McCarthy Injury

Forum Forum Lehigh Sports Lehigh Men’s Basketball McCarthy Injury

This topic contains 10 replies, has 1 voice, and was last updated by  norcalfan 13 years, 3 months ago.

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  • #3762
    StablerBum
    StablerBum
    Participant

    If the news reported here is true, and Kevin McCarthy is going to miss the entire upcoming season, that is a pretty big blow for this team. KM made huge strides at the end of last year, and I personally was expecting him to contribute quite a bit this year as a compliment and back-up to Knutson. As green as KM was, he was probably our second most proven low post scorer amongst our bigs.

    As LUHOOPS has been lamenting for months now, the lack of a true big man in this past years reruiting class made us very thin up front, and losing McCarthy for the year obviously doesn’t help. Hopefully Maneri can make a senior leap and really contribute this year.

    #3763

    LUHoops00
    Participant

    Man has the air been taking out of my tires here in the last week. First no BJ citing and now this mccarthy news. KM was one of my big x factors on this team, a legit size and touch to hold down the 5 and move gabe to more suited 4. The prospects of having one regular in rotation over 6’6 for upcoming season sucks, and I am pissed.

    After cj frosh year, you know you have three year window with best player in league and maybe league history on your team. You have to build around that and get bigs to have a shot at making noise in march. Reed, no disrespect I like the job the man has done, but his last six recruits for the cj era are corey pg, stefan 2G, baltimore hybrid forward 3/4 at 6’6, goldsborough who is tweener at 6’6/6’7, stahl who I heard first hand is a 6’6 slasher not power guy, and now jesse who is 6’6/6’7 and 210. How do you not get a legit power forward or center, freeking joke. HC,BU, American all can get bigs, how come our staff can’t.

    Yes maneri is tall, but he is what he is a 10th man who can go in for 4 minutes at a time. We have one guy over 6’6 in rotation now for this season…lots of one and dones on offense and multiple second and third chances foe opponents.

    If we are not going to try to speed up the game by pressing and trapping I will be frustrated.

    LUhoops00

    #3764

    LUHoops00
    Participant

    Think I short changed my boy Holden, think he is 6’7, but he isn’t a banging bodies 4 man back to basket guy.

    #3767

    norcalfan
    Participant

    What a blow! Well I think the team will rally around this loss. This is a chance for the seniors to step up, their last chance. There is a surprise somewhere in there. Support the team. Go LU! I still believe in them. Yes, Dr. Reed does not seem to be able to get the big men.

    #3770
    Bison137
    Bison137
    Participant

    The new Blue Ribbon yearbook mentions that McCarthy tore up his knee in "spring drills". Assuming it is a normal ACL tear, theoretically he could be back in December. However it appears that there’s no thought of trying to get him back this year and that he will apply for a fifth year of eligibility (which should be fairly automatic once he creates an academic reason for needing another year).

    #3773

    LU65
    Participant

    Like everyone else, I’m sorry to hear about Kevin. It’s a loss but not the end of our season. We wish him a speedy recovery and, has 137 points out, three more years to excel on and off the court at Lehigh.

    Landing a 6’10" or taller player who is both good and can play the "5" in the PL is rare, indeed. Just ask the coaches who comb the nation 6 months a year in search of such a guy. About as rare as landing a CJ, I imagine.

    So what are we left with in terms of "bigs" with Kevin on the sidelines? Only 6 players who stand 6’6" or taller (sort of the league average…. see below) including 3 (GK, JH, HG) seasoned and highly-athletic contributors (scoring and rebounding), 2 seniors (JA, JM) with limited court time who can bang with the best of them and have shown flashes of greatness in the past – each knowing it’s his last chance for a ring (another, I should say), and a complete unknown by the name of Conroy Baltimore – a freshman with a wingspan of 7’2" and a rebounding machine by most accounts. All in all, not bad! Like norcal (believe it or not), I think we’re going to be surprised this year by the play of either JA or JM and perhaps both. But, it may only take one of them. Remember, we do have a fellow named CJ and one of the top returning point guards in the league, Mackey McKnight. And, that’s not counting possible contributions from Anthony D. (when he’s on he’s on), Stefan C. (pure 3’s – one of Canada’s best last year), Corey S. (PG in waiting and 1,000 point scorer out of Iowa), and walk-ons Cory G. and Tyrone S. We may be missing that giant at center but may very well have enough to go all the way this year. Watching Coach Reed pull this band of players together over the next 10 weeks will be fun and instructive for sure. So, let’s stop feeling sorry for ourselves and get it on.

    Kevin, get well soon. You’ll be missed.

    The "big" centers around the league and number of roster players standing 6’6" and above.

    BU…Muscala, Jr. @ 6’11"….7
    AU…Grafft, Sr. @ 6’11"…5
    CU…Brandenberg, Jr. @ 6’11"…7
    LC…Pelham, Sr. @ 6’10"…6
    Navy…Smoot, Fr. @ 6’10"…4
    Army…Lord, Fr. @ 6’10" …6
    HC…Beans, Jr. @ 6’9" …6

    Who’s making it out to St. John’s? 20 days and counting!

    #3774

    LUHoops00
    Participant

    Nice post LU65 as always.

    Couple points, I still think team can win a ton and contend for pl ring, no doubt. Also not feeling sorry for ourselves, just pointing out some criticism of recruiting tactics.

    Secondly,I am not asking for a 6’10 cj, just a 6’10 plus bigger body guy who can bang around for 15 to 20 and develop over time but immediately rebound and defend post. In terms of rare to find big and good, I agree, but you can’t score if you don’t shoot, and reed aint even shooting a chance at bringing in a big body. No reason for six straight recruits to ever all be below 6’6/6’7.Vlad, lumpkins, mcnaughton, muscala, meister or whatever that load from hc last year was who graduated, bottom line the upper eschelon pl who we compete with have found hese guys and we haven’t, that is undeniable.

    Also, per forgotten man post, I am all in on JA, he needs to be the man this year and contribute down low. Baltimore, I agree, we need all 7’2 of that wingspan baby, he could be the guy to step up.

    St johns, chance I make it there actually, stars might align on this one.

    Mackey year two per blue ribbon, I agree, huge x factor as he has talent to be the best pg in pl.

    Also, don’t rule out bj per bison137 posts, you never know!

    #3775

    LUHoops00
    Participant

    One additional note, if the mccarthy injury doesn’t force reed to go up-tempo with this undersized, super athletic, deep team of athletes then I don’t know what will. We need to press, trap, and create chaos. 40 minutes of hell. Run teams to the ground, helps hide undersized roster minus mccarthy.

    To recap the returning players, mackey, dorazio, cj, holden, jordan, gabe, adams can all run well for their positions. Baltimore, seems like an athlete and I’m guessing stefan and corey aren’t slow for guards…add in BJ, and you got a quick/quick team….run guys in and out in waves….

    #3778

    norcalfan
    Participant

    Again, I am sorry to hear about McCarthy, but I am not worried about LU. The seniors and juniors will lead the charge. Up tempo is the style of ball Adams and Andoh (BU) played at Mitty. They thrive on it. I have seen Hamilton get out of the gate too. CJ glides down the court, while Mackey is a speed demon. Maneri can bang, just needs to stay out of foul trouble. Let’s go!

    #3783

    LUHoops00
    Participant

    New video/interview with the good dr posted on web site, called out holden and JA as having made improvement/steps/surprises….that’s a good sign!

    #3785

    norcalfan
    Participant

    Interesting comments by the good doctor. There is no I in team, it will take all of them to contend for the title. We need multiple players at each position. Good luck to all the seniors in the PL. Let’s go LU!

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