Next year...

[dogsrus]

Got a "pleasant" earful from grassman about next year and beyond. When someone was talking about next year at the game last nite I mentioned while I believe we are going to be good there were alot of uncertainties IMO. (just my nature to be cautiously optomistic)

Grassman is SOLD was adamant and very emphatic. You can see why he's such a successful salesman and since it slow for him in the winter he was brushing up his skilzzzz on me

While the freshman appear good to better than good I asked when was the last time a season was impacted greatly by a freshman....usually thats accomplished by McDonald AA's which we don't get.

A case COULD be made for POB.

Ray Brown...yes he's getting bigger, stronger......faster? What do we really know though. I guess we look at him as a Juco that really understands the BU system.

Buycks (I want a signed letter), Maniscalco (both as good or better than ISU's Eldrige) won't be needed as starters though learning from Ruffin.

EGolf....will he be shocked by the upgrade in D1 speed, talent.

Thompson....from all reports he's just not strong enough YET. Lots of (fan) specualtion of a R/S year.

Williams...SOME speculate he won't even qualify. Hoping for the best.

Fears....the best bet of all. Proven as a freshman. Will probably need some time getting back to speed but good thing he can at least practice this year.

NOT being negative. I'm as big a fan and koolaid drinker as there is. I'm confident in this staff and our system. JL and co. have shown they can adapt to the personel they have.

As I stated..I'm cautiously optomistic. I still say the key is an impact Juco and I ahte speculating about that because that would mean someone who is HERE or coming won't be.

[real fan]

Fears and Ray Brown being able to practice with the team all season should really help them; I agree that we need a juco center to help this team contend for the title next season .

[romar]

Good post Dogs...

My take is that BU has had a very nice season this year and there is much more of a core of known experienced players coming back next year in comparison to the start of this year. Then you add in Ray & Jeremy who have a year of practice and a ton of hunger to prove themselves. I also think SS will be coming back very motivated and hungry next year. People tend to forget that before he went down his frosh year with the shoulder injury, every report had him ahead of POB for playing time. I'm also looking for AW to continue to improve.

Sprinkle in a sparkling class of Frosh talentl, Williams and possibly a JUCO big and there is good reason to believe this team will make a leap forward. You can put a huge BOOK IT on this much - at a mininum they will be just as competitive next year as they have been this year!!! & this year has been a blast so far!

[Lakeview Brave]

Anything less then contendting for first place will be disappoiting to me. As well as we have done over the last year and a half we have yet to contend for a Valley regular season title. That will be my expectation for next year. Here is why I think that will be possible. 1) Coach Les has a year of teaching and learning the four guard offence 2) We will be much deeper next year and this I hope will lead to us pressing and trapping alot more. If you watch the Villinova four guard system they press 1-2-2 almost the whole game. I think/hope we will be doing that next year 3) We will have better athletes then this year. Will Franchise like TB before him is a warrior a heart fire desire guy who has played to the maximum of his potential this year, same with JJ. This is a credit to them and the coaching staff BUT they are not big, not very fast and not a great leapers and in the case of JJ not a big threat to score. Jeremy Fears is all of these things, if Fears maximizes his potential, I think he will play in the NBA. Add DW to the mix and we have two of the best pure athletes in the MVC. 4) Ruffin and JC back and starting, great senior leadership. 5) Andrew Warren, I firmly believe he is going to be a double digit scorer every night next year. 6) Ray Brown..he is 6'7 220 about the same size as Salley.

Im not even going to talk about the true freshman or the JUCO big as they are unknown. Based on the reasons above and the fact that the best players on the top teams in the league are graduating, I expect us to compete for a title next year.

[amckillip]

As much as I want a JUCO center, I really don't think we need one to compete. MS is coming along very well, with the new guys and if we stay in this kind of offense, I think we can be very successful without a center. Like I said I would like one, but I am very impressed with MS and his progress.

[dogsrus]

Anything less then contendting for first place will be disappoiting to me. As well as we have done over the last year and a half we have yet to contend for a Valley regular season title. That will be my expectation for next year. Here is why I think that will be possible. 1) Coach Les has a year of teaching and learning the four guard offence 2) We will be much deeper next year and this I hope will lead to us pressing and trapping alot more. If you watch the Villinova four guard system they press 1-2-2 almost the whole game. I think/hope we will be doing that next year 3) We will have better athletes then this year. Will Franchise like TB before him is a warrior a heart fire desire guy who has played to the maximum of his potential this year, same with JJ. This is a credit to them and the coaching staff BUT they are not big, not very fast and not a great leapers and in the case of JJ not a big threat to score. Jeremy Fears is all of these things, if Fears maximizes his potential, I think he will play in the NBA. Add DW to the mix and we have two of the best pure athletes in the MVC. 4) Ruffin and JC back and starting, great senior leadership. 5) Andrew Warren, I firmly believe he is going to be a double digit scorer every night next year. 6) Ray Brown..he is 6'7 220 about the same size as Salley.

