ADVERTISEMENT

Ben Krikke-- 6'9 F COMMITS to IOWA / Rienk Mast-6'9 C visiting 4/6-7 / BJ Mack-- 6'8 C visiting 4/17-19

To me Minor is very intriguing. A one year guy with a lot of tools. He clearly wants to play on the bigger stage. If Iowa identifies and pitches to him things they could improve in his game (FT shooting), he'd be a good addition.
Agree. Minor would greatly improve our interior defense and rebounding, but seems limited offensively. Mast would help at both ends, but might not be as much of a defensive presence. Both would be an especially good result, but just one would be great.
 
  • Like
Reactions: RocknRollface
So damn punchy from this horrible long project I have to complete I thought I posted this last night.

I have heard/read in two unrelated places that the Canadian from Valpo is a done deal for Iowa. Ben Krikke, supposedly 235-240, although he looks thinner than that size. If true and Iowa signs another big, with a big 4 and a big 5 coming in as freshmen you'd have to think Riley transfers.
 
Krikke write-up in the Athletic...

53. Ben Krikke | 6-9 big | One year of eligibility | Valparaiso
It’ll be interesting to see how the portal evaluates Krikke’s unique game. Offensively, there isn’t much that the Valparaiso big man can’t do. He’s a tremendous post finisher, ending this season as a top-70 scorer in terms of volume as well as one of the five most efficient post scorers in the country, averaging 1.13 points per possession each time he took a shot down there. His footwork, balance, and touch in those areas are ridiculous. He has a bevy of weird hook shots, flip shots and post moves that give him just that little bit of separation he needs. If he gets in close to the basket, the ball is going in. But he’s not just a post threat. I loved his work in ball-screens this season as a pick-and-pop player. He’d get the ball from the perimeter and attack his man, throwing up some wild moves including the occasional spin move into a 16-foot jumper. He only made 28 percent from 3, but someone with this kind of touch would only need a summer to really improve that part of his game and make it a real weapon. This is how Krikke made three straight All-Missouri Valley Conference teams, including a first-team berth this season. He does present some inherent limitations at the highest level defensively because he doesn’t move all that well laterally, and doesn’t protect the rim at a super high level. But in the right spot, Krikke could be a real difference-maker at the high-major level. I wonder if a spot at Notre Dame down the road with Micah Shrewsberry, a coach known to be willing to post and play five-out, could fit.
 
While I too am very high on Owen even if he is ready to start there is no depth except Riley and Riley did not look ready for extended minutes, even as a next guy in reserve. Right now the centers are a true freshmen, good but not like 5* good and a kid that has never really played and only showed a few flashes of being able to play at a P5 level. Iowa needs another center.
Not sure why you quoted me. I totally agree.
 
Krikke write-up in the Athletic...

53. Ben Krikke | 6-9 big | One year of eligibility | Valparaiso
It’ll be interesting to see how the portal evaluates Krikke’s unique game. Offensively, there isn’t much that the Valparaiso big man can’t do. He’s a tremendous post finisher, ending this season as a top-70 scorer in terms of volume as well as one of the five most efficient post scorers in the country, averaging 1.13 points per possession each time he took a shot down there. His footwork, balance, and touch in those areas are ridiculous. He has a bevy of weird hook shots, flip shots and post moves that give him just that little bit of separation he needs. If he gets in close to the basket, the ball is going in. But he’s not just a post threat. I loved his work in ball-screens this season as a pick-and-pop player. He’d get the ball from the perimeter and attack his man, throwing up some wild moves including the occasional spin move into a 16-foot jumper. He only made 28 percent from 3, but someone with this kind of touch would only need a summer to really improve that part of his game and make it a real weapon. This is how Krikke made three straight All-Missouri Valley Conference teams, including a first-team berth this season. He does present some inherent limitations at the highest level defensively because he doesn’t move all that well laterally, and doesn’t protect the rim at a super high level. But in the right spot, Krikke could be a real difference-maker at the high-major level. I wonder if a spot at Notre Dame down the road with Micah Shrewsberry, a coach known to be willing to post and play five-out, could fit.
Again, I’m all in on Krikke. The way Frans teams space the floor give me Krikke over Mast any day. Guy has a ton of moves.
 
Write up says Krikke limited in lateral movement and rim protection.

Want to get excited but how the hell do you start a front line of Krikke, Payton, and Patrick? Even with good defensive coaching that front line would be a stretch.

Hawks will have to average 85
 
Well, other than UMASS and the previous Penn State (pre-coaching change) visit. Still, weird to schedule a bunch of new visits, then not take them.
I’m apparently “out of the loop”…where did former Penn State coach end up at now? Never mind - I see he went to Notre Dame.
 
Last edited:
A good transfer C/PF is going to be extremely expensive this year.

Word is that a player like Caleb Grill is going to get 100k+. There are lots of guards in the portal, his numbers weren't that good especially after the injury, and he got kicked off his previous team. I bet many of the centers are going to be 400k+.
Wow….who the f*ck would give Caleb Grill $100K in the transfer market?
 
Gilmore got 20 minutes. He needs zero. Mast could get 25 easily at UW. Wahl and Crowl could get a few less per game.
Hopefully, Wisconsin’s slow/boring style of play scares a guy like Mast away from the badgers.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Torg
Write up says Krikke limited in lateral movement and rim protection.

