This post is for those who believe Remi Barry is the answer to all of the Aggies' problems. How does anyone know? Who has seen him play? When was the last time a freshman at NMSU made a major impact? If you want to put the pressure on a freshman to save the season, that's your opinion. I doubt the coaching staff shares that opinion however. This is how the Aggies will start the season.
C — Hamidu Rahman or Chili Nephawe.....not a huge difference
PF — Wendell McKines
SF — Tyrone Watson
SG — Christian Kabongo
PG — Hernst Laroche
As I wrote in my column last week, Barry, Weary or any player to be named later is going to have to contribute at some point next year for the Aggies to be a good team. You can't start a freshman over Watson, who started every game as a sophomore and what player on the current roster can shoot the 3? Unless we are talking about YouTube clips from high school or AAU games.
I also don't understand how people think the Aggies are just going to magically play defense? McKines has played defense and rebounded, CK and Hernst do when they feel like it. But they are going to have to do it every night to replace a consistent 20 point per game scorer. If you feel like they can win scoring in the 60s all of a sudden, more power to you but you have to be realistic.
I wrote that the Aggies would win 26 games last year because I felt they had the type of team to do it. I have no problem talking the Aggies up if warranted. I feel differently about the upcoming squad.
16 comments:
NBA scouts already say that Remi Barry is a future NBA player that he will only play 2 years in college. Groves your an idiot still. Barry could be playing at a major program right now. Barry didn't come to NMSU to sit the bench. Barry will be starting at NMSU right away.
Remi Barry has the same size as Gillenwater but his skills are light years ahread of Gillenwater. Barry is can shot lights out, great mid-range game, slash to the basket, has ball handling skills, and is a great passer. Averaged 24 PPG, 11 RPG, and 6 APG with his AAU team last summer. He was going up against some of the best players in the U.S. Remi is going to make a huge impact for this basketball team. Groves, you should resign as the basketball writer. You suck at it and we can do so much better.
Starting Line-up next season will be...
PG Hernst Laroche 6'1 Sr
SG Remi Barry 6'7 Fr
SF Wendell McKines 6'6 Sr
PF B.J West 6'11 So
C Hamidu Rahman 6'11 Sr
Bench
PG Daniel Mullings 6'3 Fr
SG Christian Kabongo 6'5 So
SF Bandja Sy 6'8 Jr
PF Tyrone Watson 6'5 Jr
C Chili Nephawe 6'10 SO
Red-Shirt
Reynoldo Dixon 6'11 SO
NMSU will be fine next season. I don't know why you are so worried Groves. This team could be very good next season. Laroche is a solid point guard. Remi Barry is a future NBA player, Wendell McKines was always better than Gillenwater and is a great leader on the court, B.J West showed last season he has some nice mid-range game and post moves to go with his solid rebounding, and I think Rahman will return to the way he played as a sophomore. This team has a chance to be very good. Forget Gillenwater. Gillenwater never played with no heart or played defense. Groves, if you think losing Gillenwater is going to hurt this team. Then you are an idiot.
Menzies and Wendell have each talked about Wendell returning to the power forward spot with the departure of Gillenwater. I'm also excited about Barry, but to place your expectations on him as a freshman is a reach. If he is productive in a reserve role or playing minutes to close games out, I think the Aggies would be thrilled with that kind of production. Is he capable of becoming an all league player? If you read things on his prep and AAU career then yes. But in the four years I've covered the team, there hasn't been a freshman at NMSU to step onto the court and turn the program. If Barry could do it, perhaps the preseason hype is warranted, but I think it's unfair and unrealistic to place that type of pressure on him.
addressed specifically to anon 1:07....why the personal attack? Why call someone an idiot for having an opinion and being nice enough to share it with you and create a forum where you can do the same?
Please, Jason, create some guidelines here to raise the level of dialogue.
I come here to talk intelligently and share views with people, not name call.
Alan
We don't need Gillenwater. I think his PPG will be replaced very easily.
Laroche- 12 PPG, 6 APG, 3 RPG
Kabongo- 10 PPG, 3 APG, 5 RPG
Barry- 15 PPG, 7 RPG, 4 APG
McKines- 17 PPG, 12 RPG, 3 APG
Rahman- 10 PPG, 6 RPG, 2 BPG
I think this starting 5 will be one of the best in the WAC. Laroche is one of the best PG in the WAC. Kabongo was one of the best freshman last year who averaged 9 PPG. Remi Barry is probably the best player who has ever signed with NMSU. McKines is Mr. Double-Double and a great team leader, and Rahman if healthy will be solid. We are going to be fine next season. If we sign K.C Ross Miller then wow this team will be even better.
Groves don't let Fat Frankie from WMNU get you riled up.
He's a little 'special' and a total homer.
Groves I for one like the way you cover our team. You give good realistic insight... I feel like all the posts are from the same person... This guy needs to get a life.... Stocking sports writers on the internet??? Are you serious dude? Your basketball IQ and credibility are thrown in the trash. Groves does a good job, your ignorant to think a freshman is the 2nd coming of Jesus. Do I think he'll be good? Yes...Immediatley?? Adjusting to D-1 takes time.... He may be a little rusty. But why don't we watch a few games before we pin a Freshman as the messiah.... Thanks Groves for your coverage of NMSU athletics, I appreciate your articles and blog.
Good job, JG. It'd be better to see a team over-achieve one year here soon instead of building up unreal expectations over the summer only to have the so-called "fans" abandon them after the rivalry series and before the WAC even starts. Fans that put pressure on a freshman represent everything that is wrong with college hoops. Anon 1:07 is coming pretty weak but can't be questioned on desire to see a winner.
I think the Aggies will be fine next year. Hopefully Remi Berry is the real deal but as JG said, he will be a freshman. Bottom line.
I look for Tyrone Watson to play a huge role this year. Wen is going to have to score 17, 18 a game.
I think the x-factor will be CK. He is definately talented but talent is never the issue at NMSU. It's all those other things we lack (defense, ball movement, clutch scoring).
I think it might be addition by subtraction. Maybe other players will do better with TG out. More movement, more opportunities, more engagement.
That said, I have a hard time envisioning an MM coached team being defensively focused...we shall see!
I guess everybody forgot about Eric Weary Jr. What I could see in his videos he can hit the long ball, but of course he will be a Freshman.
Okay, anon 2:39 am - now that your Sat nite drinking binge is over do you still think that the starting five will all average double figures?
@ Groves - Do you think Gillenwater is better than McKines.
Gillenwater averaged 20 PPG but look at how many shots it too him to score that many points. My opinion is Wendell McKines will average 14-16 PPG this year by shooting 2/3 of the shots that Gillenwater took this year. Wendell will also grabb 4-6 more rebonuds and 2-3 more assist per game than Gillenwater. Groves, you are only looking at the PPG part instead of looking at the over-all picture. Replacing 20 PPG is going to be the easy part.
Sorry, I haven't kept up with this blog lately but that's really awful to call Jason an idiot. I don't always agree with Jason but he's one of the better sportswriters the Sun-News has had over the years. You're a lot nicer than me Jason to put up with people like that.
RT
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