We have enough players. It's bad enough that one is going to have to leave. Let's not have a revolving door. I don't want to have a program where players are constantly being pushed out. If an extra player leaves, we can use the spot for next year, since we wont have any seniors then either.
None of this ugliness at Duquesne!
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20161115/BLOGS04/161119930/former-northwestern-basketball-player-alleges-school-tried-to-force-him-off-the-team
 

duq81 wrote:

We have enough players. It's bad enough that one is going to have to leave. Let's not have a revolving door. I don't want to have a program where players are constantly being pushed out. If an extra player leaves, we can use the spot for next year, since we wont have any seniors then either.
None of this ugliness at Duquesne!
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20161115/BLOGS04/161119930/former-northwestern-basketball-player-alleges-school-tried-to-force-him-off-the-team
 

This is a double-edged sword as you do not want to be caught if someone transfers on their own volition.  I wouldn't be in the business of just kicking people out.  You also have to be honest with some of these kids.  It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that we potentially have a logjam at center.  Kelly, Hughes, Swingle, Ellis, Rotroff.  Can someone develop into a legit 4 man to get on the floor.

To me, this isn't being negative; its merely discussing reality.  One thing that you really do need to keep in mind is the spread among the classes.  Each players time will come.  Its just a matter if they want to be patient. 

Having said all of this, I have not followed this part of the equation to much.  I hope we recruit at least 1 more high level type player since I do believe someone will leave.  We got a really good recruit in Maceo Austin coming in.  This kid is doing dynamic things.  If we could somehow get lucky and get someone of his pedigree to fall into our laps this recruiting season, it will really accelerate our growth. 

I also think AKelly and GB can develop at the 4 spot.

Really, really need a sharpshooter. Thus seems to be the biggest short fall.

Wade is only a freshman. Lots of time to grow. Very rare can a freshman point guard just take over a team in a tough conference

Westender wrote:

Is anyone concerned about PG position, given Carry's chronic knee issues and Wade's play so far?

Not me.  Carry can get his knee issue cleaned up in the offseason, and if he stays in town, would likely be at UPMC or AHN, and receive excellent care/rehab.  Wade is developing, he wont become a big time scorer, but will be fine running point.
TDM can play PG too, although he seems best when playing with a PG.

yak-rbc wrote:

Wade is only a freshman. Lots of time to grow. Very rare can a freshman point guard just take over a team in a tough conference

How is he going to grow if he never plays?
 

We were actually two over the limit last year. Duquesne announced in May 2017 that it had reached its scholarship limit with the four freshmen, four transfers and five returning players. Then Frankie Hughes was added to the roster a month or so later. Then Chas Brown turned up just as practice was beginning as a grad transfer from Coppin State. We assumed he walked on, though I don't believe he was ever identified as such and he certainly played more minutes than your typical walk-on.

I always thought Frankie Hughes was on non-athletic aid/paying his own way for last year with the promise of an athletic scholarship once he became eligible. Others thought Kratholm was on academic scholarship (he's sitting out this year at Longwood so probably not). And someone, I think CLK, said Craig Randall was the non-scholarship player. That's a real possibility since Randall became eligible for Tenn-Martin this year after starting the season practicing with the Dukes, kind of unheard of in the NCAA that a scholarship player can become eligible so soon after transferring, even for a hardship case. Anyway, it seems Keith has some flexibility from Duquesne for carrying more players on his roster so long as he doesn't break NCAA rules. So don't assume someone needs to transfer, though I don't doubt that some kids will in search of more playing time elsewhere. 

Something else to keep in mind: the four redshirt sophomores will all be free to graduate-transfer out after their junior years. I'd be surprised if all four stick around for their senior years though some likely will. 

As for the sharpshooter, doesn't Maceo Austin fit the bill? Wade has his shortcomings but I've seen enough flashes from him to want him to stay and develop here. Have you ever noticed during timeouts how he's listening attentively to the coach even if he's not in the game? The expectations for him were well beyond what the kid has been capable of this year (expectations that Carry has pretty much exceeded), but I think he's a smart, heady player who's lacking in confidence more than anything else. I thought he added some good defensive energy in the second-half comeback against Fordham Saturday. He may need to be the starting point guard (30-35 minutes a game) somewhere to really develop his game and that won't be at Duquesne as long as we have Carry but I think he can be a solid rotational guy if he stays.

kcc173 wrote:

Kratholm is not at Longwood this season. Playing for Miami Dade

Wow, that didn't last. Thanks for the update. Couldn't have been easy to find a JUCO that offers a biomedical engineering major.

From what I heard, the non scholarship player was the kid from Peurto Rico who never played because of the rape accusation.

Last edited by Duques102 (2/13/2019 4:43 pm)

kcc173 wrote:

Dennis. I don’t know how it plays out but maybe he can JUCO at Miami Dade this year, not have to sit out, then go to Longwood next year? Longwood site makes no mention of him. Earlier, like July or August, he was referenced there but September showed him going to Dade which was confirmed on Verbalcommits.com

Perhaps, though he'd still lose a year of eligibility. Had he sat out this year, he wouldn't have. Clearly he wants/needs to work on his game and thinks this will be a good JUCO program to do it at. He was photographed in a Longwood uniform, like a media guide photograph, and that photograph was shared online, which is why we all thought he was going to Longwood. Then a Longwood blogger who covers the program pretty closely reported that he had committed shortly after that. I could have sworn Verbalcommits had him going there as well at the time. But I see by September, he was at Miami-Dade. 

CLK wrote:

I don't want to see anyone leave, however, you never know.  If a scholarship would open up I would like the Dukes to land a quality combo guard. I know the Dukes have offered this kid early.  He also has an offer from Mason and a ton of mid major schools.  I think the Dukes may still be recruiting him since Dambrot went to see him play a couple weeks ago.  He is a strong hardnose PG who can score.  Check out this short clip from his last game.

https://twitter.com/beltwaybball/status/1087095790126989313
 

That's what we need. A guy who can back up Carry at the point, plus play with him.