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Post by lionlife on Nov 7, 2018 2:16:39 GMT -5
Watched the game online, and thought LMU performed so-so. Eli, according to the announcers, didn't feel well, and wasn't able to make the game tonight.
On the positive side... Batemon was in complete control of that game, even though he didn't flex as much as he could have. Douglas gives us an actual wing with size, which we haven't had since Haney went down (Alipiev has the size to play as a real wing, as well, but he looks like he doesn't know how to play defense yet). He played really well in transition. Williams looks in much better shape than last year, and contributed on both ends as a 4 and a 5.
On the negative side... Our guard play is still bad outside of Batemon. McClendon can defend, obviously, but he's a zero on offense, and Johansson, Allen and Quintana don't offer anything. Herman is gonna take a while to get right. The offense wasn't particularly smooth, and the shot selection was pretty poor. That should improve, it's only the first game.
Overall, I thought there was more to like than dislike, and I'm curious to see how the UNLV game shakes out. We could sneak out a tight win or get walloped by 30, and I wouldn't be surprised either way.
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Post by rswan on Nov 7, 2018 11:29:56 GMT -5
Agree with lionlife, but I think real issue is lack of any signature recruit. We just keep bringing the same type and level of player.
Guys play hard and seem to be a good group, which should matter more than unfortunately it does, but in my opinion this is at best a .500 team. Depth is an issue, as is perimeter shooting and just not enough guys who can make plays. Schedule is not favorable and I would guess staff needs to get to 17 wins to keep their jobs and looking at the schedule I don't see 17 wins there. To me, the "X Factor" is really the "Z Factor"....Williams has the profile of a kid that should be able in his second year to take a big step here. You can't learn anything, good of bad, from last night really. It was basically a scrimmage against a bad basketball team. UNLV will tell a lot.
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Post by pumpfake on Nov 7, 2018 12:59:52 GMT -5
I liked what I saw of Douglas. I think he has a lot of upside. The most athletic wing we have had in a while.
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Post by lionlife on Nov 7, 2018 15:28:28 GMT -5
Agree with lionlife, but I think real issue is lack of any signature recruit. We just keep bringing the same type and level of player. Guys play hard and seem to be a good group, which should matter more than unfortunately it does, but in my opinion this is at best a .500 team. Depth is an issue, as is perimeter shooting and just not enough guys who can make plays. Schedule is not favorable and I would guess staff needs to get to 17 wins to keep their jobs and looking at the schedule I don't see 17 wins there. To me, the "X Factor" is really the "Z Factor"....Williams has the profile of a kid that should be able in his second year to take a big step here. You can't learn anything, good of bad, from last night really. It was basically a scrimmage against a bad basketball team. UNLV will tell a lot. Yeah, I broadly agree here. I will say that I'm much happier with the two freshmen and Bell than last year's freshman class (though we did grab a gem in Batemon last year). A .500 team is probably about right. We only shot 5/14 from downtown last night, which is not great against an undersized opponent %wise and nowhere near enough attempts. I can't wait for that UNLV game.
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Post by lmuseniorfan on Nov 7, 2018 17:21:44 GMT -5
Some responses to some of the comments:
(1) If you want to see 4* recruits at LMU, you are unreasonable. Last year the three 3* recruits were significant recruits for any team in the WCC except Gonzaga and BYU. Also, there have been comments from recruiting gurus who have stated that Douglas and Alipiev are possibly recruiting steals for LMU. Time will tell.
(2) I did not see where Allen offered nothing. He showed considerable quickness and got to the basket often. I believe (or maybe I should say hope) we'll see a vastly improved Allen this year.
(3) The offense ran effectively well for a first game, but it competed against a very mediocre team. I did not think the ball movement was that bad. We'll know a lot more after the next 5 or 6 games.
(4) 5/14 from three is 36%, which equates to better than 50% for two-point shots. It is not bad.
(5) I thought all of last year that our transition defense was awful. That part of the game looked much better, but my judgment has to be tempered by the opponent. Again, the 5 or 6 games.
(6) Markusson was not used much, but in his limited play, he did look exceptionally mobile for a guy 7'3". I'm counting on him having a big year.
