How many of our best defenders are returning

[IM4X]

This is a concern that many have to be wondering about.


Best defenders:
Naji
Scruggs
Jones
Moore
Q?

All may be gone next year.

Are we going to have a Swiss cheese defense?

Are any newcomers supposed to be good at defense.

We had better hope our incoming freshmen prove they can score.

Is anyone not concerned about next year’s defense?

[JTG]

Give me some scorers and shooters, and I can teach them defense. I'm tired of watching guys who can't shoot. Great defense is fine, but if you can't shoot from range in todays basketball, you're in trouble.

[Double Down]

Am I missing something? Is the season over?

[IM4X]

Am I missing something? Is the season over?

I certainly hope not. I hope Scruggs can go next game and if he can’t, I sure hope we see some better play out of Q and Moore and everyone else ups their game.

Just thinking a bit about who we are likely losing after this year and how much of a drop off we might see on the defensive end as a result of it.

[xu82]

This is a concern that many have to be wondering about.


Best defenders:
Naji
Scruggs
Jones
Moore
Q?

All may be gone next year.

Are we going to have a Swiss cheese defense?

Are any newcomers supposed to be good at defense.

We had better hope our incoming freshmen prove they can score.

Is anyone not concerned about next year’s defense?

Notice anything there? The best defenders happen to be the older guys. The younger guys hopefully get to be better defenders with time, and we add some guys who can also score while learning to defend. Glass half full there.

[IM4X]

Notice anything there? The best defenders happen to be the older guys. The younger guys hopefully get to be better defenders with time, and we add some guys who can also score while learning to defend. Glass half full there.

I’m trying to remember how good Naji and Paul were on defense their freshmen year. I feel like they were already better than some of the older players like Tre and JP.

I do expect the young guys (like Kyky and Freemantle) to become better defenders with time. Though, my gut tells me that we had better be improved at scoring next year, because our defense is probably not going to be as good.

[xu82]

I’m trying to remember how good Naji and Paul were on defense their freshmen year. I feel like they were already better than some of the older players like Tre and JP.

I do expect the young guys (like Kyky and Freemantle) to become better defenders with time. Though, my gut tells me that we had better be improved at scoring next year, because our defense is probably not going to be as good.

I think it will certainly be a blend. Hopefully for the better......but we will be young, which concerns me in the short term.

[xukeith]

KyKy couldn't learn defense. Maybe he will get better. Macura and Trevon were awful defenders but what can you do?
Hope X can defend next year like Virginia.

[IM4X]

I think it will certainly be a blend. Hopefully for the better......but we will be young, which concerns me in the short term.

Me too.

[IM4X]

KyKy couldn't learn defense. Maybe he will get better. Macura and Trevon were awful defenders but what can you do?
Hope X can defend next year like Virginia.

At least they made up for it on the offensive end. I would be okay with a bit of decline on defense if we had another JP and Trevon coming in next year.

[UCGRAD4X]

Me too.


At least they made up for it on the offensive end. I would be okay with a bit of decline on defense if we had another JP and Trevon coming in next year.

Me three.

(who's next?)

[XUGRAD80]

I don’t see where many of those players are great individual defenders. None of them are great shot blockers or ball hawks. None of them were lockdown defenders either. But, they were all (with the possible exception of Moore) knowledgable about the team defense concepts that Steele uses. They all had to learn that, and that takes time. I have no doubt that Zack and KyKy have the ability to learn the system, as they have already shown they can. They should be better next year. Miles might well be a difference maker as a shot blocker, as he was known to be one in HS. I hope that Carter will be better next year after getting a full year under his belt. I don’t believe that Scruggs is going anywhere. We don’t know what Ramsey can offer, and we have no idea what the 3 freshman and any transfers may bring to the table. But I think it is safe to say that it will take them some time before they can play defense at an elite level.

[SM#24]

KyKy couldn't learn defense. Maybe he will get better. Macura and Trevon were awful defenders but what can you do?
Hope X can defend next year like Virginia.

Macura and Trevon were physically limited in quick foot speed. Macura was actually great at the top of the 1-3-1 zone we played and very good off the ball. Both were fundamentally sound but just not effective in man-to-man situations. I would like to think KyKy could be an effective defender given his physical abilities and that Zach would do better over time. Zach seems to mostly struggle in the paint where he gets out muscled and out jumped. I didn't think he was that bad guarding 4 types out away from the basket.

[UCGRAD4X]

Defense is almost certainly going to suffer., especially on the inside where it seems to take longer. Hope some serious work in the weight room at least will give them a fighting chance. I wonder if a little more zone could be in the offing against certain match-ups.

[sirthought]

With COVID-19's impact on all of sports, I'm wondering if we see a development where Naji Marshall does stay at Xavier for his senior season.

I say this because he can't really count on any G League/overseas opportunities, much less the NBA, in the near term due to shut downs.

Guys might be training still, but it won't be the same sort of organized effort.

Teams will be less likely to take chances on someone not screaming with the talent to be drafted, nor will they be holding workout events for some time. (That's my guess anyway.)

If basketball is not an opportunity, Marshall and his family have to think about his future. That could mean staying at Xavier, get his education for free, and network towards an alternate career path.

His college eligibility is there. The window to play professionally is small, and getting smaller.

[Masterofreality]

With COVID-19's impact on all of sports, I'm wondering if we see a development where Naji Marshall does stay at Xavier for his senior season.

I say this because he can't really count on any G League/overseas opportunities, much less the NBA, in the near term due to shut downs.

Guys might be training still, but it won't be the same sort of organized effort.

