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He was listed at 280lbs last season..
Are you kidding me? That's Efe? Hard to believe. Hopefully; it's a good thing. One of his few negatives last season was his inability to get off the floor, thus missing lots of layups when he could have been cramming it down. If this makes him more mobile and athletic, there's no limit to his potential.
 
Are you kidding me? That's Efe? Hard to believe. Hopefully; it's a good thing. One of his few negatives last season was his inability to get off the floor, thus missing lots of layups when he could have been cramming it down. If this makes him more mobile and athletic, there's no limit to his potential.

That, and conditioning.
 
I just hope he doesn’t lose any of that power he had.....he could push people around

that's what I'm worried about.

Having a big body in the post can be a good thing. That wide body makes it hard to reach around and slap the ball away as a defender, and makes it hard for anyone to stop momentum. Also helps with block outs.

don't lose TOO much weight, big fella
 
Are you kidding? This is a good thing. His quick motor skills should be even better, he will now have the ability to play an entire game (remember he ran out of gas by late in second half) easily and he burned off that baby/teenage fat, he should be stronger.

Keep it up EO!
 
Are you kidding? This is a good thing. His quick motor skills should be even better, he will now have the ability to play an entire game (remember he ran out of gas by late in second half) easily and he burned off that baby/teenage fat, he should be stronger.

Keep it up EO!
It's amazing to me that he's been able to shed 30 lbs in two months. Wonder what the ultimate goal is in terms of poundage.
 
It's amazing to me that he's been able to shed 30 lbs in two months. Wonder what the ultimate goal is in terms of poundage.
Big guys are meant to be big. Taking it off is easy. Keeping it off is hard. He should be trying to turn that fat into muscle. If he were to hit the weights, he'd change his body and keep his strength.
 
Big guys are meant to be big. Taking it off is easy. Keeping it off is hard. He should be trying to turn that fat into muscle. If he were to hit the weights, he'd change his body and keep his strength.
You don't think he's hit the weights?
 
It's amazing to me that he's been able to shed 30 lbs in two months. Wonder what the ultimate goal is in terms of poundage.
At this level which is basically pro amateur ball, if he can get 230, maintain and develop muscle, he is going to be a lean mean college basketball machine. 230-240 and solid muscle and very little fat? Hijo su! That's tough to work against on the hardwood.
 
At this level which is basically pro amateur ball, if he can get 230, maintain and develop muscle, he is going to be a lean mean college basketball machine. 230-240 and solid muscle and very little fat? Hijo su! That's tough to work against on the hardwood.
2019/20 can't come a second too early. Time to start forecasting the starting lineup again, but this year with backups galore.
 
Big guys are meant to be big. Taking it off is easy. Keeping it off is hard. He should be trying to turn that fat into muscle. If he were to hit the weights, he'd change his body and keep his strength.
Exactly, now he lost it, time to tone up and get the strength training going!
 
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At this level which is basically pro amateur ball, if he can get 230, maintain and develop muscle, he is going to be a lean mean college basketball machine. 230-240 and solid muscle and very little fat? Hijo su! That's tough to work against on the hardwood.
I'd say 240-250 with muscle is good.
 
Judging from that pic he posted, he's not hitting them hard enough in the off season. Of course, bulk muscle does affect your shot so...
As previously stated; whatever it takes to get him more active, agile, athletic, jumpable, durable and still be the force in the low post. Foul troubles should be minimized as well with the " NEW EFE".
If EZE would engage and succeed in a workout / conditioning program plus schooling in basic Basketball 101, that would culminate the big guy project.
 
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Sounds about right to me.
There's lots of possibilities that sound good to me, but I feel the only ?'s are Lathon and Boum. On the other hand maybe it doesn't matter that much if Stroud, Archie, Zarzuela and Hawkins come off the bench or not . I think there's lots of PT for lots of players.
 
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There's lots of possibilities that sound good to me, but I feel the only ?'s are Lathon and Boum. On the other hand maybe it doesn't matter that much if Stroud, Archie, Zarzuela and Hawkins come off the bench or not . I think there's lots of PT for lots of players.

