Alex Rivas - Committed to South Florida

[The Mad Hatter]

Re: Alex Rivas

We follow Jayhawk League JUCO ball and saw this kid from Pratt CC at one of the recent games behind the WSU bench. PCC is 12 and 0 this year.

Rivas is a defensive and rebounding animal at 6'10". He can really jump but needs some work on offense.

http://www.prattcc.edu/college/athle...lex_rivas.html

Given that Turgeon's stated philosophy is that if he finds a gifted athlete who can shoot he can teach him to play defense this seems an improbable recruit. After watching the big men from Syracuse blow lay-up after lay-up, I'm glad that Mark recruits shooters. There is a "feel" to shooting that is hard to teach while defense simply requires instruction, attitude, and hard work.

You can't teach height. Those eleven blocks that 'Cuse got against us has more to do with the players' daddys than it does with the coach!

We desperately need a BCS-type post player that is athletic, mobile, and aggressive. 6'10"+!!!


T


...8)

And guess what, the short guys that couldn't block shots, but could hit jump shots were the ones who won the game. I'll take Kyle's shooting over SU's shot-blocking any day of the week.

We desperately need a BCS-type post player that is athletic, mobile, and aggressive. 6'10"+!!!

I don't think the number 10 team in the nation is in DESPERATE need of anything.

[wu_shizzle]

TMH, I know you take as much pride in this team as I do, but if I could add one element to this team, it's a 6'10"+ defensive intimidater in the paint.
I hope DK or RB could be that guy, but if we're looking at JUCO centers, that should be telling.

[C0|dB|00ded]

Re: Alex Rivas

We follow Jayhawk League JUCO ball and saw this kid from Pratt CC at one of the recent games behind the WSU bench. PCC is 12 and 0 this year.

Rivas is a defensive and rebounding animal at 6'10". He can really jump but needs some work on offense.

http://www.prattcc.edu/college/athle...lex_rivas.html

Given that Turgeon's stated philosophy is that if he finds a gifted athlete who can shoot he can teach him to play defense this seems an improbable recruit. After watching the big men from Syracuse blow lay-up after lay-up, I'm glad that Mark recruits shooters. There is a "feel" to shooting that is hard to teach while defense simply requires instruction, attitude, and hard work.

You can't teach height. Those eleven blocks that 'Cuse got against us has more to do with the players' daddy's than it does with the coach!

We desperately need a BCS-type post player that is athletic, mobile, and aggressive. 6'10"+!!!


T


...8)

And guess what, the short guys that couldn't block shots, but could hit jump shots were the ones who won the game. I'll take Kyle's shooting over SU's shot-blocking any day of the week.

We desperately need a BCS-type post player that is athletic, mobile, and aggressive. 6'10"+!!!

I don't think the number 10 team in the nation is in DESPERATE need of anything.

Don't let a couple nice wins skew your perception of the value of a good big-man. For our team to be considered legitimate to most of the college basketball world we need to have a couple solid 6'9" power forwards and a nasty, smelly, 6'11" center that scares people off with his looks. Just like Mark Turgeon said, "I love our team but it would be nice if we could sign a couple athletes like 'Cuse has". The time will come my friends.. the time will come..

Hopefully Bowles is a great start in "growing" our front-line. It is imperative that we get some size down low because we aren't going to keep running around beating top-15 teams without legitimate size. I think most of the Shocker Nation is still pinching itself over our recent wins over MUCH bigger teams. We have a very special team and coach, that is for sure. We need the big horses though if we really want to go after a NC (oops I said it didn't I 8)).


T


...8)

[The Mad Hatter]

Re: Alex Rivas

We follow Jayhawk League JUCO ball and saw this kid from Pratt CC at one of the recent games behind the WSU bench. PCC is 12 and 0 this year.

Rivas is a defensive and rebounding animal at 6'10". He can really jump but needs some work on offense.

http://www.prattcc.edu/college/athle...lex_rivas.html

Given that Turgeon's stated philosophy is that if he finds a gifted athlete who can shoot he can teach him to play defense this seems an improbable recruit. After watching the big men from Syracuse blow lay-up after lay-up, I'm glad that Mark recruits shooters. There is a "feel" to shooting that is hard to teach while defense simply requires instruction, attitude, and hard work.

You can't teach height. Those eleven blocks that 'Cuse got against us has more to do with the players' daddy's than it does with the coach!

