im with you chokes. its been since cj really since we've had a guard like downey for example. livingston was great but not around for long. dmitch and thornton were great shooters but not real drive and dish guys.
I guess the question is (and I really don't have a strong opinion): is it more important to have a great shooting PG or a guy who can push Varnardo (and others like him) around? Seems like LSU rebounds OK but just cannot score in the paint. Which makes the perimter game way too predictable. If we had a big man, wouldn't Bo (and Ross-Miller, and Stringer) have more open chances from long range?
It's the debate of yin and yang, I suppose. A big man makes shooters more open, but at the same time, good shooters/cutters make it easier for big men to operate down low. I think if you ask most college basketball pundits, the truth of today's game is that it's a guard's game. Most big men now are not classic posts, and they're more like 6'9" euro forward wannabes. The days of Shaq and Stanley Roberts down low are gone. I think most college teams play with a 6'9" maybe 6'10" center and a 6'8" forward and guards. Look at teams like Villanova, Notre Dame, Duke, Michigan State, good guards and rebounding by committee. With the possible exception of Kentucky (Cousins & Orton), Kansas (Aldridge), UNC (Davis, Henson, Zeller), there aren't that many teams that have dominant pro centers. If the pursuit of Brantley is for real, what it says to me is Trent wants a more "playing ready" SG, when he's not sure that the freshman will immediately be able to match up with SEC SGs and he wants a more sure fire shooting guard who can hit the outside shot. His offense is based so much on screening and motion that he needs jumpshooters who can roll of screens and pop it. If you watch the youtube video out there on Brantley, the kid is pretty athletic (slightly bigger kid who can defend your athletic SEC SGs) and the kid can shoot. Trent is hedging his bets with Dotson coming fully back from injury, Spencer being his mercurial combo guard, 2 young points, and 2 young SFs (Derenbecker/Turner). What I see is Brantley being a solid defender and a consistent shooter to give Bo a dependable backcourt mate sooner, so Dotson and the FR don't have all the pressure on them to perform right away. He's also doing this. He believes White, Warren, Harris, Ludwig and Green are good enough rotation, who with time will improve. Given today's performance by Warren, you can see what he's capable of if there's White down low to draw attention. And, you've got to think that Ludwig, Harris and Green can improve. ALSO, and I can only guess about this, Trent is ultimately thinking of 2012 when Gathers signs. He wants the down low group to be seniors where Gathers can come in and play but ease into the team. Reports are that Gathers really does like the Trent Johnson staff, so you add another very dependable post player who can help alot as soon as he gets here. The big question is who leaves (or gives up a schollie) to make room for Brantley? :huh:
Agreed. I think there is some skuttlebutt about Bo, but I would think it'd be silly for Bo and Trent to have him leave, unless it's an academic probation reason. There's also some talk that it may be Bass that gives up his scholarship, since he can pay his own way. You never know if someone like Green wants to leave and start new somewhere else. At the end of the day, I'm not sure how desparately Trent or Sherrard wants this LSU offer to pan out. Seems like it may be kinds of an exciting off season/spring signing season.
Great Information guys, keep the information flowing. I guess I am the guy who started the question about Bass Leaving next year to make room for some of these new guys - but that was before this last name (Brantley) showed up... One things for sure, If the big guys don't work out we can always go small!! Gonna have a lot of guards next year it seems.. The big guys - Green, Harris, White are gonna have to get a lot better next year for LSU to be a real good team in my opinion. Harris & White seem to be the ones with the most promise. Do you guys think Green and Dodson will both be back next year? I thought Dodson was a major Disappointment. Maybe it was his injury but he never showed much this past year. I am looking forward to next year already. Should be fun.. Gotta be better. When is the spring signing period?:geaux:
That is truly awesome news, getting one great one from instate may lead the other instate players to follow... :geaux:
http://lsu.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1062517 Tremendous, indeed. When kids of this caliber speak out and speak out early, that's a testament to what's going on at your school. If this kid can even grow an inch or two, watch out. Right now at a muscular 235lb (as a 16 year old), he'd already be the strongest post player on the LSU team (with the possible exception of White?). He's shown the ability to hit the three in the playoff games, and he's a monster rebounding the ball and box-ing out. He will get ALOT of playing time at LSU early... It's certainly not a LSU lock though, and I like that he is getting a lot of face time from Trent and Big man assistant coach, Brent Scott... "It was really awesome getting to talk with people like Tasmin Mitchell, Storm Warren and Bo Spencer," Gathers said. "I also work out with (Ole Miss transfer) Malcolm White. He's a beast. I can't wait until he steps in a uniform."
