How Legit Is Our Backcourt

With Westbrook and Nolan...how legit is our backcourt compared to the rest of the Big Ten, and even the nation?

In terms of?

It depends on how you define the role of the back court. There are better defensive back courts, better scoring back courts, better distrubiting back courts, and more consistent back courts. So to answer your question. I have no idea.

Maybe Top 30-40 in nation, maybe #5-6 in Big 10 (MSU, PSU, PU, IL, WI).

What Do You Mean by "Legit"?

I don't know of any scale that measures level of "legitness" / "legititude", but I'll play along. If you mean "is our backcourt good enough to make a run in the NCAA tournament?", then I would say the answer is yes.

Nolen is a very good PG, especially for a Sophomore. He plays very good defense, and he's a pass first PG who gets people involved pretty well. But, he's still young and inconsisent, and prone to making mental mistakes on the offensive end at times (like the NW game). I'm sure there are better PG's around, but I would say that Al's definitely "legit".

Westbrook is a streaky scorer who can hit the outside shot and take the ball to the basket. He's an average ballhandler, and his defense is OK but not great (especially off the ball). He also makes some suspect decisions with the ball at times. However, he's really the only guy on our roster who can take control of a game offensively when he's on (see the W at Wisconsin). He's "legit", but somewhat flawed.

Hoffarber is a shooter who's in a slump. However, he does other things pretty well, including making hustle plays and staying involved in the offense even when his shot isn't falling. He's not a gifted athlete, but he's pretty smart on the floor. If/when his 3-pt stroke comes back, then he's the kind of guy who can wreak havoc on opposing defenses and open up opportunities inside.

Joseph is a talented true freshman, and it shows. He can shoot, and he plays better defense than I expected. He seems more comfortable right now in transition than he is in the half court offense. He isn't as strong a ball handler as Nolen, and can be pressured into making mistakes -- that'll get better with age and experience. He's a good backup PG.

Bostick is an enigma to me. I think he's still getting used to both the physicality of the B10, and the change in style to Tubby's system. He seems like the kind of guy who needs minutes to get into the flow of the game, and he hasn't been able to earn them (or convince Tubby to keep him in the game). He's certainly got talent, he can get to the rim, and at 6'5" and 210lbs he's got a B10 SG body. I hope that he gets himself more minutes between now and the B10 tourney.

Abu-Shamala is a servicable 4th or 5th guard. He can shoot, and he seems to be a good emotional spark off the bench. He's a step slow, but he does provide Sr. leadership and experience on a very young team.

ShowinGoldyLove said:

Maybe Top 30-40 in nation, maybe #5-6 in Big 10 (MSU, PSU, PU, IL, WI).

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I'd go #3 or #4 in the B10. No way I'd take Wisky's backcourt over ours, or PSU's. UI's is a maybe, due to the scoring/size of McCamey that none of our guards possess.

I would take Battle in a heart beat.

From the Barn said:

I would take Battle in a heart beat.

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Seconded. PSU definitely has a one of the top couple backcourts in the Big 10. GoGoGophers must not know they talent they have there...with the stats to back it up.

ShowinGoldyLove said:

Seconded. PSU definitely has a one of the top couple backcourts in the Big 10. GoGoGophers must not know they talent they have there...with the stats to back it up.

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I'll take Battle over almost every guard in the Big Ten.

But would you take the Penn St. backcourt (including bench) as a whole over the Gophers?

Would Pringle keep his pants on?

PSU and MSU are the only 2 I give a clear advantage over ours and thats mainly because Battle and Lucas are the 2 best players in the conference IMO. Still our backcourt clearly outplayed PSU's and we shut down Pringle.

Ski U Mah Gopher said:

But would you take the Penn St. backcourt (including bench) as a whole over the Gophers?

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I'm just talking starters, as in the starting backcourt. That's usually what people mean when they talk about frontcourt or backcourt.

Ski U Mah Gopher said:

But would you take the Penn St. backcourt (including bench) as a whole over the Gophers?

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That is the point. Backcourt = all guards, SGL. Your interpretation of the question was wrong. What you thought and what he asked are not the same thing.

I love Battle (though he shoots too much for my taste), but Pringle is average at best for a B10 2 guard. And their bench is...

That's what I thought. Backcourt means backcourt, not starting point guard.

Give me Nolen, LW, Joseph, Hoff, et al.