We desperately need a BCS-type post player that is athletic, mobile, and aggressive. 6'10"+!!!


T


...8)

And guess what, the short guys that couldn't block shots, but could hit jump shots were the ones who won the game. I'll take Kyle's shooting over SU's shot-blocking any day of the week.

We desperately need a BCS-type post player that is athletic, mobile, and aggressive. 6'10"+!!!

I don't think the number 10 team in the nation is in DESPERATE need of anything.

Don't let a couple nice wins skew your perception of the value of a good big-man. For our team to be considered legitimate to most of the college basketball world we need to have a couple solid 6'9" power forwards and a nasty, smelly, 6'11" center that scares people off with his looks. Just like Mark Turgeon said, "I love our team but it would be nice if we could sign a couple athletes like 'Cuse has". The time will come my friends.. the time will come..

Hopefully Bowles is a great start in "growing" our front-line. It is imperative that we get some size down low because we aren't going to keep running around beating top-15 teams without legitimate size. I think most of the Shocker Nation is still pinching itself over our recent wins over MUCH bigger teams. We have a very special team and coach, that is for sure. We need the big horses though if we really want to go after a NC (oops I said it didn't I 8).


T


...8)

After all your talk about others being small-minded regarding WSU, you turn out to be the most small-minded of all. You have bought into the BCS message that you need to be tall and athletic to compete at the very highest level. You, like most BCS teams, think that WSU's wins against LSU and SU were just flukes and we need to KU-like athletes to truly be good.

From now on, you have no right to call anyone else small-minded because you have revealed that you have been sipping the BCS kool-aid for too long to recognize good basketball. You bought the myth that shot-blocking and dunks are the sign of a good team, not ball rotation, sharp passing, and boxing out.

[RoyalShock]

I don't know if this kid compares or not, but I remember a certain juco player from Hutch a few years ago who was 6'11", athletic, rebounder, shot-blocker. Several "high-majors" recruited him pretty hard.

His name was Aaron Pettway and he rode the bench at Oklahoma State the past two years. But that is not what he was recruited to do there. He was a bust.

He was a liability due to his b-ball IQ. Another thing. There aren't that many big kids playing juco ball that have skills anymore. So a 6'10" kid with athleticism and/or skills at that level is a rarity. His abilities may not transfer to D-1 very well.

[C0|dB|00ded]

Re: Alex Rivas

We follow Jayhawk League JUCO ball and saw this kid from Pratt CC at one of the recent games behind the WSU bench. PCC is 12 and 0 this year.

Rivas is a defensive and rebounding animal at 6'10". He can really jump but needs some work on offense.

http://www.prattcc.edu/college/athle...lex_rivas.html

Given that Turgeon's stated philosophy is that if he finds a gifted athlete who can shoot he can teach him to play defense this seems an improbable recruit. After watching the big men from Syracuse blow lay-up after lay-up, I'm glad that Mark recruits shooters. There is a "feel" to shooting that is hard to teach while defense simply requires instruction, attitude, and hard work.

You can't teach height. Those eleven blocks that 'Cuse got against us has more to do with the players' daddy's than it does with the coach!

We desperately need a BCS-type post player that is athletic, mobile, and aggressive. 6'10"+!!!


T


...8)

And guess what, the short guys that couldn't block shots, but could hit jump shots were the ones who won the game. I'll take Kyle's shooting over SU's shot-blocking any day of the week.

We desperately need a BCS-type post player that is athletic, mobile, and aggressive. 6'10"+!!!

I don't think the number 10 team in the nation is in DESPERATE need of anything.

Don't let a couple nice wins skew your perception of the value of a good big-man. For our team to be considered legitimate to most of the college basketball world we need to have a couple solid 6'9" power forwards and a nasty, smelly, 6'11" center that scares people off with his looks. Just like Mark Turgeon said, "I love our team but it would be nice if we could sign a couple athletes like 'Cuse has". The time will come my friends.. the time will come..

Hopefully Bowles is a great start in "growing" our front-line. It is imperative that we get some size down low because we aren't going to keep running around beating top-15 teams without legitimate size. I think most of the Shocker Nation is still pinching itself over our recent wins over MUCH bigger teams. We have a very special team and coach, that is for sure. We need the big horses though if we really want to go after a NC (oops I said it didn't I 8).


