New VCU Wrinkle Gives Rams Big Potential

[rammad90]

For me, I don't think the current roster of 3 is a problem. I also believe that we are only having this discussion because due to factors beyond our control, Hason arrived late. Based on his current progression, if he had been able to be here all summer, he would be getting more minutes.

Now, I think its critical to use the final spot for a big. I also think one if not both of the 2021 scholly should be bigs, The only way I wouldn't take two bigs in 2021 is of I could get some other Top 75 program changing player

TKAP, I agree for the most part that we need another Big that can play. However, I am all for getting the best player/athlete available. We are gonna be ok next year with Corey, MSS, and Hassan.

Also, a couple of those recruits for next year are listed as 6'7 or better. Brown-Jones is listed as a PF at 6'7 and he is from Philly. A 6'7 4th best in the state of PA from Philly usually means Junk Yard Dog tough and ability to boot.

 

[rammad90]

IMO, it’s much more likely that we can get a good option for 2021-22 through a traditional transfer this offseason that has to sit out next season than through recruiting a high school kid this offseason late in the process or bringing in a graduate transfer after next season. Those latter 2 options are very limited and the competition is tough. Our best shot is a P5 big man that’s not getting the minutes and is being recruited over.

Agreed. We might luck out and get a real gem.

 

[TampaKAP]

TKAP, I agree for the most part that we need another Big that can play. However, I am all for getting the best player/athlete available. We are gonna be ok next year with Corey, MSS, and Hassan. Also, aren't a couple of those recruits for next year 6'7 or better?

As I understand it we are still very active doing just that. At the same time, it does seem harder to get solid intel on recruiting from this staff, more so than previous ones. Regular High Schools are about 1-3 weeks away from starting their state playoffs so I wouldn't expect any news from that front until early March. Top level basketball schools and post grad schools are just over 4-6 weeks away so I think we are going to have to keep wondering until April or May It will be interesting to see where the staff sneaks off to in between games these next few weeks

 

[VCU Heel]

This late in the process, there are only a few ways to get a quality high school recruit for the next season:
1. A guy that decommits from another program. Melvin Johnson from Miami to us. Kenny Williams from us to UNC. These things are random and you can’t count on them. Melvin Johnson fell into our lap. We were just lucky.
2. A player that had some rare circumstance that allowed him to fall through the cracks. This is what happened with Bones and his injury/tragedy that caused him to miss the AAU season after his junior year and not get the offers he deserved. He also fell into our lap. If he had played in that AAU season, then he’d be playing in the ACC right now.
3. A top recruit that’s held out this long and wouldn't consider VCU.

The first 2 are things we can hope for but not count on. If it happens, then great. It probably won’t. Anyone that’s currently available and not committed is a huge gamble.

And this is for all recruits. Quality big men in these situations are even harder to find. It’s extremely unlikely that there is a 6’9+ 2020 recruit that’s still available out there right now that would contribute at VCU.

 

[Wolfpack Ram]

Technically, Douglas is not a red shirt Junior. He should/could be considered a Senior(based on credits earned), playing with Junior status. He never redshirted officially, but was given a NCAA Medical Redshirt Exemption (which doesn't count towards the 5 years to play 4 rule of eligibility). He played 9 games at Rice, before being injured. Instead of transferring to VCU with MR and redshirting, he chose to play Junior College ball for one year which now counted as his first year of eligibility. Now, in his 2nd year at VCU, he has one remaining year of eligibility, unless of course, he were to redshirt in the future for any reason. Cory also had a postgrad year at Fork Union. Born in '96, he is currently 23 years old and will turn 24 this coming July.

News Flash! A Medical Red Shirt Exemption is still a red shirt. And, yes, he is a Red Shirt Junior. The VCU roster lists him as a RS-Junior.

 

[VCU Heel]

News Flash! A Medical Red Shirt Exemption is still a red shirt. And, yes, he is a Red Shirt Junior. The VCU roster lists him as a RS-Junior.

I think the difference is that he could technically redshirt again, though there’s no reason for him to do so. A normal redshirt would mean next year would be his last no matter what. He could redshirt next year and play for us in 2021-22. He could also do a normal transfer to another D1 school even if he hasn’t graduated, sit out a year there, and then play. It won’t end up being any different, but his situation isn’t the same as a normal redshirt junior.

