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Looking Ahead

S

Skippy

Active member
With the official signing of Walker and Maker, here's what the roster for next season looks like as of now. I'm told ISU is still looking for another player, and we don't know how Kyle Ingram's appeal will go.

PGS
Brandon Boyd
Sam Dowd
Lyle Sutton

Assessment: this is one area where the Bengals could use a bit more depth. Boyd is a great athlete coming off a very good sophomore season, but he's not a traditional pass-first, playmaking PG. Neither Dowd nor Sutton got much time, or posted much in the way of production last year. Bengals have to hope to either add another PG, or that Dowd or Sutton improve significantly in their second years in the program.

SG
Balint Moscan
Gary Chivichyan
Austin Smellie

Assessment: Moscan and Chivichyan are two potentially explosive three-point shooters on any given night who still have a long ways to go to improve their games in other areas: A to TO ratio, defense, expanding their games to include getting to the basket and the free throw line. Smellie, coming back after two years on a mission, is an unknown at this point, and a potential redshirt.

Wings/SFs
Jared Stutzman
Chidi Udengwu

Assessment: Statistically, Stutzman is coming off one of the best sophomore seasons in ISU history. If he continues to improve his game, getting to the free throw line and finishing at the hoop more often, he's a likely ISU Hall of Famer. Udengwu could conceivably see time at all five positions for ISU this year. He's a driver and passer first, and gets to the free throw line a lot. His versatility (and 7 rebound a game average in JC) should be a real asset to the program this year.

Forwards
Alonzo Walker
Chier Maker
Blake Truman
Kyle Ingram (???)

Assessment: No true "post players" in this group, but enough athleticism in Walker and Maker, hopefully, to rebound and defend against similar style Big Sky type forwards. (Although one must wonder, after watching the way Weber's Zack Braxton surgically carved up the Bengals on the low block last year, how ISU will fare against the few true post players in the league). Truman really struggled in his first year in the program, and it remains to be seen if he has the athleticism to contribute much this year. If ISU signs another player, I'd guess it will either be another PG or a post player to add depth here, in the event that Ingram's appeal is denied.

Overall assessment: This should be another fun team to watch -- without Novak Topalovic, they'll have to play more up-tempo on both ends of the floor, and they should be more athletic. Depth is a big concern at PG and F right now, and we'll see if Bill Evans addresses those concerns with another player or two. It's a long-shot for Ingram to get another year, but that would certainly be a big boost to this team the way it's currently constructed.
 
Skippy, I believe we should focus on Post players right now we seem to have plenty of guards on the Roster. We Have several players that can help Boyd at the PG position, plus playing zone puts a lot pressure on Post players which results in them fouling out. Another thing is if we play fast tempo our Bigs/Post players will need more rest which means we need to be deep at those position. Boyd,Dowd, Stutzman even Moscan can bring the ball up the court.
 
Hank42 said:
Skippy, I believe we should focus on Post players right now we seem to have plenty of guards on the Roster. We Have several players that can help Boyd at the PG position, plus playing zone puts a lot pressure on Post players which results in them fouling out. Another thing is if we play fast tempo our Bigs/Post players will need more rest which means we need to be deep at those position. Boyd,Dowd, Stutzman even Moscan can bring the ball up the court.
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I tend to agree with you, Hank. Would love to see another forward, or Ingram get another year. Both would be excellent.
 
I think that Evans is planning on using Chidi Udengwu at the point as well. In fact, I wonder if he won’t spend more time there than on the wing. Apparently he doesn’t have much of an outside shot (as in — almost none), and his 60%+ FG percentage is due to his recognizing his own limitations and not shooting unless it is a short jumper or layup. But he is a reasonably good free throw shooter, and he averaged around 5 assists and 7 rebounds a game. Obviously, Big Sky defenses will back off and not worry about his outside shot. But, he may be able to cause matchup problems for shorter guards, and if he can take it to the hoop, that may result in opening up our outside shooters, or his spending a lot of time at the line. I think he is the most intriguing addition — but at this point who knows how it will play out.
 
Team Chemistry is going dictated how we do this year, if everyone understand and accepts their role. We have shooters and I believe we now have help on the rebounding and playing defense. With this group we can trap more and cause more problems for the opponents offense, we have better athletes on the floor so we can recover faster. What that means is NO MORE open threes, we’ve added speed and depth which means a better transition game for us. Teams now have to defend us in both ends of the court.
 
With better athletes we can put more pressure on the ball not allowing teams to set up their offense, we can also force them to use more of the shot clock. Last year we didn’t match up well when teams ran a three guard system, that has now changed.
 
With better athletes we can put more pressure on the ball not allowing teams to set up their offense, we can also force them to use more of the shot clock. Last year we didn’t match up well when teams ran a three guard system, that has now changed.
 
I agree Hank. I think that losing Novak may be a blessing in disguise for the reasons you identified. We should be a lot more athletic and should move the ball up and down the court more. I think Evans is looking at one more big, but the guy he is looking at would be a better athlete than any of the guys we had in the post last year. So even that would be consistent with the theme of greater athleticism and (hopefully) more rebounds and better defense.
 
Losing Novak is not a blessing, he was a good player and better team mate. It does force us to go in a different direction WHICH can work out well with the players we have. The number of shooters we have up tempo offense will work out better, and adding better athletes means a deeper bench.
 
This has been my concern for awhile. Someone tell me why we are signing multiple guys that aren’t going to be bengals. Parker and legardy won’t be here. Will alonzo? Feeling like bills contract situation and staff turmoil is killing us. Wasn’t one of those guys departing in charge of recruiting? Or is that not how it works? Love the chidi sign tho. In my opinion.
 
bengal37 said:
This has been my concern for awhile. Someone tell me why we are signing multiple guys that aren’t going to be bengals. Parker and legardy won’t be here. Will alonzo? Feeling like bills contract situation and staff turmoil is killing us. Wasn’t one of those guys departing in charge of recruiting? Or is that not how it works? Love the chidi sign tho. In my opinion.
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ISU has moved on to other options, and they are still in the running for at least one more player who will be making a decision in a couple of weeks.
 
I was told that the new coach that came over from Utah State is great, all the players really like him he's adding drills and challenging the players. The focus has been basic fundamentals and more weight training, this is great hopefully it will cut down the number of injuries we had last year and help us battle more in the paint. The players have accepted the challenge and are all working to get better, I enjoy hearing that what it means to me is that the team chemistry is good and they'll play as ONE unit. If we're not BIG let's be fast and strong and all be on the same page, Play Hard Play Smart.
 
Good to hear that hank42, developing players imo had been a real strength of that staff (Novak just for one being an obvious example) and it’s good to hear that will seemingly continue. However my main concern remains can we get help for the “big three” the level of players we have been getting was steadily rising it seemed and this too needs to continue
 
2018/2019 Basketball Season, as a fan of ISU Hoops I would like start a group that travels and supports our Team. I believe the team would really respond and do well if they had a LARGER FAN base. I for one would step up and put together travel plans and reservations, its very easy to do. Lets rally around the team next year and give them the support they need and want.
 
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