Wichita State at Cincinnati Game Thread 2-17-22

[CBB_Fan]

I just want to say, after that game I'm fairly certain Ricky Council IV is by far and away the most talented player on this team and the person we should playing through this year and building around in the future. He almost willed us back into the game by himself, he created his own shot repeatedly by getting into the lane, and of course he can shoot and explosively dunk. Not only should he be starting, possessions should end with the ball in his hands an incredibly high percentage of time.

Why? This team's weakness is offense. We are hard pressed to get good shots, and don't usually make them when we get them. We turn the ball over at a high rate, typically have a least one dead period of 4+ minutes in every game, and we don't get to the line nearly enough to offset our shooting percentage. The only thing that has let us win even the few games we have won is that we actually have a great defense, we try very hard, and we typically do better than we should on rebounds and 50/50 balls. But as the 5 shot possession showed against Cincinnati, none of that matters if you can't put the ball in the hoop.

For that matter, Tyson and Porter are the only other players on the team that can create their own offense or anyone else's. Unless the ball goes through those players hands, we are effectively without an offense. I'd much rather run isolation sets and treat Ricky Council IV like Demar DeRozan than see more of our current offensive gameplan.

[Kel Varnsen]

I just want to say, after that game I'm fairly certain Ricky Council IV is by far and away the most talented player on this team and the person we should playing through this year and building around in the future. He almost willed us back into the game by himself, he created his own shot repeatedly by getting into the lane, and of course he can shoot and explosively dunk. Not only should he be starting, possessions should end with the ball in his hands an incredibly high percentage of time.

Why? This team's weakness is offense. We are hard pressed to get good shots, and don't usually make them when we get them. We turn the ball over at a high rate, typically have a least one dead period of 4+ minutes in every game, and we don't get to the line nearly enough to offset our shooting percentage. The only thing that has let us win even the few games we have won is that we actually have a great defense, we try very hard, and we typically do better than we should on rebounds and 50/50 balls. But as the 5 shot possession showed against Cincinnati, none of that matters if you can't put the ball in the hoop.

For that matter, Tyson and Porter are the only other players on the team that can create their own offense or anyone else's. Unless the ball goes through those players hands, we are effectively without an offense. I'd much rather run isolation sets and treat Ricky Council IV like Demar DeRozan than see more of our current offensive gameplan.

You are correct.

[Shock Top]

Still think the best lineup they could start would be:

CP
RCIV
DD
KP
MU

Make TE the super sub.

This lineup could do some damage.

[WstateU]

For some reason, this makes me

[SHOXAAC]

I've noted this before on here, but I find it hilarious that Mo's best game ever was against a MVC team (Drake). Mo would dominate in the MVC but struggles against the upper tier of the AAC.

Just because he had a very good game vs. Drake doesn't equate to dominating the Valley. Udeze is not that type of player.

[SHOXAAC]

For some reason, this makes me

Vison bady...great vision!

[pinstripers]

Hope Ricks as good as Kennedy and Hull have said he is.

Maybe, but they are paid to overhype our program and our guys

[molly jabali]

I guess you’ve bought into it as well. Go for it. Defame 3G at your pleasure. I guess you were there.

What are YOU TALKING ABOUT? Did I say that was MY point of view? Try not to read too much into stuff...not your strength...

[ShockTalk]

MB, CH, JR, MA, FVV. All high caliber PG under Marshall. Porter is a better PG than DW, RB, GM, but not as good as the afore mentioned.

Don't get me wrong, I loved me some MB! I'd put MB and the current CP in the same class with CP not having a S16 team around him. MB's A/TO drop in half his senior year to 1.5/1.

I'd also hope that a 5th year senior (sat out 4th year) MA, would be a lot more savvy than Porter at this time. He also had the benefit of a F4 quality team. His FG % was below .400 and his A/TO was 1.65/1, however.

I've already given CH and JR based on 2 years at the helm.

[BostonWu]

Don't get me wrong, I loved me some MB! I'd put MB and the current CP in the same class with CP not having a S16 team around him. MB's A/TO drop in half his senior year to 1.5/1.

I'd also hope that a 5th year senior (sat out 4th year) MA, would be a lot more savvy than Porter at this time. He also had the benefit of a F4 quality team. His FG % was below .400 and his A/TO was 1.65/1, however.

I've already given CH and JR based on 2 years at the helm.

Too many initials

[Stickboy46]

In terms of keeping players, I would rank them:

Super High Priority
1. RCIV
2. Pohto

High Priority
3. Porter

Would Really Love to Have Back Priority
4. Dexter



I won’t rank the rest, but I have some thoughts

- I’m not counting the RS players (JR and IA), since I assume they will be staying put.
- I assume TE and MU will move on, and it probably good for all parties.
- MJ has the motor, but he’s too uncontrolled and HCIB doesn’t seem to be the right coach to rein him in; so he probably needs to move on.
- CJ may have potential and has provided a spark lately, but he’s not quit ready. If he sticks around, groovy; but won’t be shocked or devastated if he looks elsewhere.
- QG and JP are absolute WHIFFS. Sure fHCGM had some stickers in his day, but this had to be the worst recruiting class since his first season.*

In other words, this roster needs A LOT of work.



* = I will amend this statement if JR and/or IA prove to be studs, but I going 0/2 on guys playing this season is a horrible start to your reign as HC.

I agree with the overall take that this wasn't a great recruiting class... But Pohto was part of this class too so it's 1 out of 3

[ShockTalk]

Too many initials

Yeah, I've kinda pick up that bad habit from somewhere.

[ventichai]

I don’t want to put negative energy out there, but is there a cap on how many players can transfer? Have other ball clubs out there lost a large chunk of their squad in the offseason to the portal/graduation in the past? I can imagine at minimum there will be at least a few new faces around, if not quite a few.

[1972Shocker]

I still have a lot of reservations about Kenny Pohto. Maybe Kerry Rosenboom can work some magic with Kenny but he is pretty much starting from scratch and I am just not sure the body type and genetics are there to work with. It's not like he is super young as he will be 20 in July.

Maybe Kenny will yet prove to be a decent 3-point shooter but that hasn't happened so far as his numbers, 13-45 (28.9%), from behind the arc are only better than Mo's and Chaunce's.

It would be nice if he could play the 4 but I question whether he has the athleticism to do that.

But a lot of you guys seem to be really sold on him so I hope your are right. Would love to see him turn into another Jaime Echinique.

[ShockingButTrue]

Dude is out of his freaking mind. Porter and RCiV are about the only watchable things about this team at this point. He runs the point very well and is a high caliber PG. Plus he does intangibles that a PG at WSU has not done in quite some time. How many break away layups has he saved this year by sprinting back the other way and blocking a shot? It literally seems like one a game.

"High caliber point guard?!?" (emphasis is all mine). Hahahahahah. How about adequate? As in, J. Burton was adequate filling in at the point type of 'adequate.'

What next; C. Jackson is one of the tougher forwards in the conference? If only the Shocks had a reliable post? Oh, wait...