Balbay update

[SL Xpress]

Because there are sooooooo many college teams out there with the Lopez twins.

Gary Johnson is no more than 1" to 1 1/2" shorter than Tyler Hansborough. He's effective at pushing his man off the blocks on defense. So is Pittman. However, Pittman is a one trick pony. He can't switch or hedge on screens nearly as effectively as Johnson, he certainly can't recover as well, he doesn't run the floor as well, and Johnson can hit a jumper whereas Pittman can't.

Everyone is going to improve over the offseason. Maybe Pittman makes the kind of progress necessary to where I'll see him as a better option as a starter than Gary. However, my feeling is that no one is going to outwork Gary between now and when the season starts. He'll be a better shooter, a better ball handler, and he won't have to start his season in January.

I think this team becomes much more difficult to handle on both ends of the floor when Johnson and James are on the floor at the same time, whoever is out there with them. I'd start Atchley, and have Pittman come off the bench.

 

[Bob in Houston]

Johnson was playing quite a bit, and getting more, until he suffered the broken nose. It really set him back.

 

[LazyEngineer]

In reply to:

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[Bob in Houston]

Hmmm... Chapman or Wangmene....

I think Chapman's capable of doing more next year. As others have said, he's bigger, and has more basketball sense.

I like Wangmene a lot too, but I think I agree that he could use a redshirt year, although I doubt they would do that without a good reason (some sort of injury). Wangmene reminds me of something I was told about junior high kids by one of my high school teachers, and why she didn't teach them... "Even if they're sitting still, some part of their bodies is always moving." Wangmene just doesn't have the confidence right now to be certain that he is doing the right thing -- the game seems just a little too fast for him.