Roster 2018-2019

[Commissioner]

I agree with the general sentiment--we need some size.

What are your thoughts on Jesse Barnes?

I really don't know anything about him other than the raw stats, which indicate a big guy who's offense is limited to jams and put backs (5.9 ppg, 57% FT, 62% FG, 0 three-point attempts), and who plays some defense (.7 bpg, 4.8 rpg). He's 6-8. A smaller Isaiah Jones?

Not overly impressed with the stats but I figure this is for Davis. I kinda presume recruiting pretty much starts over. Davis will have his own ideas, but maybe he'll figure it's worth reaching out to guys that BA had offered. Besides BA's offer (which may no longer be good) he has offers from Montana State and Eastern Illinois.

[udballer]

Besides BA's offer (which may no longer be good) he has offers from Montana State and Eastern Illinois.

That alone would be enough for me to pass on Barnes. I wish the kid luck, though.

[Titans03]

Jack Ballantyne will not return next year. He will be transferring.

[R.B.J1]

Besides BA's offer (which may no longer be good) he has offers from Montana State and Eastern Illinois.

That alone would be enough for me to pass on Barnes. I wish the kid luck, though.

I agree, sounds like a poor mans Olumide Solanke.

[upbasketballfan]

Jack Ballantyne will not return next year. He will be transferring.

If that is true that's bad for Ballantyne. I think a decent coach might be able to make him into a better than average player. Davis might teach him how to play D and he might pick up some inside moves. He should stick around but maybe he doesn't want to work. It looked to me like we were a step slow last year and really not conditioned to play.

[R.B.J1]

Jack Ballantyne will not return next year. He will be transferring.

If that is true that's bad for Ballantyne. I think a decent coach might be able to make him into a better than average player. Davis might teach him how to play D and he might pick up some inside moves. He should stick around but maybe he doesn't want to work. It looked to me like we were a step slow last year and really not conditioned to play.

Hogan and Ballantyne were completely out of shape most of last season. Hogans conditioning was somewhat due to him taking a heavy load of classes to regain his eligibility. I am assuming Ballantyne added the freshman 15. The basketball players at UofM weigh in once at least once a month with the strength and conditioning coach, they have exercise regiments, nutrition plans,etc. Maybe BA implemented these techniques at UDM and they werent successful. It obviously didnt work for Hogan and Ballantyne.

[ptctitan]

It's not unusual at all for players recruited by one coach to leave after a coaching change is implemented. JJ was the recruiting coordinator under Bacari. Since the school's announcement of Davis and his announcement that he would try to bring his entire TX SO staff here with him, the three JJ guys, Jones, JJJ, and Ballantyne are out.

This is the MBB housecleaning that the most vocal here desired. The old coaches are gone. All but 4 of their players have left or have received permission to leave.

Offsetting these departures, we have picked up verbal commitments from two guard, A. Davis and Knight.

As of the moment, our projected scholarship player roster looks like:

Guard: McFolley, Davis, Knight

Forward: Long

Center/Forward: Blackshear, Eichler

Davis dealt with 8 players leaving at UAB after he was announced as coach. His first year record there was 15-16, 7-9 in Conf USA.

[uofdfan1983]

Not a real surprise that Ballantyne is leaving, given his close friendship with JJJ. I am way beyond worrying about a particular player leaving, and trust that this is a GROUND ZERO startup operation with Davis' at the helm, bringing in his players. After we lost Allen I stopped worrying about other possible defections...he's the one that mattered. Having said that, Ballantyne was indeed out-of-shape and plays "soft"...however he is a big body with skills. If he works at his game he can have a decent college career. We have no size and he would have had a great chance to come in, show he deserves PT, and earned a starting spot. And all in front of his family at the hometown school. I don't really care because right now I am just concerned with the long-term. I just wonder if guys can ever step back and look at the big picture and decide what is the best decision (or non-decision) they can make at the time for their future.

[titandave]

Since the school's announcement of Davis and his announcement that he would try to bring his entire TX SO staff here with him, the three JJ guys, Jones, JJJ, and Ballantyne are out.

I know JJJ has formally stated he's leaving UDM. Are Ballantyne and Tariiq Jones officially gone?

[JDetroitTitan]

Since the school's announcement of Davis and his announcement that he would try to bring his entire TX SO staff here with him, the three JJ guys, Jones, JJJ, and Ballantyne are out.

I know JJJ has formally stated he's leaving UDM. Are Ballantyne and Tariiq Jones officially gone?

Jack has said on twitter UDM has granted his release to transfer and TJ I am not sure on only what people have said on the board.
https://twitter.com/jackkballantyne

[Titans03]

Tariiq is still with UDM. He isn’t eligible at the moment, however.

[titandave]

If the new coaching staff can add a couple of front court players similar in talent level to the 2 backcourt players we're in the process of adding (Davis & Knight) .... we'll have a decent roster.

[JDetroitTitan]

Tariiq is still with UDM. He isn’t eligible at the moment, however.

I don't know the whole story about Tariiq except what has been placed on the board and also what was on the news during the UM vs UDM game last year. All I know is he has length, size, speed and is athletic.

