OT: How 'bout dem Bearcats!

[Cincyfan78]

Basketball season has started for UC. Practice yesterday in prep for the Bahamas trip coming up.

A lot of size on this years' team.

Start with 6-foot-10 center Coreontae DeBerry, who checks in at 270 pounds. Matching him pound-for-pound is 6-10, 270-pound Jamaree Strickland, followed by 6-10, 230-pound Octavius Ellis, 6-8, 230-pound Quadri Moore, and 6-7, 230-pound Gary Clark.

Word is even Shaquille Thomas has put on weight and was sporting a nice arc on his shot this year after years of line-drive shooting.

Not sure where offense is going to come from this year, but the team is going to rebound, defend the rim, and play some serious interior defense with that kind of size and length

 

[bengaldoug]

To advance in the tournament you have to be able to score...........consistently..........

 

[cincygrad]

To advance in the tournament you have to be able to score...........consistently..........

 

[Cincyfan78]

To advance in the tournament you have to be able to score...........consistently..........

There's no doubt about that. As I said, scoring will continue to be a concern. Shaq has to take that next step. He shows flashes of being able to do things on the court that a lot of guys can't. He's got to put it all together.

Caupain can score a bit, and I like Johnson at the 2-spot, but as Soph's how much can you rely on them? How much interior presence (offensively) can any of these bigs give you?

As usual, the defense/rebounding will be there...as usual, no one knows where the offense is going to come from.

They'll make the NCAA's...they'll be a 2nd round exit (or 3rd round if you use the "new" first 4 in games) unless someone seriously surprises.

 

[bengaldoug]

Huggs has been putting on the feed bag the last five years or so, hasn't he?

 

[bengaldoug]

There's no doubt about that. As I said, scoring will continue to be a concern. Shaq has to take that next step. He shows flashes of being able to do things on the court that a lot of guys can't. He's got to put it all together.

Caupain can score a bit, and I like Johnson at the 2-spot, but as Soph's how much can you rely on them? How much interior presence (offensively) can any of these bigs give you?

As usual, the defense/rebounding will be there...as usual, no one knows where the offense is going to come from.

They'll make the NCAA's...they'll be a 2nd round exit (or 3rd round if you use the "new" first 4 in games) unless someone seriously surprises.

It's so hard being a Cincy sports fan. They all have basically the same problem. The Reds can pitch, the Bengals and Bearcats (bb) can d up, but none of them can score when they need to.

 

[cincygrad]

It's so hard being a Cincy sports fan. They all have basically the same problem. The Reds can pitch, the Bengals and Bearcats (bb) can d up, but none of them can score when they need to.

This pretty much defines the Bearcats of the modern era.... Huggins and beyond. We recruit athletes that can rebound and defend - We don't recruit guys that have polished offensive games. Who were the most talented offensive high school players we recruited from the past 20 years? Wingfield, Satterfield, Stephenson, Demar Johson, Fortson?

 

[Cincyfan78]

This pretty much defines the Bearcats of the modern era.... Huggins and beyond. We recruit athletes that can rebound and defend - We don't recruit guys that have polished offensive games. Who were the most talented offensive high school players we recruited from the past 20 years? Wingfield, Satterfield, Stephenson, Demar Johson, Fortson?

Even if Cronin did, they wouldn't play until they could play defense. A lot of kids know that, and UC is crossed off (just one of many reasons, I am sure). If you are a good offensive player and want time on the court but lack defense are you going to go to a traditional defense first school that will bench you until you can play defense, even if you are really good on offense?

Let's hope that some of these guys can take another step and provide more consistent scoring. Caupain and Johnson have both shown some promise as freshmen, and this Cobb kid was one of the best 3-pt shooters at the JUCO level...so, we'll see.

None of it will matter though if none of the bigs can force defenses to be honest. Size is good, but only if it works. Being big for big's sake doesn't do anything. Just ask Mbodj, Nyarsuk, Hursanyuk, Biggie Mclain, etc...etc...etc...