Isaac
Years ago

Crocs re-sign Ben Allen for one year

Predictions please. I hope it's Ben Allen. Safer for all the other teams that way and the further he is from Boti, the better off we all are.

Could be Crawford?

Topic #28242 | Report this topic


ash  
Years ago

Why dont you show some respect? Allen is a solid college/nbl player and has achieved more than Isaac ever has.

Reply #361089 | Report this post


Knowsalittlebit  
Years ago

It is Ben Allen today

Reply #361090 | Report this post


MW  
Years ago

funny how pretty much every player can get bagged out on here (including Patty Mills). and hardly no one is ever good enough to be on their respective team.

Hoops.com: where incredible happens

Reply #361091 | Report this post


paul  
Years ago

I thought Ben showed some decent progress this year from his work with Pat Reidy. He certainly toughened up his defence a lot, and is still 6'11 with range.

Reply #361092 | Report this post


Mystro  
Years ago

Why dont you show some respect? Allen is a solid college/nbl player and has achieved more than Isaac ever has.

I can only comment on him in the NBL as that is all I have seen, he is shit/end thread

Reply #361093 | Report this post


FM  
Years ago

When they drive a Ferrari I guess they can say Isaac isn't that successful.

Reply #361094 | Report this post


natwhereyouat  
Years ago

Ben has some upside, it's just his confidence is so low. And defense is pretty bad. But he can be a solid 2nd string big man in this league, IF he wanted too.

Reply #361095 | Report this post


Mick  
Years ago

I am the biggest Crocs homer there is and will defend their players to the ends of the earth.

And still:

- Ben Allen has terrible footwork.

- He is unfathomably slow

- He is unfathomably weak

- His attitude is appalling.

- He shies away from contact at all times

- He cant grab a rebound unless it falls right on his chest with no defenders around, and even then sometimes he drops it.

- He is nearly seven feet tall and I've never seen him dunk it.

- He cares about his hair more than winning.

- His only post move consists of getting pushed out of position before shying away from the contact and shooting a soft fadeaway, which always misses.

- He was given AMPLE opportunity to start this year, starting the first 8 or so games of the season and getting huge minutes.


If the Crocs re-sign this monkey I will boo him all season long.

Reply #361097 | Report this post


Knowsalittlebit  
Years ago

Ben will just be a late developer in the NBL. When you come from a decent college system and spend your first year riding the pine it's harder to adjust to this league. But give him a couple of years and he could be one of the dominant centres

Reply #361098 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

"Ben will just be a late developer in the NBL."

He's 26 years old. If he waits any longer to develop he'll be out of a contract.

Reply #361100 | Report this post


Very Old  
Years ago

Ben Allen is the clone of Murray Shiels

Reply #361101 | Report this post


Mystro  
Years ago

Mick covered all the relevant points

Reply #361102 | Report this post


Mick  
Years ago

Exactly. He's not young. And he hasn't been riding the pine.

He's been give plenty of opportunity.

Reply #361103 | Report this post


Vart  
Years ago

It's definitely been one of the more dramatic falls from grace. I remember when Ben signed with Indiana University and the so called 'experts' were calling him the next Bogut!

Reply #361104 | Report this post


paul  
Years ago

Only 10mins per game is kindof riding the pine, and there was good reason for that - he was soft. He turned the corner in the second half of the year though and if definitely worth another go at the right price.

Reply #361105 | Report this post


Mick  
Years ago

If you watch him game-in-game-out, you will get the picture of why he is loathed by his own fan base:

The fumbles, the missed passes, the missed layups, the missed defensive rotations, the points differential while he is on the court, the mental lapses, the unexplainable explosions of rage.

What was more frustrating was that on his contract, he was supposed to be a contributor - and Townsville where one big man away from competing with the top two teams.

It's best for both parties if he moves on to another team, I think.

Who knows, he might be like Trigger - who by his own admission was out-of-shape and lazy while at the Crocs - and develop into a useable offensive asset elsewhere.

Reply #361106 | Report this post


Mick  
Years ago

Official:

Allen signed to 1 year deal, 65k.

About 35k over what he's worth.

Reply #361107 | Report this post


Isaac  
Years ago

ash, sorry to upset you. I'll let you get back to writing letters to Boti about saying far worse to a bigger audience. I was scared that Marty Clarke might think Allen could be another project.

paul, could be being harsh, but I imagine that if he trained harder and showed more in games, he'd get more than that 10 MPG, right? Maybe he'll get there eventually, I'm just not unhappy about him doing it with another team.

