I know Rocket Nation, including me, is still mourning another missed opportunity to get that coveted invitation to the Dance but the Spring Transfer Portal Opens next Monday for 45 days. Should the Rockets be active shoppers, and if so, what position should they focus on filling to supplement having most likely their top 7 or 8 players back along with two high profiled incoming Freshmen?

My obvious take is a 6-8 o 6-9 interior player that can help the undersized but tough as nails J. Simmons hold down the fort and help contain physical low post players like Akron’s E. Freeman or Kent’s V. Davis who have taken us to school over the past several years because of our lack of height and bulk. I think with the vast improvement of A. Lorentson, we do not need to concern ourselves with a Stretch 4 type player in the Portal but rather fill an obvious need on the interior.

(03-15-2024 01:53 PM)Basketball Jones Wrote:  I know Rocket Nation, including me, is still mourning another missed opportunity to get that coveted invitation to the Dance but the Spring Transfer Portal Opens next Monday for 45 days. Should the Rockets be active shoppers, and if so, what position should they focus on filling to supplement having most likely their top 7 or 8 players back along with two high profiled incoming Freshmen?

My obvious take is a 6-8 o 6-9 interior player that can help the undersized but tough as nails J. Simmons hold down the fort and help contain physical low post players like Akron’s E. Freeman or Kent’s V. Davis who have taken us to school over the past several years because of our lack of height and bulk. I think with the vast improvement of A. Lorentson, we do not need to concern ourselves with a Stretch 4 type player in the Portal but rather fill an obvious need on the interior.

Yeah it seems obvious with Moss, Mattox, Cochran, Wilson, Lewis, and Ford available to return. Ode maybe a forward, Maletic? Even if some leave we’ll be covered.

Based on the past season, a veteran athletic/shot blocker forward that can play inside defense and score with the height you mentioned would be great. Maybe too much to ask. Ouwinga should help.

(03-15-2024 02:58 PM)WHRocket Wrote:  

(03-15-2024 01:53 PM)Basketball Jones Wrote:  I know Rocket Nation, including me, is still mourning another missed opportunity to get that coveted invitation to the Dance but the Spring Transfer Portal Opens next Monday for 45 days. Should the Rockets be active shoppers, and if so, what position should they focus on filling to supplement having most likely their top 7 or 8 players back along with two high profiled incoming Freshmen?

My obvious take is a 6-8 o 6-9 interior player that can help the undersized but tough as nails J. Simmons hold down the fort and help contain physical low post players like Akron’s E. Freeman or Kent’s V. Davis who have taken us to school over the past several years because of our lack of height and bulk. I think with the vast improvement of A. Lorentson, we do not need to concern ourselves with a Stretch 4 type player in the Portal but rather fill an obvious need on the interior.

Yeah it seems obvious with Moss, Mattox, Cochran, Wilson, Lewis, and Ford available to return. Ode maybe a forward, Maletic? Even if some leave we’ll be covered.

Based on the past season, a veteran athletic/shot blocker forward that can play inside defense and score with the height you mentioned would be great. Maybe too much to ask. Ouwinga should help.

Believe I saw Brcic in a boot in Cleveland. We need to get an athletic center somehow. Doesn't have to be a big scorer, but defense,and interior scoring would be nice. If we can hold on to the current players, and with the two freshmen, we could be quite a bit better.

(03-15-2024 01:53 PM)Basketball Jones Wrote:  I know Rocket Nation, including me, is still mourning another missed opportunity to get that coveted invitation to the Dance but the Spring Transfer Portal Opens next Monday for 45 days. Should the Rockets be active shoppers, and if so, what position should they focus on filling to supplement having most likely their top 7 or 8 players back along with two high profiled incoming Freshmen?

My obvious take is a 6-8 o 6-9 interior player that can help the undersized but tough as nails J. Simmons hold down the fort and help contain physical low post players like Akron’s E. Freeman or Kent’s V. Davis who have taken us to school over the past several years because of our lack of height and bulk. I think with the vast improvement of A. Lorentson, we do not need to concern ourselves with a Stretch 4 type player in the Portal but rather fill an obvious need on the interior.

Yes. When your front court 6’2, 6’4”, and 6’7, length is needed. That’s a very effective group, so hats off to these guys. A talented 6’9” or bigger guy will help UT. Recruits are just recruits. It would be great to bring in a proven big, even for a year. Let’s hope everything works out.

