THIS Year (2014-15)

rambone 78 · Unread post by **rambone 78** » 10 years ago

We might end up with 10 players playing 10 or more minutes a game, but I don't see either EC or Hassan playing less than 30 a game.

They are too good not to.

Billyboy78 · Unread post by **Billyboy78** » 10 years ago

Since we don't know the roster yet, it's hard to predict, bu what the hell.....

EC..........33
Martin.....33
Biruta......25
Garrett....24
Hare.......20
Sprewell..20
Watson...15
TJ..........10
Iffy........10
Gustys.....10

Bench: I need to see improvement from these 3 if they're going to get minutes.
Minnis
Reischel
Butler

Yes, this is ridiculous.....but it's fun anyway. 3 of the guys I listed, we don't even know if they will be here, but it's my best guess. How fast do the new guys(and who are the new guys?) fit in/develop?

rodfromcranston · Unread post by **rodfromcranston** » 10 years ago

Jack Andrade ‏@RealJackAndrade 2m
Includes E.C. Matthews RT @PickinSplinters: 6 #A10MBB Players Coming To Your Radar in 2014-15 http://wp.me/pr1MB-9xX

ramfan85 · Unread post by **ramfan85** » 10 years ago

I'm a little surprised Martin wasn't mentioned. I can't imagine many developing more than he did (is).

NHRamFan · Unread post by **NHRamFan** » 10 years ago

Billyboy78 wrote:Since we don't know the roster yet, it's hard to predict, bu what the hell.....

EC..........33
Martin.....33
Biruta......25
Garrett....24
Hare.......20
Sprewell..20
Watson...15
TJ..........10
Iffy........10
Gustys.....10

Bench: I need to see improvement from these 3 if they're going to get minutes.
Minnis
Reischel
Butler

Yes, this is ridiculous.....but it's fun anyway. 3 of the guys I listed, we don't even know if they will be here, but it's my best guess. How fast do the new guys(and who are the new guys?) fit in/develop?

I like the look of that roster, though! Here's hoping it, or something close to it, is what takes the floor next year!

ace · Unread post by **ace** » 10 years ago

Add Kevin Durant, take away Butler, and I think they have something!

ace · Unread post by **ace** » 10 years ago

Love these pictures-

RhowdyRam02 · Unread post by **RhowdyRam02** » 10 years ago

And trying to make little kids Rhody fans. Hook 'em young! Great work all around.

RoadyJay · Unread post by **RoadyJay** » 10 years ago

Billyboy78 wrote:Since we don't know the roster yet, it's hard to predict, bu what the hell.....

EC..........33
Martin.....33
Biruta......25
Garrett....24
Hare.......20
Sprewell..20
Watson...15
TJ..........10
Iffy........10
Gustys.....10

Bench: I need to see improvement from these 3 if they're going to get minutes.
Minnis
Reischel
Butler

Yes, this is ridiculous.....but it's fun anyway. 3 of the guys I listed, we don't even know if they will be here, but it's my best guess. How fast do the new guys(and who are the new guys?) fit in/develop?

Interesting.. I still see Biggie getting significant minutes especially in non-conference play as I believe he will be our starting PG for now. It will take Garrett time to take over starting role as we saw with EC and Hass. I'm also not giving up on Reischel. Although he didn't play to his potential last season I think he can be a major contributor on both ends of the floor.

Butler may have the toughest time getting on the floor.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

rodfromcranston · Unread post by **rodfromcranston** » 10 years ago

Still, life goes on for the program:

Dan Hurley ‏@dhurley15 6h
Lots of big time performances during Bench Press Testing today! @biggie_minnis maxed out at 275lbs. EC at 245lbs. Iffy maxed 300.

Unread post by **ATPTourFan** » 10 years ago

No pressure, Iffy! hahah Big man produces on the bench.

Seawrightspostgame · Unread post by **Seawrightspostgame** » 10 years ago

Cant argue that iffy doesn't know his way around a bench.

Rhody Guy · Unread post by **Rhody Guy** » 10 years ago

245 and 275 for guards is pretty impressive.

