Starting lineup and bench order | The Boneyard

Starting lineup and bench order

Locks to start:
Jackson
Newton
Hawkins
Sanogo

5th spot could be Samson, Karaban or maybe even Alleyne if we are going with a small ball lineup and because of his starting experience. Based on everything we’ve heard though, I would bet Samson gets the most starts and the other 2 are first off the bench.

We will go legitimately 10-11 deep this year so everyone except the international guys and walk-ons should get a decent amount of run.
 
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This lineup assumes Johnson is a floor spacer. If Johnson is not hitting in practice, Alleyne would step in and move Jackson to stretch 4. The 5th starter has to shoot.

1. Newton
2. Hawkins
3. Jackson
4. Johnson
5. Sanogo

Alleyne didn’t come here not to play, he’ll get significant minutes either off the bench or in the starting lineup. Might be the best bench player in the conference if we can keep him there.

Final note: Teams mostly stay with 8 man rotations once conference play starts. So I’m sticking to that idea.

6. Alleyne
7. Karaban
8. Diarra

Will play more when faced with foul trouble on Johnson/Sanogo, and teams with large bigs. Closest of the fringe guys to consistent minutes.

9. Clingan

Fringe rotation guys against weaker teams:

9. Clingan
10. Calcatera(spelling?)
11. Springs

Never playing/Blowouts: International Duo
 
Huskyforlife said:
This lineup assumes Johnson is a floor spacer. If Johnson is not hitting in practice, Alleyne would step in and move Jackson to stretch 4. The 5th starter has to shoot.

1. Newton
2. Hawkins
3. Jackson
4. Johnson
5. Sanogo

Alleyne didn’t come here not to play, he’ll get significant minutes either off the bench or in the starting lineup. Might be the best bench player in the conference if we can keep him there.

Final note: Teams mostly stay with 8 man rotations once conference play starts. So I’m sticking to that idea.

6. Alleyne
7. Karaban
8. Diarra

Will play more when faced with foul trouble on Johnson/Sanogo, and teams with large bigs. Closest of the fringe guys to consistent minutes.

9. Clingan

Fringe rotation guys against weaker teams:

9. Clingan
10. Calcatera(spelling?)
11. Springs

Never playing/Blowouts: International Duo
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I think the international duo and Calcaterra are going to surprise us. I don't think Springs or Clingan see much of the floor.
 
shizzle787 said:
I think the international duo and Calcaterra are going to surprise us. I don't think Springs or Clingan see much of the floor.
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They have quite a climb to make into the rotation if you’re right. Alleyne/Diarra/Calcaterra are veterans with high floors that were probably promised roles to some extent. Karaban was a former top 100 recruit with a year of experience practicing with team over the new guys, right now he seems like a more established version of Hasson. Clingan doesn’t really factor into their playing time much. And finally Richie has many years on them, and a significant size advantage.
 
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Huskyforlife said:
This lineup assumes Johnson is a floor spacer. If Johnson is not hitting in practice, Alleyne would step in and move Jackson to stretch 4. The 5th starter has to shoot.

1. Newton
2. Hawkins
3. Jackson
4. Johnson
5. Sanogo

Alleyne didn’t come here not to play, he’ll get significant minutes either off the bench or in the starting lineup. Might be the best bench player in the conference if we can keep him there.

Final note: Teams mostly stay with 8 man rotations once conference play starts. So I’m sticking to that idea.

6. Alleyne
7. Karaban
8. Diarra

Will play more when faced with foul trouble on Johnson/Sanogo, and teams with large bigs. Closest of the fringe guys to consistent minutes.

9. Clingan

Fringe rotation guys against weaker teams:

9. Clingan
10. Calcatera(spelling?)
11. Springs

Never playing/Blowouts: International Duo
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I don’t think Calcaterra came here or to play at all either.
 
I don’t think there is any reason to believe the starting 5 won’t be Newton, Hawkins, AJax, Samson, Sanogo. Karaban compete for that PF spot as the season goes on, but it should be Samson’s to start.

