Cougar Sports Weekly: WSU Will Miss DeAngelo Casto's Defense More Than Rebounding

by Jeff Nusser on Nov 3, 2011 11:11 AM PDT in Cougar Sports Weekly

In case you've wondered exactly what you'd get with a Cougar Sports Weekly subscription, I actually send out newsletters more than weekly -- I send out three a week. (Yes, I know this doesn't technically make it weekly, but hey -- just trying to give the customer value for the price!)

Anyway, here's a short excerpt from Wednesday's edition, which I thought might spark some discussion here. The newsletter also included the mailbag, where I delve into subscribers' questions:

It's been suggested by some that the Cougars might actually miss DeAngelo Casto more than they miss Klay Thompson, a theory based on WSU's depth at the guard position. While I don't buy it for a minute that this team will miss Casto more than Thompson -- if Casto leaves but Thompson comes back, this team is contending for an NCAA berth, but probably not if it's the other way around; Thompson is that special -- the point is well taken that Ken Bone is going to have an awfully tough time replacing Casto.

It seems like most people are really focusing on Casto's rebounding ability, but I'd argue that's the least of the Cougars' problems when it comes to sorting out the frontcourt. Casto wasn't as good of a rebounder as he was widely reputed to be. Instead, where I think the Cougs will really miss Casto is defensively.

You can find subscription info here. A month will cost you less than a milkshake at Cougar Country Drive In!

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Apparently, I missed the mark in assuming people would find this an interesting topic of discussion

My bad!

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by Jeff Nusser on Nov 3, 2011 2:25 PM PDT reply actions

You need more

by well you win some and lose others on Nov 3, 2011 4:16 PM PDT up reply actions

I can at least see their argument for Casto hurting more.

I don’t agree with it, because Klay is the best Cougar I’ve ever seen (eh, maybe a tie with Kyle Weaver) but I get where they’re coming from. Any time you go from Casto to a combination of Motum/Charlieball/Abe/new guy Shelton, people are going to worry.

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by Kyle Rancourt on Nov 3, 2011 3:24 PM PDT reply actions

Which leads to....

by well you win some and lose others on Nov 3, 2011 4:12 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

I was one who posted that about casto being hard to replace

While I agree with you that Klay is a transcendent player, who would be impossible for all but a handful of programs in the country to replace him,p I would say that Casto is going to be much more difficult to fill in for. We are talking about a defensive player who I would say is the best defensive forward we have had in the program for a long time (Ivory Clark also jumps to mind). You are spot on with the shot blocking and the presence in the middle that Casto provided. It is game changing for any team at any level to have a shot blocker of his ability protecting the basket.

I also think Jeff is spot on for the rebounding. Casto was playing out of position, matching up against the other team’s best rebounder all the time, he was simply trying to keep them off of the boards so his teammates could swoop in and grab the rebound. The current bigs are going to have do much of the same thing this year, and they are not nearly as good as Casto. That will be the biggest challenge in replacing Casto and Klay. Hopefully Moore, Ladd, Aden ect. will be able to account for Klay’s possessions. At least I would think they will have a better chance then bigs will of filling in Casto’s inside presence.

I think the reason there is not much conversation on this is two fold: one, everybody is really nervous about football on Saturday; two, you wrote a great piece in your newsletter. They are both going to be terribly hard to replace for much different reasons. This team will take a step back this year, but a ton of guys are comming back and they should be fun to watch as they grow up and get better.

BTW – I love the news letter and I am glad you are posting excerpts for discussion on Cougcenter.

We will call him Zatara.....sounds fearsome....It means driftwood.

by cfischer01 on Nov 3, 2011 6:44 PM PDT up reply actions

You're not the only one who's said it

Percy Allen at the Times suggested it as well. And thank you for the kind words. I know not everyone gets as excited for basketball as I do. :-)

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by Jeff Nusser on Nov 3, 2011 7:17 PM PDT up reply actions

oh no I am excited for hoops

Football is a distraction for me until basketball season starts. I was speculating that many people are football focused right now considering how big the game is on Saturday.

We will call him Zatara.....sounds fearsome....It means driftwood.

by cfischer01 on Nov 3, 2011 7:44 PM PDT up reply actions

I think it's probably just you and me, then.

CougCenter | Cougar Sports Weekly | @NussCoug

by Jeff Nusser on Nov 3, 2011 9:05 PM PDT up reply actions

I am super excited about the BB season.

I think this team could be more exciting to watch than last years. Although, it is hard to say that when you get to watch Klay play.
I can see why people think DeAngelo Hamilton is going to be a big loss for us, but he was never known for his rebounding (maybe it was the small hands). From all the reports I have heard D.J. Shelton is a much better rebounder. If he can just do that we will already be improved in that area. I don’t think D.J. will be the defender Casto was, but he may be better offensively and on rebound. I believe BigWood has already wrote about this.
There is a mystery to this team that has me excited. It doesn’t mean I think they are going to light the conference on fire, in fact they probably will just place 8th. With the beginning of every season I always have blind optimism, that is what has kept me a Mariner, Seahawk and Coug fan my whole life.
Last year there wasn’t anyone I was extremely excited about watching. We kind of knew what we were getting in Simon, figured DKD would redshirt and Aden was a JC transfer. This year I am excited to see Lacy, Ladd, Shelton and a healthy Reggie. Next year I am even more excited about our incoming class and Woolridge. I am sure like everyone I still think we need add some more big men, because I am not sold on Peters yet, but he did have a lot of major conference schools looking at him, even major basketball schools. I think his height and build are something hard to pass on. We will see how he does his senior year. I hate having to wait for 2012 & 2013 but those could be some exciting years.

Clear eyes, Full Hearts, Can't Lose

by SoCalCoug on Nov 4, 2011 8:34 AM PDT up reply actions