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If we don't make a Big East summit happen this year, we are all failure at life...
Needs to happen
yes. We've talked about it for 5 years
The College Basketball Post
- Thread in 'Sports & Training' Thread starter Started by allen3xis,
- Start date
yes. We've talked about it for 5 years
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Doug McDermott does not miss. Ever. . Picked apart Cal last night.
Funny that Myles Mack and Fuquan Edwin are the 2 best players from Patterson Catholic right now, not Kyle Anderson.
. Picked apart Cal last night. Funny that Myles Mack and Fuquan Edwin are the 2 best players from Patterson Catholic right now, not Kyle Anderson.
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Wrong thread. My Bad.
Duke Pride.
Duke Pride.
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powerballin
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yes
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Yup Zeller getting Sullingerd.Cody Zeller is 7 feet, athletic with post moves, given how few of those there are in the NBA and how weak this draft is it should be fairly easy to sport what the hype is about.
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I'm down.If we don't make a Big East summit happen this year, we are all failure at life...
Needs to happen
Considered buying a book for all sessions & selling all the day tix.
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aye i was watchin that high school game wit the harrison twins & i seen sum of they highlights & they really dont look that good, maybe its cause they not real explosive. they not sorry or nuthin but it look like they just big combo guards
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Nah dog, dont let those highlight and one game fool you. they are the real deal.
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seen the Harrison twins on Fri, wasn't impressed...to me its just their size that has them hyped up...
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seen the Harrison twins on Fri, wasn't impressed...to me its just their size that has them hyped up...
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thats wat i think too cause 6'5 215 is huge for a college guard. they look like they got good fundamentals tho, & like i said maybe we just been spoiled by all these super athletic guards recently
powerballin
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They are huge guards with above average athletic ability and great fundamentals.
Some kids are just Pros before others. That doesn't mean they are the next Rose, Wall, Durant, Lebron or whatever. People were mad at OJ from his senior year up until last season in the league saying he's not as good as advertised. But he's been around that same skillset since 11th grade
. Now he's in Dallas cooking.
Same story with Lance Stephenson, Xavier Henry, Josh Selby and others. They were pros in 11th-12th grade. Austin isn't that much better than he was in HS and now he's in the league.
Sometimes you gotta look at a kid and say "he's a beast now but that doesn't mean his peers wont catch up". I have a feeling Shabazz is in this same boat too.
Some kids are just Pros before others. That doesn't mean they are the next Rose, Wall, Durant, Lebron or whatever. People were mad at OJ from his senior year up until last season in the league saying he's not as good as advertised. But he's been around that same skillset since 11th grade
Same story with Lance Stephenson, Xavier Henry, Josh Selby and others. They were pros in 11th-12th grade. Austin isn't that much better than he was in HS and now he's in the league.
Sometimes you gotta look at a kid and say "he's a beast now but that doesn't mean his peers wont catch up". I have a feeling Shabazz is in this same boat too.
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I think Shabazz is actually really good just in a ****** situation and in horrible condition.
And comparing Zeller to Sullinger is an insult to Jared at this point. Cody has been balls all year, he gets pushed out of position by guys hand his size, doesn't rebound as well as he should, doesn't contest shots are keep guys of the paint. He has taken a step back this year. With the way he has played I'd have trouble convincing me with touching him with a top 10 pick.
And comparing Zeller to Sullinger is an insult to Jared at this point. Cody has been balls all year, he gets pushed out of position by guys hand his size, doesn't rebound as well as he should, doesn't contest shots are keep guys of the paint. He has taken a step back this year. With the way he has played I'd have trouble convincing me with touching him with a top 10 pick.
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I do agree he should grab more boards, but there is no other big man in college bball that can run the floor like he can. Dude has heart in the post too. Not a top 10 pick? lmao theres not many big men at all in the country who are better. ESPECIALLY if TYLER WENT TOP 15, and hes better than Tyler IMO.
And how has he taken a step back when hes averaging the same PPG and added 2 RB's per contrast this year in contrast to last season?
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I'm an IU fan man, but I call it like I see it. This year's draft is weak as hell so I'm sure he'll go top 10 regardless but his game has been completely stagnant this year. He doesn't finish well with contact, gets pushed around the paint by guys with half his skill. Great players take over games like that one on Saturday and he was pretty much imo all day, missing free throws. He has a great motor sure but in the half-court this year he has failed to establish himself as a go-to scorer. In all the big games so far this year, he has been rather unimpressive. I expected huge things from him this year and he has given us squat. He is sprawled out on the floor at least five times a game. And that is with the golden boy calls that he gets. I can't take us seriously as contenders when he has been as unimpressive as he has.
