Can we talk about Osun Osunniyi?

  • After Iowa State won the Big 12, a Cyclone made a wonderful offer to We Will that now increases our match. Now all gifts up to $400,000 between now and the Final 4 will be matched. Please consider giving at We Will Collective.
    This notice can be dismissed using the upper right corner X button.

twincyties

Well-Known Member
Dec 12, 2009
2,999
4,372
113
Just his presence seemed to cause turn overs last night. He'd rotate over and the Texas player would be like "Oh, ****!" and then dribble off their foot.
This is why everyone loves someone like Shoon. Even if he’s not putting up huge block numbers there are still a lot of possessions impacted that aren’t clearly reflected in the box score.

In a way, a really good altered shot - or preventing an otherwise high- percentage shot - is better than a block because crazy $hit happens on blocks (see KU game) and it tends to take the big out of rebounding position on the miss.
 

TXCyclones

Well-Known Member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Sep 13, 2011
11,090
12,024
113
TX
He could be even more efficient in the high post. During the Texas game he was hesitating when he received the ball and had an open look to the basket. I'd like to see him take it to the basket and not allow their help to rotate over.

Exactly this! It was like it was a second (or even third) thought to attack the rim for a layup when the lane was wide open! I was screaming at the tv "SHOOT IT!" He's a great rim protector, but he needs the killer instinct on O!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Cyclones8824

twincyties

Well-Known Member
Dec 12, 2009
2,999
4,372
113
He could be even more efficient in the high post. During the Texas game he was hesitating when he received the ball and had an open look to the basket. I'd like to see him take it to the basket and not allow their help to rotate over.
I don’t disagree with you. It seemed a little more fluid in the KU game, but still effective in both.

If you’ve ever played basketball, you know how incredibly difficult that is to guard if the other team has a big man comfortable at that spot. It’s really pick your poison. Much like a great pick-and-roll game.

It will also be really useful for anyone that tries to run a zone at us.
 

Pat

Well-Known Member
Oct 20, 2011
2,166
3,080
113
He does and so does Rob.
I don't mind Osun leaving the post as much as Rob but they both had fouls pretty far out there last night.
We were trapping the pick-and-roll, and Texas was consistently shredding it with a high post feed (the same thing we were doing with Osun on offense). They changed strategy and started switching, which gummed up the Texas offense, but put our bigs in tough match-ups. Osun seems a little foul prone, but I thought all 3 did a great job defending smaller, faster guards in space.
 
  • Like
Reactions: isutrevman

Cyclonepride

Thought Police
Staff member
Apr 11, 2006
96,609
57,514
113
53
A pineapple under the sea
www.oldschoolradical.com
Just wanted to bump this thread because Shoon was unbelievable in the 2nd half last night. Lot of great defensive plays and clutch from the free throw line. The team is much better when Shoon is in the game
He's really hitting his stride to the point where other teams are going to have to include him in their game plans.
 
  • Agree
Reactions: stuclone

ZRF

Well-Known Member
Jan 3, 2015
4,392
2,114
113
Just wanted to bump this thread because Shoon was unbelievable in the 2nd half last night. Lot of great defensive plays and clutch from the free throw line. The team is much better when Shoon is in the game

The conditioning part and inability to play big minutes, even when not in foul trouble, is perplexing. While our defensive pressure can be intense, we somewhat mitigate that by playing a more controlled, slower tempo, half court game. Offensively Shoon isn't having to make cuts, and while he will set screens for the pick and roll, those aren't exactly high intensity plays.

If Eddie Lampkin at 265 can log 30 minutes on a high tempo team, I don't see why a big with Shoons body type can't hit the 30 minute barrier. He either has the weakest set of lungs I've seen or this is a perplexing mystery. We need him to be able to play 30 minutes when he's not in foul trouble. We are a completely different team when he is one the floor.

I don't know if I've ever seen a starter completely unable/unwilling to log 30 minutes in a game.
 

stuclone

Well-Known Member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Oct 5, 2013
3,245
8,742
113
Ames, IA
The conditioning part and inability to play big minutes, even when not in foul trouble, is perplexing. While our defensive pressure can be intense, we somewhat mitigate that by playing a more controlled, slower tempo, half court game. Offensively Shoon isn't having to make cuts, and while he will set screens for the pick and roll, those aren't exactly high intensity plays.

