Honest question- Do we have enough rebounding to be bulletproof

[FreeKlaiber]

Love what Hurley is doing this off-season. Our team is based now on high iq selfless offense, tight lockdown man defense and pushing in transition after misses. We had Clingan, and 3 big guards who were eager to rebound, plus AK who always was dependable with boxing out and getting some big boards. Our transition game was deadly, but thats predicated on stops and rebounding

As the roster is being constructed, do we have enough team rebounding? We've got our Johnson/Reed tandem, but if Alex doesn't come back, our 3rd biggest guy to get minutes is Jaylin or Abraham/Ross (assuming they get into rotation). Hass is a dog and Solo's got ups, but our guards are undersized. Both top portal targets are slight of build as well. Makes me think maybe Shulga would be nice alternative to Mahaney

Could this be our biggest potential weakness from being bulletproof? I know Hurley will coach them up to run through walls & show the effort on D and the boards, but I wonder how we would fair on the boards against an old school Huggins Cincy team for instance

 

[husky429]

I doubt we replace the same level of rebounding at the guard spots. Cam and Tristen were special. Our forwards and bigs will need to step up, and I expect they will. No team with Tom in tue locker room is going to be bad at rebounding.

 

[bendm]

100% agree. We’re possibly replacing Newton, Cam, Castle, Clingan with Mahaney, Brea, McNeeley, Reed. In other words replacing 4 NBA players with 1 projected NBA player. Our offense could be as good as last year but our defense and rebounding won’t be. We just wont have the same size or athleticism. So no We wouldn’t be bulletproof but we’d still be the best team in the country.

 

[UChusky916]

Good question. Lots of folks are too focused on the offensive caliber of guys we're looking to bring in this offseason. But last years team was special defensively and on the glass as well as offensively.

In my opinion, defense and rebounding are more critical because I have confidence in the staff to scheme guys open looks/buckets on that end of the floor. But none of the offense matter if you can't get stops and rebound the ball for possessions.

 

[nomar]

Love what Hurley is doing this off-season. Our team is based now on high iq selfless offense, tight lockdown man defense and pushing in transition after misses. We had Clingan, and 3 big guards who were eager to rebound, plus AK who always was dependable with boxing out and getting some big boards. Our transition game was deadly, but thats predicated on stops and rebounding

As the roster is being constructed, do we have enough team rebounding? We've got our Johnson/Reed tandem, but if Alex doesn't come back, our 3rd biggest guy to get minutes is Jaylin or Abraham/Ross (assuming they get into rotation). Hass is a dog and Solo's got ups, but our guards are undersized. Both top portal targets are slight of build as well. Makes me think maybe Shulga would be nice alternative to Mahaney

Could this be our biggest potential weakness from being bulletproof? I know Hurley will coach them up to run through walls & show the effort on D and the boards, but I wonder how we would fair on the boards against an old school Huggins Cincy team for instance

Part of why we rebound so well is because we send all 5 guys to the offensive glass. I’d be shocked if we change that strategy (although Newton, Spencer and Castle were all particularly adept at keeping possessions alive). Of course, the defensive end is different. And I truly don’t know how good we’ll be on the defensive glass if AK doesn’t return and our starting 4 is somebody else. I do trust that this staff will do its best to improve everybody’s skills.

 

[jibsey]

Samson is not a rebounding specialist, we’ve seen that. His upper body strength contributes, he has length. Cam was getting 7-8 rebounds a game in crunch time. Newton too. Need Alex back it would help but I think we have to see what the new mixes produce. Defense and rebounding made us unbeatable so we need it.

 

[AntG168]

100% agree. We’re replacing Newton, Cam, Castle, Clingan with possibly Mahaney, Brea, McNeeley, Reed. In other worlds we’re replacing 4 NBA players with 1 projected NBA player. Our offense could be as good as last year but our defense and rebounding won’t be. We just wont have the same size or athleticism. So no We wouldn’t be bulletproof but we’d still be the best team in the country.

Reed is probably a better rebounder or just as good a rebounder as Clingan.

I think we’ll be fine in that category. Hurley/Moore teams always are. Samson is the wild card. He needs to improve

 

[bendm]

Reed is probably a better rebounder or just as good a rebounder as Clingan.

I think we’ll be fine in that category. Hurley/Moore teams always are. Samson is the wild card. He needs to improve

I think reed will be as good at rebounding as Clingan but not nearly as good defensively. I don’t think Mahaney, Brea, Liam project to be as good at rebounding or on D as Newton, cam, castle were.

 

[Drame]

Think Reed will be our best rebounder we've had the past few years. And then we have tall wings, Could use Ross or McNeeley at the two if need be.

 

[johnhuskies95]

Historically speaking, when Tom Moore is on a team's coaching staff, that team is really good at rebounding.

 

[Samoo]

100% agree. We’re possibly replacing Newton, Cam, Castle, Clingan with Mahaney, Brea, McNeeley, Reed. In other words replacing 4 NBA players with 1 projected NBA player. Our offense could be as good as last year but our defense and rebounding won’t be. We just wont have the same size or athleticism. So no We wouldn’t be bulletproof but we’d still be the best team in the country.