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i think shabazz is a really good college player but i dont see him bein much in the nba. this dude michael carter williams is ballin 12.3 ppg 10.8 apg 5.2 rpg & 3.7 spg as a 6'6 pg :x
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This Cuse team is scary
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y'all rather have Trey Burke or mike Carter Williams??
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Right now, Burke. Probably over every PG.
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WAIT, WHAT!? He already went to the elite 8 at Zona...
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Yeah, sorry about that, wasn't thinking clearly for whatever reason when I wrote that. He has definitely taken them far in the tournament and with Xavier, too.
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Miller has two elite 8's.
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Stuff I've been doing so I can spam this thread..
Trey Burke:
Georgetown's Issue:
Last weekend:
Trey Burke:
TREY BURKE AND THE DISMANTLING OF WEST VIRGINIA
The evolution of Trey Burke has spawned from unheralded point guard out of Ohio to surprise freshman in the Big 10 to now, All American – and what should be early consideration for POY honors. Burke entered his name into the 2012 NBA Draft until ultimately deciding to return to school. The decision looks a wise one as Burke continues to up his game and now with a continued understanding of the point guard position coupled with improved strength and quickness, Burke looks like a 1st round lock. If any NBA scouts were in attendance this past Saturday night in Brooklyn, they surely came away impressed.
Burke had his way with any and all West Virginia guards from Juwan Staten to Jabarie Hinds to Gary Browne. Burke’s ability has helped lead Michigan to an 11-0 start and very real Final 4 aspirations. Nik Stauskas and Tim Hardaway along with Glen Robinson III have helped matters but it’s Burke that is the driving force and improving their games while simplifying them at the same time. Stauskas can live off of drive and kicks, Hardaway’s floor game has improved but has the luxury of concentrating on and doing what he does best – score.
Burke’s numbers currently look like this:
18 points per, 7 assists, 3.3 rebounds, 53.5% FG shooting, 38.3% from 3 and 75.7 FT%. Burke has a usage rate of 26%, a turnover to assist ratio of 3.3 to 1, and by result Michigan as a team is shooting 51% from the floor, 57.5% from 2PT and 40% from 3 with only a turnover rate of 15.9 (17th nationally – and Burke only has 6 turnovers in his last 6 games.). Add it all up and Michigan is the 5th most efficient offense so far this season.
The ability to play in the pick and roll is mandatory for any PG with the NBA in their sights and Burke does it as well as anyone. He has great pace to his game and is never in a hurry. With his increased explosiveness this season Burke also is proving to be deadly creating his own shot when things break down.
Burke is currently a good shooter, not quite yet great – but certainly good enough that you can’t go under a screen:
Ideally, you’d like to force Burke left and even here – where West Virginia hedges hard and seems to have Burke trapped – there is no panic and Burke’s ability to keep his dribble alive along with his court vision makes the play:
Burke’s ability to break people down was on display Saturday night as well:
He has really been able to blend his scoring and facilitating together nicely this season. His ability to get to where he wants on the floor is impressive this season and is leading to improved efficiency, this is a play I’m not sure he could finish last year:
One of the last things you want to do this season is pressure Michigan in the back court or look to play in a transition game. They have multiple ball handlers and will look to attack:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=rnp1e99wrEU
Burke also is showing no problem calling his own number and rejecting a screen if he sees fit. His ability to attack as a scorer makes Michigan so difficult to cover with Stauskas and an improved shooting Hardaway spacing the floor:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=lOh0OyKUlPk
Back to the pace of his game, he’s playing at a speed that’s comfortable for him and uncomfortable for anyone guarding him.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=CztuzZKZVMo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=O7Sy1c1jo7c
Burke was special on Saturday night – perhaps the best game anyone has played this year, so this is above the norm. But the signs he is showing this year is that of a player who was already really good that has made a significant leap.
The evolution of Trey Burke has spawned from unheralded point guard out of Ohio to surprise freshman in the Big 10 to now, All American – and what should be early consideration for POY honors. Burke entered his name into the 2012 NBA Draft until ultimately deciding to return to school. The decision looks a wise one as Burke continues to up his game and now with a continued understanding of the point guard position coupled with improved strength and quickness, Burke looks like a 1st round lock. If any NBA scouts were in attendance this past Saturday night in Brooklyn, they surely came away impressed.
