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Norm,

 

Not counting TP... since I agree, our goal should be to get kids to the NBA.

At least 2 of the other 5 who left early are better than any of the 5 who have stayed.

 

Pitchford

Tarin Smith

 

The best of the 5 is Tai Webster. He is a role player.

 

Not hating, just stating the facts and responding to your post.

 

I believe in Miles - but if you aren't at least a LITTLE concerned with all the turnover, both on the court and with coaches, then I guess we'll just agree to disagree.

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Norm,

 

Not counting TP... since I agree, our goal should be to get kids to the NBA.

At least 2 of the other 5 who left early are better than any of the 5 who have stayed.

 

Pitchford

Tarin Smith

 

The best of the 5 is Tai Webster. He is a role player.

 

Not hating, just stating the facts and responding to your post.

 

I believe in Miles - but if you aren't at least a LITTLE concerned with all the turnover, both on the court and with coaches, then I guess we'll just agree to disagree.

 

Pitchford did leave for the NBA though  :ph34r:

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The next (and I'll admit fair response) is: "Yes, but we by far have the best recruiting class since the early 90's. Maybe ever."

 

100% agree.

 

My point is with this (and the post a made a few weeks back) is that if we have any more turnover of the new class... and recent history (Doc included) would say we will... we have razor thin margin for error, because after this year, we have very few upper classmen and what's more, our assistant coaches are a revolving door. At some point recruiting and selling is going to be difficult if we continue to have turnover, is my ultimate point.

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The next (and I'll admit fair response) is: "Yes, but we by far have the best recruiting class since the early 90's. Maybe ever."

 

100% agree.

 

My point is with this (and the post a made a few weeks back) is that if we have any more turnover of the new class... and recent history (Doc included) would say we will... we have razor thin margin for error, because after this year, we have very few upper classmen and what's more, our assistant coaches are a revolving door. At some point recruiting and selling is going to be difficult if we continue to have turnover, is my ultimate point.

 

766 players from 303 schools transferred last year which doesn't include any of the guys leaving early for the pros. Having someone not transfer/leave our program would put us in the minority.

After the 2013-14 season seven players and Scott Spinelli left Maryland. They ended up ok.

 

Thus, when I look at our turnover I don't see I see a problem so much as I see the norm for college basketball. The trick, like Maryland illustrated, is that at the end of the day you want to end at a net positive. If TS, WP, and TP turn into a PG, actual big man, and Div 1 transfer doesn't that seem like it could be a net positive?

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Norm,

 

Not counting TP... since I agree, our goal should be to get kids to the NBA.

At least 2 of the other 5 who left early are better than any of the 5 who have stayed.

 

Pitchford

Tarin Smith

 

The best of the 5 is Tai Webster. He is a role player.

 

Not hating, just stating the facts and responding to your post.

 

I believe in Miles - but if you aren't at least a LITTLE concerned with all the turnover, both on the court and with coaches, then I guess we'll just agree to disagree.

Well, Dave, all I can say is maybe I know too much that I can't say because, coming from me, it would just be rumor and hearsay.

 

So let's just say we're better off with some of the recent changes in player personnel and leave it at that.

 

Vooch was a reach but with short time to find bodies, I'm not going to criticize. 

Biggs wanted so bad to be here and was a credible recruit.  He just needed to go.  No argument.

Hawkins:  Best we could find in a short recruiting cycle; not good enough to stay.

Petteway and Pitchford:  Two players without whom we don't reach the NCAA tourney.  Landing them was good.

Petteway has legitimate professional aspirations; Walt had probably worn out his welcome; and the two probably couldn't have co-existed here another season anyway.

Smith. was. O. K.  Not as good as he thought he was.  And if that's how he wants to be, I'd rather take a chance on Bakari.

 

So, there's the six. 

 

Not losing sleep over losing any of them.  Wish them all well. 

 

None were unjustifiable reaches as recruits.  All were worthy of the offers they received when we brought them in, given the attendant circumstances at the time.  And a few of them performed well beyond what we should have expected for the resumes they had at the time we brought them in.

 

But the time had arrived for each and every one of them to move on when they did, and sometimes not as a matter of their choosing.

 

That's what I meant by "name those 6 players" and you won't feel so bad.

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Norm,

Not counting TP... since I agree, our goal should be to get kids to the NBA.

At least 2 of the other 5 who left early are better than any of the 5 who have stayed.

Pitchford

Tarin Smith

The best of the 5 is Tai Webster. He is a role player.

Not hating, just stating the facts and responding to your post.

I believe in Miles - but if you aren't at least a LITTLE concerned with all the turnover, both on the court and with coaches, then I guess we'll just agree to disagree.

