Competition for playing time will be fierce

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pulitzerdave
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Competition for playing time will be fierce

Post by pulitzerdave » April 10th, 2020, 1:05 pm

In a Q&A column in the KC Star today, Kellis Robinette offered his starting five for next season. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

PG - Nijel Pack
SG- Mike McGuirl
SF- D.Gordon
PF- Montavious Murphy
C - Levi Stockard

OK, I see a couple of those guys starting, but if this is the starting lineup for very long, I'll eat my Wildcat Willie ball cap.

I don't have an argument with Nijel Pack and Montavious Murphy starting, although I think Pack will be pushed pretty hard by Rudi Williams, and wouldn't be surprised if Williams starts the season at PG. Montavious Murphy is probably the surest bet to start and play significant minutes, and hope he's healthy enough to do that. But that's where it ends, folks.

The biggest glaring position to me is D.Gordon at small forward. Let's get real here. I know there are lots of D.Gordon fans in Wildcat land, and many are counting on him to be a leader for next year's team, but in my mind, we've recruited over him. If you're going to stick a 6'4" guy on the wing, just to get him in the lineup ... well, I think we'll have better options. Especially if we want to put the ball in the basket. If we land Donavan Williams on Monday, then he'd be my candidate to eventually fill that role. We have a couple of other options at that position as well, so that spot is going to be a dog fight for playing time.

And so is the SG position. I like Mike, and his leadership will be needed, but Selton Miguel may be a potential star. How is he worked into the starting lineup? And do those two share time with D.Gordon, who is not a SF. Again, fierce competition for playing time. And where does shooter Luke Kasubke fit in? Can he swing to the 3 spot? Probably, and that may be his natural position.

If Levi Stockard is our starting center, then we've failed again on the recruiting front in finding a worthy player at that spot. Again, several possibilities for shared playing time including 4-star Davion Bradford and transfer Kaosi Ezeagu.

Is Seryee Lewis the backup PF? Is A.Gordon going to be the "forgotten man"?

Sorting all of this out will be the task of Bruce Weber and his staff. Let's hope he gets it right.

tmcats
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Post by tmcats » April 10th, 2020, 1:15 pm

if that's the first part of the season lineup, i have to agree with kellis. journeymen are going to get the starting slots coming out of the chute. that's just weber methodology. legendary coach al mcquire said: the best thing about freshmen is that they become sophomores.

levi improved a lot this past season. and the five spot seems the single most difficult for freshmen to master. i'm guessing pack is the starting point guard if his body is big enough to withstand the turmoil otherwise rudi. mike and d'gordon will certainly start the season and probably as team captains. so, without seeing the incoming guys, i have to agree with kellis, pain me as it does.
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Post by Horses_n_Hoops » April 10th, 2020, 1:31 pm

I too agree with Kellis. That’s probably the starting line up at the beginning of the year. I think that Davion Bradford and Selton Miguel could make in on there too throughout the year. Williams could also be a starter provided we get him.

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Post by AJcat7755 » April 10th, 2020, 1:55 pm

I would bet someone gets a redshirt. I would bet on Seryee Lewis being that guy. Lowest rated player on a loaded freshman class that needs to be evened out and at a position that has a bit of depth and needs a strong body so he could use an extra year of S&T.

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Post by stlcatfan » April 10th, 2020, 2:10 pm

We will have lots of depth next season. I would like to see Coach Weber rotate a lot of guys in and out. Everyone gets playing time and we will be less likely to have the young guys hitting a wall in late January or early February.
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tmcats
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Post by tmcats » April 10th, 2020, 2:38 pm

i watched rodney sit on the bench as a freshman in favor of senior chris merriweather.

https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/ ... uder-38036

and Jordan Henriquez in favor of senior Louis colon.



https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/ ... quez-38031
Why is there something rather than nothing?

JOKKO
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Post by JOKKO » April 10th, 2020, 2:50 pm

tmcats wrote:
April 10th, 2020, 2:38 pm
i watched rodney sit on the bench as a freshman in favor of senior chris merriweather.

https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/ ... uder-38036

and Jordan Henriquez in favor of senior Louis colon.



https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/ ... quez-38031
Rodney sitting in favor of Chris is embarrassing. J-O was much slower to develop (maybe by not playing), but Luis should never have been a starting center at a P5 school!

tmcats
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Post by tmcats » April 10th, 2020, 2:56 pm

that's my point about freshman having to wait their turn even some of our best, certainly in rodney's case. and we'll see it next season as well early-on.
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JOKKO
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Post by JOKKO » April 10th, 2020, 2:58 pm

Yeah, all things being equal...trust the senior.

All things are never equal!

pulitzerdave
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Post by pulitzerdave » April 10th, 2020, 3:19 pm

Seems like we trusted a couple of seniors this year. One was a jerk, and the other one wasn't suited to be the volume scorer we needed (although not for lack of trying). Time for a new approach. If we're counting on Mike, and Levi, our most veteran players, to carry a good portion of the scoring load, then we're in trouble.

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