6- Alleyne
7- Diarra
8- Karaban
9- Clingan/Calcaterra
10- Calcaterra/Clingan
11- Springs

I don’t think anyone outside the top 8 will get more than 10 MPG. Hurley is short with his rosters
 
The rotation in November is not the rotation after the first of the year. Against easy opponents Hurley will put almost everybody in and determine what’s what against quality teams. The problem is that a bench player can put up quick numbers on an easy team and it won’t mean a lot. Bench always gets shorter and shorter as the season goes.
 
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Edward Sargent said:
I don’t think Calcaterra came here or to play at all either.
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100% agree, Calcaterra will play some, doesn't mean he is bumping someone from the rotation, he is just taking some minutes here and there. Especially if we are cold from the outside and we legit don't have knock down shooters playing.
 
REB1094 said:
I don’t think there is any reason to believe the starting 5 won’t be Newton, Hawkins, AJax, Samson, Sanogo. Karaban compete for that PF spot as the season goes on, but it should be Samson’s to start.

6- Alleyne
7- Diarra
8- Karaban
9- Clingan/Calcaterra
10- Calcaterra/Clingan
11- Springs

I don’t think anyone outside the top 8 will get more than 10 MPG. Hurley is short with his rosters
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This. Johnson should start and be impactful. I do think we may face some opponents where Dan changes that. He's not starting the same 5 guys every game.

I see Alleyne is a super 6th man, he can sub at several positions. Not sure Diarra plays more than Karaban, mostly because I think Jackson will be at PG some of the time when Newton goes out. Calcaterra could surprise to upside on minutes. I expect Johnson will back up Sanogo as often as Clingan does. But maybe not.
 
I just can't see how anyone on this board could put Samson over Alex at this point (or vice versa). What's it based on? A hope to have a taller player? Because other than that, I don't see a reason at this point.
 
Predicting Hurley, I agree with the Newton, Hawkins, Jackson, Johnson, Sanogo, Nov starters.
Predicting Hurley I agree he will use a shorter bench in bigger games.

I don't really care about the specific mix of starters because I think we will/should see a ton of substitutions and lineup mixes based on the game matchups, individual player skills, and game situations. I will say that you have to find minutes for your best deep shooters, and the starting lineup leaves Karaban, Calceterra, and Alleyne off the court where they don't need to be defended to stretch the floor to give Sanogo space. Johnson can make a three, but wasn't a knock down shooter. Clingan's minutes I expect will be referee dependent, but he is too unique a player to not develop game experience as a frosh. If Clingan can set offensive picks he can have a big role just freeing up our shooters. Diarra is proven clutch and likely our second best ball handler, and, I suspect he is a strong on the ball defender. That's 10 players that have something important to offer.

In my view, with this team, when a guy is off his game you go on to the next guy and ride the guys doing the job that day. I'm generally in favor of letting guys play through their mistakes, and always hated Calhoon's quick hook. With that said, of all the years to say he'll let Johnson play through his mistakes, this should be the year of the semi quick hook because we have other guys to play. As everybody knows, I think Karaban offers a more complete game at that position in the first place.

Give me Newton, Alleyne, Calceterra, Jackson, Karaban, to take the ball in bounds at the end of a game with a 1-3 point lead. No turnovers and will make the foul shots. (I don't trust Hawkin's handle yet).
 
D$ said:
When I had a brief conversation with Hurley yesterday, I mentioned depth and his response was that we have a top nine, then the next group…
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Top Nine:
Newton, Hawkins, Jackson, S. Johnson, Sanogo, Alleyne, Diarra, Donovan, Karaban.

The next group:
Calcaterra, Springs, Greek Kid, Israeli Kid

Feel if we need some outside shooting Calcaterra will get some minutes but if the kid aint hitting he aint seeing the floor.
 
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Alleyne helped push out 3 of our future guard out the door. He's D1 experienced with proven results.

Can't see him coming here to play off the bench, especially since our guard roster was completely cleared. Just saying, right now I think the starting position is his to lose (via practice/scrimmages).
 
