It was in fact a Euro. He's 7'0" and "skilled" per brandx. He looks it in the highlights in tweet.
Dimitrije Vukicevic (Serbia) takes final spot
- Thread starter SaveFerris
- Start date
So Frontcourt finalized with 5. Okafor. 4. Price, and Coward at the 4. And Erikstrup backing up Price, and Coward and Okafor. the 7 foot Euro backing up Okafor.
So 6 bigs: Coward, Price, Okafor, Erikstrup, 7 foot Euro, and one of the 6-7.5 3's.
A awesome front court, big man rotation.
Then a nice rotation of about 6-5.5,6-6,6-6.5,6-7 ish 3's, wings, that can play the 3,2,4 spots.
And a nice rotation of 6-1.5, 6-2,6-2.5,6-3, 6-3.5, 6-4 ish backcourt guards that can play the 1,2,3 backcourt guard spots.
And 1,2,3 that can play semi pure, semi combo PG.
Awesome interchangeability, synergy, starters, depth, etc.
Awesome Roster.
Now just have to have all the Awesome pieces come, play together, fit, develop chemistry, jell, learn how to win together, play as a team, etc.
If, when that happens, watch out, as they will RIP the WCC, if, when that happens, semi maybe, semi probably semi like last year's situation, preseason, early to mid-season.
Awesome 8,9,10 man rotation. Also depends on not getting too many injuries, etc.
Starting Lineup:
1. Isiah Watts or Wilson or Calmese or Gerrit(If Calmese plays better defense, if Isiah Watts, Wilson, Gerrits doesn't semi consistently play PG)(Gerrit is walk on, and last choice, if no one else can play PG.)2. Isiah Watts or Calmese(If Calmese plays better defense)(If Wilson or Gerrit starts at PG.), or Wilson, or a 6-5.5 ish guard. 3. A 6-6.5, 6-7, 6-7.5 player., probably Lejuan Watts, Vavers, 6-7 foreign player, 4. Coward. 5. Okafor or 7 foot Euro
Gerrits, Wilson sub for Isiah Watts at 1,2 spots(If Wilson doesn't start at PG), Lejuan Watts subs at 3 spot, if doesn't start at the 3 spot. Vavers, 6-7 foreign player, start at 3, wing). Price, is first off bench big, and subs for both 4,5, whoever, whichever, 4 or 5, comes out first, and sometimes start beside, with Coward at the 4,5 spots. Okafor or 7 foot Euro sub, back up either Okafor or 7 foot Euro or Erickstrup, whoever, whichever start the 5 spot(Probably Okafor), Okafor, Price both subs, backups for the 4 spot. Erikstrup will only play, sub, back up the 5 spot. About a 9, 10 man rotation, at average, 8 at extreme minimum, 10, 11 at usual most, 12 at extreme maximum, so 8,9,10,11, 12 man rotation at most.
Rotation will include Isiah Watts, Wilson, Calmese, Gerrit, Le Juan Watts, Vavers, 6-7 Euro, Coward, Price, Okafor, 7 foot Euro, Erikstrup.
That's a pretty Awesome 12 man lineup, rotation, team.
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Lots of time for the lineup and rotations to shakeout. Coward and Price seem like locks in the lineup. Calmese at PG probably as well. From there there are a lot of possibilities. I do think Okafor is a key. He's a physical presence we don't seem have otherwise with the bigs.
I feel a lot like last year at this time. No idea how good they are, but I know I'm going to enjoy watching them play.
I feel a lot like last year at this time. No idea how good they are, but I know I'm going to enjoy watching them play.
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I agree. Coward and Price are locks. I think Calmese also likely starts at PG, and I think people are sleeping on him. From videos that I have seen of him from high school and Lamar, he is a better athlete than Rice. He is faster, more explosive, and can jump higher than Rice. He is a better scorer than Rice. What I don't know is if he can run a team as the point guard. He has played mostly as a combo guard. He reminds me of a combination of an old Sonic, Gus Williams, and Alan Iverson. In this offense, that plays fine as anyone on the court can initiate the offense.
Interestingly enough, my internet was down for a few days. So, I watched a partial game I had taped on 2/3/24 with the Cougs playing the uw. Calmese played a little and he didn't look like the same player that played at Lamar. There was no excitement to him or his game. The sad part was that Bill Walton was doing the color. It was only 3-4 months later he passed away. So, he did the game likely knowing the end was near. I will miss him.
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My starter prediction would be
1 Calmese
2 Coward
3 Erikstrop
4 Price
5 Okafor
With I Watts, L Watts and Vavers getting significant minutes. The rest I’m in a wait and see mode. I have high hopes for the Idaho kid Wynott and the 6-7 euro Thrastarson but I’ve not seen them play.
Not sure why people keep listing Coward (6-6 206) as a 4? he is a guard. L Watts (6-6 235) could play the 3 but he is primarily a 4. That is based on last year at EWU where I watched multiple games.
1 Calmese
2 Coward
3 Erikstrop
4 Price
5 Okafor
With I Watts, L Watts and Vavers getting significant minutes. The rest I’m in a wait and see mode. I have high hopes for the Idaho kid Wynott and the 6-7 euro Thrastarson but I’ve not seen them play.
Not sure why people keep listing Coward (6-6 206) as a 4? he is a guard. L Watts (6-6 235) could play the 3 but he is primarily a 4. That is based on last year at EWU where I watched multiple games.
Ack, temporarily forgot about him, too many decent, ok, good players to have to remember
Unless there are struggles on offense, and probably might probably not be struggles on offense, Calmese will be a situational co starter, 6th man, about 28 minutes per game at semi likely best, because of his semi defensive liability, because altho he has the physical tools, athleticism, etc, to play great defense, his defense is bad. Now maybe that will change. If it does change, Calmese will be the starter at the 2,SG spot, as Calmese is a combo guard, 2, SG first, that can play PG. He can pass, drive, shoot, floor leader, court vision, etc, semi ok, but he needs to improve in those areas, defense, before he starts consistently at PG. Because of that, he is more of a classic 2,SG, then a PG. That said, if Isiah Watts, Wilson, Gerrit, are, is not able to be a consistently good starter at PG, and be the consistent starter at PG, then if Calmese can do, be that, etc, then he, Calmese would start at PG. I expect Isiah Watts and Calmese to split time, platoon, etc, at SG. Wilson would probably be best at PG, because Isiah Watts, Calmese both shoot a lot, and drive a lot, and are more classic 2, SG's, then PG's, so would be best if Wilson consistently starts at PG.
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