Next Year

[Tiger 8,818]

1 minute ago, aujeff11 said:

Yep. If he could’ve zoomed past him like in punt block that would’ve been ideal. I’m not really worried about the loss as much as I’m worried about team psyche though. Don’t like the loss and with the amount of upper classmen that could be coming back next year, I feel like we could be doing this again. Don’t have time for super bowl hangovers. The motto #unfinishedbusiness needs to carry on. Unlike 2013, this season does not feel like it was our best shot. We played up to our potential in the tournament, but the Chuma injury showed we have the jimmies and joes to do it again, and then maybe with some more in the tank. 

You're not wrong. I hope we have enough holdover to keep our chemistry in-tact because we have at minimum 5 new guys coming in. I'm sure they're familiar with our culture already but having someone like Harper around for 1 more year to be the leader and the bridge between Bruce's "building" era to Bruce's "built" era could go a long way in our success moving forward IMO (as well as having a senior leader at PG). One of the major factors of why we were so good was how close the team was. You could just see it in all the behind the scenes footage and how they interacted with each other during games. I hope we continue to have that type of energy in our program because it's big for us. Without getting mushy, a team that cared less about each other wouldn't have been able to overcome all the hurdles that were in front of these guys IMO.

Bruce was right though. He said "we have enough in here" to get it done even without Chuma. I wish we were gonna be able to witness the team see that vision through. The next few months will be crucial in seeing how our next year's team will look like. Either way, it's going to be an exciting process watching 5 stud freshman develop in the same way our upperclassmen have.

[doverstutts 1,643]

this will be a pretty good replacement for BB

 

[doverstutts 1,643]

the story of "rejection" by babatunda akingbola

he may be the most underrated one of this class

 

[doverstutts 1,643]

jaylin williams...kinda' reminds me of kavotny barber (RIP)

 

 

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,661]

3 hours ago, gr82be said:

Being dependant in the threes was a curse and a blessing but boy it could close a gap quickly. Bryce shot us back into so many games including the Virginia game at the end. I will miss his presence tremendously. Shooting the three well like we did was like having Brady or Elway at QB. You aren't out of it until it's over. 

well we shouldnt be down as much as we have been being a better overall team. And 2/3 pieces leaving weren't the best 3 pt shooters (Spencer being obviously far worse than Malik in that regard). I think Jones, Jamal Johnson and Flanigan have better ceilings as shooters than Malik. It's hard to replace Bryce's "spurtability" and he was a pretty good shooter on the pure volume he took, but we should be able to replace his output by committee. If Samir can contribute on more than butt naked open threes, JVon can make at least 1 or 2 a game, and we keep running the forward pick and fade with McLemore and Purifoy, the open threes will be there. We'll just also have diversity inside the 3 point line 

 

edit: I didnt know Jamal Johnson was 6'4..thought he was PG height. His game at that height is a perfect replacement for Bryce

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,661]

1 hour ago, doverstutts said:

the story of "rejection" by babatunda akingbola

he may be the most underrated one of this class

 

this mceastern school really had Cooper, Akingbola and Okoro on the same team...I see why they beat Chino

[doverstutts 1,643]

here is the game between okoro/coopers team and bj bostons team, mcearchen vs norcross....damn, a ton of talent on the floor.....assuming we get cooper, just visualize him with this signing class, and johnson.....boston is a talent,too and if bruce could somehow bring him in, make the chemistry work, that would be hard grasp how good they could be....amazing how far we are removed from the dark days of tony barbee

 

 

[tigerbrotha12 2,362]

6 hours ago, doverstutts said:

reading posts from stephen hooks after he had  been talking to harpers dad, its no sure thing that harper will be back....obviously, no sure thing that he will be leaving either, but hooks did say that they are going to look at it very closely....he can't declare and come back a second time, so if he declares, we need a PG in a hurry....he said harpers folks are very nice and smart people and will not just do something for the sake of trying to make money, but the rumors of a mid to late 2nd round draft potential does worry me....that is a big uncertainty to risk and then not get drafted at all....

i want to see purifoy unleashed, but i want him to work on playing defense....this team will be good next year if all come back

Harper would be great to have back, but losing him will not be an absolute devastation. He will make us better if he does return, but I really believe in J'Von McCormick watching him this season, and from what I've heard, Tyrell "Turbo" Jones is some kind of special. Hopefully we reel Cooper in as well and we'll be set for a while. 

