Chuku Ineligible

Forum Forum Lehigh Sports Lehigh Men’s Basketball Chuku Ineligible

This topic contains 26 replies, has 7 voices, and was last updated by Bison137 Bison137 11 years, 5 months ago.

Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 27 total)
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  • #7023
    StablerBum
    StablerBum
    Participant

    Per this article on the lehighsports site – http://www.lehighsports.com/sports/mbball/chuku_reflects_on_summer_talks_upcoming_season.aspx, Jesse Chuku is ineligible due to the level he played while still in secondary school in the UK.  This is a pretty significant hit to an already thin frontcourt.

    Really REALLY hope that Goldsborough, and especially Conroy Baltimore are ready to step in and contribute in a pretty significant way. 

    If Reed knew this was a possibility, it makes it even more surprising that he didn’t bring in another big man (I concede that maybe he tried and was unsuccesful) during the spring period.

    • This topic was modified 11 years, 5 months ago by StablerBum StablerBum.
    #7025
    RichH
    RichH
    Participant

    Doc knew of possibility and I guess I trust his judgement. But damn this sucks. Seems Chuku is the big we were hoping for in next yrs class.
    Trying to find ncaa rule. Does it only apply to international?
    On the surface logic seems a bit warped. Why wouldn’t rule such as this apply to AAU teams that most top recruits play for? Level of competition certainly higher than most HS .
    Ah, well, just sour grapes a bit. Spin could be everyone knew of possibility leading coaches to avoid him. Thereby, he lands at LU. Kind of a morning after fantasy stretch there.

    • This reply was modified 11 years, 5 months ago by RichH RichH.
    #7027

    lehigh90
    Participant

    Wow, this is terrible news.  I was expecting him to be a real contributer to a now thin frontcourt.  I thought he could certainly be in the first 7-8 rotation, and a potential starter at the 4 spot.  The only good news is with sitting and practicing, and his physical attributes, he should be a beast when eligible.  A year of strength training and post moves should really improve his low post game, which they will need in the future.

    This puts a ton of pressure on Baltimore and Goldsborough to give us quality minutes at the 4.  If those guys aren’t ready, and I am not sure they will be, I think we are going to see a lot of small lineups with GK at the 5, HG at the 4, with CJ moving over to the 3, MM at the 1, and DC and BB splitting the 2.  I can’t see CJ getting a lot of minutes now at the point guard spot (where he probably projects in NBA).  He could be a point forward type of player, but Lehigh is going to have to spend a lot of time going small and pushing tempo.

    Is CB our consensus starter at the 4 this season?  Or, do we go to a smaller starting 5, moving in essentially 3 guards (CJ, MM, BB/DC) with HG and GK? 

    This also puts even more pressure to use that last scholarship this season, and the 3 next season on bigs.

    #7028
    RichH
    RichH
    Participant

    Lost 3 only have 1 new. Thin frontline an understatement.

    #7029
    StablerBum
    StablerBum
    Participant

    Not to mention those three were probably the “tickest” guys on the team.  Maneri no question, and Adams was probably a clear cut second.  There is not one frountcourt player that can’t be described as thin. 

    Where’s the beef?

    #7030
    RichH
    RichH
    Participant

    I have 20 lbs I can donate.

    #7031

    TMH
    Participant

    The obvious concern now is that the frontcourt stay healthy this season. I suspect we may be playing a bit smaller this season with 2 wings and a PG at some times. This is what we lost in production on a per game basis:

    52.2 minutes

    14.2 points

    7.5 rebounds

    1.5 assists

    .7 blocks

    1.3 steals

    I know that much of Baltimore’s minutes were in mop up time but I’m sticking to the theory that his low minutes were due in big part to 3 seniors being in front of him (plus a proclivity of turning the ball over). If and this may be a big if he can extrapolate last year’s #s over 26/mpg with the freshman/sophomore learning curve, this is what we MAY see on a per game basis:

    26 minutes

    7.4 points

    9.0 rebounds

    .4 assists

    1.1 blocks

    1.3 steals

    If Goldsborough can chip in 7 points and an assist in his 26 minutes, potentially there is no dropoff. This season just got a bit more interesting.

     

    #7034
    RichH
    RichH
    Participant

    Thanks TMH, took the edge off my distress. Bet you could protray the Financial Cliff as a nice day in the country

    #7035

    LUHoops00
    Participant

    Man, this really ruined my day, and took some significant air out of the fact that the season starts tomorrow. I don’t even know what to say right now, I’m pretty speechless. This came out of thin air, and I’ve never heard of this rule before, still not sure it makes total sense to me so if someone a lot smarter than me can explain it please step right up. Initial thoughts are as follows:

    1.) I have been on record all along as saying I was shocked Reed didn’t use last schollie to fill up front court depth for this year, and that was before this was even announced or known as a possibility. I mean if I’m Reed, I know how special this year could become and the only thing holding that back is the frontcourt depth and lack of size. Adding another big body would have been huge, cause our guard play should be as good as anyone’s. In my opinion, knowing how important this year is to the program from future impact standpoint that another big march run could bring, I even try to force feed the schollie on a kid. I know many say “we couldn’t find one” or “he must have tried”, but I’m not asking for a Muscala, not even an Mgebroff,  just give me any big kid 6’9 or taller who can weigh 230+ lbs and just get rebounds. Heck, even another Safstrom would have been fine, literally ANYONE TALL who we can get 5 fouls from would have been worth a 4 year scholarship considering the potential this year could have and the fact that our frontcourt is so small and lacks depth that this person would have had an impact somewhere this year..if even to spot our guys rest for 5 minutes a game. I’ll stand by that. To me, if Reed really knew JC not playing this year was an option from the beginning, it is really really hard for me to believe or understand how the heck he didn’t find anyone available in spring after our win over duke to come this year.  I think this caught everyone by surprise, I really do, you can’t convince me otherwise, I think this just came up in the last week or two and I have a few reasons why I think that but I won’t get into it.

    2.) Importantly, as I’m late to the tea party after a long day of work, what does this leave us with. We have 4 players  6’6 or taller on the entire roster. Any closely officiated game and we’re screwed, any game where gabe gets in foul trouble and we’re screwed. We went into this year thinking if 2 of the 3 from the CB, JC, JG group broke right we’d probably have enough with our guard play to make a run…now, we need both CB and JG to step up and be impact guys right away. I thought we’d be 3 guard line-up all along this year, but now it is clearly cemented.  Man I’m depressed….

    Here is what I’m going to do to try to pick up everyone’s spirits….be positive and give you all a little blog post that you will enjoy, think it will be therapy for all of us, a nice positive, cool piece that delivers some solid coverage at the player level that we’ve never gotten before….going to work on this now for you all.

    LUHoops00 – sad but upbeat still!

    #7042

    LUHoops00
    Participant

    Looking back, believe this will mark the third straight year that we suit up short the full scholarship allotment. Two yars ago it was Bailey not playing when eligible to do so, last year it was McCarthy injury, this year it was going to be McCarthy retirement and now add JC news and wow, down to 11 for ’12-’13. To me, this is a real reason why you should try to get and use up your full amount, with only 13 guys to play injuries, transfers, eligibility issues, personal issues can come up at any time and seriously test depth if already short handed.

     

    #7044

    lehigh90
    Participant

    TMH-

    I love your optimism on the projections for Baltimore and Goldsborough, but I see no way CB is going to average 9 rebounds a game.  Muscala led the PL last year at 9.1.  So, you are basically asking a guy who has never played significant minutes in college, to come in and basically lead the league in rebounding.  He was a DNP probably half the time last season.  And, he is not a given to start.  Then, asking him to score 7.4 ppg, which last year would have put him at about 25th in the league in scoring.   He might be the 8th offensive option on the team.  Then you need JG to get 7 ppg on top of that, and he may be the 10th offensive option on the team.  Not going to happen.

    In my opinion, if CB and JG can share 20 minutes a game, play decent post defense, get 8 rebounds per game combined, and use up 10 fouls, I would be happy.  Scoring wise, I think combined they might average about 5 ppg.  I would think if they can share 20 minutes at the 4/5 (and that might be asking a lot, as it assumes JG can play right away), you have to be satisfied.  You are going to need huge minutes out of GK and HG (30+ on average) and some nights probably 35.  There is no way around it, this team is going to have to play small quite a bit.  With foul trouble to GK, you may be looking at runs of MM, BB, CM, HG and DC/AD/SC on the floor, with no true post.  You could also see some of CS at the point with MM running at the 2.  I am fine with going small and pushing tempo in the PL.  There are not that many big teams in the PL to contend with, although one is Bucknell, where you are going to need some size to stick Muscala, Willman, and/or Fitzpatrick/Hoffman.  Other problem, of course, is any major team they face (in OOC, or NCAA) is going to have a huge size advantage in the post.  Can you imagine facing a Duke or Xavier this season with our front line.  We will know pretty quickly.  I would think that first game at Baylor, the rebounding edge may be 2/1 in favor of Baylor.

    If I was Reed, at this point, I would be headed over to the football locker room to find somebody who is big and may have played basketball at a decent level in high school to walk-on for this season.  I have seen a lot of teams do it over the years.  You need bodies now.

    #7045
    RichH
    RichH
    Participant

    Most of our TEs played HS ball, for what that is worth. Probably not much . Absent phenominal shooting from the perimeter, we will have tough time vs big OOC.teams.
    Maybe Staggers could at least give minutes. Not big but an Energizer Bunny kid.

    #7046

    lehigh90
    Participant

    If they can set screens, box out, rebound a little and commit 5 fouls, I would be looking at them.

    #7050
    Bison137
    Bison137
    Participant

    Interestingly,  Reed (and presumably the team) have known for over a month that Chuku would not be allowed to play this year.    Got my Blue Ribbon yearbook yesterday – a book that has to have gone to print over a month ago – and it has the news that Chuku was ineligible.    Written by Hooptime.   I wonder why LU waited so long to tell the rest of the world.

    #7051
    RichH
    RichH
    Participant

    Ca.t think of any reason, unless there was an appeal process available. Why not reveal situation as it occurred?Guess a moot point now. Probably his absence will be a factor in PL race as well as OOC.
    We gotta play the hand we’re dealt.

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