Zane coming back to TU?

[mat1992 2,228]

I think if Zane gets the waiver,  you have a lot of different possibilities on the floor.

G Zane

G Gibson

SF/G Timberlake

PF Mims

C Victor

or

G Zane

G Gibson

G Holland

PF Gray

C Victor/Thompson

or

G Gibson

G Allen

G Zane

PF Solly

C Victor

or

G Allen

G ZM

G Holland

F Mims

C Victor

Most athletic lineup

G Allen

G ZM

G Holland

F Mims

C Victor

[bucketsandbirds 16]

1 hour ago, mat1992 said:

Bottom line is winning. If Zane can help you win, and even if he averages 15ppg instead of 20ppg, he's replacing Fobbs. He's going to a lesser conference and not having to worry about elevation. Gibson, Timberlake and Dottin are nice kids, but they are not capable of averaging 20ppg. Not as for the defensive side, late free throws and clutch play? I would hope that Zane would become more of a team player with guys that can stroke the ball around him like Gibson, Holland, Allen (good 3pt shooter), Gray, etc.

First, you have to know for Pat to take him back, that means he was professional in his leaving and didn’t burn any bridges. 
 

secondly, you are correct a lot of points to replace in Fobbs.  And he is a proven scorer.  It will only be a bonus if he can come in with a tram attitude, which then goes back to my first point about Pat welcoming him back.

now lets just hope there is a season! 

[griggey20 178]

41 minutes ago, TuTigers2012 said:

There would be zero excuses to not cut the nets down in March (if there's a season). 

Is it acceptable if they cut them down in April?  Or will that not count? 

Asking for a friend. 

[TuTigers2012 1,060]

34 minutes ago, griggey20 said:

Is it acceptable if they cut them down in April?  Or will that not count? 

Asking for a friend. 

Or May, or June. Doesn't matter when the CAA tournament is held.

[mat1992 2,228]

40 minutes ago, bucketsandbirds said:

First, you have to know for Pat to take him back, that means he was professional in his leaving and didn’t burn any bridges. 
 

secondly, you are correct a lot of points to replace in Fobbs.  And he is a proven scorer.  It will only be a bonus if he can come in with a tram attitude, which then goes back to my first point about Pat welcoming him back.

now lets just hope there is a season! 

I don’t know about the professional part, but any coach that loses a 20-point scorer to another mid-major is not happy about that said player. I think Zane was humbled a bit at New Mexico and the timing was right.

[sr16 158]

Love this. 

[Chris Datres 423]

I’m gonna take the unpopular contrarian stance here.  I don’t like it.  He left us because he thought he was gonna find greener pastures and when that didn’t work, he tucked tail and wanted to come back to his first love.  That smacks of selfishness in my mind and someone who will show that selfishness on the floor.  One thing that may go in his favor is that the majority of the roster wasn’t here when he was here so they won’t have experience with his personality.  I hope he proves me wrong and I’ll root for him like anyone else who wears our logo on the floor.  But I have a lot of reservations about this. 

[mat1992 2,228]

45 minutes ago, Chris Datres said:

I’m gonna take the unpopular contrarian stance here.  I don’t like it.  He left us because he thought he was gonna find greener pastures and when that didn’t work, he tucked tail and wanted to come back to his first love.  That smacks of selfishness in my mind and someone who will show that selfishness on the floor.  One thing that may go in his favor is that the majority of the roster wasn’t here when he was here so they won’t have experience with his personality.  I hope he proves me wrong and I’ll root for him like anyone else who wears our logo on the floor.  But I have a lot of reservations about this. 

