Columbia 37P6
Postdoc
Posts: 2173
Reg: 02-14-06
|
12-09-20 11:01 PM - Post#317825
So let's have some fun and try to pick the likely starters for the 2021-22 season. How about a starting five with Ike Nweke, Patrick Harding, Maka Ellis, up front with Eddie Turner and McLean in the backcourt.
|
SomeGuy
Professor
Posts: 6404
Reg: 11-22-04
|
Re: 202022 Starting five
12-10-20 12:28 AM - Post#317827
In response to Columbia 37P6
Seems reasonable.
I might pick Shockley-Okeke instead of Ellis, though I don’t know to what extent Engles’ past playing time decisions there were about health.
I suspect you are right that a newcomer will start at guard with Turner. I could see Antwi instead of McLean, I guess.
|
mrjames
Professor
Posts: 6062
Loc: Montclair, NJ
Reg: 11-21-04
|
Re: 202022 Starting five
12-10-20 11:01 AM - Post#317840
In response to SomeGuy
It's going to be a really, really rough season for Columbia (and, to be fair, a good number of other Ivies) if there aren't a LOT of worthy newcomer starters/heavy rotation players.
The last couple classes had some stars in them, but didn't display a ton of depth. Normally, you'd expect, say, 60/40 Jr/Sr vs. Soph/Frosh production, but I think it might have to be closer to 50/50 for the league to avoid taking a step back in 21-22.
|
Dr. V
PhD Student
Posts: 1537
Reg: 11-21-04
|
12-10-20 02:25 PM - Post#317864
In response to mrjames
Trying to guess next season's starters is always a fool's errand (it's impossible to predict which returning players may show significant improvement, which stasis and, occasionally, which regress; and then some incoming players turn out to be better than expected and others not as good as expected), but admittedly a fun one. But at least in a normal year one may have had a chance to actually watch some scrimmages or open gym games. Now we not only haven't had any of that but are dealing with a two year gap between seasons, so guessing at starters is like tossing darts at a dartboard while blindfolded. All of that said, my guesses about who may be expected to get significant PT at the various positions:
at the 5: Nweke, Harding and Onuama
at the 4: Murphy and Stankard
at the 3: Ellis and Antwi
at the 1 & 2: Turner, Mclean and Cooper
They should all be able to provide decent rebounding and rim protection, but unless Nweke, Harding or Onuama return with something resembling some kind of reliable offense (Nweke's step back jumpers don't qualify), it's hard to see how more than one of them can be on the court at the same time.
Murphy might be our best shooter, so if he can play passable D1 D, he needs to be on the court. Stankard too looks like a pretty decent shooter; hope he can play enough D to provide backup at the 4.
Ellis needs to help provide stability as he and Nweke will be the two most experienced players on the team. Antwi should be able to provide backup at the 3. Odunowu has the size of a 3 but up till now has shown more of a 4's game. No clue where he might fit in.
It's unclear how Turner's knees will hold up, but here is hoping. Mclean and Cooper are both combo guards. Neither appears to be a great shooter, although shooting is a learned skill, but both are good all around players and have size. They both rebound well for guards, handle well, score well in different ways and pass well. Depending on how the '21 class night fill out, Shockley-Okeke may be pressed into service in the backcourt.
Again, FWIW, these are my guesses-speculations.
|
Columbia 37P6
Postdoc
Posts: 2173
Reg: 02-14-06
|
12-17-20 12:01 AM - Post#318094
In response to Dr. V
I love Dr. V's analogy to throwing darts at a dartboard. Given all the circumstances it is nearly impossible to name the potential starting five. Nweke is the only returning starter, but whether he will be the team's center again or move over to the power forward position is uncertain. Given Patrick Harding's outstanding rebounding skills it seems likely that Nweke will return to the 2 after having to play center last year when Patrick left the team. One thing, however, is certain: This will be a very young and inexperienced team, perhaps the youngest and most ineperienced in Columbia history. Incidentally, when you look at the number of players on the roster, it is clear that the Lions need to add several more players to compensate for all the transfers that have occurred.Hopefully, the Lions will not do what they did three years ago, namely fill out the roster with players who were not qualified to play Division I Basketball.
|
|
