Post Play

[BradleyBrave]

Easier said than done for a mid-major school. jmho

Is it? ISU, WSU, CU, SIU don't seem to have trouble getting them and utilizing them. We've been close with some very good ones - JaVale McGee (Nevada) and Larry Sanders (VCU) immediately come to mind. They both had the build of Anthony Thompson coming out of HS, were overlooked by bigger programs, went mid-major, and both ended up in the NBA. We heavily recruited both of them before they decided on their mid-major schools.

In reality, we've gotten quite a few bigs since 2006 - Egolf, Thompson, Salley, Austin, Collins, Brown, Prosser, Davis, Wells. Are the players not good enough? Are we not developing them? Are we not utilizing them? I have thoughts on each of those questions, but I don't have answers because I don't know. I do know we have tried very hard to land quality big men, and I do know we've landed a lot of guys with size, and I think some with a lot of skill. For whatever reason, things don't seem to be working out for us in this area.

[BU RICK]

I've read or heard that this guy or that guy shoots lights out in practice and can pass the basketball but when it comes to game time I don't see it. I thought I was seeing a few games ago big guys remaining in the game if they made a mistake and I liked that, he generally lets the senior guards play through their mistakes. I'm thinking of the 'bright lights effect', on a large stage under the bright lights in front of a crowd. The bigs don't want to make a mistake, rush the shot or pass, take a bad shot trying to impress, afraid their game time is limited, playing a little afraid to make a mistake. When does one get over this - it takes building up a sweat, focusing on the game, and playing extended minutes rather than 2-3 at a time IMO. I'm thinking more along trying to get the bigs to relax and play like they do in practice, maybe a sports psychologist would help.

[Beninator]

Is it? ISU, WSU, CU, SIU don't seem to have trouble getting them and utilizing them. We've been close with some very good ones - JaVale McGee (Nevada) and Larry Sanders (VCU) immediately come to mind. They both had the build of Anthony Thompson coming out of HS, were overlooked by bigger programs, went mid-major, and both ended up in the NBA. We heavily recruited both of them before they decided on their mid-major schools.

In reality, we've gotten quite a few bigs since 2006 - Egolf, Thompson, Salley, Austin, Collins, Brown, Prosser, Davis, Wells. Are the players not good enough? Are we not developing them? Are we not utilizing them? I have thoughts on each of those questions, but I don't have answers because I don't know. I do know we have tried very hard to land quality big men, and I do know we've landed a lot of guys with size, and I think some with a lot of skill. For whatever reason, things don't seem to be working out for us in this area.

I don't think that we are very far off with our viewpoints toward the bigs in our system. And to be honest, I agree with you in that no one person on this board has the answer. I do not fault the staff for taking a chance on a 7 foot plus person. Yes it can be a hit or miss proposition, but all we have to do is look to last year's Cornell team as an example. From just looking at our games for the past two years now, it appears to me that our offense is like placing a square peg in a round hole. Excluding the EIU game, our defense seems to be a little better. If you really want to muddy the waters, I will also state the I think that we recruit too many guards with similar styles of play. --no outside shot--

[runninfiend]

I very much like what I have seen from JP so far this year. Yes he will make freshman mistakes but I think we need for JP to play through those mistakes. JP also had a lot of schools after him!

i said two years ago that prosser could very well be an all-mvc level player by his third year. he has offensive skills that he hasn't shown yet. if he's developed correctly, he'll be a beast. biefeld would be a huge get for bradley, any news on him? my guess would be that he's aiming for a bigger school?

[Beninator]

i said two years ago that prosser could very well be an all-mvc level player by his third year. he has offensive skills that he ]hasn't shown yet. if he's developed correctly, he'll be a beast. biefeld would be a huge get for bradley, any news on him? my guess would be that he's aiming for a bigger school?

Very much agree. I also think that Davis could have similar skills (maybe not as good) to Prosser if AD will follow the same regiment that JP did last year while redshirting.

[runninfiend]

Very much agree. I also think that Davis could have similar skills (maybe not as good) to Prosser if AD will follow the same regiment that JP did last year while redshirting.

i don't know anything about davis, but jp can has a nice jumper from 12 and in, good solid post moves, and can play above the rim. i've watched the kid since junior high and know what he can do. give him some time to get comfortable and sit back and watch. he'll be the premiere big on this team by the end of the year. far more upside than egolf.