Well, Dave, all I can say is maybe I know too much that I can't say because, coming from me, it would just be rumor and hearsay.

So let's just say we're better off with some of the recent changes in player personnel and leave it at that.

Vooch was a reach but with short time to find bodies, I'm not going to criticize.

Biggs wanted so bad to be here and was a credible recruit. He just needed to go. No argument.

Hawkins: Best we could find in a short recruiting cycle; not good enough to stay.

Petteway and Pitchford: Two players without whom we don't reach the NCAA tourney. Landing them was good.

Petteway has legitimate professional aspirations; Walt had probably worn out his welcome; and the two probably couldn't have co-existed here another season anyway.

Smith. was. O. K. Not as good as he thought he was. And if that's how he wants to be, I'd rather take a chance on Bakari.

So, there's the six.

Not losing sleep over losing any of them. Wish them all well.

None were unjustifiable reaches as recruits. All were worthy of the offers they received when we brought them in, given the attendant circumstances at the time. And a few of them performed well beyond what we should have expected for the resumes they had at the time we brought them in.

But the time had arrived for each and every one of them to move on when they did, and sometimes not as a matter of their choosing.

That's what I meant by "name those 6 players" and you won't feel so bad.

Losing sleep is pry a bit drastic as this is just a game, but losing Petteway sucks big time. Sorry Norm, you can't sugarcoat that and say that doesn't bother you at all.

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Norm,

 

Not counting TP... since I agree, our goal should be to get kids to the NBA.

At least 2 of the other 5 who left early are better than any of the 5 who have stayed.

 

Pitchford

Tarin Smith

 

The best of the 5 is Tai Webster. He is a role player.

 

Not hating, just stating the facts and responding to your post.

 

I believe in Miles - but if you aren't at least a LITTLE concerned with all the turnover, both on the court and with coaches, then I guess we'll just agree to disagree.

Well said.

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No, Jason, not saying it doesn't suck. But I am saying losing Petteway does NOT mean the program is in disarray and circling the drain.

Good reasons we brought in each of those six and good reasons for them all to be gone, whether by our choice or theirs.

 

Norm, I think I know exactly what you mean and I agree.  The main thing that would have been nice about having Petteway stay for his senior year - IMO - would have been that it would have eased the transition from Shavon/Terran to the new kids (who will take the program from the baseline level that they created to the next level).  That would have likely come at the detriment to Terran's  potential pro career though, and it's pretty unfair to do that to him.  If he can make a go at being a pro, he has an obligation to himself and his family to do so.

 

But the cupboard is by no means bare, no matter what some folks will want to believe.

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Fair enough on all accords, Norm.

And Lanigan, I hope you're right about Tai. He certainly improved his effort and understanding of defense this year and thus, became a (at times) very GOOD defensive player. Improved mightily.

 

IF he can do 1/2 of that offensively, then maybe he can become more than a role player. But at the moment, a turnover prone "2" who can't shoot doesn't inspire me.

 

Again, not bashing the kid, I like him and am glad he stayed. He has made big strides defensively. But we need him to do the same offensively. Fair or unfair, with the current situation and hand dealt, he NEEDS to take that next step next year. And let's hope he can.

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I think Tai will start this year. I think he will emerge as a decent starter. I think he plays the 2. White the 3 and Shields the 4.

I could see Watson starting at the point and Evelyn at the 2 spot. Evelyn shot over 50% from behind the three point line his senior year in high school.  I know it was a short year, but he still put that number up.  With Benny back in his 'energizer' role off the bench and Tai with his improved defense, they'll provide nice depth, and different skill sets at our guard spots.

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TP going pro early is a major recruiting pitch for Miles if he makes the league.  

 

I think we're forgetting how much the loss of Gallegos hurt us.  We're going to have designated shooters next year.  We didn't have a single one this year.  Any team that packed it in and played zone was either going to beat us or play us close.

 

Next year, good luck rolling out a 2-3 versus players like Watson, Evelyn, White, McVeigh, and Jacobson with an angry finisher like Morrow roaming the baseline.  This sort of shooting ability will allow us to adjust offensively, which we really couldn't do at all this year.  

 

Additionally, if we can spread out man defenses, Shavon is going to get to the rack constantly.  

 

I get the concern, but it doesn't even come close to the optimism of having a complete team.  Yeah, we're short a big (right now), but Morrow is a great looking PF and Jacobson is a big body who can stretch the floor.  I can't stress this enough:  don't sleep on Hammond.  I think the dude can really play if he's 15lbs heavier, though he's certainly our least proven commodity.  

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