Game Two: Tenspro2002 vs. CTBasketball

[champs99and04]

Tenspro2002

G - A.J. Price
G - Doron Sheffer
G - Rashad Anderson
F - Kevin Freeman
C - Emeka Okafor

Bench:

Travis Knight
Lasan Kromah

CTBasketball

G - Shabazz Napier
G - Phil Gumble
G - Wes Bialosknia
F - Jeff Adrien
C - Jake Voskuhl

Bench:

Art Quimby
Rudy Johnson

 

[champs99and04]

Also, here's Tenspro's post on why his team should win:

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 CTBasketball's: It starts with having the best player on the floor in Emeka Okafor. Okafor will abuse Voskuhl in one-on-one scenarios in the paint, and if Adrien comes to double, Freeman will be left free to slip to the rim. If Okafor is doubled by a guard, three 40% 3-point shooters (AJP, Sheffer, and Rashad) stationed at the perimeter will make them pay. A twin-towers setup of Knight and Okafor, who, given Travis's passing and shooting abilities will generally stay out of each other's ways, will make life difficult for the smaller Adrien.

Oh, by the way, CTBasketball has minimal size off the bench, so unless Voskuhl is playing all 40 minutes, Okafor will be able to prey even more on those smaller subs. My team also has a size/rebounding advantage in the backcourt with Price and Sheffer over Bazz (despite an admirable effort on a terrible rebounding team in 2014) and Bialosuknia.

On defense, Voskuhl isn't a big threat, and Emeka will be free to roam the paint and neutralize most drives to the rim. Bazz will get his from the perimeter, but will have a hard time finishing in the lane. Ditto for Bialosuknia and Gamble. If one of those 3 really starts going off, Kromah will get heavy minutes to provide stifling D on the perimeter.

I drafted a team, not individual talents, but if you want direct comparisons, here they are:

AJ Price < Bazz
Sheffer ~ Bialosuknia
Rashad ~ Gamble
Freeman = Adrien
Okafor >> Voskuhl (everything starts with this matchup)

Knight, Kromah > Quimby, Johnson

The sheer talent and intelligence of Okafor will initiate matchup problems on both ends, which the rest of the roster can take advantage of.

 

[Tenspro2002]

Bump? For some reason this thread isn't pinned.

Also, vote for me.

 

[Matrim55]

This one is close. I need to sleep on it.

 

[formerlurker]

Tenspro2002

G - A.J. Price
G - Doron Sheffer
G - Rashad Anderson
F - Kevin Freeman
C - Emeka Okafor

Bench:

Travis Knight
Lasan Kromah

CTBasketball

G - Shabazz Napier
G - Phil Gumble
G - Wes Bialosknia
F - Jeff Adrien
C - Jake Voskuhl

Bench:

Art Quimby
Rudy Johnson

Phil Gumble is going to hurt CTBasketball's chances.

 

[Tenspro2002]

Phil Gumble is going to hurt CTBasketball's chances.

But at least he would get Greg's and Bryant's votes.

 

[CTBasketball]

Why my team will win:

G, Shabazz Napier: He refuses to lose. And he is 10x better than AJ Price. Bazz trumps Price in scoring, rebounding, steals, assists, blocks, 3pt %, and most of all, leadership. LINK

G, Wes Bialosuknia: He can score in more ways than you can defend.

G, Phil Gamble: Another ball handler and good defender. Lights out from 3pt (40%, ranks 4th highest all time) and is a 1,000 point scorer (12.6 average).

F, Jeff Adrien: I disagree that Freeman is as good as Adrien. Adrien will man handle Freeman down low. It won't be a contest. Adrien outperforms him in rebounding, scoring, blocked shots, assists, and testosterone. LINK

C, Jake Voskuhl: Yeah Okafor is better. We'd just have to get him in foul trouble.

Bench:

SF, Rudy Johnson: Defense and intangibles.

PF/C, Art Quimby: UConn's all time rebound leader and scored over 1,300 points.

=====

I have Shabazz. That counts for like 55 Kasongo units. If the game is close, I'm giving the ball to Shabazz. If the game is close, he's got Okafor. I like Shabazz's chances.

 

[Tenspro2002]

Why my team will win:

G, Shabazz Napier: He refuses to lose. And he is 10x better than AJ Price. Bazz trumps Price in scoring, rebounding, steals, assists, blocks, 3pt %, and most of all, leadership. LINK

G, Wes Bialosuknia: He can score in more ways than you can defend.

G, Phil Gamble: Another ball handler and good defender. Lights out from 3pt (40%, ranks 4th highest all time) and is a 1,000 point scorer (12.6 average).

F, Jeff Adrien: I disagree that Freeman is as good as Adrien. Adrien will man handle Freeman down low. It won't be a contest. Adrien outperforms him in rebounding, scoring, blocked shots, assists, and testosterone. LINK

C, Jake Voskuhl: Yeah Okafor is better. We'd just have to get him in foul trouble.

Bench:

SF, Rudy Johnson: Defense and intangibles.

PF/C, Art Quimby: UConn's all time rebound leader and scored over 1,300 points.

=====

I have Shabazz. That counts for like 55 Kasongo units. If the game is close, I'm giving the ball to Shabazz. If the game is close, he's got Okafor. I like Shabazz's chances.

