Replacing Basile / Mutts points and rebounds
Replacing the 30ppg / 13rpg from Basile / Mutts will be a concern. The other 4 spots with Beran in the lineup, will be expected to pick up the scoring. Rebounding will need to be a total team effort. Any time you lose your two main bigs, you have to be concerned.
26 Replies
S
Squatro
3y
But those five would constitute a pretty small lineup. There have to be other options.
I think the key to this team will be Lynn Kidd. His offense will be important, but his defense will be vital.
So that is six guys. We will also need solid play from Collins, Nickel, and to a lesser degree, Camden and Poteat.
But I think the difference between a pretty good team and a real good team is going to be Kidd.
(In response to this post by 1980VT)
3y
can't teach the physical presence that that dude has.
(In response to this post by Squatro)
3y
When Cattoor is defending the opposing team's best player, he seems hesitant to pull the trigger on offense (tired?). Maddox had even worse shooting confidence issues, and Rice was a frosh that missed most of the season.
I expect way better scoring from our wings next season to make up for any dropoff up front.
(In response to this post by 1980VT)
3y
Early on Pedulla had the more open looks than the other two. After he started hitting some, the defense started coming out on him more. This opened him up to drives, but into ACC action he couldn't finish as easy on drives against the size.
The key to our offense next season, in my opinion, will be how much production we get from our 4 & 5 spots. If they can be a credible threat from low to mid post, teams will have to at least play them honest. If they are nothing more than after thoughts of the offense, it could be long year, offensively.
(In response to this post by The_Phew)
3y
factored into hedging - tightened defense being played on our other perimeter shooters. That could still be an issue this coming season (i.e. Collins), but maybe not with our starting rotation, as Rice picks up the shooting. Or, maybe Collins improves his shooting enough over off season to stop the hedging.
(In response to this post by 1980VT)
3y
and had to wear that mask. I think he'll be fine. His strengths are atheltisism and defense, but soon, teams will have to at least account for him on the perimeter.
(In response to this post by NC Hoke)
3y
The scoring load will be shifted. Guards and wings can score more, there could be a more even distribution among post scoring, the bench could (and should) be more involved.
But they'll also defend better with a fully healthy roster, and you dont have to fully replace 1:1 scoring, you just need to score more than your opponents. If VT defends better and scores a little less, they should still do better.
(In response to this post by The_Phew)
V
VT One
3y
machine looking for more shots. Better defense will result in 2-3 transition baskets a game- something we got very few of last year. Beran, Long and Nickel will definitely score consistently. I’m not too worried about points given the shot making ability of our players.
(In response to this post by 1980VT)
V
vtox1
3y
Do = or better than a combined 13 rpg.
Beran and Long will be better defensively than Basile/Mutts especially in terms of making team defense better overall.
I do not expect Long and Beran to put up anywhere near 30 ppg. I will be surprised if they do 20+ ppg. However, I am not concerned as I think Rice, Kidd and Cattoor will easily make up the difference. Collins, Nickel and Camden all may help as well depending on how many minutes pt they get.
I actually would like to see Pedulla's ppg drop some. He dribbled too much and took too many bad shots last year. I'd like to see both Rice and Cattoor averaging more ppg than Pedulla. We need Pedulla's apg to jump by 1+ in 2023-24.
** Edited by vtox1 at 4/27/2023, 10:05:21 PM
(In response to this post by 1980VT)
3y
almost as good of an assist to turnover ratio (1.64 to 1.8) as Pedulla, right?
Harping on Mutts turnovers is low hanging fruit and ignores everything else he brought to the table.
(In response to this post by HokieHoopzThe2nd)
3y
Was to get the ball past half court and into the offense. It isn't a quick score concept unless numbers were there and he could drive and dish. So Pedulla's assist numbers were never going to be eye popping.
Mutts role was as a facilitator once into the offense. More opportunities for assists along with turnovers.
(In response to this post by HeisenBurg13)
3y
Mutts turnovers were a problem. I don’t think that can be argued or spun in a positive manner.
(In response to this post by HeisenBurg13)
3y
with Mutts on the floor. The offense flowed through him and he was better than 99% of PFs out there and getting the ball to the right place. He also played elite defense.
(In response to this post by HokieHoopzThe2nd)
V
vtox1
3y
They come close to = those two in apg?
Foulline shooting should be up Beran clocks in at 84%.
(In response to this post by HokieHoopzThe2nd)
3y
Was when Ojiako got hurt and PJ Horne transferred giving way to Justyn Mutts and Keve Aluma
Aluma was already in the program obviously, but Mutts was a late addition (June 15th before his first year at VT) to the roster from a CAA school. PJ Horne transferred out on May 25th, and 3 weeks later VT added Mutts...who we now know is an obvious upgrade.
(In response to this post by 1980VT)
3y
seems hardly like a comparison worth making...the similarities pretty much end at "big."
Horne and Ojiako didn't even combine for 40 mpg in 19-20. Maybe they were the best big options we had, but the hole left by them doesn't compare to the one by Mutts and Basile...which is not to say it can't be filled pretty well by the new (and returning) guys. I sure hope it can.
(In response to this post by GCHokie34)
3y
The scoring this year than last year. A healthy Rodney Rice is going to open things up for Catoor and hopefully make Pedulla more patient and selective.
And Kidd’s offense around the rim is not what’s kept him off the court. He’s going to get buckets when he’s out there.
Individually, Long and Beran are likely not as good as the guys they replace. But collectively, our D should be better and I think they are a better fit for what CMY is hoping to do offensively.
Rebounding might be a concern but we’ve largely held our own with undersized bigs for a long time.
** Edited by goodbadugly at 4/27/2023, 1:26:28 PM
(In response to this post by 1980VT)
3y
(In response to this post by goodbadugly)
If he can’t then why did Mike recruit him?
10 per game for a 30 minutes plus player should be expected especially since he will be green lit.
(In response to this post by 1980VT)
3y
pretty good.
(In response to this post by 1980VT)
3y
to get to that number.
(In response to this post by goodbadugly)
3y
Defensively, CMY may have a hard time taking either Beran or Long off the floor for very long. I look for both those players to average 30+ minutes.
Beran and Long have the ability to push their point averages up some and the other shooters we have can make up the rest of Basile/Mutts scoring average. Then factoring in improved defense the result can be a net positive.
I don’t think the addition of these two players will result in more playing time for Kidd.
(In response to this post by 1980VT)