Clemmons needs to start, not come off the bench
- Thread starter hawkit3113
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I'm still stuck on my baseball pitches analogy. I think we saw again last night what Uthoff can do at the four. And that certainly opens up the two for Clemmons or Ellingson or later in the year as he settles in Fleming. And I remain of the belief that Fran is looking for that two guard beyond Clemmons before dropping Jok down from the three. It gives us the better ball handling and passing that we missed after Marble was gone.
But. Pitches. Our fastball may yet be: Gesell, Jok, Uthoff, Uhl and Woody. I don't know. I'm not worried about it as I don't have access to McCaffery's long term plans. But I do know that we won't be a one pitch team.
But. Pitches. Our fastball may yet be: Gesell, Jok, Uthoff, Uhl and Woody. I don't know. I'm not worried about it as I don't have access to McCaffery's long term plans. But I do know that we won't be a one pitch team.
Also, Mike and Clemmons are a hell of a combo. I cant remember having a better guard combo then them. At least not in a long time.
I've been a proponent of bringing Clemmons off the bench, but last night shifted my view. He needs to shoot a bit better from 3, but other than that he has been playing very well this year. I still think Uhl is playing well enough to deserve major minutes, but I'm fine bringing him off the bench if we keep rolling like this.
I remember seeing a stat last year that our most successful lineups included both Clemmons and Gesell. Anytime you have two PGs on the floor at once, especially relatively athletic ones who can guard guys who are a little bigger, you can do good things.
Yea.....I think we saw last night why this is going to work with these two to start games especially on the road. Man, they were tough, seasoned/experienced and picked apart UM. That one half court threaded pass by Mike through traffic to Sapp with the up and under finish was brilliant. I have the Nebby/Delaware St game on now and I like match-ups against a true frosh guard like Tracy Webster and it will be necessary on the road against more experience guard play like Yoggi and James Blackman.
Plus...they can both dunk the ball with authority....
We just look much better with those two on the floor at the same time. Both are a slashing threat. I really like the way Mike is playing too. I think up to this point Clemmons has been our most important guy, but Mike is playing with a lot of moxy.
Yes...and the other play I really liked with Sapp was the slashing drive and finish in the second half with some contact. We need more of that and we are getting it from both Sapp and Mike.
Yep. And you are right about that pass from Mike to Sapp. What a beauty. I am really liking this team. I know its early, but the last 2 games have shown the potential upside if guys keep developing. And if the bench continues to get minutes and develop, it will make Clemmons being the starter a non issue.
It really depends on who Iowa is facing. If it's Purdue or Maryland or similar sized teams Iowa has to go big.
It is early but I like what I am seeing and what I heard from Mike and Sapp from their interviews. The experience they bring especially on the road (huge) and setting the tone/tempo right away but also so the younger guys learn what you need to do and the effort you need to bring to floor in a hostile environment will be invaluable as this team grows forward. There's a lot of talent on our bench. It's one thing winning in Assembly Hall, the Value Center, Kohl Center etc in the friendly confines.....but show me what you can do in a true road game hostile environment against talented BB players that UM clearly has and that will tell ya a bunch. And not a neutral site either.
Advantage IOWA.
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I agree it should be more matchup driven. When we play more phyical BIG teams we will see how our rebounding holds up. Uthoff at the 4 was a good matchup against Ellenson with his skill set.
Not great slashers. Tough call on the shooting. To me its about equal. I would much rather have Mike and Clemmons
WTF, tough call on the shooting? That part of their games is not close, and please dont give me percentages when Horner was throwing up 27 footers while MG/AC rarely take a contested shot.
Clemmons is a good shot. And Mike CAN be a good shot. A little more consistency would be nice.
Going into last nights game and watching Marquette the other night, I thought they would be a bigger more physical team but Iowa was bigger or played bigger. Woody, Jarrod, Uhl, Jones, Wagner with Peter and Baer sized up very nicely.
You want to match up with an advantage and Mike and Sapp last night were a big advantage. On both ends defensively with steals and run outs but also helped play collapse D on Fisher and Ellenson where they dug out some steals on the bigs and just made them uncomfortable with their offense but yet did not lose their player responsibility on D. That's what experienced play will give ya. Like what 3113 is saying and yes it's early still but Mike and Sapp are playing with a lot of moxy, they certainly did last night.
We will play tougher teams and if the match ups are not working or someone is sideways with their play like Jok was starting the 2nd half, we know Fran will not hesitate to change out who is on the floor. It's nice to know we have depth where he can do this and not lose too much in production or match up better.
Disagree with the OP. This team still has trouble rebounding but I get making Dom/Jones earn it. That isn't to say that SAP hasn't earned it but I believe the team is better when we have a player like him and with his experience coming off the bench and the added length in the starting line-up.
JMO and it should not be seen as Clemmons not being a really really good player or even deserving of a starting position.
JMO and it should not be seen as Clemmons not being a really really good player or even deserving of a starting position.
I'm not sure its a closed case that we are better with Clemmons starting. We've been down this road the past couple years. Last night was the good Sapp...playing quick and aggressive on defense and moving the ball on offense and taking good shots. We don't always get the good Sapp...for some reason there are times where he is not dialed in defensively despite that being his speciality. He has talked about this year being different and his last go around, but I'd like to see last nights effort and effectiveness on a consistent basis before I declare we are better off with him in the starting lineup. There are benefits to him coming off the bench as we've seen for the past three years. Sapp can really be disruptive on the defensive end when he wants to..hopefully the light has turned on and that part of the game will be consistent going forward. What he does on offense is gravy beyond that.
I'm not sold on Clemmons at SG, or both PGs at the same time.... however you care to describe it. Right now, I think it is more likely that Clemmons is the 6th man when conference games begin.
Haluska shot 34, 35, and 38 percent from 3 during his 3 years at Iowa.
Horner was better than I remembered:
. career leader in three-pointers (232) . . . ranks second in assists (563) and three-point attempts (635), 14th in career points (1,341) and also totaled 514 career rebounds . . . only Iowa player ever to total over 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 500 assists . . . only Iowa player ever to total over 200 points, 100 rebounds and 100 assists in four seasons . . . in Big Ten career stats, ranks 7th in assists (612) and three-point FG attempts (713) and 8th in three-point FGs (262)
Horner was better than I remembered:
. career leader in three-pointers (232) . . . ranks second in assists (563) and three-point attempts (635), 14th in career points (1,341) and also totaled 514 career rebounds . . . only Iowa player ever to total over 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 500 assists . . . only Iowa player ever to total over 200 points, 100 rebounds and 100 assists in four seasons . . . in Big Ten career stats, ranks 7th in assists (612) and three-point FG attempts (713) and 8th in three-point FGs (262)
Not a 2 guard, need scoring from that position. He's proven to be a hell of a player, I think he's better coming in off the bench.
It's great that Fran has options. I was leaning toward Uhl starting and Sapp coming off the bench for more rebounding, but Sapp gives us great experience and perimeter defense from the start of the game. I want Mike and Sapp's minutes to add up to at least 50/game, whether Sapp starts or not. I don't think Fran has decided how his rotation will work long term, and it could change a little from game to game depending on match ups.
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