If Toles or Culver are believed to be guys who get to the rim, AND play defense, I'm really in favor of them over anyone else listed on here. No slight on Baich, but I agree with your thought that we have at least 1 player seemingly very much like him. If Bane's defensive inadequacies are as reported, then the only way I really want him is if they're also able to bring in a ready to play JUCO/Transfer.

On the other hand, bringing in Bane could lead to a different approach: Let's just outscore everyone, and try to average 90 a game. It's not the worst idea.

Either way - lots of fun to speculate and discuss!

Having wrestled with our needs for next season and how to get them, weighing in coach Phillips' assumed desire to bring in four-year players who can be groomed as the best option, while also willing to bring in a quality transfer with at least two seasons remaining, I think you have to consider scrapping that plan for this recruiting period. Not that we want to, but because we may have to. I do believe that Buffalo leads the charge of several teams that might force coach Phillips' hand.

This conference suddenly has accumulated a bevy of bouncy, athletic players who can take you off the dribble and create havoc at the rim. I don't know about you, but I'm tired of seeing the likes of Spencer Parker and Blake Hamilton wheeling and dealing. We have to combat these type of players--Xavier Pollard, Willie Conner, etc.

It's just my opinion, but I think we need to do all we can to combat this right away as this is the last rodeo for upcoming senior starters Tony Campbell and Kenny Kaminsky. We've got the dominant big guy in the middle, the dominant lead guard and some pretty good three-point shooters. And we've got a handful of youngsters who we believe will develop into pretty good players--in time. But The Stones aren't singing about Tony and Kenny, as time is not on their side. Next season is it.

Hence, I don't usually look to go this way, but finding an extra scholarship someway, somehow and then bringing in two quality Juco players may be the way to go. We need a small forward who can shoot/slash and defend, a big guard who can shoot/slash and defend and a backup point guard. Maybe we can get all three in two players: a lengthy wing who can play small forward and big guard, and a combo guard.

Coach Phillips says he can sell Ohio. Those two positions are open on a pretty stacked team, with Treg Setty graduating and minutes available behind Jaaron Simmons and Jordan Dartis. You want to dream Bobcat nation? What type of team would we have next season if the staff could bring in two guys within the proficiency zip code as Hamilton and Conner? They're out there. They don't have to produce like those two Jucos did this season; just be in that vicinity.

This would take the pressure off of our younger players to fill roles that they may not be ready for on a consistent basis. I don't know what coach Phillips' plan is. This is just the rambling of one Bobcat's thoughts.
Re-posted from the post, Saul Gets It.

I am psyched to see what Ellis Dozier brings to the team next year. I saw five games live this year and while I know it's just warmups, he seemed fairly bouncy and athletic on alley oops and dunks. Maybe with a year with Tony he will be ready to give us that athletic 4.

I don't believe I'm envious of what Buffalo did, OU Van. I'm giving them credit for what they did and I'm concerned about what they'll be next season, as well as a couple other MAC teams. Granted, we beat Buffalo twice, but they didn't have the suspended Lamonte Bearden the first time. I do believe he makes quite a difference.

I do like what I've seen from the kids that coach Phillips brought in. No problem with me there over the long haul for the likes of Doug Taylor and James Gollon. But it's hard to project whether they can be significant-minute contributors next season. Same for Laster, Harley and Wadly. That's a lot of uncertainty, recruit Jason Carter included. For next season.

So call me selfish, call me greedy. I just want to hedge my bet, because impact players with size the likes of Tony Campbell haven't come down the pike for us that often. So I would like to shore up a weakness or two with guys who are ready to play at a high level from the first day coach Phillips rolls out the balls for practice.

If the aforementioned players beat them out, great, we'll have a strong bench. If a Juco starts, and some of our other players are ready to fill in, great, we'll have a strong bench.

I lived through this on campus during the Walter Luckett years and saw it many times over as a professional sports writer, teams that came oh so close, but weren't able to maximize their player personnel efforts to do some serious damage while they had that impact player to build around. Gosh, how close we came back then! And I mean really close. You just don't know. Oh the pain! But I regress. We have a one-year window with Tony and Jaaron Simmons together. Can't we fortify next season's team while still building for the future?

Wadly has zero offense, he missed 3 straight baskets from within two feet of the rim the other night on one possession. If you take Tony out you can't let the offense totally disappear. Taylor has upside, Wadly not really.