Report from Itoo Hall

[flipper]

i honestly think we have the best backcourt in the valley with ruff, jj and will.

[BradleyBrave]

i honestly think we have the best backcourt in the valley with ruff, jj and will.

Did you forget about Tatum and Young? They've made a habit of beating us routinely. I think we've beaten them once since they've been at SIU. What about CU and Nate Funk? What about WSU with Ogirri, Couisnard, and Braeuer? I don't think BU is even in the top 4-5 backcourts. It doesn't mean we can't be successful, but come on.

[MacabreMob]

I don't think BU is even in the top 4-5 backcourts.

[Da Coach]

Bradley beat SIU at Carver Arena last season 72-60

http://www.bubraves.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=19332&SPID=1498&DB_OEM_ID=3400&ATCLID=238262

[MacabreMob]

Reynolds article:

http://www.pjstar.com/stories/101106/BRA_BB73HMR7.071.shtml

WOW!

Sam Singh!


From the article:

"The target date is Nov. 11, to maybe play a few minutes," Singh said. "I'm right at where I'm supposed to be with my recovery."

Ummm... Nov 11th, that's the home opener against Depaul.

[BradleyBrave]

Reynolds article:

http://www.pjstar.com/stories/101106/BRA_BB73HMR7.071.shtml

WOW!

Sam Singh!


From the article:

"The target date is Nov. 11, to maybe play a few minutes," Singh said. "I'm right at where I'm supposed to be with my recovery."

Ummm... Nov 11th, that's the home opener against Depaul.

With all of his injury problems, I doubt BU is rushing him along (there would be no reason to), so I believe this is indeed very good news. Sounds like Sam will be contributing earlier than we expected.

[tornado]

What about CU and Nate Funk?

I agree several teams have fine guards, even Evansville.
But I would take more of a wait and see approach to CU than I would to BU.

BU's three starting guards (JJ, DR, WF) have proved to everybody they are right up there at the top.
Against Kansas' great guards, when POB had only 8 pts, and we didn't rule the paint like we wanted, DRuff had 11 pts, 7 assists and key FT's under extreme pressure down the stretch.
Will had 14 pts, 6 assists, and JJ added 8 pts, 3 steals.

But Nate Funk is coming off a whole year of shoulder surgery and rehab. That type of surgery can definitely hamper the shooting touch. And Dotzler is still a big question mark.

[BradleyBrave]

What about CU and Nate Funk?

I agree several teams have fine guards, even Evansville.
But I would take more of a wait and see approach to CU than I would to BU.

BU's three starting guards (JJ, DR, WF) have proved to everybody they are right up there at the top.
Against Kansas' great guards, when POB had only 8 pts, and we didn't rule the paint like we wanted, DRuff had 11 pts, 7 assists and key FT's under extreme pressure down the stretch.
Will had 14 pts, 6 assists, and JJ added 8 pts, 3 steals.

But Nate Funk is coming off a whole year of shoulder surgery and rehab. That type of surgery can definitely hamper the shooting touch. And Dotzler is still a big question mark.

One game does not make a Valley season, unfortunately, even if it was against KU.

Agreed on Dotzler being a question mark, but Funk will be just fine. Nick Porter averaged nearly 10 ppg, and Pierce Hibma is a quality guard as well. Those 3 are more proven than BU's guards, Dotzler notwithstanding.

We lost a double-digit scorer in Tony Bennett, and we're not sure who's going to fill that scoring void. We were already the 6th or 7th best backcourt last year, and lost a double-digit scorer. UNI is the only backcourt among the upper-division teams to lose more significant players. I think we'll be fine at the guard position, but anointing us among the league's elite is kind of silly.

[tornado]

BU never rebuilds, they simply reload.

[BradleyBrave]

BU never rebuilds, they simply reload.

Perhaps not this year...but I will certainly agree with that statement in 2007-2008!

[squirrel]

i honestly think we have the best backcourt in the valley with ruff, jj and will.

Did you forget about Tatum and Young? They've made a habit of beating us routinely. I think we've beaten them once since they've been at SIU. What about CU and Nate Funk? What about WSU with Ogirri, Couisnard, and Braeuer? I don't think BU is even in the top 4-5 backcourts. It doesn't mean we can't be successful, but come on.

I share Bradley Brave's sentiments. . .WSU's backcourt blows all other Valley foes out of the water. Heck, one pub rates them as the #2 backcourt in the country, right between Kansas and North Carolina.

That said, the rest of the Valley returns most of their backcourts, but more importantly their starting point guards. The X-factor for the Braves backcourt is if Crouch can recover his 10 ppg form and Adams can consistently pitch in an additional 5-6 ppg.

My biggest source of optimism is that this bunch of kids will be going into games knowing they can win in difficult situations and hostile environments. It will be important for us to win away from Carver in order for us to immediately build off last year's success.

And traditionally, Bradley teams that lose a lot of key personnel from the previous season and are not expected to do well have traditionally been surprise teams.

[BradleyBrave]

And traditionally, Bradley teams that lose a lot of key personnel from the previous season and are not expected to do well have traditionally been surprise teams.

Great post on all points Squirrel, and I am especially hanging my hat on this last point heading into this season.

[flipper]

i honestly think we have the best backcourt in the valley with ruff, jj and will.

Did you forget about Tatum and Young? They've made a habit of beating us routinely. I think we've beaten them once since they've been at SIU. What about CU and Nate Funk? What about WSU with Ogirri, Couisnard, and Braeuer? I don't think BU is even in the top 4-5 backcourts. It doesn't mean we can't be successful, but come on.

just my opinion. as far as siu, mullins doesn't impress me at all. he can't shoot. all you have to do is back away from him. young and tatum are very inconsistent. wsu is the same,very inconsistent. coiusnard is out of control half the time and ogirri is nothing more than a streak spot-up shooter. to say bu isn't even in the top 4 or 5 backcourts is way off base, imo.

[tornado]

flip, this is a topic that's interesting to me, and I can accept that people have differing opinions.
But I believed BU had the best backcourt in the Valley last year, and that Daniel Ruffin was the best PG.
I feel today that the fact have vindicated me even tho you might recall a lot of people on the other board ripped into me royally for saying that.
But in the end, DRuff was clearly the best PG, and the quartet of Tony Bennett, DRuff, JJ Tauai, and Will played at least as well as any teams group of guards in the Valley.

It will always have a subjective component, but I think BU's guards will be as good as anyone's.
To say WSU's backcourt blows everyone else away, is to ignore the fact that the very best returning PG they have wasn't even in the top two on HIS OWN TEAM in assists and wasn't in the top six on the team in scoring.

The WSU PG finished 20th in the MVC in assists per game!!
and the guy on the team who led Wichita in assists (PJ Couisnard with 99) also led the team in turnovers, and was among the league's leaders in turnovers.
The WSU PG, Braeueur, would have 4th in assists on the Braves with the stats he had.

So, I don't hand the title to the Shox just yet, let's see how it plays out.

[MacabreMob]

The X-factor for the Braves backcourt is if Crouch can recover his 10 ppg form and Adams can consistently pitch in an additional 5-6 ppg.

IMO, the X-factor for the Braves backcourt is if the starters can recover the 10.6 points lost by the graduation of TB from the the 05-06 backcourt.