To people who say that we need to recruit shooters

SLB · Post by **SLB** » March 4th, 2021, 10:56 pm

Our freshmen guards Shulga, Worster, and Ashworth combine shooting stats in this Wyoming game are the following:
29 points
10-22 from the field (each guard shot 40% or better)
6-12 from 3
3-4 on FTs
Trust the process and be patient because it takes time to develop players.

stang · Post by **stang** » March 4th, 2021, 11:06 pm

We DO need to recruit shooters. I agree that Shulga, Worster and Ashworth will all probably be good shooters in time, but with how basketball has evolved it takes 3 or 4 great shooters on the court at all times in order to be an elite team. That's one thing you can never have too many of.

hipsterdoofus21 · Post by **hipsterdoofus21** » March 4th, 2021, 11:30 pm

The 3 ball is the great equalizer. It allows less talented teams to beat the blue chippers. It eliminates size and athleticism discrepancies.

usu99 · Post by **usu99** » March 5th, 2021, 8:28 am

Shulga started 0-4 if I remember correctly.

SLB · Post by **SLB** » March 5th, 2021, 8:38 am

usu99 wrote: ↑
March 5th, 2021, 8:28 am
Shulga started 0-4 if I remember correctly.

Then went 3-3
3-7 on the game with 8 points.

Roy McAvoy · Post by **Roy McAvoy** » March 5th, 2021, 8:52 am

SLB wrote: ↑
March 5th, 2021, 8:38 am

usu99 wrote: ↑
March 5th, 2021, 8:28 am
Shulga started 0-4 if I remember correctly.
Then went 3-3
3-7 on the game with 8 points.

Correction: He then went 2-2 from the 3 & finished the game 2-6 from the 3.

I think the 3 freshman guards are great and they may very well get better at shooting, but I still think this team needs shooting. The fact is, those 3 are a combined 52-160 on the season for 32.5%. Again, they might improve but a lot of CBB players actually have their %'s get worse as their career goes on.

For example, Sam Merrill's 3 point % dropped considerably his Jr. & Sr. years (38% & 41% respectively) compared to his Freshman year (45%).

Players will never get as easy of 3 point looks as they do their freshman year.

mcaggie1 · Post by **mcaggie1** » March 5th, 2021, 9:45 am

SLB wrote: ↑
March 4th, 2021, 10:56 pm
Our freshmen guards Shulga, Worster, and Ashworth combine shooting stats in this Wyoming game are the following:
29 points
10-22 from the field (each guard shot 40% or better)
6-12 from 3
3-4 on FTs
Trust the process and be patient because it takes time to develop players.

To intimate that we already have good shooters so we don’t need more is ridiculous. Yes, the three had good combined stats last night. Small sample size. Sam Merrill is a great shooter. We don’t have a great shooter among our guards and wings on this team. You are absolutely correct when you say our three need development. We need that. But for next year we need to bring in an elite shooter or two, and a really good 4 and 5. On top of that pray that Mc Chesney has put on muscle and is healthy. Bottom line is that we can’t rely on Queta next year. Take him off this team, and we don’t have a winning year. Maybe break even.

SLB · Post by **SLB** » March 5th, 2021, 9:55 am

mcaggie1 wrote: ↑
March 5th, 2021, 9:45 am

SLB wrote: ↑
March 4th, 2021, 10:56 pm
Our freshmen guards Shulga, Worster, and Ashworth combine shooting stats in this Wyoming game are the following:
29 points
10-22 from the field (each guard shot 40% or better)
6-12 from 3
3-4 on FTs
Trust the process and be patient because it takes time to develop players.
To intimate that we already have good shooters so we don’t need more is ridiculous. Yes, the three had good combined stats last night. Small sample size. Sam Merrill is a great shooter. We don’t have a great shooter among our guards and wings on this team. You are absolutely correct when you say our three need development. We need that. But for next year we need to bring in an elite shooter or two, and a really good 4 and 5. On top of that pray that Mc Chesney has put on muscle and is healthy. Bottom line is that we can’t rely on Queta next year. Take him off this team, and we don’t have a winning year. Maybe break even.

