Bostick

[coolhandgopher]

The box scores indicate that Devron Bostick is finally getting some minutes and producing, getting into double figures the last two games. I´m not advancing the idea that Tubby has kept him as a ´secret weapon´ all season to unleash at tournament time, but I am wondering if those who have seen the games think that Bostick´s recent play gives the Gophers a more versatile offense, has it flown more smoothly. I can´t imagine many tourney teams have such a potential offensive threat emerging at this point in the year-one would think that if the Gophers get into the tourney, their first weekend opponents might not have much scouting material on Bostick. Fanciful thoughts probably of Devron Bostick bursting onto the nation´s (and Peru´s ) conscious next weekend.

 

[bga1]

If he gets his confidence and starts hitting a few threes look out. I like that he doesn't tend to put the ball on the floor unless he drives. If not he passes quickly.

 

[mchiller]

I doubt he is gonna start rainin' 3s. He is shooting bout 28% from behind the arc. He is a threat to drive to the hoop though, which we desperately need. Hopefully he can fill that void.

 

[lawrence21]

more Bostick less Westbrook

people might jump on this comment but I personally would like to see a lot more of Joseph and Bostick and a lot less of Nolan and Westbrook. I think Westbrook is way to streaky and has been a huge disappointment up to this point in his Gopher career. He averaged 40 points a game as a junior in high school and led the entire nation in scoring yet has been a non factor up until this year and now his play is streaky at best, You get one half of play out of him. I know he is a bright spot on an offensively challenged team but he has not lived up to his billing. He should be scoring in the upper 20's to 30 points a game.

 

[EG#9]

Bostick is a streaky scorer. He's not a great shooter, ball handler, or athlete. Devron also is probably our most limited wing defender. He had a few good looks from 3 today that didn't go in, and also missed an alley oop dunk in the 2nd half. When we are struggling to score, Bostick is a good option to have on the floor, but there is a trade off on the defensive end. It's also tough because neither him or Westbrook has a very good handle which makes it difficult to have both on the floor.

 

[Stoodabaker]

He may be a limited defender and outside shooter but I loved the way he crashed the boards in both games. On a team that lacks a proven rebounder we need all the help we can get. Insert (Mbakwae)

 

[cncmin]

He may be a limited defender and outside shooter but I loved the way he crashed the boards in both games. On a team that lacks a proven rebounder we need all the help we can get. Insert (Mbakwae)

We may lack a "proven rebounder" - I assume you're talking about a guy like KG or Shaq? - but rebounding isn't where we're getting beat. Didn't we end up 2nd in the Big Ten in rebounding? While Mbakwe will help this even more, we need scoring more than rebounding.

 

[What Up Guy]

We may lack a "proven rebounder" - I assume you're talking about a guy like KG or Shaq? - but rebounding isn't where we're getting beat. Didn't we end up 2nd in the Big Ten in rebounding? While Mbakwe will help this even more, we need scoring more than rebounding.

Rebounding is not our biggest problem, but Michigan St really shows you how getting boards is done...they are excellent on the glass. No one is expecting KG or Shaq clearly, but Paul Carter is a pretty good rebounding, I think he had 7 in limited minutes yesterday. Iverson could improve his boards for his size.

 

[cncmin]

Rebounding is not our biggest problem, but Michigan St really shows you how getting boards is done...they are excellent on the glass. No one is expecting KG or Shaq clearly, but Paul Carter is a pretty good rebounding, I think he had 7 in limited minutes yesterday. Iverson could improve his boards for his size.

Iverson is slightly awkward yet, possibly still growing too. Think Hagen, Trevor Winter, John Thomas, Pryz, etc.; those freshman bigs tend to be quite awkward. But within a few years, some of them turn out to be very solid contributors. In Iverson's case, I'd suggest that he is way ahead of Hagen, Winter, and Thomas in terms of ability, and not that far from Pryz. That's a good sign for the future.

