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  1. #1
    Supporting Member MADXSTER's Avatar
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    2017 - 2018 Starters for the Opener

    This is always very difficult to do because most of us have never seen, other than video clips, the newcomers play.

    Once again, this is for the opener. IMO with Goodin and Scruggs on the floor at the same time, I would think that Xavier will want to have two capable shooters on the floor as well. If the opposing team pinches in to stop the drives, then it opens the floor to dish to the outside shooters. If the opposing team sticks in tight D, then that will open up the lane for drives. Pick your poison.

    Roster

    Quentin Goodin - his job to lose
    JP Macura - his job to lose
    Trevon Bluiett - his job to lose
    Sean O'Mara - his job to lose, will play 13 minutes a game
    Kaiser Gates - needs to play better D against bigs. plays better D against smaller guys
    Tyrique Jones - will play 13 minutes a game
    Paul Scruggs - his job to earn, highly touted
    Naji Marshall - can play the 1 - 4 positions. How many can he learn? Will play lots of minutes at the 3 & 4 IMO
    Jared Ridder - think JP but bigger. Will play a big role in games based on who Xavier is playing
    Elias Harden - 4 star SG. Will share time with Scruggs. When Scruggs plays the PG to give Goodin a rest, Harden will play SG.
    Kentrevious Jones - Redshirt if he makes it to Xavier
    Kerem Kanter - will play 13 minutes a game

    Back up PG was a concern last year. This year Goodin, Scruggs, Marshall, and Harden can all handle the ball as a PG. JP went from backup PG to 5th option in one year.


    Here is what I have....

    With Trevon

    Goodin
    Scruggs
    JP
    Trevon
    Jones


    Without Trevon

    Goodin
    Scruggs
    JP
    Gates
    Jones
    Last edited by MADXSTER; 04-17-2017 at 04:36 PM.
    Balls of Steele!!

  2. #2
    Hall of Famer xu82's Avatar
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    Looking at that depth of talent warms my heart!

    I remember having to wait so long to get a look at Ed and see if he was all that. I have at least that same excitement level again. This is awesome!

  3. #3
    Curious as to why you think O'Mara will start over Jones? I've seen others predict that as well. I'm just wondering why one would think Jones would suddenly lose his starting position. Is it simply because O'Mara will be a senior?

  4. #4
    Supporting Member MADXSTER's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ohionite_X View Post
    Curious as to why you think O'Mara will start over Jones? I've seen others predict that as well. I'm just wondering why one would think Jones would suddenly lose his starting position. Is it simply because O'Mara will be a senior?
    You make a great point. You are probably right that Jones will start and will have to edit. My thinking was that O'Mara started at the beginning of last season. In any event, I think that Jones, O'Mara and Kanter will split minutes at the 5 evenly unless(which is probable) that someone gets in foul trouble or isn't practicing well.
    Balls of Steele!!

  5. #5
    Hall of Famer xu82's Avatar
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    I just hope we get the awesome O'Mara that finished the season. (And not so much the one who began the season in a bit of a fog.) SO MUCH potential. It's hard to say what the biggest basket of the season was, but he's on the short list.

    With that said, hard to keep Tyrique off the floor too. This is a good problem to have.

  6. #6
    Supporting Member MADXSTER's Avatar
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    My takes

    Goodin - When he started starting, he could drive but had a hard time finishing. The game finally slowed down for him and he started finishing. His confidence grew as a ball handler as well. By the end of the season he wasn't playing like a freshman.

    JP - Things started to click for JP in the tournament as he became a distributer. Xavier is sooo dangerous if he continues in that manner. He realizes that he can distribute and will still get his points.

    Trevon - He worked on and improved his driving this past season. This coming up season he will perfect it and will be a headache to guard.

    O'Mara - The team had a hard time getting the ball into O'mara but Mack finally found a way. Expect to see more of that. O'Mara will become a force on the offensive end.

    Gates - His lateral movement is fantastic and with his height it helps him guard smaller players. He needs to become more of a defending force against the bigs. He's a big guy and needs to be more assertive and less passive against the bigs. If he does this, Xavier as a team plays at the next level.

    Jones - Has a year under his belt and will improve over the offseason. People will say he needs to foul less, which he does, but hopefully he does not trade that in and become less aggressive. Xavier needs him to stay an aggressive rim protector and shot blocker.

    Scruggs - Think of Goodin but bigger and stronger. Prediction is that he will average over 10ppg. He is also a defensive monster. Was voted the Best Defender coming out of the 2017 class.

    Marshall - 6'7" point forward with athleticism. Romain Sato??? Outside shooter and driver. Shot blocker. A do it all player. If Xavier wants to go small, they could go with Gates at the 5 and Marshall at the 4. If Gates can get to that next level, this line up would be devastating.

    Jared Ridder - 6'7" 3 point specialist but can handle the ball some and get to the rim. What impresses me the most about Ridder is how well he moves without the ball. Always sliding to get open so that when a pass comes, he is more likely to be open. That usually doesn't happen with freshman.

    Harden - Will shoot the 3 but will also drive with a pull up jumper. With the other guys who can drive, this is a perfect situation for a guy who pulls up. He makes 7 to 10 foot pull up jumpers like layups which is why he is a 4 star product. Oh and he can shoot the 3 too.

    Kerem Kanter - Once he gets going in the Xavier system, he will have his best collegiate year. He may end up as the best 3 pt shooter on this year's team. Yes, a big that can spread the floor.

    Jones - Don't think we'll see him this coming up year. Academics. Even if we do, it will be in the exhibition games.
    Balls of Steele!!

  7. #7
    Hall of Famer xu82's Avatar
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    Ridder is supposed to be a good 3 point shooter, but I'm struggling to find stats for who can shoot from deep, and how well. Any suggestions? (Or, more importantly, someone who will just post it here?)

  8. #8
    All-Conference XUFan09's Avatar
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    2017 - 2018 Starters for the Opener

    Quote Originally Posted by xu82 View Post
    Ridder is supposed to be a good 3 point shooter, but I'm struggling to find stats for who can shoot from deep, and how well. Any suggestions? (Or, more importantly, someone who will just post it here?)
    Ridder is labeled as one of the best shooters in the entire class, and Harden is also considered a good shooter. Scruggs and Marshall aren't really considered good shooters.

    Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by MADXSTER View Post
    Marshall - 6'7" point forward with athleticism. Romain Sato???
    Maybe more like James Posey?

  10. #10
    Senior X Factor's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MADXSTER View Post
    Scruggs - Think of Goodin but bigger and stronger. Prediction is that he will average over 10ppg. He is also a defensive monster. Was voted the Best Defender coming out of the 2017 class.

    Marshall - 6'7" point forward with athleticism. Romain Sato??? Outside shooter and driver. Shot blocker. A do it all player. If Xavier wants to go small, they could go with Gates at the 5 and Marshall at the 4. If Gates can get to that next level, this line up would be devastating.
    I don't think Scruggs is stronger than Goodin. Quentin set the Xavier freshman bench press record. Kid was jacked coming out of HS. Scruggs is longer than Goodin though and has elite defensive skills. Probably a better finisher too.

    Marshall is way more skilled than Sato was, especially coming out of HS, but no where near the athlete that Romain was. Sato was 6'3 but rebounded like a 6'9 or bigger guy (8th all-time in rebounding at X). Sato was a much better shooter than Marshall is. Marshall reminds me of much more skilled Justin Cage.

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