(7) With a President and AD who did not hire him, I do agree that the team will have to improve significantly for Dunlap to keep his job.
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Post by rswan on Nov 7, 2018 19:07:41 GMT -5
4* recruits at LMU unreasonable? Uhhhh, no.... Maybe you forgot that Trevor Manuel was not only a 4 star recruit, but was the #52 ranked HS player in the United States. You get kids like that through developing RELATIONSHIPS. How do you think LMU got a kid on campus who literally had offers from Michigan, Michigan State, Kansas State, Wake Forrest, USC....He was hand delivered through a relationship....I don't want to hear the kid couldn't play either. I saw him absolutely own Jock Londale and the entire front court of St Marys on national TV, then the next game he barely played. At 19 playing in front of 200 people a game that rightfully was a kick in the groin to the kid I am sure. From afar none of that looked like it was handled right.
What bothers me is the restrictions people put on LMU basketball. Getting a 6'10 kid like Trevor Manuel was important because it could have resulted in not only a potential NBA draft pick, but other 4 stars saying "well if he went there maybe I should check it out too." I get the criticisms, I was leading the band at times. But he was ran off pretty fast. Kids like that you bend a little, not break, to figure out what motivates them.
Guys like ELi and Zafir I love and are nice players, but they should be the floor of what is being put on scholarship and be really valuable role players in the WCC, not go to guys. The future of LMU basketball IMO is 100 percent on the ability to leverage relationships and recruit kids that otherwise would not go here. Yes it can be done and it has been .
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Post by lionlife on Nov 7, 2018 19:23:37 GMT -5
lmuseniorfan, I'm hopeful for Douglas and Alipiev. I think Douglas can contribute from day 1, and we might see Alipiev later in the season, but they both seem like solid prospects. Allen, I worry about. I think our biggest weakness was with those other guards last year, and I'm not convinced yet that they won't be the weak spot of the team again. I sure hope I'm wrong, but that's my suspicion. As for the three point shooting, I wasn't trying to say that 36% is bad - it isn't, in a vacuum. However, against undersized and overmatched opponents, who will have a harder time closing out and making threes difficult to both attempt and make, 14 attempts at 36% is not a good sign. The jury is in; the verdict, solid three point shooting creates great offense. I am worried about our ability to make threes, and we didn't show much willingness to take them last night, either. It will be much more difficult to get clean looks in the WCC. On the other hand, I agree about Markusson, as well as the ball movement. I'm actually quite excited about the big man rotation, as long as the players themselves don't become too disgruntled over the timeshare between Petr, Eli, Z and Markusson.
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Post by lionlife on Nov 7, 2018 19:24:54 GMT -5
I hope I don't sound too down on the team, because I think they're going to be significantly better this year than last year. Just pointing out what I noticed.
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Post by evobenal44 on Nov 7, 2018 19:57:11 GMT -5
"Maybe you forgot that Trevor Manuel was not only a 4 star recruit, but was the #52 ranked HS player in the United States. You get kids like that through developing RELATIONSHIPS"
Ray Johnson, I believe...
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Post by t on Nov 8, 2018 19:08:35 GMT -5
The first half offense was disjointed and haphazard, loading added pressure on my ramshackle nerves while voices in my head were imploring me to jump off a Westcliff but the 2nd half play stabilized and those voices went away, for now.
Hopefully, with the upcoming matches, the full court press that was on display for the exhibition will be as ubiquitous as the free beer and non-free beer. I have purchased the beer its very own season seat!
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Post by LIONS90045 on Nov 8, 2018 21:01:23 GMT -5
t - good that you didn't go to that Westcliff (or West Cliff as LMU tickets show). On a positive note, I liked some moves by Douglas and I thought McClendon showed up well like he had been working on his game. He made his FTs for example. I noted that Westcliff blocked more of our shots than we blocked theirs and they were not athletic. They had it too easy slapping the ball out of Markusson's hands - maybe he just has too nice a temperament but he needs to play tougher with his size. Dunlap did take it easy on the Warriors by using a deep rotation and not trying to embarass them with the score. I hope the reports on Eli were correct and he is back and performs well this weekend.
