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Topic:  Official beginning of practice.

Topic:  Official beginning of practice.
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berniebobcat
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  Message Not Read  Official beginning of practice.
   Posted: 9/19/2025 10:44:59 AM 
According to NCAA guidelines, practice for the upcoming season has begun. It’s way too early to have a well informed opinion about the upcoming season but off the top it looks like we will have a number of talented players, decent depth and the potential to have a good team. However in my opinion the difference between good and great hinges on our bigs underneath. Either Evans makes a large improvement or Kuany turns out to be the real deal. Based on limited video, I would bet on the latter before the former however I remember feeling the same way about Wiz and we all know how that turned out.

In Boal’s interview he didn’t mention Kuany at all which is not a good sign but my imagination goes wild at the thought that he could be the next Enrique Freeman.
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FearLeon
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  Message Not Read  RE: Official beginning of practice.
   Posted: 9/19/2025 4:07:41 PM 
berniebobcat wrote:


In Boal’s interview he didn’t mention Kuany at all which is not a good sign but my imagination goes wild at the thought that he could be the next Enrique Freeman.


I actually like that Boals didn't mention Kuany. Boals mentioned Ben Nicol more than a few times this time a year ago and we saw how that turned out. I totally agree that either Kuany or Evans needs to be a solid contributor. It's crucial that one of them gives us solid minutes.

#BleedGreen #TrentIsGOAT

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FJC31
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  Message Not Read  RE: Official beginning of practice.
   Posted: 9/20/2025 8:23:45 AM 
In the preview thread, Boals is quoted being “really excited” about Kuany in the Blue Ribbon preview. That can be coach talk and is a blanket phrase, but I think we need to let it play out before deeming the success of this season hinges on Evans/Kuany.

It’s why we brought in Breath and Simmons. There’s far less pressure on Evans/Kuany when defining rotational roles.

IMO, this seasons success is more dependent on bounce back from Sheldon and additional shooters emerging.

Last Edited: 9/20/2025 8:24:21 AM by FJC31
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Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame
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  Message Not Read  RE: Official beginning of practice.
   Posted: 9/20/2025 2:25:35 PM 
I'm with FJC31 here and not really seeing how/why the season hinges on Kuany or Evans stepping up. If one of the two steps up, that would be a nice-to-have. But it doesn't strike me as a need, and there aren't even enough minutes to go around for both of them to get time. That we brought in two bigs is a pretty clear signal Boals doesn't expect at least one of Evans/Kuany to be in the rotation this year.


Boals has had a three man frontcourt rotation for basically his entire tenure. The last time four front court players saw 10+ minutes was 2021-22 where Clayton & Towns both averaged 10mpg behing BVP & Carter.

Seems pretty clear to me that Hadaway is going to spend time at both the 3 and the 4 and the frontcourt will be Breath/Simmons/Hadaway. We're unlikely to need many minutes from anybody else most nights.
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berniebobcat
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  Message Not Read  RE: Official beginning of practice.
   Posted: 9/20/2025 6:17:17 PM 
Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame wrote:
I'm with FJC31 here and not really seeing how/why the season hinges on Kuany or Evans stepping up. If one of the two steps up, that would be a nice-to-have. But it doesn't strike me as a need, and there aren't even enough minutes to go around for both of them to get time. That we brought in two bigs is a pretty clear signal Boals doesn't expect at least one of Evans/Kuany to be in the rotation this year.


Boals has had a three man frontcourt rotation for basically his entire tenure. The last time four front court players saw 10+ minutes was 2021-22 where Clayton & Towns both averaged 10mpg behing BVP & Carter.

Seems pretty clear to me that Hadaway is going to spend time at both the 3 and the 4 and the frontcourt will be Breath/Simmons/Hadaway. We're unlikely to need many minutes from anybody else most nights.


The missing element is injury. If any of our seasoned bigs goes down, we’re back behind the eight ball. That and the fact that none of the players you mentioned is really a center. A competent true big makes us a tough out.
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Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame
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  Message Not Read  RE: Official beginning of practice.
   Posted: 9/21/2025 9:09:11 AM 
berniebobcat wrote:
Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame wrote:
I'm with FJC31 here and not really seeing how/why the season hinges on Kuany or Evans stepping up. If one of the two steps up, that would be a nice-to-have. But it doesn't strike me as a need, and there aren't even enough minutes to go around for both of them to get time. That we brought in two bigs is a pretty clear signal Boals doesn't expect at least one of Evans/Kuany to be in the rotation this year.


Boals has had a three man frontcourt rotation for basically his entire tenure. The last time four front court players saw 10+ minutes was 2021-22 where Clayton & Towns both averaged 10mpg behing BVP & Carter.

Seems pretty clear to me that Hadaway is going to spend time at both the 3 and the 4 and the frontcourt will be Breath/Simmons/Hadaway. We're unlikely to need many minutes from anybody else most nights.


