Have we signed or retained a legitimate big man yet?

Not much room left with the three commits so far and possibly # 4 coming in tomorrow. Unless something changes 6' 8" is about the biggest we'll have for this upcoming season (Gilbert should he stay, Kobani, Lawson, and Obacha on the current roster and Kinney and Kostic coming in). Our other signee is a 6' 5" CG and PG Potter at 6' 1" coming in tomorrow to visit. No other offers bigger than 6' 8" out there either. That's what it is for this year.

NewApp wrote:Have we signed or retained a legitimate big man yet?

By "legitimate" you mean 6'10" center then no. If you mean go to scorer in the low post then keep an eye out on Jacob Lawson.

firemoose wrote:Not much room left with the three commits so far and possibly # 4 coming in tomorrow. Unless something changes 6' 8" is about the biggest we'll have for this upcoming season (Gilbert should he stay, Kobani, Lawson, and Obacha on the current roster and Kinney and Kostic coming in). Our other signee is a 6' 5" CG and PG Potter at 6' 1" coming in tomorrow to visit. No other offers bigger than 6' 8" out there either. That's what it is for this year.

Any word on Tom Spagnolo's medical hardship request?

asu66 wrote:

firemoose wrote:Not much room left with the three commits so far and possibly # 4 coming in tomorrow. Unless something changes 6' 8" is about the biggest we'll have for this upcoming season (Gilbert should he stay, Kobani, Lawson, and Obacha on the current roster and Kinney and Kostic coming in). Our other signee is a 6' 5" CG and PG Potter at 6' 1" coming in tomorrow to visit. No other offers bigger than 6' 8" out there either. That's what it is for this year.

Any word on Tom Spagnolo's medical hardship request?

Nothing yet that I've heard but should be hearing something very soon. You know how the NCAA is.

NewApp wrote:Have we signed or retained a legitimate big man yet?

Even if we had another scholarship to offer (and we don't) we aren't likely to find an impact player 6-9 or taller with the academic credentials we'll demand this late in the year. Nonetheless, we will be bigger overall. Lawson, Obacha, Kobani, Kinney, Kostic and Gilbert (if he returns) are all 6-8; Spagnolo (if he gets a waiver) is 6-7 and Babic is 6-5. I can't remember an Appalachian team with that much height. Ever! I do remember that Houston Fancher put several teams on the floor that didn't have a player over about 6-6. You may remember one of his teams that had like 7 or 8 6-2 guards. That was scary.

asu66 wrote:

NewApp wrote:Have we signed or retained a legitimate big man yet?

Even if we had another scholarship to offer (and we don't) we aren't likely to find an impact player 6-9 or taller with the academic credentials we'll demand this late in the year. Nonetheless, we will be bigger overall. Lawson, Obacha, Kobani, Kinney, Kostic and Gilbert (if he returns) are all 6-8; Spagnolo (if he gets a waiver) is 6-7 and Babic is 6-5. I can't remember an Appalachian team with that much height. Ever! I do remember that Houston Fancher put several teams on the floor that didn't have a player over about 6-6. You may remember one of his teams that had like 7 or 8 6-2 guards. That was scary.

6'8" is adequate if they are good jumpers and strong enough as well.

When has App ever had a good player taller than 6'8" or 6'9"? I might be forgetting someone, but pretty much everyone taller than that I can remember in my 17 or so years following the program has either been a stiff or overweight and slow.

EastHallApp wrote:When has App ever had a good player taller than 6'8" or 6'9"? I might be forgetting someone, but pretty much everyone taller than that I can remember in my 17 or so years following the program has either been a stiff or overweight and slow.

Best big man over that span was Minter at 6 foot 8. He could take over games offensively at times.

Davidson was playing a 6'7 PF at center this year. Didn't seem to hold them back. I realize our competition is going to be tougher next year, but I think we get too concerned about size on this board.

I would be thrilled to start 6'7 center and a 6'6 power forward if they are hard-nosed athletes with actual basketball skills. Guys who will fight for defensive position, box out hard, who have a couple post moves, who can screen hard and execute dribble handoffs. Most 6'10 players who might fall to us simply don't have sufficient skills or athleticism.

Looking at our future league, Georgia State dominated the regular season with a 6'9", 240 center, and no other rotation player taller than 6'6".

ULL won the conference tourney behind a 6'9" 245 center who was dominant all season. No other rotation player taller than 6'6".

App doesn't have a single player with that level of size and skill, but we might already have more size across the board than those teams. And again, those were the BEST teams in the Sun Belt, which nobody is saying we are close to at this point.

I think guard play is a much bigger issue for App right now than post size.

