[tizzy]

Personally, another Davis would be nice but we need someone who can be serviceable this season. How many guys are in the portal? Over 1200? there may well be a Henson or Giddens out there, but I'd be satisfied with someone like Ryan Pierson.

I'm sure the staff knows what they need and who they'd like to get and who they can get...this is all just off season chatter about roster construction from a bunch of people who have no say.

I have to say about all the talk about Giddens…sure he was a massive and imposing-looking guy and could jump out of the gym, but he gave us very little production, often played to start the game until the first timeout and some fill in time, had hands of stone and was super prone to fouling. Loved his size but we really did not get much from him given all his presumed promise. I secretly hope this new kid from URI could be a sleeper, as he apparently takes great pride in his defense and has a great feel for blocking shots. We shall see.

 

[UVM Hoop Cat]

I'll also add, I have zero expectations that Duncan Demuth suits up for UVM again. When he did play, his contribution was that of a walk-on level at-best.

Becker clearly didn't value Gibson on the defensive end, and we all know you have to play defense to get on the court at UVM, soooo..unless his defense has improved dramatically I'm not banking on a ton of minutes from Gibson next season, or an increased role, either.

I have to say about all the talk about Giddens…sure he was a massive and imposing-looking guy and could jump out of the gym, but he gave us very little production, often played to start the game until the first timeout and some fill in time, had hands of stone and was super prone to fouling. Loved his size but we really did not get much from him given all his presumed promise. I secretly hope this new kid from URI could be a sleeper, as he apparently takes great pride in his defense and has a great feel for blocking shots. We shall see.

Don't disagree- but this is the type of player some UVM fans here seem to be pining for, for some reason- and I don't even think we can even land a player like Giddens in the portal right now.

 

[catpower]

This dude's process and interested teams is crazy to me:

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1521649539169591296

 

[UVM Hoop Cat]

I don't even consider St. John's a big enough win to the point I forgot we even did beat St. John's.

Best OOC game to-date by Becker at UVM wasn't even a win; it was almost beating Duke at Cameron back with Sandro/Voelkel/Rugg etc

 

[GoCatsGo]

This dude's process and interested teams is crazy to me:

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1521649539169591296

I'm dying to know how current that "heard from" list is, or is this what you tell the recruiting tweeters who will just hit send when you're trying to create some buzz for yourself.

 

[UVM Hoop Cat]

I'm dying to know how current that "heard from" list is, or is this what you tell the recruiting tweeters who will just hit send when you're trying to create some buzz for yourself.

Tell me nobody is recruiting you by telling me nobody is actually recruiting you.

Just curious, what's your beef with Lonergan. As far as I know, he wanted out of Burlington as soon as he arrived...

As far as this obsession with size, it's not like we're alone. Every message board in America is consumed with it. Everyone wants a 6-8 (hopefully plus) dude with athleticism and skills. Thus, this player is very tough to get, especially at this level. Chris Holm is an anomaly. He really prospered at Vermont.

When we beat BC and Rutgers, I don't think they were exactly peaking. As far as I know, BC will never play us again.

Rutgers was not good, but BC was ranked #14 in country when we beat them. I'm not sure the next time BC will sniff the Top 25 these days.

We also beat a down Colorado team around the same time we beat Rutgers, IIRC.

Edit: Found it. 25-piece on the Buffaloes:

Colorado vs. Vermont - Box Score - December 30, 2008 - ESPN

Get box score updates on the Colorado Buffaloes vs. Vermont Catamounts basketball game.

www.espn.com

 

[ProfessorDavid]

I don't think another Davis is happening. Another Giddens, a big who can guard the post even with limited offense, would be nice and is more feasible

 

[Catamanica]

Tell me nobody is recruiting you by telling me nobody is actually recruiting you.


Rutgers was not good, but BC was ranked #14 in country when we beat them. I'm not sure the next time BC will sniff the Top 25 these days.

We also beat a down Colorado team around the same time we beat Rutgers, IIRC.

Edit: Found it. 25-piece on the Buffaloes:

Colorado vs. Vermont - Box Score - December 30, 2008 - ESPN

Get box score updates on the Colorado Buffaloes vs. Vermont Catamounts basketball game.

www.espn.com

Yes, I know BC was ranked 14 at the time. However, as I recall, that ranking was not deserved and they quickly become unranked and mediocre. Still, BC was a huge W for Vermont, same for St. John's, Rutgers and Colorado.

 

[Catamanica]

I'll also add, I have zero expectations that Duncan Demuth suits up for UVM again. When he did play, his contribution was that of a walk-on level at-best.

Becker clearly didn't value Gibson on the defensive end, and we all know you have to play defense to get on the court at UVM, soooo..unless his defense has improved dramatically I'm not banking on a ton of minutes from Gibson next season, or an increased role, either.


