Down by 10+ Coug's pull to within 1. Bonton kept us in it. Williams out. Jakimovski starting to fill it up.
vs. Stanford
- Thread starter SaveFerris
- Start date
I appreciate his 3 pt skillset, but the coaches really need to work with him on his interior finishing. 9 pts all from 3, and he only had 3 boards, + no free throws.
So much potential though.
No question. There's still parts of his game that need a lot of polishing. He had a tough first half but played much better in the second. I think he can also eventually get to the rim on his own as well. Yes, so much potential.
Bennett ball with athletic ability -- WSU is never going to sign kids with athletic ability and ready to start skills, like the Fab 5. But for the first time since Raveling, we have signed kids with athletic ability, and with some hard work on their skills, can become a team that could win the holy grail, a Pac-12 championship. Am I the only one?
This is like watching the basketball version of the 2000 Cougar Football team, but they are ahead of schedule!!!
This is like watching the basketball version of the 2000 Cougar Football team, but they are ahead of schedule!!!
The talent is legit. There will be lows but this group has the ability and potential to play with anyone in the conference.
A lot of credit goes to the team today. Down by a dozen in the first half with the nasty injury knocking out Noah Williams....and the Cougs battle back and actually lead with 5 minutes to go in the game. Ran out of gas and couldn't stop one of the conference's best players in da Silva (nobody has stopped him this year). But I love the fight and hustle in this team....and as someone might have mentioned, WSU had 4 freshmen on the court at the same time for much of that game. We haven't been competitive with Stanford in ages. Tonight we were, even if the final score is deceiving.
Glad Cougar
Glad Cougar
Wheels fell of at the end but the team battled hard and showed heart. There were a few times where the line up seemed strange, at one point Warren, Bamba, AJ, Rosario and Jackson all good players but not a ton of punch other than AJ.
Bamba will start to finish more of those shots off drives and put backs as he gets more and more comfortable. If he develops a decent outside shot in the off season he could be the next big sophomore jump guy
Bamba will start to finish more of those shots off drives and put backs as he gets more and more comfortable. If he develops a decent outside shot in the off season he could be the next big sophomore jump guy
It will. be interesting who fills Bontons role in the future. As mentioned on the broadcast, he has the ball in his hands a lot. He is a very skilled ball handler, and he does set others up. Who is the PG of the future?
Koulibaly might have been the starting PG this year had he not gotten hurt, moving Bonton to the #2 guard. He'll be ready next year along with Rice. Rapp can also handle the position. I think we'll be okay at that position in the future....although we'll miss the Bonton we've seen the past 3 games.
Glad Cougar
Glad Cougar
My winner of the "least obvious future potential" award is Bamba. Efe is easy to see. So is Jackson. Warren earns everything he gets and is an incredibly smart ball player, but has some physical limits. The rest need another year to evaluate. But Bamba? That guy could play tight end and has great feet. He just needs to learn. He reminds me of Tony Gonzalez.
Is it possible we see Koulibay play sometime this year? With theCovid eligibility rules if he is medically cleared and coach feels he is up to speed I think he can play without losing anything. Similar to Rosario who I assume would have redshirted in a normal year.
I think your reasoning is correct, so we might see him. On the other hand, if we get too far into the season before he can play I doubt they will suit him up. Rosario clearly needs time, and I have to think that the PT will be good for him.
IF IF Koulibaly is able to get healthy, this season, he would play at least 1,2,3 games, provided its not postseason.
The reason 1,2,3 games at first, and not more, is to TEST Koulibaly, and see IF he is the best on the ball defender, and PG on the team, etc.
IF he PANS OUT during those 1 to 4 games, he will play more. And then if he continues to play well, he will continue playing.
A awesome Koulibaly is needed, so that Koulibaly can play the 1. PG, while Bonton gets moved to the 2.
That, and Koulibaly playing well is ABSOLUTLY necessary for WSU to make the NCAA Tournament, and even to go DEEP in the NIT.
