Most Indispensable Player (besides Rachal)

[GoldenCaneKC]

IMO, Brandon Rachal is clearly our best player and the player we could least afford to lose (knock on wood, fingers crossed, etc.). As I was watching the game tonight, my mind started wandering since we were up by 40, and I started thinking about who I would put next on the “can’t afford to lose” list.

FYI, my vote probably goes to Horne, but I could make a case for 2-3 other guys for various reasons.

 

[Tulsafanzz]

I went with Jackson, because he does so many things for us, but I would have Horne a close 3rd.

 

[Gmoney4WW]

Looks like people are voting based off of tonight's play. Looking at the season, not just tonight, I would have to go with Jackson.

 

[I.I.]

May think I'm stupid but the next most important player for us is Igbanu.......I know he has been struggling but you can't win consistently without him. He draws 2 and sometimes 3 defenders.

 

[Henry Kendall]

I would have to agree on Igbanu. First, because we need his post presence, and second I.I. is really smart and I want to look like the cool kid.

 

[Lumpuckeroo]

May think I'm stupid but the next most important player for us is Igbanu.......I know he has been struggling but you can't win consistently without him. He draws 2 and sometimes 3 defenders.

I like Martins , but he has some really bad habits . The worst is when he grabs an offensive rebound and puts the ball on the floor instead of keeping it up high . For Tulsa to be successful they need some consistency in the paint by Igbanu.

 

[ba11game]

I voted Igbanu. I'm no expert and I haven't even seen the team much. I mostly listen to Bruce and JR, but I have seen some games. I get the impression that when the other coaches say, "we can't let this guy beat us", they are talking about Martins.
He has struggled with all that attention from the defense, but that still helps the team by opening up things for the other players.

 

[hotterthanyourhusbandTU]

Joiner.

Big and strong point guard who can handle the rock and play solid “top of the key” D.

We don’t have another Joiner.

 

[seniorgolfer]

I voted Igbanu.

He has struggled with all that attention from the defense, but that still
helps the team by opening up things for the other players.

What you say should be true....But, the truth is that him being unwilling
to quickly pass the ball back out when he sees the double/triple team
coming, negates the fact that someone is now open.....

I remember Andy Stoglin (Nolan Richardson's #1 Asst.) calling it
"senioritis" when an upper class man couldn't/wouldn't adapt to the
way defenders were playing him.....Is that the case here? Whatever
is happening, It's not working....His 4 charged T.O.s looked a lot
more like 6....

Martins plays with great effort, and it is important that he adjusts to
what is happening in this time frame....It would make us a much
more consistent team......

 

[seniorgolfer]

Joiner.

Big and strong point guard who can handle the rock and play solid “top of the key” D.

We don’t have another Joiner.

My vote as well....His 8 boards (several were absolutely the "big-strong"
type), and seven straight points down the stretch against Vandy was
really the game decider....Great performance!

When we have him, Rachal, and Jackson on the floor late in games,
we can, indeed, present a strong, tough man to man defense on the
perimeter....

 

[GoldenCaneKC]

Love the discussion. Looks like Hill finally got a vote. He’s my dark horse choice for this one. We don’t have much point guard depth behind him, and I think Joiner is more effective as a 2-guard. If we lost Hill, I think Christopolis would end up having to play significant minutes because we don’t have any other true point guards who I would trust to handle the ball. He’s looked good in mop-up time, but I don’t think he would be much more than serviceable against big time teams in conference play.

 

[TulsaAM]

May think I'm stupid but the next most important player for us is Igbanu.......I know he has been struggling but you can't win consistently without him. He draws 2 and sometimes 3 defenders.

Strongly agree here. Igbanu needs to have a "man up" season for Tulsa to see post season.