T


...8)

After all your talk about others being small-minded regarding WSU, you turn out to be the most small-minded of all. You have bought into the BCS message that you need to be tall and athletic to compete at the very highest level. You, like most BCS teams, think that WSU's wins against LSU and SU were just flukes and we need to KU-like athletes to truly be good.

From now on, you have no right to call anyone else small-minded because you have revealed that you have been sipping the BCS kool-aid for too long to recognize good basketball. You bought the myth that shot-blocking and dunks are the sign of a good team, not ball rotation, sharp passing, and boxing out.

There are two things you must do to escape the quandry you find yourself in at the moment:

1) You need to release your pent up frustrations with me so that you can think clearly when you argue.

2) Repeat the first step.

If you think a severely under-sized team has as good of a chance to win a national championship as a team like KU's with monstrous, highly-talented athletes, then you are very misinformed. Tell me the last team that won the national championship that would be as small on the post as we are at the moment?

Mark Turgeon understands our need for size, why don't you?

P.S.

I can assure you that you will be the last person I consult on what my rights are to discuss on this forum. :D :good:


T


...8)

[tgcshock]

Re: Alex Rivas

We follow Jayhawk League JUCO ball and saw this kid from Pratt CC at one of the recent games behind the WSU bench. PCC is 12 and 0 this year.

Rivas is a defensive and rebounding animal at 6'10". He can really jump but needs some work on offense.

http://www.prattcc.edu/college/athle...lex_rivas.html

Given that Turgeon's stated philosophy is that if he finds a gifted athlete who can shoot he can teach him to play defense this seems an improbable recruit. After watching the big men from Syracuse blow lay-up after lay-up, I'm glad that Mark recruits shooters. There is a "feel" to shooting that is hard to teach while defense simply requires instruction, attitude, and hard work.

You can't teach height. Those eleven blocks that 'Cuse got against us has more to do with the players' daddy's than it does with the coach!

We desperately need a BCS-type post player that is athletic, mobile, and aggressive. 6'10"+!!!


T


...8)

And guess what, the short guys that couldn't block shots, but could hit jump shots were the ones who won the game. I'll take Kyle's shooting over SU's shot-blocking any day of the week.

We desperately need a BCS-type post player that is athletic, mobile, and aggressive. 6'10"+!!!

I don't think the number 10 team in the nation is in DESPERATE need of anything.

Don't let a couple nice wins skew your perception of the value of a good big-man. For our team to be considered legitimate to most of the college basketball world we need to have a couple solid 6'9" power forwards and a nasty, smelly, 6'11" center that scares people off with his looks. Just like Mark Turgeon said, "I love our team but it would be nice if we could sign a couple athletes like 'Cuse has". The time will come my friends.. the time will come..

Hopefully Bowles is a great start in "growing" our front-line. It is imperative that we get some size down low because we aren't going to keep running around beating top-15 teams without legitimate size. I think most of the Shocker Nation is still pinching itself over our recent wins over MUCH bigger teams. We have a very special team and coach, that is for sure. We need the big horses though if we really want to go after a NC (oops I said it didn't I 8).


T


...8)

After all your talk about others being small-minded regarding WSU, you turn out to be the most small-minded of all. You have bought into the BCS message that you need to be tall and athletic to compete at the very highest level. You, like most BCS teams, think that WSU's wins against LSU and SU were just flukes and we need to KU-like athletes to truly be good.

From now on, you have no right to call anyone else small-minded because you have revealed that you have been sipping the BCS kool-aid for too long to recognize good basketball. You bought the myth that shot-blocking and dunks are the sign of a good team, not ball rotation, sharp passing, and boxing out.

Sounds like Cold has been reading a little too much DawgieStyle over on Valley Talk. I can't believe I just read "For our team to be considered legitimate to most of the college basketball world we need to have . . . ." I'm going to hope for the best, maybe Billy Packer just stole Cold's password and posted on Shockernet. :(

[RoyalShock]

CB is now ShockerNet's very own Bucky Waters. ;)

[tgcshock]

CB is now ShockerNet's very own Bucky Waters. ;)

[RoyalShock]

As long as you're not trading away fundamental, team-oriented basketball, increasing the size of your front line can only help to shore up any weaknesses, perceived or actual.

If we had Anthony Tolliver, I doubt we would be having this discussion, as the Shocks wouldn't look like such a "high school" team.

