After watching them play here's what I think will be the starters/main players for ODU:

Ponder PG
Jackson SG/WF
Spruill SG/WF
Williams PF
Yemi C (if available).

Pugh impressed me last night (anyone remember Tony Skinn?-he reminds me of him!). He really can score and looks to score (a little on the smallish side (like Skinn) for a combo/2 man,but if you can make plays, you can make plays). This team needs somebody that is looking to get theirs and he wasn't shy, which was good. He has very good speed and can finish well with either hand and can also hit the 3 ball. He can come in off the bench in the first part of the season to hopefully ignite the offense. Talley also looks to be good and can be a good on ball defender as well. He too can finish good near the hole and showed a good mid range baseline J. They both made some freshmen mistakes, but they both were aggressive out there and looked to make plays, which I really like. Gettys played very good last night and if he can keep that up, he will be a big help. Sherwood is going to play significant time and will really help this team. Ogbodo will also factor in at some level and that may depend on Yemi's status. He can give that shot blocking presence that makes a difference.

They have a few more weapons this year and should be able to squeeze out more W's, but that's not saying much after last year's debacle. This team needs to play better help D and be committed to getting stops. it looked as if they were not locking down good enough in the first half thinking that they would just win with tempo/conditioning/size differential. That won't work against decent/good D1 teams. You can't have runs without stops so that needs to be stressed big time.

(11-09-2014 08:08 PM)billthebighawksfan Wrote:  After watching them play here's what I think will be the starters/main players for ODU:

Ponder PG
Jackson SG/WF
Spruill SG/WF
Williams PF
Yemi C (if available).

Pugh impressed me last night (anyone remember Tony Skinn?-he reminds me of him!). He really can score and looks to score (a little on the smallish side (like Skinn) for a combo/2 man,but if you can make plays, you can make plays). This team needs somebody that is looking to get theirs and he wasn't shy, which was good. He has very good speed and can finish well with either hand and can also hit the 3 ball. He can come in off the bench in the first part of the season to hopefully ignite the offense. Talley also looks to be good and can be a good on ball defender as well. He too can finish good near the hole and showed a good mid range baseline J. They both made some freshmen mistakes, but they both were aggressive out there and looked to make plays, which I really like. Gettys played very good last night and if he can keep that up, he will be a big help. Sherwood is going to play significant time and will really help this team. Ogbodo will also factor in at some level and that may depend on Yemi's status. He can give that shot blocking presence that makes a difference.

They have a few more weapons this year and should be able to squeeze out more W's, but that's not saying much after last year's debacle. This team needs to play better help D and be committed to getting stops. it looked as if they were not locking down good enough in the first half thinking that they would just win with tempo/conditioning/size differential. That won't work against decent/good D1 teams. You can't have runs without stops so that needs to be stressed big time.

Bill, what's the word on Yemi?

IMO, the availability of Yemi is the key to this team. With Yemi at center, Ced moves to the 4, which makes Spruill, Freddie and Ponder work. Without Yemi, CJ plays well at center, but simply isn't the player that Yemi is in the Keatts system at center.

From what I know, there is no real issue with Yemi, just a PR issue due to the past charges against him at UT that were never pursued. However, in the current climate focused on sexual assault, the university is in a tricky position with this information now being highlighted. Here is the article that just came out Oct. 31.

http://archive.argusleader.com/usatoday/...e/18269381

I like that line up on the defensive end but who is going to shoot the ball from outside of 15 ft.Look for teams to pack the lane with players and dare them to shoot it.Ponder is streaky and might hit a few shots but his shot is like something out of a bad movie.Freddie and Spruill can't shoot it a lick and that puts it all on a 2 guard playing the point position-not buying that group to get it done.

That is a lot more than a PR issue.

(11-10-2014 11:24 AM)82hawk Wrote:  IMO, the availability of Yemi is the key to this team. With Yemi at center, Ced moves to the 4, which makes Spruill, Freddie and Ponder work. Without Yemi, CJ plays well at center, but simply isn't the player that Yemi is in the Keatts system at center.

From what I know, there is no real issue with Yemi, just a PR issue due to the past charges against him at UT that were never pursued. However, in the current climate focused on sexual assault, the university is in a tricky position with this information now being highlighted. Here is the article that just came out Oct. 31.

http://archive.argusleader.com/usatoday/...e/18269381

I don't think so. It was over a year ago, and nothing came of it. The article just came out, so it caused a second look to make sure everything was above board. This issue was checked into before he ever came to UUNCW

I saw a recent video with the girl talking about this case with Yemi M.and I have to tell you she sounded very credible.It could be a case that can't be proven but does not mean it didn't happen.There is a quite a bit of smoke out there on this recently and where there is smoke?I am not sure why Buzz would have gone after a kid with that hanging over his head.I don't think you heard the last of this.