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I really hope DK gets an exceptional defensive rebounder with one of the scholarships. When it comes to conference play and the refs allow physical play, our current wing/combo forwards aren't cutting it when it comes to defensive rebounding.

Melvin Swift?

^ Sort of on the right track, but not quite what I had in mind. Swift is built more like Esho, but I'm not convinced he has Esho's motor. As it is Esho gets pushed around some in the paint. I was thinking of someone with a little more bulk and definitely someone who plays with an edge and lots of physicality.

Chris Baldwin (2015) plays locally. Has anyone seen him? He's listed at 235 lbs so he fits the bill. This was posted 2 days ago.
https://twitter.com/XEliteBasketbal/sta ... 9607356418
Also an article from Future150.com:
http://future150.com/hs/basketball-news ... ecap-11712

^ I've been keeping tabs on Baldwin this season because I knew UMass had offered, he fit a need at PF/C and he was local. He was getting a lot of attention a couple of years ago and I keep hearing the word "potential", but I get the impression he hasn't developed quite like many hoped/expected.

I haven't seen him play, but his numbers are unimpressive for someone his size, playing in Western Mass, against much smaller players. That one game you linked to where he had 20+pt/10+rb is a bit of an anomaly for him. He's mostly been scoring 10 or fewer points w/ 10 or fewer rebounds a game. More alarming is that Baldwin has been relegated to coming off the bench for one or more games due to disciplinary reasons, of which I'm not privy to the specifics.

Baldwin could be the answer, physically he's definitely more like what I'd like to see. Not having seen him play I'm not sure if he plays with an edge and uses his physicality.

For a reference, someone like Jalen Jenkins (who's on George Mason), or the c/o 2014 recruit Angel Delgado (going to Seton Hall) are the type of player I'd love to see at UMass. Even having just one guy like that, to be kind of like an enforcer and bring a little nasty to the frontline could do a world of good.

^ He might have that nasty streak, I'm not sure. Even if he does, I'd ideally like a 2nd player that can play alongside him in spurts as needed. UMass seems to get burned a lot by big active forwards who bully Putney/Carter/Esho. Wasn't paying close attention to who boxed out whom, but Ndoye only had 3 rebounds, none of them offensive (assuming that was mostly Cady). It was SBU's 3 forwards that torched them for a combined 11 offensive rebounds.

I wonder what Rashaan Holloway's younger brother is planning. Mike Holloway (c/o 2015) is about 6'6", playing pretty well alongside his brother. No mention of him on any recruiting websites, I wonder if they could get him to walk-on.

Niles is talking about a guy with size and knack/desire for the ball. Putney is not that guy, obviously, and Esho doesn't have that "rebounding gene", either, though he grabs his fair share.

Dana Dingle, Ty Weeks, watch Kris Humphries on the Celtics.....those guys think every rebound is theirs. Turning and boxing when the shot goes up are natural to them.

Desire and size are big parts of rebounding, but there is a knack to it as well. We don't really have anyone with that knack. Rodman is the obvious and extreme example. He was strong, played hard, but what really set him apart was just an strange ability to carve out a spot as the shot went up, and find the ball once it came off.

These players are invaluable in the A10, always have been. It's a hole in DK's supposed recruiting model.

^ Yes, well said Chris. Coleman is a little slight to fill the role, but I think he was a good rebounder in high school. Maybe he'll be an improvement in this area to what we have now.

It's funny, so many players THINK they are doing what is required to rebound effectively.....box their man out and wait for the ball. But that's where they are wrong....You box your man out and GO GET THE BALL! We need a couple go-getters.

Ahhhhh, box out, then go get the ball. Gotcha now, coach.

Sounds so simple. But it is a rare skill.

Chris Baldwin has all the physical tools but in the games I've seen him play he hasn't exhibited the motor to compete in the A10. If coach O'Brien can get him to play to his abilities he is a top 100 player. I'm rooting for Chris to take his game to the next level.

A player to keep an eye on is Anthony Green a Senior from North Quincy MA HS, he has grown from 6'3" to 6'9" over the last two years. He is a shot blocker whose offense is just catching up to his growth spurt. I was told he is looking at prep schools for next year.

^ Hate to say it because he's a local kid, but Baldwin's been benched at least twice this season for behavioral problems. He's only a junior, so he has time to get it together. Unless he does though, I'd steer clear.

^Didn't start again tonight. Have heard he's loosing a lot of the D1 interest he once had.

wmmmfan wrote:A player to keep an eye on is Anthony Green a Senior from North Quincy MA HS, he has grown from 6'3" to 6'9" over the last two years. He is a shot blocker whose offense is just catching up to his growth spurt. I was told he is looking at prep schools for next year.

Have you seen him play? There is some info out there on him, he sounds like a intriguing under the radar prospect. If he does take that PG year then it would put him in the c/o 2015 which would be perfect.