Section136
Well-Known Member
That was not it. Mel played the 4 spot both his freshman and sophomore years the majority of the time.
I think Basabe kills it next season
- Thread starter BaryGarta
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That was not it. Mel played the 4 spot both his freshman and sophomore years the majority of the time.
DuffMan
Well-Known Member
this is correct
bpiercehawks
Well-Known Member
I don't want to read one thing that Mel says. I only want to see what he does. He has talked about this and that. He can be a very nice player for us, or he can be a role player the next two years.
WinOneThisCentury
Well-Known Member
He needs to be able to make a 10-15 foot jumper consistently...end of story. If he is to see the court, other than spelling people...he has to have that in his game. It's the key to his development. If people have to come out and guard him, he has the game to go around bigger people and create something. Then teams have to put a smaller guy on him...and we can post him up. No one respected him with the ball at 15 feet this year. He was never able to take advantage of his quickness.
icwesthawkeye
Well-Known Member
His game is a high energy game. If he can play with the energy that he showed his freshman year and at times last year, he will be great. He needs a little jump shot and he needs to work on his defense. The good players we have, with any experience, are all 4's. He is going to have to work very hard to keep his playing time up, I think he returns with a vengeance next year and Iowa is a force once again
Section136
Well-Known Member
I actually dont think this is the case. Basabe needs to be active on the offensive glass getting putbacks and running the floor. He showed at the end of the year that he can bury the little 6-8 foot baby hook from the baseline. He needs to be active in the lane and be ready to stuff home the dropoff from the penetrator.
Doing these things alone will get him to average 10-12 PPG.
This is all true. However, at this time last year, Fran said he needed to bulk up and quit trying to be a shooter. This is one case where I think Fran was a little off in his assessment- not totally, Mel's obviously not a 3. But he's not a pure 4 either, as coach stated. He's a pure 'tweener that needs a shot to be as successful as he can be.
StatelineHawk
Well-Known Member
I hope OP is correct, but the year Mel had last year is what I expected his frosh year. I just don't see Mel being a big difference maker. I was not surprised by last season.
O
OatesStache
Guest
Whenever I saw him play, all he does is stand around on offense. No effort what so ever. Is there a different way your coach can scream at him to make him try?
I can't believe that the loss of Cole hasn't been brought up more this yr. I think he was such a leader of that team last yr and pushed Basabe hard. I just admired him as much as any of the recent former hawks. He went through so much and I think his leadership and just all out effort was missed.
SwirlinLingerie
Well-Known Member
I would be happy with Mel shooting to become a taller version of Daryl Moore. All energy from the moment he steps on the floor, an attitude that every rebound is his, a commitment that nobody beats him to a loose ball, a knack for being around the basket at the right time for putbacks, lay-ups and tip-ins, and a resolve on defense that his man will have to work hard to get his points due to Mel's hustle, toughness and shot-blocking.
In my opinion, this is Mel's game and within his grasp. Let's forget about weight and jump shots and whatnot.
The only thing I really recall Fran saying after the season was that Mel needs to make the commitment to get into the best shape of his life.
I don't usually put much stock in Prime Time games, but in this case, I think those games will likely display if Mel is going to be a useful player for the Hawkeyes this next season.
In my opinion, this is Mel's game and within his grasp. Let's forget about weight and jump shots and whatnot.
The only thing I really recall Fran saying after the season was that Mel needs to make the commitment to get into the best shape of his life.
I don't usually put much stock in Prime Time games, but in this case, I think those games will likely display if Mel is going to be a useful player for the Hawkeyes this next season.
atomicblue224
Well-Known Member
he has to bring back his attitudes back to huddle, far too many times i see him bored with huddles. he`s been doing better late in the conference. he has to loook at zach mccabe`s play against minnesota when he bodyslams two players while marble went around for dunk. i wish basabe bodyslams everyone with attitude
WinOneThisCentury
Well-Known Member
I get he needs to be active on the offensive glass and run the floor, but that's what he does well now when his head is in the game. I completely agree with you...and the baby hook against similar size players should be put up more often. That said, if our half court offense is really going to click, it's important for him to be able to pull bigger people away from the basket...like White can do now. It opens the penetration lanes and allows space around the basket. It can cripple the other teams help defense if their big guys need to come up to the free throw line to stop a 3 and 4 from shooting a 15 footer consistently.
This exactly. Playing two non-shooting bigs is terrible for offensive spacing. Unless Basabe can develop a jumper I don't think you can play Basabe with Woodbury or Gabe. 2 of our 5 players wouldn't be able to play offense outside of 7 feet. This creates a problem, as it prevents Basabe from logging consistent minutes at his more natural size position. He'd have to log his minutes with White, McCabe, or maybe Meyer--making him an undersized center again.
Basabe is a tweener, he's a classic garbage man, but he doesn't have the size to defend and board with quality big guys.
his frosh yr he played the 4 pretty exclusively. but we had 3 players taking the minutes at the 4 and 5 spot this yr. mccabe with the follow trouble left basabe playing the 5 more than he should. he will be a great back up for white next yr at the 4 but unless mccabe can keep out of foul trouble i think he will have to play some minutes at the 5 again.
BigD
Well-Known Member
I wish nothing but the best for Mel. I hope he has a monster season and learns to give his best every night. If not he will be watching White and Meyers from the bench and I am sure McCabe is becoming very familiar with the weight room as we speak. Meyers can shoot from any where on the floor. He and White are going to give defenses fits. Did I mention Gesell, Marble, and Woodbury? As the old KWWL sportscastor Bob Hogue used to say... "OH MY!!!" This is going to be fun!!!!!! Who were the other two coaches after Tom Davis? My memory is slipping.
Section136
Well-Known Member
I see your points and hope Mel can develop a mid range game. I just don't think it's in his game and don't think it's that big of a deal if he can't find the range from 15 feet. I'm happy with an active, hustling Basabe for 30 minutes a game. Can't wait for next season!!
MJSCK
Well-Known Member
Taking vodka shots at the bars on game nights is not a good thing.
Attitude, attitude, attitude.
sportstalent
Well-Known Member
I don't think Basabe was an "Enormous" disappointment this past season.
What was disappointing was to see Basabe do nothing new from his freshman year to his sophomore year. He was essentially the same player, but he had more games with foul problems.
When this season was done, he still had a better year any of Iowa's big men, not named White. The problem with that, White was Iowa's only big guy, other than Basabe, with any upside. That changes next year with the addition of Woodbury and possibly Meyer.
Teams took a look at how Melsahn was successful and took him out of the game, which led to frustration as well. The Iowa guards took Basabe out the game as well, when he actually posted with good position, he rarely got the ball, unless he started off well. There were a lot of reasons why Basabe had the year he did and most of them point to him; he just didn't get better. I think some things came easier in his freshman year with lowered expectations, everyone knew who he was coming into the year and he didn't handle it well.
I thought Basabe actully played decent for the most part in conference play, had he shown any of that in the non-conference Iowa may not have lost a couple of those early games. He did have some real poor conference games, but he had a much shorter leash by that time. If Mel does dedicate himself to getting another solid post move and a reliable 10ft shot it will be interesting to see who starts.
