SF LaQuinton Ross (Memphis Hustle - NBA G-League)

[DZ83CK]

He looked good on offense today. Definitely hope he sticks around next year because they will need another scorer.

 

[Jake]

If he leaves it is on him, and likely a mistake.

He needs to be quiet and work at this point in his development. Matta has a proven track record, and complaining in the media about PT isn't going to endear anyone to him, nor should it.

Ross has a bright future as long as he doesn't try to rush it. Patience.

 

[bkochmc]

I'm just wondering though, if in Q's mind, you see Sullinger and Thomas as likely early entrees into the NBA, and he's going to be NEEDED BADLY next year. Obviously, everyone knows Q's intentions of leaving after 1 year

This is Ross's thread, but I'll be shocked if Thomas leaves early. Too many other early entries plus overseas players, not to mention seniors that would be picked in front of him at this time. One more year to show he can be a leader, the primary scorer and play a little defense and he can work himself into a first round pick.

Ross looked a step slow on defense last night, just like Thomas many times his freshman year, but looked great on offense. Some work in the offseason and he'll be starting or the first off the bench. I'm excited to see him and Thomas on the floor at the same time next year... quite a pair of dynamic scorers.

 

[eldabuckeye]

Ross Need To Be In Games NOW before the Tourney

He would be a great option as a scorer off the bench...we have no one off the bench thats a mismatch and that can get their own shot

 

[BuckTwenty]

Q's got some moves on offense. No debating that. He'll have to score at an unbelievable clip to make up for his lack of defense because he is such a big liability. Anyone else see that game last night? He couldn't guard his man... and his man was a 2nd or 3rd teamer.

If he gets better than garbage time the rest of the year, I'd be really surprised. Coming in late really put him behind the 8-ball this year, but he can make up for lost time this off-season and next pre-season. Patience, Grasshoppers. This year's not his year.

 

[neilmj]

BuckTwenty is right. Great offense, zero defense. I wish we played zone so we could hide him in it.

 

[eldabuckeye]

Q's got some moves on offense. No debating that. He'll have to score at an unbelievable clip to make up for his lack of defense because he is such a big liability. Anyone else see that game last night? He couldn't guard his man... and his man was a 2nd or 3rd teamer.

If he gets better than garbage time the rest of the year, I'd be really surprised. Coming in late really put him behind the 8-ball this year, but he can make up for lost time this off-season and next pre-season. Patience, Grasshoppers. This year's not his year.

I trust Thad, that's the only reason I'm not making play Ross posters...but a guy like Ross come tourney time would be so value....so, so, valuable...he can create his own shot looks like Tracy Mcgrady....his defense didn't look great but illinois was playing helter skelter offense ....

 

[Tlangs]

100% correct....

This team isn't terrible defensively...

They are average/poor offensively...you'd think any shot in the arm would be beneficial. Ross can create for himself and at the very least unclog the paint for Sullinger.

Letting Ross get some burn with Buford and Sullinger would really help both of those guys offensively, IMO. Ross brings a lot more to that side of the court than Lenzelle.

When former players and current NBA players are talking about the versatility and match-up issues he created in off-season runs, I'm inclined to think he can help some issues this team appears to have.

And it isn't as if the Big 10 is loaded with dynamic offensive teams. Against Michigan he would have been assigned to elite players such as Stu Douglas, Zack Novak, or Evan Smotrycz ....

It's embarrassing this team has issues scoring against athletes such as Novack, Douglas, and Smotrycz...all of which played at least 50% of the game against the Buckeyes.

And if LaQuinton can't get any burn, at the very least I'd like to see this team push the hell out of the ball more. More possessions a game should favor the better overall team. These low possession and shot clock consuming games are just asking for upsets and closer than need-be games. Our defense has been good-great. I'd like to see Matta go Coach Cal on these kids and scream at them for passing up open shots and not pushing the ball more aggressively...

