Balbay update

I don't know if that's an indicator. Either with or without DJ, we'd like to have Dogus for a full season if possible.
 
Seems like to me, if Texas is petitioning the NCAA for Balbay to serve the 10 games for this past season, then they are willing to declare Balbay a sophomore for this coming season.
 
I imagine if they could have him from the start of the season (which I do not expect, frankly), they'd trade the year of eligibility.
 
We really need him playing from the beginning next year. Most likely DJ is going to leave and I want Dougy getting as much playing time at the beginning of the season as possible.

I see big problems with Mason or AJ at point. It will be like when Ivey played point. He did an admirable job but we Barnes offense just doesn't work without a true PG. I just wish he would only miss 5 or 6 games. 11 is a third of the season. Not good.
 
balbay could very well be good enough to end up skipping some college for the NBA, so it wouldn't be the end of the world if he lost a year.

If he doesn't play till midseason it's unlikely that he is going to contribute too much IMO (see gary johnson, mike williams.)
 
I've been giving Royal the PG a bad rap.

I just looked it up... A/TO ratio was 141/51. And they had Edgar Moreno, 81/28. The team A/TO was better in '04 than it was in '03.

But I'll say this... if Rick Barnes needs a PG like TJ Ford or DJ Augustin to have a good offense, he might need a new offense.
 
I think your argument is a little too simplistic. In order to have a great season (or offense), all of the pieces have to be there....not just the PG position.

Scoring 80 ppg doesn't necessary mean you have a great offense (see Tom Penders). IMO, scoring points at an efficient rate combined with what you do on defense is more important.

One could argue that the reason Barnes other Texas teams that haven't gone deeper into the NCAA was because they didn't have a great point guard play. I just think that it's a little more complex than that.

95% of teams that have a great offense and go deep into the NCAA's have a good to great PG....but they also have the other pieces in place as well.

IMO, you have to judge each individual season by it's own merit because every season is different.
 
well Texas had the #4 most efficient offense in the nation with Kenton Paulino as the starting PG so there goes that theory I guess?
 
I think it is pretty damn simple. Barnes' offense is based on random screening and without a point guard that can create on his own for his teammates when the random screening stagnates, the team is not very good offensively. No one but TJ and DJ have done that effectively. It is a huge hole in his offensive strategy. The team would be much better off if, in addition to the random screening, the team had set plays to rely upon when things stagnate. We actually ran a couple at the beginning of this season, but it didn't last.
 
Even if DJ leaves, a starting lineup of:

PG - Mason
SG - Abrams
SF - James
PF - Atchley
C - Pittman

is still pretty dangerous.
 
I'm afraid that James will be back at the 4 next year. I just don't see a situation where Barnes benches either Abrams or Mason, and I don't see either as the full-time answer at the point. And obviously if DJ comes back then we'll probably see the same starting five.
 
Johnson is a better low post presence than Pittman at this point.

I would tend to agree with you, Red Five, but if Barnes is ever going to start developing all of his big men, then they need to get time on the court. That's not going to be possible unless James is playing some at the 3.

Running 3 guard lineups does create a lot of mismatches on offense, but it's not going to win any championships. Barnes needs to develop a bigger lineup, particularly at the 3. James is the best answer on the roster. When it gets to the Elite Eight/Final Four level of play, a team simply has to have some size at the wing. Mason is much more suited to be a bad *** combo guard at the 1 or 2 than he is defending out of position at the 3, or forcing one of Abrams or Augustin to defend a player much bigger than them because Mason is assigned the opponent's best dribble penetrator.
 
LazyEngineer, I don't understand how can you be so declarative regarding Balbay when you haven't seen him play. I like Mason, too, but Balbay is a true point guard who has been playing the position his whole life. Mason is more of a combo guard. I think you're underestimating Balbay's prowess at the position. He's pretty darned good.

My guess is someone in the front court --- I'd assume either Chapman or Wangmene --- will redshirt. While I don't like redshirting basketball players as a matter of course, the minutes don't add up real well otherwise. I don't foresee a big man in either the '08 or '09 class, so a redshirt would help from that perspective as well.
 
I don't get to watch many UT games here in Canada. Out of Chapman and Wangmene, who is more likely to contribute next year?
 
I agree with everything in your previous post regarding James, SLX, but what's the solution? Either Mason or Abrams has to go to the bench.

Yes, I'm gonna make you say it.
smile.gif
 
Well, Red Five, I've always felt Abrams would make an ideal 6 man.

I don't really think it matters who starts and who doesn't, though, as long as there's some kind of regular rotation among the guards. I also don't mind some time with 3 guards on the floor. I just don't like seeing the 3 guard lineup averaging over 30 minutes per game, sometimes as high as 35 for all 3 of them. I don't think it help builds a team that can win a national championship.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Weekly Prediction Contest

* Predict HORNS-AGGIES *
Sat, Nov 30 • 6:30 PM on ABC

Recent Threads

Prediction Results Threads

2024 Schedules

Back
Top