JUCO G Bryce Zephir Announces Commitment

[NorthTexasSportsNetwork]

7 hours ago, BillySee58 said:

Bell has been a 4 in Mccasland’s system the past two seasons and Miah has been a 4 since 2016-2017 under Mccasland at Arkansas State. Can’t imagine them both being moved to the 3 in his system suddenly. It’s a 3 to 4 guard system, and those guys aren’t guards.

Otherwise I think that’s pretty close. I think Perry or Browne will start at point guard with Rubin as kind of the secondary point guard taking the ball up the court and initiating offense as well. He was used in a similar secondary ball handler role last year when he was on the court with Hamlet.

I think you have Browne a little underrated. I’m expecting him to either start or be 6th man, but also wouldn’t be shocked to see the coaches put Murray ahead of him like you have. They definitely have a lot of trust in Murray that they might not put in newcomers right off the bat.

You think Browne starts?? Over who? I think Rubin, Thomas and Drez have spots basically locked down, maybe even Abou and Hameir. Would he be in a role that JJ played, even though JJ is back? I would think Mac works JJ in some considering he wanted to return.

Rubin’s situation is so weird because he’s 6’5, but recruited as a more shooting guard type player. With Drez having a huge role next season, you think he starts at forward?

Because Hameir is 6’9 and I would think Abou kind of won that spot after last year. Of course that could all change, and really everything could change hahq

 

[BillySee58]

36 minutes ago, NorthTexasSportsNetwork said:

You think Browne starts?? Over who? I think Rubin, Thomas and Drez have spots basically locked down, maybe even Abou and Hameir. Would he be in a role that JJ played, even though JJ is back? I would think Mac works JJ in some considering he wanted to return.

I think either Browne or Perry start. If I had to guess I’d say Perry. McBride, Jones, Bell, and Wright can be penciled in. That 5th guy isn’t going to be Abou. Abou is good but he’s not good enough to change Mccasland’s scheme and move Bell out of position just to fit Abou in the lineup.

Bell is gonna play the 4 where he has been the best fit for what Mccasland wants in a 4 and we didn’t bring in a 3-year starter at Washington to come off the bench so that puts Abou on the bench. 

36 minutes ago, NorthTexasSportsNetwork said:

Rubin’s situation is so weird because he’s 6’5, but recruited as a more shooting guard type player. With Drez having a huge role next season, you think he starts at forward?

I think you’re looking through things in the old lens. I noticed this last time you thought it was crazy to consider Rubin Jones a small forward. Those old position classifications are fairly outdated by now, especially with regards to how Mccasland runs things.

Mike Miller was 6’3” and started for us at the 4 during the CBI run and the entire next season. Nothing about his game says “Power Forward” but that was technically the position he played, by the old classifications. Which is why it doesn’t really make sense to view things through that lens.

Similarly, Mardrez McBride and Rubin Jones are guards. McBride is more of an off-ball guard and Jones is more of a combo guard who can handle the ball and initiate offense or play off the ball effectively. If Browne or Perry start, and McBride and Jones are starting too, none of them are “small forwards.” It’s just a three-guard lineup like Mccasland has always run. 

36 minutes ago, NorthTexasSportsNetwork said:

Because Hameir is 6’9 and I would think Abou kind of won that spot after last year. Of course that could all change, and really everything could change hahq

Abou was solid but we need to take a step back and look at things without a North Texas perspective. Abou averaged 2.9 points and 2.2 rebounds while Wright is a 3-year High Major starter and former top 100 national recruit who was in the transfer portal looking for a bigger role.

I said this when we got Deng Geu and people were thinking he’d come off the bench. You land these type of senior/grad transfers because you can offer them a starting spot. These guys want to make the most of their last season of eligibility, not come off the bench.

Edited August 2, 2021 by BillySee58

[PlummMeanGreen]

On 7/31/2021 at 8:54 AM, SUMG said:

Saw footage of him....from 2019....he's listed as 5'6". And he looked that small.

Now I see that he's listed as 6'4"...and he looks that tall. 

That's one hellatious growth spurt. 

Johnny boy here he is several years ago at 5’6” before his growth spurt began.  ••• Another Mean Green & NFL great Cedrick Hardman story we have here.
As you’d know,  Ced’ was 5’10” when recruited who grew to 6’5” 240 pounds while at UNT & before he’d eventually be drafted by the SF 49’ers “#1” in the NFL draft. 

