Ski-U-Max! Gopher Men's Basketball Adds Guard Duo to the Program - Maximus Gizzi (New Palestine, Ind.) and Max Lorenson (Eden Prairie, Minn.)

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60's Guy said:
So it comes to this...we call every coach of every player in the portal, we strikeout. We travel to Europe and birddog every gym and every agent in every country, but we strikeout. We watch all the D2 all conference players...we determine there are no Duncan Robinson's and give up there. We call all the USA agents we got numbers for...nuthin... Then we get two guys dinged up in the first week of summer practice and we can't go 5 on 5 ...so, in a panic we overnite these two guys in from noontime Lifetime open gym tips. Brilliant!
Come on man!
MAX
Maximus is 11 in white jersey
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Come on. The 14th and 15th spots (if not 12 and 13 too) are basically former walk-ons/pure practice guys. It makes sense for them to be local kids who are OK with that, rather than fringe guys from Europe or California you sold a bill of goods to about competing for playing time and will be mad and want to transfer out by Christmas break.
 

howeda7 said:
Come on. The 14th and 15th spots (if not 12 and 13 too) are basically former walk-ons/pure practice guys. It makes sense for them to be local kids who are OK with that, rather than fringe guys from Europe or California you sold a bill of goods to about competing for playing time and will be mad and want to transfer out by Christmas break.
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That is my thought as well. Might as well get some hard worker/team oriented/defensive guys to help the team gel and run good practices, or a local developmental project like Lorenson who won't be a locker room cancer when he doesn't play a minute all year.
 

Neither of these guys are here with the thought, from themselves or the coaches, that they're ever going to get any relevant minutes.
They're roster fill. Nothing more.
Disaster has struck if either is in a game that matters, when it matters.
 

USAF said:
Neither of these guys are here with the thought, from themselves or the coaches, that they're ever going to get any relevant minutes.
They're roster fill. Nothing more.
Disaster has struck if either is in a game that matters, when it matters.
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Stupid per usual. Lorenson will get lots of minutes before he leaves. If not this year, next and the next etc
 

LesBolstad said:
Stupid per usual. Lorenson will get lots of minutes before he leaves. If not this year, next and the next etc
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Then we're worse than ever.

But never fear, because hes not getting "lots of minutes." Ever.
 
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LesBolstad said:
Stupid per usual. Lorenson will get lots of minutes before he leaves. If not this year, next and the next etc
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He almost certainly will not....a kid who was recruited by nobody and is the 15th man on the roster isn't going to be playing unless there's a ton of growth and a big surprise. I'm not against the pickup mind you, in today's college era you're just not going to get anyone with a chance to play for the 14th/15th man. Seem like decent practice players who can play D and mimic other teams well enough to prep the real players.
 







bga1 said:
We always complain that Gopher coaches miss kids right in our back yard who go on to bloom late. Maybe this is one of those guys and we can stuff him on our roster until he is ready.
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So many factors...situations are different...Ben had just open unused scholarships.
We had two much higher rated committed freshmen we did not try too hard to keep.
There are lots of guys available to be added....these two guys are inexpensive I'm guessing but are unlikely to play....I truly believed we could and would do better.
They are both short...they are both hard working and pesky but their DI natural athleticism is not elite.
Bigger bodies...seemed like more of a need? Everybody cries about older...we got one of each but? Maybe one of them becomes Carouso or TJ McConnell but ....
 

howeda7 said:
Come on. The 14th and 15th spots (if not 12 and 13 too) are basically former walk-ons/pure practice guys. It makes sense for them to be local kids who are OK with that, rather than fringe guys from Europe or California you sold a bill of goods to about competing for playing time and will be mad and want to transfer out by Christmas break.
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I guess you are more confident than I am we are all set with out top 10 guys. Doesn't seem like a reach to me that our late addition from Europe or anywhere else with DI experience and maybe injuries or other misfortune could be added and climb into the starting lineup. (Tyson for example....Turner for example....let's get 3 more wildcards like that was my thinking! We ain't established....we are wide open with opportunity.
Okay, so we looked so good in our summer workouts we added these two guys to lead by example. We don't need more candidates to push for playing time. Good news!
 

60's Guy said:
I guess you are more confident than I am we are all set with out top 10 guys. Doesn't seem like a reach to me that our late addition from Europe or anywhere else with DI experience and maybe injuries or other misfortune could be added and climb into the starting lineup. (Tyson for example....Turner for example....let's get 3 more wildcards like that was my thinking! We ain't established....we are wide open with opportunity.
Okay, so we looked so good in our summer workouts we added these two guys to lead by example. We don't need more candidates to push for playing time. Good news!
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It's important to remember that you start 5; trust 7; play 9. These are guys 14 and 15 on the roster. Had they reeled in a couple bigger fish at some point, two of the others on the roster would have fallen to 14 and 15 on the depth chart and might never see the floor--guys who likely came in with an expectation of more.

I think teams and fans are still trying to get our bearings on how these 15-player rosters are going to work. There are only so many minutes to go around. In this case, the coaching staff clearly decided that it was time to secure the doors and taxi to the runway and get rolling with practices.
 