Don't disagree- but this is the type of player some UVM fans here seem to be pining for, for some reason- and I don't even think we can even land a player like Giddens in the portal right now.

Gibson is a scorer, from beginning to end. I think he'll see a lot of the floor. Right now, I have him penned in as a starter in the backcourt with Penn. If that wasn't the case, I think he would've transferred.

 

[Catamanica]

You know why he lost his job at GW, right? Do you think that kind of thing wasn't going on at UVM???

Perhaps I just don't like short coaches who throw hissy fits on the floor during games...
(with the exception of John Gallagher, of course )

Yes, I know about the GW situation. I should've chosen my words more carefully. I guess I was asking for more Lonergan stories. Hey, it's the offseason.

 

[ProfessorDavid]

I think AD or Gibson will start but not both. Their games are similar
...with Penn, Finn, Robin and Fiorillo (as of now)

 

[UVM Hoop Cat]

Gibson is a scorer, from beginning to end. I think he'll see a lot of the floor. Right now, I have him penned in as a starter in the backcourt with Penn. If that wasn't the case, I think he would've transferred.

I'm pretty certain the starting backcourt will be Penn & Sullivan. I'd bank on R Duncan being a starter before Gibson.

 

[Mr quint]

FWIW, I paid pretty close attention to Gibson during the second half of the season after he came back from the injury. I thought he got better defensively. He’s obviously a scorer at heart, which is fine. But I do think he’s got a defined role in the system now and should be a valuable guy for us next year.

 

[Steve-skylar-nash]

While I love the idea of 5 guys waiting around in the 3 pt line, I don’t think UVM will play many line ups together with just shooters. I’m sure we’ll see Penn (slasher) paired up with Sullivan (shooter). Same goes if Duncan starts. He’s more of a drive and kick kind of player, at least ideally.

 

[Steve-skylar-nash]

Also, Sullivan was a terrible shooter in the last third of the season after he broke his finger, but if I recall correctly, wasn’t he a 45+% 3pt shooter before that?

 

[UViridisMontis]

He was probably always going to leave, but I think the BC win is the reason we missed out on multiple years of Trapani playing with Blakely and Trimboli.

 

[VT Cats Fan]

Gibson is a scorer, from beginning to end. I think he'll see a lot of the floor. Right now, I have him penned in as a starter in the backcourt with Penn. If that wasn't the case, I think he would've transferred.

A scorer that averaged 5.4 pts per game and 38% from the field...yikes. I hope we don't have too many of those "scorer" types on our roster next year.

Maybe, "scorer" is just a label that gets put on someone that shoots a lot and can't guard???

 

[UVM Hoop Cat]

Sullivan & R Duncan are the team's two best returning defensive players- by a significant margin. Expect that both will play a lot next season, because they will.

I like Gibson-he's a great scoring option to have off the bench, but unless his defense improves I'm not sure his role/minutes will change a great deal from last season to next.

People hoping Demuth turns into a contributor is similar to hoping you win $1M on scratchers at the gas station.

 

[VT Cats Fan]

I have to say about all the talk about Giddens…sure he was a massive and imposing-looking guy and could jump out of the gym, but he gave us very little production, often played to start the game until the first timeout and some fill in time, had hands of stone and was super prone to fouling. Loved his size but we really did not get much from him given all his presumed promise. I secretly hope this new kid from URI could be a sleeper, as he apparently takes great pride in his defense and has a great feel for blocking shots. We shall see.

I was as hard on Giddens early in the season as anyone, for the reasons that you mentioned. I thought by the end of the season, although his minutes were limited, we was a solid role player. He was on a team with Lamb, Davis and Steph Smith - he didn't need to score. He needed to guard bigs, protect the rim, and get rebounds. I think that he did that reasonably well.

If UVM had made the tourney that year, he would have been a viable defender against a team that likely would have had big, athletic guys in the front court. Something that UVM doesn't usually have.

The case that you correctly made against Giddens IS the reason that a guy like him may be available to UVM in the portal. Does UVM NEED a guy like him for conference play? Probably not, but if the goal is to win an NCAA game at some point, UVM is not likely to do so with a bunch of 6'3" to 6'7" guys.

 

[catpower]

FWIW, I paid pretty close attention to Gibson during the second half of the season after he came back from the injury. I thought he got better defensively. He’s obviously a scorer at heart, which is fine. But I do think he’s got a defined role in the system now and should be a valuable guy for us next year.

He earned the trust of the coaching staff toward the end for spot minutes over the likes of Guillory once he was healthy again, and Guillory left sooo...I'd say it's fair he'll be a significant rotational piece next year. And yeah, his defense isn't great but UVM plays enough team defense they've effectively masked some sub-par defenders over the years that he just has to be passible enough. Maybe he grows into that in the offseason who knows.