 

❇️🦅❇️

Edited August 2, 2021 by PlummMeanGreen

[NorthTexasSportsNetwork]

15 minutes ago, BillySee58 said:

I think either Browne or Perry start. If I had to guess I’d say Perry. McBride, Jones, Bell, and Wright can be penciled in. That 5th guy isn’t going to be Abou. Abou is good but he’s not good enough to change Mccasland’s scheme and move Bell out of position just to fit Abou in the lineup.

Bell is gonna play the 4 where he has been the best fit for what Mccasland wants in a 4 and we didn’t bring in a 3-year starter at Washington to come off the bench so that puts Abou on the bench. 

I think you’re looking through things in the old lens. I noticed this last time you thought it was crazy to consider Rubin Jones a small forward. Those old position classifications are fairly outdated by now, especially with regards to how Mccasland runs things.

Mike Miller was 6’3” and started for us at the 4 during the CBI run and the entire next season. Nothing about his game says “Power Forward” but that was technically the position he played, by the old classifications. Which is why it doesn’t really make sense to view things through that lens.

Similarly, Mardrez McBride and Rubin Jones are guards. McBride is more of an off-ball guard and Jones is more of a combo guard who can handle the ball and initiate offense or play off the ball effectively. If Browne or Perry start, and McBride and Jones are starting too, none of them are “small forwards.” It’s just a three-guard lineup like Mccasland has always run. 

Abou was solid but we need to take a step back and look at things without a North Texas perspective. Abou averaged 2.9 points and 2.2 rebounds while Wright is a 3-year High Major starter and former top 100 national recruit who was in the transfer portal looking for a bigger role.

I said this when we got Deng Geu and people were thinking he’d come off the bench. You land these type of senior/grad transfers because you can offer them a starting spot. These guys want to make the most of their last season of eligibility, not come off the bench.

Totally agree on all of that. Mike was the best example of a smaller SF type player.

I just love that we have so much talent, and that we are having conversations of who starts over who. I have all my faith in what Mac will implement this off-season going into the regular season. He has so many weapons now, I don’t see why we can’t be a top dog again in the conference.

[BillySee58]

10 minutes ago, NorthTexasSportsNetwork said:

Totally agree on all of that. Mike was the best example of a smaller SF type player.

I just love that we have so much talent, and that we are having conversations of who starts over who. I have all my faith in what Mac will implement this off-season going into the regular season. He has so many weapons now, I don’t see why we can’t be a top dog again in the conference.

Definitely. Mccasland’s going to allow players to do what they do best on the court and that has worked great. May not have established stars like Hamlet, Gibson, or Woolridge but I’m confident this will be the deepest Mccasland team and think Rubin will step into that go-to role well. 

[MeanGreenTexan]

37 minutes ago, BillySee58 said:

Definitely. Mccasland’s going to allow players to do what they do best on the court and that has worked great. May not have established stars like Hamlet, Gibson, or Woolridge but I’m confident this will be the deepest Mccasland team and think Rubin will step into that go-to role well. 

We have to expect that all of the returning players are going to get better than last year.    Like you're saying, we can't expect anyone to be on Javion's level, and I doubt anyone is at Zach's level.  So losing those two hurts pretty bad.  And I would say Reese was last year's team's heart, so losing him may hurt more than we know.

But if Ousmane ups his game (biggest step is between Freshman-Sophomore years, right?), and Wright comes in a little better than what we got from Deng, we're gonna be OK replacing Zach.
If Rubin can create for himself while Drez and Bell get better... plus we add some solid outside depth, I don't see a reason why NT can't compete for another conference championship.  Who knows, one of the new guys may surprise us (When we landed Javion, I certainly wasn't thinking he was going to win C-USA B-ball POY & Male Athlete of the Year, especially with Bassey in the same league)! 
It's just going to look different.

[greenminer]

48 minutes ago, BillySee58 said:

May not have established stars like Hamlet, Gibson, or Woolridge but I’m confident this will be the deepest Mccasland team and think Rubin will step into that go-to role well. 

Always interesting to talk under this umbrella, IMO.  What makes a title run: Depth? Having that one star who can pull the team over the hump?

Up front, it looks like we traded the star (Javion) for some solid depth.  But the optimist in me says someone is gonna step up this coming season, I just don't know who it would be.  If that happens, we have best of both worlds.

