Pre-Season Look: J.P. Macura

[Muskie]

J.P. enters his sophomore season at 508 points. If he continues to average 9.4 points per game over the next two seasons he will join Xavier's 1000 point club.

Do you expect J.P. to continue his role off the bench?

[X-band '01]

He has to repeat his sophomore season? I didn't realize that was part of his punishment for dropping trou.

[Emp]

J.P. enters his sophomore season at 508 points. If he continues to average 9.4 points per game over the next two seasons he will join Xavier's 1000 point club.

Do you expect J.P. to continue his role off the bench?

Until he can play better 2 half court D, yes.

[Drew]

Until he can play better 2 half court D, yes.

What is our starting 5 if JP isn't in it?

[Emp]

What is our starting 5 if JP isn't in it?

Better at guarding a 2 who can put it on the floor?

[sirthought]

What is our starting 5 if JP isn't in it?

Sumner, Davis, Bluiett, Gates, Omara/Gaston

[mistabeecee41]

Sumner, Davis, Bluiett, Gates, Omara/Gaston

I'm also a part of the start Kaiser over JP camp.

[sirthought]

I'm also a part of the start Kaiser over JP camp.

I wouldn't be afraid of JP starting. He's just not at the front of line right now. I do expect his whole game to expand and improve and he should have a huge year. He's too tenacious not to improve.

But with a front line of Gates/Gaston/Omara, I think we need to give them time to get out there and work. Bluiett can still be very effective at SF. And Davis is that senior leader you want on the floor as much as possible.

JP will be a nightmare for opponents off the bench.

[xufan2434]

I wouldn't be afraid of JP starting. He's just not at the front of line right now. I do expect his whole game to expand and improve and he should have a huge year. He's too tenacious not to improve.

But with a front line of Gates/Gaston/Omara, I think we need to give them time to get out there and work. Bluiett can still be very effective at SF. And Davis is that senior leader you want on the floor as much as possible.

JP will be a nightmare for opponents off the bench.

I would agree with all this. And it isn't a knock on JP at all. Anyone could easily make a case for him to start. I think it's smarter that he doesn't. For one, starting Gates gives this team a lot of versatility to start. He's an elite defender and still one of their best shooters on the team. Plus it gives them some actual size or at least height.

Second, bringing JP off the bench is something most teams can't match. Reminds me a lot of the Clippers bringing Jamal Crawford in for instant offense. He'll bring great energy off the bench and give them a boost. A lot of times the game can be won and lost with how each team's bench compares to one another. Plus he's older and can lead some of the younger guys that might be in there with him

[xu82]

Farr didn't start in his last year and had the perfect attitude and effort. I hope our team can keep that attitude. I have no problem starting JP, but his energy off the bench is cool too. Can't really lose, so.....

[MADXSTER]

JP's confidence has always been high. Last year he went to knowing that he could make the big play on the big stage. That will carry over into this season and all I can say is....don't stand in front of the Bull. I think that JP will make himself into a force to be dealt with moreso than in the past two seasons. If you think he's pissed off opposing players in the past, just wait. He's got the swag going full tilt.

[UCGRAD4X]

File this under: "Good Problem to Have"!

Something we are going to have to get used to at X - too many good players (if there really is such a thing).

[MuskieCinci]

Hopefully JP finally learns how to play sound man to man defense this season. He doesn't have any problems physically, and when he guards one on one he does a decent job. He is just always looking to gamble or loses track of his man or something else going on to give the opponent easy buckets. If he improves his awareness and becomes at least decent in the man to man then I think he should absolutely get the starting nod.

I don't really understand the idea of holding back a good player in college basketball for a bench role so we can have that 'instant offense'. College teams don't have bench units like the NBA does where it is a real benefit to have someone who can carry the offense for 6 minutes while the starters rest. The best kids are going to play about as much as they can handle every single game. Chris Mack isn't going to rest Myles in game 2 of our holiday tournament because he doesn't want his 40 year old shooting guard playing back to backs, and if JP is one of the best 5 guys (assuming decisions to soothe egos don't need to be made) he will start. I think Mack also showed last year that if he does go with a bench unit of green players he will have Myles in there with them to call things out and lead the team.

[MauriceX]

Hopefully JP finally learns how to play sound man to man defense this season.

...

I don't really understand the idea of holding back a good player in college basketball for a bench role so we can have that 'instant offense'.

I think these two ideas are related. First, you can bring in a good offensive player against the other teams bench players (in theory, a lesser defense), increasing the offensive advantage. But also, you can have a subpar defender come in to guard the other teams bench players (in theory, a lesser offense), decreasing the defensive disadvantage.

[MuskieXU]

I don't really understand the idea of holding back a good player in college basketball for a bench role so we can have that 'instant offense'. College teams don't have bench units like the NBA does where it is a real benefit to have someone who can carry the offense for 6 minutes while the starters rest. The best kids are going to play about as much as they can handle every single game. Chris Mack isn't going to rest Myles in game 2 of our holiday tournament because he doesn't want his 40 year old shooting guard playing back to backs, and if JP is one of the best 5 guys (assuming decisions to soothe egos don't need to be made) he will start. I think Mack also showed last year that if he does go with a bench unit of green players he will have Myles in there with them to call things out and lead the team.

I don’t necessarily think Macura was held back for a bench role last year, his style of play just worked a bit better coming off the bench. I would imagine its beneficial to put out a better defensive unit against the opponents best 5 to start off the game when they have an offensive game plan drawn up, which would explain why Remy started over JP. I also think there’s something to be said for having an energizer in your back pocket to bring in when needed, and that’s exactly what JP was last year. Even though he came off the bench, JP still played the 5th most minutes on the team and was incredibly efficient in those minutes so it’s hard to argue with the results.

Now with that said, I agree with you that if JP is clearly one of the 5 best players on the team it probably makes sense to start him. But if its close between him and Gates, it might make sense to start Gates and bring JP off the bench again even though I’d imagine JP will get more minutes over the course of the year.

[THRILLHOUSE]

If you go to about the 18 second mark of this video, looks like JP has put in some work at the weight room:

https://twitter.com/IgnitionAPG/status/758006639358345216

[xu82]

If you go to about the 18 second mark of this video, looks like JP has put in some work at the weight room:

https://twitter.com/IgnitionAPG/status/758006639358345216

Yep, looks like the guys have been hitting it pretty hard. I hope ESPN doesn't stumble on that clip. :wacko:

[wkrq59]

can we wait till they start practice?

[sirthought]

Wow, he's built up the big guns.