Glad it's not a two-year deal. Playing for a contract can be very helpful for players mentally, IMO.

Reply #361109 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

One year deal - maybe it will be a spark for his career. Because he'll be back in the suburbs playing SEABL/Big V in Melbourne if he doesn't get a move on.

Reply #361110 | Report this post


Happy Days  
Years ago

I agree one year to do something or SEABL here he comes.Wanted 15K to play SEABL last year.Clubs baulked at the price.....

Reply #361111 | Report this post


paul  
Years ago

Read my post again Isaac. I said "10mins per game is kindof riding the pine, and there was good reason for that - he was soft."

Reply #361112 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Looks like the front court for the Crocs is pretty set:

5: Import/Allen
4:Holmes/Hinder

they've also got:

3: Blanchfield/??
2: ??/?? (PC a possibility)
1: Import/Norton

Reply #361113 | Report this post


Mick  
Years ago

This is his last chance in the NBL. Huge pay cut for him, 1 year deal.

Hope it lights a fire under his fat arse.

Reply #361114 | Report this post


Panther32  
Years ago

Does he play SEABL anywhere in the off season???

Reply #361123 | Report this post


Mick  
Years ago

He will be playing for Ipswich this offseason.

He played for the Townsville Heat last year, with poor results for an NBL player.

Reply #361124 | Report this post


kobe24  
Years ago

How does a thread about Ben Allen get this many posts!?

Reply #361130 | Report this post


Mick  
Years ago

Because most were not expecting him to get another deal.

The team didn't want him back. Word is Pat Reidy got him over the line. Pat's been working with him all season before Crocs trainings trying to teach him to be a man and play in the post, which has yet to translate to on-court access.

Reidy didn't want all his hard work to go to waste and the Crocs heeded his concern.

He would have taken a paycut of around a third of his previous deal, which is significant.

Reply #361134 | Report this post


natwhereyouat  
Years ago

If the Crocs re-signed Luke Schenscher, Ben Allen wouldn't be in Townsville. Because Luke didn't return it fee'd up some money & they needed a big man off the bench to back up their import Big (TBA)

Reply #361135 | Report this post


Naph  
Years ago

Ben looked very ordinary the first season he was on court for the Gaels. All of the knocks were the same as what I'm reading here.

Because of his frame, everybody expects/wants him to play a certain way. He needs to improve in those areas, but a team has to use him for what he is good at as well. Indiana didn't, so they never got a good return for their time with him. Saint Mary's did and he was a key player for them as a senior. He was the 4th highest scorer on that team, and the #2 rebounder, and #3 in assists. That's about where he wants to be. A contributor on the boards (but not "the guy") and a pick and pop guy who operates from the high post.

He's got a complementary skillset. If he's your best big on the floor then you're in trouble, but as a 2nd big he can do a decent job.

Reply #361137 | Report this post


ziah  
Years ago

Is that an informed TBA nat?

Reply #361138 | Report this post


Jinga84  
Years ago

Lol - Ben Allen, the quintessential 'Cower Forward'

Anyone who thinks this guy is anything other than a scrub knows nothing about the game of basketball.

Reply #361139 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Kobe24 spot on mate!!

Reply #361140 | Report this post


Mick  
Years ago

@ Ziah: the Crocs have stated they are looking for an import C.

Risky IMO, since most international bigs who are any good will be earning too much elsewhere, so you're left with crumbs.

Reply #361142 | Report this post


ziah  
Years ago

Yeah I knew that, I thought Nat's post (hoped) alluded to him knowing who it might be...

I am also hopeful that with an Allen paycut, a M. Cedar paycut (if he stays), and Hinder being worth less than an import, and with Woolpert's contacts overseas, that there may be substantial money to get a decent quality 4/5 in place of Schenscher... hoping hoping hoping.

Reply #361146 | Report this post


Mick  
Years ago

@ Naph: the problem with using Allen as a stretch big is that every time he tries to make a move off the face up at fifteen feet, he travels; when he doesn't try to put the ball on the floor, he has a terrible three point and mid range shot.

There was a time he could hit the three ball (hell there was a time when Bogut could hit the three ball!), but that time has long since passed.

The other difference between him playing NBL and college is that if you're a terrible defender here, you'll get exposed very quickly. As such, every minute he is on the floor, the opposition thrives on the glaring +/- deficiency he creates for his team.

Having said that, when Allen came on for the second unit it normally coincided with Mick Cedar coming into the game too, so when you have two of the slowest, worst defenders in the league trying to guard a pick and roll, it's not gonna end well.

