Lucious vs Gesell

[19210]

Lucious averaged 6.5 ppg and 4 asts while shooting 34% from the field and 28.4% from 3....as a junior. He's a nice addition to your team but he is nothing special.

But I'm sure that he is better than his statistics show.

My dad can beat up your dad!!!

[Rural]

So you're in the minority. Ejim is a big for ISU. He may not be your typical big, but then Royce wasn't your typical point guard/big, either. Iowa is in the same boat.

White is currently a tweener between the 3 and 4. He's still a very effective player, but he doesn't quite fit either mold perfectly. He needs more lower body strength, and needs to develop a little bit of a low-post game. Currently, he's somewhat of a Dirk-type player (though not NEARLY on that level). He can take his man on the drive, and he's a solid shooter. But Dirk also wins battles in the paint, which White doesn't do consistently right now.

Basabe is a tweener in body type, but he's a big. He doesn't have the game to play on the perimeter. His focus this offseason should also be on developing his post game, though I did like the improvement in his 15-17 foot jumper this year (Cole made a big improvement in that department as a senior, too). He seemed to really embrace his role over the last couple weeks of the season, and flourished in that role. If he brings that same energy next year, he'll be just fine.

McCabe is a guy that's been written off time and time again, but I think he can have a big impact for Iowa in his final two years. He made tremendous strides from his freshman season. He's developed into a very dependable 3-point threat, and he's also a banger in the paint. He'll give up something in size on most nights in the Big Ten, but he plays bigger than he is. And he's gaining a lot of confidence.

The biggest thing I like about this group, specifically White and McCabe, is that they bring a lot of the Chris Street-style back to Carver. I can't remember anyone over the last 10 years who consistently made the kinds of pure hustle plays that those two guys did this year. Plays like that can make up for a lot, and those guys both make them. McCabe also plays with a little mean (but not dirty) streak, which brings a certain kind of edginess to the team, which I think is a good thing.

Calling all your players "tweeners" or "hustle players" makes my point in spades.
Thanks for the help. I'll go back to being in the minority, now.

[tm3308]

Calling all your players "tweeners" or "hustle players" makes my point in spades.
Thanks for the help. I'll go back to being in the minority, now.

They're tweeners, but they're still bigs, whether they fit the mold or not. Just like Ejim.

[Gitwitit]

If this were true (it's not) don't you suppose he could have garnered just a little time on a team with zero inside talent?

So you named three guys who stretch the definition of "bigs" and three guys who have never played (or next to never) at this level. That's definitely "hope".

Olaseni had offers from Iowa, Xavier, Ole Miss and Auburn. He was scheduled to officially visit Georgia and Southern FL but cancelled those visits. Those aren't the blue bloods of college b-ball but not to shabby either.

Those 3 guys that stretch the definition of bigs were all very effective players this year. The fact that those 3 are returning and the addition of 3 young "traditional" bigs leaves a lot of hope for next year.

I'm surprised Olaseni didn't play a little bit more but Fran plays the best 5 guys and McCabe was really solid for most of the season.

[Rural]

Olaseni had offers from Iowa, Xavier, Ole Miss and Auburn. He was scheduled to officially visit Georgia and Southern FL but cancelled those visits. Those aren't the blue bloods of college b-ball but not to shabby either.

Those 3 guys that stretch the definition of bigs were all very effective players this year. The fact that those 3 are returning and the addition of 3 young "traditional" bigs leaves a lot of hope for next year.

I'm surprised Olaseni didn't play a little bit more but Fran plays the best 5 guys and McCabe was really solid for most of the season.

You must not spend a lot of time on Iowa message boards. Wasabe would have had to go some to reach bum status.

[Gitwitit]

You must not spend a lot of time on Iowa message boards. Wasabe would have had to go some to reach bum status.

He looked like the old Basabe the last 10-12 games. By that time though White and McCabe were both playing really well too. There are only so many minutes to go around. Basabe was pretty bad the first half of the season though.

[Mr Janny]

He looked like the old Basabe the last 10-12 games. By that time though White and McCabe were both playing really well too. There are only so many minutes to go around. Basabe was pretty bad the first half of the season though.

He played well in the NIT, but over the last 10 games in the Big 10, he only hit double digits in scoring twice, and only tallied more than 5 boards once.

[JCREEK]

basabe was horrible all season way big disappointment. looks like he has no heart for the game.

[Mr Janny]

basabe was horrible all season way big disappointment. looks like he has no heart for the game.

yeah, he played better toward the end of the season, but save a few games, it was still not up to the level of his freshman year. The fact that he looked improved is a testament to how truly awful he was at the start of the year.

[Hawkeye11en1]

yeah, he played better toward the end of the season, but save a few games, it was still not up to the level of his freshman year. The fact that he looked improved is a testament to how truly awful he was at the start of the year.

It wasn't pretty. I was VERY disappointed him in this last year. He had his moments where I said to myself, "where the heck has that been?" but they were few and far between.

btw, sorry :D

[3TrueFans]

btw, sorry :D

NEVER SHOW WEAKNESS!

[Hawkeye11en1]

NEVER SHOW WEAKNESS!

You can't read that! Your eyes HAVE to be blurry from your hangover. Have to be.

[mikem]

basabe was horrible all season way big disappointment. looks like he has no heart for the game.

No, Basabe is limited offensively.

His freshman season put a bullseye on his back, and he was a focal point of the defenses they played. People on the other side don't seem to realize that when you don't have a lot of options offensively, the ones you do have are gameplanned for.

Basabe got most of his through hustle and out working people on the block, and off the glass. Other teams figured out that he was a guy that you had to keep a body on, and push off the block.

When you don't have a lot of people that can score the ball, teams can focus on taking your good options away. It's the same as when chewey was the coach here, we had just a couple of guys that could even get shots up.

White was the beneficiary of that this year. People feared Basabe more than White. We will see what happens next year when he becomes more of a focal point of the other team.

I think he is a good player, and versatile enough to get his points, but he was a guy that was able to run around without a lot of focus from opponents this year, because of Gatens, and of course Basabe, and Cartwright when he got healthy.

Olesani has a LONG way to go before he will be a regular contributer to that team. I think Woodbury will be a project the first two years as well.

Gessell is interesting. He had lousy offers for a top 100 guy, but he played well in all star games. But to think that he is going 10 and 5 ast, is really setting the kid up to be ripped. How many players in Iowa history averaged 5 assists a game? Did BJ Armstrong even do that?

[DurangoCy]

Bump...
I saw a bit of Iowa vs. C Michigan last night and was very impressed with Gessell. He looked like one of Iowa's best players, although probably not a huge compliment. Woodbury, for being their only real big guy still has a lot of work to do to turn into anything besides a shot blocker/rebounder, and honestly he wasn't real impressive at either of those skills.

Discuss.

[CarlHungus]

Iowa is probably a final four team with all the talent they have. I think Gesell and Woodbury leave after this year because both will be lottery picks. Anything less than a final four appearance, then Iowa City will be in flames and riots will break out in front of Franny's house