 

[G-Man]

I am an advocate for a two-big front court, at least a substantial amount of the time, moving forward. I think we will also see this next year. That said, it's a no-brainer as to why Mike did not employ this on a wholesale basis much earlier. We only have 3-bigs and Hason was in the developmental stage and adjusting to the speed of the game. Basketball 101 folks. Think of what would have transpired if MSS and CD were playing together and BOTH got in foul trouble. Now Hason is ready. It amazes me how the basketball savants on this board like to take a shot at the coach so often. Most of the time the criticisms are baseless and often senseless. Mike knows exactly what he is doing.

Good points, but what if Williams hadn’t gotten hurt? Personally, I don’t think that coach would have suddenly changed what he was doing and have cut Williams’ minutes back to any great extent.

 

[Beirne]

MSS + Corey reminds me of those years of Mo Alie-Cox + Justin Tillman
Special things happen when the two play together!

 

[BradRamFan]

As long as both MSS and Corey can stay out of foul trouble, I think we will see more of the duo on the court along with a developing Ward at times

 

[Natty]

Because I'm curious about the overall numbers from last night's butt whoopin...

Started the game with two bigs (Corey + MSS)
Corey subs out at 15:42 with VCU trailing 7-6
-1 over 4:18 of play

One big until 10:05 when both MSS & Corey check in, score is 20-13 Rhody
Corey subs out at 9:04 with Rams trailing 22-15
0 margin for 1:01 of play

Halftime 49-27 Rhody lead

Corey + MSS back in with score tied _
Corey subs out at 17:08 with VCU now trailing 60-32
-6 over 2:52 of play

Corey + Has in at 9:28 mark with VCU trailing 66-49
Corey subs out at 6:36 with VCU down 67-56
+6 in 2:52 of play

Corey in at 1:43 with VCU down 80-68
Corey out at 1:26 with VCU down 83-68
-3 in 0:17 of play

Total: -4 margin for 11:20 of play with two bigs (-8 for other 28:40 of action)

Overall just a rough night for our bigs including a very rare down night for MSS (7 points, 4 rebs, 2 TOs & 4 fouls). That night moves VCU's double-big lineup to +52 in 55:27 over the last five games, still insanely good and much better than what our small ball lineups have produced.

Related note: Thought Jarren did a nice job for us last night. Plays much bigger than his size, which is a great sign for him with how Rhoades like to play. Only 44 minutes of action on the year, but ranks fourth on the team in box +/- (behind De'Ri, Tre and MSS). On that note, six of our top-7 in player efficiency ranking are all set to return. The only one in that mix that graduates is De'Ri. Also four of our seniors rank 8-11 in PER on the team, which is a killer because three of them are in a group of our five most-played players this year.

 

[Celticguy]

If you wait until 20 games in to try something this different you cant expect it to work flawlessly against a good team.

Need to stick with it though.

 

[Natty]

Bump.

Like I said...we were dominant the vast majority of the time we did this and have been mediocre to now...quite bad, when we aren't doing this.

The situation reminds me of two years ago when we really needed to bring in freshman MSS later in the seasons more at the 5 (because he was our best defending big) and scoot Tillman over to a scoring 4 to give us more defense, BUT INSTEAD opted for freshman Sean Mobley at the 4 beside Tillman at the 5 (zero defense there) and still playing Khris Lane more minutes than MSS because he was "experienced". How'd that work out for us?

Even if Hasan is so raw you can get salmonella just looking at him....at this point just throw him into the GD fire next to MSS for a decent bit of minutes. He blocks/alters shots, will give you a couple of easy dunks each games and can rebound. The path of a 10 seed right now looks favorable to that of the 8/9, so who gives a hoot if we lose some games trying something that might actually give us a chance to win the A-10 tournament, because currently with what we've done, we have zero chance of doing that.

 

[Celticguy]

Bump.

Like I said...we were dominant the vast majority of the time we did this and have been mediocre to now...quite bad, when we aren't doing this.

The situation reminds me of two years ago when we really needed to bring in freshman MSS later in the seasons more at the 5 (because he was our best defending big) and scoot Tillman over to a scoring 4 to give us more defense, BUT INSTEAD opted for freshman Sean Mobley at the 4 beside Tillman at the 5 (zero defense there) and still playing Khris Lane more minutes than MSS because he was "experienced". How'd that work out for us?

Even if Hasan is so raw you can get salmonella just looking at him....at this point just throw him into the GD fire next to MSS for a decent bit of minutes. He blocks/alters shots, will give you a couple of easy dunks each games and can rebound. The path of a 10 seed right now looks favorable to that of the 8/9, so who gives a hoot if we lose some games trying something that might actually give us a chance to win the A-10 tournament, because currently with what we've done, we have zero chance of doing that.

At least let Ward go till he fouls out. I realize his D may be a work in progress but he's at least tall. WE NEED MO WARD