Early Predictions and Player Analysis for next year

Thegreatone · 03-23-2012, 07:37 AM

You have got to be excited that we will have another veteran group to lead this team. Our biggest strengths will easily be Cashmere, SK, and Parker in the backcourt. That is a really strong lineup. I expect huge years from all 3.

I will go through each player and give some expectations and predictions:

Top Players (Full Confidence)

Cashmere: Will need to be our best player. He will be a senior and PG. Extremely confident in Cash at this point. I think he could be a top 10 PG in the country. Not worried with his off season at all.

SK: If he can improve his handles (which were already better than his freshman year) he can be lethal. He will be gaurded by the other teams best player but that probably wasn't much different than this year. I am not sure if he will stay at 3 or move to a 2. I think he will be fine at either.

Parker: If Park can improve his quickness just a little bit I think he can be a force. I love Parker. I think SK ultimately moves to 2 and Parker goes to a 3. After banging around with some of the biggest players in the country he will not be afraid of any guard.

The Young Guys (Need to make naturally next step)

Jerry Davis III: I expect more minutes from Jerry. He has shown the ability to score as a freshman. He has a really nice shot. I think he just needs to have the natural improvement from fresh to sophmore. We won't need him to be a star or even a major contributer next season. We do need him to be able to come in and score some points. We need him to be able to do what he did in the Big East what he did verse OOC.

Ge-Lawn Guyn: I think he has the second most upside as anyone who played this year. Athletic, strong, quick. He could be an all Big East defensive player one day. Has a nice shot too. Just needs that year to get more comfortable. Turned it over way too much. He will need to take minutes away from Cash to keep him fresh. Very excited with Guyn.

Jermaine Sanders: I think early we all were a little disappointed that Jermaine wasnt going to be able to contribute more than he did but we saw glimpes. His 3 pt % was really strong this year. Jermaine just needs to improve quickness. I think it is as simple as that. I the he could be a SK type of player but he needs a strong off-season. He is a dark horse to start IMO.

Kelvin Gaines: Athletically could be our best player. At 6'11 he is big and can really get up. Will have every opportunity to start. He doesn't have to be a big offensive threat. He needs to be able to defend the hoop and not foul. He has had 2 years to practive against Yancy so I hope that helps.

The Key Off Season Guys:

If these guys have great off seasons I think we could potentially be a top 15 team. If they dont I think we could see little to no improvement from the past 2 years.

Cheik Moodbj: Hampered by suspensions and injuries really got him off to a bad start this year. We have seen glimpses of what he can do. He seems so uncomfortable at times. If he can improve this off season and gain an offensive game and limit the fouls it would be huge. I dont trust Gaines yet and he is the only other person who has body to bang.

Shaq Thomas: Not sure what to expect from Shaq. I dont think much because I never do from freshman. But its hard not to get excited about a guy who is 6'7 and plays like a gaurd from all accounts. Needs to have great off season and pack on weight. Should be at least 205. If he turns out to be a stud next year he could be a darkhorse to start. Would love to see him and Jackson on the press.

Justin Jackson: Can be dominate in transition game. Can he get to that point in half court game? He is so athletic for a PF. There are few, if any, PF that can stat in front of him. I think his offensive game was hampered by a lack of confidence. He saw the gaurds as scorers and Yancy as a scorer. If he can become a half court player it could make the difference between pretty good and very good for us as a team. A lot of big men struggle their first couple years so expecting him to do that isnt unreasonable. Would love to see Justin add 15 pound of muscle.

Newcomers:

Titus Rubles: I always like having one JUCO because you know what you are going to get and you dont need to wait around for them. Seems like a solid addition and a guy who is going to rebound. Built guy. I expect some good minutes out of Titus because you do not bring in JUCO's unless they are going to help immediately.

The Biggest Question and Highest Upside:

Octavious Ellis:

He is getting freaking tall. Still growing and right now about 6'10 and looking like he might get to 6'11. He was pleasantly surprising early in the year showing a good shot. He is so freaking long and can really run. Sky is the limit with this guy. If he can refine things I think he could be a homerun major talent in a couple of years. We need bigs. I dont expect him to start or even score a bunch next year but he can add such an element.

**We are going to be very long and athletic in the upcoming years. With guys like Ellis, Thomas, and Gaines we will not be short on athleticism. I am excited for the future and next year already looks to be strong but we need some good off seasosn to take the next step**

What do you think?

ralph1950 · 03-23-2012, 07:59 AM

NCAA Champions next season as that is what UC plays for.

Mick WILL win the NCAA Tourney at UC, it is simply a matter of when.

bearcats87 · 03-23-2012, 08:04 AM

I agree about the three guards, will be nice to have them back next year. I think you downplay Justin's potential a bit. Look at how quick he gets back on D to block shots, and the kid definitely has got some hops. He needs to get a little sharper on offense; he turned over the ball some last night, also missed a couple bounce passes on back cuts.
I totally agree about him just needing to gain some confidence and a few pounds. If his back stays healthy, he shows signs of being an intimidating shot blocker and hopefully a good rebounder.