Im not even going to talk about the true freshman or the JUCO big as they are unknown. Based on the reasons above and the fact that the best players on the top teams in the league are graduating, I expect us to compete for a title next year.

Grassman..I mean LB I hope you are correct.

[dogsrus]

As much as I want a JUCO center, I really don't think we need one to compete. MS is coming along very well, with the new guys and if we stay in this kind of offense, I think we can be very successful without a center. Like I said I would like one, but I am very impressed with MS and his progress.

MS has a had a good first year. Many Juco's really struggle. He needs to work VERY hard offseason and could have an even better year. More consistency would be great.

Good game last nite...seemed like a ton on the boadrs.

[DannyCooksey]

both as good or better than ISU's Eldrige

I didn't know Buycks and Maniscalco were both Top-140 in the Nation by Rivals and Scout?

I haven't seen Buycks play so i can't comment on him, but Maniscalco as good or better than Osiris? wow

I've seen little Sammy play 3-4 times in person and he's a nice player and all, but c'mon. Plus, they don't even play the same position so why compare??

[dogsrus]

both as good or better than ISU's Eldrige

I didn't know Buycks and Maniscalco were both Top-140 in the Nation by Rivals and Scout?

I haven't seen Buycks play so i can't comment on him, but Maniscalco as good or better than Osiris? wow

I've seen little Sammy play 3-4 times in person and he's a nice player and all, but c'mon. Plus, they don't even play the same position so why compare??

Guess we'll have to wait and see.....

[Big Mike]

One thing is for sure with this staff......all the players get better every season under JL and Co and the sky will be the limit next season if all the player's buy in! I do not look for anyone to red-shirt for any reason other than injury!

[Scouter]

I agree with DannyCooksey. Eldridge and SamMan are two very different players. Comparing the two doesn't mean much.

I also think AW is going to have a huge impact next year. I've been really impressed with him when he's seen PT this season. I suspect he'll be 10 pounds bigger than he is now, and he might even grow another inch or two. I remember RB going from looking like a string last year to HUGE this fall. I think Coach Wright will do the same with AW.

[amckillip]

I agree with DannyCooksey. Eldridge and SamMan are two very different players. Comparing the two doesn't mean much.

I also think AW is going to have a huge impact next year. I've been really impressed with him when he's seen PT this season. I suspect he'll be 10 pounds bigger than he is now, and he might even grow another inch or two. I remember RB going from looking like a string last year to HUGE this fall. I think Coach Wright will do the same with AW.

Oh yeah, I think AW is gonna start, as long as he works on gaining some weight and works on his D. He has really impressed me. I think it says something about a kid who doesn't get much PT and when he does, on senior night no less, the student section starts chanting 'He's a freshman.' I'm really excited about what he could do, I really hope he shores up his D however. He's great going for the steal but I can't see him guarding a good #2... yet.

[dogsrus]

I agree with DannyCooksey. Eldridge and SamMan are two very different players. Comparing the two doesn't mean much.

I also think AW is going to have a huge impact next year. I've been really impressed with him when he's seen PT this season. I suspect he'll be 10 pounds bigger than he is now, and he might even grow another inch or two. I remember RB going from looking like a string last year to HUGE this fall. I think Coach Wright will do the same with AW.

I was using the comparison in the context of how good BU would be next year with all the unknowns. I wasn't comparing Sam TO OE as much as I was comparing what an unproven player CAN sometimes do. OE was needed much more for ISU then Buycks or Sam will be next year IMO.

OE would NOT be starting for BU this year much like our two won't next year.....

[real fan]

I agree with andy about Matt but he is only 6-7 and will play forward so we need a center as we have no one to defend or rebound agaist a falker or coleman ; also in order to go very far in the ncaa tour. you need a good center as both B.U. and Wichita had last season; you cannot expect our freshman to go up against that kind of experience in their 1st year.

[it's boogie time]

Myself and many others in my section are on board with Andrew Warren. He seems to have some skills that not many other freshmen have. He got his hands on a lot of passes this year and I think next year those touches will result in two points the other way.

Obviously, he needs some muscle and he deffered to the older players a bit too much at times. He certainly has the looks of a all Valley player if he progresses.

Bradley needs some instant rebounding. It was their achilles' heel this year and they are losing thier best rebounder.