Burke had his way with any and all West Virginia guards from Juwan Staten to Jabarie Hinds to Gary Browne. Burke’s ability has helped lead Michigan to an 11-0 start and very real Final 4 aspirations. Nik Stauskas and Tim Hardaway along with Glen Robinson III have helped matters but it’s Burke that is the driving force and improving their games while simplifying them at the same time. Stauskas can live off of drive and kicks, Hardaway’s floor game has improved but has the luxury of concentrating on and doing what he does best – score.
Burke’s numbers currently look like this:
18 points per, 7 assists, 3.3 rebounds, 53.5% FG shooting, 38.3% from 3 and 75.7 FT%. Burke has a usage rate of 26%, a turnover to assist ratio of 3.3 to 1, and by result Michigan as a team is shooting 51% from the floor, 57.5% from 2PT and 40% from 3 with only a turnover rate of 15.9 (17th nationally – and Burke only has 6 turnovers in his last 6 games.). Add it all up and Michigan is the 5th most efficient offense so far this season.
The ability to play in the pick and roll is mandatory for any PG with the NBA in their sights and Burke does it as well as anyone. He has great pace to his game and is never in a hurry. With his increased explosiveness this season Burke also is proving to be deadly creating his own shot when things break down.
Burke is currently a good shooter, not quite yet great – but certainly good enough that you can’t go under a screen:
Ideally, you’d like to force Burke left and even here – where West Virginia hedges hard and seems to have Burke trapped – there is no panic and Burke’s ability to keep his dribble alive along with his court vision makes the play:
Burke’s ability to break people down was on display Saturday night as well:
He has really been able to blend his scoring and facilitating together nicely this season. His ability to get to where he wants on the floor is impressive this season and is leading to improved efficiency, this is a play I’m not sure he could finish last year:
One of the last things you want to do this season is pressure Michigan in the back court or look to play in a transition game. They have multiple ball handlers and will look to attack:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=rnp1e99wrEU
Burke also is showing no problem calling his own number and rejecting a screen if he sees fit. His ability to attack as a scorer makes Michigan so difficult to cover with Stauskas and an improved shooting Hardaway spacing the floor:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=lOh0OyKUlPk
Back to the pace of his game, he’s playing at a speed that’s comfortable for him and uncomfortable for anyone guarding him.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=CztuzZKZVMo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=O7Sy1c1jo7c
Burke was special on Saturday night – perhaps the best game anyone has played this year, so this is above the norm. But the signs he is showing this year is that of a player who was already really good that has made a significant leap.
Georgetown's Issue:
A lot has been made of Mikael Hopkins role in the Georgetown offense this year. The past week his time on the floor and impact was lessened by foul trouble and how aggressive he was. It seemed to me that someone may have had a talk with him about picking his spots – and it being okay to defer. Not that it was a direct result of it, but Georgetown did have their two best offensive performances since they played Indiana.
In fairness to Mikael, the only other centers that JTIII has had have either been; a) 1st Round NBA Draft picks or b) Seniors.
To see how Mikael stacks up so far against SR year Roy, Henry and Julian and SO year Greg :
Mikael is an adequate scorer at this point in his career. His back to the basket leaves something to be desired but it’s decent for a sophomore, he just struggles to finish which is reflected in his 38% shooting. Helping matters so far is his ability to get fouled and get to the line as his FT Rate is by far the highest out of the group. Mikael’s criticism thus far comes from the amount that the ball is in his hands as a decision maker. Julian Vaughn’s assist % was the lowest of the bunch before Mikael, but Julian also had by far the lowest usage rate. Right now Mikael is the play maker out of the high post Julian was (not much) but also is trying to make plays at the rate of Henry Sims and Greg Monroe. It’d help if the rebounding numbers went up as well, but with Whittington crashing the boards this year along with Otto and Nate – it’s not a dire need. The concern going forward has to be how much he forces the issue. If he can defer at pick his spots with the one on one coverage that he’ll be the benefit of, he can put together a solid season. We saw more of that the past two games, it also helps the Hoyas that there is capable replacement if Mikael falters. It’s not Moses Ayegba (yet) but rather Nate Lubick.
