LJ Figueroa NY Post Piece

[quote="MCNPA" post=283659]I don’t think he’s a Desi Rodriguez type at all. More a Francisco Garcia type. Long, spreads the floor, smooth. If they passed on a big then fine, but from our history, if we do make the tourney, we will be smoked inevitably by some big guy from Gonzaga that’s 7’1 and just drops it in the bucket all day. One real big to defend that would be nice.[/quote]

I get what you're saying, but zags always have multiple threats both inside and out, based on their post season success, we're not the only ones who have a problem with the scenario you described.
 
[quote="MCNPA" post=283659]I don’t think he’s a Desi Rodriguez type at all. More a Francisco Garcia type. Long, spreads the floor, smooth. If they passed on a big then fine, but from our history, if we do make the tourney, we will be smoked inevitably by some big guy from Gonzaga that’s 7’1 and just drops it in the bucket all day. One real big to defend that would be nice.[/quote]

who was the big on Villanova to prevent the drops last year? Spellman? If so who was his backup, Cosby? Cosby seems much like Roberts, build wise.
 
Which gutless mod deleted two of my posts in this thread from yesterday (in which, neither one of 'em was derogatory in no way, shape or form)? Don't even have the balls to message me, but deleting messages because I don't pull any punches and goes against what they believe. I've narrowed it down to two in particular. Cowards.
 
Last edited:
shamsman2 wrote: who was the big on Villanova to prevent the drops last year? Spellman? If so who was his backup, Cosby? Cosby seems much like Roberts, build wise.

Spellman, Paschall and Roundtree are all listed as at 6'9" and 220 lbs or more. While there have been college teams who had success with only 1 big, it is unusual and there were no successful teams in BE last year w/o at least two bigs who got meaningful minutes.
 
[quote="NCJohnnie" post=283682]shamsman2 wrote: who was the big on Villanova to prevent the drops last year? Spellman? If so who was his backup, Cosby? Cosby seems much like Roberts, build wise.

Spellman, Paschall and Roundtree are all listed as at 6'9" and 220 lbs or more. While there have been college teams who had success with only 1 big, it is unusual and there were no successful teams in BE last year w/o at least two bigs who got meaningful minutes.[/quote]

Still praying for a big but if not, we have to be creative. Maybe Clark can be more in the paint to help with rebounds and/or relieve Keita, and leverage off Williams’ or even Roberts’ athleticis?
It shouldn’t be lost that we have real talent on the team and, following last season’s struggles, they have something to prove.
This assumes Ponds returns of course.
We shall see.
Let’s go Johnnies.
 
Last edited:
[quote="Chicago Days" post=283683][quote="NCJohnnie" post=283682]shamsman2 wrote: who was the big on Villanova to prevent the drops last year? Spellman? If so who was his backup, Cosby? Cosby seems much like Roberts, build wise.

Spellman, Paschall and Roundtree are all listed as at 6'9" and 220 lbs or more. While there have been college teams who had success with only 1 big, it is unusual and there were no successful teams in BE last year w/o at least two bigs who got meaningful minutes.[/quote]

Still praying for a big but if not, we have to be creative. Maybe Clark can be more in the paint to help with rebounds and/or relieve Keita, and leverage off Williams’ or even Roberts’ athleticis?
It shouldn’t be lost that we have real talent on the team and, following last season’s struggles, they have something to prove.
This assumes Ponds returns of course.
We shall see.
Let’s go Johnnies.[/quote]
Save your prayers to help preclude Johnnies acquiring the much feared “Always Something Syndrome” inclusive of symptoms like academic suspensions, injuries of consequence and player abductions. :)
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Chicago Days wrote: NCJohnnie wrote: shamsman2 wrote: who was the big on Villanova to prevent the drops last year? Spellman? If so who was his backup, Cosby? Cosby seems much like Roberts, build wise.

Spellman, Paschall and Roundtree are all listed as at 6'9" and 220 lbs or more. While there have been college teams who had success with only 1 big, it is unusual and there were no successful teams in BE last year w/o at least two bigs who got meaningful minutes.

