What will our basketball team look like next year?

[Todd4State]

My uneducated guess:

1. Dee Bost
2. Randy Stewart
3. Ravern
4. Elgin
5. SWAT

6th man- Phil Turner

Still not a bad team, but no depth, but that won't matter because Rick only uses six guys anyway.

Those who are educated, educate me. I know that Osby will probably see some minutes at the 4. I'm guessing that Phil Turner will be our PG until Dee Bost proves that he is better, which I think he will.

 

[Todd4State]

My uneducated guess:

1. Dee Bost
2. Randy Stewart
3. Ravern
4. Elgin
5. SWAT

6th man- Phil Turner

Still not a bad team, but no depth, but that won't matter because Rick only uses six guys anyway.

Those who are educated, educate me. I know that Osby will probably see some minutes at the 4. I'm guessing that Phil Turner will be our PG until Dee Bost proves that he is better, which I think he will.

 

[BriantheDawg]

but I thought Randy was kind of being groomed last year to take over the 1 this year. Him and Dee. Right?

 

[MissStFan87]

<span style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">Start of the season</span>
PG - Stewart
SG - Turner
SF - R. Johnson
PF - B. Johnson
C - Varnado

<span style="font-weight: bold;">Bench</span> (in no real order): Bost, Bailey, Osby, Augustus, Benock, Beckham, Holcombe

I'm basing this mostly on what I think Stansbury will go with, not so much what I think it should be. I have a feeling he'll try to bring the young guys along slowly. Assuming we start our season off with some cupcakes, I expect to see him use a lineup like this and sub a lot. Bailey, Bost and Osby/Augustus are probably the best bets to get most of the minutes of all the players on the bench. Stans' never seems to use more than an 8-man rotation.

<span style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">Later in the season</span>
PG - Bost
SG - Stewart
SF - R. Johnson
PF - Bailey
C - Varnado

<span style="font-weight: bold;">Bench</span>: Same as above, only Bailey and Bost bump Brian Johnson and Turner out of the starting 5. I'm going to guess the 8th spot will be between Osby and Augustus. Osby's probably a more talented player, but I would hope Augustus is farther along than him at this point. Kodi has a lot of potential if he improves his defense. I'm sure both will continue to play, but one probably earns more minutes than the other.

 

[jamdawg96]

It's relatively untested, but that's not to say there's isn't a lot of talent among those guys.

For Turner, it's all about attitude. If he can play on this TEAM, he'll be an asset off the bench or possibly in a starting role depending on what Bost is made of.

Osby could see significant minutes off the bench and I think we'll utilize his versatility at the 4 and the 3 in some bigger lineups.

Randy has all the tools to get back on track and have a huge season.

Swat will pick up right where he left off. He hasn't reached his ceiling yet.

I like Ravern in there as a dangerous slasher who should be able to show off his range a little more this year.

Elgin should be solid inside, but don't forget about Brian Johnson. He is smart, big, and talented. If he gets his legs under him he should be able to give us good minutes, and might even start some games.

As for the other guys, things will become clearer once the newcomers spend some time working in the system and get stronger. We won't have the experience that we've had the last few years, but the tools are there, trust me. Plenty of posters on here are looking at what we've lost for their guidance as to what type of season we can expect, but you have to take into account that this group hasn't had the opportunity to show what they can do when relied upon to this extent.

Overall I expect us to be a balanced squad that gets better as the season goes along and we develop a good chemistry. I'll be optimistic and say we contend for the West, but that has more to do with what we'll be up against than it does with what we KNOW we already have.

 

[MissStFan87]

Plenty of posters on here are looking at what we've lost for their guidance as to what type of season we can expect, but you have to take into account that this group hasn't had the opportunity to show what they can do when relied upon to this extent.

I agree with that. Anyone who acts like losing Rhodes and Gordon wasn't a big deal is fooling themselves, but I don't want to write off a team I haven't even seen play yet.</p>I also expect Stewart to bounce back. I'm not saying he'll be All-SEC 1st Team, but he's better than he played last season. He <span style="font-style: italic;">should</span> be adjusted to starting games this season, but I guess we'll see.

