2023-2024 Starting Lineup

[Cincypunk.org]

With all the recent moves what are we thinking this year’s starting lineup and bench will look like?


PG: McKnight (SR)
SG: Olivari (SR)
SF: Claude (SO)
PF: Gytis Nemeiska (FR)
C: Ousmane (SR)

Bench:
C: Duncombe (JR)
PG: Green (FR)
SF: Craft (SO)
SF: Ducharme (FR)
SF: Swain (FR)
PF: Nzeh (FR)
PF: Lazar Djokivic (FR)
PF: Sasa Ciani (FR)

I am so lost with so many new players, especially the influx of foreign ones.

Who has the most promise as a freshman right away? Long term?

What does it look like the foreign players will contribute? All the highlight videos make them look extremely skilled… but they are highlight videos.

[xukeith]

With all the recent moves what are we thinking this year’s starting lineup and bench will look like?


PG: McKnight (SR)
SG: Olivari (SR)
SF: Claude (SO)
PF: Gytis Nemeiska (FR)
C: Ousmane (SR)

Bench:
C: Duncombe (JR)
PG: Green (FR)
SF: Craft (SO)
SF: Ducharme (FR)
SF: Swain (FR)
PF: Nzeh (FR)
PF: Lazar Djokivic (FR)
PF: Sasa Ciani (FR)

I am so lost with so many new players, especially the influx of foreign ones.

Who has the most promise as a freshman right away? Long term?

What does it look like the foreign players will contribute? All the highlight videos make them look extremely skilled… but they are highlight videos.

I think Lazar has a tone of hype with early analysis of his tourney play in Europe.
Biggest surprise is Nzeh. Big men usually don't show so much comfort in their own skin as their bodies are not fully formed.
Nzeh was least ranked per 247 recruiting but early talk has him playing well and creating a buzz.
Green is best ranked recruit and he looks like a small pg who can shoot it very well. If Miller picks a guy to run the team, he likely should be very good.

[muskiefan82]

The bench is SO YOUNG

[XUGRAD80]

The TEAM is SO YOUNG

Fixed it for ya

[MHettel]

One of the euro dudes is like 20.

[posaune]

Gytis is a SR, not a FR.

[xavierj]

The bench will be young but the starting lineup has played in over 420 college games. Oliveri going into his 5th year, McKnight, Gytis, and Ousmane going into year 4 and Claude year 2.

[MHettel]

would be ideal if the younger guys all get a little shot to play this year and we can anchor this roster a little more. I think ideally we'd get in a rhythm where 6-7 guys return each year. Maybe it was inevitable that we needed a year like this becasue Steele kept striking out with the incoming freshmen and then relying on short term transfers to fill BIG holes.

But Green and Nzeh already have shown they can play at this level. Swain is an apparent freak and maybe will develop more like DBrown. Durcharme and Craft seem a little redundant, but hopefully one of them sticks as a deadly shooter at SF.

Also hoping that the foreign guys stay "loyal" if they are productive. would hate to lose those guys in the portal chasing money, but I get the hunch they may not be "wired" the same way as some domestic kids may be.

could be interesting this year. I feel like we could be anywhere from right around .500 in BE play to top 2.

[sirthought]

I'm not saying they can't, but I don't think anyone on this board has seen that Green and Nzeh can play at this level until we actually hit Big East play. We've all seen players that look great early and then hit a wall once the competition notches up. This season is totally up in the air right now. Probably one of Sean Miller's bigger challenges.

Claude and Craft, whether starting or off the bench, have become the most important members as far as leadership and guidance into league play. I know everyone has questions about Craft, understandably. I think the skill is there, but perhaps the confidence amongst the D1 level of physicality was not. He's going to adjust and work into it. Claude is somewhat the opposite, as his confidence and courage seemed higher than his ability at times. Just have to be patient with both and allow them to develop.

The transfers are really in a unique spot, as you often have to work your way into a system. These guys are going to be the core and it's now or never.

I'm so glad they got an early start. Even with the very late additions, all the others who went though the drills and learning what they did can help the newest guys along.

[xu82]

We need some kind of on-line Cram Class to figure out who all these guys are, and how they will fit together!