ASUPATCH wrote:

EastHallApp wrote:When has App ever had a good player taller than 6'8" or 6'9"? I might be forgetting someone, but pretty much everyone taller than that I can remember in my 17 or so years following the program has either been a stiff or overweight and slow.

Best big man over that span was Minter at 6 foot 8. He could take over games offensively at times.

He would have done even better had he not had that bum knee from his PT at UVa.

EastHallApp wrote:When has App ever had a good player taller than 6'8" or 6'9"? I might be forgetting someone, but pretty much everyone taller than that I can remember in my 17 or so years following the program has either been a stiff or overweight and slow.

Ike Butts when he wasn't injured.

asu66 wrote:

NewApp wrote:Have we signed or retained a legitimate big man yet?

Even if we had another scholarship to offer (and we don't) we aren't likely to find an impact player 6-9 or taller with the academic credentials we'll demand this late in the year. Nonetheless, we will be bigger overall. Lawson, Obacha, Kobani, Kinney, Kostic and Gilbert (if he returns) are all 6-8; Spagnolo (if he gets a waiver) is 6-7 and Babic is 6-5. I can't remember an Appalachian team with that much height. Ever! I do remember that Houston Fancher put several teams on the floor that didn't have a player over about 6-6. You may remember one of his teams that had like 7 or 8 6-2 guards. That was scary.

With a few 6'8" around that's a lot of boards, points, and fouls to spread around and be successful. Remember that Mel Hubbard was the same height when he came in.

Sam Gibson back in the Apke years was probably the best big I remember. He was 6'9", but was better at the defensive end. Tim Powers was 6'9" and was decent. Steve Spurlock was a very good player at 6'8" but played the 4. Minter and Butts, when they were not hampered by injuries. But I also remember Chad McClendon schooling a then freshman Tim Duncan at Wake. Went for 30+ if my memory serves me right. Chad was listed at 6'7" but was closer to 6'5". If Randolph Childress hadn't went off that game, App would have won.

The point is, you need a solid "big" who can grab rebounds, alter some shots, score enough, etc. The size of that big is relative. As a mid-major, its the same thing we all run into. If there is a 6'10" guy with skill, he'll be recruited to a higher level. I remember Davidson parlayed their Great 8 trip into a highly ranked, by some services, 6'11" guy (name escapes me) that amounted to very little. Sometimes you just gotta find a diamond in the rough or a 6'8" guy than can ball. Kobani is as big (overall) as most we'll face, and I saw him (and Obacha) play great at HPC. They can still develop.

scatman77 wrote:

asu66 wrote:

NewApp wrote:Have we signed or retained a legitimate big man yet?

Even if we had another scholarship to offer (and we don't) we aren't likely to find an impact player 6-9 or taller with the academic credentials we'll demand this late in the year. Nonetheless, we will be bigger overall. Lawson, Obacha, Kobani, Kinney, Kostic and Gilbert (if he returns) are all 6-8; Spagnolo (if he gets a waiver) is 6-7 and Babic is 6-5. I can't remember an Appalachian team with that much height. Ever! I do remember that Houston Fancher put several teams on the floor that didn't have a player over about 6-6. You may remember one of his teams that had like 7 or 8 6-2 guards. That was scary.

With a few 6'8" around that's a lot of boards, points, and fouls to spread around and be successful. Remember that Mel Hubbard was the same height when he came in.

Mel could jump with the best of them, though. Cremin's recruit Wade Capehart would arguably have been a great one had he not been undercut by one of NC State's thugs. He could touch the top of the backboard with a running start. Can't remember his height, though..

NewApp wrote:

scatman77 wrote:

asu66 wrote:

NewApp wrote:Have we signed or retained a legitimate big man yet?

Even if we had another scholarship to offer (and we don't) we aren't likely to find an impact player 6-9 or taller with the academic credentials we'll demand this late in the year. Nonetheless, we will be bigger overall. Lawson, Obacha, Kobani, Kinney, Kostic and Gilbert (if he returns) are all 6-8; Spagnolo (if he gets a waiver) is 6-7 and Babic is 6-5. I can't remember an Appalachian team with that much height. Ever! I do remember that Houston Fancher put several teams on the floor that didn't have a player over about 6-6. You may remember one of his teams that had like 7 or 8 6-2 guards. That was scary.

With a few 6'8" around that's a lot of boards, points, and fouls to spread around and be successful. Remember that Mel Hubbard was the same height when he came in.

Mel could jump with the best of them, though. Cremin's recruit Wade Capehart would arguably have been a great one had he not been undercut by one of NC State's thugs. He could touch the top of the backboard with a running start. Can't remember his height, though..

Wade was 6' 4" on a good day. Great young man; to this day i still loathe Derrick Wittenburg.