Any descent big guy in the Toledo HS city league, worth looking at ?

(03-15-2024 06:25 PM)Springboromark Wrote:  Any descent big guy in the Toledo HS city league, worth looking at ?

Kim Sekulski has 2 tall sons at at St Francis 6 11 Junior and 6 8 Sophomore will have to be looking at those guys for the future. But not next year. I have not seen them play will certainly be checking them out next season.

Out of 12 guys they have 4 over 6'7". Simmons, Andre, Wight, and Brcic. Brcic listed as the tallest at 6'10".

Imagine what could have happened if Wight and Brcic would have developed like others. Andre isn't a 5, and we don't want Javon to be either. He's a good power 4.

The Kent game was a perfect example. They got us into a slow it down half court game - many times forcing us late into the shot clock - and we ended up with a bad shot. Or getting stuffed down low (Kent had 5 blocks).

When you get into a short game you have to be able to post up. Simmons has a nice post up game already, but he was smothered underneath (which would have been the KSU game plan - duh), and had no help. I'm still bitter and POed, so maybe just a rant.

And here we are; Kent and Akron for the trip to the dance while playing in Cleveland. Spit.

We did lost to Kent because we couldn't stop their 6-5 power forward and their backup 6 foot guard out rebounded us down the stretch, so it wasn't really about height but will and approach.

Anyways, keep an eye on 2 early portal names.

NJ Benson, solid 6-8 Missouri St transfer, had 9 pts/8 reb/1.5 blk as a soph. Chicago area kid who had some MAC interest and should be familiar to our staff.

Quentin Jones, 6-5 Cal Poly Fr, 10 pts/4 reb is from Chicago's south suburbs near Dante Maddox home and had NIU and Kent offers.

Our staff will largely focus on kids with family support, connections to UT, and a solid idea of what they want in a transfer program. In the portal era we tend to be intentional and take our time recruiting transfers. Listening to TK there will also be some lessons learned from the Ben Wight debacle.

(03-16-2024 03:50 AM)pono Wrote:  We did lost to Kent because we couldn't stop their 6-5 power forward and their backup 6 foot guard out rebounded us down the stretch, so it wasn't really about height but will and approach.

Anyways, keep an eye on 2 early portal names.

NJ Benson, solid 6-8 Missouri St transfer, had 9 pts/8 reb/1.5 blk as a soph. Chicago area kid who had some MAC interest and should be familiar to our staff.

Quentin Jones, 6-5 Cal Poly Fr, 10 pts/4 reb is from Chicago's south suburbs near Dante Maddox home and had NIU and Kent offers.

Our staff will largely focus on kids with family support, connections to UT, and a solid idea of what they want in a transfer program. In the portal era we tend to be intentional and take our time recruiting transfers. Listening to TK there will also be some lessons learned from the Ben Wight debacle.

The lesson is Wight did not fit UTs style of play. He had credentials (11 pts/5 reb) for two straight seasons in a MAC-level conference (CAA). That's a UT scouting/recruiting miss, not a player ability miss. (And a miss by both coaches and player since it was Wight's choice to come to UT thinking he was a fit).

Just an aside ... I believe only one portal transfer in the league (CMU PG) was decent. Every other portal transfer throughout the MAC was a bust (which is one reason the MAC is suspect this season). I discount the BG post player who came with his coach.

Maybe I’m missing something here, has any current UT player put themselves into the portal?

(03-15-2024 01:53 PM)Basketball Jones Wrote:  I know Rocket Nation, including me, is still mourning another missed opportunity to get that coveted invitation to the Dance but the Spring Transfer Portal Opens next Monday for 45 days. Should the Rockets be active shoppers, and if so, what position should they focus on filling to supplement having most likely their top 7 or 8 players back along with two high profiled incoming Freshmen?

My obvious take is a 6-8 o 6-9 interior player that can help the undersized but tough as nails J. Simmons hold down the fort and help contain physical low post players like Akron’s E. Freeman or Kent’s V. Davis who have taken us to school over the past several years because of our lack of height and bulk. I think with the vast improvement of A. Lorentson, we do not need to concern ourselves with a Stretch 4 type player in the Portal but rather fill an obvious need on the interior.

B-Jones: always appreciate and read your posts. Thoughtful input.

