Build to the future with fresh line-up

tweeterhawk

tweeterhawk

Well-Known Member
You're Fran McCaffery, you've coached the 2010-11 team the best you can, yet only have one conference win to show for it. You are instilling a new style of play and a new level of competitiveness; you are coaching the team to run at a fast pace for 40 minutes and on the need to play defense for the full 35 seconds of the play clock.

You know the fans weren't expecting much this year, and it's now time to focus on building the foundation for what you hope will be many more years in Iowa City. Who do you start and give the most PT the rest of this season?

These would be mine:

G - Bryce Cartright
G - Roy Marble
F - Melsahn Basabe
F - Zach McCabe
F - Andrew Brommer

Reserves:

Stoermer
Gatens
May
Cole
 
that sounds like a horrible idea. essentially giving up on this season is what your saying. you think attendance is bad now? if you give up on this season to build for the future the fans that are still supporting the team are likely to give up too
 
I wouldnt do that and I dont think CoachF will either. This team has a chance to be pretty good next season. Finally have some upperclassman to lead.
I'm looking forward to next season. I think we will be competitive in EVERY game. I havent been able to say that in a long time.
 
lightning1 said:
I wouldnt do that and I dont think CoachF will either. This team has a chance to be pretty good next season. Finally have some upperclassman to lead.
I'm looking forward to next season. I think we will be competitive in EVERY game. I havent been able to say that in a long time.
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I think next year will be better but I'm not seeing what May and Gatens are bringing right now, and we will be without Cole. Give the younger guys more playing time and confidence. Cole's not contributing that much on either end of the floor so why not use him to back up Brommer?
 
I think he needs to change the lineup as well because constantly this team gets in a shooting funk around the 12 minute mark of each half. I like this athletic lineup.

Cartwright
Marble
Gatens
Basabe
Archie

With Archie and Basabes length I beleive the defense would improve.

Some people may question this lineup but since I have been clammoring for the Hawks to hire Steve Lavin since 2003. But what do I know he only has a top 3 recruiting class coming in and just upset #3 Duke with a very depleted squad.
 
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tweeterhawk said:
You're Fran McCaffery, you've coached the 2010-11 team the best you can, yet only have one conference win to show for it. You are instilling a new style of play and a new level of competitiveness; you are coaching the team to run at a fast pace for 40 minutes and on the need to play defense for the full 35 seconds of the play clock.

You know the fans weren't expecting much this year, and it's now time to focus on building the foundation for what you hope will be many more years in Iowa City. Who do you start and give the most PT the rest of this season?

These would be mine:

G - Bryce Cartright
G - Roy Marble
F - Melsahn Basabe
F - Zach McCabe
F - Andrew Brommer

Reserves:

Stoermer
Gatens
May
Cole
Click to expand...
As bad and inconsistant May has played, he head and shoulders above McCabe. McCabe is a liability. He has no fire, and needs to be thinking about football. Brommer is the question mark. I have been impressed with him in the post and Cole is just not the guy. Marble is coming around and Cartright has been asked to do a lot with Cully injured. The current team can't avoid the lapses in scoring they have in almost every game. One minute they look like a great team and then for the next 10 they look like a high school team. Typical results from a team in transition. Fran will get it done.
 
tweeterhawk said:
I think next year will be better but I'm not seeing what May and Gatens are bringing right now, and we will be without Cole. Give the younger guys more playing time and confidence. Cole's not contributing that much on either end of the floor so why not use him to back up Brommer?
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If the Hawks can get one of the PGs and one of the bigs they have offered, it wouldn't surprise me to see both of them start or play starter minutes. Let's say they get Stokes and Pitchford, while it may not start, I wouldn't be surprised to see this lineup on the court a LOT...

1- Stokes or Carter/Guerrero
2- BC
3- Marble
4- Basabe
5- Pitchford or Katenda/Olesani

That would be the longest, most athletic five, and the lineup that offers the most in the way of shot creation. The biggest weakness would be outside shooters, as Stokes/Carter/Guerrero would be the only true option with that five. I would assume that Gatens and May would start, but the above lineup (you could substitute any of the PGs and bigs they have offered) would give them the best chance to play a style similar to what Fran seems to want. Even if they didn't start, I could see all of the above averaging 20+ (some obviously way more) minutes per game.

That five, with Payne, Gatens, May and White also getting close to or at 20 minutes, wouldn't be a bad rotation, and should allow them more flexibility than they have now. With 3 pgs, they could have two on the court at once quite a bit. There would be 2-3 legitimate outside shooters. 2-3 legitimate bigs and 3-4 guys that can create their own shots or drive and dish, which is a huge problem this year as only BC can do that consistently this year. Sliding him to a wing w/ another pg, on the court at the same time, that can also create would be huge for the Hawks. That should help get the shooters more open looks. It should also help draw defenders away from the bigs more often. Getting another quality big to go along with Mel will help on both ends down low.

There is just so much that getting two of those guys would do for the Hawks next year. I still can't see them getting to the NCAA, but they should be enough to have them within spitting distance of the NIT. Right now, ANY postseason ball would be fantastic next year.
 
The only way that McCabe has a future that doesn't include a just a reserve / role player position is if Fran can't get some athletic recruits. McCabe is a MVC guy, not Big Ten, IMO.
 
MSGT1 said:
If the Hawks can get one of the PGs and one of the bigs they have offered, it wouldn't surprise me to see both of them start or play starter minutes. Let's say they get Stokes and Pitchford, while it may not start, I wouldn't be surprised to see this lineup on the court a LOT...

