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Matt Cross Commits to Miami


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8 hours ago, Stromboli said:

Let's not talk ourselves out of this one.  He's not hard to define because he doesn't excel at one position.  He's hard to define because he excels at many.  View him as a big guard if that helps.

I sure won't and I'd be happy if he committed. I'd still rank him 4a on my 2020 wish list though.  I'd have Galloway, Leal and Garcia ahead of him.  Obviously, you don't always get everyone you want, so if Cross commits, I'm 100% in his corner and will welcome him to IU.  If his commitment somehow was the sole reason IU didn't get Galloway, Leal or Garcia, I'd struggle with that a bit.  Kind of like getting Damezi but missing Henry as a result.  I'll cheer for Damezi, but there's a small part of my mind that wonders what might have been.

...and I'd label R.J. Davis as 4b...would love to have him as well, but you can't take everyone.  There are plenty of good players IU has offered in 2020 that I haven't even mentioned.  Cross is in there as a desired target, but he has plenty of company that would prevent him being labeled as a must-have.

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4 hours ago, FKIM01 said:

I sure won't and I'd be happy if he committed. I'd still rank him 4a on my 2020 wish list though.  I'd have Galloway, Leal and Garcia ahead of him.  Obviously, you don't always get everyone you want, so if Cross commits, I'm 100% in his corner and will welcome him to IU.  If his commitment somehow was the sole reason IU didn't get Galloway, Leal or Garcia, I'd struggle with that a bit.  Kind of like getting Damezi but missing Henry as a result.  I'll cheer for Damezi, but there's a small part of my mind that wonders what might have been.

...and I'd label R.J. Davis as 4b...would love to have him as well, but you can't take everyone.  There are plenty of good players IU has offered in 2020 that I haven't even mentioned.  Cross is in there as a desired target, but he has plenty of company that would prevent him being labeled as a must-have.

 

I agree that he can't be labeled as a must-have.

 

My only must-haves right now would be some pipeline for a couple 6'10"+ guys.  I've said before, I think it's roster mismanagement if you don't have two legit PF/C every year.  De'Ron is a senior, Joey a Junior.  I'd rather pair Trayce with a big so he doesn't get saddled with lane-duty.  

 

If I had my druthers, Dawson Garcia will be the next commit.  I think there's a 3% chance of that one.  

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16 hours ago, Stromboli said:

 

Have you guys watched him at all?

He's really not a 4, although he would likely play some 4.  He's much more comfortable as a ball-handler than any 4 would be.  He's pretty rangy out there, and honestly doesn't fit well into a traditional role.  A coach would be an idiot to park him under the basket or anywhere, really.  

Watch this, and tell me he doesn't play like a big guard:

I know the fear here is that he'd be out there guarding an opposing team's 4, at 6'9" or something.  Maybe, but that means we'd have our own help there from our 5.  Matt is really more of an offensive threat, meaning the other coach is going to have to put a good, rangy, fast defender on him, which likely means some 6'5" wing.  Matt's not a guy you use as a placeholder because you don't have someone better.  He's a guy that you fit onto the floor because he makes you better.  He's a body out there, too.  He plays physical and is happy to mix it up in the lane.  And if he gets a rebound he's likely to be flying down the court with it looking to make a play.  

As far as I can tell, Archie really wants to attack the basket.  Matt is that kind of player.

Matt averaged 23 pts and 9.5 rebounds at EYBL this year.  THAT IS ELITE.  He hustles.  Says he's into "old school" basketball.  

 

Let's not talk ourselves out of this one.  He's not hard to define because he doesn't excel at one position.  He's hard to define because he excels at many.  View him as a big guard if that helps.  

Highlight videos are great because the player makes every shot. He missed a lot of shots as well, and got those 23 points through volume, playing on a bad BABC team that won just one of their thirteen games. He shot less than 40% from the floor and less than 30% from deep. He had almost three turnovers for every two assists. That's not a guard.

He has a good looking shot and decent handles for his size, but I don't think he has the speed or is versatile enough to play the wing, especially on defense where he would often float and was late to recover. I agree he's not afraid to be physical in the lane, but he had trouble finishing in traffic. I'd easily call him a stretch four, but there again he's undersized for the position in the Big Ten, and needs to be more efficient from deep to actually be a threat out there - as we saw with Juwan this past season. His skills don't quite match his build, but in a way that makes him a tweener rather than a unicorn. He could be a useful piece in the right lineup, but I'm not sold on him at the high Division I level, where teams have the size and speed to match what Cross does well.

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14 hours ago, IUwins0708 said:

This kid reminds me a lot of Damon Bailey.  Very savvy getting to the rim and finishing despite not having elite athleticism.  He can fill it up from anywhere that’s for sure. I see him as a 2/3 that could play a little 4 but he’d struggle defensively against the 4.  Still plenty of time for him to grow.  I hope we get this kid!

I had the same thoughts watching that video. Even looks like him to a degree (irrelevant I know). 

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2 hours ago, CoachSS said:

I'm of the belief that he is a later August/ early September decision. I feel the same way about Anthony Leal. 

My hope is Indiana lands both. Puts the staff in a wonderful spot to take some huge, huge swings down the stretch. 

Anyone in particular that you think we take a swing at 

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19 minutes ago, FW_Hoosier said:

I know this kid apparently has “grit,” but do we really need a tweener wing?  Seems like guards and bigs are much bigger needs.  

Will have plenty of guards with Phinisee, Franklin, Durham, Leal, and Galloway and anything we may add for 2021 and beyond. Cross plays the role that Justin Smith cannot, an inside/out forward who can stretch the floor. Doesn't have near the athleticism as Smith but what he lacks in that department he makes up for in heart and basketball IQ. He's a very interesting piece.

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8 minutes ago, IndyResident16 said:

Will have plenty of guards with Phinisee, Franklin, Durham, Leal, and Galloway and anything we may add for 2021 and beyond. Cross plays the role that Justin Smith cannot, an inside/out forward who can stretch the floor. Doesn't have near the athleticism as Smith but what he lacks in that department he makes up for in heart and basketball IQ. He's a very interesting piece.

To me he is a stretch 4 who can play inside and out and to me he reminds of Brian Cardinal.

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2 hours ago, 5fouls said:

Fletch is one of my favorites of all time.

I know you like to compare eras, Scott.  I will, with passion, take the position that movies in the 1980's are infinitely better than movies today.  

Couldn't really say since I have not watched many movies the last 10 or so years/  The ones I did watch a few years ago was when my kids were younger and they were animated movies.  By just looking it appears that they make a lot of movies that our reboots of older movies.

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14 hours ago, 5fouls said:

Fletch is one of my favorites of all time.

I know you like to compare eras, Scott.  I will, with passion, take the position that movies in the 1980's are infinitely better than movies today.  

Unless you are a Marvel fan. 

Seems like all there is today are sequels and Superhero flickd

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