 

[Bulldog Backer]

My uneducated guess:

1. Dee Bost
2. Randy Stewart
3. Ravern
4. Elgin
5. SWAT

6th man- Phil Turner

Still not a bad team, but no depth, but that won't matter because Rick only uses six guys anyway.

Those who are educated, educate me. I know that Osby will probably see some minutes at the 4. I'm guessing that Phil Turner will be our PG until Dee Bost proves that he is better, which I think he will.

you aren't too far wrong Todd. I specifically asked him, "if you had to pick a starting 5 today, who would it be?" This was his answer:</p>PG: Dee Bost
SG: Barry Stewart
SF: Ravern Johnson
PF: Brian Johnson
C/F: Jarvis Varnado

Romero Osby and Elgin Bailey will be the first posts off the bench. Kodi Augustus will get more playing time, maybe a lot more, if he turns on the defensive switch. There will be a battle for the backup perimeter positions with Twany, Phil, and Riley all with chances.

 

[fishwater99]

I think the season ends with the lineup like this...

1. Bost
2. Stewart
3. Raven
4. Osby
5. Varnado

1st off Bench B. Johnson, Bailey, Turner & Benock

Osby did not come to MSU to ride the pine, he could be one of the best ever at MSU when he is done.

 

[DawgatAuburn]

Backer, don't you mean Tranny? Just giving you a hard time about one of the funniest goof ups ever posted.

 

[SallyStansbury]

To me this is the biggest question mark for the team.

I don't attend practice, so I could never speak to hustle, grit, effort, blah, blah, blah...

That said, for us to win bigger games later in the season I can't see B. Johnson at the 4 over Osby and/or Augustus, especially with us looking to replace a good bit of the offense that we lost from last season. I would like to see Bailey in some at the 4 to start the season, but he should be getting most of his min backing up Varnado and Johnson should get the remainder of min backing up those two guys at the 5. That leaves Stans in somewhat unfamiliar territory.....having to play a big guy at 4. This makes our offense (or lack of offense) somewhat vulnerable to people packing in on our "big" 4&5 who are under the goal. Recall that coach Stans is comfortable with the 6'3-4" athletic/undersized 4, see Hamilton, Harper, Gholar, Slater, etc... Having four guys running/standing around the perimeter makes it harder on the opposition to crowd the lane and easier for someone to drive the lane with 5-6 seconds remaining on the shot clock. Don't let him put Benock at the 4 or any of the Beckum or other guy to play this undersized 4 role. I might cry.

Could we be good? Of course. I think it depends on us developing the best players early and if Bost comes in ready to run the show, and Varnado shows out on the offensive end too this season? Looking forward to the season. congrats to coach Stans for bringing in the talent.</p>

 

[Irondawg]

I still don't see a guy who can run the offense. I haven't seen Bost play, but seems he's more of a scorey. Beckham says he likes to distribute, but he's a freshman.

None of our current permiter plays are good at taking people off the dribble or are great at setting up teammates so I worry about the offense really stalling out even worse that last year. At least Jamont could get in the lane and draw a defender and open up offensive rebounding lanes. I think we will be able to shoot, I just worry about getting open shots b/c we don't even pass around a zone quicklky enough to get an open look. But this has almost always been a deficiency of Rick's teams and we generally find a way to work through it and be decent.

On defense, I think we'll be ok. Not great, but in the top half of SEC. I just think we'll struggle to score with no "playmaker" guard and no inside player that has a lot of scoring ability. Perhaps Osby at the 4 could provide a little of that.

Lots of questions to be answered this year. Will be interesting to watch.</p>

 

[Goat Holder]

Bost, Stewart, Ravern, Johnson, Varnado starting. Osby will eventually take over for Johnson, and I think Johnson will accept his role playing position too. I think we'll develop some good chemistry. Probably contend for the West and make the NIT.