The missing element is injury. If any of our seasoned bigs goes down, we’re back behind the eight ball. That and the fact that none of the players you mentioned is really a center. A competent true big makes us a tough out.


Breath is much more of a center than anybody else on our roster. And he's played a lot at the 5 in his career.
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SBH
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  Message Not Read  RE: Official beginning of practice.
   Posted: 9/21/2025 3:11:13 PM 
berniebobcat wrote:
Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame wrote:
I'm with FJC31 here and not really seeing how/why the season hinges on Kuany or Evans stepping up. If one of the two steps up, that would be a nice-to-have. But it doesn't strike me as a need, and there aren't even enough minutes to go around for both of them to get time. That we brought in two bigs is a pretty clear signal Boals doesn't expect at least one of Evans/Kuany to be in the rotation this year.


Boals has had a three man frontcourt rotation for basically his entire tenure. The last time four front court players saw 10+ minutes was 2021-22 where Clayton & Towns both averaged 10mpg behing BVP & Carter.

Seems pretty clear to me that Hadaway is going to spend time at both the 3 and the 4 and the frontcourt will be Breath/Simmons/Hadaway. We're unlikely to need many minutes from anybody else most nights.


The missing element is injury. If any of our seasoned bigs goes down, we’re back behind the eight ball. That and the fact that none of the players you mentioned is really a center. A competent true big makes us a tough out.


That's true of every MAC team.
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OhioCatFan
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  Message Not Read  RE: Official beginning of practice.
   Posted: 9/21/2025 4:48:15 PM 
SBH wrote:
berniebobcat wrote:
Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame wrote:
I'm with FJC31 here and not really seeing how/why the season hinges on Kuany or Evans stepping up. If one of the two steps up, that would be a nice-to-have. But it doesn't strike me as a need, and there aren't even enough minutes to go around for both of them to get time. That we brought in two bigs is a pretty clear signal Boals doesn't expect at least one of Evans/Kuany to be in the rotation this year.


Boals has had a three man frontcourt rotation for basically his entire tenure. The last time four front court players saw 10+ minutes was 2021-22 where Clayton & Towns both averaged 10mpg behing BVP & Carter.

Seems pretty clear to me that Hadaway is going to spend time at both the 3 and the 4 and the frontcourt will be Breath/Simmons/Hadaway. We're unlikely to need many minutes from anybody else most nights.


The missing element is injury. If any of our seasoned bigs goes down, we’re back behind the eight ball. That and the fact that none of the players you mentioned is really a center. A competent true big makes us a tough out.


That's true of every MAC team.


Not just MAC teams.

The only BLSS Certified Hypocrite on BA

"It is better to be an optimist and be proven a fool than to be a pessimist and be proven right."

Note: My avatar is the national colors of the 78th Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry, which are now preserved in a climate controlled vault at the Ohio History Connection. Learn more about the old 78th at: http://www.78ohio.org

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GoCats105
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  Message Not Read  RE: Official beginning of practice.
   Posted: 9/22/2025 10:52:23 AM 
I think we as fans were spoiled for many years with Ohio's outside shooting prowess having Freeman, Kellogg and Dartis in successive years, and then it feels like it's sort of tapered off since Roderick's Junior year slump. But as bad as it seemed last year, Ohio was still 3rd in the MAC in 3pt % and 75th nationally. Not great, but not terrible either. My biggest issue was Sheldon (or anyone else) hitting the ones they "should" make. Wide open, uncontested, in rhythm when the offense is flowing with penetrations and kicks - those should be money most times and last year it just felt like they weren't.

That being said, those shooting lanes should open up a lot more if Ohio has ANY kind of inside presence where we're not running a 6'2" guard into the 4 spot. Hard to get at a lot of good outside looks when the other team knows you don't have any muscle in the paint.

That's why barring injury, any mix of bigs no matter who they are, is the key to the season for me. Ohio was absolutely dreadful last year in rebounding margin: 10th in the MAC and 295th nationally. Their FG% defense wasn't much better at 8th in the MAC and 282nd nationally. Basically Ohio either gave up a ton of easy buckets or if the opposing team got it inside, they had no way of stopping it.
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Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame
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  Message Not Read  RE: Official beginning of practice.
   Posted: 9/22/2025 12:41:19 PM 
GoCats105 wrote:
I think we as fans were spoiled for many years with Ohio's outside shooting prowess having Freeman, Kellogg and Dartis in successive years, and then it feels like it's sort of tapered off since Roderick's Junior year slump. But as bad as it seemed last year, Ohio was still 3rd in the MAC in 3pt % and 75th nationally. Not great, but not terrible either. My biggest issue was Sheldon (or anyone else) hitting the ones they "should" make. Wide open, uncontested, in rhythm when the offense is flowing with penetrations and kicks - those should be money most times and last year it just felt like they weren't.

