More time for Aaron White at the 4

T

timberhawk

Member
This is nitpicking, but I would like to see Aaron White play a bit more at the 4 spot, as opposed to the 3. While I think he will create some mismatches at the 3, I feel his current skill set is better suited to roam the baseline and lane areas. Right now, it seems he gets the ball on the perimeter and just passes it back out.

White doesn't currently have a great dribble drive against the defenders he is facing, nor a quick dribble pull up 15-17 footer. Albeit, he is capable 3 point shooter, but to be a truly effective 3, you need a shoot or drive mentality. I think he will develop this, but his strength is getting the garbage and "junk" buckets around the rim. I mean garbage & junk in the most positive way.

Just a thought I had last night while watching him be largely uninvolved offensively last night against Western Kentucky.
 
I would agree with this. My biggest problem though is with his defense. He is long and that is great for denying on the wing but he is not quick enough to stay in front with on ball defense. He doesn't have the offensive or defensive skill set yet to be a solid 3. Though at times he will be very good at the 3, our best team is with White at the 4.
 
I would make the argument that although White is personally better at the 4 position, the team is better with him at the 3 position because of lineups.

Move White to the 4 and either Ogelsby or May would need to start at the other wing position. With Ogelsby we would lose big time on rebounding, go slightly backwards on defense but gain outside shooting. With May... we lose D and rebounding and overall offense but gain speed and Defense.

At this point we just don't have another solid wing to plug in.
 
Right now I would say our best lineup has both Clemmons and Gesell on the floor with Marble at the 3 and White at the 4...then go with who is playing the best at the 5 (McCabe, Basabe, or Woodbury). This actually solves defensive problems and gets us better offense. I think you still play White at the 3 and stick with the starting lineup but I feel that that lineup is our best.
 
I don't think there's any question that White is better at the 4 spot, but with the way our roster is constructed we have a real lack of depth at the 3 spot as far as guys who can actually score and help space the floor. There will be a lot of playing time available for May or Clemmons if either one of them can step up and be a consistent offensive threat this year.
 
Foval21 said:
Right now I would say our best lineup has both Clemmons and Gesell on the floor with Marble at the 3 and White at the 4...then go with who is playing the best at the 5 (McCabe, Basabe, or Woodbury). This actually solves defensive problems and gets us better offense. I think you still play White at the 3 and stick with the starting lineup but I feel that that lineup is our best.
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The issue I have with this line up is starting 3 true freshman with Woody in the lineup. I don't think you can start McCabe with White playing the 4. We would lack size and any threat of shot blocking to protect the hoop.

Basabe's natural position is the 4 spot so you'll move White back to his natural spot, the 4 but sacrifice Basabe to the 5 spot.
 
ibahawkeye said:
The issue I have with this line up is starting 3 true freshman with Woody in the lineup. I don't think you can start McCabe with White playing the 4. We would lack size and any threat of shot blocking to protect the hoop.

Basabe's natural position is the 4 spot so you'll move White back to his natural spot, the 4 but sacrifice Basabe to the 5 spot.
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Agreed, this is what killed us defensively last year. Also playing Clemmons and Gesell together is a small back court, which hasn't hurt us yet, but I wonder how they will hold up when the face bigger B10 guards.

A big, athletic wing player would make this team a legit upper division B10 team.
 
hawkfan33 said:
Agreed, this is what killed us defensively last year. Also playing Clemmons and Gesell together is a small back court, which hasn't hurt us yet, but I wonder how they will hold up when the face bigger B10 guards.

A big, athletic wing player would make this team a legit upper division B10 team.
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images
 
White was averaging somewhere around 16 and 8 prior to last night, good enough for top 15 in scoring / top 3-4 in rebounding in the BIG. Yet, somehow, the idea of him splitting time between the 3 / 4 isnt working? The kid was hurt last night. Anybody notice him walking out of Carver after the GW game with his wrist heavily wrapped? Ask yourself the last time he played that poorly? He clearly was not himself last night. Not to mention, for some reason I'm thinking Fran has a pretty good idea of what the kid can do vs not do.
 
Please read carefully this time...

Point #1 - We should stick with the same starting lineup. But utilize White more at the 4.

Point #2 - Our best team right now is when we have Clemmons, Gesell, Marble, White, and Woodbury or Basabe or McCabe on the court. This fixes our problems with quickness problems on the perimeter and helps our offense out making White a more viable option. This hopefully isn't the best option at the end of the year but right now it is.

Point #3 - yes it hurts our defense down low to have McCabe or Basabe at the 5. But anyone that has watched sees that Woody and Olaseni aren't the only guys playing the 5. McCabe and Basabe (and even White) have been playing the 5. This team needs to find offensive continuity. That grouping has the best offense right now.

Point #4 - Ogelsby is long and quicker than White and Marble on defense and is a better defensive player than people realize if he can find his shot him at the 2 will be a very strong lineup.
 
hawkfan33 said:
And that is?
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Patrick Ingram. Freshman off guard. Not redshirted but hasn't caught up from late arrival/injuries this summer, but look for him to make his way into the rotation. Phenomenal athlete, quickest first step on the team. Gonna be a special player. Look out for Patty Ingram.
 
franstheman said:
Patrick Ingram. Freshman off guard. Not redshirted but hasn't caught up from late arrival/injuries this summer, but look for him to make his way into the rotation. Phenomenal athlete, quickest first step on the team. Gonna be a special player. Look out for Patty Ingram.
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Ingram is 6'2, I said a big wing.
 
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