[Out of Balance]

Lets great real here What big could be good in this 4 guard system What good big would ever want to play in a the system we play All they are used for is screens, not even in the equation of offence in our system On D, they get No weak side help and have for the most part No help on the boards and the middle

Lakeside, I do agree that the last time we had any success was when we had POB. But along side him was a pretty good forward (MS) plus JJ,Boogy and ZA at times! The other part of that success was we had guards that would and could play D and could shoot the ball Where I differ with you is that POB was a project when he came to BU, was working out of the project when he went to the NBA and has been a project ever sence The true fact is, He had two great college games, got the NBA attention in a year that was short on Big Men, got a lot of $ for signing and should live happy ever after And Good for Him But in my opinion, had he stayed, it would of been good for BU and he may of made even more money, still been in the NBA, if he would of continued to develop as he was doing for two more years

[DeltaBrave03]

I was thinking more like Max B from Norte Dame?

Do you really think we haven't been on the kid since his freshman year if not before that? Not only has he been playing four years in BU's backyard, but he also went to the same school as our coach's son. It's not like you just pick the players you want, a lot of times kids don't like to stay home and go to school. I am positive that our coaches know 98% more about recruiting these players than we do.

[BU RICK]

..... POB..... But in my opinion, had he stayed, it would of been good for BU and he may of made even more money, still been in the NBA, if he would of continued to develop as he was doing for two more years

+10M

I've always thought the same. Two more years - would have been good for Bradley and two more years building up his body would have been good for him before he made the jump. I think he would have more now and turned out to be a better player if he had stayed.

We've already had this conversation though, I'm not trying to change the subject.

[AZ BU Fan]

Easier said than done for a mid-major school. jmho

Seems too many of the 'lessor' mid major schools BU has played, and sometimes lost to, over the past several years have had more serviceable bigs than BU has had....Some of the Wisconsin schools, UMKC, some of the Illinois schools...

Unfortunately, it is like the chicken and the egg....If BU continues to feature the 4G, or 3G and one small forward, offense, why would bigs ready to play choose BU? If bigs BU has aren't dependable enough to revamp offense to more of a Michigan State/Wisconsin style, and your program is under fire, you take your chances with run and gun 3 ball high screen/pick and roll offense.

No answers, just my observations....

[ph]

Why don't we hear of our post players going to summer big man camps? (Since POB)

[bu fan 9]

We have be on Max four a long time but we used our last ride on project.The last big man to go to a big man camp was POB and went to the Pete Newell big man camp in Las Vegas.

[BradleyBrave]

We have be on Max four a long time but we used our last ride on project.The last big man to go to a big man camp was POB and went to the Pete Newell big man camp in Las Vegas.

I will stop short of guaranteeing we have another scholarship to give for next year.

[amckillip]

We have be on Max four a long time but we used our last ride on project.The last big man to go to a big man camp was POB and went to the Pete Newell big man camp in Las Vegas.

You really have got to lay off the project thing. People take risks. Nearly every mid-major big is a project. I don't know if we'll get Max. But I'd be shocked if we didn't have a scholarship open up for one reason or another.

[Lakeview Brave]

Lets great real here What big could be good in this 4 guard system What good big would ever want to play in a the system we play All they are used for is screens, not even in the equation of offence in our system On D, they get No weak side help and have for the most part No help on the boards and the middle

Lakeside, I do agree that the last time we had any success was when we had POB. But along side him was a pretty good forward (MS) plus JJ,Boogy and ZA at times! The other part of that success was we had guards that would and could play D and could shoot the ball Where I differ with you is that POB was a project when he came to BU, was working out of the project when he went to the NBA and has been a project ever sence The true fact is, He had two great college games, got the NBA attention in a year that was short on Big Men, got a lot of $ for signing and should live happy ever after And Good for Him But in my opinion, had he stayed, it would of been good for BU and he may of made even more money, still been in the NBA, if he would of continued to develop as he was doing for two more years

POB left at the absolute best time for him. Do you think practicing and playing in the NBA hurt his developement? Quite the opposite, practicing basketball at the NBA level is much better than playing games at a college level. In the NBA your full time job is to get bigger and better. The fact is he could have stayed at Bradley for 5 years and still would have fizzled in the league. By leaving when he did he earned millions of dollars that might not have been there at any other point.