Anyone excited for basketball season? In case you’re not aware, we have the special combination this year of a highly touted incoming freshmen class and an experienced core group of returning starters that helped take us to the Sweet 16 last year. No doubt the Buckeyes are a team to watch this year. Even Dickie V is saying that we’ll be in the running for a Final Four appearance, and in a loaded Big Ten conference this season, every game has a chance to be special.
For Buckeye fans who have followed the basketball team since Thad Matta’s debut in 2004, it is fair to say that this season has a good chance to stand out, even with classic moments already in the books, such as the victory over #1 ranked Illinois to conclude Matta’s first season and our run to the national championship game in 2007. Buckeye basketball has changed for the better over the latter part of the decade, as the style of play is markedly more exciting, the talent on display has reached a new level, and the program has returned to national prominence. Even the student section is moving in the right direction!
As we enter this new season and the anticipation builds, there are several outstanding questions about the team, and it will be interesting to see how things develop for the 2010-2011 basketball Buckeyes. Four of the most significant questions are explored below…
1. What will be the impact of having Dallas Lauderdale coming off the bench?
Although it’s entirely possible that Dallas will retain his starting position for the entirety of the season, there’s a good chance that at least a portion of the games will see him filling the role of 6th man. My expectation is that we’ll start the season with Dallas in the first five, bring Sullinger off the bench initially to groom him a bit, and then after Sullinger’s first big game he’ll take over the starting position. We could certainly feature a “big” lineup with both Sullinger and Dallas on the floor, and this approach could be highly effective in the right circumstances, but for the most part basketball is a guards’ game, and with our size, talent, and versatility on the outside it may make the most sense to let Sullinger and Dallas spell each other. I think it’s safe to say that Lighty, Diebler, and Buford will all be in the starting five, and if we assume that Sullinger will get a spot, then there’s a decision to be made between A) going big and B) having someone other than Lighty/Diebler/Buford bringing the ball up. Point is not the natural position for any of those three, and none are a “point forward” like Evan Turner was last season, so the nod goes to having a true point guard on the floor and bringing Dallas off the bench.
So, to return to the original question, what will it be like with Dallas coming off the bench? First, it will be nice for the simple reason of alleviating any concerns of foul trouble that Sullinger might get into. While Kyle Madsen was a quality backup last season, we definitely lost something when Dallas got into foul trouble and we had to take him off the floor. Having a 6’9 force coming off the bench will be a valuable luxury. Second, this move could create a new element to Lauderdale’s role. He’s definitely a personality guy, and it may energize him even more to not only be seen as our defensive stopper, but also the guy we bring in part-way through the first half to both shut down the lane and get the team going. Some players may respond poorly to “losing” a starting spot, but I don’t see that from Dallas. Instead, I see him taking this opportunity and capitalizing on it.
2. What will the point guard play look like?
I just mentioned the consideration of the point guard position, and right now this seems to be more of an unknown than anything else about the team. Currently the expectation is to see freshman Aaron Craft holding down most of the point duty, with co-freshman Lenzelle Smith coming off the bench. We’ve got plenty of scoring firepower with Buford, Diebler, Sullinger, Lighty, and Deshaun Thomas, so the primary responsibility of Craft and Sibert will be to direct the team’s offense and distribute the ball. Their ability to moderate the pace of the game and create opportunities will be key. Buford will likely see some time at the point as well, but his game is much better suited to catch-and-shoot basketball or quick cuts to the basket off a well-delivered pass. The style of play will feel a bit different than it did last year with Turner running the show, as Evan could sometimes dominate the ball and call his own number for a foray to the hoop (which wasn’t necessarily a bad thing). With the return to a more traditional point guard, things will probably feel a bit more like they did when Mike Conley ran the team for a year (although it would be unreasonable to expect the same level of impact that Conley had in his year).
3. Who will be the alpha male?
This question is a bit tongue-in-cheek, as all these guys are used to being the focal point from their high school days, but there needs to be a guy this year who is going to take charge when things get tough. The obvious choice is Lighty, as I would say that he filled this role last year, even with Turner as our featured player and the guy we relied on to win games for us in the end. Lighty seems to be naturally suited to the leader role, making his mark first on the defensive end and taking charge when needed in the huddle. You could say that Lighty added to his credibility by developing his offensive game last season, blossoming into a true scoring threat and making numerous big plays in the latter portion of the year.
An argument could be made for Buford as the leader of the team, as he should be our primary scorer. Sullinger is also a possibility if he turns out to be the most dominant presence on the floor. But as a senior, and an all-around player that gets it done on both the defensive and offensive ends, Lighty will be counted upon to drive this team.
4. Who are we going to see something new from?
A trend that has developed with Thad Matta-led teams is the emergence of at least one player each year who comes on strong, exceeding expectations of the fans and making a mark as a regular part of the rotation. Recent examples that come to mind are Kyle Madsen, P.J. Hill, and even Dallas Lauderdale to some extent. These are guys who have certain skill sets, and Matta finds a way to put them in a position to best utilize their skills. He coaches to their strengths and gets the most out of their talents rather than exposing their weaknesses. Going further back we can highlight examples such as Ivan Harris and Matt Terwilliger. From my perspective, Harris was a big recruit who found himself without a clear role for a few years. Then, out of nowhere he became a deadly three-point threat in his senior year. Granted, it can be easy to hang out on the three-point line and bomb away when you’ve got the likes of Mike Conley and Greg Oden attracting attention, but the fact remains that Matta found a way to utilize Harris effectively. Another example that will always stand out for me is J.J. Sullinger. After spending significant time (too much time) hanging out in a wing position, jacking up ill-advised treys, Sullinger was moved down low by Matta, and the results were immediate. It was a simple switch, but all of a sudden the team had a new element. Sullinger’s natural athleticism and aggressiveness was far more effective going up against slightly larger opponents than it was trying to handle the ball on the perimeter.
With the 2009-2010 team, it’s hard to identify someone that really isn’t using their talents and making significant contributions already (obviously not counting the freshmen, who we haven’t seen yet). However, I do have a potential candidate for the answer to this question, and it will probably be exciting to Buckeye fans. My pick? Jon Diebler. Maybe Diebler will continue doing what’s he been doing the past two seasons: lighting it up from downtown and providing solid team play. But there could be more, and Matta is a coach that will bring it out of Diebler. I’m not sure what it could be – perhaps playing the passing lanes differently, or crashing the offensive boards – but look for something new and unexpected from Diebler this year.
It’s going to be a great season.
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