There’s a lot to like about Basabe’s game. He’s long and athletic enough to rebound and find ways to score. He can block shots and play pretty good D. However, despite occasionally using the jump hook, he has yet to find a staple move around the hoop. His body needs filling out. His midrange game needs work and, despite hitting a good percentage from 3 in the PTL last year, his perimeter game was basically nonexistent as a freshman. Oh, and he has no passing game. It’s obvious that some combination of these deficiencies kept him off the US team. I want to ask the PTL watchers if Basabe has improved on any of these points. What will he bring new to the table in 2011-12? Thanks and go Hawks!
Basabe and PTL
- Thread starter UncleHawk
- Start date
JG10Hawk
Well-Known Member
The mid range jumper would be a huge addition to his game. He hit a few last year but if he can get that down consistently, it will cause defenders to play him more tightly and then he can use his athleticism to get to the rim. Adding a little more bulk wouldn't be a bad thing either.
Hawkeye11en1
Well-Known Member
Pass. Pass some more. Pass again. Repeat.
Did I mention he needs to work on passing?
Did I mention he needs to work on passing?
Basabe did shoot the highest percentage of any scholarship player last year- a couple of walk-ons went went 1-1 or 3-4- so he is the guy I want shooting.
That being said, he needs to know that when he gets good position, be aggressive, when he doesn't, pass it out and reestablish himself down low.
I'd rather have a guy be overaggressive than passive, but Basabe needs to know when he doesn't have good position.
Especially this year, when it appears Iowa will have a few more scorers.
That being said, he needs to know that when he gets good position, be aggressive, when he doesn't, pass it out and reestablish himself down low.
I'd rather have a guy be overaggressive than passive, but Basabe needs to know when he doesn't have good position.
Especially this year, when it appears Iowa will have a few more scorers.
PalmettoHawkFan
Well-Known Member
Mel is an odd case -- talented, but odd. He came in as a 3 with no jumper. He ended the year as a 4 with no post moves. He was the best player on a bad team because of good instincts around the basket, good second bounce, and because (and my eyes may be wrong here) the team was so bad that no defense really focused on stopping him. I'm a little suspicious of players on bad teams who put up good numbers, because they're often not as good as they appear to be. I'm going to hang that tag on Mel until he:
1) develops a few reliable and varied post moves
or
2) develops a B1G level jumper
and
3) improves his passing
He's out of place at the 4, and not quite rounded enough for the 3. If we bring in more bigs to go with Meyer and Olaseni, it will be interesting to see where Mel plays. This year, he has to develop a 4 game. Woody and another big come in, now he looks like adding to a crowded 3 spot in 2012-13.
I would not be surprised to see Mel as a less significant contributor as a senior than as a Frosh, if Fran brings in better talent and Mel moves farther away from the basket.
1) develops a few reliable and varied post moves
or
2) develops a B1G level jumper
and
3) improves his passing
He's out of place at the 4, and not quite rounded enough for the 3. If we bring in more bigs to go with Meyer and Olaseni, it will be interesting to see where Mel plays. This year, he has to develop a 4 game. Woody and another big come in, now he looks like adding to a crowded 3 spot in 2012-13.
I would not be surprised to see Mel as a less significant contributor as a senior than as a Frosh, if Fran brings in better talent and Mel moves farther away from the basket.
Husky28
Well-Known Member
I think he's as good as billed... ask Sullinger from OSU.
His college coach would completely disagee with the bolded.
Give the kid a break. I understand he is a little raw but he also had 0 opportunities in prep/high school because he was playing behind & beside a highly rated coaches kid.
Melsahn is our best player hands down. His offensive ability is better than any post player we have had in a couple of years and we all agree he is raw & young. Let's give him some time to develop. If he develops a lot this summer I think we could all agree that the sky is the limit for this kid.
Melsahn is our best player hands down. His offensive ability is better than any post player we have had in a couple of years and we all agree he is raw & young. Let's give him some time to develop. If he develops a lot this summer I think we could all agree that the sky is the limit for this kid.
I always think it best to figure out a player's natural instincts and develop his game around those. Mel is a great garbage player. Working to develop him physically to take advantage of that ability would be a good way to go.
This means Iowa is going to have to develop other scorers so Mel can work his magic grabbing rebounds and making put backs.
White is the obvious first choice. He is the guy who the Hawks should concentrate on building a mid-range game. Having Meyer and Woodbury for strong post moves will also help. Mel can help by making his guy stay honest and not double because if they do, he will grab the ball off the rim and shove it down their throats.
This means Iowa is going to have to develop other scorers so Mel can work his magic grabbing rebounds and making put backs.
White is the obvious first choice. He is the guy who the Hawks should concentrate on building a mid-range game. Having Meyer and Woodbury for strong post moves will also help. Mel can help by making his guy stay honest and not double because if they do, he will grab the ball off the rim and shove it down their throats.
PalmettoHawkFan
Well-Known Member
Agreed.
