Jay Harris

[Powder]

I think my opinion of redshirting may be coming on to strong. I'm not suggesting that every single player should be redshirted, although I do think it should be the rare exception they play. But the problem is that we all want to think that our recruits are the next big thing. Marshall Bjorklund, Jay Harris, etc. haven't even finished their senior year in high school and we're already saying they are better than current players who, to a certain extent, have proven themselves. This may be true but we don't know yet. No matter how high a player is rated some don't turn out as expected. By redshirting them the staff has a year to watch them practice against other college players and decide whether or not to recruit over them.

If we were talking about the big ten then I'd be more likely to agree that we should use a freshmen to plug a hole. That's a league where you can make the big dance by finishing 5th in your conference and winning one game in the conference tourney.

I know someone will argue that we have a shot at the NCAA's every year because of the end of the year tourney. But the reality is it's very slim with a 4th or 5th place team. In a conference like we're in, playing to finish 4th or 5th doesn't get you anywhere. We need to have powerhouse teams to make the NCAA's. Using a year of eligibility on a player so he can be the sixth man and help us finish one or two spots higher doesn't seem to be the most appropriate use.

[Twentysix]

K, so you need to post utter bullshit for the next 150ish posts. We have an unwritten rule, you cant have 3 sober posts in a row, they need to be strung out more.

[Powder]

How about this one?

[DjKyRo]

I think my opinion of redshirting may be coming on to strong. I'm not suggesting that every single player should be redshirted, although I do think it should be the rare exception they play. But the problem is that we all want to think that our recruits are the next big thing. Marshall Bjorklund, Jay Harris, etc. haven't even finished their senior year in high school and we're already saying they are better than current players who, to a certain extent, have proven themselves. This may be true but we don't know yet. No matter how high a player is rated some don't turn out as expected. By redshirting them the staff has a year to watch them practice against other college players and decide whether or not to recruit over them.

If we were talking about the big ten then I'd be more likely to agree that we should use a freshmen to plug a hole. That's a league where you can make the big dance by finishing 5th in your conference and winning one game in the conference tourney.

I know someone will argue that we have a shot at the NCAA's every year because of the end of the year tourney. But the reality is it's very slim with a 4th or 5th place team. In a conference like we're in, playing to finish 4th or 5th doesn't get you anywhere. We need to have powerhouse teams to make the NCAA's. Using a year of eligibility on a player so he can be the sixth man and help us finish one or two spots higher doesn't seem to be the most appropriate use.

For the most part I actually agree - if we were continually bringing in strong freshman of Jay Harris-caliber, then redshirting might be a tougher choice to make but on the whole, the players we get at a mid/low-major level are going to have perhaps minor developmental issues - be they technical micues, past injuries that prevented exposure (in the case of, say, Marshall Bjorklund's shoulder injury), what have you. The point is that we're not going to get absolutely phenomenal freshman every year or consistently at least now.

Zastrow is making me eat my own words and hey, I'm totally cool with that because he's doing good things, but a phrase Steve Hallstrom (or maybe Kolpack, I honestly can't remember which) said a while back stuck with me: "Not redshirting is essentially trading a guy's best year of [basket]ball for his worst." Obviously a 23-year old having had an extra year to bulk up, learn the system, etc. is going to be better than an 18 year old who is suddenly acclimating himself to a new level of competition, not too hard to see that logic.

What we're seeing is that NDSU is looking more and more at recruits who are too good to pass up that first year of contribution - Kansas sure didn't redshirt Xavier Henry, Kentucky with John Wall, etc, and obviously the guys we're getting aren't exactly those caliber of recruits but you see my point - if they can contribute and lead to netting even more skilled recruits in the future, why not?

[ndsubison1]

For the most part I actually agree - if we were continually bringing in strong freshman of Jay Harris-caliber, then redshirting might be a tougher choice to make but on the whole, the players we get at a mid/low-major level are going to have perhaps minor developmental issues - be they technical micues, past injuries that prevented exposure (in the case of, say, Marshall Bjorklund's shoulder injury), what have you. The point is that we're not going to get absolutely phenomenal freshman every year or consistently at least now.

Zastrow is making me eat my own words and hey, I'm totally cool with that because he's doing good things, but a phrase Steve Hallstrom (or maybe Kolpack, I honestly can't remember which) said a while back stuck with me: "Not redshirting is essentially trading a guy's best year of [basket]ball for his worst." Obviously a 23-year old having had an extra year to bulk up, learn the system, etc. is going to be better than an 18 year old who is suddenly acclimating himself to a new level of competition, not too hard to see that logic.

What we're seeing is that NDSU is looking more and more at recruits who are too good to pass up that first year of contribution - Kansas sure didn't redshirt Xavier Henry, Kentucky with John Wall, etc, and obviously the guys we're getting aren't exactly those caliber of recruits but you see my point - if they can contribute and lead to netting even more skilled recruits in the future, why not?

That quote was about football. Completely different animal. I agree with silkamilka, we shouldnt need to redshirt everybody, we should be bringing in capable players every single year. If they can make an immediate impact, play them. Zastrow would have benefited from redshirting obviously as he needs to gain strength and get bigger to improve his shot/defense. But we are better off with him playing. He runs the offense so well and he's a better true pg as Pennick is not a very good guard at all and Vaughan is more of a 2. As for Aaberg, would have been great to redshirt him but we have depth issues down low. Flowers didnt pan out so I'm glad we didnt redshirt him. As for Bjorklund, I think the coaches feel he will be physically ready to contribute next year and possibly even start. Bjorklund will have to play right away as we will not have great depth again down low. As for Jay Harris, the sole reason he is considering us is because he would start from day 1. If we continue to bring in guys like Jay Harris/Bjorklund who are talented enough to play right away we shouldnt be redshirting them

[DjKyRo]

That quote was about football. Completely different animal.

I know it was about football but in my opinion it applies nearly equally. It's easy to say we should be bringing in ready athletes but the fact of the matter is that at this point, fresh out of transition (though with a booster like making the tourney), we're not always going to get those ready-to-contribute athletes.

[Kermit]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports...,5532379.story

The 11 field goals were nothing more than another night at the office for Jay Harris.

His seven 3-pointers, six assists, six rebounds, two steals and 9-of-10 free-throw shooting were indicative of the complete player Oswego East has in its backcourt.

I have no more words to describe the phenomenal season that this kid is putting together. Wow!

[Powder]

I know it was about football but in my opinion it applies nearly equally. It's easy to say we should be bringing in ready athletes but the fact of the matter is that at this point, fresh out of transition (though with a booster like making the tourney), we're not always going to get those ready-to-contribute athletes.

You're 100% right. Low to mid-majors do not consistently bring in athletes who are ready to compete. If they could, either they wouldn't be low to mid-major any more or that means they were really bad to start with! NDSU isn't in either of those positions right now.

Teams at our level take chances on kids who are deficient in one area or another and need time to develop a more all around game. If they were the complete package they wouldn't consider us.

[unbison]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports...,5532379.story



I have no more words to describe the phenomenal season that this kid is putting together. Wow!

Amazing.........I wonder if anyone has told him..... how stunning he would look in green and gold

[steelbison]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports...,5532379.story



I have no more words to describe the phenomenal season that this kid is putting together. Wow!

Unfortunatley for us this kid has played so well that he will be getting a LOT of offers.


I do wish him the best!! His 3-point shooting is amazing!!!