TU adds two MBB transfers (both guards)

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long green
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TU adds two MBB transfers (both guards)

Post by long green »

Jalen Cook from LSU (Walker, LA) and DeVon Baker from UNC Asheville. Cook was a freshman this past year and Baker was a junior and averaged 13 ppg ( 42% from 3).

Two guys who will play a lot now and in the future but both guards, 6'2" or shorter. Also, this might push some guards already here off the roster.

https://crescentcitysports.com/lsu-guar ... to-tulane/
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long green
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Re: TU adds two MBB transfers (both guards)

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Here's a story about the two most recent transfers. Hunter is bubbly again. He still believes in Oton Jankovic and Smith says Ibby Alli's future is up in the air.

https://www.nola.com/sports/tulane/arti ... 3b868.html
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Re: TU adds two MBB transfers (both guards)

Post by GretnaGrn »

long green wrote: Fri Apr 30, 2021 8:54 am Here's a story about the two most recent transfers. Hunter is bubbly again. He still believes in Oton Jankovic and Smith says Ibby Alli's future is up in the air.

https://www.nola.com/sports/tulane/arti ... 3b868.html
I started another thread about the article before I saw this; I'll add a message to delete it. There's lots of interesting quotes from Hunter in there.
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Re: TU adds two MBB transfers (both guards)

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Besides being pleased with the signings, two interesting things to me in that story: one, that Jankovic was hampered by an injury all year (because I don't recall hearing that and it would be good if that were the reason he did not play much or make an impact), and two, this:
"In our league you better have good guards and 3-point shooters"
...which still seems to imply (as discussed elsewhere previously) that Hunter continues to de-prioritize big men. Throughout and after last year, multiple folks posted here "we NEED inside players!!!". I still don't think Hunter thinks we do. And for this coming year, it's moot, because (as this story says), we are full. It's concerning that we aren't looking at bigs while this story seems to put Ali's future in doubt; if he can't get past his issues then we'd need a big to replace him for sure.
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Re: TU adds two MBB transfers (both guards)

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I think the biggest need for a big inside player is relative to the number of shots we miss and second chances we give our opponents. With the style of play Hunter wants, taller guards are just as much of a need. We were much shorter than some of the teams we faced, especially when trying to score under the basket.
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Re: TU adds two MBB transfers (both guards)

Post by NJwave »

PeteRasche wrote: Fri Apr 30, 2021 12:01 pm Besides being pleased with the signings, two interesting things to me in that story: one, that Jankovic was hampered by an injury all year (because I don't recall hearing that and it would be good if that were the reason he did not play much or make an impact), and two, this:
"In our league you better have good guards and 3-point shooters"
...which still seems to imply (as discussed elsewhere previously) that Hunter continues to de-prioritize big men. Throughout and after last year, multiple folks posted here "we NEED inside players!!!". I still don't think Hunter thinks we do. And for this coming year, it's moot, because (as this story says), we are full. It's concerning that we aren't looking at bigs while this story seems to put Ali's future in doubt; if he can't get past his issues then we'd need a big to replace him for sure.
We have all gone back and forth on how the game has changed with big men being less and less of a focus for most teams. However, as I posted in another thread the top teams all outrebounded their opponents. We were outrebounded by six per game. I still think some of our 3 point woes are because of the lack of an inside game. Guards never have to cheat down to help on the inside meaning less open looks for shooters.

We have done a great job under Hunter of forcing turnovers and taking care of the ball and last year we were able to get to the line and hit a a high percentage. It looks our success will always hinge on whether will we get enough points off turnovers and free points at the line to offset the rebounding problems.
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Re: TU adds two MBB transfers (both guards)

Post by GretnaGrn »

PeteRasche wrote: Fri Apr 30, 2021 12:01 pm Besides being pleased with the signings, two interesting things to me in that story: one, that Jankovic was hampered by an injury all year (because I don't recall hearing that and it would be good if that were the reason he did not play much or make an impact), and two, this:
"In our league you better have good guards and 3-point shooters"
...which still seems to imply (as discussed elsewhere previously) that Hunter continues to de-prioritize big men. Throughout and after last year, multiple folks posted here "we NEED inside players!!!". I still don't think Hunter thinks we do. And for this coming year, it's moot, because (as this story says), we are full. It's concerning that we aren't looking at bigs while this story seems to put Ali's future in doubt; if he can't get past his issues then we'd need a big to replace him for sure.
Elsewhere in the article, though, he expressly addresses big men and says he didn't add any because he thinks the bigs we have coming back from injury will be good (especially Jankovic).

Another interesting tidbit is his comment on Cook coming here, and possibly opening some doors for us to get other higher end recruits in Louisiana.
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Re: TU adds two MBB transfers (both guards)

Post by ml wave »

waverider wrote: Fri Apr 30, 2021 12:16 pm I think the biggest need for a big inside player is relative to the number of shots we miss and second chances we give our opponents. With the style of play Hunter wants, taller guards are just as much of a need. We were much shorter than some of the teams we faced, especially when trying to score under the basket.
But these two are 6' and 6'2" so that need still remains.
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