Question on Bigs

[auburn4ever 1,266]

I'd like to know your opinion. Shouldn't coach Pearl and staff go after centers that's between 6-10 and 7-1. I know we live and die by the 3 pointers, but at some point, we need some BIG men that can just lay it in the basket cause their so big and tall.

[ellitor 33,087]

@cole256 your thoughts?

[Mikey 16,578]

15 hours ago, auburn4ever said:

I'd like to know your opinion. Shouldn't coach Pearl and staff go after centers that's between 6-10 and 7-1. I know we live and die by the 3 pointers, but at some point, we need some BIG men that can just lay it in the basket cause their so big and tall.

I'm pretty sure we do go after them. Actually getting an athletic big man is harder than just "going after" one. That type of player is wanted by every school that plays basketball.

[gravejd 3,270]

We should also go after some of those Zion Williams type players while we are at it. 

[cole256 17,045]

3 minutes ago, ellitor said:

@cole256 your thoughts?

I think we definitely should go after big men, I think most really has Pearl's philosophy misconstrued. It seems to be a thought that he actually prefers small players to big, but o don't think it's true at all he just has found ways to make it competitive. 

Also one of his most popular players on one of his most successful teams is Wayne chism and he is a big man that was known to be a good shooter and popped outside alot. What many don't remember is he was paired with a traditional big man who didn't get as much pub.

Pearl also preferred big, long, athletic guards. Guards that can handle the ball and also good passers. I feel like his best team was one where he had a do it all 3. Instant mismatch coming from any screen and switch, either too big and slow or too smallHaving around 3 of these on the floor at the same time made it easy to play the style of defense he likes as far as pressure and switching high and recovering and that also sped the tempo of the game. 

If you want you can also look at the majority of good teams today , Duke, Kentucky, North C, gonzaga they have a big man that can score and rebound in the post. It seems like especially gonzaga is good at identifying big men and coaching them up to be highly skilled. 

Also I don't think Pearl just want to strictly shoot 3's he DEFINITELY wants shooters but it's really more for spacing as spreading the floor makes it easier to drive the ball. I think the goal is to play the way Villanova did a few years ago.

If we want to really challenge and be a threat every year we will absolutely need some big men.

[AUApostle 7,651]

25 minutes ago, Mikey said:

I'm pretty sure we do go after them. Actually getting an athletic big man is harder than just "going after" one. That type of player is wanted by every school that plays basketball.

Kind of like linebackers that are both big AND fast.

[ellitor 33,087]

16 minutes ago, cole256 said:

I think most really has Pearl's philosophy misconstrued.

This is what I was getting at & thinking. It just has more weight coming from you. Thank you kind sir.

[JwgreDeux 1,279]

I agree on a number of points here, and of course we need to go after some bigger bigs.  I would echo that size at wing and guard is probably a bigger issue for us than size in the post. It's one thing to have a small point, but to also have a small 2 and small 3s creates a number of issues.

Also, something we have discussed a while back, a big that pounds the defensive glass can actually help our up tempo style by rebounding misses and outletting the ball. You don't run a break with 5 guys flying down the court. 

However, any suggestion that we need to slow it down and turn into a feed the post first offense I think would be off base. 

[Tiger 8,819]

12 minutes ago, JwgreDeux said:

I agree on a number of points here, and of course we need to go after some bigger bigs.  I would echo that size at wing and guard is probably a bigger issue for us than size in the post. It's one thing to have a small point, but to also have a small 2 and small 3s creates a number of issues.

Good post, but this portion in particular is spot on. This is where all of our issues start. You can be a good team while being undersized at the 4 and/or 5 but you have to be able to mitigate that with length and height elsewhere and we flatly don't have the personnel for that. It all starts with us being undersized at spots 1-3, particularly 2 and 3 with Samir starting at the 3.

It's why our bigs are constantly in foul trouble, our guards are not efficient enough at keeping opposing guards out of the paint -- and a lot of that is due to them being undersized and smaller than the man they're guarding in nearly every game.

[ellitor 33,087]

27 minutes ago, JwgreDeux said:

a big that pounds the defensive glass can actually help our up tempo style by rebounding misses and outletting the ball. You don't run a break with 5 guys flying down the court.

Yup. Hoping Jaylin & Stretch can fill that role next season.

[cole256 17,045]

2 hours ago, Tiger said:

Good post, but this portion in particular is spot on. This is where all of our issues start. You can be a good team while being undersized at the 4 and/or 5 but you have to be able to mitigate that with length and height elsewhere and we flatly don't have the personnel for that. It all starts with us being undersized at spots 1-3, particularly 2 and 3 with Samir starting at the 3.

It's why our bigs are constantly in foul trouble, our guards are not efficient enough at keeping opposing guards out of the paint -- and a lot of that is due to them being undersized and smaller than the man they're guarding in nearly every game.

This is what I would talk about at the beginning of the season when I said our backcourt SIZE and stature was that of a middle school players and why it was a problem. Even more so because we had a small point we get exposed if a team didn't rush and turn the ball over. The first screen and pass we are mismatched as a disadvantage