We are already getting shooters, and people seem to missing the fact that this latest recruiting class can shoot the ball.

Sl7vk · Post by **Sl7vk** » March 5th, 2021, 9:58 am

mcaggie1 wrote: ↑
March 5th, 2021, 9:45 am

SLB wrote: ↑
March 4th, 2021, 10:56 pm
Our freshmen guards Shulga, Worster, and Ashworth combine shooting stats in this Wyoming game are the following:
29 points
10-22 from the field (each guard shot 40% or better)
6-12 from 3
3-4 on FTs
Trust the process and be patient because it takes time to develop players.
To intimate that we already have good shooters so we don’t need more is ridiculous. Yes, the three had good combined stats last night. Small sample size. Sam Merrill is a great shooter. We don’t have a great shooter among our guards and wings on this team. You are absolutely correct when you say our three need development. We need that. But for next year we need to bring in an elite shooter or two, and a really good 4 and 5. On top of that pray that Mc Chesney has put on muscle and is healthy. Bottom line is that we can’t rely on Queta next year. Take him off this team, and we don’t have a winning year. Maybe break even.

Yes, and if we don't have Sam Merrill the previous two years, we are a break even team as well.
And if we didn't have Jaycee Carrol those years, we probably were only a break even team as well.
That type of logic goes on forever.

mcaggie1 · Post by **mcaggie1** » March 5th, 2021, 10:03 am

SLB wrote: ↑
March 5th, 2021, 9:55 am

mcaggie1 wrote: ↑
March 5th, 2021, 9:45 am

SLB wrote: ↑
March 4th, 2021, 10:56 pm
Our freshmen guards Shulga, Worster, and Ashworth combine shooting stats in this Wyoming game are the following:
29 points
10-22 from the field (each guard shot 40% or better)
6-12 from 3
3-4 on FTs
Trust the process and be patient because it takes time to develop players.
To intimate that we already have good shooters so we don’t need more is ridiculous. Yes, the three had good combined stats last night. Small sample size. Sam Merrill is a great shooter. We don’t have a great shooter among our guards and wings on this team. You are absolutely correct when you say our three need development. We need that. But for next year we need to bring in an elite shooter or two, and a really good 4 and 5. On top of that pray that Mc Chesney has put on muscle and is healthy. Bottom line is that we can’t rely on Queta next year. Take him off this team, and we don’t have a winning year. Maybe break even.
We are already getting shooters, and people seem to missing the fact that this latest recruiting class can shoot the ball.

Good shooters...not great...or elite. We need two of the latter. Another way to look at it. Give me a Sam Merril and a Wayne Estes. We don’t have anyone in the last recruiting class that are even close to those two.

mcaggie1 · Post by **mcaggie1** » March 5th, 2021, 10:07 am

Roy McAvoy wrote: ↑
March 5th, 2021, 8:52 am

SLB wrote: ↑
March 5th, 2021, 8:38 am

usu99 wrote: ↑
March 5th, 2021, 8:28 am
Shulga started 0-4 if I remember correctly.
Then went 3-3
3-7 on the game with 8 points.
Correction: He then went 2-2 from the 3 & finished the game 2-6 from the 3.

I think the 3 freshman guards are great and they may very well get better at shooting, but I still think this team needs shooting. The fact is, those 3 are a combined 52-160 on the season for 32.5%. Again, they might improve but a lot of CBB players actually have their %'s get worse as their career goes on.

For example, Sam Merrill's 3 point % dropped considerably his Jr. & Sr. years (38% & 41% respectively) compared to his Freshman year (45%).

Players will never get as easy of 3 point looks as they do their freshman year.

Exactly.