Still praying for a big but if not, we have to be creative. Maybe Clark can be more in the paint to help with rebounds and/or relieve Keita, and leverage off Williams’ or even Roberts’ athleticis?
It shouldn’t be lost that we have real talent on the team and, following last season’s struggles, they have something to prove.
This assumes Ponds returns of course.
We shall see.
Let’s go Johnnies.

Chicago, agree with you that we have a lot of talent on the team and may well be successful with small ball - I certainly hope so. Just pointing out that playing (and being successful) with only one true big on the roster is
pretty unusual. Kansas and URI come to mind as examples last year, but even Kansas had a talented 6'9" 245 pound frosh who could spell their big man for 8-10 minutes a game when he got in foul trouble as he often did.
 
[quote="NCJohnnie" post=283686]Chicago Days wrote: NCJohnnie wrote: shamsman2 wrote: who was the big on Villanova to prevent the drops last year? Spellman? If so who was his backup, Cosby? Cosby seems much like Roberts, build wise.

Spellman, Paschall and Roundtree are all listed as at 6'9" and 220 lbs or more. While there have been college teams who had success with only 1 big, it is unusual and there were no successful teams in BE last year w/o at least two bigs who got meaningful minutes.

Still praying for a big but if not, we have to be creative. Maybe Clark can be more in the paint to help with rebounds and/or relieve Keita, and leverage off Williams’ or even Roberts’ athleticis?
It shouldn’t be lost that we have real talent on the team and, following last season’s struggles, they have something to prove.
This assumes Ponds returns of course.
We shall see.
Let’s go Johnnies.

Chicago, agree with you that we have a lot of talent on the team and may well be successful with small ball - I certainly hope so. Just pointing out that playing (and being successful) with only one true big on the roster is
pretty unusual. Kansas and URI come to mind as examples last year, but even Kansas had a talented 6'9" 245 pound frosh who could spell their big man for 8-10 minutes a game when he got in foul trouble as he often did.[/quote]

Oh I agree NCJohnnie. It’s the tougher road for sure. But looking at it, glass half-full, and adding some ‘creativity’, it is possible.
I hope!
 
Actually probably best example of a team that had great success last year with only one big man that got any significant minutes was Loyola of Chicago. So there's our blueprint! We'd all sign up for that.
 
[quote="NCJohnnie" post=283688]Actually probably best example of a team that had great success last year with only one big man that got any significant minutes was Loyola of Chicago. So there's our blueprint! We'd all sign up for that.[/quote]

And what success! A very smart team, high hoops IQ, played in control, with skilled guards.
Tellin’ ya, I’m ecstatic we (somehow) landed Figueroa. I think he’ll open up the court for our offense, a loosely-goose high-octane Wing. Teams will not be able to key on Ponds anymore and takes pressure off Shamorie and Simon and Clark, and should Free then up for clean shots.
Something to look forward to!
 
[quote="Moose" post=283610][quote="SJ_NYC" post=283606][quote="Moose" post=283590][quote="rawdognyc" post=283475]Honestly, some of the most negative and miserable people are on this board.[/quote]

And some of the most pollyanna all is well people are on the board too. Thats a message board. And That's what's 20 plus years of irrelevance and having the leader scorer in school history will get you.[/quote]

Not pollyanna-ish... just some take a more patient tact, others give a shorter leash. It's just a matter of approach.[/quote]

Agree to disagree. Mullin can run over a dog and there are many here who will blame the dog. I'm all for patience. But I've seen enough train wrecks to not have to wait them out like previously. As long as people respectfully make their points they should be allowed to and not subject to snarky oh here we go with the negative stuff retorts (not directing that at you).[/quote]

Maybe the dog has been shitting on people's lawns since 1992. Maybe the guy who owned Mullin's car before him left him with no brakes. Maybe the dog has been running in front of cars for over 20 years but only now has gotten hit. Lot of variables. Could be the dog's fault.
 
I would add off the top of my head from watching the tournament, Buffalo, Kansas State, and Arizona State as teams without much size in the rotation. I thInk in this era of ball, with the three as important as it is, smaller teams are much more prevalent than our posters seem to believe.

I think that is due to the average age of our posters (not a slam, I turn 60 myself this month) who have long histories watching a different game than is now played.

Ovrerall talent is the key, if we ever get enough we will be fine.