I think Lathon is our PG for the next 3 years. Where there was room for improvement, I think he is solid and will only get better. He showed some flashes of brilliance.

I think Boum because he is probably the purest shooter this team has. He can also handle the ball pretty well, giving us a couple options to bring the ball up the court.

As you said, we do have options, though, and I would imagine those options at the guard position will be explored early on. I kind of think Zarzuela red shirts due to how many we have in the backcourt.
 
I thought about the redshirt option for zarzuela but what if he can shoot the 3? Then he has to be in play as that is our biggest weakness unless Hawkins and lathon improve dramatically
 
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I thought about the redshirt option for zarzuela but what if he can shoot the 3? Then he has to be in play as that is our biggest weakness unless Hawkins and lathon improve dramatically

Yeah, youre probably right. That would put him into play if Zarzuela can hit from deep. Lathon was at least serviceable from 3 at 35%. Any improvement from him is icing. It’s Hawkins who has his work cut out for him at 27.5% last year.
 
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Now the dust has settled a bit what is everyone’s starting lineup?

Lathon
Boum
Tarke
Williams
Odigie ?
I think this is the line-up to start the season. If Lathon can shoot well and facilitate better then this lineup has a lot to offer.

I think Verhoeven can be a big time X factor

I think Zarzuela and Eze will redshirt, but I'm not sure who handles the ball on the second team between Hawkins , Archie and Stroud.
 
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I think this is the line-up to start the season. If Lathon can shoot well and facilitate better then this lineup has a lot to offer.

I think Verhoeven can be a big time X factor

I think Zarzuela and Eze will redshirt, but I'm not sure who handles the ball on the second team between Hawkins , Archie and Stroud.
To be a complete point guard in addition to being a play maker and a 3 point threat you have to be a threat to make free throw. Lathon must take care of that.
 
To be a complete point guard in addition to being a play maker and a 3 point threat you have to be a threat to make free throw. Lathon must take care of that.
Agree with those qualities as well. I would add that a good point guard needs to be able to get the team into good, efficient offensive sets. He is the extension of the coach on the court.

The point guard needs to limit turnovers even though he has the ball in his hands more than any other player. Teams that do not value each possession are inherently less likely to win against good competition. With Lathon, I think these are areas he needs to improve on, but he did show glimpses of potential. I do like his willingness to really defend opposing guards. However, with that aggressiveness on the defensive end, that will lead to foul trouble. Again, the question becomes who will be the backup at the point? To me, the only realistic options are Boum and Zarzuela.
 
Agree with those qualities as well. I would add that a good point guard needs to be able to get the team into good, efficient offensive sets. He is the extension of the coach on the court.

The point guard needs to limit turnovers even though he has the ball in his hands more than any other player. Teams that do not value each possession are inherently less likely to win against good competition. With Lathon, I think these are areas he needs to improve on, but he did show glimpses of potential. I do like his willingness to really defend opposing guards. However, with that aggressiveness on the defensive end, that will lead to foul trouble. Again, the question becomes who will be the backup at the point? To me, the only realistic options are Boum and Zarzuela.
One of his greatest assets is his fearlessness. He wants to be the go to guy at crunch time.
 
One of his greatest assets is his fearlessness. He wants to be the go to guy at crunch time.
Agree again. Like most young guys, he needs to get stronger, and improve his ability to finish at the rim. His willingness to be that go to guy is a huge positive. I think he can be an Artis type scoring point. They have some similar qualities. Hopefully, Lathon improves on their similar percentage at the free throw line...like you mentioned. To me, Lathon is the key to the team.
 
I hope you’re right. But how is he already proven?
Are you asking that really? How is a D-1 team leading scorer and 1st team conference player not more proven then Archie you started in front of him. I hope Archie produces as advertised, but don't think he's above Tarke.
 
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I think you underestimate how good Tarke will be and he's already proven.
I think Tarke will be good but imo Archie has more potential. If he buckles down and puts in the work he will have a better career than Tarke in a Miner uniform.
 