It’s difficult to interpret these numbers because Nate still does spend most of his time at the 4 spot. However he has shifted over to the 5 at times and there has to be at least some thought of Nate being capable of running the offense. If you play Nate at the 5 as the hub of the offense, it is likely that we see more assists coming out of the high post. If the 5 spot is going to turn the ball over, some thinking has to be given to at least having a play maker be the culprit. Do you lose rebounding by moving everyone up a spot? Maybe, but I don’t think it’s asking for much trouble (to note, Jabril has a higher def reb % than Mikael). Where it would most likely put this group at a disadvantage is the use of zone defense which Georgetown is playing at a high level again this year. You essentially move Greg to the back line and insert Jabril to the top of the zone at the SG spot.
Also, here are the chart numbers with an inclusion of 2005 Jeff Green when he played a lot of ’5′:
So, there is something to go off of with the Starks/Trawick/Whittington/Porter/Lubick group : The 2005 and even the 2006 team. The most often used lineup with that 2005 group was: Wallace/Cook/Owens/Bowman/Green. Rayshawn Reed actually played slightly more minutes than Roy Hibbert. Only a 7 man rotation with the Top 5 all averaging 25 or more minutes with a natural college PF taking on more of a center role. Defensively that team only allowed 41.5% shooting, in the end it was a team that couldn’t score easy baskets and played at the slowest pace of all III teams as the offense was being put into place. Had they found easier offense, it was a team that likely wouldn’t have collapsed down the stretch and made an (astonishing) NCAA appearance.
None of this is to say Mikael needs to hit the bench or playing Nate at the 5 is a viable option long term. The Big East isn’t small. Between Syracuse’s front court and Cooley, Dieng, Teague, Adams and Gardner/Otule – there are a lot players Mikael will have to be on the floor to go against. But, there is another option that doesn’t rely on Moses or BJ Hayes taking on a role they aren’t quite ready for. A case certainly can be made that Jabril is one of the 5 best players on this team and I’ll have to wait until HoyaProspectus runs their lineup stats this season but I’m interested to see where the Starks/Trawick/Whittington/Porter/Lubick group falls in. Otto at the 4 also seemed to net the best offensive production last year (http://www.hoyaprospectus.com/2012/03/lineup-stats-for-all-conf-games.html) – it allows him to hit the offensive boards more aggressively, something this team really is lacking and makes him a greater threat in the mid range – where he excels.
My points in all this:
- Mikael is a sophomore handling a role which demands a lot from him and he may not be that player needed yet. But, he certainly is more advanced than sophomore (or junior) year Henry was. He can get there in time.
- Putting Jabril on the floor with the Top 4 should be a gain on offense. And while Jabril is one of the better defenders on the team, how much does his inclusion hurt the zone defense that is employed so often?
-Everything we’ve seen from Nate this year says he could/can handle more responsibility and the floor may open up with better spacing. The length that would remain on the floor makes up for moving Greg, Otto and Nate up a spot.
I’m cherry picking the first example I saw, but here’s an example of the spacing with a Nate/Mikael combo vs Nate playing the 5..
Mikael sets a high ball screen and while Nate doesn’t flare out as quickly as he should – the defense doesn’t respect him at that spot on the floor, a driving lane is quickly shut off for Markel and from there the offense had to re-start:
Here is the same thing, a high ball screen and again no action off of it due to Nate’s defender being allowed to help off:
Now, here is an example I found of the Markel/Jabril/Greg/Otto/Nate grouping with Nate setting a high ball screen for Greg, which he rejects due to an opening:
Everyone had to be accounted for – Jabril, Markel and Otto. The Western Carolina defender did a poor job of showing too early but he likely thought that he had help behind him if Greg rejected the screen. Greg did so due to having an open lane with his teammates pulling the defense away. The result was a missed dunk but an open look at an easy basket.
Teams from Michigan to the Knicks and the Miami Heat have found success lately playing a multi-dimensional 4 man and stretching the floor with skill. It’s too much of Nate Lubick to ask for him to play the 5 spot on defense for extended periods, but I think this lineup can help give a boost to the Georgetown offense this season in stretches.
In fairness to Mikael, the only other centers that JTIII has had have either been; a) 1st Round NBA Draft picks or b) Seniors.