 

[cncmin]

The box scores indicate that Devron Bostick is finally getting some minutes and producing, getting into double figures the last two games. I´m not advancing the idea that Tubby has kept him as a ´secret weapon´ all season to unleash at tournament time, but I am wondering if those who have seen the games think that Bostick´s recent play gives the Gophers a more versatile offense, has it flown more smoothly. I can´t imagine many tourney teams have such a potential offensive threat emerging at this point in the year-one would think that if the Gophers get into the tourney, their first weekend opponents might not have much scouting material on Bostick. Fanciful thoughts probably of Devron Bostick bursting onto the nation´s (and Peru´s ) conscious next weekend.

Bostick still turns it over too often, shoots too many airballs, and plays too little defense to get major minutes on a regular basis. Hopefully by next year he'll have taken that next step. If so, he could be a starter, like we all thought he'd be this year.

 

[GoFerit]

It is very hard to give serious minutes to a somewhat inconsistent shooter with a defensive shortcoming during the regular season when you try to build a team with the roster we have. However, in the tournaments or in a must-win one game situation, a coach can and should take a bit more risk in favoring offense over defense (without having to worry about how it may affect the rotation and what-not over the course of the regular season and farther into the future). I think that is what happened with Bostick for the last couple of games. If we do make the Dance, I think Bostick will still get more minutes than he has during the regular season as Tubby need more offensive production. Against a superior team, Tubby may give even more minutes to Bostick in the Dance. Probably, legit starter's pt. It is a gamble he cannot affort not to take in the tournament, I presume. Hope I am not offending Bostick, his brother, or the supporters here. Just one man's opinion.

 

[burton34]

people might jump on this comment but I personally would like to see a lot more of Joseph and Bostick and a lot less of Nolan and Westbrook. I think Westbrook is way to streaky and has been a huge disappointment up to this point in his Gopher career. He averaged 40 points a game as a junior in high school and led the entire nation in scoring yet has been a non factor up until this year and now his play is streaky at best, You get one half of play out of him. I know he is a bright spot on an offensively challenged team but he has not lived up to his billing. He should be scoring in the upper 20's to 30 points a game.

I agree that I'd like to see more of Joseph and Bostick and less of Nolan and Westbrook; however, I wouldn't go as far as saying Westbrook has been a huge disappointment. Yes, Westbrook averaged 40+ ppg as a prep but he played against outstate level competition. Do you think Cody Shilling would have broken the all-time state scoring record had he played for Minnetonka or Hopkins; very doubtful. Westbrook was a 3 star recruit out of high school. He was never expected to score 20 to 30 ppg and be the go to option at a BCS level school.

 

[coolhandgopher]

You´re right lawrence, I´m going to jump all over that comment. Westbrook has limitations in his game, no doubt, and there are times on the court he can be maddingly inconsistent and careless with the ball. That being said, this team is not in the tournament nor the bubble without his contributions this year; in both games versus Wisconsin, in the second half versus Northwestern (BTT), in the second half against Cornell, Westbrook lead the Gophers to victory.

Perhaps next season, Joseph and Bostick will be better options than Westbrook, and I like their potential, particularly Joseph´s, but neither seem ready to take those minutes and rise to the occasion yet this season. When you also consider Westbrook´s icy veins on the free throw line, he brings a lot to this Gopher team that no one else has been able to demonstrate on a consistent basis yet.

As for the statement that Westbrook should be averaging mid 20´s to 30 ppg, really, you believe that? Tell me how many college players averaged that many points per game this season? Only four players in D-1 averaged more than 25 ppg and none were from a major conference. As for those who averaged over 20 ppg, only 9 players from major conference D-1 programs made that cut. If you´re using high school scoring averages to consider players successes/failures, I´d say you´ve got a cruise ship full of disappointments all across the nation.

 

[calminnfan]

Right now, my impression of him is he is a mixed bag. While I was keeping track of yesterdays game, his name kept coming up with turnovers to go along with the points. I think he needs to handle the ball better myself, but the entire team could do the same.

 

[MN Gopher Fan]

Devron won our dunk contest...and he can't make an easy alley-hoop dunk in a game...i don't get it. But I think what he has over others is a scorer's instict that will get him a few easy baskets a game, but he definitely hasn't proven to be a good shooter, passer, or defender.