Thegreatone · 03-23-2012, 08:13 AM

I am very high on Justin. We are talking about a soph here. In transition he is a beast. If he can improve his halfcourt game he could be a game changer.

~~UCBearcats~~ · 03-23-2012, 08:22 AM

Cashmere is the man and I expect a 1st Team All Big East season out of him next year. It wasn't that long ago that there was a thread out there about benching him and putting G'Lawn in the starting lineup.

To me next season's success is all about the development of Cheik and or Gaines. Our guards are going to be strong and I expect more contribution from guys like G'Lawn, Davis and Sanders.

Don't really know what to expect from Shaq and I'll go ahead and assume that Ellis won't be much of a contributor since he'll basically be a freshman again next year. I'm not big on the idea of relying on a freshman as a difference maker, unless you're getting Calapari type recruits.

The X factor is Rubles, can he bang down low and get boards?

Should be an interesting season, I'm looking forward to it. I really hope Gaines and Cheik dedicate themselves to improving their games this offseason, if just one of them can get better we're going to have a good outlook next year.

Thegreatone · 03-23-2012, 08:32 AM

I agree 100 %. I dont think we need our center to make up all of Yancy's production because we will have increased production from the bench and I expect all the gaurds to make improvements too.

BearcatMick · 03-23-2012, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ralph1950

NCAA Champions next season as that is what UC plays for.

Mick WILL win the NCAA Tourney at UC, it is simply a matter of when.

What an absurd statement.

Mick will win much more than 1 NCAA tourney. Mick is one of if not the best coach in the country

ucswais · 03-23-2012, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thegreatone

I agree 100 %. I dont think we need our center to make up all of Yancy's production because we will have increased production from the bench and I expect all the gaurds to make improvements too.

With points, I agree. Rebounding and defense he masked a TON of problems when he was on the floor. Finding someone to fill that role will determine our BE record at minimum. I like Jackson a lot, but I don't think he has the size for it. I'm looking hard at Rubles, Obekpa (maybe), or even Gaines. One of those guys needs to hit the weight room starting today because there are minutes to be had for anyone who can take that physical role next year.

Thegreatone · 03-23-2012, 08:51 AM

Cheik and Gaines will have to fill that role. Again, it wont be the entire production but we will will make it up together.

~~UCBearcats~~ · 03-23-2012, 09:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thegreatone

I agree 100 %. I dont think we need our center to make up all of Yancy's production because we will have increased production from the bench and I expect all the gaurds to make improvements too.

You're right, we don't need to replace Yancy, with the improved guards we just need bigs who can contribute on the defensive end and grab a ton of boards. We're going to be very similar to the Jay Wright Villanova teams in terms of makeup. I still expect that we're going to rely heavily on defense and rebounding though because that is the style that Mick plays.

If Gaines can improve his footwork, hands and awareness I think he can play a huge role next year. He has a knack for blocking shots but he's got to get better with his hands and his positioning to grab the boards. If his footwork gets better he'll be able to clog up the post and keep himself out of foul trouble.

I'm not big on JJ to fill this role. He can run the floor and gets some nice blocks on D but he's not a very good rebounder and plays too out of control. I like Jackson but just not in a game changer type of a role. He's a great energy guy to come off the bench but I don't expect he's ever going to give us a significantly better production than we saw out of him this season. No doubt he'll develop into a better player, I just don't see him being a huge difference maker.