Big if.
 
Last edited:
[quote="IDRAFT" post=283692]I would add off the top of my head from watching the tournament, Buffalo, Kansas State, and Arizona State as teams without much size in the rotation. I thInk in this era of ball, with the three as important as it is, smaller teams are much more prevalent than our posters seem to believe.

I think that is due to the average age of our posters (not a slam, I turn 60 myself this month) who have long histories watching a different game than is now played.

Ovrerall talent is the key, if we ever get enough we will be fine.

Big if.[/quote]

You make good points IDRAFT.
We do go 6 deep in BEC quality players, assuming Ponds returns and counting Dixon and Keita—which isn’t too much of a stretch.
The key imo is to play ‘smarter’, not so helper-skelter and out of control with often poor or zero positioning under the boards.
Got to reduce that humongous rebounding deficit we had in NCAA play mostly all last season.
Hoping shooting accuracy and having at least one grunting Big underneath—with more help from Clark and maybe very athletic bench support (Williams/Roberts) might help.
Here’s looking forward to whT should be fun hoops to watch.
 
Can you imagine, if during our 11-game losing streak, it was suggested we could enter next year with only one big man? I am pretty sure the suggestion would have been unanimously demolished.

That said, it's amazing that a wing who has only played high school and JUCO ball has "changed the staffs offseason plans" (as Braziller reported). I am excited about LJF, just miffed about the vision.
 
[quote="JohnnyFan" post=283734]Can you imagine, if during our 11-game losing streak, it was suggested we could enter next year with only one big man? I am pretty sure the suggestion would have been unanimously demolished.

That said, it's amazing that a wing who has only played high school and JUCO ball has "changed the staffs offseason plans" (as Braziller reported). I am excited about LJF, just miffed about the vision.[/quote]

Either clean your glasses or use eyedrops, that'll work
 
DON'T BE MIFFED HE IS THAT GOOD. Regarding the big man,keita is 6-10- and Roberts is about the same We will be better than fine next yr
 
[quote="usguard" post=283748]DON'T BE MIFFED HE IS THAT GOOD. Regarding the big man,keita is 6-10- and Roberts is about the same We will be better than fine next yr[/quote]

For 10th time Roberts is 6’8 & rail thin. Give him time.
 
[quote="Paultzman" post=283750][quote="usguard" post=283748]DON'T BE MIFFED HE IS THAT GOOD. Regarding the big man,keita is 6-10- and Roberts is about the same We will be better than fine next yr[/quote]

For 10th time Roberts is 6’8 & rail thin. Give him time.[/quote] It is also unlikely ME is going to really help next year. That’s the problem, 1 ankle twist and we could be in trouble. Hoping we stay healthy and Williams can contribute, which I think he can.
 
Last edited:
IDRAFT wrote: I would add off the top of my head from watching the tournament, Buffalo, Kansas State, and Arizona State as teams without much size in the rotation. I thInk in this era of ball, with the three as important as it is, smaller teams are much more prevalent than our posters seem to believe.

I think that is due to the average age of our posters (not a slam, I turn 60 myself this month) who have long histories watching a different game than is now played.

Ovrerall talent is the key, if we ever get enough we will be fine


Let’s not forget that duke had huge advantage on us in size yet out rebounded us by 3. We held our own a couple other times we were expected to be out rebounded by wide margin. Sure we had bad days rebounding overall but our guard play this year is gonna be a big advantage for us and hopefully will outshine our weakness of overall height. We know what Simon can bring now and with ponds. Dixon. And LJ we will have a distinct advantage over taller teams so they will hopefully exploit that more than us being exploited by that lack of height and 1 big position. And for those comparing Ahmed and LJ and that it took Ahmed a while to figure things out (I’m not so sure he did figure it out as I expected more from him) it seems to me that LJ has much more accolades and a better pedigree coming in than Ahmed did. Being a 4 star etc and putting up better numbers than Ahmed did.
 
Last edited:
Also our losing streak came when Lovett got injured and we gave a lot of the extra minutes to Owens.

Lovett is not that big, I thought our complete lack of three point shooting in many of our losses was our downfall. Hopefully that was addressed, and I think it was.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top