The future is bright!

[cali2wyo]

Hunter Maldonado was just named the top performer across 5A and 4A in Colorado!
http://gazettepreps.com/the-gazette-boy ... le/1599519
https://twitter.com/gazettepreps/status ... 3741900800

[laxwyo]

Definitely a very good addition to our team. I'm excited to have him. Justin James type player that will be a major contributor.


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[Mtpoke89]

I wonder what the staff will do with our freshman next year. They will be more talented than some of our seniors i bet, but we already have 2 new pieces comming in next year. Do we red shirt them and go for 2019? Do you let maldanado or mack see playing time next year? Its going to be fun watching james grow and then maldanoldo follow right behind him.

[joshvanklomp]

I wonder what the staff will do with our freshman next year. They will be more talented than some of our seniors i bet, but we already have 2 new pieces comming in next year. Do we red shirt them and go for 2019? Do you let maldanado or mack see playing time next year? Its going to be fun watching james grow and then maldanoldo follow right behind him.

I personally believe Mack will play right away and Maldonado will redshirt.

If Edwards sticks with the "one slasher and one shooter" philosophy, we have two returning slashers but only one shooter returning. And maybe I'm crazy, but I think it'll be easier for Mack to get playing time over Aka Gorski than it will be for Maldonado to get playing time over James and Adams.

That, and I still believe Mack will be a top-three talent on this team from Day 1. He has a good chance of starting right away.

[McPeachy]

Hopefully, there was a lesson learned on the hardcourt during the 2016 - 2017. That lesson...start your best players. Period.

That would look like (to me - just guessing):

Adams
James
Mack
Herndon
Moemeka

Off the bench (in order):

Dalton
Redding
Lieberman
Jones
Naughton
Mueller

The remainder either redshirt (Maldonado, Thompson), get cut and/or go bye-bye, or become practice players and cheerleaders on the bench.

[whyoh]

Definitely a very good addition to our team. I'm excited to have him. Justin James type player that will be a major contributor.


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assuming edwards doesn't keep him on the bench for arbitrary reasons

[Vt poke]

Hopefully, there was a lesson learned on the hardcourt during the 2016 - 2017. That lesson...start your best players. Period.

That would look like (to me - just guessing):

Adams
James
Mack
Herndon
Moemeka

Off the bench (in order):

Dalton
Redding
Lieberman
Jones
Naughton
Mueller

The remainder either redshirt (Maldonado, Thompson), get cut and/or go bye-bye, or become practice players and cheerleaders on the bench.

I like your starting lineup a lot, but think the Edwards will go with either Liebs or Redding in place of Adams. I think that if Adams can learn how to kick it out and not just go so hard to the hole , Mack could have a hell of a year. Jmac and Derek Cooke made a living off Josh Adam's ability to create open looks for them. Anybody have any info on how Redding and Jones look?

[NowherePoke]

Hopefully, there was a lesson learned on the hardcourt during the 2016 - 2017. That lesson...start your best players. Period.

That would look like (to me - just guessing):

Adams
James
Mack
Herndon
Moemeka

Off the bench (in order):

Dalton
Redding
Lieberman
Jones
Naughton
Mueller

The remainder either redshirt (Maldonado, Thompson), get cut and/or go bye-bye, or become practice players and cheerleaders on the bench.

I like your starting lineup a lot, but think the Edwards will go with either Liebs or Redding in place of Adams. I think that if Adams can learn how to kick it out and not just go so hard to the hole , Mack could have a hell of a year. Jmac and Derek Cooke made a living off Josh Adam's ability to create open looks for them. Anybody have any info on how Redding and Jones look?

I think it will be Lieberman/Redding, but in place of Mack rather than Adams. Something like this:

Starters:

G - Lieberman (Sr.)
G - Adams (Sr.)
G - James (Jr.)
F - Herndon (Sr.)
F - Moemeka (So.)

Bench:

G - Redding (Jr.)
F - Dalton (Sr.)


I see that as the top 7. What will be interesting is how deep the rotation goes and who else is part of it. Do either Mack or Maldanado make an instant impact? Who else gets frontcourt minutes between Naughton and Jones. We have a lot of frontcourt players, but only 80 minutes to split up.

I am not counting too heavily on the freshmen. Even players like Nance, Adams, and James were only modest role players (4-6 ppg) as freshmen although each of their talent was obvious.

It will also be interesting, and possibly aggravating, to see what happens with Gorski and Kelley.

[LanderPoke]

We aren't going anywhere next year if we can't get better point guard play.

[LanderPoke]

Hopefully, there was a lesson learned on the hardcourt during the 2016 - 2017. That lesson...start your best players. Period.

That would look like (to me - just guessing):

Adams
James
Mack
Herndon
Moemeka

Off the bench (in order):

Dalton
Redding
Lieberman
Jones
Naughton
Mueller

The remainder either redshirt (Maldonado, Thompson), get cut and/or go bye-bye, or become practice players and cheerleaders on the bench.

