b-ball recruit question

[mslacatfan]

This is probably for mslacat, since he seems to know everything about basketball- This must have been about a year ago now, but I remember reading about some guy we recruited (and I thought we signed?) that everyone was saying would be one of the most athletic players we have ever had, specifically I remember people saying he would probably be one of MSU's best ever dunkers.... Cant remember his name. Did he end up coming here, highschool recruit, transfer, next years highschool class? Does anyone remember the guy I'm thinking about?....

[gtapp]

I believe he was a recruit from Texas. I don't remember if he was a HS kid or a JC recruit.

[longhorn_22]

Austin Brown
Freshman from Flower Mound, TX
Position: Forward Number: 1
Height: 6-4 Weight: 215

He's a true freshman this year and he is playing.

[mslacat]

yep that would be Austin. Austin is play as a true freshman, but has made more of a name for himself a defencive player this year for Huse. The coaches are very high on Austin, but this year he has been asked by the coaches to come in and be a role player The coaches have said they expect Austin to develop into a multi tool guy who will score, rebound and become lock down defender. This year he has added a 3 point shot to his game and has become a much better ball handler. He played primarily both forward spots in high school.

[Old Skool Cat]

So next question - why wouldn't we redshirt Brown let him develop these skills?

[longhorn_22]

So next question - why wouldn't we redshirt Brown let him develop these skills?

They redshirted Larry Swann instead. I guess they thought Brown understood the schemes better as of the start of the season.

[mslacat]

So next question - why wouldn't we redshirt Brown let him develop these skills?

He beat out Swan, defined a role for himself in an area Huse was worried about when our season started (defence). The coaches really like Austin's attitude and work ethic. He showed up in early summer and worked through most of the summer, and he proved he could contribute. Swann was having a difficult time adjusting/learning Huse's offence, and Austin was clearly ahead of him in this regards.

I will admit I really thought, Austin was going to be redshirted this year, and was surprised when I heard that it looked like Swan would be redshirted instead. We only have 13 players this year and we need 10-11 active players. it becomes a numbers game. I tell you what I really wish the NCAA would go back to the 15 scholarship limit and allow teams to develop young players.

BTW: I hear Trevor Hopkins a freshman point guard for the Cats is having a great redshirt year.

[Hell's Bells]

next question: How do you think the team is progressing? I thought we were going to be decent then we laid that egg in msla over the weekend

[mslacat]

next question: How do you think the team is progressing? I thought we were going to be decent then we laid that egg in msla over the weekend

Pro's This team always plays great defence, and it has kept us in games a lot of times. This team has a lot of pride, and will not simply hand it in when thing look bad.

Con's This team is very Jekyll and Hyde on offence. I think this is in large part to two of our best players being sophomores. it is telling that our most consistent player has been our only senior Mbunga. Before this Saturdays game I really thought I was seeing more consistency on offence. Howard was a lot more consistent, Bynum had emerged as an offensive threat and Rush also seemed to be picking up his game. My thought process was that if this guy or that guy had a down game we had other who could pick it up, and Mbunga would be Mbunga. That did not happen in Missoula. I am not ready to sell this team down the river yet by any means but our younger guy need to mature quickly, and play like juniors and seniors.

The next couple games of course will be important to see how this team bounces back from an embarrassing loss, and then they need to prove they can be as consistent on the offensive side as they are on the defensive side.

[syvie5]

At the coaches corner(Holiday Inn) coach said Mbunga and Peopoli were
throwing up right up to game time and Peopoli was still sick Sunday and
Monday. He said Mbunga had an infected tooth also that he got fixed on
Monday. He felt that definitely affected both of their games, especially
Mbunga, he just wasn't himself.
Go Cats!

[bpcats]

The biggest thing that I have seen so far is that the Cats do not currently have a natural scorer. Bynum may be the exception. Austin Brown, Navarre, and Rush are very good at slashing towards the basket and even creating the space necessary to get a shot off but they continue to struggle to actually make the shot.

Howard and Piopoli need to find their shooting touch somehow.

The good news is that the Cats are a young team and play very hard for Coach Huse. They are athletic enough to play very tough defense which wasn't the case last year.

This team is going to struggle all year unless the shots start falling.

Coach Binford did a good job of recruiting Katie Busey who is a natural scorer and has done a great job starting of the year.

[Old Skool Cat]

The biggest thing that I have seen so far is that the Cats do not currently have a natural scorer. Bynum may be the exception. Austin Brown, Navarre, and Rush are very good at slashing towards the basket and even creating the space necessary to get a shot off but they continue to struggle to actually make the shot.

Howard and Piopoli need to find their shooting touch somehow.

The good news is that the Cats are a young team and play very hard for Coach Huse. They are athletic enough to play very tough defense which wasn't the case last year.

This team is going to struggle all year unless the shots start falling.

Coach Binford did a good job of recruiting Katie Busey who is a natural scorer and has done a great job starting of the year.

I mentioned this a couple times during the non-conference schedule. Sure, we have guys that can get hot during a game or two, but no one that is really consistently good. Bobby Howard has that ability, but oh boy, when Bobby is off it gets ugly in a hurry. Again, I think youth and inexperience leads to most of this. Look for a lot of roller-coaster play this season from this team.