Want to get excited but how the hell do you start a front line of Krikke, Payton, and Patrick? Even with good defensive coaching that front line would be a stretch.

Hawks will have to average 85
Averaged 88 this past season didn't we? Or thereabouts.
 
Write up says Krikke limited in lateral movement and rim protection.

Want to get excited but how the hell do you start a front line of Krikke, Payton, and Patrick? Even with good defensive coaching that front line would be a stretch.

Hawks will have to average 85
There’s no great rim protector coming to Iowa anyway. It’s pretty doubtful Frans bringing in a defensive Center. We stink at defense. Nobody is going to cover for those 2 guys. Might as well try to keep outscoring your opponents. It’s what we do.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Fan In Black
Nice pickup and solid stats in the MVC! Looks like he can finish with a variety of offensive moves and with both hands, will excel in Fran's system. Now, he'll need to continue work on pick and pop jump shots and the 3 ball but that will come in time.

So...does that leave 2 open rides regardless of whether Nimmers is on scholly?

And are we done with 'bigs' given that Braun is walking on and last two rides are for PG/SG/PF types?
 
Not high ON Krikke at all, no rim protection and lacks defense...not going to help all that much in the BIG
Write up says Krikke limited in lateral movement and rim protection.

Want to get excited but how the hell do you start a front line of Krikke, Payton, and Patrick? Even with good defensive coaching that front line would be a stretch.

Hawks will have to average 85
 
Last edited:
Krikke is rated as the #5 PF in the portal on TOS, FWIW. (Mast is #3.)

Looks like a solid pickup to me.
Not sure I see him as a Power Forward, to me he's clearly a Center. Again, though Mast might be ranked a bit higher I've seen them both play a ton and I lean towards Krikke slightly. Can score in so many ways. And no, he's not a so called "rim protector," There's very few of those guys out there anyway. He's going to be a nice pickup for us.
 
Not sure I see him as a Power Forward, to me he's clearly a Center. Again, though Mast might be ranked a bit higher I've seen them both play a ton and I lean towards Krikke slightly. Can score in so many ways. And no, he's not a so called "rim protector," There's very few of those guys out there anyway. He's going to be a nice pickup for us.
Agreed on the PF/C question. I’m not sure how TOS makes that distinction.
 
Averaged 35 minutes a game! Does this mean that Patrick is finished with basketball? Being from the MoValley Conference that Valpo finished near the bottom of the league anyone that averages over or at 20 points a game should fit right in to Fran's system, I'm just wondering whose minutes he will take away from while playing an average of 35 minutes a game?
 
  • Haha
Reactions: HawkOn15
I am going to go with BK to avoid spelling miscues.
Burger-King-54.jpg
 
Averaged 35 minutes a game! Does this mean that Patrick is finished with basketball? Being from the MoValley Conference that Valpo finished near the bottom of the league anyone that averages over or at 20 points a game should fit right in to Fran's system, I'm just wondering whose minutes he will take away from while playing an average of 35 minutes a game?
Probably won't play 35 min for the Hawks, but unless Patrick moves to the 4, instead of the 3, he will be taking some of Kris/Filip's minutes from last year. Competing with the two freshman bigs and Mulvey for minutes, until Fran adds a second portal big.
 
Rebraca was listed as 6’9”, 230. Krikke is listed as 6’9”, 235. Essentially identical.

Garza was measured 6’10” (barefoot) and 243 at the nba draft - and was heavier than that in college.

Point being, I never would have considered Garza a “rim protector” but I did think he did a helluva job banging, positioning, and eating up space on defense. Done mostly through hustle.

I think Rebraca was much the same in the hustle department - but he sure gave up a lot of size (height and weight) to typical BIG centers. Krikke is going to have the same challenge. Not saying it can’t be done - but Rebraca did a pretty damn good job for being an underdog in most of those battles.

It would be nice to have a shot-blocking rim protector, but in the BIG I think I’d rather have a space eating enforcer type than a finesse shot blocker at center. Does Ed Horton have any sons!? :)
 
Re: Krikke, I really like the highlight video and stats as far as his offensive game is concerned. I think he could very well be as effective as Rebraca in the post with a much better outside shot to go with it. He looks to have a pretty good shot from 18 feet and is a 80% career FT shooter. I wouldn’t be surprised if that three point shooting percentage went up either given that he is comfortable attempting two shots per game from out there and his FT shooting percentage is high. His shooting percentage on “long 2s” was 43% which is quite good.

I don’t like the rebounding and shot blocking numbers for Krikke. Best case scenario, he’s equivalent to Rebraca defensively and he will likely be worse on that end of the floor or at least worse on the glass. I think Brauns (assuming he does come here) will be an improvement defensively, or at least at rim protection.

If Brauns really is a done deal to Iowa then I think that we are now in okay shape at Center with Krikke, Brauns, Freeman, Mulvey and (maybe) Dembele.

Does this mean that we are no longer recruiting Minor and Mack? I don’t think it has to because both of those guys can probably come in and play PF. Mack looks to have a good enough outside shot that playing him at the 4 won’t cause floor spacing problems. Minor is a weak offensive player, at either the 4 or the 5, but is such a good defensive player that I’d love to have him at either of those spots (particularly since we have a good scoring big already in Krikke).
 
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest posts

ADVERTISEMENT