Klemnop
09-23-2009, 11:03 AM
A generally sound overview of Clemson on the front page this morning. As always I enjoy any interwebz nuggets I can find on my beloved Tigers. A couple of additional thoughts:
Trevor Booker has been diagnosed with a stress reaction in his foot. Different from a stress fracture, what I've seen reported on Clemson websites is that the condition causes pain - but that if Booker can cope with the pain then it is what it is and not likely to get worse. I've heard no mention that the injury would cause him to miss any time. The question is if (or how much) it might limit his effectiveness.
Devin Booker is an absolute Freak of Nature. Reports are that he's the second best jumper on the team (to Narcisse, who was a state champion high jumper and a freak of athleticism in his own right with the wingspan DBR alluded to.) He also turned in the second best shuttle time in pre-season workouts, behind only Demontez Stitt. He's coming in with the reputation of having a better jump shot (out to about 17') than his brother has today. And he's got the same nasty determination to dominate on the boards that Mrs. Booker, god love her, instilled in Trevor.
DBR asks who might man the front of Purnell's beloved press? Devin Booker, no doubt. I'm envisioning James Mays with a jump shot.
Not to mention that the addition of Book II and Jennings will give Purnell, for the first time in his Clemson tenure, the thing he has most desired from an offensive standpoint - a legitimate high-low game. (My stomach is turning knots as I type recalling all the failed high-low attempts of Ray Sykes in the last two years.)
As DBR also notes, Stitt (while not sexy) shold give the Tigers a solid backcourt presence - and an experienced one. He's developing along the same career path as Vern Hamilton, which is to say he's a competent distributor and able to run the offense but his real value is becoming his ability to take the ball to the rack and finish. He's not a very good outside shooter - and that ultimately limits both his effectiveness and his upside. But Clemson is fortunate to have him. Along side, however, is Andre Young. I wouldn't be surprised for Young to supercede Stitt as the primary PG/ballhandler by the time ACC play rolls around. Young protects the ball much better, is quicker and has a good range from 3. I wouldn't be surprised to see Purnell use Stitt as an off-guard with Young running the offense (although Stitt is even more limited offensively in the 2G role without deep range.)
I have zero expectation for Catalin Baicu this season. He's a project and I'd be happy if he were able to provide serviceable minutes as a Jr/Sr. He just doesn't play fast enough to keep up with the style/tempo that OP wants to employ. It'll be difficult for anyone over 6'8" to be able to do that - and I think the recruiting trend bears that out and will continue to bear that out.
In addition to the high-low, this roster is tailor-made to Purnell's taste from a depth perspective as well. I can see a 10 man rotation of: Book I, Grant, Book II, Jennings, Potter, Smith, Johnson, Hill, Stitt and Young. That's a fast, athletic, versatile, deep group.
Unfortunately with the OOC schedule upgrades and the vagaries of the rotating ACC schedule I think this year's version could be better than either of the last two (NCAA) teams - and end up with a worse conference record and firmly on the bubble come Selection Sunday. But overall a better, more dangerous team.
Klem
Trevor Booker has been diagnosed with a stress reaction in his foot. Different from a stress fracture, what I've seen reported on Clemson websites is that the condition causes pain - but that if Booker can cope with the pain then it is what it is and not likely to get worse. I've heard no mention that the injury would cause him to miss any time. The question is if (or how much) it might limit his effectiveness.
Devin Booker is an absolute Freak of Nature. Reports are that he's the second best jumper on the team (to Narcisse, who was a state champion high jumper and a freak of athleticism in his own right with the wingspan DBR alluded to.) He also turned in the second best shuttle time in pre-season workouts, behind only Demontez Stitt. He's coming in with the reputation of having a better jump shot (out to about 17') than his brother has today. And he's got the same nasty determination to dominate on the boards that Mrs. Booker, god love her, instilled in Trevor.
DBR asks who might man the front of Purnell's beloved press? Devin Booker, no doubt. I'm envisioning James Mays with a jump shot.
Not to mention that the addition of Book II and Jennings will give Purnell, for the first time in his Clemson tenure, the thing he has most desired from an offensive standpoint - a legitimate high-low game. (My stomach is turning knots as I type recalling all the failed high-low attempts of Ray Sykes in the last two years.)
As DBR also notes, Stitt (while not sexy) shold give the Tigers a solid backcourt presence - and an experienced one. He's developing along the same career path as Vern Hamilton, which is to say he's a competent distributor and able to run the offense but his real value is becoming his ability to take the ball to the rack and finish. He's not a very good outside shooter - and that ultimately limits both his effectiveness and his upside. But Clemson is fortunate to have him. Along side, however, is Andre Young. I wouldn't be surprised for Young to supercede Stitt as the primary PG/ballhandler by the time ACC play rolls around. Young protects the ball much better, is quicker and has a good range from 3. I wouldn't be surprised to see Purnell use Stitt as an off-guard with Young running the offense (although Stitt is even more limited offensively in the 2G role without deep range.)
I have zero expectation for Catalin Baicu this season. He's a project and I'd be happy if he were able to provide serviceable minutes as a Jr/Sr. He just doesn't play fast enough to keep up with the style/tempo that OP wants to employ. It'll be difficult for anyone over 6'8" to be able to do that - and I think the recruiting trend bears that out and will continue to bear that out.
In addition to the high-low, this roster is tailor-made to Purnell's taste from a depth perspective as well. I can see a 10 man rotation of: Book I, Grant, Book II, Jennings, Potter, Smith, Johnson, Hill, Stitt and Young. That's a fast, athletic, versatile, deep group.
Unfortunately with the OOC schedule upgrades and the vagaries of the rotating ACC schedule I think this year's version could be better than either of the last two (NCAA) teams - and end up with a worse conference record and firmly on the bubble come Selection Sunday. But overall a better, more dangerous team.
Klem