Teams will be less likely to take chances on someone not screaming with the talent to be drafted, nor will they be holding workout events for some time. (That's my guess anyway.)

If basketball is not an opportunity, Marshall and his family have to think about his future. That could mean staying at Xavier, get his education for free, and network towards an alternate career path.

His college eligibility is there. The window to play professionally is small, and getting smaller.

Welp. Here's the interesting thing to watch.
The NCAA is considering letting players who transfer not have to wait a year to play again, but let them have immediate eligibility at their new school.
Assuming that development occurs, if Naji Marshall had developed a toxic relationship with the coaching staff, and knowing that his boys Tyrique and Q are gone, it might be reasonable to assume that he enters the transfer portal. Possibly Scruggy too if that toxicity had spread to Paul.
If they both come back, even after going through any NBA analysis, then that report by Broering about a coach tweeting about iish is total BS. If they both, or at least if Naji leaves, then it probably had legs.

[drudy23]

Steele didn't put in any accountability for Naji this year, why would it happen next year?

I know Naji is our best player, but it would seem to be better for the team that he just moves on.

[xudash]

Steele didn't put in any accountability for Naji this year, why would it happen next year?

I know Naji is our best player, but it would seem to be better for the team that he just moves on.

It’s called having a “come to Jesus meeting” with Naji.

As I mentioned in another thread, this will be season #3 for Travis. It is time for him to fully assert his will and his structure and his culture on the program.

Naji needs to understand who is boss, if he is having trouble understanding that presently.

[sirthought]

I don't follow Rick Broering so I have no idea what you are talking about.

Maybe it would be better if Marshall moved on. But if he wanted to stay, I doubt the coaching staff would pull his scholly or ask him to leave. What I'm saying is, because of circumstances no one in his world even had on the radar three weeks ago, he might choose a change of heart and stay.

Having an experienced senior who's won some games, albeit frustrating many times, is not something you shy away from.

[Masterofreality]

Oh, Sir, I totally agree.
I was referring to another thread that talked about Broering being on the radio and supposedly referencing some fight between a player and the coaching staff. I don’t follow Broering anymore either but if what he was referring to is true the transfer rule change gives Naji another option.

[xavierj]

Oh, Sir, I totally agree.
I was referring to another thread that talked about Broering being on the radio and supposedly referencing some fight between a player and the coaching staff. I don’t follow Broering anymore either but if what he was referring to is true the transfer rule change gives Naji another option.

My guess is that Naji wants to get paid and will most likely go that route due to being older and would be 23 when his eligibility is up. I put it about a 5% chance he returns to Xavier. If he stays in college and decides to transfer that would be about a 95% chance he goes to Louisville. He was recruited by Pegues so that makes a lot of sense if he came back and decided to transfer. Most likely the rule change happens and he can play right away.

[Masterofreality]

My guess is that Naji wants to get paid and will most likely go that route due to being older and would be 23 when his eligibility is up. I put it about a 5% chance he returns to Xavier. If he stays in college and decides to transfer that would be about a 95% chance he goes to Louisville. He was recruited by Pegues so that makes a lot of sense if he came back and decided to transfer. Most likely the rule change happens and he can play right away.

I agree with this too.
I know this was December, 2018, but I remember a Naji Tweet, that he later deleted quickly, about how he "missed Coach Mack". It's hard to say if he has ever been bought into Steele, even though I'm sure he was one of the players pushing Christopher to hire him.
If he was gonna go the transfer route, Louisewer would definitely be his first choice.

[Xavier]

If they allow open transfers- I could absolutely see a situation where Marshal (and scruggs?) go to Louisville, with Jones going as a grad transfer. Not a big chance- I think both Jones and Marshal are ready to get paid (overseas)

[Masterofreality]

If they allow open transfers- I could absolutely see a situation where Marshal (and scruggs?) go to Louisville, with Jones going as a grad transfer. Not a big chance- I think both Jones and Marshal are ready to get paid (overseas)

Jones has exhausted his eligibility.

[IM4X]

I will bring this up again for what it’s worth: Naji made a comment about coming back next year at the end of the post game press conference against DePaul (can skip to last 40 seconds)

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=esVPReWxaLs

Certainly he could change his mind, but I’m thinking he must still be open to coming back (since he mentioned he was coming back).

I get the frustration so many here on the board are feeling (I feel it too)... how there have been so many issues with the team on the court this season... continuous issues with bad shot selection and really bad turnovers throughout the year, but we need to remember that not having enough good 3 point shooters or even enough BE level players on the court at times, forced the best players to try and do even more to compensate for some of those deficiencies ... and often it backfired.

Personally, I would like to see Naji come back with Paul as seniors with a intense focus on making sure everyone is on the same page and understands their roles on the floor and sticks to those roles... and hopefully we will have enough talented 3 point shooters (Wilcher, Kyky, Scruggs, Freemantle) and mid range shooters (Naji, Kyky, Scruggs?, Odom?) and slashers (Naji, C Jones, Kyky, Scruggs) and rebounders (Freemantle, Miles, Ramsey?, Transfer?, Naji? James?, Carter?) and good defenders (Naji, Scruggs, Miles, James, Freemantle? etc.) to allow players to stick to their roles and build some genuine chemistry... so we can actually get back to good old fashion Xavier basketball.

[mid major]

Jimmie Binnie is out of eligibility.

[X-band '01]

But I saw him and his closest friends while driving up I-71 from work earlier today.

[mid major]

But I saw him and his closest friends while driving up I-71 from work earlier today.

I know for a fact he was Derrick Brown's favorite human cone.