Lastly, Grant has established trust.  I think he'll figure out how to make this work.

[greenminer]

@MeanGreenTexan Ousmane is a strong contender for player who steps up in to the star role.

[Jonnyeagle]

I was skeptical but after watching the attached video I am a believer.  He is a GREAT shooter.  I just don't get how he flew so low under the radar at 6-4 with that stroke.  There is clearly more to the story here.

 

[MeanGreenTexan]

5 minutes ago, greenminer said:

@MeanGreenTexan Ousmane is a strong contender for player who steps up in to the star role.

That would be awesome.   Honestly, for me, it would be a surprise though.

I'm expecting Rubin Jones, who definitely showed some flashes last season, to be that guy.   Maybe not to Javion's or even Wooly's level, but something like 2nd or 3rd-team All-conference.

Dark Horse:  Thomas Bell III

[GrandGreen]

Just about every team now plays with 3 guards starting.  More start 4 guards than the old traditional lineup of two.

I won't be surprised to see a lot of four guard play with Bell the other player. 

The key is having great rebounders at the guard position like Hamlet and Reese.

Wright come across as somewhat of a malcontent on the internet.  I don't think McC would mess with him if he didn't think he could be a starter.   Of course, with McC; you better have a good attitude and play defense first.

As far as Zephir being under the radar, that is easy when you don't even start at the juco level.   Obviously, McC saw something and I would be surprised if he doesn't start.  

 

[NorthTexasSportsNetwork]

1 hour ago, MeanGreenTexan said:

That would be awesome.   Honestly, for me, it would be a surprise though.

I'm expecting Rubin Jones, who definitely showed some flashes last season, to be that guy.   Maybe not to Javion's or even Wooly's level, but something like 2nd or 3rd-team All-conference.

Dark Horse:  Thomas Bell III

Thomas shouldn't be a dark horse to be the star because I think he already is the star of the team. Now he is the primary leader, and guys like Drez and Rubin could/should step up.

[BillySee58]

1 hour ago, greenminer said:

Always interesting to talk under this umbrella, IMO.  What makes a title run: Depth? Having that one star who can pull the team over the hump?

Up front, it looks like we traded the star (Javion) for some solid depth.  But the optimist in me says someone is gonna step up this coming season, I just don't know who it would be.  If that happens, we have best of both worlds.

Lastly, Grant has established trust.  I think he'll figure out how to make this work.

It’s always the right amount of each but last year our bench scored only 24 points in 6 postseason games. Entire bench giving us 4 points a game.

They gave almost no margin for error for Hamlet and the starters, offensively. Luckily Hamlet didn’t have any off nights and McBride and Bell gave us more offensively than they did during the season when Reese and Simmons were struggling in tournament play.

Whoever takes the lead role this year is going to need more support and higher margin for error (bad games) than Hamlet did this past season. Being able to get some points off the bench from guys like Tylor Perry, Rasheed Browne, Bryce Zephir (assuming only 1 of the 3 is starting), Abou Ousmane, Matthew Stone, etc is going to help make what we ask from the starters a little more realistic to achieve. Instead of asking them to replace Hamlet, Reese, and Simmons’ production 1 to 1.

[MeanGreenTexan]

9 minutes ago, NorthTexasSportsNetwork said:

Thomas shouldn't be a dark horse to be the star because I think he already is the star of the team. Now he is the primary leader, and guys like Drez and Rubin could/should step up.

Do you mean Bell is the best remaining player from last year's squad?   Probably, yes.
But basing off of last season, which is all we have to compare, Bell was definitely not the star.

That doesn't mean he doesn't jump up to become an all-conference guy this year though, which would make him a star, for sure.

I just think Jones is more poised to make that kind of jump in McCasland's system.   In his time last season, Jones would attack the rim more from above the throw in line (along the top of the 3pt line), whereas Bell would attack from the wings or baseline off a kickout pass.  I anticipate Jones to have the ball in his hands much more than Bell, so he should ideally have more opportunities than Bell.

Drez has a role.   He plays that role very well & is critical in spacing the defense for guys like Jones & Bell to attack the rim... but I wouldn't necessarily say he is going to step up and be the star, unless he just shoots unconscious this year like what Smart did in 2017-18 when Woolridge was here & was the primary.