Well- I’ve pretty much made it through worst of the hangover. I cannot remember how quickly past players have entered the portal in past seasons after last game. It’s likely that TK will have concluded all post season player one on ones by Wednesday latest. I would think we would see who might enter portal from the current roster by 25th or so. I don’t think we’ll lose any prime contributors. I agree with others that the 3 most likely are well known by name. TK will always put a good product on the floor. I am convinced he will always be a consistent winner. So to your point and everyone else’s we need size with scoring punch. TK was sure he could squeeze Ben for 10 points PPG but never happened. How he got 9 at W& M is beyond me. If we hit on one of the two top portal targets from last year we might be dancing ?. I’m not down on TK. I completely sympathize with him. NO ONE IS MORE DISAPPOINTED THAN HIM IN NOT MAKING NCAA. Can you imagine how he feels about that monkey. Yes- I’m hoping we can land a good player at 6’7” plus. If I was a portal prospect I would give UT a very long look given our needs are quite specific. A certain guy could push us over the tipping point. I still believe that things will click. Once the damn bursts things will roll. Nichols had similar issues but different. The core is good. Bottomline is Javan needs help. He cannot do it alone. We may play tall but we don’t play big and physical. There’s a difference as pointed out here by several of my brothers on this site.

Next 2 weeks and last 2 weeks of portal will be interesting to say the least. We’ll have lots to talk about here as leads develop.

I’m hoping Pono, you, NC and others keep us updated on portal happenings. My thing is football recruiting as most of people here know. That’s my passion. So let’s keep the info on bball flowing.

Rocket basketball requires patience.. lolol. Hopefully it’s rewarded.

Go Rockets!

(03-16-2024 06:53 AM)cleveland Wrote:  

(03-16-2024 03:50 AM)pono Wrote:  We did lost to Kent because we couldn't stop their 6-5 power forward and their backup 6 foot guard out rebounded us down the stretch, so it wasn't really about height but will and approach.

Anyways, keep an eye on 2 early portal names.

NJ Benson, solid 6-8 Missouri St transfer, had 9 pts/8 reb/1.5 blk as a soph. Chicago area kid who had some MAC interest and should be familiar to our staff.

Quentin Jones, 6-5 Cal Poly Fr, 10 pts/4 reb is from Chicago's south suburbs near Dante Maddox home and had NIU and Kent offers.

Our staff will largely focus on kids with family support, connections to UT, and a solid idea of what they want in a transfer program. In the portal era we tend to be intentional and take our time recruiting transfers. Listening to TK there will also be some lessons learned from the Ben Wight debacle.

The lesson is Wight did not fit UTs style of play. He had credentials (11 pts/5 reb) for two straight seasons in a MAC-level conference (CAA). That's a UT scouting/recruiting miss, not a player ability miss. (And a miss by both coaches and player since it was Wight's choice to come to UT thinking he was a fit).

Just an aside ... I believe only one portal transfer in the league (CMU PG) was decent. Every other portal transfer throughout the MAC was a bust (which is one reason the MAC is suspect this season). I discount the BG post player who came with his coach.

Good stuff…. Yeah - Wight is built for put-backs and little chippies not running floor or non set offense but he couldn’t convert this season. He’d bring ball down. Go back up get miss or get hacked and then miss both free throws. He was frustrating to watch

(03-16-2024 01:06 PM)IamN2daRockets! Wrote:  

(03-15-2024 01:53 PM)Basketball Jones Wrote:  I know Rocket Nation, including me, is still mourning another missed opportunity to get that coveted invitation to the Dance but the Spring Transfer Portal Opens next Monday for 45 days. Should the Rockets be active shoppers, and if so, what position should they focus on filling to supplement having most likely their top 7 or 8 players back along with two high profiled incoming Freshmen?

My obvious take is a 6-8 o 6-9 interior player that can help the undersized but tough as nails J. Simmons hold down the fort and help contain physical low post players like Akron’s E. Freeman or Kent’s V. Davis who have taken us to school over the past several years because of our lack of height and bulk. I think with the vast improvement of A. Lorentson, we do not need to concern ourselves with a Stretch 4 type player in the Portal but rather fill an obvious need on the interior.

B-Jones: always appreciate and read your posts. Thoughtful input.