1- Stokes or Carter/Guerrero
2- BC
3- Marble
4- Basabe
5- Pitchford or Katenda/Olesani

That would be the longest, most athletic five, and the lineup that offers the most in the way of shot creation. The biggest weakness would be outside shooters, as Stokes/Carter/Guerrero would be the only true option with that five. I would assume that Gatens and May would start, but the above lineup (you could substitute any of the PGs and bigs they have offered) would give them the best chance to play a style similar to what Fran seems to want. Even if they didn't start, I could see all of the above averaging 20+ (some obviously way more) minutes per game.

That five, with Payne, Gatens, May and White also getting close to or at 20 minutes, wouldn't be a bad rotation, and should allow them more flexibility than they have now. With 3 pgs, they could have two on the court at once quite a bit. There would be 2-3 legitimate outside shooters. 2-3 legitimate bigs and 3-4 guys that can create their own shots or drive and dish, which is a huge problem this year as only BC can do that consistently this year. Sliding him to a wing w/ another pg, on the court at the same time, that can also create would be huge for the Hawks. That should help get the shooters more open looks. It should also help draw defenders away from the bigs more often. Getting another quality big to go along with Mel will help on both ends down low.

There is just so much that getting two of those guys would do for the Hawks next year. I still can't see them getting to the NCAA, but they should be enough to have them within spitting distance of the NIT. Right now, ANY postseason ball would be fantastic next year.
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I agree 100% with what you say. If you can get better athletes out there I might even be tempted to put Gatens at the 2 or 3 and switch out BC. I think with other creators around him Gatens is perfectly fine out there. He shoots well, and he has enough basketball instinct that he can get off some mid range stuff and not hurt you.

But I agree with your thinking, Iowa ABSOLUTELY needs athelticism/bball skill added to the line up.

I just honestly do not understand how the line up below next year is any better than this year.

1. BC/Cully
2. Gatens
3. May
4. Basabe
5. Brommer

It's the same mess as this year just repeated. I don't understand how some people believe getting older as a team just automatically makes you better. It's ridiculos because I don't care what teams lose supposed players if they out recruit your age it is meaningless.

For instance Brommer is a Junior and Basabe a freshman is WAY better. Who is to say other Big 10 teams don't just bring in a freshman who is WAY better than Brommer so that so called experience is trumped by actual talent.

Iowa can't just hope an aging roster improves. Fran ABSOLUTELY Needs to turn over the roster ASAP.
 
How is starting Brommer (a junior) and benching May (a sophomore) building for the future? I hate to say it, but Brommer is what he is: a 4-year project who really doesn't have a lot of upside. I think he can improve and contribute, but I just don't ever see him as starter material in this conference. Benching Gatens is crazy.

Four of my starters for sure are:
Cartwright
Gatens
Basabe
May

To me, it's a tossup between Marble & Cole for the 5th spot at this point as to who is more productive, but Marble has far more upside in the long run, so I wouldn't be opposed to starting him and bringing in Cole off the bench for quite a few minutes. On the other hand, this is just a guess, but it might help certain guys develop quicker without the pressure of starting as a freshman, so I can live with starting Cole.

In other words, I'm ok with the current starting 5.
 
ICHAWK said:
I just honestly do not understand how the line up below next year is any better than this year.

1. BC/Cully
2. Gatens
3. May
4. Basabe
5. Brommer
Click to expand...

That line-up would not strike fear in the hearts of most Iowa high school teams, let alone any of our 2012 opponents.
 
BC
Gatens
Marble
Basabe
Brommer

I said since the beginning of the season that Marble and Basabe are the building blocks.

The injury to Cully has prevented this line up because with Marble starting there is no back up PG.
 
tweeterhawk said:
That line-up would not strike fear in the hearts of most Iowa high school teams, let alone any of our 2012 opponents.
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Really...you have to be smarter than that, that team would beat every iowa high school team in the state really easily....

some of the these comments people post just really are not smart at all.
 
So when is the signing period for spring? And when can we expect to hear we've signed players? Seems like it's been real quiet on the bb recruiting front.

Is there a chance we don't fill the scholarships available?
 
DBAHawkFan said:
So when is the signing period for spring? And when can we expect to hear we've signed players? Seems like it's been real quiet on the bb recruiting front.

Is there a chance we don't fill the scholarships available?
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It appears the spring signing period is 13 APR through 18 May. If I had to rate our chances, I'd guess Stokes and Pitchford are the best bets, based on interest and offers, but who knows. I'd put Guerrero as the longest shot. I haven't heard much about JUCO's either, so I'm pretty much in the dark regarding them. I would bet, one way or the other (HS vs JUCO) that they fill the remaining two schollies. Although, Fran has said, he will only bring in guys that can contribute now, not projects, so if he can only fill one, they'll pocket the other to next year.
 
Dear Coach Fran -

Next time you're contemplating whether to spend time recruiting in state or out of state please review the IA vs. MI game video of 1/30/2011.
 
ohhawk said:
Dear Coach Fran -

Next time you're contemplating whether to spend time recruiting in state or out of state please review the IA vs. MI game video of 1/30/2011.
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That's not fair. If you think Fran shouldn't spend time trying to get instate recruits like Woodbury, Paige, Staten or Jok, then I'm not sure what you would consider acceptable for the Hawks. Every one of those guys are top 50-100 types. I'd agree about fringe players, but not highly rated and recruited players. There's a reason guys like Self, Williams and Izzo are spending more time in Iowa lately, as a state we are producing more and more top players.

If there was a top 50 recruit in the state of Iowa and Fran didn't go after him, I'd question his judgement.
 
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