If Eddie Lampkin at 265 can log 30 minutes on a high tempo team, I don't see why a big with Shoons body type can't hit the 30 minute barrier. He either has the weakest set of lungs I've seen or this is a perplexing mystery. We need him to be able to play 30 minutes when he's not in foul trouble. We are a completely different team when he is one the floor.

I don't know if I've ever seen a starter completely unable/unwilling to log 30 minutes in a game.
I've watched Lampkin play. He takes plays off and does not always play the hardest on defense. Shoon is playing at 100% effort every time he's in the game. Hard to sustain that amount of energy as a big in TJ's defensive system for over 30 minutes per game
 

Statefan10

Well-Known Member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
May 20, 2019
19,938
24,723
113
The conditioning part and inability to play big minutes, even when not in foul trouble, is perplexing. While our defensive pressure can be intense, we somewhat mitigate that by playing a more controlled, slower tempo, half court game. Offensively Shoon isn't having to make cuts, and while he will set screens for the pick and roll, those aren't exactly high intensity plays.

If Eddie Lampkin at 265 can log 30 minutes on a high tempo team, I don't see why a big with Shoons body type can't hit the 30 minute barrier. He either has the weakest set of lungs I've seen or this is a perplexing mystery. We need him to be able to play 30 minutes when he's not in foul trouble. We are a completely different team when he is one the floor.

I don't know if I've ever seen a starter completely unable/unwilling to log 30 minutes in a game.
Have you ever played high intensity / high level basketball let alone done it at 6’10” 220 pounds? Lol I definitely know the answer to the second question but by the nature of what was said above, I’m going to assume I know the answer to both.
 

interrobang

Well-Known Member
Oct 9, 2017
643
1,174
93
39
Ankeny
I've watched Lampkin play. He takes plays off and does not always play the hardest on defense. Shoon is playing at 100% effort every time he's in the game. Hard to sustain that amount of energy as a big in TJ's defensive system for over 30 minutes per game
And Shoon is having to guard out on the 3pt line and switching to guards as well. Sure defense here is way more intense than he was used to. Seems to be getting the right amount of mins especially with how he finished the game last night.
 
Last edited:

ScottyP

Special Teams Coordinator
Jan 24, 2007
3,920
5,438
113
Urbandale, IA
With the how hard Osun plays and inability to play a lot of minutes, are there concerns about him playing on short rest during march?
 

CycloneWanderer

Well-Known Member
Nov 4, 2007
7,953
4,991
113
Wandering
With the how hard Osun plays and inability to play a lot of minutes, are there concerns about him playing on short rest during march?
I'm not too concerned about this since he doesn't seem to be getting exhausted during the game. The benefit of not exhausting him every game is that he can recover more easily between. As long as he has a good recovery cycle within each game, he will be more able to recover between. If he were playing 30-35 minutes a game, I'd be concerned about that. Playing him 25 looks like a sweet spot.
 

heitclone

Well-Known Member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Jun 21, 2009
15,458
12,570
113
44
Way up there
Spatola mentioned that Osun wasn't used to being featured in he offense and was just kind of getting the feel for having plays run for him. Makes sense why we've seen him really hit his stride the last few weeks. He isn't super athletic but he's me skilled that most guys guarding him. I think he's just getting started
 

ZRF

Well-Known Member
Jan 3, 2015
4,392
2,114
113
Have you ever played high intensity / high level basketball let alone done it at 6’10” 220 pounds? Lol I definitely know the answer to the second question but by the nature of what was said above, I’m going to assume I know the answer to both.

Am I a college athlete no. I think many on here however have seen enough college basketball games to comprehend some level of feasibility. As a junior at St Bonaventure he averaged 34 minutes a game. This is an avg, meaning he likely had several games exceeding this total.

He's not a freshman, completely adapting to college play, but a fifth year senior. No one is questioning our defensive style and level of competition is tougher than what he faced there. With that said it's not unreasonable to ask why he's only able to TOUCH 25 mpg while averaging 18 minutes for the season.

Everyone knew there would be an adjustment period. I get that. We are halfway through the conference season and yet it's a tall order for him to get much more than 24 minutes a game. I don't see how or why that's such an unreasonable question. By this point he should be able to play 25-30 a game on most nights, not 18-23.
 
  • Dumb
Reactions: stuclone