Yes Rosario needs time, but IF Koulibaly can help get to the NCAA, and or go DEEP in NIT, then he needs to be played, because going to the NCAA, NIT, is good for RECRUITING.
Now IF there is little to no chance of NCAA, NIT, then Rosario would probably get played over Koulibaly and get more minutes.
Also some might think that this team is a NCAA, NIT team. But the team is 1-2, with more hard road games to come, and is 6th place.
And this team is probably a 5th, 6th, 7th place team at best.
And to get to the NCAA/NIT, this team needs to finish 4th/5th in pac 12 at worst.
And that is doable, but the team needs Koulibaly IF IF he is healthy, pans out, produces, real deal, lives up to what he is ON PAPER, now.
Also just like Rosario needs the minutes.
Koulibaly needs the Minutes. Koulibaly is probably going to be the 1,2 PG, combo guard, scoring guard, and step into Bonton's role, shoes, either next season, or the season after that.
And Koulibaly needs the minutes this season to help do that.
All that said, IF Koulibaly isnt healthy, and if WSU iscnot going to make the NCAA, NIT, and IF Koulibaly doesnt pan out, etc, he wouldnt play this season.
But if he is healthy, if WSU is on the NCAA, NIT bubble or close to it, and if pans out, then he Koulibaly plays, and Rosario can either play less or sit, and get more minutes, develop next season.
Besides, WSU has a LOT of 3's, WINGs, that Rosario would play at.
There is AJ Jak, Kunc, Noah, Bamba, etc.
Yeah if Rosario develops, pans out, is a more natural, better offensive/Defensive fit at the 3 spot then any of the others on the team.
But still its not necessary for Rosario to get minutes, if that means Koulibaly is able to help the team this season.
I don’t see why Koulibay and Rosario’s playing time would be linked? They don’t play the same position or have the same skill set. Both of their time would be based on the players at their respective positions. If koulibay is healthy and can help he will most likely play. I’ve been a little miffed by Rosario playing in crunch time with the game on the line, while proven assets were on the bench available. He hasn’t played bad but at this time he doesn’t bring much to the table. I’m all for getting him minutes but not when the game is on the line. Of course he may very well be earning coaches confidence in practice.
Here is how Koulibaly and Rosario could be linked.
Lets say due to injuries, or during substitution patterns, that you end up with:
3. Wing: Noah Williams, 2: (Bonton, Rapp), 1. Whoever.
Now if Noah was playing his usual 2 spot, and AJ, Kunc, etc, was at the 3 spot then Rosario would get more minutes, because AJ, Kunc, Noah, is more in front of him then if it was just AJ, Kunc, etc, and not noah in front.
Now if Noah is at the 3 because of substitutions, and putting AJ, Kunc temporarily on bench being substituted for, and if then substitute Rosario at the 3, here is what happens.
3. Rosario, 2. Noah, 1. Bonton.
The reason that could be less playing time for Koulibaly, is that if substitute Koulibaly in, that means that Bonton goes either to the 2 or bench.
And if to the 2, then either Noah goes to the 3, or bench, and if Noah goes to 3, the Rosario goes to bench.
Also that time might not be a good time for Bonton, Noah to be benched.
The only way to not bench Bonton, and Noah in this situation, is to:
1. Koulibaly. 2. Bonton. 3. Noah.
And the only way Rosario gets into the game is at the 3. And only way Rosario gets into the game, at the 3, is if either Koulibaly comes out, moving Bonton to 1 and 2 spots, or Bonton moving Noah to 2 spot, or if Noah comes out.
And if you want Noah and Bonton in, then that would mean, the only way Rosario gets in is at the 3, moving Bonton and Noah to the 1 and 2 spots, and sending Koulibaly to the bench.
Of course this would be a special, limited, specific substitution pattern, an or due to injuries, etc.
But this does show how Koulibaly, and Rosario could be linked as far as how if Rosario gets more minutes, it could displace Koulibaly and could cause Koulibaly to get less minutes