Whatever happens, we will most likely have an experienced senior who has played significant minutes in a final four game running the offense next year. 

Note: I do think Harper can truly prove himself as a first round pick by returning next season. His game has improved every year. No reason to think he won't be even better next season. 

[tigerbrotha12 2,362]

2 hours ago, doverstutts said:

this will be a pretty good replacement for BB

 

Jamal can spot up, and shoot off the dribble. Excited about him. 

[tigerbrotha12 2,362]

2 hours ago, AuburnEagle79 said:

I think we are a top 3 team in the conference next season. It's a given that UK will have the talent. We will be a contender for the conference, but who knows when we will be back to the final 4. It's a hard thing to do. 

Yep. I think it may get a lot easier for us now, however. I think this season is going to open up our recruiting influence big time. We're turning into a program, not just a good team... 

[tigerbrotha12 2,362]

My gosh, assuming we get everyone to return next season, we could run 13 deep!

 

Harper, McCormick, Turbo

Samir, Johnson, Flannigan

Purifoy, Okoro, Williams

Okeke, Akingbola

Mac, Wiley 

 

My gosh 

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,661]

As of rn, I see Danjel staying at the 4 until he can drop the weight. No reason to have his mobility issues be a problem when you can have Okoro, a perfect built (pause) SF. Ideally I’d have Akingbola work in the 5 rotation and have Danjel stay behind Chuma like this year. Flanigan can be a hybrid 2/3 so you’re still good 

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,661]

I also think maybe with how banged up Jared was/is this year, he probably would’ve headed out if we got the ring. He might still do it but that ring means a lot to him 

[Gene Loblaw 636]

Just heard that Marcello is reporting that he talked with Mac and Mac told him that Harper is gone.

 

Not saying that we're gonna be able to replace Bryce Brown's prolific shooting. But it's worth nothing that Samir Doughty shot a morbid 28% from three at VCU then improved to 42% after a year under Bruce. Desean Murray also readily improved his percentage from three along with increasing his volume after a year under Bruce. Mac went from never attempting a three to developing a consistent 3 ball too. So Jamal Johnson shot 33% from deep in his lone year at Memphis, but history would suggest that he'd ramp that number up to around at least 38% imo while also increasing his volume. 

[gravejd 3,270]

6 minutes ago, Gene Loblaw said:

Just heard that Marcello is reporting that he talked with Mac and Mac told him that Harper is gone.

 

Not saying that we're gonna be able to replace Bryce Brown's prolific shooting. But it's worth nothing that Samir Doughty shot a morbid 28% from three at VCU then improved to 42% after a year under Bruce. Desean Murray also readily improved his percentage from three along with increasing his volume after a year under Bruce. Mac went from never attempting a three to developing a consistent 3 ball too. So Jamal Johnson shot 33% from deep in his lone year at Memphis, but history would suggest that he'd ramp that number up to around at least 38% imo while also increasing his volume. 

Harper will be super hard to replace but i understand his reasoning for going. His stock is likely as high as it can be right now. Get what you can while you can brother!!

[AuburnNTexas 7,138]

From what I have read Okoro can be the defensive presence that Chuma was.  I don't think he will initially be the same Offensive presence as Chuma but remember through most of the season Chuma was not a huge offensive presence. Jvon can be a 1 or 2 he has a nice three no place near as nice as Browns but does a better job of driving and scoring or driving and passing than Brown.  He will lessen the loss of Brown.  Harper is the key if he returns we should be solid and get better as the year progresses. 

Next years team will b e bigger with the addition of 6'1" PG Tyrell Jones (who I think will be a defensive presence and will be a distributor who can also score), 6'8" center Stretch Akingbola, 6'8"PF Jaylin Williams, 6'5" SF/SG Allen Flanigan, and 6'5" SF/SG Isaac Okoro.