 

[mstateglfr]

That leaves Stans in somewhat unfamiliar territory.....having to play a big guy at 4. This makes our offense (or lack of offense) somewhat vulnerable to people packing in on our "big" 4&5 who are under the goal. Recall that coach Stans is comfortable with the 6'3-4" athletic/undersized 4, see Hamilton, Harper, Gholar, Slater, etc... Having four guys running/standing around the perimeter makes it harder on the opposition to crowd the lane and easier for someone to drive the lane with 5-6 seconds remaining on the shot clock. Don't let him put Benock at the 4 or any of the Beckum or other guy to play this undersized 4 role. I might cry.</p>

pretty sure JV/CR was a productive combo of big men last season.
the CR/Bailey combo was good too.
B Johnson played alongside a big man last season too.

looking back, there was the Lawrence Roberts/Campbell combo which was very productive overall, even if Campbell sucked bad.
then the Roberts/Vincent combo was a hella good big man pairing.
Mario Austin/Vincent combo...wasnt all that bad.

there have been tons of combinations of 2 big men over the last 6 seasons that have worked well.</p>

 

[SallyStansbury]

May be completely wrong about this, I am not a coach, nor have I ever played......

I just recall us struggling mightily early in the year last year with Rhodes and Var playing together. The spacing and movement sucked. Only when CR twisted his ankle and we go small by bringing in Turner with Jamont playing point-powerforward did we jump-start our offense and start winning. When CR finally came back, he did really well....to spite our lack of offensive plan. We did play well with two bigs in at once...but Rhodes was unconscious many of the last 10-12 games of the year, thank goodness.

I don't recall Marcus Campbell playing much with Lawrence Roberts in the game. I know Marcus got minutes, but I recall most of Roberts' minutes coming at the 5, with Campbell backing him up. But like you said, maybe a function of this not working well was simply Campbell sucking?

I know you are right about Vincent playing a lot, but for some reason I don't recall what the circumstance or combination of players was? Vincent worked his @ss of and was very active, but he was mobile enough to come out on the 1-3-1 and also get away from the goal some. I hope that Augustus or Osby has the athleticism to be a player like this, but there are only so many Vincents out there.

I also think Stans has identified Augustus as his "*****" recall how he would call over Hans or Marcus Campbell and pull him aside and lecture either of them.........all the while allowing Markell Patterson or Gordon or whomever else to run wild and jack up crazy shots. I think Augustus is his target for this year.

I say develop Augustus or Osby early in the season so that when we run into Arkansas or whatever other team has several big post guys, we are ready to go.

 

[Bulldog Backer]

Actually, I liked Tranny over Twany! Tranny sounds more macho, like in "get your motor running." I look forward to Jack calling him "Tawny, Trainy, Tranny,"....anything BUT Twany! ;-)

 

[MissStFan87]

[No message]

 

[lannsd]

Actually, I liked Tranny over Twany! Tranny sounds more macho, like in "get your motor running." I look forward to Jack calling him "Tawny, Trainy, Tranny,"....anything BUT Twany! ;-)

Holy crap dude. You just don't get it.
</p>

 

[OMlawdog]

Im stunned.

 

[muddawgs33]

Tranny sounds more macho

as you dressing up like a woman backer.

 

[futaba.79]

punch "tranny" into images on google and tell us what pops up.

edit: on second thought, don't tell us.

 

[Optimus Prime 4]

n m

 

[Coach34]

that just happened!! (Ricky Bobby)

 

[Bulldog Backer]

I am clearly naive when it comes to alternative sexuality! I have always been a pretty traditional man. I never thought about transsexuals!!! Is that what they are called? I was in Key West, and there were several (obviously) men dressed in drag hanging out in front of what looked like a Gay bar. I never thought about transsexuals. My age is showing!

 

[HammerOfTheDogs]

...white guys who could be either tall or short. And they'll all wear Maroon jerseys on the road, white at home.

 

[Barkman Turner Overdrive]

[No message]

 

[Todd4State]

I was in Key West, and there were several (obviously) men dressed in drag hanging out in front of what looked like a Gay bar.

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