SLB · Post by **SLB** » March 5th, 2021, 10:10 am

mcaggie1 wrote: ↑
March 5th, 2021, 10:03 am

SLB wrote: ↑
March 5th, 2021, 9:55 am

mcaggie1 wrote: ↑
March 5th, 2021, 9:45 am

SLB wrote: ↑
March 4th, 2021, 10:56 pm
Our freshmen guards Shulga, Worster, and Ashworth combine shooting stats in this Wyoming game are the following:
29 points
10-22 from the field (each guard shot 40% or better)
6-12 from 3
3-4 on FTs
Trust the process and be patient because it takes time to develop players.
To intimate that we already have good shooters so we don’t need more is ridiculous. Yes, the three had good combined stats last night. Small sample size. Sam Merrill is a great shooter. We don’t have a great shooter among our guards and wings on this team. You are absolutely correct when you say our three need development. We need that. But for next year we need to bring in an elite shooter or two, and a really good 4 and 5. On top of that pray that Mc Chesney has put on muscle and is healthy. Bottom line is that we can’t rely on Queta next year. Take him off this team, and we don’t have a winning year. Maybe break even.
We are already getting shooters, and people seem to missing the fact that this latest recruiting class can shoot the ball.
Good shooters...not great...or elite. We need two of the latter. Another way to look at it. Give me a Sam Merril and a Wayne Estes. We don’t have anyone in the last recruiting class that are even close to those two.

Sam Merrill and Wayne Estes are special players and NBA caliber (the Lakers said that they were going to pick Estes in the 1st round). UCLA don't get a NBA level player with every ESPN top 100 recruit (some are NBA level but most are not NBA level).

GoldcoastAggie · Post by **GoldcoastAggie** » March 5th, 2021, 10:21 am

I'm a big fan of Shulga and think he's going to be great but let's be honest those shots last night were wide open. Wyoming's game plan was to leave guys like him and Bean wide open and force them to hit something. I'll give him credit for doing so later in the game but he's not going to be that wide open very often. I think it's too early to say he's a good shooter. He needs to make those with a hand in his face.

slcagg · Post by **slcagg** » March 5th, 2021, 10:23 am

Shulga is just getting playing time. Remember he shot like 52% on threes in international play. With some confidence I think he can get to 40%.

slcagg · Post by **slcagg** » March 5th, 2021, 10:23 am

We aren’t even talking about our best shooter on the team.

Sl7vk · Post by **Sl7vk** » March 5th, 2021, 10:25 am

slcagg wrote: ↑
March 5th, 2021, 10:23 am
We aren’t even talking about our best shooter on the team.

Queta?

SLB · Post by **SLB** » March 5th, 2021, 10:29 am

slcagg wrote: ↑
March 5th, 2021, 10:23 am
Shulga is just getting playing time. Remember he shot like 52% on threes in international play. With some confidence I think he can get to 40%.

Another thing about Shulga, in his 4th year then he will about the same age as some returning missionary true freshmen. He is really that young.

mcaggie1 · Post by **mcaggie1** » March 5th, 2021, 10:37 am

SLB wrote: ↑
March 5th, 2021, 10:10 am

mcaggie1 wrote: ↑
March 5th, 2021, 10:03 am

SLB wrote: ↑
March 5th, 2021, 9:55 am

mcaggie1 wrote: ↑
March 5th, 2021, 9:45 am

SLB wrote: ↑
March 4th, 2021, 10:56 pm
Our freshmen guards Shulga, Worster, and Ashworth combine shooting stats in this Wyoming game are the following:
29 points
10-22 from the field (each guard shot 40% or better)
6-12 from 3
3-4 on FTs
Trust the process and be patient because it takes time to develop players.
To intimate that we already have good shooters so we don’t need more is ridiculous. Yes, the three had good combined stats last night. Small sample size. Sam Merrill is a great shooter. We don’t have a great shooter among our guards and wings on this team. You are absolutely correct when you say our three need development. We need that. But for next year we need to bring in an elite shooter or two, and a really good 4 and 5. On top of that pray that Mc Chesney has put on muscle and is healthy. Bottom line is that we can’t rely on Queta next year. Take him off this team, and we don’t have a winning year. Maybe break even.
We are already getting shooters, and people seem to missing the fact that this latest recruiting class can shoot the ball.
Good shooters...not great...or elite. We need two of the latter. Another way to look at it. Give me a Sam Merril and a Wayne Estes. We don’t have anyone in the last recruiting class that are even close to those two.
Sam Merrill and Wayne Estes are special players and NBA caliber (the Lakers said that they were going to pick Estes in the 1st round). UCLA don't get a NBA level player with every ESPN top 100 recruit (some are NBA level but most are not NBA level).