That being said, those shooting lanes should open up a lot more if Ohio has ANY kind of inside presence where we're not running a 6'2" guard into the 4 spot. Hard to get at a lot of good outside looks when the other team knows you don't have any muscle in the paint.

That's why barring injury, any mix of bigs no matter who they are, is the key to the season for me. Ohio was absolutely dreadful last year in rebounding margin: 10th in the MAC and 295th nationally. Their FG% defense wasn't much better at 8th in the MAC and 282nd nationally. Basically Ohio either gave up a ton of easy buckets or if the opposing team got it inside, they had no way of stopping it.


We were actually worse defending the 3 than inside the arc. But very, very bad at both. Opponents shot 37.6% from 3 against us. 349th in the country. We basically made every single opponent a top 20 3p shooting team.

Some of that, I'm sure, had to do with lack of size inside and perimeter defenders having to over-help on penetration and inlet passes. Hopefully more size inside helps.
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Casper71
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  Message Not Read  RE: Official beginning of practice.
   Posted: 9/22/2025 2:20:59 PM 
Newsflash… Guard the three and give up the two. That is the way to play defense in college basketball nowadays. Most everybody has guys that can shoot the three if they are left wide open.
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Buckeye to Bobcat
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  Message Not Read  RE: Official beginning of practice.
   Posted: 9/22/2025 6:44:04 PM 
Casper71 wrote:
Newsflash… Guard the three and give up the two. That is the way to play defense in college basketball nowadays. Most everybody has guys that can shoot the three if they are left wide open.


Unfortunately in this league you need to carry a couple bruisers to survive in Cleveland. No bruisers, no getting out. That's just the reality of MACtion on the Hardwood. Athletes on the wings don't hurt, but carrying a guy who can eat space, get boards, and put you in foul trouble tend to be the dominant ballclubs of the league.....
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OUcat
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  Message Not Read  RE: Official beginning of practice.
   Posted: 9/22/2025 11:12:29 PM 
I think it's a combination of both. Prolific shooting teams (Miami, Ohio, Toledo) and solid/strong defensive teams (Akron, Kent) are the teams that consistently reach the MAC Tournament semis and finals.

A pretty poor offensive (and barely .500 entering the MAC Tournament) Kent team with a really strong defense should have won the MAC Tournament 2 years ago. Prolific shooting Miami should have won it last year.

The fact Akron won both may have been luck in some sense, but in reality the Zips were good enough to reach both finals with a team strong enough to defend and top of the league offensively.

You got to get there to win it, and Akron did both times (and 3 of the last 4).

Last Edited: 9/22/2025 11:14:05 PM by OUcat
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shabamon
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  Message Not Read  RE: Official beginning of practice.
   Posted: 9/23/2025 9:43:29 AM 
OUcat wrote:
I think it's a combination of both. Prolific shooting teams (Miami, Ohio, Toledo) and solid/strong defensive teams (Akron, Kent) are the teams that consistently reach the MAC Tournament semis and finals.

A pretty poor offensive (and barely .500 entering the MAC Tournament) Kent team with a really strong defense should have won the MAC Tournament 2 years ago. Prolific shooting Miami should have won it last year.

The fact Akron won both may have been luck in some sense, but in reality the Zips were good enough to reach both finals with a team strong enough to defend and top of the league offensively.

You got to get there to win it, and Akron did both times (and 3 of the last 4).


You need some bruisers to win the MAC. You need a great guard or two to come out of the MAC and win in the Dance.
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berniebobcat
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  Message Not Read  RE: Official beginning of practice.
   Posted: 10/15/2025 12:13:05 PM 
OK it has been one month since practices officially started. Is there any information out there about how things are going? Pleasant surprises? Areas of concern? Injuries?
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Andrew Ruck
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  Message Not Read  RE: Official beginning of practice.
   Posted: 10/15/2025 2:19:31 PM 
Homecoming Saturday has an open practice 11-1, then autographs out near Peden 130-230.

Andrew Ruck
B.B.A. 2003

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FearLeon
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  Message Not Read  RE: Official beginning of practice.
   Posted: 10/16/2025 9:53:24 AM 
Andrew Ruck wrote:
Homecoming Saturday has an open practice 11-1, then autographs out near Peden 130-230.


Anyone on here going to the open practice on Saturday? It would be nice to verify that a few weeks before the season starts that nobody is wearing a walking boot and riding a scooter on the convocation floor.

#BleedGreen #TrentIsGOAT

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Mammalogy
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  Message Not Read  RE: Official beginning of practice.
   Posted: 10/17/2025 12:51:03 AM 
FearLeon wrote:
Andrew Ruck wrote:
Homecoming Saturday has an open practice 11-1, then autographs out near Peden 130-230.