I grant you Shabazz is a stud, but my team doesn't need my PGs to be studs, just capable distributors and shooters (which they are). I think you need Shabazz to play a perfect game, and that's unlikely.

Wes B. can score in one way -- from the outside. My team can defend the paint better than yours can attack it.

Gamble's shooting doesn't matter when we don't need to double anybody -- how is he getting free?

Freeman and Adrien are carbon copies. 6'7, 240, with heart and toughness galore. Jeff just ended up with better stats because he was counted on as a primary option for half of his career, while Kevin made his living as the garbage man (exactly the role he excels in on my team).

Unless we get the dook '04 referees, Okafor isn't getting into foul trouble.

Rudy J. gives you just about exactly what I have with Kromah, though I'd argue Kromah is a better defender at more important positions (and especially at important positions on your team).

Quimby may be our all-time leading rebounder, but he's also 6'5. Has the inch undergone inflation since the 50's? Travis Knight would eat his lunch.

Shabazz is dangerous down the stretch (ridiculous numbers in overtime), but we have clutch performers in the paint (Okafor, dook '04) and at the perimeter (AJP, Gonzaga '09; Rashad, Washington, '06).

I hate to see Shabazz go out a loser, it's so unfitting for him, but he just doesn't have the horses around him. My balanced attack prevails in this one.

 

[CTBasketball]

I grant you Shabazz is a stud, but my team doesn't need my PGs to be studs, just capable distributors and shooters (which they are). I think you need Shabazz to play a perfect game, and that's unlikely.

Wes B. can score in one way -- from the outside. My team can defend the paint better than yours can attack it.

Gamble's shooting doesn't matter when we don't need to double anybody -- how is he getting free?

Freeman and Adrien are carbon copies. 6'7, 240, with heart and toughness galore. Jeff just ended up with better stats because he was counted on as a primary option for half of his career, while Kevin made his living as the garbage man (exactly the role he excels in on my team).

Unless we get the dook '04 referees, Okafor isn't getting into foul trouble.

Rudy J. gives you just about exactly what I have with Kromah, though I'd argue Kromah is a better defender at more important positions (and especially at important positions on your team).

Quimby may be our all-time leading rebounder, but he's also 6'5. Has the inch undergone inflation since the 50's? Travis Knight would eat his lunch.

Shabazz is dangerous down the stretch (ridiculous numbers in overtime), but we have clutch performers in the paint (Okafor, dook '04) and at the perimeter (AJP, Gonzaga '09; Rashad, Washington, '06).

I hate to see Shabazz go out a loser, it's so unfitting for him, but he just doesn't have the horses around him. My balanced attack prevails in this one.

That's why they play the game!

 

[PcketknfNiels]

Does winner of this play winner of me and Tzz? If so, not sure how much I like Oak Ray Kemba Bazz all being loaded onto 1 side of the bracket. How do 4 of the top 5 guys get stuck on the same side of the bracket?

 

[ColoradoUCFan]

I wanted Art Quimby bad. Don't think CTBasketball is promoting him enough. This guy averaged 22 boards a game. He picked his homestate UConn after UK was hit with a sanction. But, otherwise was headed to Kentucky. So, we was a national talent. He also was drafted in the NBA, but didn't go pro, because at the time it didn't pay enough to make it worthwhile. But, c'mon guys 22 rebounds a game. 22! Think about that. 22.

 

[Tenspro2002]

I wanted Art Quimby bad. Don't think CTBasketball is promoting him enough. This guy averaged 22 boards a game. He picked his homestate UConn after UK was hit with a sanction. But, otherwise was headed to Kentucky. So, we was a national talent. He also was drafted in the NBA, but didn't go pro, because at the time it didn't pay enough to make it worthwhile. But, c'mon guys 22 rebounds a game. 22! Think about that. 22.

Quimby is probably another Jeff Adrien type, which is kind of redundant with Jeff Adrien already being on his team. Unfortunately, it's hard to project how those old guys would fare against modern players.

 

[champs99and04]

I don't know much about Wes or Phil beyond what CTBasketball provided, so this one is tough for me to pick. Keep in mind, though, that '99 Duke was supposed to roll us in the title game because we didn't have anybody to match-up with Brand (and, much like Tenspro, they were loaded with perimeter shooters who could make us pay for doubling). Precise rotations and helping schemes can sometimes bridge talent gaps. Unfortunately for CTBasketball, he doesn't have the coaching edge in this match-up like the '99 UConn team did.

For me, this boils down to whether CTBasketball can get away with defending Emeka one on one. Emeka was a good low-post scorer, yes, but not necessarily a dominant one. Could Adrien - and his combination of wingspan, toughness, and grit - make it difficult for Emeka on the block? I think so. I'll need a little more time to think about this one.

 

[MilliniumPrince]

This one is almost too close to call. I think CT Basketball could win it based on better bench play, but when in doubt I usually go with the team with the best player. in this case, that is Mek. Gun to my head, CT wins a close one.

 

[CTBasketball]

This is more lopsided than my gut after the 4th of July.

 

[Tenspro2002]

This is more lopsided than my gut after the 4th of July.

I am surprised. I thought my team was better than yours, but not that much (or obviously) better.