Now that the smoke has cleared!!!

[shaunguth]

Sam M is lot better player than you think and we see time on the floor this year.

From Mike Nadel's 2/11 "Baldest Truth" blog:

As for Maniscalco, I certainly see why Jim Les likes him. For the Bradley coach, watching the 6-foot guard must have been like looking at old game films of himself. Maniscalco is tough, passionate, intelligent and talented. He obviously possesses strong leadership skills, too.

He scored 32 points Saturday, including eight 3-pointers. He had no trouble burning the quick, 5-7 guard St. Joe???‚¬?„?s coach Gene Pingatore started on him, and when the 6-6 Turner was switched onto Maniscalco in the fourth quarter, the St. Pat???‚¬?„?s standout just kept moving, running Turner into screens and hitting shots.

I was most impressed by Maniscalco???‚¬?„?s toughness. He sacrificed his body to set in-the-lane back screens on St. Joe???‚¬?„?s big men, willingly traded elbows with opponents and dove to the floor in pursuit of loose basketballs several times.

It???‚¬?„?s never easy to project how an undersized player without superior quickness will fare on the Division I level, but this kid has ???‚¬?“winner???‚¬?? written all over him.

[real fan]

Ruffin, Warren, Crouch, Austin, Collins ; Maniscalco will get min. and Thompson"s may be limited but the rest of the players will challenge for those starting spots and it may depend on who are opponents are as we have a nice problem with all this talent.

[georgethedog]

Guys, Salley had a very solid first year for a JUCO, he was just getting adjusted to the game by the end of last season, and looked very good. Look at the progress JC made from his sophomore to junior year, or that ZA made from his First year at BU to last year. If Matt progresses half as much as ZA did he'll be a monster.

You must be:
A. Matt Salley himself, or
B. Matt Salley's roommate, or
C. Matt Salley's best friend, or
D. A combination of A. - C.

Matt had an OK first year and Matt is a good player. However, Matt Salley will never be a monster, and sometimes it looks like everyone else on the floor is in a higher gear than Matt. I understand you like Matt, but you seem to overestimate his talents and abilities. You always say, "at the end of the season he looked very good." I am not sure of that. How good did he do against the Mississippi big guys? I cannot remember? Anyway, if Matt becomes a great player off the bench next year BU will be having a great year. If Matt has to start, let's hope we make it to the NIT again.

[audacious_aficionado]

Guys, Salley had a very solid first year for a JUCO, he was just getting adjusted to the game by the end of last season, and looked very good. Look at the progress JC made from his sophomore to junior year, or that ZA made from his First year at BU to last year. If Matt progresses half as much as ZA did he'll be a monster.

You must be:
A. Matt Salley himself, or
B. Matt Salley's roommate, or
C. Matt Salley's best friend, or
D. A combination of A. - C.

Matt had an OK first year and Matt is a good player. However, Matt Salley will never be a monster, and sometimes it looks like everyone else on the floor is in a higher gear than Matt. I understand you like Matt, but you seem to overestimate his talents and abilities. You always say, "at the end of the season he looked very good." I am not sure of that. How good did he do against the Mississippi big guys? I cannot remember? Anyway, if Matt becomes a great player off the bench next year BU will be having a great year. If Matt has to start, let's hope we make it to the NIT again.

I'm gonna have to agree with amckillip. salley DID do well for a first year juco guy. look at other jucos we've had in the past. they all make huge steps from junior to senior season.

Also, how can you discount the fact that he won't have to play center?!?! he was never a center. he is a good power forward. he is not dominant on defense against true centers but he can certainly be a threat on both sides with smaller guys opposing him.

I would be EXTREMELY happy if salley was not good enough to start at 4 for us next season.... not because i don't want him out there, but because that would mean that both collins and austin are unbelievable stories coming out of junior colleges. IMO they will be valuable players but not unbelievable.

[georgethedog]

Guys, Salley had a very solid first year for a JUCO, he was just getting adjusted to the game by the end of last season, and looked very good. Look at the progress JC made from his sophomore to junior year, or that ZA made from his First year at BU to last year. If Matt progresses half as much as ZA did he'll be a monster.

You must be:
A. Matt Salley himself, or
B. Matt Salley's roommate, or
C. Matt Salley's best friend, or
D. A combination of A. - C.

Matt had an OK first year and Matt is a good player. However, Matt Salley will never be a monster, and sometimes it looks like everyone else on the floor is in a higher gear than Matt. I understand you like Matt, but you seem to overestimate his talents and abilities. You always say, "at the end of the season he looked very good." I am not sure of that. How good did he do against the Mississippi big guys? I cannot remember? Anyway, if Matt becomes a great player off the bench next year BU will be having a great year. If Matt has to start, let's hope we make it to the NIT again.

I'm gonna have to agree with amckillip. salley DID do well for a first year juco guy. look at other jucos we've had in the past. they all make huge steps from junior to senior season.

Also, how can you discount the fact that he won't have to play center?!?! he was never a center. he is a good power forward. he is not dominant on defense against true centers but he can certainly be a threat on both sides with smaller guys opposing him.

I would be EXTREMELY happy if salley was not good enough to start at 4 for us next season.... not because i don't want him out there, but because that would mean that both collins and austin are unbelievable stories coming out of junior colleges. IMO they will be valuable players but not unbelievable.

That's cool. Everyone has their opinion and that is fine. If we all agreed, this board would be dead. Anyway, I just do not see the upside of Salley like you guys do. I sure hope you are right. I will admit it if it happens.

[Stryker]

I agree with GTD.

I think Salley will start at the beginning of the season, but half way through I am really hoping he will be coming off the bench. He will have to vastly improve this summer. I agree that he was playing C most the season and that he should be better at PF, but I am just not sure he is really as good as the new recruits. I guess we will find our the first couple of weeks into the season.

[audacious_aficionado]

I agree with GTD.

I think Salley will start at the beginning of the season, but half way through I am really hoping he will be coming off the bench. He will have to vastly improve this summer. I agree that he was playing C most the season and that he should be better at PF, but I am just not sure he is really as good as the new recruits. I guess we will find our the first couple of weeks into the season.

so you mean you don't agree with GTD. he says that salley won't start at the beginning of the season.

[Chico]

As much as I liked Matt's desire, etc., I hated to see him or Zach shoot anything but a layup. They both took ill advised shots, when we had 4 other shooters on the floor. If Matt is a starter next year, I have to think our recruits aren't what I expected them to be.

[AE Braves Fan]

If Salley starts, we're in trouble.

You could say the same thing about Warren.

I like both players and think Warren could be something special - but I gotta hope that we have better players that will be our starting 5.

I see 9 players getting minutes:

Ruff
Crouch
Brown
Austin
Collins

Wilson
Warren
TCS
Salley

Sam M
Sam S
Egolf
Thompson

[Stryker]

I agree with GTD.

I think Salley will start at the beginning of the season, but half way through I am really hoping he will be coming off the bench. He will have to vastly improve this summer. I agree that he was playing C most the season and that he should be better at PF, but I am just not sure he is really as good as the new recruits. I guess we will find our the first couple of weeks into the season.

so you mean you don't agree with GTD. he says that salley won't start at the beginning of the season.

I agree with the fact that Salley is probably not the best player at the position, just that he will start the first few games while the new recruits have time to adjust some to D-I play. I fully expect Salley to be coming off the bench by december.