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Underestimating Martini?

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BillyC80

Heisman
Oct 23, 2006
17,078
15,462
72
Been thinking about this. Here’s a guy who has improved every year, playing a versatile forward/center role.

A starter for a Princeton team that finished 24-5 last year, he’s a savvy veteran who at 6’8 and 235lbs was able to knock down 38% from the arc and 88% (!) at the free throw line.

If you wanna surround young talent with mature, battle-tested leaders, Zach Martini is a great player to start with.

Not only will he help anchor our center spot while being a threat in the 4 role, but he’ll be a great mentor to a big guy like Lathan who also has outstanding offensive skills.

Very excited to see how he and our other veterans lift our star freshmen and the entire team this year.
 
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GM

All-Conference
Jan 18, 2020
1,484
2,446
51
I think he’s going to be one of those guys we look back on and are like “Wow, talk about a good role player”. His counting stats aren’t impressive, lacks any explosion, can’t dribble, but does everything else he can to help. Boxes out every possession, shoots threes well, very efficient when cutting, bodies up post players incredibly. I think this is the perfect situation for him, being surrounded by athletic ball handlers and going against the B1G which still has plenty of teams going with more traditional 4 man than the large athletic wings that he’d prob have more issues with
 
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R

RUJMM78

Heisman
Jul 25, 2001
26,195
12,455
113
His value on offense will be dependent on team mates passing the ball to him for open 3 point shots.In the practice scrimmage that rarely happened for him or Hayes.
 
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S

seansherm

Heisman
Feb 20, 2009
14,100
15,046
113
I don't think anyone is underestimating him, if nothing else, when he committed he was being over estimated. He's what everyone here has said, a glue guy, a hustle make the right play guy. Not big, not fast, doesn't shoot much. How much we see him at the 5 would really depend on Ace being an above average rebounder. Our guards can rebound, if the wings do well too, we can get away with Martini at the 5 a few minutes a game.
 
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BillyC80

Heisman
Oct 23, 2006
17,078
15,462
72
It’s an interesting debate. Can a veteran “glue guy” who is an efficient shooter from the arc and free throw line be a little bit of a sleeper for us at the 4-spot?

I’m of a mind that this year especially, the sum will be greater than the parts, and a player like Martini will have a bigger impact on the whole, not necessarily via his own personal stats or physical measurables.
 
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S

satnom

All-American
Jun 28, 2002
6,959
8,546
88
BillyC80 said:
Been thinking about this. Here’s a guy who has improved every year, playing a versatile forward/center role.

A starter for a Princeton team that finished 24-5 last year, he’s a savvy veteran who at 6’8 and 235lbs was able to knock down 38% from the arc and 88% (!) at the free throw line.

If you wanna surround young talent with mature, battle-tested leaders, Zach Martini is a great player to start with.

Not only will he help anchor our center spot while being a threat in the 4 role, but he’ll be a great mentor to a big guy like Lathan who also has outstanding offensive skills.

Very excited to see how he and our other veterans lift our star freshmen and the entire team this year.
Click to expand...
Agree with all stated. You just can’t discount the fact that the center position in the BIG is littered with strong long armed 6’10” and taller centers.

I think Martini will get the bulk of his mins at the four and spell Ogbole and Latham here and there as discussed. He’ll have a big impact on and off the court and I agree that he’s played in big games before and will hit big shots for RU. I don’t subscribe to the “Oh we don’t have enough center depth to make a run” crowd.

RU roster is well positioned to make noise.

GO RU
 
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NickRU714

Heisman
Aug 18, 2009
14,038
12,832
113
RUJMM78 said:
His value on offense will be dependent on team mates passing the ball to him for open 3 point shots.In the practice scrimmage that rarely happened for him or Hayes.
Click to expand...

I known we say it every year but hopefully finally the offense includes off ball movement to get open 3pt shooters.
Instead of them standing around watching iso drives to the hoop.
 
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R

RU848789

Heisman
Jul 27, 2001
65,193
44,277
113
BillyC80 said:
Been thinking about this. Here’s a guy who has improved every year, playing a versatile forward/center role.

A starter for a Princeton team that finished 24-5 last year, he’s a savvy veteran who at 6’8 and 235lbs was able to knock down 38% from the arc and 88% (!) at the free throw line.

If you wanna surround young talent with mature, battle-tested leaders, Zach Martini is a great player to start with.

Not only will he help anchor our center spot while being a threat in the 4 role, but he’ll be a great mentor to a big guy like Lathan who also has outstanding offensive skills.

