Zach Harvey

[London 'Cat]

I hate to see ZH leave the program but I can see why he's interested in leaving.
IMO it's too early to beat up on CJB. The 1st year on the job is always tough due to the roster dump a new coach brings and this year the Covid restrictions/environment are just making it all around tough on everyone. As to why ZH isn't playing and other players are playing over him, I'm sure the coach is seeing something that we aren't. No coach is going to sit they're strongest, hardest working players for no reason.
Like everyone else I'm looking forward to a turn around to the program.

It may be too early to beat up on CJB, but this latest development seems to indicate a trend that is at least disturbing. His coaching decisions in terms of PT are puzzling. Harvey’s last game in which he played significant minutes was a career high in points and really looked like he was coming into his own. None of us know how much COVID affected Harvey’s PT. but we can all infer from Harvey opting out that it was a factor based on how little PT he has garnered following the team’s suspension of play. We can certainly question CJB’s coaching at this point. IMO, his leash just shortened and his seat grew slightly warm.

[red_n_black_attack]

what were the extenuating circumstances?

Zach pleaded guilty to some misdemeanor crimes that were bigger charges at first. He did not meet the requirements to attend UC for those charges and CJB and AD Bohn had to get permission from BoT to offer him a scholarship.

[GoBearcats31]

Zach pleaded guilty to some misdemeanor crimes that were bigger charges at first. He did not meet the requirements to attend UC for those charges and CJB and AD Bohn had to get permission from BoT to offer him a scholarship.

I believe he pleaded no contest (though I don't state that with 100% certainty ha)

[leo from jersey]

Well as Marvin Lewis would say. It doesn't matter how you got here, just make the most of it. Did ZH have any problems that we know of at UC. Was there someting besides covid that caused a lack of PT. We might never know, when the Cats took ZH then we needed to go forward and not look behind.

[coach]

My guess is Harvey is part homesick and covid fatigued, and part wanting to be a starter somewhere and isn't sure he can do it here in short order. He's never looked real comfortable since he's been here, and that's not totally unusual for a young guy. He wasn't recruited hard by Uc from what i understand as his legal circumstances made him available at the last minute so there was no big courtship unless someone knows different. He is likely going to have to play the 2 at most bigger programs as he's undersized at the 3, and doesn't have the ball and distribution skills to play the point. From what I've watched of all these guys which is limited, both MAW and Madsen look to be better perimeter shooters even if their short term stats do not support it currently. They're clearly our best ft shooters which is some indication. What is said about practice also confirms that. Harvey is much more of a slasher from his history than a perimeter guy. Who will be the best long term is anybody's guess.. Harvey's minutes while he's been healthy have not been that bad. Why anyone would leave and not finish a season when they need the practice is anybody's guess, but he was not a guy not playing at all or in mop up roles. I wish him well. He never did look real comfortable out there while he was here IMO. He wasn't going to get 30 minutes a game here with KW and DJD in the lineup. They're to critical and experienced compared to what he's done. You have to play small to have him at the 3 for extended periods.

Eason is another matter. His minutes have been well into the 20's most games once we got several games into the season. One of the big issues they have with him right now is that he cannot handle a 5 or strong 4 on the defensive end. He's got some adjusting to do with physicality and avoiding fouls. The game before last he fouled out against Temple in yes a grand total of 7 minutes which is close to Bobby Brannen's frosh record. Not easy to do. Everyone was upset with his minutes Sunday in a win. He fouled out against Ucf a number of weeks back in 10 minutes. Point is, Eason and Vogt are not interchangeable parts. He has to play Vogt against certain teams as we will get handled on the defensive end, and in all likelihood Eason will be in foul trouble or gone. Sometimes a coach is protecting a player who he knows is going to be in a bad spot. No one is more behind Eason than Brannen. However, he's trying to use him in a way to protect him because he's not likely to be able to stay on the court to get those extra minutes based on what we've seen. At one point, it was rare for frosh to play many minutes here at all. I think fan's have forgotten why. Red Dog had a great point. It's about winning games, and in large part that is coming up with a balanced rotation. Good players know that. .

Fwiw, the interesting thing is if we could upset Houston which is a tall order, we're only a game behind in the loss column of the top spot in the conference which is pretty remarkable. The season has kind of taken a backseat to the drama.

