Comments on: Position by Position: Center http://www.umhoops.com/2008/10/16/position-by-position-center/ Michigan Basketball News, Recruiting, and Analysis Fri, 24 Jun 2011 03:53:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: BBall http://www.umhoops.com/2008/10/16/position-by-position-center/comment-page-1/#comment-7948 BBall Fri, 17 Oct 2008 20:16:45 +0000 http://www.umhoops.com/?p=466#comment-7948 Great preview of the Spartans. Thanks for the link! Who will we be facing at Center? Suton for the Spartans Is Butch Still Around at Wisc? DJ White is gone Pruitt for Illini? Didn't know if you had a quick run-down of centers for the other teams. Looking forward to the previews! Great preview of the Spartans. Thanks for the link!

Who will we be facing at Center?

Suton for the Spartans

Is Butch Still Around at Wisc?

DJ White is gone

Pruitt for Illini?

Didn’t know if you had a quick run-down of centers for the other teams.

Looking forward to the previews!

]]> By: Dylan http://www.umhoops.com/2008/10/16/position-by-position-center/comment-page-1/#comment-7947 Dylan Fri, 17 Oct 2008 18:56:03 +0000 http://www.umhoops.com/?p=466#comment-7947 BBall: I'm working with other Big Ten Bloggers to do a preview of all the teams around the Big Ten. So far I have done MSU http://www.umhoops.com/2008/10/02/around-the-big-ten-michigan-state/ And more coming soon. BBall: I’m working with other Big Ten Bloggers to do a preview of all the teams around the Big Ten.

So far I have done MSU
http://www.umhoops.com/2008/10/02/around-the-big-ten-michigan-state/

And more coming soon.

]]> By: Brick http://www.umhoops.com/2008/10/16/position-by-position-center/comment-page-1/#comment-7946 Brick Fri, 17 Oct 2008 18:54:17 +0000 http://www.umhoops.com/?p=466#comment-7946 I think Tom is right with his assessment. I think most fans saw Ekpe block some shots and assumed he was a great defender. His on the ball defense and positioning in the zone schemes were not very good last year. I don't think Gibson will be a step backwards. I also don't think Tom was saying that Gibson is great, just that we shouldn't be any worse at the center position than we were last year. We still need much better rebounding and one on one defense this year. I hope Cronin gets healthy because will need him to provide a little of both for about 10 minutes a game. I think Tom is right with his assessment. I think most fans saw Ekpe block some shots and assumed he was a great defender. His on the ball defense and positioning in the zone schemes were not very good last year. I don’t think Gibson will be a step backwards. I also don’t think Tom was saying that Gibson is great, just that we shouldn’t be any worse at the center position than we were last year. We still need much better rebounding and one on one defense this year. I hope Cronin gets healthy because will need him to provide a little of both for about 10 minutes a game.

]]> By: BBall http://www.umhoops.com/2008/10/16/position-by-position-center/comment-page-1/#comment-7945 BBall Fri, 17 Oct 2008 18:51:39 +0000 http://www.umhoops.com/?p=466#comment-7945 Who are the returning projected starters for the other teams in the big ten? How do we stack up? Who are the returning projected starters for the other teams in the big ten?

How do we stack up?

]]> By: Dylan http://www.umhoops.com/2008/10/16/position-by-position-center/comment-page-1/#comment-7944 Dylan Fri, 17 Oct 2008 18:08:20 +0000 http://www.umhoops.com/?p=466#comment-7944 I definitely understand what your saying about Ekpe. In regards to playing the 1-3-1 more I think that's likely as well. But last year I wouldn't give a very high grade to the combination of Ekpe & Zack and now we just have one of them and a freshman with no experience. I hope Gibson is a pleasant surprise, and don't think that would be out of the question. But there are still issues with Cronin even getting cleared to play, and then whether he is effective. It'll be interesting and I think whatever we get out of the 5 is one of the bottlenecks to how good this team will be. I definitely understand what your saying about Ekpe. In regards to playing the 1-3-1 more I think that’s likely as well. But last year I wouldn’t give a very high grade to the combination of Ekpe & Zack and now we just have one of them and a freshman with no experience.

I hope Gibson is a pleasant surprise, and don’t think that would be out of the question. But there are still issues with Cronin even getting cleared to play, and then whether he is effective.

It’ll be interesting and I think whatever we get out of the 5 is one of the bottlenecks to how good this team will be.