Well- I’ve pretty much made it through worst of the hangover. I cannot remember how quickly past players have entered the portal in past seasons after last game. It’s likely that TK will have concluded all post season player one on ones by Wednesday latest. I would think we would see who might enter portal from the current roster by 25th or so. I don’t think we’ll lose any prime contributors. I agree with others that the 3 most likely are well known by name. TK will always put a good product on the floor. I am convinced he will always be a consistent winner. So to your point and everyone else’s we need size with scoring punch. TK was sure he could squeeze Ben for 10 points PPG but never happened. How he got 9 at W& M is beyond me. If we hit on one of the two top portal targets from last year we might be dancing ?. I’m not down on TK. I completely sympathize with him. NO ONE IS MORE DISAPPOINTED THAN HIM IN NOT MAKING NCAA. Can you imagine how he feels about that monkey. Yes- I’m hoping we can land a good player at 6’7” plus. If I was a portal prospect I would give UT a very long look given our needs are quite specific. A certain guy could push us over the tipping point. I still believe that things will click. Once the damn bursts things will roll. Nichols had similar issues but different. The core is good. Bottomline is Javan needs help. He cannot do it alone. We may play tall but we don’t play big and physical. There’s a difference as pointed out here by several of my brothers on this site.

Next 2 weeks and last 2 weeks of portal will be interesting to say the least. We’ll have lots to talk about here as leads develop.

I’m hoping Pono, you, NC and others keep us updated on portal happenings. My thing is football recruiting as most of people here know. That’s my passion. So let’s keep the info on bball flowing.

Rocket basketball requires patience.. lolol. Hopefully it’s rewarded.

Go Rockets!

Thanks for your comments and posts. If I had one player, I would love Toledo to go after who might not be in the Portal is former Ball St Big Man, 6-10 Peyton Sparks who played at Indiana this past season. Sparks only played 7 minutes per game and averaged 2ppg. playing behind two other stellar bigs who were both Sophomores this past season and will most likely be back next season. If Sparks decides that his playing time might increase somewhere else next season, I would be over him if I was Toledo’s coaching staff as he has proven himself in the MAC previously. If you remember, Akron’s Ali Ali spent last season at Butler before deciding to return to play his Senior Season at his former school where he is a big reason why they are playing for a NCAA Tournament berth tonight in Cleveland. Hopefully Sparks realizes that the grass is not always greener on the other side and chooses to come back to the MAC but to a different school other than his former one!

(03-16-2024 08:33 AM)Nick in Cleveland Wrote:  Maybe I’m missing something here, has any current UT player put themselves into the portal?

I may be wrong but I believe that will come after the season ends probably next week after an NIT loss. They will have exit interviews and then probably go into the portal. I am thinking 2 or 3 players at the most but that remains to be seen.

Rocketpaul, I think an NIT bid is a long shot for UT, I do wish it would happen though ! Relevance to TK situation playing the bench more this season, I heard a commentator say today on Fox radio, that Rick Pettino made a comment (I guess not too long ago), that when he was at UK, very seldon did he play freshman and soph's very much. Not today's game, one of the reasons being the NIL, he has to give more playing minutes to his underclassman, otherwise they will leave.

Of the non starters, I hope Ford, Lewis, Malectic, Brcic, and yes Thomas come back.

I'm watching the Kent/Akron game. Finding myself rooting for Akron, only because they have a better chance to not get embarrassed next week. I would like to see Freeman and Ali go at it with a what...3 seed?

I don't want to root for either one though. :-)

Kent/Akron tied with a minute and a half. What a game.

(03-16-2024 08:36 PM)Screwball Wrote:  Kent/Akron tied with a minute and a half. What a game.

Gotta admit, for all the crappy ways we’ve lost in Cleveland, it’s good to see Kent finally have some brutal heart break.

Akron won, but Kent could have. Great game. It would almost been fitting if Kent won; 8 seed coming out of the MAC. That's how crazy it has been - remember - Akron lost two games late to get us the title, we lose to an 8 seed, who is a foul away from winning it all.

They both looked better than what we looked on Thursday.

I hope Freeman, Ali, and company knocks someone off.

(03-16-2024 09:19 PM)Screwball Wrote:  Akron won, but Kent could have. Great game. It would almost been fitting if Kent won; 8 seed coming out of the MAC. That's how crazy it has been - remember - Akron lost two games late to get us the title, we lose to an 8 seed, who is a foul away from winning it all.

They both looked better than what we looked on Thursday.

I hope Freeman, Ali, and company knocks someone off.

Kyle Rowland's story in today's Blade said the Rockets are expected to sign one or two portal players, hopefully no more guards.