To see how Mikael stacks up so far against SR year Roy, Henry and Julian and SO year Greg :
Mikael is an adequate scorer at this point in his career. His back to the basket leaves something to be desired but it’s decent for a sophomore, he just struggles to finish which is reflected in his 38% shooting. Helping matters so far is his ability to get fouled and get to the line as his FT Rate is by far the highest out of the group. Mikael’s criticism thus far comes from the amount that the ball is in his hands as a decision maker. Julian Vaughn’s assist % was the lowest of the bunch before Mikael, but Julian also had by far the lowest usage rate. Right now Mikael is the play maker out of the high post Julian was (not much) but also is trying to make plays at the rate of Henry Sims and Greg Monroe. It’d help if the rebounding numbers went up as well, but with Whittington crashing the boards this year along with Otto and Nate – it’s not a dire need. The concern going forward has to be how much he forces the issue. If he can defer at pick his spots with the one on one coverage that he’ll be the benefit of, he can put together a solid season. We saw more of that the past two games, it also helps the Hoyas that there is capable replacement if Mikael falters. It’s not Moses Ayegba (yet) but rather Nate Lubick.
It’s difficult to interpret these numbers because Nate still does spend most of his time at the 4 spot. However he has shifted over to the 5 at times and there has to be at least some thought of Nate being capable of running the offense. If you play Nate at the 5 as the hub of the offense, it is likely that we see more assists coming out of the high post. If the 5 spot is going to turn the ball over, some thinking has to be given to at least having a play maker be the culprit. Do you lose rebounding by moving everyone up a spot? Maybe, but I don’t think it’s asking for much trouble (to note, Jabril has a higher def reb % than Mikael). Where it would most likely put this group at a disadvantage is the use of zone defense which Georgetown is playing at a high level again this year. You essentially move Greg to the back line and insert Jabril to the top of the zone at the SG spot.
Also, here are the chart numbers with an inclusion of 2005 Jeff Green when he played a lot of ’5′:
So, there is something to go off of with the Starks/Trawick/Whittington/Porter/Lubick group : The 2005 and even the 2006 team. The most often used lineup with that 2005 group was: Wallace/Cook/Owens/Bowman/Green. Rayshawn Reed actually played slightly more minutes than Roy Hibbert. Only a 7 man rotation with the Top 5 all averaging 25 or more minutes with a natural college PF taking on more of a center role. Defensively that team only allowed 41.5% shooting, in the end it was a team that couldn’t score easy baskets and played at the slowest pace of all III teams as the offense was being put into place. Had they found easier offense, it was a team that likely wouldn’t have collapsed down the stretch and made an (astonishing) NCAA appearance.
None of this is to say Mikael needs to hit the bench or playing Nate at the 5 is a viable option long term. The Big East isn’t small. Between Syracuse’s front court and Cooley, Dieng, Teague, Adams and Gardner/Otule – there are a lot players Mikael will have to be on the floor to go against. But, there is another option that doesn’t rely on Moses or BJ Hayes taking on a role they aren’t quite ready for. A case certainly can be made that Jabril is one of the 5 best players on this team and I’ll have to wait until HoyaProspectus runs their lineup stats this season but I’m interested to see where the Starks/Trawick/Whittington/Porter/Lubick group falls in. Otto at the 4 also seemed to net the best offensive production last year (http://www.hoyaprospectus.com/2012/03/lineup-stats-for-all-conf-games.html) – it allows him to hit the offensive boards more aggressively, something this team really is lacking and makes him a greater threat in the mid range – where he excels.
My points in all this:
- Mikael is a sophomore handling a role which demands a lot from him and he may not be that player needed yet. But, he certainly is more advanced than sophomore (or junior) year Henry was. He can get there in time.
- Putting Jabril on the floor with the Top 4 should be a gain on offense. And while Jabril is one of the better defenders on the team, how much does his inclusion hurt the zone defense that is employed so often?
-Everything we’ve seen from Nate this year says he could/can handle more responsibility and the floor may open up with better spacing. The length that would remain on the floor makes up for moving Greg, Otto and Nate up a spot.
I’m cherry picking the first example I saw, but here’s an example of the spacing with a Nate/Mikael combo vs Nate playing the 5..
Mikael sets a high ball screen and while Nate doesn’t flare out as quickly as he should – the defense doesn’t respect him at that spot on the floor, a driving lane is quickly shut off for Markel and from there the offense had to re-start:
Here is the same thing, a high ball screen and again no action off of it due to Nate’s defender being allowed to help off:
Now, here is an example I found of the Markel/Jabril/Greg/Otto/Nate grouping with Nate setting a high ball screen for Greg, which he rejects due to an opening:
Everyone had to be accounted for – Jabril, Markel and Otto. The Western Carolina defender did a poor job of showing too early but he likely thought that he had help behind him if Greg rejected the screen. Greg did so due to having an open lane with his teammates pulling the defense away. The result was a missed dunk but an open look at an easy basket.
