Fun Thread To Distract Us: Who Would Win?

[MelroseHawkins]

There is no way a normal center in college ball is bringing the ball up the court against pressure from guys like Joe Touissant.

But, I have this funny mental image of the centers doing a bucket brigade where they all stand 15 feet a part and just toss it high to each other to get the ball down the court while the guards jump like puppies trying to swipe the ball.

This is exactly what I think would happen. Agree that they would have difficulty dribbling up court with the speed and quickness of the guards.

The guards would run and gun up court with the ball.

 

[Hawkfnntn]

In a full court 40 min game the centers couldn't run with the guards... In a half court game I'd lean towards the big guys but not full court.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

Funny that's what I see as well. Just pass it over the defender. Having 8-10 inches is a huge deal. People like to say Nunge couldn't play the 3, and are right, but imagine him with a 6'2" guy on him instead of a 6'7" guy. I think a team of 3s could take advantage of being smaller and quicker. But a team of 1s would be too big of a height disadvantage.

Yea, it would look clunky as hell going up the floor, but they'd get the ball up it.

Going back to the shooting debate. Just look at Iowa. Just on their team, this past season if Nunge was healthy, they could have had Garza, Kriener and Nunge all able to hit a 3.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

Agreed that the league has changed but I'd argue that "bigs" who can dribble that effectively are probably being used more as a forward and less of a center in terms of position classification. Although I definitely agree that they are definitely being coached/used to handle the ball more. The other thing is when handling the ball and forced to dribble, they're usually doing it against a player with similar quickness. I'd venture to say that there are very few centers (if any) that have the quickness/reflexes of a guard and are used to handling the ball when being pressed by a quicker smaller player.

Oh yea, I definitely agree. A true center is a true center still. But, I think 5 on the court could be effective enough to get the ball up the court. They are still athletic and skilled enough even thought that position is not their specialty. There's always going to be that one "center" that's just going to run down court to wait, but there should be 3-4 as a collective group able to do it.

 

[PCHawk]

How did I not see that coming?

 

[kicker22]

How did I not see that coming?

She said that too.

 

[1hawkeye1]

As long as the bigs don't try to dribble, I put my money on them.

 

[kicker22]

As long as the bigs don't try to dribble, I put my money on them.

It would definitely be interesting. Half court game might go to the bigs, but no way they could keep up if it went up tempo.

 

[#1DieHardHawk]

It would definitely be interesting. Half court game might go to the bigs, but no way they could keep up if it went up tempo.

That's why you keep two back on D, and post three up on offense. No need to run.

Minimize dribbling by passing over the defense. You consistently score on offense and don't give up lay-ups on defense, forcing the guards to hit consistently from the outside.

 

[Hawk1960]

I could argue both ways for the guards vs. centers but if the winner had to play the small forwards for the championship it's game, set and match. Small forwards would destroy either of them.

 

[Northside Hawk]

There is no way a normal center in college ball is bringing the ball up the court against pressure from guys like Joe Touissant.

But, I have this funny mental image of the centers doing a bucket brigade where they all stand 15 feet a part and just toss it high to each other to get the ball down the court while the guards jump like puppies trying to swipe the ball.

This actually happened in a girls state championship game I saw about fifteen years ago.

The smaller opposing team had used their press to force some turnovers and cut a double digit deficit down to three or four points late in the game. Our coach put his 6'2 post player in the back court and had her throw long passes over the top of the press, and our best free throw shooters were in the frontcourt receiving the passes.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

It would definitely be interesting. Half court game might go to the bigs, but no way they could keep up if it went up tempo.

That is definitely what the guards would be smart to do. Get the ball and run, off made or miss. As mentioned above, the BIGS would have to start by keeping one guy back to release right away, maybe two if that is not enough. It would be the BIGS lumbering up the court to get into the half court game vs the track meet by the guards and outside shots.