Anyone on here going to the open practice on Saturday? It would be nice to verify that a few weeks before the season starts that nobody is wearing a walking boot and riding a scooter on the convocation floor.



lol
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100%Cat
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  Message Not Read  RE: Official beginning of practice.
   Posted: 10/17/2025 8:06:36 AM 
FearLeon wrote:
Andrew Ruck wrote:
Homecoming Saturday has an open practice 11-1, then autographs out near Peden 130-230.


Anyone on here going to the open practice on Saturday? It would be nice to verify that a few weeks before the season starts that nobody is wearing a walking boot and riding a scooter on the convocation floor.



I don't even know why you would think like that.

(I'm a terrible liar)
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MonroeClassmate
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  Message Not Read  RE: Official beginning of practice.
   Posted: 10/17/2025 8:34:53 PM 
Andrew Ruck wrote:
Homecoming Saturday has an open practice 11-1, then autographs out near Peden 130-230.


Is entrance at floor level on the southside of the Convo or through the doors on the concourse level at the wall of fame?

I plan on attending after the parade and before going to TailGreat.

Last Edited: 10/17/2025 8:35:40 PM by MonroeClassmate
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Bobcat Tattoo
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  Message Not Read  RE: Official beginning of practice.
   Posted: 10/19/2025 12:26:32 AM 
Andrew Ruck wrote:
Homecoming Saturday has an open practice 11-1, then autographs out near Peden 130-230.


Anyone able to pop in on this today?
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MonroeClassmate
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  Message Not Read  RE: Official beginning of practice.
   Posted: 10/19/2025 2:24:27 AM 
Nice being in the Convo to kill time in comfortable seating and air conditioning during the long break between the end of the parade and 3:30 kick off in 80 degree and sunshiny Athens.

Five guys wore red tops and challenged rotating combinations of defenders during defensive drill time with defenders being forced to defend for extended periods of attacks. Three coaches were giving personal as well as pair instructions Regularly.

Then the red shirts came off and green vs white went at it in a scrimmage. I am sorry I don't know but a few names of this edition of players and it being late after a long drive home am too tired to look up the names. I do not know what to read into the make up of the greens and whites. Plus, I only stayed for one scrimmage before heading off to TailGreat.

Pav, Shelton, Elliott, Hadaway and Toledo were on green as were subs the Aussie and a skinny kid who can let it rip from NBA land.

What I saw was team white scored first. Hadaway didn't touch the ball much in half court. Toledo knocked down a three for the first team Green score looking very comfortable from downtown. Pavs missed a floater in the lane and later made a sweet kiss off the right glass. Shelton looked like his MoJo returned as he drained a somewhat contested bomb for a trey on the move from the top of the key. The skinny kid with a quick release nailed a three and Assie jumped out of the gym to snatch an offensive rebound only to have some difficulty in getting it to another when the defense pressured him. Toledo looked like a handful for the defense when they got it into him.

Probably a bit too much dribbling and missed defensive stops but they look basketball ready, not like a group in first days of practice.

Only injury was on team white a player wearing a plastic face plate--a guard who I don't recall him playing last year.

Lots of effort and even diving for loose balls and fast break was encouraged by the staff yelling to push it after a rebound.. Team white did its share of pushing it up the floor too with success.

All the scrimmagers looked ready to contribute with none looking noticeably outclassed by the others. Now lets see how it soon correlates when playing the scrimmages/exhibitions vs non-Bobcat talent.

Last Edited: 10/19/2025 10:19:11 AM by MonroeClassmate
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bobcatsquared
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  Message Not Read  RE: Official beginning of practice.
   Posted: 10/19/2025 11:38:21 AM 
Frosh Jordan Fisher is wearing face-guard.

Only saw about 10-15 minutes of practice (none of the scrimmage). Number-one unit looked like Pav, Sheldon, Elliot, Hadaway and Simmons (Toledo).
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Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame
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  Message Not Read  RE: Official beginning of practice.
   Posted: 10/19/2025 3:15:10 PM 
bobcatsquared wrote:
Frosh Jordan Fisher is wearing face-guard.

Only saw about 10-15 minutes of practice (none of the scrimmage). Number-one unit looked like Pav, Sheldon, Elliot, Hadaway and Simmons (Toledo).


Interesting. Had a feeling that Hadaway would struggle to move to the 3, but glad to see Simmons willing to play the 5.

Not wild about the backcourt and wings being that small though.
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Bobcat Love's Sense of Shame
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  Message Not Read  RE: Official beginning of practice.
   Posted: 10/19/2025 4:49:53 PM 
MonroeClassmate wrote:
The skinny kid with a quick release nailed a three


This guy, maybe? https://ohiobobcats.com/sports/mbball/roster/jordan-fishe...

Or Burris?
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