LutherRackleyRulez
09-17-2010, 11:50 AM
Per Goodman/FoxSports......
CRONIN SEES GATES AS DIFFERENCE-MAKER
Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin expects Yancy Gates to be the difference.
After a year in which Cronin rolled the dice with the addition of enigmatic New York guard Lance Stephenson, the Bearcats coach feels that this team will have a chance to get to the NCAA tournament – largely due to the improvement of his junior big man.
Stephenson and Deonta Vaughn – the team’s two leading scorers - are both gone.
On the surface, it certainly appears that Cronin’s team will take a hit. However, he is upbeat that the maturity of Gates and some of his other guys will make up for the losses.
``Yancy has really matured,” Cronin said. ``Now he’s running our offense as a big man. He knows what to do.”
In essence, Gates will make his teammates better due to his ability to screen and pass.
``Before he was a kid who only thought he could help by scoring in the post,” Cronin said.
Gates averaged 10.4 points and 5.9 rebounds a year ago, but he took a back seat to Stephenson and Vaughn – who consistently missed open shots a year ago.
Cronin doesn’t have anything negative to say about Stephenson other than he just needs to mature. He said he never missed a class and was a “layup” on and off the court.
``He’s just got to grow up for his career,” Cronin said. ``But we had no problems with him.”
The problem with Stephenson was that the ball seemed stuck in his hands and he struggled to make shots. The issue with Vaughn was his new role – which changed dramatically with the appearance of Stephenson.
Now it’ll be Gates’ team.
The point guard duties will be a battle between Cashmere Wright, who is coming off knee surgery, and Jaquon Parker. Dion Dixon’s role should expand and Sean Kilpatrick should get a chance to play with the departure of Stephenson and Vaughn.
And Oklahoma State transfer Ibrahima Thomas, who became eligible at the break last season, will be far more comfortable.
Cronin’s club went to Canada and played three games north of the border a few weeks back.
WHAT CRONIN LEARNED: ``Our biggest problem last year was coming up short in close games. We’re more mature and have better leadership this year and hopefully we will do some of the small things that translate into winning close games. When we were in Canada, we knew how to put teams away instead of letting them back in the game like we did last year.”
BIGGEST SURPRISE: Anthony McClain. ``He’s going to help us this year. He’s gained 40 pounds and is up to 290 pounds. He was never going to be able to help us at 250 pounds.” McClain was a highly touted recruit coming out of high school who has been plagued with foot problems since he arrived at Cincinnati. ``He’s never been fully healthy,” Cronin said. ``He’s always going to have foot issues. We envision him in a Brian Zoubek-type role for us.”
DISAPPOINTED: ``It was more how the game was played up there, but Ibrahima Thomas had trouble finishing. The game was extremely physical and they let everything go, so we weren’t used to it. Ibrahima was getting hammered.”
- Justin Jackson, a combo forward who Cronin is high on, still hasn’t been cleared by the NCAA. ``He fits our offense so well. He can play inside and out and I think he has a chance to be on the all-Big East freshman team.”
http://community.foxsports.com/goodmanonfox/blog/2010/09/17/cronin_sees_gates_as_difference-maker;_tilton_loads_up_with_youth
CRONIN SEES GATES AS DIFFERENCE-MAKER
Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin expects Yancy Gates to be the difference.
After a year in which Cronin rolled the dice with the addition of enigmatic New York guard Lance Stephenson, the Bearcats coach feels that this team will have a chance to get to the NCAA tournament – largely due to the improvement of his junior big man.
Stephenson and Deonta Vaughn – the team’s two leading scorers - are both gone.
On the surface, it certainly appears that Cronin’s team will take a hit. However, he is upbeat that the maturity of Gates and some of his other guys will make up for the losses.
``Yancy has really matured,” Cronin said. ``Now he’s running our offense as a big man. He knows what to do.”
In essence, Gates will make his teammates better due to his ability to screen and pass.
``Before he was a kid who only thought he could help by scoring in the post,” Cronin said.
Gates averaged 10.4 points and 5.9 rebounds a year ago, but he took a back seat to Stephenson and Vaughn – who consistently missed open shots a year ago.
Cronin doesn’t have anything negative to say about Stephenson other than he just needs to mature. He said he never missed a class and was a “layup” on and off the court.
``He’s just got to grow up for his career,” Cronin said. ``But we had no problems with him.”
The problem with Stephenson was that the ball seemed stuck in his hands and he struggled to make shots. The issue with Vaughn was his new role – which changed dramatically with the appearance of Stephenson.
Now it’ll be Gates’ team.
The point guard duties will be a battle between Cashmere Wright, who is coming off knee surgery, and Jaquon Parker. Dion Dixon’s role should expand and Sean Kilpatrick should get a chance to play with the departure of Stephenson and Vaughn.
And Oklahoma State transfer Ibrahima Thomas, who became eligible at the break last season, will be far more comfortable.
Cronin’s club went to Canada and played three games north of the border a few weeks back.
WHAT CRONIN LEARNED: ``Our biggest problem last year was coming up short in close games. We’re more mature and have better leadership this year and hopefully we will do some of the small things that translate into winning close games. When we were in Canada, we knew how to put teams away instead of letting them back in the game like we did last year.”
BIGGEST SURPRISE: Anthony McClain. ``He’s going to help us this year. He’s gained 40 pounds and is up to 290 pounds. He was never going to be able to help us at 250 pounds.” McClain was a highly touted recruit coming out of high school who has been plagued with foot problems since he arrived at Cincinnati. ``He’s never been fully healthy,” Cronin said. ``He’s always going to have foot issues. We envision him in a Brian Zoubek-type role for us.”
DISAPPOINTED: ``It was more how the game was played up there, but Ibrahima Thomas had trouble finishing. The game was extremely physical and they let everything go, so we weren’t used to it. Ibrahima was getting hammered.”
- Justin Jackson, a combo forward who Cronin is high on, still hasn’t been cleared by the NCAA. ``He fits our offense so well. He can play inside and out and I think he has a chance to be on the all-Big East freshman team.”
http://community.foxsports.com/goodmanonfox/blog/2010/09/17/cronin_sees_gates_as_difference-maker;_tilton_loads_up_with_youth