RTD: Rams may go with a small lineup at times...

[districtballer]

VCU basketball coach Shaka Smart said there will be times this season when he uses a small, veteran lineup:

Seniors Joey Rodriguez, Brandon Rozzell and Ed Nixon at guard, and 6-6 junior Bradford Burgess and 6-9 senior Jamie Skeen at forward.

“I’m not saying that’s who we’re going to start,” Smart said. “But that certainly will be a lineup you will see us have at times.”

Read more at:

http://www.mytimesdispatch.com/inde...rams_may_go_with_small_lineup_at_times/13566/

Interesting to see that we may be using the experience and senior leadership all on the floor at one time in this particular lineup. Shaka did say at some of these preseason events that out six best players are our juniors and seniors (including Toby). We would be ultra talented but very undersized against bigger teams. However this lineup allows us to really run the floor and Bradford can definitely bang in the low post despite being a guard. 6'6 225 is good size against most CAA teams anyway.

Gotta think we will be giving up a lot rebounding-wise with that lineup though. We weren't a great rebounding team to begin with, and that was with Mr. 7'6 wingspan Larry Sanders. Against teams that try to impose a half-court style with much bigger players, it'll be tough to keep that lineup on the floor. We've got lots of size, but it's young. If one of our young bigs can step up and be a contributor, that could be huge for us.

 

[Pavarotti]

Team rebounding can make up for a lack of size. I think that having every man box out and then go rebound was something we didn't do as well as we should have last season, instead of relying on our athleticism (and Larry's go-go-gadget arms) to rebound.

Five guys boxing out makes it a little harder to get easy fast breaks, but can make up for height defecits on the defensive end.

 

[mwalvlior]

I thought that we would see some of Brad at the 4 this year and with his physical size this year I think he can handle it. Pav is right that we will have to team rebound, but we also will be able to severely stretch teams with that lineup either creating huge space for Jamie inside or driving/slashing lanes for everyone else.

I also wouldnt be surprised to see a similar formulation with Theus and Joey in the backcourt.

 

[vcubob]

Sounds interesting, good to get an article in the paper. Keep the seniors motivated and the younger guys something to shoot for. In a couple weeks I predict RTD/DB will be reporting that some of the newcomers may be seeing "significant minutes". Any shot-blockers in the new arrivals?

 

[vcu_dan]

Sounds interesting, good to get an article in the paper. Keep the seniors motivated and the younger guys something to shoot for. In a couple weeks I predict RTD/DB will be reporting that some of the newcomers may be seeing "significant minutes". Any shot-blockers in the new arrivals?

have you ever seen this pic before?

 

[Rambunctious]

That looks like a play with a lead, late game lineup to me - - experience. During the course of a game I suspect the lineup we'll see the most is:

Joey
Ed/Brandon
Brad
Jamie
Toby (if he's as rugged as everyone says)

 

[buckwheat]

Bradford can definitely bang in the low post despite being a guard. 6'6 225 is good size against most CAA teams anyway.

i'm 6'5" and i've stood close to burgess on even ground. he's not taller than i am. in fact, if anything he was shorter.

then again, this was a while back. did he really grow an inch between his soph. and jr. year or is the media guide just going to add an inch to him every year?

 

[MattRock]

Bradford can definitely bang in the low post despite being a guard. 6'6 225 is good size against most CAA teams anyway.

I've heard that Bradford is insanely bulked up this year. That's definitely going to help with the veteran lineup.

 

[vcu_dan]

Bradford can definitely bang in the low post despite being a guard. 6'6 225 is good size against most CAA teams anyway.

I've heard that Bradford is insanely bulked up this year. That's definitely going to help with the veteran lineup.

i'm seen the pics lol, he has bulked up for sure. Whether he is actaully 6'6" well that's another discussion.

 

[ViCtorioUs]

How tall was JPR? He certainly could go down in the paint and bang with the big boys. And he more than held his own. I think we saw flashes of that kind of physicality from Brad last year.

 

[xjohnx]

How tall was JPR? He certainly could go down in the paint and bang with the big boys. And he more than held his own. I think we saw flashes of that kind of physicality from Brad last year.

Jesse was 6'4, 195 according to the NY Jets.

Brad is listed as 6'6, 225 currently.

 

[ramhawk]

JPR was a coach's dream from the standpoint of commitment and effort each day...and by far my favorite Ram of all time. Case and point, the night we lost at home to GMU in 2006...90 minutes after the game he is on the court still in uniform having a manager feed him passes so he could work on his jumper, while his teammates just kinda hung around in the stands already showered and in their street clothes. We proceeded to beat ODU at home 2 days later and Jesse pumped in nearly 20 points.

 

[RamChris]

JPR was a coach's dream from the standpoint of commitment and effort each day...and by far my favorite Ram of all time. Case and point, the night we lost at home to GMU in 2006...90 minutes after the game he is on the court still in uniform having a manager feed him passes so he could work on his jumper, while his teammates just kinda hung around in the stands already showered and in their street clothes. We proceeded to beat ODU at home 2 days later and Jesse pumped in nearly 20 points.

Jesse has the heart of a champion. I'm kind of getting the same hope/feelings about Pierria Henry (sp?). Same football background/mentality. This can bring a lot to a team. You can go to a guy like that and have him defensively "take out" their most dominant player. Jesse could not be intimidated on a basketball court, and that can be invaluable at times, especially at away games against physical teams.

 

[VRam]

Bradford can definitely bang in the low post despite being a guard. 6'6 225 is good size against most CAA teams anyway.

i'm 6'5" and i've stood close to burgess on even ground. he's not taller than i am. in fact, if anything he was shorter.

then again, this was a while back. did he really grow an inch between his soph. and jr. year or is the media guide just going to add an inch to him every year?

He's 6'6" in college basketball height. It's something like dog years.

 

[Ovis fan]

Years ago Wyoming had a 6' 5" 225 lb guard, Charles Bradley. They created a new position for him: monster guard. One of the greatest plays was called the "clear out." The team would shift to one side of the court and pass the ball to Bradley. He would take it to the rack for a monster slam and drag his typical 6'2" 185 defender with him. Almost always a three point play. Would love to see something like this with Brad if we played him at the 2.