Who will be our fifth starter?

[darklion]

Hi fellow Cyclone fans, I've been a lurker here for about a year, and I finally couldn't take not being able to post, so I took the plunge and signed up.

I've been wanting to see a separate thread for a topic that always seems to come up in other threads but never seems to go anywhere. That is, what starting lineup we're gonna see for 2012-13.

First of all, I'd like to take two things as given:

1. Chris Babb and Melvin Ejim, as returning starters, will continue to do so;
2. Will Clyburn and Korie Lucious, as our prize 5th-year senior transfers, will start.

Given that, who's going to round out the starting five? Candidates include:

• Tyrus McGee. With last year's 6th-man-Mr.-Hustle in the lineup we'd be playing small ball with Babb at 3 and Clyburn at 4. Could be hellish for an opposing team to guard, but with the lack of size can this lineup rebound and defend well enough?
• Percy Gibson. Started part-time last year while Ejim was going through a slump. Creative in the post, but can he improve his defense?
• Anthony Booker. Good post defender and rebounder, something we will need with Royce gone, but prone to brain fades that limited his playing time last year. Can hit the three, but if consistently left open can he make the opposition pay?
• Georges Niang. The wild card of the bunch. He could potentially have the best qualities of both Gibson and Booker (and more besides,) but as a true freshman, can he get up to speed quickly enough?

Just about everyone else (Bubu Palo, Naz Long, Sherron Dorsey-Walker, Kerwin Okuro, the walk-ons) I see as long shots. You're welcome to differ, though.

Also, if you don't think that initial starting lineup will maintain itself, how will it change as the year progresses?

[snowcraig2.0]

Booker

[Cyclonepride]

I think it could be any one of those four based on the match up we're facing. Against a small team, I could see Tyrus starting, or any of the other three against a larger team. Tyrus may not start though just because he's such a spark off the bench. I would imagine the minutes will be spread all over the place this year, and Freddie to jack up the pace to take advantage of the quality depth.

[cyclone1975]

Another problem with Booker in the starting lineup is that he is a fouling machine. When you look at minutes played vs # of personal fouls I don't know how he can be a consistent starter. He averaged a foul for every 5.69 minutes of play. Here are the minutes per foul other notables:

Ejim: 8.44
Bubu: 8.52
Percy: 9.15
White:12.05
Allen: 12.72
Tyrus: 12.98
Babb: 27.46
Christopherson: 28.58

Considering Babb's defensive assignments, that is pretty impressive!

By the way, Railey averaged a foul every 3 minutes.

[erikbj]

At first i thought Booker, he stretches the floor and rebounds well. However, he does get into a lot of foul trouble and i think his game is more suited to come off the bench and be instant offense - just like McGee. I think both of those guys can come off the bench and average 8-9 points and some nights score 20.

I think if Gibson can continue to improve in the off season where he left off last year, i think he would give the team the low post presence they need.

[peteypie]

Another problem with Booker in the starting lineup is that he is a fouling machine. When you look at minutes played vs # of personal fouls I don't know how he can be a consistent starter. He averaged a foul for every 5.69 minutes of play. Here are the minutes per foul other notables:

Ejim: 8.44
Bubu: 8.52
Percy: 9.15
White:12.05
Allen: 12.72
Tyrus: 12.98
Babb: 27.46
Christopherson: 28.58

Considering Babb's defensive assignments, that is pretty impressive!

By the way, Railey averaged a foul every 3 minutes.

Still, it's got to be Booker, expsecially during big 12 play to help us gaurd the opposing center. Hope he can get his head straight and not foul so much, but either way, then you bring in Percy or Niang right away if he gets in foul trouble.

If Booker can control his fouls or Percy improves his defense, either could start, and who knows, maybe Niang will shock me even more than he already has and crack the starting line-up, but I doubt it.

IMO, it's going to be Booker just due to his size. He was the only person that didn't look scrawny when standing by Royce.

[chuckd4735]

I don't think it will be McGee because I don't see us throwing 4 guards out there. My best guess is Booker at this point.

[EYEoftheSTORM]

If I had to guess it would be Percy Gibson. Here is why, I believe Tyrus' 6th man role fits him perfectly, Booker his a decent rebounder and ok defensively, and Niang is well a freshman and never played a min of D1 basketball yet. Percy is a soph that will be the leader down low next year and I really see a big jump for him production wise this year moving forward, and Fred wanting to develop that this year as well.

Each player is very good and I love what they give or potentially give to the team but I just look for Fred to run a more traditional lineup this year and Percy offers that.

[longtimeclone]

I think it will most likely be Gibson, but I feel that ISU will have a deeper bench this year and Fred will not be afraid to use it. Gibson may start but I think that McGee and Booker will get some serious minutes.

[peteypie]

At first i thought Booker, he stretches the floor and rebounds well. However, he does get into a lot of foul trouble and i think his game is more suited to come off the bench and be instant offense - just like McGee. I think both of those guys can come off the bench and average 8-9 points and some nights score 20.

I think if Gibson can continue to improve in the off season where he left off last year, i think he would give the team the low post presence they need.

But for Defensive presence it would be Booker. I suppose it could depend on matchups, but I just don't see us starting Percy against Jeff Whithey. Booker could at least sustain him, if not foul him.

[peteypie]

I don't think it will be McGee because I don't see us throwing 4 guards out there. My best guess is Booker at this point.

I think the consencious is that you can take Magee off that list. However he will be the 6th man and get just as many minutes as some of our starters.

[2forISU]

Hard to keep McGee off the court. We will see 4 guards a lot next year.

[acgclone]

I think Booker starts with Percy getting about half of the time at the 5 spot as Booker.

[darklion]

The thing is, our depth is mainly at guard this year. Unless one or two of those guys are gonna redshirt, it would be foolish NOT to have 3 guard lineups on the floor often. I don't know if it will start out like that, though.

I guess I never stated what I thought myself. If you go by Fred's "we're gonna be more traditional" spiel, then Gibson is the obvious choice; I don't see Booker as starting material, the fouls statistic backs up what I saw in terms of mental mistakes, but that's only one part. He's turnover prone and doesn't rotate well on defense. His forte is one-on-one defense.

However, it may just come down to chemistry. If the lineup with McGee has more chemistry than the lineup with Gibson, then that's the lineup that will start.

[Cincyclone]

Toss up between Gibson and Booker. Need someone with size inside.