GAME 27 MARYLAND: Move on and turn the page
- Thread starter bac2therac
- Start date
Next year this would be a really good roster:
1. Dylan
2. TBD - Sharp shooting 3 point specialist
3. JWill
4. Ace
5. Cliff
6. Mag
7. JMike
8. Sommerville
9. Simpson
10. Ogbole
11. Griffith
12. Dortch
13. Grant
Transfer portal
1. Chol
2. Woolfolk
3. A. Williams
4. Oscar
If JMike, Simpson, or Griffith didn't come back, you can bring back Oscar. If Cliff doesn't come back, you have to get a center that is an upgrade from Ogbole or Woolfolk, unless you think there is any chance Sommerville can be to Rutgers what Owen Freeman is to Iowa.
1. Dylan
2. TBD - Sharp shooting 3 point specialist
3. JWill
4. Ace
5. Cliff
6. Mag
7. JMike
8. Sommerville
9. Simpson
10. Ogbole
11. Griffith
12. Dortch
13. Grant
Transfer portal
1. Chol
2. Woolfolk
3. A. Williams
4. Oscar
If JMike, Simpson, or Griffith didn't come back, you can bring back Oscar. If Cliff doesn't come back, you have to get a center that is an upgrade from Ogbole or Woolfolk, unless you think there is any chance Sommerville can be to Rutgers what Owen Freeman is to Iowa.
Don’t act like Pike has never gotten teams to bounce back after bad stretches in the past. He’s one of the best at doing this and doesn’t need to publicly humiliate his players in the process. It doesn’t go your way every single season
Lou , I agree with you that our roster will be better but almost convinced guys who will not back. Cliff, Noah and Oskar will very unlikely not be back and I am happy they are moving on. Choi and Wolf could be portal entries.
Guards will be Dylan and Jeremiah with Derek and Jamichael coming off the bench. Gavin and Ace are in the front court , if Mag doesn’t come back , giving Dylan 2 scoring options to pass the ball and hopefully set up Gavin for a much more productive sophomore campaign. If Mag returns he is with Ace and Ace plays the 3 and Mag the 4. Dortsch and Grant will be the back up wings.
If Wolf stays , then Lathan will likely start from Day 1 with Egbole and Wolf as backups.
That is a solid 12 man roster with enough defense, enough offense , enough 3 point shooting with Dylan , Ace and Gavin and even Lathan , to compliment the amount of paint points we will have.
Trying to get a portal guy to be better than Gavin and Mag will be difficult and trying to get a center instead of riding with Lathan , Egbole and Wolf will also be difficult. If Wolf leaves then go get another center.
Assuming Dylan and Ace are one and done , the following year , you have Jeremiah , Derek , JMike and whatever guard Pike recruits for 2025. You have Gavin , Dorsch and Grant in the front court with whoever Pike recruits and you have Lathan , Egbole , Wolf if still here plus whatever Center Pike recruits. This roster still has stability with a number of upperclassman especially at the guard positions in 2025.
Wasn’t talking about pike at all. Like not at all because he doesn’t ever call out his players. So he’s certainly not “one of the best at doing this” when “this” is bouncing back after calling out players - you want it to be something else that’s fine to talk about too.
Now that you’re mentioning it, in fact, I can really only remember pike calling a player out publicly in a post game one time and it was Hyatt in last years lost to Minnesota - and they finished 1-2 after that misses the tournament having a 60%+ chance to make it and then lost as 1 seed in the NIT.
So he’s probably one of the worst at calling out his players and not bouncing back after he does it.
I only made the comment because people called Pitino out and the got results (for now). last year people ripped shrewsbury in the moment for calling out his players after the RU game and yet they then went 5-1 made the tourney.
I want to nitpick this because you are repeating it a lot. I don't think Pike gives a **** about Gavin's recruiting ranking. I think Pike cares about his own evaluation of Gavin which is that he still has a lot of potential. I don't think he plays him because of his stars. It's kind of the same thing but it's different imo.
Fig Gavin also played well versus Seton hall. hit 3 threes in the first half. Forgot that game . i wrote this before John Battle averaged 2 points a game as a frosh. 3 years later in the NBA. Gavin is a frosh. Austin was also 0-6 from foul line one game. Team can't score and you want to play a kid who is terrible from line?
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LOVE your take.
But I did see no behind the passes last game AND he was getting after it more. He is just not strong enough (yet).
I was happy to see this and IF he can put (DEDICATE!) his skinny white ass in the weight room I can see a path.
He has improved a lot on D since then. If i recall the few good days he had shooting back then were neutralized by the D. Now that his D is improved he hasnt given us anything on O.
He is definitely due. The more i trash him the more likely he is to drop 22 on Michigan. I do think teamnates not passing to him will be addressed. It was obvious vs MD.
I can't wrap my head around why any Rutgers Basketball fan wouldn't want Cliff back. Please explain your position. I know you realize he is one of the best defensive centers in the country, and our incoming freshman will be defensively challenged.
Cliff has limitations on offense but he would be better than any center from the transfer portal.Rutgers has a better chance of attracting a forward 3 point shooter which will be needed with defenses concentrating on Bailey and Harper.
Just clarify, the following players gone (no more eligibility)
Noah
Hyatt
A. Williams
2 of the following "returning players" MUST transfer to accommodate the incoming 5 freshman. Any additional transfers require additional "returning players" to leave:
Woolf
Cho
Oskar
Mag
Clif
J. Williams
Davis
Gavin
Simpson
Noah
Hyatt
A. Williams
2 of the following "returning players" MUST transfer to accommodate the incoming 5 freshman. Any additional transfers require additional "returning players" to leave:
Woolf
Cho
Oskar
Mag
Clif
J. Williams
Davis
Gavin
Simpson
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you forgot Palmquist. If everyone was coming back, in my opinion, the guys that would have to transfer are Palmquist, Chol, and Woolfolk. But if we were to get a sharp shooter out of the portal, then you'd have to look at another guy on your list to move on. Palmquist is the guy you keep if there is an unexpected defection other than Cliff.
The problem as I see it is there are periods of time during games that the ball is forced into Cliff as if they need to make him happy. Unless he gets the pass in a perfect position (for him), its a wasted possession. He hasn't developed any skills from further than 3-4 feet from the basket. If he would stay focused and just sweep rebounds and follow up on the offensive boards, I'd be thrilled to have him back. Otherwise I truly believe he holds us back offensively.
Cliff has to move on for his own financial future. He doesn’t make NIL like others but can get paid in Europe or overseas.
He has not progressed enough offensively to be an impact in his college game and this year’s team , he has suffered by our guards not knowing how to pass to him. Dylan will need a wide open lane . Cliff will clog it. Lathan can play around the 3 point line , Cliff cannot. It will be a better fit with Dylan , Ace and Lathan. We will miss his shot blocking and shot altering for sure but not enough to want him coming back. If he got better every year like Edey then of course but it hasn’t happened. No drop step , no pull up 10 footer , not a three point threat. He hasn’t gotten better. I hate saying that because I love Cliff and what he did coming to Rutgers.
I still disagree but your's is an interesting and well thought out perspective. He's likely not coming back so this will give me some comfort when it becomes official.
