2020 Starting 5 & Bench | Page 3 | The Boneyard

2020 Starting 5 & Bench

Bigflip12 said:
Whaley is a high energy role player. He started out of necessity, he has the right attitude to be a bench player. Carlton will start for sure.
Expand ...

The last half of the season, Whaley blew Carlton out of the water. He was efficient on offense and defense, and did just about everything we needed. If Carlton drops some weight and plays smarter, I think he can get back to form, but let's not kid ourselves and think Whaley is a starter.

With the newfound depth at the 5, I wouldn't be surprised if we started both (or Whaley/Sanogo), and based on matchups switched to a smaller lineup (Polley/Martin at the 4) when needed.

Whaley:
9.8 PPG
7.6 REB
0.9 AST
1.3 TO
2.1 BLK
1.0 STL
2.8 PF
19.1 minutes per
60% FG
77% FT (3.4 attempts)

Carlton:
5.1 PTS
5.2 REB
0.7 AST
1.5 TO
0.7 BLK
0.4 STL
3.1 PF
18.4 mpg
51% FG
47% FT (1.1 attempts per)
 
JimHurley said:
If Martin is sitting I’m not sure we want to redshirt Javonte. That’ll leave us with 12 guys, one being Polley returning from an ACL and one being Akok returning from an Achilles. So essentially 10 healthy guys. One or two injuries and we’re back to where we’ve been the past 2 years...can never have enough healthy bodies.
Expand ...
You can always take a redshirt off. We can plan to redshirt him, and never play him unless we need to. You don't have to "declare" a redshirt. Just don't play the guy, and as long as he's remained academically eligible, he'll have that year on the back end. But once you play him, you've burned his redshirt.

College Basketball Redshirting Rules
 
husky429 said:
The last half of the season, Whaley blew Carlton out of the water. He was efficient on offense and defense, and did just about everything we needed. If Carlton drops some weight and plays smarter, I think he can get back to form, but let's not kid ourselves and think Whaley is a starter.
Expand ...

The numbers are even more in Whaley's favor when you look at the last seven games, starting with Akok's injury when more minutes opened up.

Once Akok went down: 12.6 & 8.4 plus 3 blocks per game. .552 from the floor. His passing skills don't translate to the box score either. Kind of ironic that he was a much better version of what we'd hoped to get out of Akok and he was buried on the bench all season.

This stretch was admittedly against pretty bleh competition outside of Memphis and Houston (which is why I mentioned that I don't it's a lock that we'll play a ton of smallball with Whaley at the five this coming season). The kid was really friggin good.
 
WingU-Conn said:
You can always take a redshirt off. We can plan to redshirt him, and never play him unless we need to. You don't have to "declare" a redshirt. Just don't play the guy, and as long as he's remained academically eligible, he'll have that year on the back end. But once you play him, you've burned his redshirt.

College Basketball Redshirting Rules
Expand ...
I thought they changed the rule for redshirting where you could play a certain percentage of games, or was that only for football? Or did I just make that up?
 
Lefty2one said:
With an Achilles, yeah. I'd be surprised if he played at all. Bringing him back in late Feb seems like a bad idea. He'll barely have time to shake off any rust and you could blow a year's eligible for a handful of games.
Expand ...

That's my sentiment as well. I hope he proves me wrong, but that is a devistating injury to come back from. He'll probably play, but to get back to where he was will be a grind.
 
phillionaire said:
I thought they changed the rule for redshirting where you could play a certain percentage of games, or was that only for football? Or did I just make that up?
Expand ...
You didn't make it up. I believe that's only for football which is why i added the link at the end of the post, but no, I'm not positive.
 
.-.
Waterbury said:
Brown-Ferguson gonna be averaging like 8 mpg this year lol. I would love if this starting 5 materialized at some point prior to big east play

1- Cole
2 - Bouk
3 - Jackson
4 - Whaley
5 - Sanogo
Expand ...
I like that 5. Until I remind myself that Martin and Polley will be very important as scorers. Especially against zones.
It looks like a front court logjam. But then I remember the 2nd championship team, where 5 front court guys 6'8" or better (Mek, CharlieV, JoshB, Hilton & Marcus White) coexisted quite nicely, all contributed and 4 went in the first round of their respective drafts.
 
B1GEast said:
That's my sentiment as well. I hope he proves me wrong, but that is a devistating injury to come back from. He'll probably play, but to get back to where he was will be a grind.
Expand ...

