Some garbage time? Both those games were bad blowouts. There was plenty of garbage time in those minutes and a lot of wishful thinking here.
Ogbole Gets the Belt
- Thread starter MadRU
- Start date
In that OSU game, Cliff picked up 2 quick fouls and Ogbole played a lot in the first half. It was a 2-point game at halftime.
Thank you for this. We all want him to do well, and I'm sure he improved. Let's just wait and see please? This is the problem with the offseason. We start making unrealistic expectations of players. Better than Cliff? If you are right, then please reference your posts on this thread where you make this assertion, and I'l be first to applaud your accuracy. I just don't buy it right now.
Good comment, IMO (for what it is worth).
I do not see any way Ogbole is better than Omoruyi, despite being a relative optimistic and hopeful (2 different things) - in fact I project Sommerville will get more minutes per game off the bench than Ogbole will get as the starter. But, we do not need either or both combined centers this season to be as good as Omoruyi, as the make-up of the team is totally different, with significantly better overall "talent", much better height and length across the board, seemingly better athleticism, etc.
As a reminder of what RU might need from the center position: Last season, Omoruyi was RU's best returning player ... period and by a margin. RU needed him to perform that way ... and though he was RU's best or 2nd best player (maybe behind J. Williams in the last 10-12 games), he did NOT perform like he was RU's returning "star," and IMO disappointed considerably, regressing in every area besides blocked shots (and maybe FT %). This season, J. Williams is the best returning player, but is neither expected to, or has to, be the best player, this season, as RU is bringing in 2 projected lottery picks ... we do not NEED the Center to be a star, just serviceable as a defender, rebounder and occasional scoring. I see a reasonable chance Ogbole can be useful as part of that role, along with Sommerville and a few minutes each game from Martini.
Im sure it’s an adjustment, but you’ve gotta think these guys also have trainers and PT already.
For sure - I agreed with your point above. But obviously Ace and Dylan are exceptions given the number of family members who have played at a high level and knowing what to expect.
Update: I realized my response was unclear.
I agree - what’s telling though is that he’s focused on Ogbole and not Somerville despite the word that Somerville being a potential flight risk factored into the decision not to push hard for a BIG replacement. Seems if we were trying to defuse things, hyping Somerville would make more sense.
They don’t. And Pike knows it. Yet - supposedly, at least in some context or another, Pike hinted that PT for Somerville (a frosh who is not a guarantee to stay for a second season even if he develops well this season) was a factor in choosing not to recruit a proven BIG. Something doesn’t add up and overhyping Ogbole almost seems contrary to what you would expect in this situation. If it’s his usual glowing report of everyone’s progress we should be hearing about Somerville being a double double machine. We’re not. Remember the glowing reports about Chol?
Perhaps......drawing for straws.....Pike not 100% happy with Somerville's current physical condition and he wants that to change. Just a guess.
Most certainly - but it still doesn’t add up. He had to have some idea of Somerville’s starting point. Somerville should be on the real fast track if he’s why we halted a search for a proven BIG. Nothing else makes sense.
He either lied to me or had no idea Hyatt would be as bad as he was on the defensive end on Day 1.
I am completely prepared to see Ace at center or at least 3 guards and ACE and Martini in the game. If our top 8 players are all guards and wings why not just play a small lineup. i am really hoping Ogbole and/or Somerville are an upgrade over a wing (playing centeer) on the defensive end
Pike never said Hyatt would be a good defensive player, did he? I don’t recall that.
You’re absolutely spot on. With Ace at 6 10 and the depth and size at G, the flexibility Pike has to change lineups is insane - especially if we get some surprises from the 2 really talented freshman we aren’t talking about.
Could be that Somerville for all his skills is nowhere close to being in college basketball shape. It is not a given that players will do what it takes to get in playing shape. Back in 2016 Matt Bullock didn’t. Hope Somerville has or will, but watching him play in high school, it was a concern.
As for guarantees that players will return, that was never the case and now it’s at best wishful thinking.
To be honest though, Hyatt seemed too laid back to be solid defensively (I’ll never call a kid with his grades lazy). But even when he had a crowd amping dunk, he went with a lay up.
With his skill set, Somerville has a realistic shot at the NBA. He has every reason to buy into S&C.
He was like a 4.0 student. Pike at the open practice last year “and Aundre, when I got his transcript, I had never seen so many As before in my life”. Think he finished grad school last year.
Your missing the point. Pike is not stupid. There is no way in the world that we decided to bet on the future beyond next season. Any decision to forego bringing in a veteran center to avoid pissing off Somerville had to be about wanting to retain Somerville’s services for this coming season. There’s a very good chance he leaves after one year. Not just him - that’s the way it is with NIL. It’s Pike’s job to know to a certain degree whether an incoming frosh is a major project. If that’s the deal with Somerville, the decision to stop recruiting proven guys so that can develop him instead doesn’t make any sense. That’s all I’m saying. I don’t know how out of shape Somerville is. I’m hoping that it’s more that Ogbole is outperforming rather than that Somerville is badly underperforming. Regardless - anyone who had Somerville penciled in as the starter should pump the breaks for now.
He’s got like 4 guys (as FIG pointed out, Ace can play the 5 as well to really f up game planning for us) who can play the 5. I think he would be challenged to give PT to anyone else.
I know but it’s unlikely the other guys combine for more than spot minutes unless Somerville is a complete bust. The plan was never to play Ace at the 5. Right now it seems Ogbole is the frontrunner to start at the 5. Now I suppose that could mean Pike is thinking 20 minutes for Ogbole with center by committee the rest of the time. I
A lot will change with Lathan between now and October. He’s been in college S&C and nutrition for a week. If he’s disciplined, he’ll be fine.
Ogboles a wild card because, aside from missing most of a year with the knee injury, he didn’t even start playing basketball until he was 18 - so I don’t even think you can figure out where his ceiling actually is because it’s so unprecedented.
Bullock also did not have the talent to play at this level, even if he was in shape.
I agree. For me, it’s only the part about us halting recruitment to retain Somerville that has me confused. I just don’t think we would do that if Somerville’s starting point wasn’t higher than first needing to get into shape.
I suppose what it could be is more of a combination type of thing where Pike saw what we could realistically land in the portal and decided that all things considered, it just wasn’t worth it because he knew what he get out of Ogbole and wasn’t sure how much more the BIGs in our price range would offer. Secondarily - perhaps he considered that bringing in a proven player would’ve boxed Somerville out completely and might have led him to leave which wouldn’t have been a good look. Finally, to your point, the other potential options to play spot minutes at the 5 may have come to mind in terms of providing some flexibility with PT. Pike mentions that a lot in regarding to maintaining team chemistry. I just don’t see how it could have been all about honoring a request to keep Somerville happy. It doesn’t seem that he’s at the level yet where that would make sense.
I really hope not. But there are people like the guy who just laughed and me and the other guy who went to the free board to post the info in the first place, who seem to think it proves we’re doubling down on Somerville as a penciled in starter.
Obviously we have to wait and see what all these newcomers bring. If we are looking at the 15 "centers" that will be on the court.....will Lathan be able to defend and rebound better than other "non centers" on the roster? Each of the 15 and their replacements on the bench are different.
I just don't see him helping team defense like Cliff or even Ogbole has the potential of doing with shot blocking. As far as post defense, defending the highs screen and defensive rebounding....we will see.
I just don't see him helping team defense like Cliff or even Ogbole has the potential of doing with shot blocking. As far as post defense, defending the highs screen and defensive rebounding....we will see.
