2024 offseason

57jacket

Helluva Engineer
Messages
1,474
We desperately need defensive rebounding. Teams killed us lasy year with 2nd chance points. Wherever that comes from, 3, 4, or 5.
 

MtnWasp

Ramblin' Wreck
Messages
986
We desperately need defensive rebounding. Teams killed us lasy year with 2nd chance points. Wherever that comes from, 3, 4, or 5.
That is along the lines of what I was talking about with regards to our wings that can create spacing with their shooting but not being our best defenders. Reeves and O'Brien can shoot the corner three but can they defend and rebound adequately? Powell has the body and athleticism to be a more classic 4. Mustaf has the size and strength to impact on the defensive end at the 3. Maybe Sutton also.

There are pieces. Coach has to fiddle with them to get them all to fit together into a pretty picture.
 

AUFC

Helluva Engineer
Messages
2,846
Location
Atlanta
I read somewhere that Luke O'Brien led his team in rebounding his junior year so he should be a big help there in an expanded role.
 

Techwood Relict

Helluva Engineer
Messages
1,414
That tactic is rampant throughout society. Take subjective information, stick number values on it, subject the numbers to statistical analyses, display the output in graphs and tables aaaaannnddd ... VIOLA! Science!

Yeah, no.

Sadly. most people just can't tell the difference.
Maybe it's the TV shows we watch leading people astray......

season 6 gullible pants GIF by SpongeBob SquarePants
 

orientalnc

Helluva Engineer
Retired Staff
Messages
9,893
Location
Oriental, NC
I read somewhere that Luke O'Brien led his team in rebounding his junior year so he should be a big help there in an expanded role.
That's incorrect. He is likely a good rebounder, but he didn't lead his team. It looks like he was asked to play inside his junior year, so his numbers were better then than at any other season. His 3-pt shooting that year was way down compared to the year before and after. He's not a star, but he should be good player for us. I'm thinking he will log 20+ mpg.
 

Root4GT

Helluva Engineer
Messages
3,032
DS has said that Doryan has a chance to be special. He didn't even say that about Baye last year.

Don't be surprised at all to see him as a day 1 starter logging big minutes (20+). DO and The Shagman are going to be a hellva rotation for us.
Last year before the season CDS said he needed to learn how to properly pronounce Ndongo as his name would come up a lot! He was spot on about that!
 

AUFC

Helluva Engineer
Messages
2,846
Location
Atlanta
That's incorrect. He is likely a good rebounder, but he didn't lead his team. It looks like he was asked to play inside his junior year, so his numbers were better then than at any other season. His 3-pt shooting that year was way down compared to the year before and after. He's not a star, but he should be good player for us. I'm thinking he will log 20+ mpg.
If you remove a walk-on who totaled 7 minutes, it does look like he led his team from an efficiency standpoint (%TRB, TRB/100poss, and TRB/40mins). But point still taken about him being asked to play inside - depends on how the rest of the newcomers pan out but we may ask him to play inside this season.
 

leatherneckjacket

Helluva Engineer
Messages
2,078
Location
Atlanta, GA
DS has said that Doryan has a chance to be special. He didn't even say that about Baye last year.

Don't be surprised at all to see him as a day 1 starter logging big minutes (20+). DO and The Shagman are going to be a hellva rotation for us.
I will gladly offer a mea culpa if I am wrong, but I stand by my opinion. I doubt either averages more than 4 mind per game. Our best five is three guards, O'Brien and Baye. Baye was not blocked like DO is and Baye's body and game were ACC ready.
 

Connell62

Helluva Engineer
Featured Member
Messages
3,091
I will gladly offer a mea culpa if I am wrong, but I stand by my opinion. I doubt either averages more than 4 mind per game. Our best five is three guards, O'Brien and Baye. Baye was not blocked like DO is and Baye's body and game were ACC ready.
So a year ago, Ebenezer Dowuona averaged 9.6 minutes and Ibrahim Sacko managed 11.4, but a 4 star C and one of our 2-3 worthy big's won't get more than 4... Got it.

Heck, even ole Emmer Nichols averaged 2 minutes per game, so you essentially think that DO will be chained to the bench.
 
Last edited:

bucknellbison31

Jolly Good Fellow
Messages
222
Location
Pittsburgh, PA
I'm excited about this freshman class, so much so that I think they'll be a part of the group that leads Tech back to the tourney. It's not just that they're highly rated prospects (they are), it's also that they seem to have complementary skillsets and it's a deep class. Super pumped to watch them develop.
 

Connell62

Helluva Engineer
Featured Member
Messages
3,091
Last year before the season CDS said he needed to learn how to properly pronounce Ndongo as his name would come up a lot! He was spot on about that!
I'm not suggesting that he wasn't high on Baye. He absolutely was, but he also tried hard to manage the expectations surrounding him.

I listen to every press conference and every media opportunity, and while he was high on him in the preseason, I do not recall DS saying that he an opportunity to be "special".