]]> By: Tom http://www.umhoops.com/2008/10/16/position-by-position-center/comment-page-1/#comment-7943 Tom Fri, 17 Oct 2008 18:02:37 +0000 http://www.umhoops.com/?p=466#comment-7943 Dylan, I'm not going to sit here and say Gibson is better than Ekpe...but I think Ekpe's defense accolades are overstated. He was a great shot blocker numbers wise, but in reviewing game film last year, he(along with Grady) were 2 big reasons why the 1-3-1 was such a sieve last year. Playing in the 1-3-1, Ekpe would basically just roam and not hanlde his positioning responsibilities and it put a lot of stress on the other parts of the D...sure he'd get some block shots, but that is going to happen when you try and block everyone's shot. To help prove my point, just look at Ekpe's rebounding numbers...how can a guy as long, athletic as Ekpe have such week rebounding numbers? It's because he was often out of position to get rebounds because he was trying to block shots. So, even with the gaudy shot block numbers, I think Ekpe was as much of the problem on D last year as anyone else on the team. I'm not saying Gibson is necessarily the answer, but he is a much better position defender than Ekpe was and he will be the part of the reason UM will be able to play more of the 1-3-1 this season. I also think Zack can be more effective on the boards because he will be in better position on a more frequent basis. Again, don't misinterpret this post as saying Gibson is the answer to all of UM's problems...all I'm saying is that while losing Ekpe will hurt, I don't believe it is near the issue that some think it will be. In fact...to me, Ekpe leaving is really only a BIG issue when it comes to depth...if Cronin is cleared to play and is able to log quality minutes to spell Gibson, Ekpe's loss becomes much less of an issue, IMO. Dylan, I’m not going to sit here and say Gibson is better than Ekpe…but I think Ekpe’s defense accolades are overstated. He was a great shot blocker numbers wise, but in reviewing game film last year, he(along with Grady) were 2 big reasons why the 1-3-1 was such a sieve last year.

Playing in the 1-3-1, Ekpe would basically just roam and not hanlde his positioning responsibilities and it put a lot of stress on the other parts of the D…sure he’d get some block shots, but that is going to happen when you try and block everyone’s shot. To help prove my point, just look at Ekpe’s rebounding numbers…how can a guy as long, athletic as Ekpe have such week rebounding numbers? It’s because he was often out of position to get rebounds because he was trying to block shots. So, even with the gaudy shot block numbers, I think Ekpe was as much of the problem on D last year as anyone else on the team.

I’m not saying Gibson is necessarily the answer, but he is a much better position defender than Ekpe was and he will be the part of the reason UM will be able to play more of the 1-3-1 this season. I also think Zack can be more effective on the boards because he will be in better position on a more frequent basis.

Again, don’t misinterpret this post as saying Gibson is the answer to all of UM’s problems…all I’m saying is that while losing Ekpe will hurt, I don’t believe it is near the issue that some think it will be. In fact…to me, Ekpe leaving is really only a BIG issue when it comes to depth…if Cronin is cleared to play and is able to log quality minutes to spell Gibson, Ekpe’s loss becomes much less of an issue, IMO.

]]> By: Dylan http://www.umhoops.com/2008/10/16/position-by-position-center/comment-page-1/#comment-7942 Dylan Fri, 17 Oct 2008 17:47:11 +0000 http://www.umhoops.com/?p=466#comment-7942 Gibson didn't get many touches on the block. Most set plays for Zack were three point shots honestly. The hope all around is that we will see a lot more backcuts and easy layups overall as the team starts to understand the system more. Gibson didn’t get many touches on the block. Most set plays for Zack were three point shots honestly.

The hope all around is that we will see a lot more backcuts and easy layups overall as the team starts to understand the system more.

]]> By: BBall http://www.umhoops.com/2008/10/16/position-by-position-center/comment-page-1/#comment-7941 BBall Fri, 17 Oct 2008 17:45:13 +0000 http://www.umhoops.com/?p=466#comment-7941 I remember Gibson getting quite a few lay-ins last year cutting to the rim and not many post-up moves. Do you remember from last year what his role was any better? Did he get any touches on the block? Do you think he will this year? Did teams double-down at all last year? I think he has really good touch around the rim (unlike Sims...hopefully that was a major point of emphasis in his offseason. Missed layups are killers). I would like to see him hit a jump-hook or up-and-under move consistently. I remember Gibson getting quite a few lay-ins last year cutting to the rim and not many post-up moves. Do you remember from last year what his role was any better?
Did he get any touches on the block?
Do you think he will this year?
Did teams double-down at all last year?

I think he has really good touch around the rim (unlike Sims…hopefully that was a major point of emphasis in his offseason. Missed layups are killers). I would like to see him hit a jump-hook or up-and-under move consistently.

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