And we're looking for skill improvement on top of the physical rehabilitation. This will be a lost year for him, but I do think he should play in the 2nd half to start gaining game confidence in his body.
 
B1GEast said:
Cole
Bouk
Jackson
Sanogo
Carlton starts, but Ferguson gets more minutes
Expand ...
lets all just put the notion that sanogo will be the starting PF to rest now before it gains any traction
edit- and that brown will get more minutes than whaley
 
Last edited:
B1GEast said:
There are so many pieces I don't know where to begin. Bouk and Jackson are penciled in as starters IMO.

Cole
Bouk
Jackson
Sanogo
Carlton starts, but Ferguson gets more minutes

This line up can win the Big East
Expand ...
Sanogo is a center. I think our starting lineup looks something like.

Cole
Bouk
Jackson or Martin
Whaley or Jackson
Sanogo

With Gaffney backing up Cole and getting minutes at the 2. Adams backing up Bouk and getting minutes at the 3. Springs backing up Whaley. Carlton backing up Sanogo. Polley and Akok TBD. Javonte Brown Ferguson redshirting. This team is super deep Hurley is going to have some upset kids and maybe a transfer of two for sure.

One thing that we’re lacking a little bit of is big game experience. We’ll have 3 or 4 new starters, 5 completely new starters from last years first game, none of whom have played in meaningful games in March against quality opponents. I think the experience aspect of the team is a little overrated. That will come.
 
We are going to be playing big boy basketball next season, and a league like the Big East will chew up frosh centers in the beginning of the season. Any of the inexperienced bigs will have trouble staying on the court, as will Carlton.

We can't play any more 4 guard lineups in the Big East. If we try 30 minutes of small ball, the opponent will get every rebound and score at will on us.

I do expect one of the young bigs to emerge and take over the center spot by season's end. Not sure who though.

I was afraid next season might be a rebuilding year, but I am feeling better about UConn's ability to compete next season.
 
.-.
lange10 said:
Absolutely. For some reason I was crucified a few weeks back for suggesting this if we added a big. Perfect scenario. It sounds like Sanogo wants to get to the league quickly but imagine this depth at center in 2022:
Junior Sanogo
RS Sophomore Javonte Brown Ferguson
Freshman Clingan
Expand ...
If sanogo is still here as a junior something has gone terribly wrong. He wants to get to league quickly and for a big man that’s one or two years max on campus.
 
scotty0330 said:
If sanogo is still here as a junior something has gone terribly wrong. He wants to get to league quickly and for a big man that’s one or two years max on campus.
Expand ...
Yes, I read the quotes from today as well. In my eyes he's a three year college player, especially as a reclass, but regardless my post was a hypothetical. If he's leaving after his sophomore year that'll likely mean 3 UConn draft picks in the next 2 years - Bouknight, Jackson, Sanogo. Sounds pretty sweet to me either way.
 
B1GEast said:
Maybe it lights a fire under Carlton and he comes back determined to start
Expand ...
I hope he loses the excess weight and regains the ability and improves his outside shot. Then maybe only the do I see him making an impact next year with the talent we have. Hurley has no issues playing small or just having Whaley and Sanogo playing together which isnt really that small.
 
.-.
until AJ proves to be a knockdown three point shooter a lineup of:
cole/bouk/aj/whaley/sanogo won't have enough shooting or spacing for bouk and aj to drive.

it's also not necessary because the BE isn't a big league. it's a guard/wing league meaning defensive switchability is key. without akok this makes martin so important as our pseudo stretch 4.

ultimately, i think the rotation that wins the BE tournament and makes a sweet 16 run is:
cole (25)----gaffney (20)
bouk (30)---adams (10)
jackson (20)-polley(15)
martin (25)-akok (10)
whaley (25)-sanogo (20)

i dont see how carlton/springs/brown get meaningful PT. but if carlton doesnt lose at least 15 lbs he shouldnt play anyways

PS- if martin doesnt get a waiver i'll talk myself into a bigger lineup
 
Last edited:
Anyone know how old Sanogo is? I believe Javonte will still be 17 at the start of next season.
 