Rhodymob05 · Unread post by **Rhodymob05** » 10 years ago

Biggie wow. Iffy as expected and for ec, I put up a decent amount but not that much as a freshman

Billyboy78 · Unread post by **Billyboy78** » 10 years ago

EC is getting stronger, will be even tougher to stop when he goes to the hoop. I hope Jarelle is getting stronger. He needs it badly.

rodfromcranston · Unread post by **rodfromcranston** » 10 years ago

Retweeted by RhodyFan
Chris McManus ‏@CerasolisGhost 4h
Rhode Island also looking to start a home/home series... Seton Hall vs. Dan Hurley / Gil Biruta / Jarelle Reischel potential.

ace · Unread post by **ace** » 10 years ago

Love this guy..

adam914 · Unread post by **adam914** » 10 years ago

Hahahaha, thats fantastic!

sf2010 · Unread post by **sf2010** » 10 years ago

'Murica!

adam914 · Unread post by **adam914** » 10 years ago

So I don't know if its still ok to be excited about anything around here anymore (I kid, I kid), but I certainly like the looks of a Garrett, EC, Hassan, Biruta, Hare lineup...

Billyboy78 · Unread post by **Billyboy78** » 10 years ago

So, with Hare back that leaves 2 scholarships. If we can't get Gustys, KMAC and I would like 2 scorers better than Terrell.

Seawrightspostgame · Unread post by **Seawrightspostgame** » 10 years ago

+1

Projo looking out for us.

Iggy1979 · Unread post by **Iggy1979** » 10 years ago

adam914 wrote:So I don't know if its still ok to be excited about anything around here anymore (I kid, I kid), but I certainly like the looks of a Garrett, EC, Hassan, Biruta, Hare lineup...

Was thinking the same thing

adam914 · Unread post by **adam914** » 10 years ago

Although I imagine it'll be about 10 games in until we see that as the starting lineup though. I imagine garrett and hare dont start out of the gate. Especially Hare (has to earn his way back), and Garrett just based on how Dan handled the freshmen last year.

What do you guys think?

Billyboy78 · Unread post by **Billyboy78** » 10 years ago

I like that lineup. The question I have ...can Hassan play the 3 ? Especially on defense, I want him around the hoop. That's the only thing. You have to start both Biruta and Hassan somehow, even though their ideal position right now is the 4.

adam914 · Unread post by **adam914** » 10 years ago

Billyboy78 wrote:I like that lineup. The question I have ...can Hassan play the 3 ? Especially on defense, I want him around the hoop. That's the only thing. You have to start both Biruta and Hassan somehow, even though their ideal position right now is the 4.

The defensive side can kind of work itself out based on matchups game to game I think. Roles don't have to be quite as defined on that side of the ball in my opinion.

ace · Unread post by **ace** » 10 years ago

Jarvis got a haircut. My excitement for next year has already been diminished.

And this doesn't have much to do with anything, but remember when there was only going to be one open scholarship (Munford) to fill for next season?

Section104 · Unread post by **Section104** » 10 years ago

This is a legitimate question and I apologize if some are quick to shoot it down, but is next years team [on paper w/ Hare included] better than ANY team we've had since 1999? Not only starting lineup, but overall depth at every position?

The only team that rivals this squad would be the 2007-2008 team with Will Daniels, Jimmy Baron, Seawright, Del, Ulmer, Cothran, Marquis Jones, Parfait and Will Martell. Talent wise over the span of their careers this group is clearly the best, but on the 2007-2008 team Ulmer, Cothran and James were all sophomores and Will and Marquis were freshmen.

So if the above statement is true, what is the difference between that group and our current group? That team was in the top 25 and if they didn't collapse would have been in the NCAA tournament. With a weakened A10 next year (lots of seniors in the league last year) you'd think we're able to be a top 4-5 team and should be within striking distance of the tournament. The only glaring difference to me is lack of a shooter and scoring from our interior. If I remember correctly, Daniels and Seawright combined for around 28 a game Jimmy Baron had a decent shot.

Who do you take? [note: I don't expect Garrett or Hare to start immediately- also assuming Hare is coming back, which isn't 100%]
PG: Parfait vs. Garrett
SG: Cothran vs. EC Matthews
SF: Ulmer vs. Hassan Martin
PF: Will Daniels vs. Gil
C: Seawright vs. Hare
Reserves: Delroy James, Marquis Jones, Will Martell vs. Earl Watson, Iffy, JR, TJ Buchanan, Biggie

Thoughts?

sf2010 · Unread post by **sf2010** » 10 years ago

Agh, 104. It pains me to remember how talented than 07-08 team was. They were soooo solid across the board. Daniels, Baron, and Seawright were as good a trifecta as we'd had in quite some time, along with Cothran/Ulmer off the bench. What a squad, such a waste to not make the tournament.