[pinstripers]

Far be it from me to support Cold's rants, but he is correct, you know. You'll never get respect form much of the basketball world until you look like what they percieve a D-1 team to be. As far as whether we need more height and athleticism, I think we do. If MT didn't want meore height, he wouldn't be trying to sign more height. And yep, if indeed we are recruiting a juco 5-man, that speaks volums about RB.

[The Mad Hatter]

Far be it from me to support Cold's rants, but he is correct, you know. You'll never get respect form much of the basketball world until you look like what they percieve a D-1 team to be. As far as whether we need more height and athleticism, I think we do. If MT didn't want meore height, he wouldn't be trying to sign more height. And yep, if indeed we are recruiting a juco 5-man, that speaks volums about RB.

You'll never get respect form much of the basketball world until you look like what they percieve a D-1 team to be.

I don't care about perception. I care about results. That is where Cold and I differ.

[C0|dB|00ded]

I don't know who you guys think I am but my personality is definitely not that of a "small-minded" guy who carries a chip on his shoulder. I am competitive and try to be the best at everything I do and have had a fair amount of success in my life. When I think of Wichita State being where I want them it is not as David in a David vs. Goliath battle. I want WSU to be Goliath. Maybe you enjoy listening to people refer to our team as a bunch of "little kids from Wichita" but I surely don't. We are severely under-sized and if you think that isn't a HUGE factor over the course of a year than you need to do some more research. Yes, we barely beat LSU and survived a torrid comeback by SU but it was clearly evident in the 'Cuse game that we were at a disadvantage in the paint. It was also very clear that SU was a very lazy team. If they would have played all game like they did the last 10 minutes I don't think we would have gotten the win.

Enjoy the wins but don't let them go to your head. We are nursing a very big deficiency on the post in regards to size and it will surely come back to haunt us a couple times this season statistically. Maybe we don't lose too many games because of it thanks to our unbelievable guard play but there will be some statistical disparities that will leave us shaking our heads. Last year all everybody could talk about was Paul Miller because he was a "legitimate" big man. Paul brought us a lot of love and respect and wins. Mark knows we need size and he is trying very hard to bring it to us.

Don't lose perspective when discussing Billy Packer'itis. Billy Packer wants the "club" to remain exclusive, I do as well. I just want WSU to earn an invitation like Gonzaga did. I, like you still want "stars" in college basketball. Why do you think you got so excited when we scheduled LSU or SU? I just want WSU to become one of those stars and I think we can.


T


...8)

[C0|dB|00ded]

CB is now ShockerNet's very own Bucky Waters. ;)

OMG are you serious? :shock:

I just watched the 'Cuse game for the third time last night and I swear if I ever get near that man I will have a "discussion" with him. But of course many of the things he said were true whether or not they enraged me.. we did look like a "high-school" team compared to that group of monsters in Syracuse. I want WSU to have their own group of monsters.


T


...8)

[tgcshock]

Far be it from me to support Cold's rants, but he is correct, you know. You'll never get respect form much of the basketball world until you look like what they percieve a D-1 team to be. As far as whether we need more height and athleticism, I think we do. If MT didn't want meore height, he wouldn't be trying to sign more height. And yep, if indeed we are recruiting a juco 5-man, that speaks volums about RB.

First, you don't have to get perceived respect in NCAA BB, there is a playoff system. The reason that GMU was in the Final Four rather than UConn is that perception doesn't matter once March roles around.

Second, the fact that we outscored LSU in the paint says volumes about what is "needed" by this team. Texas A&M is supposed to have some of the most ruggedly athletic inside players in the country and they could not get done against LSU inside what we got done. Would that surprise most of the BB experts given their perceptions, yes. Does it matter? NO. I wouldn't not trade our "bigs" for anyone's at this point because they produce even when matched against the best.

Third, of course, all things being equal height and athleticism is an advantage but the point is that all things are never equal. There are relatively few high quality big men to begin with. Of those there are, even the best are often enamored with shot blocking and dunking and are not readily coachable into something else (see KU). If you find the rare big who is everything in one package, he is more likely to end up at Duke than at WSU. So you looks for good big athletic post players but never at the expense of the fundemental things that has made you successful to begin with.

Maybe for many of us all the rants against Packer et. al., were just frustration and we really deep down in our hearts agree with their analysis about the Big Boys. But I know I don't. To quote another famous coach (Darrell Royal), "We'll dance with who brung us."