And the Lakers had the number 2 spot in that draft. Merrill and Estes WERE special players. Through the years we have had many special players. The question is, why don’t we have more? For us, I think luck has a lot to do with it. Estes, for example was not recruited to play basketball by anyone else but LaDell Anderson. He had a few nibbles to play football and track. Rulon Jones had few offers, but ended up as defensive POY one year. I could name many, many more.

You bring in a good player, and he becomes an overachiever....and ends up very special (Bobby Wagner). We need to find more of those

SectionBAggie · Post by **SectionBAggie** » March 5th, 2021, 11:32 am

SLB wrote: ↑
March 4th, 2021, 10:56 pm
Our freshmen guards Shulga, Worster, and Ashworth combine shooting stats in this Wyoming game are the following:
29 points
10-22 from the field (each guard shot 40% or better)
6-12 from 3
3-4 on FTs
Trust the process and be patient because it takes time to develop players.

I am guessing (and I apologize if I am wrong) that SLB really meant "To those who say that we haven't recruited shooters". Obviously, teams need to recruit shooters. And it's looking like USU has done well in recruiting young players who are going to be able shooters.

SLB · Post by **SLB** » March 5th, 2021, 11:57 am

SectionBAggie wrote: ↑
March 5th, 2021, 11:32 am

SLB wrote: ↑
March 4th, 2021, 10:56 pm
Our freshmen guards Shulga, Worster, and Ashworth combine shooting stats in this Wyoming game are the following:
29 points
10-22 from the field (each guard shot 40% or better)
6-12 from 3
3-4 on FTs
Trust the process and be patient because it takes time to develop players.
I am guessing (and I apologize if I am wrong) that SLB really meant "To those who say that we haven't recruited shooters". Obviously, teams need to recruit shooters. And it's looking like USU has done well in recruiting young players who are going to be able shooters.

Next season, we will have more recruits.
Cade Potter will be returning from his mission.

cval · Post by **cval** » March 5th, 2021, 2:39 pm

mcaggie1 wrote: ↑
March 5th, 2021, 9:45 am

SLB wrote: ↑
March 4th, 2021, 10:56 pm
Our freshmen guards Shulga, Worster, and Ashworth combine shooting stats in this Wyoming game are the following:
29 points
10-22 from the field (each guard shot 40% or better)
6-12 from 3
3-4 on FTs
Trust the process and be patient because it takes time to develop players.
To intimate that we already have good shooters so we don’t need more is ridiculous. Yes, the three had good combined stats last night. Small sample size. Sam Merrill is a great shooter. We don’t have a great shooter among our guards and wings on this team. You are absolutely correct when you say our three need development. We need that. But for next year we need to bring in an elite shooter or two, and a really good 4 and 5. On top of that pray that Mc Chesney has put on muscle and is healthy. Bottom line is that we can’t rely on Queta next year. Take him off this team, and we don’t have a winning year. Maybe break even.

I actually disagree with this take. Take him off this team and we run a different system that plays on the strengths of our best players. When your best player is a different type of player you run a different system.

mcaggie1 · Post by **mcaggie1** » March 6th, 2021, 2:03 pm

cval wrote: ↑
March 5th, 2021, 2:39 pm

mcaggie1 wrote: ↑
March 5th, 2021, 9:45 am

SLB wrote: ↑
March 4th, 2021, 10:56 pm
Our freshmen guards Shulga, Worster, and Ashworth combine shooting stats in this Wyoming game are the following:
29 points
10-22 from the field (each guard shot 40% or better)
6-12 from 3
3-4 on FTs
Trust the process and be patient because it takes time to develop players.
To intimate that we already have good shooters so we don’t need more is ridiculous. Yes, the three had good combined stats last night. Small sample size. Sam Merrill is a great shooter. We don’t have a great shooter among our guards and wings on this team. You are absolutely correct when you say our three need development. We need that. But for next year we need to bring in an elite shooter or two, and a really good 4 and 5. On top of that pray that Mc Chesney has put on muscle and is healthy. Bottom line is that we can’t rely on Queta next year. Take him off this team, and we don’t have a winning year. Maybe break even.
I actually disagree with this take. Take him off this team and we run a different system that plays on the strengths of our best players. When your best player is a different type of player you run a different system.