Next years team because of all the additions will be a work in progress but as longer as they get better as year goes on and the team solidifies it has the potential to be very good. All this is predicated on keeping Wiley and Purifoy.  If we lose Harper then Jvon and Tyrell Jones will have to take up the slack it will initially be a downgrade but has potential to be very solid especially if they look to assist more with our greater size leading to more of an inside game. More size should also help us on the boards.

We were a helter skelter defense this year causing a lot of turnovers but also giving up a lot of open three's and drives to the basket at the end of the year we continued with the turnovers of the other team but improved on defending the three and stopping the drive. The team next year has the potential by the end of the year to be a better defensive team then this year the real issue especially at beginning of the year without Brown and Chuma (at the beginning) where will we get our offense.  Pearl will have a lot of talent but team chemistry and so many new faces will be a challenge. I think Pearl has shown he can handle a challenge.

[AuburnEagle79 2,165]

Honestly, Harper should leave. He saw what happened to Chuma. If he can get paid now, he should. Nothing is gauranteed this time next year. 

[AURex 1,993]

We have some great talent coming in. My concern is that we don't really know if anybody can shoot the outside ball. Other than Brown, everybody else was really inconsistent. So, is there anybody coming on board who can nail 3st at a 40% rate?

Without that outside threat, the Auburn game changes. Yes, CBP can adjust the Auburn O to work with what he's got, but we are speculating about who will fill in for current roles.

The reality is, even with returning guys, next year will be a completely different team.

 

[Gene Loblaw 636]

18 minutes ago, AURex said:

We have some great talent coming in. My concern is that we don't really know if anybody can shoot the outside ball. Other than Brown, everybody else was really inconsistent. So, is there anybody coming on board who can nail 3st at a 40% rate?

Without that outside threat, the Auburn game changes. Yes, CBP can adjust the Auburn O to work with what he's got, but we are speculating about who will fill in for current roles.

The reality is, even with returning guys, next year will be a completely different team.

 

Doughty literally shot the three at above 42% and the team as a whole shot  at 39% from 3 as a team from sec play. 

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,661]

Losing Harper hurts more from that transitioning culture angle than it does production. He's obviously a great PG and 1/2 of probably the best backfield of the nation, but his production could eventually be replaced. Dude is a huge fixture of Auburn history though. I see why he's leaving though. This at least gives us an identity though, we won't be playing run and chuck offense anywhere as much next season. 

[aujeff11 6,243]

5 hours ago, Gene Loblaw said:

Just heard that Marcello is reporting that he talked with Mac and Mac told him that Harper is gone.

Saw that. Guess we want Shariffe to reclassify now.

[Tiger 8,818]

Can't blame the kid. He ain't gonna get any taller and he's been an absolute killer this year. I'm pulling for Harper in the NBA. Hopefully he can be what Isaiah Thomas was becoming before his injury. I absolutely loved watching him progress game by game in his time here.

[tigerbrotha12 2,362]

17 hours ago, Gene Loblaw said:

Just heard that Marcello is reporting that he talked with Mac and Mac told him that Harper is gone.

 

Not saying that we're gonna be able to replace Bryce Brown's prolific shooting. But it's worth nothing that Samir Doughty shot a morbid 28% from three at VCU then improved to 42% after a year under Bruce. Desean Murray also readily improved his percentage from three along with increasing his volume after a year under Bruce. Mac went from never attempting a three to developing a consistent 3 ball too. So Jamal Johnson shot 33% from deep in his lone year at Memphis, but history would suggest that he'd ramp that number up to around at least 38% imo while also increasing his volume. 

Marcello always tries to jump on the "bad news" train before anyone else does. I don't really get it, but he seems to put this stuff out a lot, and about half of it is true. I don't see why Harper would leave if he doesn't get drafted. He's got a chance to be the best PG in the nation if he sticks around, and if he can perform well, he'll shoot up draft boards.