Bad Gopher said:
It's important to remember that you start 5; trust 7; play 9. These are guys 14 and 15 on the roster. Had they reeled in a couple bigger fish at some point, two of the others on the roster would have fallen to 14 and 15 on the depth chart and might never see the floor--guys who likely came in with an expectation of more.

I think teams and fans are still trying to get our bearings on how these 15-player rosters are going to work. There are only so many minutes to go around. In this case, the coaching staff clearly decided that it was time to secure the doors and taxi to the runway and get rolling with practices.
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We already had enough guards to let a couple already on the roster drop to #14 and 15. I was hoping for at least one more post player for the rotation (or at least able to step in if Turner gets injured).
 

What has happened to Erick
Reader? Did he stop playing basketball? He's 6'8". I would think he'd be a good practice player.
 

goldenboy said:
We already had enough guards to let a couple already on the roster drop to #14 and 15. I was hoping for at least one more post player for the rotation (or at least able to step in if Turner gets injured).
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I think we all were. It's possible Niko and his staff see real potential in these guys and thought this was the right move long term. Medved has enough of a track record of finding and developing talent that it's reasonable to trust him.
 





Ski-U-Ham said:
How will any team keep 15 guys happy? That's the new normal is it not?
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every summer we question how to keep all of our Pre-season All Americans happy with enough playing time, every January and February we complain about lack of depth. A tale as old as the Gopherhole web-site itself.

eventually there will be enough AJ Storr type stories that will tell kids to expect nothing, no matter how many minutes and Final Four appearances the coach promises you, and their handlers will still be upset
 


FinnGopher said:
Here's the app. Nothing.
I hope yours is the accurate one. We need bigger bodies.
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I see him in the Gopher Sports app but my roster page has a white background, the players classes are spelled out (junior, senior, etc.) and it doesn't list hometowns/high schools etc. You may not have the official app?

Also, At the top of the page, my three dots are horizontal and I don't have the 'hamburger' menu icon on the left.
 

Bad Gopher said:
It's important to remember that you start 5; trust 7; play 9. These are guys 14 and 15 on the roster. Had they reeled in a couple bigger fish at some point, two of the others on the roster would have fallen to 14 and 15 on the depth chart and might never see the floor--guys who likely came in with an expectation of more.

I think teams and fans are still trying to get our bearings on how these 15-player rosters are going to work. There are only so many minutes to go around. In this case, the coaching staff clearly decided that it was time to secure the doors and taxi to the runway and get rolling with practices.
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I agree you start 5, trust 7 and play 9 or 10 ideally. However, the idea that guys are going to be unhappy not playing is a losers reason to not recruit 15 guys who can compete for a spot. It's coaching...explain the philosophy going in, give them opportunity, talking to them one on one with stats and film explain to them why they are not in the rotation. Work with them individually on what they need to do to get in the rotation. Root for all 15, team first, communicate...guys get it...very important to define and explain their roles right now...circumstances can change that, their improvement can change that but this is where it shakes out right now. Players get it, IF you explain it to them. "We chart 3's every day...you are making 17% of them, these 3 guys are at 47%, 41% and 39%....that's why they are ahead right you." Turnovers, rebounds, defense find something they do better and offer encouragement.
To only recruit the 10 guys who will play means they gotta stay healthy, means you can't have any slumps, and missed evaluations of what the 10 can do. With 15 you can be good...you got guys pushing to get in the rotation who realistically can.
We have four, maybe 5 who are very doubtful to see the rotation. You don't fool players...they know who can play when you got 10 candidates. The top 10 are too comfortable in our situation or they will be soon imo
 

My sources say Gizzi is getting a name change to Glizzy and a massive NIL deal from a local hot dog company. Great move by him. Hopefully the diet doesn’t suffer from a lifetime supply of foot longs.
 



60's Guy said:
I agree you start 5, trust 7 and play 9 or 10 ideally. However, the idea that guys are going to be unhappy not playing is a losers reason to not recruit 15 guys who can compete for a spot. It's coaching...explain the philosophy going in, give them opportunity, talking to them one on one with stats and film explain to them why they are not in the rotation. Work with them individually on what they need to do to get in the rotation. Root for all 15, team first, communicate...guys get it...very important to define and explain their roles right now...circumstances can change that, their improvement can change that but this is where it shakes out right now. Players get it, IF you explain it to them. "We chart 3's every day...you are making 17% of them, these 3 guys are at 47%, 41% and 39%....that's why they are ahead right you." Turnovers, rebounds, defense find something they do better and offer encouragement.
To only recruit the 10 guys who will play means they gotta stay healthy, means you can't have any slumps, and missed evaluations of what the 10 can do. With 15 you can be good...you got guys pushing to get in the rotation who realistically can.
We have four, maybe 5 who are very doubtful to see the rotation. You don't fool players...they know who can play when you got 10 candidates. The top 10 are too comfortable in our situation or they will be soon imo
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The top ten probably are a little comfortable but I like the idea that a few outside of the top ten are at least developmental guys that could be good at some point.

Asuma, Willis, Reynolds, Tyson, Durkin, JCJ, Omot, Vaihola, Turner and Stephen are likely the top 10 but then you have Shinholster, Grove and Lorenson perhaps in that next group and all are young and were recruited to develop. But maybe Grove and push for that top 10 as well?
 



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