So you honestly think that we would be just a good of a team without Queta? I can see your point in some instances, but not with Queta. Without him we would be a 5 or 6 seed. IMO

cval · Post by **cval** » March 6th, 2021, 7:33 pm

Didn’t say that at all. But, I think we would be a different team, and still good. You said “not a wining team, maybe break even.”

I trust Smith to build a good team around the players he has.

Roy McAvoy · Post by **Roy McAvoy** » March 6th, 2021, 9:51 pm

SLB caused this absolutely horrific shooting display tonight by jinxing the team with spouting off about what great shooters these guys are in this thread.

AGGIEinIOWA · Post by **AGGIEinIOWA** » March 6th, 2021, 9:59 pm

We need our Russian Rocket launcher back.

stang · Post by **stang** » March 6th, 2021, 10:13 pm

Watching that first half, my main takeaway is that we are absolutely, unequivocally FLOODED with reliable shooters right now. If Craig recruits one more shooter to this squad I want him fired.

Elkaggie · Post by **Elkaggie** » March 6th, 2021, 10:21 pm

Between this thread and the one claiming Smiths had 2 seed ever year I figured we were toast tonight. Turning out to be true.

Pacobag · Post by **Pacobag** » March 6th, 2021, 11:39 pm

I thought about starting a thread titled, to those who say we don't need to recruit shooters.

Glad we got the gutsy win but that first half shooting was atrocious.

SLB · Post by **SLB** » March 7th, 2021, 12:30 am

Freshmen Guards' 3-point shooting % in the last 2 games
10-19 52.6 %

brownjeans · Post by **brownjeans** » March 7th, 2021, 7:11 am

We need three or four shooters on the floor with every lineup. Most the time, we don't. We should also take ~40% of our shots as threes. Rarely does that happen
These are my core concerns.

Regardless of whether or not we have players who can shoot, we're not seeing either of these things. As a result teams are packing it in on us, leaving two or three players unguarded when they're on the perimeter.
We can't beat any decent team who scores more than 80 points because our offense is flawed and we can't keep up.

ineptimusprime · Post by **ineptimusprime** » March 7th, 2021, 7:46 am

We are like the opposite of a modern basketball team. We roll out a typical starting lineup with 4 guys that have good size, are gritty, and can defend like hell (Queta, Bean, Anthony, Worster) and one reliable shooter (Miller). We win games by playing incredible team defense. I feel like most teams are the opposite and roll out 4 shooters and one gritty defender.

It’s worked for us in conference play, but I really worry about us getting exposed badly in the NCAA tourney (if we make it) by a good offensive basketball team that we struggle to defend.

brownjeans · Post by **brownjeans** » March 7th, 2021, 8:13 am

If we need 3 or 4 shooters on the floor in any given lineup, on a team of 13 players, how many need to be able to shoot better than 34% from 3?
Maybe 8 of them? Five for sure and three developing to shoot that well?
How many do we have?

Yossarian · Post by **Yossarian** » March 7th, 2021, 12:37 pm

ineptimusprime wrote: ↑
March 7th, 2021, 7:46 am
We are like the opposite of a modern basketball team. We roll out a typical starting lineup with 4 guys that have good size, are gritty, and can defend like hell (Queta, Bean, Anthony, Worster) and one reliable shooter (Miller). We win games by playing incredible team defense. I feel like most teams are the opposite and roll out 4 shooters and one gritty defender.

It’s worked for us in conference play, but I really worry about us getting exposed badly in the NCAA tourney (if we make it) by a good offensive basketball team that we struggle to defend.

Yes - for all of this talk in the last two years about positionless basketball and what not, we sure seem to have a very 1970s makeup.

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