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Post by loyalion on Nov 9, 2018 1:09:26 GMT -5
Oh god... Trevor Manuel is the guy we are pointing to as the Recruits we are striving for but seem out of reach right now? AM i hearing this right? He is (MAYBE) playing for Division 3 Olivet this year.
Nick Stover was once a 4 star recruit by a few sites as well. Patson Siame was classified as "the biggest program changer since Hank and Bo".... Rankings mean nothing. There is a reason he averaged 1.1 points for Oregon and 5.5 for LMU. Nothing personal against the kid, but you must be Manuels dad or something....
With that said, Dunlap has no personality, relates none to the student body or fans, or donors for that matter, and does not have good relationships with AAU programs throughout the city which is much needed.
a few hundred at its opening night.. you know why? Because the game was at 5 pm!!!!! 5 PM!!!! Anyone in their right mind who has worked in collegiate athletics would tell you it is business suicide to put your opening night at 5 pm. Where was administration when this game was decided? Was it BIll HUsak's call? I bet it was Dunlaps. 5 PM vs a no name opponent on a tuesday. Did you expect a sell out??
This program is on a downward spiral, and quickly. Changes need.. hopefully Pintens can right the ship.
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Post by thx4leavinjimlynam on Nov 9, 2018 11:03:58 GMT -5
Yes, to your point I went on kxlu.com At 6:15 Tuesday night ready to hear the pregame show, and Dunlap’s interview, and then the game only instead to hear the last minute of the postgame show. I understand that the women’s game was an enormous deal, but why not just have the men’s game on Wednesday at 7:00?!
And if I’m not mistaken we have a game next week at 6 o’clock!! Very difficult for people to get off work and get to LMU by 6 o’clock!
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Post by rswan on Nov 9, 2018 12:33:18 GMT -5
You have got to be kidding me......Nick Stover? He had four offers from low-Major D1 schools - Boise State, Nevada and USF and was not even rated by Rivals. Patson Siame? That seriously might have been the most ridiculous response I have ever seen on this board.
NO, I am not Manuel's Dad and "get" the uncertainty of rankings, but you CLEARLY MISSED THE POINT and have no clue the vetting process schools go through when evaluating talent at that level, or appreciate what it takes to have success on the EYBL circuit. So what you are saying is that collectively, Michigan, Michigan State, Kansas State, Oregon, USC and other high major top 20 programs entire staffs all just totally missed on their evaluation of Manuel? That is stupidity I won't respond too. The kid was a 6'10" 4 star recruit period. Where he is now is entirely irrelevant.
You also have apparently no recollection of my criticism of what a dog Manuel was while he was here at LMU. I am not an apologist for any kid with a bad attitude, but lots of other kids....i.e. Evan Payne....left prematurely and had they been cultivated and managed differently could have greatly benefited the program. That is not really a point to debate at all.
You think the gym was empty because the game was at 5pm? Huh??!!! How many games did you go to since Dunlap has been here? The gym is always empty. Much of what you posted is literal non sense.
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Post by pumpfake on Nov 9, 2018 13:06:14 GMT -5
We didn't recruit Manuel out of high school. We got him after he already was having issues of some kind. If we look at high school recruits (not transfers or JC players) the highest ranked/most sought after players we have successfully recruited since 1989 or so are: Jeff Fryer, Terrell Lowery, Brandon Worthy, Elijah Stewart, Kyron Cartright, and Ryse Williams. Sadly, the last 3 never played for the Lions. We got really close on Both Gach this year(which would have been huge) and I think getting Dameane Douglas was a coup. Most of the players listed above were recruited because we had some program momentum stemming from on court success (see Westhead, Paul) or a formidable group of players with potential (See Max Good's year that never happened) or maybe a chance to play right away. It all comes down to success on the court/talent/luck. LMU has a lot of offer a recruit - great school that cares about the whole player, great location, but we need to have some success to change things. THis "might" get some butts in the seat. Despite all the hand wringing in this thread, we have an opportunity to be pretty good this year (best case scenario would be 5th in a very tough WCC) which could be a tipping point. Admittedly, a lot would have to go right and we really can't afford injuries at certain positions (see Batemon, James). If not, we are back to square one. New coach, transfers, etc. (See Sisyphus).
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