I'm not knocking the kid -- just being realistic. Against first division teams last year, Mel had a rougher night the second or third time around -- OSU, Purdue, Minny, and then MSU in the tournament. His second game numbers at Michigan were down. He did have a stronger game against Illinois the second time, but only saw Bucky's front line once. In general, I'd take that as a sign that the good teams in the league were able to counter him effectively on the second look, which is not a surprise, given Mel's limited game on the blocks.
He is a good complimentary player, but if he's the first option, you have a really bad team. I'd love to be wrong, but I don't see him growing into a first or second option guy, even as a senior. Too many areas for improvement.
I'd love to see him develop defensively more than on the offensive end. He missed too many rotations last year, and ended up watching too many guys score in the paint. Great blocks, but apart from those ooh and ahhh moments, he wasn't getting it done. He has the athletic ability to be a lock-down guy, and it will be fun (hopefully) to watch his defense mature over the next three years.
Husky28
Well-Known Member
First off, I agree that Iowa was a bad team and Mel having to be a go to guy his Freshmen year wasn't an ideal scenario... but to say you don't see him "growing" or in other words... improving (to be a # 1 or 2 guy) by his Senior year is very presumptuous. Based on your assessment, he just as well throw in the towel because he has too many deficiencies... very few freshmen can come in and do what he did and even fewer can sustain that from game to game. Really, only one freshman player in the B10 had a consistent dominant season - from beginning to the end... Sullinger.
Of course teams were able to lock down on him, because he was a one man show inside the paint... it was pretty easy for teams to sag their defense on him because we didn't have a consistent scoring threat coming from anywhere else on the team. So whomever was guarding Mel, knew they were going to get support and played him up tight. Does he need to develop his game? Yep, as do most Freshman... Does he have a lot to work on? Of course... but to make statements that you've made about his future make it sound like he has no ability to improve his overall game. Michael Jordan didn't even make the high school varsity squad his Sophomore year... Based on on your assessment MJ should have thrown in the towel...
Last edited:
WinOneThisCentury
Well-Known Member
PalmettoHawkFan
Well-Known Member
Guys, you're reading a lot into my posts that just isn't there.
I never claimed Mel wasn't going to improve, or that he should throw in the towel, or that he wasn't any good.
I claimed that he has two strong suits right now -- using athleticism and opportunism to score, and rebounding. I claimed that he has some weaknesses -- defense, shooting, post moves if he stays a 4, and passing.
I'll be so presumptuous and insane as to offer that Mel was the sixth best freshman power forward I've watched at Iowa, a good player who could be All Big Ten as a junior or senior, but who has more weaknesses to address than previous all-league power forwards. Payne peaked as a soph and was a polished player as a freshman. Horton had a terrific back-to-the-basket game when he came in, along with a better jumper than Mel. Like Payne, Settles was almost a finished product when he came in. Street and Bowen could do everything but score as freshmen. Brunner was also further along as an all-around player, but like Street and Bowen he lacked Mel's quickness and leaping ability, so it took him a while to develop his scoring.
Mel is quicker and can get off the floor better than any of the above players -- so in that respect he has more "upside." He's not as far along as a basketball player, though, so I'm not ready to jump on the Mel wagon yet. If he learns how to improve two of his three weak spots, then he could be terrific.
I never claimed Mel wasn't going to improve, or that he should throw in the towel, or that he wasn't any good.
I claimed that he has two strong suits right now -- using athleticism and opportunism to score, and rebounding. I claimed that he has some weaknesses -- defense, shooting, post moves if he stays a 4, and passing.
I'll be so presumptuous and insane as to offer that Mel was the sixth best freshman power forward I've watched at Iowa, a good player who could be All Big Ten as a junior or senior, but who has more weaknesses to address than previous all-league power forwards. Payne peaked as a soph and was a polished player as a freshman. Horton had a terrific back-to-the-basket game when he came in, along with a better jumper than Mel. Like Payne, Settles was almost a finished product when he came in. Street and Bowen could do everything but score as freshmen. Brunner was also further along as an all-around player, but like Street and Bowen he lacked Mel's quickness and leaping ability, so it took him a while to develop his scoring.
Mel is quicker and can get off the floor better than any of the above players -- so in that respect he has more "upside." He's not as far along as a basketball player, though, so I'm not ready to jump on the Mel wagon yet. If he learns how to improve two of his three weak spots, then he could be terrific.
All this said, let me redirect this thread back to my original question: have PTL attendees noticed improvement in any of Mel's 'weak spots'?
hawkIhoops
Well-Known Member
IMO, he seems more confident / comfortable getting the ball in the post. Granted, he is not facing big ten competition and has had some awkward moments of forcing up bad shots, but he is at least offensive-minded. I would also say he has gotten stronger and is better at attacking the rim. Better players around him will help a lot. Teams won't be able to sandwich him down low without paying a price on the perimeter (hopefully).