We'll only beat teams by 10 points a game instead of 20...

 

[FreeKlaiber]

And then we have tall wings, Could use Ross or McNeeley at the two if need be.

Agree with McNeeley at 2. Maybe even Jaylin some. But if AK doesn't return, which tall wings are you talking about? Abraham could be the answer i'm looking for, but our other forwards aren't big in height or frame. Ross has been growing and is REALLY bouncy, hope he shows enough to get into rotation eventually.

 

[uchusky32]

I think Stewart will step up in this department.

 

[superjohn]

100% agree. We’re possibly replacing Newton, Cam, Castle, Clingan with Mahaney, Brea, McNeeley, Reed. In other words replacing 4 NBA players with 1 projected NBA player. Our offense could be as good as last year but our defense and rebounding won’t be. We just wont have the same size or athleticism. So no We wouldn’t be bulletproof but we’d still be the best team in the country.

I think Solo and Jaylin will both turn into NBA prospects/players and McNeeley is right there with Clingan and Castle as an NBA prospect and is more offensively developed than both of them. We don't know for certain what we have yet in terms of NBA prospects but there's certainly plenty of guys who are talented enough to become NBA prospects. Last year at this time nobody was talking about Cam and Newton as NBA prospects and we still don't know if they can make it. Not sure why you're bringing up NBA prospects though.

We're going to be more run and jump athletic than we were last year. Ball, Stewart, McNeeley, Ross, Abraham are all plus run and jump athletes. Newton, Cam, and Karaban (don't know for certain if he'll be back) aren't. We will be smaller and we won't have a Paul Bunyan giant like the past two seasons. Reed and Samson are plenty big for a one two punch at center though and if Karaban is back along with Brea we'll have 5 guys in that 6'6-6'8 range.

We just have to wait to see how the roster is finalized.

 

[Scottobot]

Impossible to replace what Clingan and Newton did on the defensive boards. Hurley getting Reed from Michigan was huge step. I think the team will struggle with rebounds next year, especially if Karaban doesn’t return. Stewart and Ball will need to step and use their athleticism to grab rebounds.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

We’re going to have to see a BIG improvement from Samson in that area or I think he might slip into the 1B in that rotation (not that I expect minutes will be wildly different there). Lineups will be interesting to watch this year because we’re definitely going to throw out some pretty small backcourts at times this season.

 

[Rocktheworld]

Solo will be getting more minutes and is hyper athletic. He’ll chip in plenty of rebounds.

Nowell being 6’ definitely changes the look of our back court in that regard a lot

 

[WhereistheDove?]

Solo will be getting more minutes and is hyper athletic. He’ll chip in plenty of rebounds.

Nowell being 6’ definitely changes the look of our back court in that regard a lot

Agreed, Solo attacks the glass aggressively and will be a key when we’re running out a smaller lineup.

 

[Jumpman62114]

Good question. Another important one: who guards the opponents best perimeter player? Having castle was a cheat code.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

Good question. Another important one: who guards the opponents best perimeter player? Having castle was a cheat code.

Diarra

 

[UconnFanDC]

My concern isn't rebounding as much as it is for play making and assist. Newton and Castle will be tremendously missed

 

[Umami Zen]

Our guards this year were bigger than next year's roster for guards (as it currently stands). Dan has repeatedly said in interviews/debriefs with sports media after the season was over that he values ball possession over most other things so he/the staff would encourage all five guys hitting the boards to secure the ball. Our guards were quite effective on the boards as a result.

We will have size at 3/4/5 and versatility at the 2 spot for size if needed. Our point guards- Hass and Nowell- are street smart tough city ballers that have a nose for the ball. Any prospective adds to roster that we are currently hosting and targeting would only add to our roster size profile. Cam showed us that his BBIQ and focus made up for his lack of size on the boards. I expect that we'll be good there. Not epically dominant-but good.

 

[UC0NN]

I love that our new bar is the 24 team, the most bulletproof team in 30 years. The bar has been raised.

 

[Rich]

’Enough’…..What does that even mean?

Presently I see the roster as well-balanced skill set wise but lacking in experience outside of Hass and maybe AK. We have to provide opportunities for the FROSH and sophs though or else we will be eating all of our meals in the portal which clearly isn’t Hurley’s preferred roster construction method. And as I’ve pointed out previously he’s earned the right to do things his way.

Injuries happen, but you cannot control for that. I’m happy with where we are.

 

[Mookson]

100% agree. We’re possibly replacing Newton, Cam, Castle, Clingan with Mahaney, Brea, McNeeley, Reed. In other words replacing 4 NBA players with 1 projected NBA player. Our offense could be as good as last year but our defense and rebounding won’t be. We just wont have the same size or athleticism. So no We wouldn’t be bulletproof but we’d still be the best team in the country.

??? Stewart Liam and possibly Brea are all bigger and just as, if not slightly more athletic athletic than Cam and Tristan..and Solo is more athletic than all of them. If anything we’re losing penetrating offense and ability to slow the game down when needed. Am I off on this?