Huskyforlife said:
Who’s he replacing in the rotation?
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If he’s as good as they say, and isn’t just being Akok Denged, I could see him in a John Gwynn kind of a roll coming in and being a spark off the bench. He could steal a few minutes in the two and three slots.
 
Newton
Hawkins
Jackson
Johnson
Sanogo

Alleyne
Karaban
Diarra
Calcaterra/Clingan
Springs

I think Calcaterra and Clingan will get spot minutes depending on matchups.
 
Kitaman said:
Alleyne helped push out 3 of our future guard out the door. He's D1 experienced with proven results.
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I know that sounds like a good narrative to help pump up how good Alleyne is, but that's not exactly true. Gaffney and Diggins announced they were transferring (late March) about a month before Alleyne announced he was transferring to UConn (April 21). A few days after that Floyd announced he was transferring. So I think it's probably reasonable to assume that Alleyne forced only Floyd's transfer.
 
Kitaman said:
Alleyne helped push out 3 of our future guard out the door. He's D1 experienced with proven results.

Can't see him coming here to play off the bench, especially since our guard roster was completely cleared. Just saying, right now I think the starting position is his to lose (via practice/scrimmages).
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Guard roster cleared but we still had Hawkins, Jackson (G/F) and picked up Newton so not like we had zero guards when landed him.

Heard that Johnson has an edge to start. Also, Rothstein had Alleyne starting in all his preseason lineups. He went to see practice and then he swapped Alleyne and Johnson but who knows.
 
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might be a record for most starting lineup prediction threads in a single offseason
 
Shamon30 said:
I think Springs is going to surprise people this year. Not shock, but surprise.
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He has skills and showed them in limited minutes, but my question as it is every year is how does Hurley satisfy all of these players who have good skills?
 
Shamon30 said:
I think Springs is going to surprise people this year. Not shock, but surprise.
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Finally! 6-9 235 with a sweet looking shot, athletic, and can hit the boards. It took a few alums to hit their stride..year 3...i also believe he will surprise as well.
 
CZ BRAT said:
Finally! 6-9 235 with a sweet looking shot, athletic, and can hit the boards. It took a few alums to hit their stride..year 3...i also believe he will surprise as well.
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As someone who has always wanted to see Springs in action, it’s just hard to find his place in the rotation still. You’d basically be calling SJ/AK a bust, or Clingan not ready year 1. His two positions have a lot of talent.
 
Huskyforlife said:
As someone who has always wanted to see Springs in action, it’s just hard to find his place in the rotation still. You’d basically be calling SJ/AK a bust, or Clingan not ready year 1. His two positions have a lot of talent.
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Im still not sold on SJ...talented...just not ready. I hope to see AK get more minutes at the 3. Springs is Steady Eddy...a more athletic, sweeter stroke Whaley
 
CZ BRAT said:
Im still not sold on SJ...talented...just not ready. I hope to see AK get more minutes at the 3. Springs is Steady Eddy...a more athletic, sweeter stroke Whaley
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I do expect Alex to spot minutes at the 3. I wonder about his foot speed guarding on the perimeter. Polley could survive at the 3 because his length disrupted many shooters on the catch, but even his lack of quickness hurt him at times. But I’m hoping his shooting and offensive versatility makes him hard to keep on the bench for a team with ball dominant players. I still expect most of his minutes to come in a split with SJ or Richie at the 4.

I agree that Johnson is a wild card. I tend to think Dan will lean defense when making his choices for the rotation. But would he play 2 non shooting bigs for the sake of potentially elite defense? He did with Whaley last year, but having Alex available as a spacing 4 in the event that SJ can’t shoot will make that decision difficult.

Basically my argument for SJ over Richie in the rotation would probably be, bare minimum, his defense could be elite. He has tools nobody on the team comes close to matching.

Richie needs a rock solid skill Dan can trust if he’s given an opportunity in the event SJ or Alex disappoints. Don’t think rebounding is enough for him to play over higher potential guys.
 
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