[Commissioner]

There was some mention that JJ took the news of Davis's hiring professionally and that JJJ would remain a Titan and JJ had no hard feelings, etc. So it's interesting that almost immediately the two players closest to him announced plans to look at transferring.

I think JJJ saw he'd likely be the #3 guard behind Antoine Davis and McFolley, and didn't want that. Ballantyne would have been a presumptive starter, but he's a follower. I hate to lose talented players and I think they both have talent, but it's just as well. We'll be fine.

[NC Titan]

I agree with most of what is being said here lately. However, not having seen young Davis in action, it's presumptive to put him ahead of JJJr on the roster. I think Junior is making a mistake if he leaves because given a chance he could make his own reputation. Same for Ballantyne: he's in a good spot with our depleted frontcourt, and with some grit and work he could be successful, at least until Coach Davis brings in some JC players. I had optimistic hopes for him but he never really bloomed last year.

As for Tariiq, I really like his skills, I think that he has an opportunity to do well if he can get his academics together.

The common thread on all three is JJSr, and unless he has better options for these players he should be encouraging them to take this opportunity for a clean slate and show what they can do.

[ptctitan]

Tariiq is still with UDM. He isn’t eligible at the moment, however.

I don't know the whole story about Tariiq except what has been placed on the board and also what was on the news during the UM vs UDM game last year. All I know is he has length, size, speed and is athletic.

Tariiq no longer lists UDM basketball on his Twitter profile; and, he liked the tweets about JJJ and Ballantyne transferring. He used to list UDM basketball on his Twitter profile. To me, that says all that needs to be known ahead of any roster change announcements.

Roster turnover is to be expected when the recruiting coordinator who brought them into the school leaves. That's how Greg E ended up at Illinois after the assistant who recruited him to UIC left to take the Illinois assistant's job. If you clean house, then in present-day college BB, it is likely that certain players will follow certain coaches - or at least not remain on teams where the coach who brought them there is no longer part of the staff.

How this all nets out in the 2018-19 season depends upon who Davis brings in to fill these spots. The current Detroit Tigers are an example of how cleaning out your roster does not necessarily guarantee a bad result.

[upbasketballfan]

Tariiq no longer lists UDM basketball on his Twitter profile; and, he liked the tweets about JJJ and Ballantyne transferring. He used to list UDM basketball on his Twitter profile. To me, that says all that needs to be known ahead of any roster change announcements.

Roster turnover is to be expected when the recruiting coordinator who brought them into the school leaves. That's how Greg E ended up at Illinois after the assistant who recruited him to UIC left to take the Illinois assistant's job. If you clean house, then in present-day college BB, it is likely that certain players will follow certain coaches - or at least not remain on teams where the coach who brought them there is no longer part of the staff.

How this all nets out in the 2018-19 season depends upon who Davis brings in to fill these spots. The current Detroit Tigers are an example of how cleaning out your roster does not necessarily guarantee a bad result.

The current Tigers are not a good team. I think right now they are in third place in the weakest division in the American League. As far as Tariiq, after what went down with BA, him running to Vowels and his grades. I would think most coaches would consider him a little on the soft side.

[77-85Titan]

I haven't seen this addressed anywhere yet, but is it certain that Isaiah Jones is not eligible for another season? Maybe we can get him another year or two just like Carlton Brundage. I know that he has bad knees, but another year of healing might help? He did look good in his limited minutes last year, in my opinion.

[Titans03]

Tariiq is still with UDM. He isn’t eligible at the moment, however.

I don't know the whole story about Tariiq except what has been placed on the board and also what was on the news during the UM vs UDM game last year. All I know is he has length, size, speed and is athletic.

Tariiq no longer lists UDM basketball on his Twitter profile; and, he liked the tweets about JJJ and Ballantyne transferring. He used to list UDM basketball on his Twitter profile. To me, that says all that needs to be known ahead of any roster change announcements.

Roster turnover is to be expected when the recruiting coordinator who brought them into the school leaves. That's how Greg E ended up at Illinois after the assistant who recruited him to UIC left to take the Illinois assistant's job. If you clean house, then in present-day college BB, it is likely that certain players will follow certain coaches - or at least not remain on teams where the coach who brought them there is no longer part of the staff.

How this all nets out in the 2018-19 season depends upon who Davis brings in to fill these spots. The current Detroit Tigers are an example of how cleaning out your roster does not necessarily guarantee a bad result.

Tariiq has also posted videos of himself workout out at Calihan in the past few weeks. But you are right about not listing himself as playing for UDM anymore.

[ptctitan]

upbasketballfan - my point was not that the Tigers are a good team. My point is that they have won a lot more games than people thought after they got rid of most of their best players last year and brought in a bunch of unknowns under a new manager. A lot of experts were predicting a W-L record comparable to the 2003 Tigers. Looks like they will be better than expectations.

We are bringing in a new coach and a lot of new players to replace the old ones. Playing in the HL next season could be a lot like playing in the AL Central.

Titans03 - things appeared to have changed for Tariiq about the same time Davis was announced as coach.