I like your starting lineup a lot, but think the Edwards will go with either Liebs or Redding in place of Adams. I think that if Adams can learn how to kick it out and not just go so hard to the hole , Mack could have a hell of a year. Jmac and Derek Cooke made a living off Josh Adam's ability to create open looks for them. Anybody have any info on how Redding and Jones look?

I think it will be Lieberman/Redding, but in place of Mack rather than Adams. Something like this:

Starters:

G - Lieberman (Sr.)
G - Adams (Sr.)
G - James (Jr.)
F - Herndon (Sr.)
F - Moemeka (So.)

Bench:

G - Redding (Jr.)
F - Dalton (Sr.)


I see that as the top 7. What will be interesting is how deep the rotation goes and who else is part of it. Do either Mack or Maldanado make an instant impact? Who else gets frontcourt minutes between Naughton and Jones. We have a lot of frontcourt players, but only 80 minutes to split up.

I am not counting too heavily on the freshmen. Even players like Nance, Adams, and James were only modest role players (4-6 ppg) as freshmen although each of their talent was obvious.

It will also be interesting, and possibly aggravating, to see what happens with Gorski and Kelley.

I think two of Dalton, Herndon and Momeka can play at a time along side Naughton or Jones (no idea here really) they are all pretty quick and Herndon and Dalton can shoot, kind of. So three big men on at the same time. That would be cool.

Gorski needs a new school and if Kelly is taking minutes directly from Lieberman and no one else I'm cool with that.

[joshvanklomp]

Point guards: Lieberman will start, Redding will back him up
Wings: James and Mack will start, Adams and Aka Gorski will back them up

I feel very confident about those three spots. It gets interesting in the frontcourt, though. I think Edwards found something he likes with Herndon and Moemeka starting, and I like it too. Dalton will come off the bench and the last big man in the rotation will be matchup dependent between Jones and Naughton.

[LanderPoke]

I will eat my shoe if a freshmen starts. AE could have freshmen Michael Jordan on his team and he wouldn't start.

[laxwyo]

I know Mack is the more touted recruit but I think we've all seriously underrated Maldonado


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[joshvanklomp]

I know Mack is the more touted recruit but I think we've all seriously underrated Maldonado

He's certainly coming in with the least hype

My rotation opinion has nothing to do with my opinion of him as a player. He'll be good. I just think with James and Adams as slashers ahead of him, it'll be harder to see the court.

[Cowboy Junky]

It's crazy to think how good that recruiting class might turn out to be.

Hunter Maldonado was the LEAST hyped recruit in that class with a 4 star and a borderline 4 star.

He has as much potential as Thompson and Mack, and more athleticism.

My question is, can he bring dunk town back? I think he can certainly help.

[FarmerPoke]

History has told us that freshman don't see the floor much in this program. I'm all for a change of scenery in that regard especially considering the quality of the incoming recruits. Who was the last true freshman that actually started games right off the bat coming in? Brandon Ewing maybe? I know not even Wyo great Josh Adams started as a freshman until Grabau got injured that year.

[SDPokeFan]

I can't help but notice all of these projections have no mention of Cody Kelley. Do you think he guys gets buried on the end of the bench? Leaves the team? Just curious. It shows what a stark contrast we think we'll have next year as compared to this year when a guy who has played decent minutes will be all but forgotten next season.

[McPeachy]

History has told us that freshman don't see the floor much in this program. I'm all for a change of scenery in that regard especially considering the quality of the incoming recruits. Who was the last true freshman that actually started games right off the bat coming in? Brandon Ewing maybe? I know not even Wyo great Josh Adams started as a freshman until Grabau got injured that year.

Walk on Cody Kelley is basically a freshman. Although he is listed as a RS, that RS wasn't at UW. One would think that a hot shot incoming 4* scholarship athlete would certainly see the floor, based solely on Kelley, and how many minutes Edwards has thrown his direction this season.

[FarmerPoke]

History has told us that freshman don't see the floor much in this program. I'm all for a change of scenery in that regard especially considering the quality of the incoming recruits. Who was the last true freshman that actually started games right off the bat coming in? Brandon Ewing maybe? I know not even Wyo great Josh Adams started as a freshman until Grabau got injured that year.

Walk on Cody Kelley is basically a freshman. Although he is listed as a RS, that RS wasn't at UW. One would think that a hot shot incoming 4* scholarship athlete would certainly see the floor, based solely on Kelley, and how many minutes Edwards has thrown his direction this season.

Very much hope you're right!! I just also know that our coaching staff chose to not play certain players this season as much as they could've because there were other players that had been with the program longer even though it meant the teams record suffered because of it. 100% agree with some who have mentioned that this team could've easily had 4 or 5 more wins if player rotations this season better reflected the best players being on the floor the majority of the season, regardless of seniority or tenure with the program.
All I can hope is the staff learned some lessons this season to carry into next year to attempt to put your most competitive lineup on the floor to maximize the teams winning potential.

[cali2wyo]

Walk on Cody Kelley is basically a freshman. Although he is listed as a RS, that RS wasn't at UW.

I'm 99% certain he and Averbuck both redshirted last year.
Kelley played a year at a prep school, but that didn't affect his NCAA eligibility in any way