[red_n_black_attack]

Well as Marvin Lewis would say. It doesn't matter how you got here, just make the most of it. Did ZH have any problems that we know of at UC. Was there someting besides covid that caused a lack of PT. We might never know, when the Cats took ZH then we needed to go forward and not look behind.

By all accounts he was a model citizen/student, per the Justin Williams article.

[RedDog]

Lobot referred to some of them. How hard it was to get him in at UC mainly. There were other schools that passed on him also for non basketball reasons. We got him pretty late in the process and I surely don't know the details on why he was available so late, so I just referred to them as extenuating circumstances.

[John P]

It may be too early to beat up on CJB, but this latest development seems to indicate a trend that is at least disturbing. His coaching decisions in terms of PT are puzzling. Harvey’s last game in which he played significant minutes was a career high in points and really looked like he was coming into his own. None of us know how much COVID affected Harvey’s PT. but we can all infer from Harvey opting out that it was a factor based on how little PT he has garnered following the team’s suspension of play. We can certainly question CJB’s coaching at this point. IMO, his leash just shortened and his seat grew slightly warm.

Oh I'm sure ZH is disappointed with lack of playing time. It could very well be the reason he's leaving.
My point was more aimed to "why" he lacked the PT. I'm sure we'll never really know the answer. There's a reason the coach is leaving him on the bench as much as he has.
FWIW I like seeing MAW on the floor, I think he brings a lot to the table.

[London 'Cat]

Oh I'm sure ZH is disappointed with lack of playing time. It could very well be the reason he's leaving.
My point was more aimed to "why" he lacked the PT. I'm sure we'll never really know the answer. There's a reason the coach is leaving him on the bench as much as he has.
FWIW I like seeing MAW on the floor, I think he brings a lot to the table.

MAW is too inconsistent. He plays fairy well in some games and does not in others. If he were more reliable on both sides of the ball, I would like him better. But, he has improved over last year, which is what we hope for all players - continued improvement year after year.

[Rufus]

The primary reason for his departure from the program (if in fact he does) is the speculation that he wants more playing time. If he enters the portal he would have to sit an entire year before being allowed to play for another team. If he stays he would be almost guaranteed a starters spot here if he was progressing as typical cases prove and nothing drastic occurs. He would be a junior, the senior whose spot he usually comes in for will have moved on, and have had another years experience under his belt, so this leads me to believe that the lack of playing time now is a decision by the coaching staff based on something we as fans are not privy to.

[swilsonsp4]

Here's Justin William's article ($) just out. Essentially, Harvey was unhappy with the whole situation, including playing time and an inability to feel at home in Cincy.

https://theathletic.com/2393394/2021...nati-bearcats/

[London 'Cat]

The primary reason for his departure from the program (if in fact he does) is the speculation that he wants more playing time. If he enters the portal he would have to sit an entire year before being allowed to play for another team. If he stays he would be almost guaranteed a starters spot here if he was progressing as typical cases prove and nothing drastic occurs. He would be a junior, the senior whose spot he usually comes in for will have moved on, and have had another years experience under his belt, so this leads me to believe that the lack of playing time now is a decision by the coaching staff based on something we as fans are not privy to.

I'm not so sure about this. The rules have changed with COVID but I don't know whether a player will have to sit out an entire year after transferring. Plus, the way the NCAA is granting waivers to play immediately, this is nothing definite anymore. His decision does seem illogical, but none off us really know what the real story is. Perhaps CJB is an onerous coach; perhaps Harvey was homesick; maybe a little of each. We may never know. I wish Harvey the best going forward, and if he returns next year, I for one will be very glad.

[bearcat1518]

Playing behind Mason Madsen??? It’s time to GO. Madsen is a Patriot/Horizon League player. My nephew plays for West Point. They were laughing when UC signed Rap.

What were they laughing at - the night he had 17/5 against them, or the night he had 9/11 against them?

[leo from jersey]

What were they laughing at - the night he had 17/5 against them, or the night he had 9/11 against them?

I wish he had those for UC then maybe we would not have been crying after the losses.

[Corporateballa]

Playing time + production should equal more playing time. Not the case with Harvey. A top-50 guy isn’t going to wait 3 years for a chance to play. He’s not going to sit behind MAW and Mason Madsen.