorites.
 
 Getting a Turner a possible risk?


http://www.rumbleinthegarden.com/20...recruiting-risk-reward-josiah-turner-transfer
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I don't know what his real issues have been and why? People can say he's a "head case" all day long, but it's really up to our staff to assess if it's manageable. I like to give kid's benefit of doubt. Lavin is also a guy who can really get along with players and relate. A good communicator can often get across to kids that have struggled at other places. I trust our staff has the mix of personalities to decide if that "risk" is worth taking.
 
 Getting a Turner a possible risk?


http://www.rumbleinthegarden.com/20...recruiting-risk-reward-josiah-turner-transfer
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I don't know what his real issues have been and why? People can say he's a "head case" all day long, but it's really up to our staff to assess if it's manageable. I like to give kid's benefit of doubt. Lavin is also a guy who can really get along with players and relate. A good communicator can often get across to kids that have struggled at other places. I trust our staff has the mix of personalities to decide if that "risk" is worth taking.
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Gene Keady, when asked on the Red Storm Report biggest difference between Lavin now and when he first started out as a Grad Assistant: "He's a disciplinarian now." Don't take lightly the UCLA experience and the influence of Coach Wooden. He gets along with his players but I get the feeling that anyone Lavin brings in, be it Chandler, Turner, or a Nurideen Lindsey, they better toe the line or they will be gone.
 
The latest:

 Justin Raffington, @DarrickWood & Phil Nolan expected at #stjbb this wknd...Josiah Turner expected after his final exams,sources tell
 
I'm worried we might run out of schollies to give by the time he visits campus. lol 
 
I'm worried we might run out of schollies to give by the time he visits campus. lol 
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It's a good problem to have. Of the bunch I'd like Nolan the best simply because he's a big athletic body and has some talent that can be honed. Reminds me a bit of Hilton Armstrong out of Hs. Calhoun worked wonders with him. We need size more than anything right now and Nolan would fit that bill. 
 
I'm worried we might run out of schollies to give by the time he visits campus. lol 
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It's a good problem to have. Of the bunch I'd like Nolan the best simply because he's a big athletic body and has some talent that can be honed. Reminds me a bit of Hilton Armstrong out of Hs. Calhoun worked wonders with him. We need size more than anything right now and Nolan would fit that bill. 
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He reminds me of Norvel 
 
 Josiah arrested today by UA campus police for suspicion of DUI. My guess is it takes us a different direction than Josiah.
 
It wouldn't surprise me if Lavin spoke to Turner and advised him to make this a turning point for the better in his life. 
 
The Wood commitment and the focus on adding multiple bigs means this ship has sailed. I truly think if Turner was serious and staff felt secure he would be here and not Wood. But the fact he never made it here and the reason why leads to Wood being our guy.

Also don't need a risk like him who can help kill an APR
 
 Can never tell, but Wood may be a four year player with evolving skills. Need those guys in addition to elite folks!
 
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