We know what our starting 5 is:
Gordon
XJ
Fortune
White
King
What will our bench rotation be like?
Collier - Seems a lock to be the top bench sub if he's healthy. He's really our best chance at having a strong bench. Ball handling is excellent as is his shooting. Has defended well this year. Foot is very much a concern though. Not sure he will be the player we saw in game 1 that looked like he had turned the corner.
Miller - Miller seems to be the opposite of Collier. He seems to have gotten better since his ankle injury. I was concerned that he would never develop before his injury and now all of a sudden he is dependable off the bench. He needs to continue to work hard on both ends of the court because no other bench player will be more needed. He is our only big off the bench and we know teams will try to get Gordon and XJ in foul trouble. He needs to rebound MUCH better and start protecting the rim.
Siewert - Had high hopes for him after game 1, but he is struggling to say the least. He hit the freshman wall about as fast as I've ever seen a freshman. Averages 11 minutes per game and has played in every game, yet is shooting .263 from the field at under 2 points/game. He is almost as ineffective as Guzo from a year ago which is scary. What he lacks in shooting he doesn't make up for in defense. For a guy labeled as an offensive threat, he is damn near a bust. His game 1 heroics though give me hope that he will eventually shoot his way out of it. Unlike Akyazili, he has a very pretty shot that just isn't being shot in rhythm. He is the only other tall player though and his ineffectiveness as a post has really put the screws in our OOC record.
Akyazili - Had high hopes for him after his stint this summer in the FIBA championships. He would actually be solid defensively if he didn't foul so much. He does stay in front of his guy and close out well but is just too wild in all the above. His assist/to ratio is very good and we know he can push the pace. It's just that he can't shoot the ball, like, at all. Nothing has changed in his offensive game. He can drive to the hoop and finish with either hand, but he cannot shoot which is odd for a Euro. Take away his 14 3 point attempts and he's actually a 50% shooter so if he stops shooting it from the outside, his efficiency would go way up. Of course, he won't get those opportunities if teams know he can't shoot and will be a transition player only (which is what he is right now). Looks like we've hit a ceiling with him. He'll end up being a tough defender who can drive the lane and get to the basket. Now, if he would just hit his free throws (52% on the year), we could live with this. His free throw shooting makes him a liability instead of an asset unfortunately.
Brown - He hit the freshman wall and then got his breath back. Great to see this guy come out of his slump and earn more court time. He isn't a great defender just yet but does give effort. Doesn't always close out fast but he is consistent in switching and rotation. Seems Brewster coached him up well and he does a lot of good things on the court that an extra year no doubt got him. His shooting is excellent and he takes care of the ball. He has even played a little point this year and hasn't looked bad. Definitely not flashy but very dependable. Doesn't take risks and doesn't make a lot of mistakes. I don't know how high his ceiling is but his game is solid. Would like to see him become more of a threat in transition.
Peters - You can just see the talent oozing out of him. He'll make an ordinary play look spectacular. He has a penchant for the big shot at the right time. He is super active on defense and will attempt to take his man out of the game. He has the foot speed to be a true defensive stopper and is strong enough to keep guys from finishing at the rim. His ceiling looks extremely high as in potential future All Pac 12 high. Unlike Brown though, he doesn't know his limitations right now. His shooting form needs work but he still tries to stroke the 3 as if he's a threat there. He tries to make passes that aren't always there. He can get the silly foul. He is not a steady player right now as he's either high or low and shows that emotion on the court. He is not consistent but is always dangerous. His free throw shooting is bad for a guy that can get to the rim. So much potential yet almost disappointing as you watch other Pac 12 freshmen guards really thrive while he just hasn't arrived yet.
OK, that's 6 guys off the bench and there is no way we can play all 6 consistently. Thoughts on the rotation?
If I'm Boyle, I'm going with:
Miller and Dom as first off the bench. The other 4 will be situational. If our bigs are in foul trouble, then I bring in Siewert but right now he is my last sub in regular situations because he is not good at this time. Otherwise, I bring in Brown when I need offense or Peters if I need defense. I'll bring in Akyazili for ball handling. Brown will get first crack as he is dependable but will play Peters if he gets hot and leave him in. If he's cold, he'll come out quickly in favor of Brown or Collier. Probably use 8 in the regular rotation though and not go too much further.
