Reibe and Furphy at FIBA U19s | Page 22 | The Boneyard

Reibe and Furphy at FIBA U19s

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Seems to me based on limited knowledge about our portal guys and freshmen at this time of year- We need to balance our starters with athletes and defenders. Two-way guys. We should be able to outscore/out-shoot most of our opponents. Can we board and defend for 40 minutes? Don't know. Danny will put guys on the floor that will play tough defense. Second Summer Session "orientation" will drive home that point.

Expect Furphy and Reibe to be pushing for minutes sooner rather than later. A late portal add at the 5(for the bench) would round out the roster nicely.
 
When Clingan was out for multiple games Samson Johnson wasn't playing 40 minutes.
True. SJ actually had a couple games with 20 or less minutes while Donovan was out, but it wasn’t our 3rd string C picking up the slack. Also, in the biggest spotlight with Johnson fouled out (in like 5 minutes of playing time) and Clingan saddled with 4 fouls, Hurley went to Karaban at C

I don’t disagree that a “break glass in case of emergency” 3C would be nice but the only time I can think of where our 3C made a difference in the last few years was against Gonzaga at the Garden after Samson banged his head.
 
So glad we got to see where these guys are coming into UConn. Both look immediately like every game rotation pieces, and foundational players we can build around as sophomores.

Events like these also expose weaknesses and will make it easy to focus on those before their freshman years.

Furphy has got to fix the cardio issue, between practice and games, it's a long and tiring season, even if the college schedule isn't this crazy.

Reibe must be ready to rebound for us, he won't be playing with another big anymore, and we don't know how good our team rebounding will be. Like most bigs, he's gotta work on defending without fouling, but most freshmen will struggle with that.

Can't wait to watch these guys, they're perfect fits for our system.

Furphy has got to fix the cardio issue, between practice and games, it's a long and tiring season, even if the college schedule isn't this crazy.

Dude, he played almost every minute of every game for like 7 days in a row!!!
 
When Clingan was out for multiple games Samson Johnson wasn't playing 40 minutes.
He wasn't, yet Singare still only played 11 minutes in that stretch. Not per game, total. The 3rd center is going to be a total non-factor, because in all the scenarios you laid out those minutes are still largely going to Karaban and Koroma before a 3rd center
 
He wasn't, yet Singare still only played 11 minutes in that stretch. Not per game, total. The 3rd center is going to be a total non-factor, because in all the scenarios you laid out those minutes are still largely going to Karaban and Koroma before a 3rd center

Glad I'm not crazy...the talk of a third center has confused me recently. Karaban and Koroma are (and have been) the answer here.
 
Furphy has got to fix the cardio issue, between practice and games, it's a long and tiring season, even if the college schedule isn't this crazy.

Dude, he played almost every minute of every game for like 7 days in a row!!!
Yeah I saw that and had to chuckle. I don't think cardio will be an issue for Furphy
 
And after a 17 hour flight no less

By the time games started it had been a few days. Jet lag wasn't likely an issue.

I'm not worried about the conditioning. He probably isn't going to be asked to play 35 minutes anyway.
 
He wasn't, yet Singare still only played 11 minutes in that stretch. Not per game, total. The 3rd center is going to be a total non-factor, because in all the scenarios you laid out those minutes are still largely going to Karaban and Koroma before a 3rd center
My post was in response to a post suggesting we never have a need for a third center because our third string center got no minutes in the past 3 years. I correctly pointed out that somebody not named Clingan had to cover the 5 when we started Johnson in his absence. You may be ok with Karaban/Koroma, and that could be sufficient many times. I see that as a way to risk Karaban foul trouble, and, give another team a matchup advantage with Koroma. The staff indicated they were looking for another center, and I believe that was after or concurrent with bringing Koroma on board. We know they brought at least 1 2025-2026 center in for a visit after Koroma. Sorry for a contrary opinion but I still think the team should pursue another true rebounding power big. I know the pickings are slim and are unlikely at this point, but it doesn't change that this could be our achilles heal in my opinion.
 
My post was in response to a post suggesting we never have a need for a third center because our third string center got no minutes in the past 3 years. I correctly pointed out that somebody not named Clingan had to cover the 5 when we started Johnson in his absence. You may be ok with Karaban/Koroma, and that could be sufficient many times. I see that as a way to risk Karaban foul trouble, and, give another team a matchup advantage with Koroma. The staff indicated they were looking for another center, and I believe that was after or concurrent with bringing Koroma on board. We know they brought at least 1 2025-2026 center in for a visit after Koroma. Sorry for a contrary opinion but I still think the team should pursue another true rebounding power big. I know the pickings are slim and are unlikely at this point, but it doesn't change that this could be our achilles heal in my opinion.
How many weeks ago was that they brought in another center to look at? I am 99.9% sure this team is set for the upcoming season. I'm not sure why you would be concerned about 5 minutes AK/Koromoa would play the 5. We can also double and rotate. We did this in 2023-24 and was fine wit Clingan out.