From the Barn said:

I would take Battle in a heart beat.

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Again, that wasn't the question.

If you and ShowinGoldy would like, I'll explain what "backcourt" means.

Answer my question about Pringle.

Backcourt

dbaldrich1-
I like most of what you say about the backcourt but would add or change the following:

Nolen-He is an outstanding ballhandler and makes us practically impossible to full court press. Nolen possesses tremendous quickness. I believe he is the best defensive guard in the B10 and probably one of the best in the nation. However, he tends to force some passes when driving the lane. He needs to do a better job of staying out of foul trouble. While capable of hitting open jump shots he is an average shooter from distance. He is an absolutely terrible finisher in the halfcourt. If he can improve as a scorer, he has NBA potential.

Westbrook-The guy has guts. If anyone on the team should be taking the last second shot, its him, whether he has scored a lot in that particular game or not. He wants to be the man. If we were down one with no time left on the clock and he had two free throws, I'd bet you a thousand dollars we will win the game. I think we will make the tournament and if we win any games it will be because Westbrook stepped up on the offensive end. The key for him on both ends seems to be consistency. At times, he appears to be tuned in on defense and at other times his man is cutting through the lane wide open.

Hoffarber-While others on this board think he provides other things to the team, I don't. While he doesn't make a lot of mistakes, I just don't think he should be on the floor if he's not making shots. He's a below average ballhandler and passer. He is strictly a spot up shooter and is completely incapable of creating his own shot. Defensively, he seems to be in position most times, but is not creating turnovers or shutting down the opposition. Both Joseph and Bostick are better options right now. BTW, I expect every jumper he shoots to go in and I always love great shooters (and MN HS kids), it kills me that he's struggling. I wish Hoffarber was shooting better because we really need that sharpshooter off the bench-it can, (and has in the past when he was shooting better) fire up the entire team.

Joseph-Its hard to know what to expect of a freshman PG, but he has played very well. At times, he has played better than Nolen and has sparked the team off the bench. He is capable of scoring on the catch and shoot as well as off the dribble, although shot selection has sometimes been an issue. Joseph is a good ballhandler and passer, but he has had trouble initiating the offense against some of the quicker PG's. I have been surprised at his defensive abilities especially in creating fast break opportunities on steals. He is one of the better backup PGs in the B10.

Bostick-Has the size that none of our other guards possess. He appears to be our best one on one scorer as evidenced by the WI game. The only player on our team that I think is capable of consistently scoring off the dribble. I am puzzled about why he doesn't play more, but I trust Tubby. I know I am totally speculating here, but there must be other things going on in terms of attitude, effort, or understanding the system b/c he is more talented and versatile than JAS or Hoffarber and is getting very few minutes.

Abu-Shamala-Another shooter who is struggling with his shot. Not a great ballhandler or defender, but I think he produces a lot more other things than Hoffarber. He is more willing to mix things up on the boards and to be physical. He takes and makes some shots inside the three point line and is capable of creating space with a headfake or a couple of dribbles, which Hoffarber doesn't or can't do.

I think that MSU clearly has a better backcourt, but you could argue for the Gophers against any other B10 team. Illinois would seem to be better, but we absolutely destroyed them (36 points scored). I wouldn't trade our backcourt for Purdue's backcourt, but they have some good players. Battle is doing amazing things as a freshman (and I'd trade him for any one of our guards) but no way their backcourt for ours. Wisconsin's backcourt isn't in the discussion.

From the Barn said:

Answer my question about Pringle.

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You cannot assume he keeps his pants on.

gopher24

I agree Battle is doing amazing stuff, but I believe he is a sophomore, not a freshman. Still amazing though.

Nolen is a very good PG, especially for a Sophomore

Aren't all of the top PGs in the Big Ten this year sophs?

Let's not forget Purdue's backcourt

The Boilers have a darn nice mix of guards. Versatile players, most with good size (6-3/6-4 range). E'Twaun Moore gives you a little bit of everything, arguably the best all-around guard in the Big 10; Chris Kramer is a hard-nosed gamer (ala Westbrook) & last year's Big 10 Defensive POY; Keaton Grant's a nice player; and Lewis Jackson is kind of their Energizer bunny, a small & quick dynamo that gives the Boilers a different look from the PG position than last year.

As a group in terms of versatility, I'd put Purdue's backcourt at the head of the class in the Big 10.