Freemantle Hurt

[XUBison]

Am I right that Jerome Hunter was the highest rated high school player on our roster? He’s been such a pleasant surprise this year, and now he has to be champing at the bit. Let’s go Jerome… Time to become an X legend!

[IM4X]

Losing Zach is huge- please don't misunderstand. But, without Boum...who gets Zach the ball, runs the offense for 30+ minutes, etc. I think we have seen, in a few games, what happens when Nunge is off the floor for a while. And with Jones...offense, defense, etc. Yes, no doubt, he runs hot and cold.

I also think it is matter of who is behind the guy- at least the 22-23 version of Hunter gives us a fighting chance at the 4. I don't see any 6-9 game replacement for Boum, Nunge and Jones.

We can all have a hypothetical debate about which X players are the most valuable or which ones we think would be the biggest loss for the team at this point of the season. We can even start ranking each player. The fact is that they are all very important to this team and no one will ever be able to prove they were right. It is something that simply no one can ever prove.

What I believe is provable is that Freemantle has been as valuable to this season’s team as Colby, Souley and Jack. After all he has done, I just do not see how Zach can be thought I’d as a level below those three.

I get how special Boum has been this year. How can anyone not see it? While Claude and Kunkel don’t offer all of the skills that Boum does, they would be capable of running the point. Heck, so could Colby. Would it be absolutely devastating to lose Boum? Hell yes. It would make it much harder to have a deep run for sure (he just offers so much), but who’s to say someone wouldn’t be able to step up and handle the point the way others would have to step up if Free can’t play in the NCAA tournament. Let’s remember that after Hunter, there is a pretty big drop off with the bigs.

Any one of those four players (Jones, Nunge, Free and Boum) would be a huge blow. Even losing Kunkel and Hunter (and to some extent Claude) would be brutal for this team. I think we all know what each player has meant to this team this season so far. Yet, it feels like some fans seem to be a little quicker to forget how often Freemantle has stepped up and how much he’s done for this team in games where others have struggles around him. He is arguable the most consistent player and like I said, he had been the high scorer for X in 6 of their past 10 games.

I think we are so fortunate to have such a balanced team, where any one of 6 players can step up and be “the guy” in a game. I just can not look at what Zach has done to contribute to this team and honestly suggest it had been at a level below Nunge, Boum, and Colby this season. Zach has consistently stepped up and delivered - he even received BE conference honors 5 times this season.

I love all of our players. We have great balance and many scoring options. The first 7 have all played a part in wins this season. It would suck to lose any one of them. We all know we don’t win unless we score a ton of points, because our defense is not that good. Zach has been the biggest scorer on offense over the past 10 games. He has also been the leading rebounder. Put it all together and it is clear Zach has been every bit as important as any of those three you put above him. It might be more comforting for fans to feel he is not. His stats prove otherwise.

[X-band '01]

Wll NCAA Selection Committee evaluate X as team with and without Freemantle? In theory if say X loses 6 games between now and March and then Freemantle hops back on the team, will X be evaluated as the strong healthy "good ' that had strong resume prior to 1/30/23?

X could drop in BE to 5th/6th place in BE then in first week of March get Freemantle back and win 1st two BE matchups, lose in semi finals with a record of 25-9 regular season record. wins 2 BE games with Freemantle and goes from bubble to a 4 seed all based on Freemantle's foot?

The Selection Committee would take the injury into consideration, but they wouldn't completely excuse losses without Freemantle. Now if he does NOT return this year, then the Committee has to re-evaluate Xavier without him in the lineup.

[IM4X]

I am not disrespecting him and he has been huge. I also am not disputing he has been one of (if not the best) players on the team this year. I am speaking strictly from a standpoint of what this team is able to try and do to replace players who would be injured. If Boum went down we'd have a lot harder time piecing together replacements imo. Boum is the most indispensable player on this roster.

None of them would be easy to replace, and no one will replace Freemantle. I just think it is lucky that our 6th man and the guy who will have to step up the most plays the same position as Freemantle. That lessens the blow at least a little bit in my mind.

I didn’t mean to suggest you were purposely disrespecting him. I do hear what you are saying. I just feel he has been much more valuable than he is being given credit.

Whether he would be the most devastating loss or the 4th most devastating loss is simply unprovable. It really is. We are all just talking like we know how the team will function without different important pieces. It’s pure speculation. The team might be able to keep playing tough without Freemantle, but they may also be able to do so without Jones or Nunge or Boum.

I can see a scenario where Claude could fill I for Boum, if he went down and then Colby and Adam could even help out if need be at the 1 spot. It would absolutely suck, but I could see how the team could make it work. Maybe it would cost X a deep run. I can also see a scenario where they can come together and make it work without Freemeantle, but then maybe they are unable to make up for his scoring or his rebounding. We just don’t know.

If I am Zach and I am reading this board, knowing I have been the top scorer 6 of the last 10 games and been the top rebounder and been given BE conference honors 5 times and I am still seeing people talk about me as the 4th most important option on the team, I know I’d feel a little disrespected. The other three you’ve put above him are special- don’t get me wrong. Zach has been even more special during 6 of the last 10 outings, though. I hate to see anyone get hurt and have to miss games. I know what the others three bring, but Zach’s stats say he is as devastating a loss as any of the X player and as they say… stats do not lie.

[IM4X]

Losing Zach's offense is BIG, but maybe we can bring out that top secret weapon that we been keeping hidden all season. DEFENSE!

Now that I can get behind.

[D-West & PO-Z]

I didn’t mean to suggest you were purposely disrespecting him. I do hear what you are saying. I just feel he has been much more valuable than he is being given credit.