If you hear a coach talk like that about a true freshmen, then it usually means something.
 

orientalnc

Helluva Engineer
Retired Staff
Messages
9,893
Location
Oriental, NC
I will gladly offer a mea culpa if I am wrong, but I stand by my opinion. I doubt either averages more than 4 mind per game. Our best five is three guards, O'Brien and Baye. Baye was not blocked like DO is and Baye's body and game were ACC ready.
Here is something to consider. CDS wants to help Baye get drafted. Maybe even after this season. Baye will not get drafted as a 5, so CDS needs too find aa way to keep him at the 4 as much as possible. The only way we can do that is for Doryan, Powell, and Mutombo to eat up the 40 minutes of playing time at the 5. I believe if Baye is still playing 30+ mpg at the 5 he will transfer out.

I am not sure why you think Doryan needs to do something to his body. The kid is almost 7 feet and weighs 240. When you see him in photos and videos he looks thin. This is a kid who has spent a lot of time in the weight room.
 

leatherneckjacket

Helluva Engineer
Messages
2,078
Location
Atlanta, GA
So a year ago, Ebenezer Dowuona averaged 9.6 minutes and Ibrahim Sacko managed 11.4, but a 4 star C and one of our 2-3 worthy big's won't get more than 4... Got it.

Heck, even ole Emmer Nichols averaged 2 minutes per game, so you essentially think that DO will be chained to the bench.
Would you feel better if I said 6 minutes per game. My point is that they will be reserves who will not play significant minutes
 

Northeast Stinger

Helluva Engineer
Messages
10,755
If you remove a walk-on who totaled 7 minutes, it does look like he led his team from an efficiency standpoint (%TRB, TRB/100poss, and TRB/40mins). But point still taken about him being asked to play inside - depends on how the rest of the newcomers pan out but we may ask him to play inside this season.
I have assumed all along that O’Brian would play forward (does anyone use that term anymore?) . Also assumed we could go small at the other 1-3 spots and rotate big bodies at the 5. That’s not the only way to configure the lineup but feel certain that’s one of the matchups that will go on the floor.
 

orientalnc

Helluva Engineer
Retired Staff
Messages
9,893
Location
Oriental, NC
Would you feel better if I said 6 minutes per game. My point is that they will be reserves who will not play significant minutes
ED played in 18 games last year. He scored 18 total points, grabbed 5 boards and had one steal. He had 8 turnovers and 23 PFs. You think our 7-foot tall 4* center will not be an improvement over that?
 

orientalnc

Helluva Engineer
Retired Staff
Messages
9,893
Location
Oriental, NC
I have assumed all along that O’Brian would play forward (does anyone use that term anymore?) . Also assumed we could go small at the other 1-3 spots and rotate big bodies at the 5. That’s not the only way to configure the lineup but feel certain that’s one of the matchups that will go on the floor.
Most use the terms PF and SF, but the differences vary from team to team. I expect O'Brien and Reeves to split most of the minutes at the 3. He might get some at the 4 when we go small, but it depends on how well Doryan and Powell play. Also, Sutton might get some time at the 3 or 4. I still think CDS wants Baye to get 25-30 minutes at the 4.
 

leatherneckjacket

Helluva Engineer
Messages
2,078
Location
Atlanta, GA
Here is something to consider. CDS wants to help Baye get drafted. Maybe even after this season. Baye will not get drafted as a 5, so CDS needs too find aa way to keep him at the 4 as much as possible. The only way we can do that is for Doryan, Powell, and Mutombo to eat up the 40 minutes of playing time at the 5. I believe if Baye is still playing 30+ mpg at the 5 he will transfer out.

I am not sure why you think Doryan needs to do something to his body. The kid is almost 7 feet and weighs 240. When you see him in photos and videos he looks thin. This is a kid who has spent a lot of time in the weight room.
You do realize there is really no such things as 4's and 5's anymore in the modern game. Baye will get drafted if a team thinks he can contribute significantly and is a good fit for their team. It will not be because he played "4" or "5" at Tech.
 

kg01

Get-Bak! Coach
Featured Member
Messages
15,166
Location
Atlanta
You do realize there is really no such things as 4's and 5's anymore in the modern game. Baye will get drafted if a team thinks he can contribute significantly and is a good fit for their team. It will not be because he played "4" or "5" at Tech.
Eh, that's not entirely true. The game at all levels is becoming more positionless but there can be some distinct differences in roles for 4's and 5's still.
 

MtnWasp

Ramblin' Wreck
Messages
986
A Player's "position" is pretty much just designating what guy on the opposing team that player is defending. Even in switching defenses, offenses want mismatches and defenses don't. Defenses basically want big on big, quick on quick. Offenses want Big on Small down low, and Quick on Big on the perimeter.

The NBA may be moving towards 5 guys who are 6'10" and can shoot, pass, rebound, run and jump. But that ain't college.

In college it looks to me like there are the traditional teams that maintain a division of labor between interior post scoring and outside shooting. Then there are the spread teams that like their front court players to be able to shoot from the perimeter. There are some blue blood programs that can spread the floor with big (NBA prospects) guys who can shoot. But the typical college spread teams plays with 4 wings between 6'4" and 6'8".

There are still college teams out there that recruit and develop classic, back-to-the basket Centers and when they face a roster playing small ball, the advantage still seems to be with the team with the big who can score at a high percentage down low and defend the rim from dribble penetration. It is a matter of mismatches.

I doubt, personally, that the game is evolving towards just a positionless three point shooting contest.

But what do I know...
 
Last edited:
Top