That team was better than next year's team. Hands down, IMO.

If we get Terrell, I may change my tune.

rodfromcranston · Unread post by **rodfromcranston** » 10 years ago

The 2007-08 team could have made a real significant NCAA run,
IF they had a better coach.
There was far more talent and depth on that team than next years team,
as currently constituted, and shot the ball better. Hard to guard,
with scoring from all points on the court.
The SG was Baron, not Cothran. Daniels was a beast, and could do it all.
Better than anyone in our present front court, in his junior and senor seasons.
Martin could ultimately be better, but Will was our best since Lamar.
Based on the 2007-08's bench, it's not close.

URI_IEP · Unread post by **URI_IEP** » 10 years ago

To me there are to many unknowns (don't count your eggs, and all that) to make a strong argument. Especially because we KNOW what happened with the freshmen and sophs of 2007-2008. But, because this is a forum and logic is not the main factor in any discussion see below.

PG: Garrett (based on what is known about him coming in)
SG: EC (much more pollished offensively at the 2 spot)
SF: Hass (more polished deffensively and more of a phisical presence)
PF: Will (Gil's too much of a head case)
C: Seawright (even though his holding the ball at the top of the key gave me fits)
Reserves: DJ (slasher/shooter), MJ (back-up PG), EW (bruiser/5 fouls), Iffy (bruiser/5 fouls), TJ (jack-of-all-trades)

I think it's a tie... Fun question 104.

Section104 · Unread post by **Section104** » 10 years ago

rodfromcranston wrote:The 2007-08 team could have made a real significant NCAA run,
IF they had a better coach.
There was far more talent and depth on that team than next years team,
as currently constituted, and shot the ball better. Hard to guard,
with scoring from all points on the court.
The SG was Baron, not Cothran. Daniels was a beast, and could do it all.
Better than anyone in our present front court, in his junior and senor seasons.
Martin could ultimately be better, but Will was our best since Lamar.
Based on the 2007-08's bench, it's not close.

Yeah I knew I forgot someone...only the best shooter in A10 history. Woops.

Section104 · Unread post by **Section104** » 10 years ago

To answer my own question...I think 2007-2008 would beat us by 20 in November and lose to us in April/March...ahh, how I miss the swoon.

URI_IEP · Unread post by **URI_IEP** » 10 years ago

just looking at their freshman years, I'd still rather have EC at the 2 guard than Jimmy.

sf2010 · Unread post by **sf2010** » 10 years ago

URI_IEP wrote:just looking at their freshman years, I'd still rather have EC at the 2 guard than Jimmy.

True, but I'd take Jr/Sr Jimmy over frosh EC, if we were playing in a one-year vacuum.

Hopefully there won't be many players in URI history that I'd take over Soph/Jr/Sr EC...

URI_IEP · Unread post by **URI_IEP** » 10 years ago

sf2010 wrote:
URI_IEP wrote:just looking at their freshman years, I'd still rather have EC at the 2 guard than Jimmy.
True, but I'd take Jr/Sr Jimmy over frosh EC, if we were playing in a one-year vacuum.

Hopefully there won't be many players in URI history that I'd take over Soph/Jr/Sr EC...

Maybe, but 2007-2008 Jimmy was a frosh, EC will be a Soph next year. AND, I think EC's shot from 3 is an underrated asepect of his game. He shoots it well enough to keep teams honest.

Iggy1979 · Unread post by **Iggy1979** » 10 years ago

Jimmy was a junior.
If I ever bump into Pat Skerry that would be the first question I ask him: what happened to that team!?! (I have my own theory.)

rodfromcranston · Unread post by **rodfromcranston** » 10 years ago

Jimmy was a freshman in 2005-06.

URI_IEP · Unread post by **URI_IEP** » 10 years ago

time flies and the mind fades...

Even still, jimmy could never really keep teams honest against him because he couldn't drive (he made up for this by hitting shots from 30 ft). Also, his defense was never very strong. So (sitting corrected), deciding between taking jimmy entering his jr year, or EC entering his soph year, I'd STILL take EC.

adam914 · Unread post by **adam914** » 10 years ago

Iggy1979 wrote:Jimmy was a junior.
If I ever bump into Pat Skerry that would be the first question I ask him: what happened to that team!?! (I have my own theory.)

Please, do tell, now you have me curious on your theory.

ramfan85 · Unread post by **ramfan85** » 10 years ago

I think that team would beat this team. Unless, of course, Baron was still their coach. Then this team would win and we'd hear how travel plans, poor high school coaching and the size of the basketball used caused the defeat.

