IndyResident16

I hope the visit goes well. He definitely adds a level of scoring this team needs next year. I will however very disappointed and very concerned next year if he is the starting four man playing close to 20 mpg.

Really? I think IU had plenty of average to below average defenders last year. Luckily, TJD's elite rim protecting abilities eased a lot of those issues but simply put, IU was a very poor rebounding team and very poor at guarding the 3 point line. when IU lost last year, they generally lost by a lot and a lot of it had to do with giving up second chance points and inability to guard the perimeter.

Who said he couldn't help the team? He's a poor defender however and if left in a position and in a role too long could be a detriment to next years success.

Minnesota totals became an auto bet on the over the last two months of the season for me, so watched them quite a bit. They were terrible defensively, Battle being a big culprit.

It has nothing to do with height. Omier is vastly more athletic and stronger player than Malik and can play above the rim. And I'm not sure Miami is the example you want to use considering they are a sub-100 KenPom DEff team. Yes having a top 10 Offense helps offset bad defensive play, but adding Jamison Battle likely doesn't move the needle in offensive efficiency for Indiana as he is a very inefficient player. Battle is a very poor defender and rebounder and Malik doesn't have elite rim protecting skills. That's why it is a bad combination.

No one is saying that DRtg is the only or perfect way to measure an individuals defensive abilities. But when your Drtg has been as bad as Battle's has been throughout his collegiate career, it's telling. Like I said, the next person who characterizes Battle as a good or an even average defender will also be the first.

Race and Battle are two different players. Race is a legit PF who pre-injury was a very reliable defender and rebounder. Battle plays much more like Miller Kopp than he does Race Thompson and at IU would be used as a more wing-oriented player. Battle coming to IU would signal that Woodson wants to play a more traditional lineup vs moving to a 4 out 1 in. Malik and Battle being your two primary frontcourt players would be an awful defensive combination.

Then what is the problem? How many good to great defenders have terrible Drtg's?

If you watched Jamison Battle play at all the last two years you would never confuse him for being a good defender. That I'll promise you, numbers or statistics be damned.

Because IU is likely going to need to fill 3-5 scholarships next year and Battle's ability to score the basketball in spurts is an area of need.

He would likely be our "four man" but in the era of positionless basketball I think the position label is rather irrelevant. He has an inside/out game and has the ability to guard out to the perimeter. Not an elite athlete but rangy enough to guard quicker players out on the perimeter.

There's plenty of other telling indicators. His rebound % is terrible, steals non-existent. Yes DRtg isn't end be all but his cumulative Drtg all 4 years as a college player is damning. He's not very athletic nor is he overly physical. He's never stood out as a willing or capable defender in the games I've seen Minnesota play. He's got a scorer's mentality which is a plus but he's not overly efficient and he's a streaky 3 point shooter. Yes IU needs scoring next year but also don't need a guy out there taking 12 shots just to score 12 points.

yes two years

Battle would be a decent consolation prize. I think Ledlum brings a ton more versatility to both the offensive and defensive ends and tremendously raises IU's floor the next two years.

Murray, Tubelis, Jalen Wilson, Mayer, really any 4 that has the size to take you off the bounce would have all given Battle fits. I'm not concerned with Battle's size as I am with his lack of physicality and lack of athleticism. I just don't think it's there.

Agreed but he'd be a 5th year player and if he hasn't figured it out by now I wouldn't count on it. Defense is about effort and energy and I never gathered that from watching Battle in his 2 years at Minnesota.

Battle's DRtg of 111, simply put, is terrible. 3.8 rpg isn't going to cut it either from the other forward spot. He's not overly athletic and wasn't close to Race pre-injury nor is he overly physical.

I don't think Battle is a great fit for this team. He's a pretty inefficient scorer and doesn't play defense/rebound well. He'd probably be an upgrade from Kopp at the 3 in the scoring department but he's not as good of a set shooter. I think he would struggle guarding most 4's in a small ball lineup. Ledlum would be my preferred choice. I think he's capable playing the other forward spot in a small ball lineup but also good enough to play out on the wing if Woodson decides to play a more traditional lineup like he has the last two years. If IU is somehow able to lock up Ledlum, Sparks, and Shedrick by the end of the week it settles the frontcourt issues and IU has a chance to really hone in on an athletic 2 guard.

Nothing shady, just the NCAA being archaic. Mark Adams became legal guardians (through A-Hope) to Hanner Perea and Peter Jurkin came when they came to the states. Because Adams had once donated to Indiana in the late 80's in order to secure an Indiana license plate, he became a booster. The NCAA decided that Adams, because of his booster status in the 80's, gave impermissible benefits to recruits (Perea and Jurkin) when he bought them laptops for schooling. I think both players had to sit out 9 or 10 games their freshman year.

Mark Adams is the dad, Drew is the son. Mark Adams is the director of Indiana Elite and also runs the A-Hope foundation which sponsors international students coming to the states and helps with securement of visa, schooling, and things like that. IU has been recruiting Indiana Elite for years and its an AAU program that has produced more than a dozen Indiana players over the years. Raleigh Burgess and Travis Perry are current 2024 recruits who play with Flory on Indiana Elite.

He’s closer to 6’7 than 6’5. He can play some 4 in small ball lineups but he’s not a traditional power forward.

Sounds good. I see Geronimo listed as just outside the top 100 on the composite which I believe is new as well.

Did Rivals just update their rankings? I didn't see Galloway.

Let's hope Geronimo or Cross commit sometime in the next few weeks (I'm guessing a commitment from one cancels out the other) and then really hone in on Garcia or Loveday. I have a feeling Garcia may be a spring signing and JBF as you eluded needs to wait to re-classify. I would be fine with Cross or Geronimo and then any of Garcia/Loveday/JBF. Would be a well-rounded class in my opinion and puts IU in a good position to really swing for the fences with a loaded 2021 class.

I have a feeling JBF is going to re-classify to the class of 2020. He would be worth a commitment and a potential red-shirt candidate.