Reply #361148 | Report this post


natwhereyouat  
Years ago

@ziah they're still scouting big men, nothing has been signed or even close to it yet. Still early stages.

Reply #361151 | Report this post


Isaac  
Years ago

If it's an import, it's quite possible they'll leave it late like most teams. Throw everything at Wilkinson, maybe? He'd be good with Holmes and Hinder backing him up.

I know Wilkinson's done the whole "I couldn't play against the Breakers" ra-ra, but seriously? It's a job. You'll get over it and adopt your new team.

Reply #361153 | Report this post


phil  
Years ago

lol at 'cower forward'

i havent heard that one before. sadly its so fitting for so many big men. some act like they are in a china shop or something. helliwell wouldve been invisable if he wasnt a huge ugly bastard.

Reply #361155 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

why not go after someone like nick horvath and then still have room for sf and pg imports

Reply #361159 | Report this post


ANON12  
Years ago

Very Old - I'm sorry but no way is Ben as bad as Murray. Murray was a great guy but not much of a threat at either end of the court. I must say that it is nice to see that someone else is around that remembers that far back.

Reply #361170 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Yea Horvath is doing grear in NZBL and he was a decent NBL starter most of his career,probably alot cheaper than Schenscher, Neville, Khazzouh also.

If I was looking for a starting C, I would go an Aussie, as good import C are hard to find, Horvath is about as good as they come, unless you go an undersized Roberts type.

So if I were the Crocs i would go after Neville, Khazzouh, Horvath, even consider guys like Chris Cameron, and sign a import PG and SF/SF, that will be a better balanced team, especially if PC doesnt stick around.

If Schenscher doesnt come i wouldnt mind the 36ers looking at Horvath as a cheaper option non-import big who has similar strengths to Schenscher anyway and use the rest of the money to sign a better import or attract another top Aussie.

Reply #361171 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

***import sf/sg

Reply #361173 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Lose Schenscher resign Allen... OUCH tough break for the Crocs right now, hope they can get the next Clarence Tyson type import.... NBL needs them to stay competitive.

Reply #361174 | Report this post


Mystro  
Years ago

I agree Isaac but have they got enough to offer to stop him going to Europe where he will make decent money the way he has been consistently playing?

Reply #361185 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

That mind set of Breakers or nothing is his biggest attribute at the bidding table. Thats all it is, id be surprised if he wasnt in the NBL next season with someone.

Reply #361194 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

He will be in Europe - whether that's New Zealand or the actual continent of Europe I am not sure.

Reply #361195 | Report this post


natwhereyouat  
Years ago

(Wilkinson) I know of two NBL clubs (Not including NZ) that have expressed interest. How far that interest actually goes, i'm not sure. But he IS wanted in the NBL.

Reply #361199 | Report this post


Mystro  
Years ago

Wilkinson should have been in the NBL 1st Team again instead of Worthington. His family will have a big say over where he goes.

Reply #361202 | Report this post


Mick  
Years ago

The Crocs could have had Horvath for less than Allen's contract.

Pat Reidy is swearing by the strides Allen is making under his tutelage, which have yet to translate onto the court.

http://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/article/2012/05/05/327911_sport.html

"It takes time for these things to be put into practice ... but he's big, he's solid, he can shoot and he's a really good passer so the potential's there to be in the national team or at least a really good NBL player," Reidy said.

Reidy is one of the great post scorers in NBL history, so he's either lost his mind or... wait, yeah that's it he's lost his mind.

Reply #361206 | Report this post


Hendo8888  
Years ago

Just what the Boomers need. A slow, soft, somewhat tall centre who can't rebound, dunk or do much at all.

Reply #361207 | Report this post


paul  
Years ago

There was a definite change in Allen's approach on the court second half of this year. Some people list the issues he had the first year and a half as if they are still there, but things have changed and I am interested to see how that translates after a full off-season.

Reply #361208 | Report this post


paul  
Years ago

Having now read the article, Pat is getting a little ahead of himself though!!

Reply #361209 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Everyone in the NBL is awesome!

Reply #361211 | Report this post




You need to be a registered user to post from this location. Register here.



Close ads
Little Streaks - The fun and interactive good-habits app designed especially for kids.
Serio: Tourism photography and videography

Advertise on Hoops to a very focused, local and sports-keen audience. Email for rates and options.

Recent Posts



.


An Australian basketball forum covering NBL, WNBL, ABL, Juniors plus NBA, WNBA, NZ, Europe, etc | Forum time is: 10:07 pm, Tue 19 Mar 2024 | Posts: 968,026 | Last 7 days: 754