Very excited to see how he and our other veterans lift our star freshmen and the entire team this year.
Click to expand...
All I know is this kid is mature, talented and smart and has a solid body and can shoot from 3 and the FT line. I think we're going to like him.
 
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NickRU714

Heisman
Aug 18, 2009
14,038
12,832
113
GoodOl'Rutgers said:
What I liked best about adding Martini.. and trying to get that other Princeton guy.. was Coach Pike saw them play against a team he knew very well.. and we lost to them.

If Pike went after him it was with a specific purpose in mind. I expect good things.
Click to expand...

Nothing about Martini specific but generally this ends up badly for roster management.

"Let's get that guy who played well against us."
I believe that was an Isiah Thomas special while running the Knicks.
 
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NBKnight

Heisman
Jul 8, 2008
24,650
15,562
61
NickRU714 said:
Nothing about Martini specific but generally this ends up badly for roster management.

"Let's get that guy who played well against us."
I believe that was an Isiah Thomas special while running the Knicks.
Click to expand...
Generally?
 
M

motel00

Junior
Mar 8, 2007
1,001
370
0
I won’t be surprised if he gets those kind of minutes at Center early on. The out of conference schedule often features teams without a real center and we have had some problems with that in the past. As we start to get into conference competition, however, I will be surprised if he plays Center for more than a few minutes game. I would hope that our big guys play well enough so that we will not be seeing him at Center a lot. Of course, I understand there is no guarantee there.
 
R

RUDiddy777

Heisman
Feb 26, 2015
33,651
38,129
113
RU848789 said:
All I know is this kid is mature, talented and smart and has a solid body and can shoot from 3 and the FT line. I think we're going to like him.
Click to expand...

Part of a college team that went further than we have in the last 40+ years…even if his on court contributions aren’t huge, that mature leadership is going to be critical through a long season with young guys.
 
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Shelby65

All-Conference
Apr 1, 2008
8,353
4,646
66
RUJMM78 said:
His value on offense will be dependent on team mates passing the ball to him for open 3 point shots.In the practice scrimmage that rarely happened for him or Hayes.
Click to expand...
Isn't going to happen in games either. We have two guys vying for lottery pick selections and there's only one ball. Plus, his stats are against Ivy league comp.

Glue guy, yes, which matters but stats matter more. Not seeing much production from him with this roster.
 
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KnightTerrors

All-Conference
Dec 23, 2015
1,033
2,980
82
toby83 said:
i think he ends up with more minutes at the five than people think, with the inexperience we are throwing out there
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Agreed and I think this is the key to the season. I don’t like to talk negative on players but I don’t see a path to success with Ogbole playing starters minutes against good competition. With the talent we have, you can’t have a stiff clogging up the paint.
 
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RUDiddy777

Heisman
Feb 26, 2015
33,651
38,129
113
KnightTerrors said:
Agreed and I think this is the key to the season. I don’t like to talk negative on players but I don’t see a path to success with Ogbole playing starters minutes against good competition. With the talent we have, you can’t have a stiff clogging up the paint.
Click to expand...

Think Big E is a boom or bust - but I love taking a risk on a totally off the radar guy like him. He's either Kofi Cockburn or he's Agee (great guy - but never saw minutes when it mattered).
 
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NBKnight

Heisman
Jul 8, 2008
24,650
15,562
61
RUGiddy777 said:
Think Big E is a boom or bust - but I love taking a risk on a totally off the radar guy like him. He's either Kofi Cockburn or he's Agee (great guy - but never saw minutes when it mattered).
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That does not make any sense. He is not going to be Cockburn or Agee, he will be somewhere in between.
 
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Nycrusupporter

Nycrusupporter

All-American
Jun 8, 2021
4,999
7,552
73
RUGiddy777 said:
Fair - my mistake. Kofi is taller and 25 pounds heavier.

But both are jacked and both would end me in a fight in less than 10 seconds.
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I don’t mean to be rude, but these are some of the dumbest comments ever. Kofi Cockburn was very skilled player, not NBA level, but still very skilled by college standards. Ogbole is big and athletic, but he has yet to show that he has any basketball skills.
 
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RUDiddy777

Heisman
Feb 26, 2015
33,651
38,129
113
Nycrusupporter said:
I don’t mean to be rude, but these are some of the dumbest comments ever. Kofi Cockburn was very skilled player, not NBA level, but still very skilled by college standards. Ogbole is big and athletic, but he has yet to show that he has any basketball skills.
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Ogbole is a great athlete. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think he’s only in year 4-5 (including the injury) of ever having played basketball, so the potential upside is huge. Or it just never clicks and Lathan takes the majority of the minutes at the 5 by year end.
 
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