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Thread: 2018-19 basketball season

  1. #151
    I think Van Komen will red shirt as he is just too skinny at this point.

    Thione is a rim protector--he might play some 4, but his range is limited.

    Both had some really good moments & some really dumb moments---he was better when he started, but then PVD got hot & took away his minutes. Hope he makes a big jump, which many do from Freshman to soph year.

    I was down on JUCOs based on CJJ, but changed my mind after watching Taz Sherman---they need a shooter.

    Wild card might be Carlson--returning from mission is difficult, but everyone raves about him & he did get many high level offers.

    At 32 this is highest rated recruiting class for Utes.

  2. #152
    My way too early prediction for next year's rotation:

    -The three main guards in the rotation (in no order) will be Gach, RJones and someone who isn't currently with the team or signed. The 4th guard will depend on who is still in the program. I predict a battle between Gaskin and Brenchley for that spot but maybe CJones will be there.

    -Timmy and Donnie are the starting forwards, end of story.....Unless, Larry really thinks outside the box and tries Donnie at the 2 (I actually had this thought before SoCalPat said the same in this thread). The issue with Donnie at the 2 is defense. I wouldn't describe Donnie as lumbering, but it still may be a challenge for him to stay in front of a 6'2" guard in space. The Finn and Battin will both get minutes, but if the Finn is as advertised then Riley will have to make some strides to avoid becoming something of a fringe rotation player/specialist. But given Utah's possible lack of shooting, Riley will provide value as a shooter.

    -I think Center is also pretty easy. Headband Jayce is your starter and can play with a little more abandon with more depth behind him. Lahat is your first backup (could play a little 4 at times against certain matchups) and then Carlson kind of gives you spot minutes and works off his mission rust (a redshirt isn't out of the question but I hate the idea of a guy taking over three years off from competitive basketball--at some point you just lose the edge). If Morley sticks around he may get the occasional run too. MVK redshirts (I do think you could run him out there and he'd impact games just with his size in the paint, but there's so many bodies that I don't think it would be a good use of his eligibility unless Carlson is really not ready to compete.

    I think Utah is pretty solid in the frontcourt--good talent, good role players, good depth. We will need to see an alpha dog emerge, all eyes will be on Donnie and Timmy to be the guy to attack the basket and generate offense. The key is going to be the backcourt. It's a little scary right now, but all it takes is one really solid grad transfer or JC guy to solidify things there. Remember how much the whole team was elevated the day Delon Wright showed up? We probably won't get that but even a Justin Bibbins or Zo Bonam level guard would make a huge difference. Also, I wonder if people are discounting Rylan a little because he's from Utah. If we signed a guard as highly rated as him from California or Texas or some other big city in the midwest or east coast would we have any reservations about him being really solid out of the gate? In any case, whether next year's team can make a leap forward will depend a lot on landing another guard (or two) that can be pretty good right away as well as Rylan being solid and Gach making strides. If the backcourt performs this team will have a shot at making a solid leap forward.

  3. #153
    Quote Originally Posted by UBlender View Post
    If we signed a guard as highly rated as him from California or Texas or some other big city in the midwest or east coast would we have any reservations about him being really solid out of the gate?
    I would. I don't think I've ever gone all in on a player until I've seen him play. Basketball recruiting ranking is just too much of an inexact science. I'm certainly hopeful for Rylan, though. If he comes in and impresses, it would instantly solve many problems for this team.

  4. #154
    Sam the Sheepdog LA Ute's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Old Standing ute View Post
    At 32 this is highest rated recruiting class for Utes.
    This is an encouraging sign that people aren’t talking about enough.

    "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
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