I loved Parfait. He went from someone who wasn't a particularly good ball handler to a very good point guard by his senior year. That hasn't happened often around here.

twisted3829 · Unread post by **twisted3829** » 10 years ago

Iggy I'm 90% sure it was the head coach, the players stopped listening and just coached/led themselves which is probably why we swooned because no one made adjustments for them.

rodfromcranston · Unread post by **rodfromcranston** » 10 years ago

I'm betting it was a rift between the Jimmy faction of the team and the
Will Daniels faction of the team.
Baron's treatment of Will in the Creighton game says plenty.

Rhody Guy · Unread post by **Rhody Guy** » 10 years ago

If there was something going on between Will and Jimmy it was kept well under wraps. I was a manager of that team.

Unread post by **TruePoint** » 10 years ago

I would be more willing to believe that something specifically happened that year behind the scenes if the same thing didn't happen a few other times. No matter how well positioned any of Baron's URI teams ever were, they would figure out a way to cough it up. That 2007-08 team was the best team and the worst example, but the next year we lost to a bad UMass team at home on Senior Day to knock ourselves off the bubble, and the following year we were 19-3 again before losing 5 of our next 7 down the stretch. That Will Daniels team wasn't the only collapse.

Keaney.Blue · Unread post by **Keaney.Blue** » 10 years ago

adam914 wrote:
Iggy1979 wrote:Jimmy was a junior.
If I ever bump into Pat Skerry that would be the first question I ask him: what happened to that team!?! (I have my own theory.)
Please, do tell, now you have me curious on your theory.

I was there firsthand, it was a rough February and March. Teams we were blowing out in the beginning of the year, we were losing to the 2nd time around because we simply made no adjustments at all. And that wasn't all on the coach, some of our senior players tuned the staff out. We were coasting on talent. There also wasn't a ton of chemistry on that team for some reason. Everyone got along more or less, but there were different groups and no cohesion.

After we lost in the Creighton game (being up 18 at halftime) Coach came in and gave some BS speech about a good season then walked out and the locker room was completely silent. I couldn't take it, I said "nobody has anything to say? that was pathetic" and walked out.

That team should have made a sweet sixteen based on the talent we had. Will was a projected 1st round draft pick in the preseason and we had all the secondary pieces, including a healthy Jason Francis before his knee injury. We were much more talented than any of the other teams I was at school for, hands down.

Rhody Guy · Unread post by **Rhody Guy** » 10 years ago

Agreed, there were definitely "clicks" on that team.

theblueram · Unread post by **theblueram** » 10 years ago

So it was just as bad on the players as it was on the fans. The loss to umass was one of the most surreal scenes at the RC I have seen. The place was completely silent and no one moved for a good 5 minutes. We all knew the impact. Keaney.Blue you played on a great team, with great talent.

adam914 · Unread post by **adam914** » 10 years ago

Keaney.Blue wrote: I was there firsthand, it was a rough February and March. Teams we were blowing out in the beginning of the year, we were losing to the 2nd time around because we simply made no adjustments at all. And that wasn't all on the coach, some of our senior players tuned the staff out. We were coasting on talent. There also wasn't a ton of chemistry on that team for some reason. Everyone got along more or less, but there were different groups and no cohesion.

After we lost in the Creighton game (being up 18 at halftime) Coach came in and gave some BS speech about a good season then walked out and the locker room was completely silent. I couldn't take it, I said "nobody has anything to say? that was pathetic" and walked out.

That team should have made a sweet sixteen based on the talent we had. Will was a projected 1st round draft pick in the preseason and we had all the secondary pieces, including a healthy Jason Francis before his knee injury. We were much more talented than any of the other teams I was at school for, hands down.

Appreciate the insight, this is really interesting for us fans to get to hear stuff like this.

Iggy1979 · Unread post by **Iggy1979** » 10 years ago

Similar to what people are saying here my theory was twofold:
1.When things started to go bad, Baron panicked and got negative. He didn't have the type of personality to turn this around. That made the team get tighter with each loss.
2. The senior captains weren't leaders. Parfait was a good guy but very quiet. Daniels was mostly concentrating on having a great senior year so he'd be able play pro. The juniors, Jimmy and Kaheim, couldn't lead the team because they were juniors. Maybe not bad chemistry but no chemistry.
So between the coach and the players, there was no one to step up andstop the slide.