Tenspro weighs in:
Starters: Balance was my rule of thumb.
C: Emeka Okafor: Best two-way player in program history. Can defend opposing posts and also neutralizes guards trying to attack the rim. You think Bazz and Boat had trouble finishing at the rim against average post players? Try finishing against the most intelligent shot-blocker in program history. Oh, by the way, he also averaged 18 a game with a versatile set of back-to-the-basket moves and a capable jump shot from inside 15 feet.
PGx2: A.J. Price/Doron Sheffer: My two point guards, which I feel are essential to a balanced offensive attack. AJ can penetrate into the paint, feed the post, and make you pay from the 3-point line (40% on 3's). Doron can run an up-tempo attack for a change of pace and is another excellent outside shooter (also around 40%). I wanted point guards who can both distribute and shoot, since Okafor was going to be drawing a lot of attention in the post.
F: Kevin Freeman: An athletic 4 who can play opposite of Emeka and clean up on the boards, as well as run the fast break. Remember Sheffer to Donny Marshall? KFree can be on the receiving end just the same. In the half-court, he doesn't crowd the lane and has decent range, and can credibly defend athletic 4's as well as help body up opposing bigs around the paint.
G/F: Rashad Anderson: Not the most overall talented wing, but given the talent around him, I don't need a wing that can create for himself. Rashad will have ample spot-up opportunities from deep (and is the third 40%+ 3-point shooter in my starting lineup) off of drive-and-kick action, and from passes out of the post, where Emeka should be drawing double-teams.
Bench: Nobody is playing 40 minutes a game, so I needed a bench that would allow me to keep multiple low-post defenders and multiple ballhandlers on the floor at a time.
F/C: Travis Knight: Not the same shot-blocking presence as Okafor, but at 7' is a credible deterrent in the paint, and he is an excellent rebounder. With Knight able to pass and shoot out of the high post, he can play alongside either Okafor or Freeman.
G: Lasan Kromah: A secondary ballhandler when either Price or Sheffer takes a breather, and offers the luxury of a third ballhandler when Rashad is out. More importantly, he provides lock-down defense at the wing spot, and can slow down opposing 2's or 3's.
Overall philosophy: We are a versatile offensive team in either the halfcourt or transition, with good size at every position. The offense can be run either through Price and Sheffer's dribble-penetration, or through an inside-out game starting with Okafor in the post. Having three 40% 3-point shooters punishes opposing defenses that have to collapse to stop that penetration or that have to commit extra defenders to stopping Emeka. With multiple players who can initiate offense, no single defensive stopper will be able to completely neutralize our attack.
Our defense starts with the most intelligent and skilled shot-blocker and post defender in program history. Admittedly, our starting guards aren't the stoutest of defenders, but Okafor is the ultimate eraser at the rim and is able to make up for defensive lapses. Freeman also provides toughness on the interior and on the glass. If matched up against a true stud on the wing, Kromah will get extended minutes in those circumstances where defense at the 1/2/3 position is paramount.
Why my team beats NYC_Husky22's: Size, size, size. Backcourt, frontcourt, bench, you name it. My team will have a pronounced advantage on the glass, and will also harass and bother his guards all over the floor. We saw this year how Boat and Bazz could struggle at times against bigger guards capable of pressing (i.e. Louisville). Replace Bazz with the slower Khalid and that advantage becomes even more pronounced.
When my team is on defense, we'll be able to body up Hilton and Donny Marshall in the paint and deter drives to the rim by the diminutive Boatright and El-Amin. Neither Fair nor Austrie are great off the bounce (not that it matters in this game featuring the greatest rim protector in program history). Kromah will see significant minutes this game in an attempt to slow down Caron Butler, the only player on his team who could be a matchup problem for my team defensively.
When my team is on offense, Hilton will struggle to defend the girthier Okafor. Remember how George Mason's physical big abused Hilton and Boone. Now add 2-3 inches and you have Okafor. Hilton's strength on defense as a shot-blocker was deterring drives to the rim. Fortunately, my offense doesn't rely on that. When Hilton sits, you're going to have Donny Marshall and Caron as your frontcourt; and that's just not enough size to deter Okafor and/or Travis Knight off the bench.
Furthermore, my shooters will be generally unbothered by defenders several inches shorter. Boat was a monster getting up into the dribble of taller ballhandlers, but I'm not looking to break guys down off the dribble. My offense is predicated on passing, spacing, and spot-up shooting, and their team doesn't have the length, especially in the backcourt, to make life difficult for my guys.
His gameplan is predicated on Caron beating me all by himself, or by career shooting days from his backcourt (not all of whom can play at once, due to the aforementioned extreme size disadvantage it would entail). As we saw in 2002, that isn't enough against a championship-caliber team with a dominant frontcourt player and shooters to boot.
In summary, a size advantage at multiple positions facilitates my offense predicated on post-ups and kick-outs. Okafor anchors the paint against a so-so frontcourt and a pint-sized backcourt who will struggle to get points in the paint. Caron Butler and a handful of decent-but-not-great shooters aren't enough.
