Section136
Well-Known Member
Next year we will have one player each from the previous years Freshman All-conference team. Gatens in 08-09, May in 09-10 and Basabe this year. Just a random point I thought of.
Gatens, May and Basabe
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PatrickAdamovicz
Well-Known Member
I like May but I think next yrs team will be better with Marble playing over him. May is so hesitant as he struggles dribbling the ball. Marble is assertive and aggressive and with added weight I think he will be great coming off the wing.
talkinhawks
Well-Known Member
I agree and I think the coaches are starting to see that as well. Marble replaced May down the stretch last night. I really like May and he is a great defensive player, but he is a liability on offense. Marble is not as good on defense but he is becoming a much greater threat on offense as he gains confidence.
I was expecting more from May offensively this year, but the confidence just isn't there.
homes
Well-Known Member
However, I think last night May was pulled for Marble for defensive reasons. I don't think Fran was pleased that May let Taylor get off that 3 pointer basically uncontested in OT.
Iowafarmgirl
Banned
I for one am just pleased that our best player(s) probably wont transfer this year. We have read this story before, where a young player steps up halfway through Big 10 play and gives us a shred of hope, only to leave the second the season's over. Jake Kelly steps up, then leaves. Aaron Fuller steps up, then leaves. This year Besabe and Cartwright are twice the players now that they were to start the year, and hopefully this story has a happy ending.
hawkIhoops
Well-Known Member
Good point. I like May and think he is a great athlete, but he isn't a great basketball player. Outside of his acrobatic dunks, he doesn't bring much to the table offensively and will never be a consistent threat from the perimeter IMO. May does play solid D, but I don't think that merits the same PT next season.
talkinhawks
Well-Known Member
I think May and Gatens got switched up on that play and Gatens was defending Taylor when he made that shot. I could be thinking of another one of Taylor's long shots down the stretch, but I think that was the one.
Fran made a comment in his presser that he was pleased with Marble's play and I think that is why he was in at the end...he was playing better all around. I don't think it was punishment to May for not playing well, Marble was just playing better.
talkinhawks
Well-Known Member
Barring any tragic accidents (Kelly) or coaching changes (Fuller) this team should return everyone that is expected to return. This team actually seems be having fun now even though the results haven't been the greatest.
I don't think players under the former regime were enjoying themselves at all.
PatrickAdamovicz
Well-Known Member
It was 100% Eric May defending Taylor on the 3 in OT. He had his hands down and never got them up to contest. May was also the defender trailing Taylor on the bucket that tied it in regulation. For the most part May defended Taylor well but late in the game and OT he had problems. Also, concerning Marble, he gives some of the better guards in this conference trouble with his defense, whenever he stays low. I think he was doing a better job on Taylor than May. His length and athleticism caused a tough shot by Taylor at the end of the OT that Iowa failed to rebound. Marble can guard.
STILLBUSTER
Well-Known Member
Some corrections to your statement / assumptions ...
" he hasn't lately brought much to the table offensively" ...
Facts are (and stats say), on the season, May is certainly a contributor, averaging 9 ppg (4th on the team). As far as his acrobatic dunks -- that's exactly why Fran has him in the game -- he is, by far, the most athletic player on the team and Fran, admittedly, likes the dunk, if for nothing else, to spark the crowd. Why do you think you've seen two, half-court Cartwright to May alley-oops in each of the last 2 games? Because if the pass is there, May's going to send it home and it will wow the team and wow the crowd.
Another fact: he is the best permiter shooter on the team -- 44.1% on 79 / 179 attempts and 45.1% on 3's. That's not just some inflated % (like 4 of 9), he's hit 23 of 51 3-point attempts. The only 2 guys attempting more 3's than May are Gatens (123) and McCabe (64). Unfortunately, those guys are only hitting at 35% and 31.3%, respectively. If you have concern over inconsistent shooting from the perimeter, it should be about Gatens -- the guy who's supposed to be the 3-pt threat but has missed more 3's (80) than any other player has even attempted.
May has taken a hit to his confidence on offense -- maybe it was the injury set-back, maybe it's a bit of "sophomore slump". Regardless, confidence can be recovered and Fran is trying to help him play through it with the alley-oops (they are intended to spark May, too). Gatens is just plain unreliable on offense -- the only consistency is that he takes 1 step forward and 2 back. He hasn't been an outside threat since his freshman year!
When you factor in May's rebounding and athleticism on defense, if you're questioning who "merits the same pt", it should be Gatens.
I'm going to disagree with you Stillbuster. If we're just talking straight stats, we're far enough along to count only conference stats. As of right now, Gatens is shooting 42.9% overall, and 44.6% from three while averaging 14.8 PPG. He also grabs 1.8 boards. Not a lot.
May is shooting 40.8% overall, and 50% from three. That 50% sounds good but he's only made 8 3's to Gaten's 25. He's also only averaging 6.6 PPG. He's also only averaging a paltry 2 RPG in conference play.
May's stats got blown completely out of proportion in the nonconference when he was the most athletic kid on the court in 90% of the games.
Also, when looking at kenpom.com, May also uses a higher percentage of possessions than Gatens does, implying he's really not as efficient as he is.
Gatens has his limitations but the guy is doing really good things in conference play against consistently solid competition.
May is shooting 40.8% overall, and 50% from three. That 50% sounds good but he's only made 8 3's to Gaten's 25. He's also only averaging 6.6 PPG. He's also only averaging a paltry 2 RPG in conference play.
May's stats got blown completely out of proportion in the nonconference when he was the most athletic kid on the court in 90% of the games.
Also, when looking at kenpom.com, May also uses a higher percentage of possessions than Gatens does, implying he's really not as efficient as he is.
Gatens has his limitations but the guy is doing really good things in conference play against consistently solid competition.
SwirlinLingerie
Well-Known Member
With Marble coming along and his added ball-handling experience, I love the thought of using this lineup at times next season.
Cartwright
Payne
Marble
May
Basabe
I like Gatens off the bench, anyway. Sure, we'd have some trouble inside, but Fran wants to run, and this team could run you silly. Three primary ball-handlers, some shooters, and I like May with a bigger guy guarding him. He seems to have trouble with quicker defenders but can run a bigger guy off the court.
Cartwright
Payne
Marble
May
Basabe
I like Gatens off the bench, anyway. Sure, we'd have some trouble inside, but Fran wants to run, and this team could run you silly. Three primary ball-handlers, some shooters, and I like May with a bigger guy guarding him. He seems to have trouble with quicker defenders but can run a bigger guy off the court.
HawkPhreek
Well-Known Member
Marble, May, and Basabe are great defenders to . May will have to adjust on the offensive end, but I'm confident he will. May could be a 12pt, 5reb, 2 steal game guy and a lock down defender. I would take a team of those.