None of the players here were playing when Zane last played in 2017-18. Look at that talent. Jordan McNeill, Dennis Tunstall, EK, Brian Starr, Alex Thomas. Other than Mike Morsell, that was not a loaded offensive team and he had a bit of a disappointing senior season. Gorham appeared to be miserable most of the season, got to start late and put up some big numbers. Brian Starr, now playing overseas, actually averaged more minutes. But Zane had more assists because he had the ball in his hands a lot. We can talk about the negatives, the lack of defense and clutch play or the fact that he let this program down by transferring. He thought he could go pro and wound up in New Mexico. But you know what? We missed his 19.8 points per game in 2018-19, when all we had was Fobbs to put the ball in the basket. Maybe we don't get Nick Timberlake if Zane doesn't leave. Nick still has three years left and has some raw talent.

https://static.towsontigers.com/custompages/MBB/17-18/teamcume.htm

Zane asked to come back. There wasn't a thought in my mind that this would happen when he decided to leave New Mexico, but circumstances change. Things evolve. Maybe coaches change their thinking from two years ago. As I said, this was a timing thing and there are other issues that I can't get too specific that don't involve Zane. In 31 years covering the program, I don't believe I've ever seen this in the revenue sports I've covered. A player transfers, not to be seen again and then comes back. And Zane, unlike others who have left the program in the last decade, was not shall we say, nudged off.

It's a damn shame because this kid could have been one of the all-time leading scorers, if not the all-time scorer at Towson had he stayed. If you had the chance to get a potential first-team All-CAA player (a second-team All-CAA sophomore), when you already lost another second-team All-CAA player, would you do it? Of course. It's not as if this was a definite No. 1 team in the CAA without him? They had potential, no doubt. What was the missing ingredient? A proven scorer at both wing positions. Maybe Holland was that guy, but he averaged around 13ppg in just nine games. He was injured most of the season. Timberlake, Dottin, Gibson and Allen are not big scorers on paper.

Chris, I know you've been around almost as long as I have and you probably felt some shame that a Philly kid would leave for greener pastures.

I think that was something that had to be done. It's a risk, no doubt. This could blow up and not end well. Or ZM could just decide to try and go out on top. Shoot better from 3, get to the cup and the line. Play better defense and play with better shooters in Gibson, Allen, Holland, and hopefully Mims or Gray. Teams won't be able to slack off of him quite as much with better perimeter shooting. He'll able to drive left as he normally does or drive and dish. That would take pressure off of Gibson as the primary ballhandler. With Fobbs, he was going to the basket and looking to score. At least Zane has shown he can also get people involved.

Looking at his New Mexico stats, he only played 24.5 minutes per game, compared to 30 at Towson. Averaged 3.1 assists per game, but just 2.9 rebounds. He actually led the team with 41 steals and had just 25 with Towson as a sophomore, so maybe he was actually attempting to play more D or they were pressing more. Not sure of what the Lobos were playing.

 

 

 

[tualum 108]

and here we go again....

[TuTigers2012 1,060]

9 hours ago, Chris Datres said:

I’m gonna take the unpopular contrarian stance here.  I don’t like it.  He left us because he thought he was gonna find greener pastures and when that didn’t work, he tucked tail and wanted to come back to his first love.  That smacks of selfishness in my mind and someone who will show that selfishness on the floor.  One thing that may go in his favor is that the majority of the roster wasn’t here when he was here so they won’t have experience with his personality.  I hope he proves me wrong and I’ll root for him like anyone else who wears our logo on the floor.  But I have a lot of reservations about this. 

We don't agree much... but had the same feelings/thoughts on this.  As a lot of people stated this is either going to end very well or blow up.

9 hours ago, mat1992 said:

 

Looking at his New Mexico stats, he only played 24.5 minutes per game, compared to 30 at Towson. Averaged 3.1 assists per game, but just 2.9 rebounds. He actually led the team with 41 steals and had just 25 with Towson as a sophomore, so maybe he was actually attempting to play more D or they were pressing more. Not sure of what the Lobos were playing.

 

 

 

I only saw a few games, most were late in the year when he was getting more PT. They obviously press more than us (who doesnt?!) but it seemed like he was giving better effort on the defensive end. NM also had lots of players leave/get suspended last year, they were dysfunctional as one could get.

Also, we don't get Fobbs without Zane leaving. While I think Zane is a better scorer, Brian was a better all around player than Zane. And most importantly wanted to be here.

Edited August 25, 2020 by TuTigers2012