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Let's talk about the return of Damari Monsanto

I mean, he played some pretty good minutes against UNC. But sure...he's a little stiff out there and hasn't really shown any post moves yet, but he doesn't shoot the ball like someone who is 7 ft. tall and he is a large immovable object in the paint on defense. We haven't had someone to mold like him in a very long time.

I thought he was a game changer at UNC. He kept UNC out of the paint and off the offensive glass, which neither Walton or Sy could do. It's not like Walton or Sy were contributing anything on the offensive end anyway.
 
I thought he was a game changer at UNC. He kept UNC out of the paint and off the offensive glass, which neither Walton or Sy could do. It's not like Walton or Sy were contributing anything on the offensive end anyway.

Yes.

And it's something that he'll need to do against BC tonight, as well. BC beat VT largely because of their success on the offensive glass. And I'm sure that's how they'll try to keep tonight within striking distance.
 
Marsh is a very large young man. He was not moved by Bacot's activity. Walton was not so resistant to being moved.
 
I'm very curious to track Marsh's playing time over the rest of the schedule.

We have seen that Forbes generally plays an 8-man rotation unless the game is out of hand; further, I am not convinced Marsh enters vs. UNC unless Walton and Sy both have 2 fouls (in other words, it wasn't performance, it was necessity)

So, if Walton and/or Sy are foul-free but ineffective, will Marsh see the floor?
 
Marsh made the most of his opportunity. 7 points, 4 rebounds in his few minutes.
 
I'm very curious to track Marsh's playing time over the rest of the schedule.

We have seen that Forbes generally plays an 8-man rotation unless the game is out of hand; further, I am not convinced Marsh enters vs. UNC unless Walton and Sy both have 2 fouls (in other words, it wasn't performance, it was necessity)

So, if Walton and/or Sy are foul-free but ineffective, will Marsh see the floor?

Think it also depends on the matchup. UNC is a big team. Lots of college teams play without a center, but have 5 guys that can either shoot the 3 or take it to the basket. Against those types of teams, Marsh may not be the best matchup. I can see March playing tonight against BC seven footer Quentin Post - not much of an outside threat, and not a major scoring threat, but when BC is going small, not sure Marsh fits.
 
I also wonder how big Forbes preferred rotation is.

We were sort of a core 6 + 2 (Whitt/Hildreth) for a long time. 5 of the core 6 provide some offense (Sy to a lesser extent). One of those 6 (Williamson) sees the occasional matchup where he has to be benched due to defensive mismatches (Duke) but is usually solid.

Now it’s a core 7 with Monsanto that will all play over 15 minutes each most games. Then there’s the pluses that play every game but anywhere from 3 to 15 minutes depending on matchup. Will that be 7+1 (Whitt) or 7+2 (marsh or hildreth) going forward.
 
Yes. Someone mentioned in another thread that no one is having delusions of grandeur yet given Wake’s history, but that changes the game Monsanto goes for 20+, no question.
 
I also wonder how big Forbes preferred rotation is.

We were sort of a core 6 + 2 (Whitt/Hildreth) for a long time. 5 of the core 6 provide some offense (Sy to a lesser extent). One of those 6 (Williamson) sees the occasional matchup where he has to be benched due to defensive mismatches (Duke) but is usually solid.

Now it’s a core 7 with Monsanto that will all play over 15 minutes each most games. Then there’s the pluses that play every game but anywhere from 3 to 15 minutes depending on matchup. Will that be 7+1 (Whitt) or 7+2 (marsh or hildreth) going forward.

I think what we found out is that there is now a plus 3 of situational guys. Whitt, Hildreth and now Marsh can play at ACC level and each has specific skills useful in certain situations.
 
Monsanto is better than I ever imagined, especially not having been in a real game for a long time. His whole floor game is very good. Didn’t see that coming. Remember when he first got in at GT. No hesitation to shoot, and even though he’s missed a lot, as be expected early, it is clear his teammates and coaches want him to shoot. A lot. They have crazy confidence in him. And he gets rebounds. He’s always around the ball. And then he single-handedly broke open the game Saturday. With all of our shooters, penetrators, size, and unselfishness, this team had a chance to do something special. And, yes, Marsh is a big boy and really improving. Beth Roth spot he was in, and he played fantastic against a premier center in Bacot.
 
anyone think he looked a little out of sorts last night, I even thought he seemed like his leg was bothering him.
 
anyone think he looked a little out of sorts last night, I even thought he seemed like his leg was bothering him.

I didn't think that.

He looks like a guy that hasn't played in ~7 months, playing with and against players who are more than halfway through the season.

His shot looks great... Just a hair off. They'll start falling.

Defense & rebounding already largely there... But conditioning will increase his impact (by giving him longer stretches on the floor).

Was also encouraged to see Mucius and Monsanto on the court together a few times against BC. That lineup can work. I particularly liked the offensive rebound and putback that Mucius had on a Monsanto missed 3.
 
He looked a little tired. Maybe out of synch. Effort was there though so not concerned.
 
He looked a little tired. Maybe out of synch. Effort was there though so not concerned.

It was obvious that Monsanto isn't yet in prime basketball game fitness. He's got a month to get there before tournament time. When he gets there, Wake will be that much tougher an out.
 
Monsanto is going to be raining 3s @Cameron to end the streak.
 
His shot definitely looks good, just missed long or short, but he'll get hot sometimes. I wasn't overly concerned, I figured it was mostly coniditioning, just wanted to make sure he wasn't aggravating anything.
 
anyone think he looked a little out of sorts last night, I even thought he seemed like his leg was bothering him.

I am a big fan of Monsanto. He's done remarkably well - what a surprise and a joy to see him out there.

He needs to do all the little things, which he has been doing for the most part (rebound, defense, be a team player etc.), like that nice bounce pass to Alondes in transition...when his shot is not falling (1-6 overall, 1-5 from 3).

Good news is we saw a nice skip pass from him, a Post-Up move which looked good, but he missed the shot, then got called for over the back when he tried to grab his miss - he had the "I am trying too hard" shaking his head thing going and Forbes took him out a few minutes later.

Like many college players, he appears to (?) get a little down when he misses, and to some extent, allows his offense to dictate his defense, a little. Forbes AND Monsanto will correct that in the next few weeks. He was pressing a little, last night.

I'd advise him, like the UNC game, just to "keep shooting." If he is 1-6 last night, and commits that over the back foul and has some very mild reaction to that, I sit him down, then put him back in and tell him "green light" and hope he makes a couple and ends up 4-10 and 3-8 from deep or something like that...isn't that what happened with UNC --- he got in a rhythm.

He can get really hot, which makes him a major difference maker in the next 2+ months.
 
BUMP. I freaking love this guy. When was the last time we had a dude like this??? My favorite player we've had in a long time.
 
BUMP. I freaking love this guy. When was the last time we had a dude like this??? My favorite player we've had in a long time.

I’m sticking with my “Jamaal Levy with a 3 pt shot” comp.

He does all those long arm glue guy things that Levy did, except with some extra swag (for better and for worse)
 
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