It still amazes me how we sorta lucked into Toppin. Kids such a great player and personality
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Starting Wheeler would be a mistake.
Good post. I think we should play our game and make duke adjust. They'll have the rebounding edge, but guards win basketball games, especially in college. We have the better guards.The game has moved away from playing two bigs together. Brooks is the perfect small ball 4. He can hit the three and take slower bigs off the dribble. If Duke starts two slow bigs, they’re the ones who will be in trouble.
False…he’s a true PG. IMO just what the team needs.Starting Wheeler would be a mistake.
This was my thought all summer.... I used every analytic I could find to show Wheeler playing a lot of minutes would be detrimental to the team.Starting Wheeler would be a mistake.
I like Toppin and think he will be a solid player but some seem to think he will be a star and I just don't see it.I wonder if the high expectations would still there if his brother hadn't been a star.Brooks is who he is. Role player.
I worry about fans’ expectations for Toppin.
This was my thought all summer.... I used every analytic I could find to show Wheeler playing a lot of minutes would be detrimental to the team.
It's only one data point, but last night
Wheeler showed he made people better. Brooks and Grady were M.I.A. the first ten minutes with Mintz as the point. When those two guys switched to Wheeler's team, they were better, much better.
That's either an indictment of Brooks/Grady or the positive affect Wheeler has when you're on his team.
Regards
Part of it is how the intrasquad lineups played out. Wheelies had numerous TOs and struggled at times with length. Things got bogged down at times. Against better teams and teams with length his strengths will be muted.
Grady was a bit passive and still was a scorer. And he has all around skills and good size.
TY Needs to be the lead guard. Need a guy who can shoot/score at the lead guard for this team to maximize its potential. Which is true for any really good team aiming for a national title.
I believe Brooks will start this yearI don't get why some act like Brooks sucked.I believe he had about 20 points and 7 rebounds and shot the 3 very well.
Sometimes stats are not the whole story....I don't get why some act like Brooks sucked.I believe he had about 20 points and 7 rebounds and shot the 3 very well.
You're putting way too much stock in one scrimmage. Brooks 100 percent starts vs Duke.I only saw two 3’s, must have missed the other three. I thought Collins outplayed him at the 4. Collins hit some. 3’s as well.
Agree, except I think Hopkins starts over Brooks before the middle of the season. I predict that Brooks and CJ both play a lot as 6th and 7th men before we get to the end of the season. If we get Sharpe and he's as good as advertised, then he plays the wing instead of Grady. Then our 8 man rotation has Brooks, Grady and CJ coming off the bench by season's end.I think Grady has to be in the lineup. Unlike others, this is his last year and he didn't come here to ride the pine. I'm expecting big things from him. After that, I would say Brooks or Toppin. However, that lineup could have some shooting issues if Wheeler isn't improved at knocking down shots. As long as he has improved and doesn't force it and Brooks has improved I think that could be a really solid lineup that gives you a little bit of everything.
Wheeler
TyTy
Grady
Brooks
Oscar
That is literally all we have to go by in terms of comparing the players on this squad.You're putting way too much stock in one scrimmage. Brooks 100 percent starts vs Duke.
That was easy to start Jackson, Brooks was hurt for months.That is literally all we have to go by in terms of comparing the players on this squad.
Brooks may start, but I think Collins outplayed him (or at least equaled him) in this scrimmage and has way more potential.
Brooks, as someone else posted, is what he is, a very solid role player. Collins could be a first round pick.
Cal didn’t mind playing Jackson over Brooks last season and this is a very similar situation.
We will see how it goes in the next month or so. I won’t be shocked either way, I’m just trying to predict a lineup based on what Cal normally does. He rarely plays experience over talent.
I know one thing, the competition for the 3 and 4 spots is going to be tremendous, especially once Toppin gets back into the mix. Hopkins, Grady, Toppin, Brooks, and Collins all fighting for those minutes should be fun to watch. Guys better bring it every day or they are going to be riding pine.
For which platoon?
Only half kidding .
Do you honestly think Jackson doesn’t start over a healthy Brooks last year?That was easy to start Jackson, Brooks was hurt for months.
Brooks and Grady to begin the season.
Toppin and Mintz possibly later.
Me too.I believe Brooks will start this year
The problem is, Keion doesn't have the handles to take anybody off the dribble. His lack of improvement in this area was my biggest disappointment from the blue/white game.The game has moved away from playing two bigs together. Brooks is the perfect small ball 4. He can hit the three and take slower bigs off the dribble. If Duke starts two slow bigs, they’re the ones who will be in trouble.
I like this line-up...maybe Hopkins for Grady, depending on matchupsWhen healthy, my first team would be:
Wheeler
Washington
Grady
Toppin
Tschiebwe
We watched the same gameI only saw two 3’s, must have missed the other three. I thought Collins outplayed him at the 4. Collins hit some. 3’s as well.
He seemed to be the only one on the team last year that could create his own shit. He was hurt, so he didn’t do as much as he should have.The problem is, Keion doesn't have the handles to take anybody off the dribble. His lack of improvement in this area was my biggest disappointment from the blue/white game.
Even if that were true, it’s not saying much on last year’s team. But I don’t remember him creating much for himself or anybody else last year.He seemed to be the only one on the team last year that could create his own shit. He was hurt, so he didn’t do as much as he should have.
he would have needed to play defense on offense to steal the ball from Boston. LOLEven if that were true, it’s not saying much on last year’s team. But I don’t remember him creating much for himself or anybody else last year.
I agree with Shawn's lineup prediction. Once Grady got going in the BW game he looked good. I just kind of assume Brooks gets the starting nod until someone comes up behind him and takes it, if he doesn't elevate his game further.Good point.
Me neither...lack of ball skills combined w/ average, at best, athleticism makes experience the only thing he has over any of his competetors for playing time at the 3 or 4.Even if that were true, it’s not saying much on last year’s team. But I don’t remember him creating much for himself or anybody else last year.