03-23-2012, 07:37 AM	#1
Thegreatone Epic Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 3,187	Early Predictions and Player Analysis for next year You have got to be excited that we will have another veteran group to lead this team. Our biggest strengths will easily be Cashmere, SK, and Parker in the backcourt. That is a really strong lineup. I expect huge years from all 3. I will go through each player and give some expectations and predictions: Top Players (Full Confidence) Cashmere: Will need to be our best player. He will be a senior and PG. Extremely confident in Cash at this point. I think he could be a top 10 PG in the country. Not worried with his off season at all. SK: If he can improve his handles (which were already better than his freshman year) he can be lethal. He will be gaurded by the other teams best player but that probably wasn't much different than this year. I am not sure if he will stay at 3 or move to a 2. I think he will be fine at either. Parker: If Park can improve his quickness just a little bit I think he can be a force. I love Parker. I think SK ultimately moves to 2 and Parker goes to a 3. After banging around with some of the biggest players in the country he will not be afraid of any guard. The Young Guys (Need to make naturally next step) Jerry Davis III: I expect more minutes from Jerry. He has shown the ability to score as a freshman. He has a really nice shot. I think he just needs to have the natural improvement from fresh to sophmore. We won't need him to be a star or even a major contributer next season. We do need him to be able to come in and score some points. We need him to be able to do what he did in the Big East what he did verse OOC. Ge-Lawn Guyn: I think he has the second most upside as anyone who played this year. Athletic, strong, quick. He could be an all Big East defensive player one day. Has a nice shot too. Just needs that year to get more comfortable. Turned it over way too much. He will need to take minutes away from Cash to keep him fresh. Very excited with Guyn. Jermaine Sanders: I think early we all were a little disappointed that Jermaine wasnt going to be able to contribute more than he did but we saw glimpes. His 3 pt % was really strong this year. Jermaine just needs to improve quickness. I think it is as simple as that. I the he could be a SK type of player but he needs a strong off-season. He is a dark horse to start IMO. Kelvin Gaines: Athletically could be our best player. At 6'11 he is big and can really get up. Will have every opportunity to start. He doesn't have to be a big offensive threat. He needs to be able to defend the hoop and not foul. He has had 2 years to practive against Yancy so I hope that helps. The Key Off Season Guys: If these guys have great off seasons I think we could potentially be a top 15 team. If they dont I think we could see little to no improvement from the past 2 years. Cheik Moodbj: Hampered by suspensions and injuries really got him off to a bad start this year. We have seen glimpses of what he can do. He seems so uncomfortable at times. If he can improve this off season and gain an offensive game and limit the fouls it would be huge. I dont trust Gaines yet and he is the only other person who has body to bang. Shaq Thomas: Not sure what to expect from Shaq. I dont think much because I never do from freshman. But its hard not to get excited about a guy who is 6'7 and plays like a gaurd from all accounts. Needs to have great off season and pack on weight. Should be at least 205. If he turns out to be a stud next year he could be a darkhorse to start. Would love to see him and Jackson on the press. Justin Jackson: Can be dominate in transition game. Can he get to that point in half court game? He is so athletic for a PF. There are few, if any, PF that can stat in front of him. I think his offensive game was hampered by a lack of confidence. He saw the gaurds as scorers and Yancy as a scorer. If he can become a half court player it could make the difference between pretty good and very good for us as a team. A lot of big men struggle their first couple years so expecting him to do that isnt unreasonable. Would love to see Justin add 15 pound of muscle. Newcomers: Titus Rubles: I always like having one JUCO because you know what you are going to get and you dont need to wait around for them. Seems like a solid addition and a guy who is going to rebound. Built guy. I expect some good minutes out of Titus because you do not bring in JUCO's unless they are going to help immediately. The Biggest Question and Highest Upside: Octavious Ellis: He is getting freaking tall. Still growing and right now about 6'10 and looking like he might get to 6'11. He was pleasantly surprising early in the year showing a good shot. He is so freaking long and can really run. Sky is the limit with this guy. If he can refine things I think he could be a homerun major talent in a couple of years. We need bigs. I dont expect him to start or even score a bunch next year but he can add such an element. We are going to be very long and athletic in the upcoming years. With guys like Ellis, Thomas, and Gaines we will not be short on athleticism. I am excited for the future and next year already looks to be strong but we need some good off seasosn to take the next step What do you think?

03-23-2012, 08:04 AM	#3
bearcats87 Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 2	justin jackson I agree about the three guards, will be nice to have them back next year. I think you downplay Justin's potential a bit. Look at how quick he gets back on D to block shots, and the kid definitely has got some hops. He needs to get a little sharper on offense; he turned over the ball some last night, also missed a couple bounce passes on back cuts. I totally agree about him just needing to gain some confidence and a few pounds. If his back stays healthy, he shows signs of being an intimidating shot blocker and hopefully a good rebounder.

03-23-2012, 07:59 AM	#2
ralph1950 Epic Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 2,542	NCAA Champions next season as that is what UC plays for. Mick WILL win the NCAA Tourney at UC, it is simply a matter of when.

03-23-2012, 08:13 AM	#4
Thegreatone Epic Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 3,187	I am very high on Justin. We are talking about a soph here. In transition he is a beast. If he can improve his halfcourt game he could be a game changer.

03-23-2012, 08:22 AM	#5
~~UCBearcats~~ Banned Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 1,723	Cashmere is the man and I expect a 1st Team All Big East season out of him next year. It wasn't that long ago that there was a thread out there about benching him and putting G'Lawn in the starting lineup. To me next season's success is all about the development of Cheik and or Gaines. Our guards are going to be strong and I expect more contribution from guys like G'Lawn, Davis and Sanders. Don't really know what to expect from Shaq and I'll go ahead and assume that Ellis won't be much of a contributor since he'll basically be a freshman again next year. I'm not big on the idea of relying on a freshman as a difference maker, unless you're getting Calapari type recruits. The X factor is Rubles, can he bang down low and get boards? Should be an interesting season, I'm looking forward to it. I really hope Gaines and Cheik dedicate themselves to improving their games this offseason, if just one of them can get better we're going to have a good outlook next year.

03-23-2012, 08:32 AM	#6
Thegreatone Epic Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 3,187	I agree 100 %. I dont think we need our center to make up all of Yancy's production because we will have increased production from the bench and I expect all the gaurds to make improvements too.

03-23-2012, 08:51 AM	#9
Thegreatone Epic Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 3,187	Cheik and Gaines will have to fill that role. Again, it wont be the entire production but we will will make it up together.