Whether he would be the most devastating loss or the 4th most devastating loss is simply unprovable. It really is. We are all just talking like we know how the team will function without different important pieces. It’s pure speculation. The team might be able to keep playing tough without Freemantle, but they may also be able to do so without Jones or Nunge or Boum.

I can see a scenario where Claude could fill I for Boum, if he went down and then Colby and Adam could even help out if need be at the 1 spot. It would absolutely suck, but I could see how the team could make it work. Maybe it would cost X a deep run. I can also see a scenario where they can come together and make it work without Freemeantle, but then maybe they are unable to make up for his scoring or his rebounding. We just don’t know.

If I am Zach and I am reading this board, knowing I have been the top scorer 6 of the last 10 games and been the top rebounder and been given BE conference honors 5 times and I am still seeing people talk about me as the 4th most important option on the team, I know I’d feel a little disrespected. The other three you’ve put above him are special- don’t get me wrong. Zach has been even more special during 6 of the last 10 outings, though. I hate to see anyone get hurt and have to miss games. I know what the others three bring, but Zach’s stats say he is as devastating a loss as any of the X player and as they say… stats do not lie.

I think the part you are missing is no one is saying that Freemantle is a level below those guys in terms of production, or points scored, or performance this year. We strictly rank him below those others due to the circumstances of the make up of the team. That is it. If our 6th man was a really solid PG off the bench instead of a PF, I'd rank Boum 4 and he is one of the frontrunners for BE POY.

Nothing at all do to performance this season.

But you are correct, its all a matter of opinion.

[IM4X]

Agree Zach is a huge part of this team and he has been a big reason they are having the season they are. Having said that I think teams are more focused on stopping Souley because if he is comfortable they all get comfortable. My guess is the scouting reports all start with not giving him any space. Teams are really being aggressive with Souley lately. I think teams donÂ’t put their best player on Zach and also target him when he is on defense. Either way losing Zach isnÂ’t good but I think this team can overcome him not being out there.

The fact remains that Free has delivered time and time again for the team. He has rarely squandered opportunities on offense. I love Nunge and appreciate what his size and skill set allows us to do inside, but I am equally appreciative of the skill set and how he has delivered both in terms of points and rebounds. I would even go so far as to say, Zach has been a little more efficient on offense than Jack lately. While I have complete confidence that Zach will elevate his game to a very high level moving forward, I still canÂ’t help but think how vulnerable we will be without Zach and how much more firepower we will need to see from his teammates.

I like that Sean was open and transparent about needing a new plan for Boum with all of the additional attention heÂ’s been getting. The thing I donÂ’t get: if opponents are starting to cover Souley more aggressively, then one of his teammates should be a little more open. We are a very balanced team with lots of talented options. We should be able to take advantage of the situation when opponents start giving extra attention to Boum.

[xavierj]

The fact remains that Free has delivered time and time again for the team. He has rarely squandered opportunities on offense. I love Nunge and appreciate what his size and skill set allows us to do inside, but I am equally appreciative of the skill set and how he has delivered both in terms of points and rebounds. I would even go so far as to say, Zach has been a little more efficient on offense than Jack lately. While I have complete confidence that Zach will elevate his game to a very high level moving forward, I still canÂ’t help but think how vulnerable we will be without Zach and how much more firepower we will need to see from his teammates.

I like that Sean was open and transparent about needing a new plan for Boum with all of the additional attention heÂ’s been getting. The thing I donÂ’t get: if opponents are starting to cover Souley more aggressively, then one of his teammates should be a little more open. We are a very balanced team with lots of talented options. We should be able to take advantage of the situation when opponents start giving extra attention to Boum.

I agree that Zach is having a great year but you can look at four of Xavier’s best wins this year where Zach played fewer minutes and didn’t produce a ton in those games. The games against West Virginia, 20 minutes (was not in foul trouble), against Marquette 22 minutes (was not in foul trouble) and UCONN (21 minutes and fouled out). He also struggled at home against creighton going 2-9 and 5 points. My only point is that Xavier is capable of winning without Zach. Not ideal to not have him but they can win games. I don’t think that is the case if they were to lose Souley.

[IM4X]

I think the part you are missing is no one is saying that Freemantle is a level below those guys in terms of production, or points scored, or performance this year. We strictly rank him below those others due to the circumstances of the make up of the team. That is it. If our 6th man was a really solid PG off the bench instead of a PF, I'd rank Boum 4 and he is one of the frontrunners for BE POY.

Nothing at all do to performance this season.

But you are correct, its all a matter of opinion.

Fair enough.

I do appreciate your opinion, I just want to make sure we fans are giving sufficient props to a player who has hustled his tail off and delivered at such a high level for his team throughout the season. I am so proud of the improved focus, attitude, effort and stats (scoring/rebounds) we have seeing from Zach. I want him to feel we appreciate all that he has done and I feel we should acknowledge that he has been one of the best (and sometimes even the best) on the team -not that he is someone who is “a level below” a group of three other players on the team. Anyway, I think you get my point.

[D-West & PO-Z]

Fair enough.

I do appreciate your opinion, I just want to make sure we fans are giving sufficient props to a player who has hustled his tail off and delivered at such a high level for his team throughout the season. I am so proud of the improved focus, attitude, effort and stats (scoring/rebounds) we have seeing from Zach. I want him to feel we appreciate all that he has done and I feel we should acknowledge that he has been one of the best (and sometimes even the best) on the team -not that he is someone who is “a level below” a group of three other players on the team. Anyway, I think you get my point.

No doubt. Freemantle has been better than I think any of us could have ever expected this year. Huge kudos to him for answering Miller's challenge.