Are you asking that really? How is a D-1 team leading scorer and 1st team conference player not more proven then Archie you started in front of him. I hope Archie produces as advertised, but don't think he's above Tarke.

Yeah I’m really asking that. I know how explosive he is. I know he’s got great athleticism. I know he’s a beast on the boards. I know the accolades he accumulated in the Atlantic Sun Conference. All really good stuff. I’ve watched every video available on the kid. Great potential! But I’ve turned into a bit of a realist over the last few years and I tend to look at the whole picture, as much as it pisses some people off around here. I don’t just look at the positive attributes...the best moments a kid has on film. I’ve done my homework and I know what the knocks are on Tarke. I know it took him 15 shots a game to score 15 points. That’s a lot of empty trips down the court. I know he shot the 3 five times a game and made just 1 1/2, good for 28% last year. Him shooting volume at that clip does us no favors. I know his career FT average is at about 63%. As much as he’ll go to the line, I have hope that he can reach 70%+. I know that he has a tendency to fall asleep on defense at times and during his recruitment one of the knocks was that he is considered a below average defender. That is a more full picture of his game, with both strengths and weaknesses.

With all that said, for all I know he could’ve grown tremendously as a player over the course of a year. I don’t take that for granted, or as a given, though. But that’s also why I said “I hope you’re right”.
 
Yeah I’m really asking that. I know how explosive he is. I know he’s got great athleticism. I know he’s a beast on the boards. I know the accolades he accumulated in the Atlantic Sun Conference. All really good stuff. I’ve watched every video available on the kid. Great potential! But I’ve turned into a bit of a realist over the last few years and I tend to look at the whole picture, as much as it pisses some people off around here. I don’t just look at the positive attributes...the best moments a kid has on film. I’ve done my homework and I know what the knocks are on Tarke. I know it took him 15 shots a game to score 15 points. That’s a lot of empty trips down the court. I know he shot the 3 five times a game and made just 1 1/2, good for 28% last year. Him shooting volume at that clip does us no favors. I know his career FT average is at about 63%. As much as he’ll go to the line, I have hope that he can reach 70%+. I know that he has a tendency to fall asleep on defense at times and during his recruitment one of the knocks was that he is considered a below average defender. That is a more full picture of his game, with both strengths and weaknesses.

With all that said, for all I know he could’ve grown tremendously as a player over the course of a year. I don’t take that for granted, or as a given, though. But that’s also why I said “I hope you’re right”.
I hope Archie turns into a potential Big Time player for us. However I definitely think Tarke gets the nod to start this year, unless he simply doesn't perform to Terry's expectations.
 
Something tells me that not performing defensively for coach won’t be an option —- especially with a bench.... which is the beauty of having depth!! If you don’t go all out you won’t pkay
 
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I hope Archie turns into a potential Big Time player for us. However I definitely think Tarke gets the nod to start this year, unless he simply doesn't perform to Terry's expectations.

No doubt it would benefit us if both Tarke and Archie turn out to have game.

Just for the record, if you go up to post 97, I agreed that Tarke would start. I think you had me confused with jcorona. I never said Archie would start. I was just asking what your thoughts were as to how Tarke was proven.

I honestly don’t care who starts as long as the best five guys are on the floor as much as possible.
 
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Something tells me that not performing defensively for coach won’t be an option —- especially with a bench.... which is the beauty of having depth!! If you don’t go all out you won’t pkay
No doubt this is part of the reason behind Efe's effort to lose some weight. He needs to be able to defend much better, and specifically be able to defend the four, or he may very well find himself on the bench. Competition is a good thing.
 
No doubt it would benefit us if both Tarke and Archie turn out to have game.

Just for the record, if you go up to post 97, I agreed that Tarke would start. I think you had me confused with jcorona. I never said Archie would start. I was just asking what your thoughts were as to how Tarke was proven.

I honestly don’t care who starts as long as the best five guys are on the floor as much as possible.
You are correct Sir, my apologies
 
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