If this is our only issue this season I think we will be just fine.
 
The staff indicated they were looking for another center, and I believe that was after or concurrent with bringing Koroma on board. We know they brought at least 1 2025-2026 center in for a visit after Koroma.
I could be wrong but this is how I remember this issuing playing out.

On May 4 Tom Moore said:

“Obviously a third-string center is something we’ll be targeting,” Moore said. “We’ll be looking for another wing, another combo guard, possibly a combo forward. But we’re trying to be strategic in this new age of potential revenue sharing with finding people who are maybe overlooked in the high school ranks, foreign players, and then maybe under recruited transfers who are still in the portal.”

On May 10 Koroma committed to UConn. Which we assumed was that 3rd center. I don't remember anyone from the staff mentioning needing another center after that. Where did you see that? Again, I could be wrong on that.

Who was the center that visited after Koroma committed?

In a perfect world UConn would have taken another center who was better than Koroma. But this isn't a perfect world and I'm sure Hurley figured he didn't need another center seriously challenging Reibe for minutes. I think they have it covered. Not worried about this at all.
 
Sorry for a contrary opinion but I still think the team should pursue another true rebounding power big. I know the pickings are slim and are unlikely at this point, but it doesn't change that this could be our achilles heal in my opinion.
It’s not so much “at this point.” It’s more about who is willing to sit on the bench and watch and not play and be a break glass in case of emergency only player. That’s what makes the pickings slim.

People feel comfortable seeing a huge dude at the end of the bench who never takes off his warm-ups, but it’s not clear that such a player makes the team better than just shifting around the current guys. It’s fun to write out depth charts and have everything be three deep but roster management doesn’t necessarily work like that.
 
My post was in response to a post suggesting we never have a need for a third center because our third string center got no minutes in the past 3 years. I correctly pointed out that somebody not named Clingan had to cover the 5 when we started Johnson in his absence. You may be ok with Karaban/Koroma, and that could be sufficient many times. I see that as a way to risk Karaban foul trouble, and, give another team a matchup advantage with Koroma. The staff indicated they were looking for another center, and I believe that was after or concurrent with bringing Koroma on board. We know they brought at least 1 2025-2026 center in for a visit after Koroma. Sorry for a contrary opinion but I still think the team should pursue another true rebounding power big. I know the pickings are slim and are unlikely at this point, but it doesn't change that this could be our achilles heal in my opinion.
But the point is that those minutes didn't go to a 3rd center when Clingan was injured, they went to Alex Karaban. That's not my choice, that's Dan Hurley's. I would love a 7' 280 pound guy to come sit on the bench and be the 13th man.

But that's a very hard sell when he knows he's behind Tarris Reed Jr and Eric Reibe, not many guys that are UConn caliber are willing to be 3rd string only in emergency centers. Even fewer are going to come be 5th string behind Karaban and Koroma as well
 
I could be wrong but this is how I remember this issuing playing out.

On May 4 Tom Moore said:

“Obviously a third-string center is something we’ll be targeting,” Moore said. “We’ll be looking for another wing, another combo guard, possibly a combo forward. But we’re trying to be strategic in this new age of potential revenue sharing with finding people who are maybe overlooked in the high school ranks, foreign players, and then maybe under recruited transfers who are still in the portal.”

On May 10 Koroma committed to UConn. Which we assumed was that 3rd center. I don't remember anyone from the staff mentioning needing another center after that. Where did you see that? Again, I could be wrong on that.

Who was the center that visited after Koroma committed?

In a perfect world UConn would have taken another center who was better than Koroma. But this isn't a perfect world and I'm sure Hurley figured he didn't need another center seriously challenging Reibe for minutes. I think they have it covered. Not worried about this at all.
Always thought the combo forward TM was referring to in this quote was a guy like Koroma (prior to committing on the 10th) . Samford PF Larry Olayinka came in for an OV(after Koroma commit) -6'9'' soph-- but crickets since the visit.
 
Always thought the combo forward TM was referring to in this quote was a guy like Koroma (prior to committing on the 10th) . Samford PF Larry Olayinka came in for an OV(after Koroma commit) -6'9'' soph-- but crickets since the visit.
Seems like he committed to FIU.
 
By the time games started it had been a few days. Jet lag wasn't likely an issue.

I'm not worried about the conditioning. He probably isn't going to be asked to play 35 minutes anyway.
If he is we are headed squarely for our seventh natty or in a whole heap of trouble.
 
@3rdbass on 5/24 posted Samford transfer Larry Olayinka on his visit to UConn. The 6’9” sophomore forward/center was after Koroma
Thanks. Searched for it and found it. Now I know why I don't remember it.

The 6’9” sophomore forward averaged 3.9 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks in 10.8 minutes per game.

Wonder if they would have taken him if he committed?
 
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