2019-2020 Season

Discussion in 'Keith Hatfield Memorial Vols Hoops' started by Indy, Mar 29, 2019.

  1. Indy

    Indy Pronoun Analyst

    All 5th seasons aren't created equal. I'm choosing to look at the entire picture, rather than just saying 5th season automatically = tournament. We are losing 4 starters, 3 of which look likely to get drafted. Those 4 starters made up 56 points per game last year. We are losing 4 guys that scored 68% of our points. That's a shit ton.

    As for the roster, the expectation, going into this past season, was not that Bone would be moving on. Everyone knew Grant was a possibility, but he was also far from a guarantee to leave.

    Bring both of those guys back for next year, and none of these conversations would be happening. Instead, we would all be debating about whether next years' team will be better than last year.

    Instead, they both left, which is part of the game. Barnes responded by bringing in a very solid transfer big, who will likely be eligible immediately, as well as a solid transfer PG, who will be eligible next year, if not this year.

    And you keep saying he should have recruited better. When? This year's class? He brought in 2 very solid replacements at positions of need. Last year's class? He brought in a play right outside the top 100. The class before? When the program was in the toilet prior to him pulling it out? Come on, man.
     
    Last edited: Jun 7, 2019
  2. Tar Volon

    Tar Volon Me Blog @RockyTopTalk.com

    Ah, gotcha, I think 247 just said Maryland, and he didn’t have a Finnish name (I’m a Hurricanes fan so I had my eye out for a Teravainen or Kuokkanen or Maenelanen or Luostarinen or something)
     
  3. utvol0427

    utvol0427 Chieftain

    Our roster is ass. Your backcourt is going to be two guys who are just as likely to score 2 points as they are 20 and a true freshman. The frontcourt is likely going to be some combination of Fulkerson, Burns, and possibly the transfer. I guess Pons is your sixth man and not sure who is after him in the rotation.
     
  4. IP

    IP Super Moderator

    Well, if Blackshear ends up here we are fine.
     
  5. Tenacious D

    Tenacious D The law is of supreme importance, or no importance

    Luckily, we have an elite recruiter at the helm.
     
  6. Indy

    Indy Pronoun Analyst

    You aren’t giving Turner or Bowden enough credit. The both averaged double digit scoring as the 4th and 5th options. They’re also both above average defenders.

    The expectation is that Plavsic will be cleared to play this year. Between him and Burns, you have two highly touted players who are inexperienced but should provide solid production. I’ve admitted the 4 is a big question mark.
     
  7. 2Maggitt2Quit

    2Maggitt2Quit Chieftain

    We're pushing hard for the Blackshear kid and just offered another 2019 post player.

    Wonder if another big is about to transfer out.
     
  8. IP

    IP Super Moderator

    if we weren't pushing for blackshear, we'd be asleep at the wheel.
     
  9. Indy

    Indy Pronoun Analyst

    We’re apparently pursuing Blackshear, along with an unsigned 2019 recruit named Josaphat Bilau, and it’s sounding like we will take both, if they want to come.

    The Bilau kid is a 6’11 PF. He’s unranked in the 2019 class, but it sounds like that’s due to him only being discovered recently. His offer list is pretty good.

    Taking both would likely mean two current players move on, or they do something funky with an incoming recruit or a transfer. The other good part of bringing in Blackshear is that it frees up an additional scholarship for the 2020 class.
     
  10. IP

    IP Super Moderator

    Blackshear is visiting on the 14th.

    he's also considering UK, Florida, and Arkansas, so this is kinda a big deal and has the potential to be potent offseason forum meltdown fuel.
     
  11. Ssmiff

    Ssmiff Went to the White House...Again

    I had heard about Bilau and someone suggested I watch his film. Said he was awesome. So I checked the quick video on a Rivals link.
    Maybe its my mood but looked like an SNL skit. Rim all bent forward which makes short shots go in and a bad habit to form. Everything dribbling between his legs outside and shooting.
    Watch he'll end up a stud at Kansas but the 1:35 second video i watched made me giggle for some odd reason

    https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2019/josaphat-bilau-233297
     
  12. Indy

    Indy Pronoun Analyst

    I don’t know how he impacts those other teams, but he fills our only true need for this coming season. Plug him in at the 4, and we are likely a Top 25 squad.
     
  13. IP

    IP Super Moderator

    agreed. I would think he'd risk roleplayer status at UK, and might not move the needle much at Arkansas. Florida seems similar to us with less recent success, but I don't know all their roster particulars.
     
  14. Indy

    Indy Pronoun Analyst

    A lot of it likely comes down to what his main goal is. If he wants to compete for a championship, UK is likely his best bet. If he wants to get drafted in the first round, I'd say a year under Barnes probably offers him the best chance. Cal puts kids in the NBA all the time, but they're mostly 1 or 2 year players that were highly touted and destined for the NBA regardless. Barnes has formed NBA prospects out of 3-4 year players that most people didn't expect to make it that far.

    I don't feel that I'm biased in saying that it makes sense for him to come here.
     
  15. 2Maggitt2Quit

    2Maggitt2Quit Chieftain

    VN basketball insiders seem to think Burns has [uck fay]ed up a few times and is in the doghouse. Next post guy in will take his spot.

    If true, sucks to not get anything out Burns or Walker. Landing Blackshear and a solid 2020 recruit would remedy that.
     
  16. IP

    IP Super Moderator

    yep
     
  17. Ssmiff

    Ssmiff Went to the White House...Again

    Burns left HS a year early. Maybe he didnt need to
     
  18. Indy

    Indy Pronoun Analyst

    There's also chatter of the Bailey kid (Oregon transfer) paying his own way the first year when he's sitting out.

    That would be the ideal situation for bringing in Blackshear, as Bailey's scholarship would free up once Blackshear moves on next year.

    That said, I don't really understand the whole Burns dynamic. If the kid isn't holding up his end of the bargain and risks being a cancer on this team, why wouldn't you just cut him loose, straight up? The idea that he's a problem we are only going to deal with if Blackshear wants to come here doesn't make much sense to me. If he couldn't keep his act together with leaders like Grant and Admiral on the team, what makes anyone think he will be better now that they're gone?
     
  19. JohnnyQuickkick

    JohnnyQuickkick Calcio correspondent

    Admiral found himself there early on, too. They’re kids.
     
    Tar Volon, 2Maggitt2Quit and IP like this.
  20. IP

    IP Super Moderator

    I'm sure barnes has a good view of the situation
     

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