I agree with playing more up-tempo. Walking the ball up the court benefits the team we are playing against. The problem is they can't push the ball all game because Craft-Sully-Bufford play 37 minutes,

 

[OSU_Buckguy]

I agree with playing more up-tempo. Walking the ball up the court benefits the team we are playing against. The problem is they can't push the ball all game because Craft-Sully-Bufford play 37 minutes,

when sully is out, i fully agree. without jared, we're an ideal up-tempo team. since we're not a good jump-shooting team, we need to put our athletes and decent ball-handling in positions to exploit. with jared in, though, the best of an up-tempo game that we could see is a secondary break. i just hate priming the defense to set up jared for an offensive charge, however, which is much easier to accomplish when facing a secondary break and sully is trailing.

 

[OSU_Buckguy]

Walking the ball up the court benefits the team we are playing against.

i think matta has finally realized this aspect. maybe. we saw it in spades last night. i don't see a similar gameplan against the spartans, however. you want msu in a half-court set. they aren't better shooters than osu, but they're better when the defense lags getting back. moreover, they have greater post depth, so 72+ possessions is less harmful to their best player.

against msu, we're dead in the water if we can't hit open jumpers. tempo doesn't matter.

 

[Tlangs]

i think matta has finally realized this aspect. maybe. we saw it in spades last night. i don't see a similar gameplan against the spartans, however. you want msu in a half-court set. they aren't better shooters than osu, but they're better when the defense lags getting back. moreover, they have greater post depth, so 72+ possessions is less harmful to their best player.

against msu, we're dead in the water if we can't hit open jumpers. tempo doesn't matter.

I can buy that. MSU may be the one team that we may benefit from slowing it down. However, I don't think scUM has the horses to keep up.

 

[OSU_Buckguy]

I can buy that. MSU may be the one team that we may benefit from slowing it down. However, I don't think scUM has the horses to keep up.

absolutely agreed. nonetheless, scum beat msu despite the skunkbears shooting poorly behind the arc and msu shooting well. the key in that game was limiting possessions and denying green the ball on the perimeter.

edit: just noticed that i'm posting in the lqr thread.

now about that laquinton...

 

[OH10]

The only reason I don't question Ross' lack of playing time is because I trust Thad Matta implicitly.

But I will say, in the limited time I've seen him, he has tremendous offensive ability. I haven't seen the defensive issues, but that's probably because he hasn't played much. I trust that Matta has seen enough to justify his playing time or lack thereof.

 

[billmac91]

I agree with playing more up-tempo. Walking the ball up the court benefits the team we are playing against. The problem is they can't push the ball all game because Craft-Sully-Bufford play 37 minutes,

Another argument for another day. It isn't as if those guys have to play 37 mins each when you have a guy like Q on the bench who can play guard or forward. And it isn't as if it'd harm anyone to let Shannon Scott, Sam Thompson, and Amir Williams pick up an extra minute or two. Ideally, no one on this team would be averaging more than 31-32 mins a game.

I love how Kentucky brings instant offense off their bench in Darius Miller and Kyle Wiltjer. 2 guys just ready to launch with a ton of confidence.

I see no reason we couldn't get Sully a few more minutes of rest, let Amir Williams run the court, and just push the hell out of the ball. Last night was great btw...the open looks it creates just by pushing the tempo is amazing...it really is a simple game. The momentum really carried throughout the game and kept the kids into it I think. It's hard to keep the emotional level up when you're struggling to put 50 points on the board and every possession goes to down to the wire on the shot clock.

 

[korchiki]

Another argument for another day. It isn't as if those guys have to play 37 mins each when you have a guy like Q on the bench who can play guard or forward. And it isn't as if it'd harm anyone to let Shannon Scott, Sam Thompson, and Amir Williams pick up an extra minute or two. Ideally, no one on this team would be averaging more than 31-32 mins a game.

I love how Kentucky brings instant offense off their bench in Darius Miller and Kyle Wiltjer. 2 guys just ready to launch with a ton of confidence.

I see no reason we couldn't get Sully a few more minutes of rest, let Amir Williams run the court, and just push the hell out of the ball. Last night was great btw...the open looks it creates just by pushing the tempo is amazing...it really is a simple game. The momentum really carried throughout the game and kept the kids into it I think. It's hard to keep the emotional level up when you're struggling to put 50 points on the board and every possession goes to down to the wire on the shot clock.

Or if nothing else, let Williams use his size and five fouls to beat the hell out of the opposing Center ala Florida vs. Oden in the 2007 Title Game