Gordon
XJ
Fortune
White
King
What will our bench rotation be like?
Collier - Seems a lock to be the top bench sub if he's healthy. He's really our best chance at having a strong bench. Ball handling is excellent as is his shooting. Has defended well this year. Foot is very much a concern though. Not sure he will be the player we saw in game 1 that looked like he had turned the corner.
Miller - Miller seems to be the opposite of Collier. He seems to have gotten better since his ankle injury. I was concerned that he would never develop before his injury and now all of a sudden he is dependable off the bench. He needs to continue to work hard on both ends of the court because no other bench player will be more needed. He is our only big off the bench and we know teams will try to get Gordon and XJ in foul trouble. He needs to rebound MUCH better and start protecting the rim.
Siewert - Had high hopes for him after game 1, but he is struggling to say the least. He hit the freshman wall about as fast as I've ever seen a freshman. Averages 11 minutes per game and has played in every game, yet is shooting .263 from the field at under 2 points/game. He is almost as ineffective as Guzo from a year ago which is scary. What he lacks in shooting he doesn't make up for in defense. For a guy labeled as an offensive threat, he is damn near a bust. His game 1 heroics though give me hope that he will eventually shoot his way out of it. Unlike Akyazili, he has a very pretty shot that just isn't being shot in rhythm. He is the only other tall player though and his ineffectiveness as a post has really put the screws in our OOC record.
Akyazili - Had high hopes for him after his stint this summer in the FIBA championships. He would actually be solid defensively if he didn't foul so much. He does stay in front of his guy and close out well but is just too wild in all the above. His assist/to ratio is very good and we know he can push the pace. It's just that he can't shoot the ball, like, at all. Nothing has changed in his offensive game. He can drive to the hoop and finish with either hand, but he cannot shoot which is odd for a Euro. Take away his 14 3 point attempts and he's actually a 50% shooter so if he stops shooting it from the outside, his efficiency would go way up. Of course, he won't get those opportunities if teams know he can't shoot and will be a transition player only (which is what he is right now). Looks like we've hit a ceiling with him. He'll end up being a tough defender who can drive the lane and get to the basket. Now, if he would just hit his free throws (52% on the year), we could live with this. His free throw shooting makes him a liability instead of an asset unfortunately.
Brown - He hit the freshman wall and then got his breath back. Great to see this guy come out of his slump and earn more court time. He isn't a great defender just yet but does give effort. Doesn't always close out fast but he is consistent in switching and rotation. Seems Brewster coached him up well and he does a lot of good things on the court that an extra year no doubt got him. His shooting is excellent and he takes care of the ball. He has even played a little point this year and hasn't looked bad. Definitely not flashy but very dependable. Doesn't take risks and doesn't make a lot of mistakes. I don't know how high his ceiling is but his game is solid. Would like to see him become more of a threat in transition.
Peters - You can just see the talent oozing out of him. He'll make an ordinary play look spectacular. He has a penchant for the big shot at the right time. He is super active on defense and will attempt to take his man out of the game. He has the foot speed to be a true defensive stopper and is strong enough to keep guys from finishing at the rim. His ceiling looks extremely high as in potential future All Pac 12 high. Unlike Brown though, he doesn't know his limitations right now. His shooting form needs work but he still tries to stroke the 3 as if he's a threat there. He tries to make passes that aren't always there. He can get the silly foul. He is not a steady player right now as he's either high or low and shows that emotion on the court. He is not consistent but is always dangerous. His free throw shooting is bad for a guy that can get to the rim. So much potential yet almost disappointing as you watch other Pac 12 freshmen guards really thrive while he just hasn't arrived yet.
OK, that's 6 guys off the bench and there is no way we can play all 6 consistently. Thoughts on the rotation?
If I'm Boyle, I'm going with:
Miller and Dom as first off the bench. The other 4 will be situational. If our bigs are in foul trouble, then I bring in Siewert but right now he is my last sub in regular situations because he is not good at this time. Otherwise, I bring in Brown when I need offense or Peters if I need defense. I'll bring in Akyazili for ball handling. Brown will get first crack as he is dependable but will play Peters if he gets hot and leave him in. If he's cold, he'll come out quickly in favor of Brown or Collier. Probably use 8 in the regular rotation though and not go too much further.