Bigflip12 said:
Whaley is a high energy role player. He started out of necessity, he has the right attitude to be a bench player. Carlton will start for sure.
Expand ...
I think he’s proved he’s better than being simply a role player.
his dudeness said:
Anyone know how old Sanogo is? I believe Javonte will still be 17 at the start of next season.
Expand ...
He turned 18 in February.
 
bendm said:
until AJ proves to be a knockdown three point shooter a lineup of:
cole/bouk/aj/whaley/sanogo won't have enough shooting or spacing for bouk and aj to drive.

it's also not necessary because the BE isn't a big league. it's a guard/wing league meaning defensive switchability is key. without akok this makes martin so important as our pseudo stretch 4.

ultimately, i think the rotation that wins the BE tournament and makes a sweet 16 run is:
cole (25)----gaffney (20)
bouk (30)---adams (10)
jackson (20)-polley(15)
martin (25)-akok (10)
whaley (25)-sanogo (20)

i dont see how carlton/springs/brown get meaningful PT. but if carlton doesnt lose at least 15 lbs he shouldnt play anyways

PS- if martin doesnt get a waiver i'll talk myself into a bigger lineup
Expand ...
It's a guard league, more reason to punish teams on the glass and down low.
 
superjohn said:
It's a guard league, more reason to punish teams on the glass and down low.
Expand ...
while they punish us from 3 point land because we cant guard them outside? what happens when they clog the paint cause there's only 2.5 shooters in the lineup? i could have sworn you were a proponent of going small which is why you had AJ playing PF at one point
 
.-.
I got Gaffney, Bouk, BA, Whaley, Carleton starting the first game. It will look VERY different throughout the season though. I see many starting 5’s. Has chief chimed in?
 
bendm said:
while they punish us from 3 point land because we cant guard them outside? what happens when they clog the paint cause there's only 2.5 shooters in the lineup? i could have sworn you were a proponent of going small which is why you had AJ playing PF at one point
Expand ...
That's why we have an incredibly deep team that will be able to beat you in a lot of ways.

Don't remember that, AJ has always been a wing/guard. Now that Hurley has brought in all the necessary pieces we won't have to play guys out of position anymore.
 
bendm said:
while they punish us from 3 point land because we cant guard them outside? what happens when they clog the paint cause there's only 2.5 shooters in the lineup? i could have sworn you were a proponent of going small which is why you had AJ playing PF at one point
Expand ...

If I were to guess, we start big, but play small 20 mins a game on average. I'll say by January we're running

PG: Cole (25) Gaff (15)
SG: Bouk (25) Adams (10) Gaff (5)
SF: Jackson (20) Polley (10) Martin (10)
PF: Whaley (10) Polley (10) Martin (10) Springs (10)
C: Sanogo (20) Whaley (10) Carlton (10)

This team will play deep and fast. No one more than 25 mins a game. Committee at the 4 depending on matchups. Akok takes the redshirt.

Someone is going to have to be the odd man out at the 4/5. My gut tells me it's Carlton and Springs with a Javonte Brown Ferguson redshirt.
 
husky429 said:
If I were to guess, we start big, but play small 20 mins a game on average. I'll say by January we're running

PG: Cole (25) Gaff (15)
SG: Bouk (25) Adams (10) Gaff (5)
SF: Jackson (20) Polley (10) Martin (10)
PF: Whaley (10) Polley (10) Martin (10) Springs (10)
C: Sanogo (20) Whaley (10) Carlton (10)

This team will play deep and fast. No one more than 25 mins a game. Committee at the 4 depending on matchups. Akok takes the redshirt.

Someone is going to have to be the odd man out at the 4/5. My gut tells me it's Carlton and Springs with a Javonte Brown Ferguson redshirt.
Expand ...
Akok will not redshirt. He’ll play if/when he’s ready in February. Akok doesn’t need a redshirt because he could be gone after the 2021 season. No sense in redshirting, him when he can provide to the team. He’ll play down the stretch and be a key contributor.

If Akok can play, he’s gonna play because he’s that good. If we sit him it hurts the team
 
I think the initial starting five will different from the late season starting 5. I would think the following have earned the initial starts (meaning its their's to lose):

Gaffney
Bouk
Whaley
Akok
Polley
 
This team has so much flexibility where this is a moot point and lineups will change based on matchups.

However, here's my attempt:

Whaley, Jackson, Carlton, Bouknight, Cole

Key reserves: Polley, Gaffney, Sanogo
Key glue guy: Adams
Developmental guys who can get minutes: Springs, Brown-Ferguson
Injured?: Akok
Waiver?: Martin
 
.-.
You must log in or register to reply here.

Forum statistics

Threads
168,171
Messages
4,555,753
Members
10,441
Latest member
Virginiafan


Top Bottom