Teams from Michigan to the Knicks and the Miami Heat have found success lately playing a multi-dimensional 4 man and stretching the floor with skill. It’s too much of Nate Lubick to ask for him to play the 5 spot on defense for extended periods, but I think this lineup can help give a boost to the Georgetown offense this season in stretches.
Last weekend:
Might as well start with the marquee match up between Florida and Arizona. The game went how I thought it would for 37 1/2 minutes. The 2 1/2 minutes it didn’t? Last minute and a half of the first half and last minute of the 2nd half. What happened in those two and a half minutes is really beyond explanation – Arizona outscored Florida 15-0. What we saw from most of the night is Florida is a grown man team who has the right mix of top level guys with excellent role players mixed in. It seems like everyone on that team knows exactly what is expected of one another. The loss has to be deflating due to; a) Obviously, giving the game away. b) Mike Rosario and Scottie Wilbekin played fantastic and hit shots. On the other hand, maybe they should be encouraged by being in that position with a dreadful performance from Kenny Boynton on the road? Arizona is about what you expect – Lyons (love him or hate him) does bring a toughness and ability to find his own shot. Solomon Hill is solid in all aspects and the trio of freshman bigs are ahead of schedule. All that could have been asked of the front line was to battle and they did so (also helping matters was moving Hill over to the 4 spot later on). In the end, they stole a significant win to go on their resume. Those were two Elite 8 quality clubs getting after it. (And I don’t want to gloss over Arizona winning the game but Sean Miller said himself he wasn’t sure whether or not to feel guilty.)
While Rick Pitino’s protege let one get away, the teacher took one back in Memphis. Louisville rallied from an early 16 point hole to eventually put away Memphis. John Wooden once had a quote (I can’t find it) about switching defenses that essentially said, switching defenses is the result of not having any defense. Needless to say, that seems a little dated. Pitino’s teams of late have been thriving on giving different looks to opposing offenses. They give the traditional match-up press look that we’re accustom to seeing with Pitino and then they can drop back into their match-up zone or man to man defense. To note here is the center often takes on the most responsibility in the half-court match up zone with the reliance on communication. Louisville currently is without Gorgui Dieng and is still playing at a high level defensively – holding Memphis to 53 points over the last 30 minutes in an up-tempo game. The level of play is only set to increase when he returns.
I don’t know how you stop Doug McDermott. I don’t think you can. To go along with his insane shooting from 3 (27-51), he seals defenders in the post as well as anyone and has great ability in the mid-range. He doesn’t defend much (at all) and it still isn’t stopping him from being one of the best players in the country. Cal didn’t stand much of a chance on Saturday night and a positive sign for Creighton is how well they defended, limiting Allen Crabbe to 6-26 shooting. On Cal, it’s become increasingly frustrating to watch a team with some good to great college players (Jerome Randle, Patrick Christopher, Harper Kamp, Jorge Guiterrez, Crabbe, Justin Cobbs) just not have the help on thin rosters. Mike Montgomery does a fine job with what he has and Cal isn’t the easiest place to recruit to, but an extra player or two on some of these teams would lead to more success against top teams. As seen here, Cal is just too reliant on the back court duo of Cobbs and Crabbe:
It’s interesting that Myles Mack and Fuquan Edwin are the best players from the now defunct Patterson Catholic program and not Kyle Anderson. Mack has emerged as the best guard and player in the Rutgers program while Edwin keeps trending upward for Seton Hall:
I’m not sure how many players have ever utilized a redshirt season like Kelly Olynyk. I don’t know the amount of muscle Olynyk has put on, but it’s substantial and is leading to a player who looks like he has an NBA future. He’s now averaging 15 points and 6.6 rebounds in only 25 minutes of play.
Speaking of Gonzaga, they have to be at the top of the ‘Catholic 7′ wish list with Butler. I’ve long ago stopped trying to figure out how Butler does it. I believe Indiana is overrated this season but to win that game in OT with the players left on the floor? Impressive. Also, not to discredit Brad Steven’s genius – but we all could have figured out to isolate Jordan Hulls on the last play.
I know Chris Fouch is out for the year but I can’t explain Drexel. Frantz Massenat and Damion Lee can’t get you better than a 3-7 start?
Villanova has made big strides in 3 weeks time. They’re still a bottom feeder in the Big East but after their start, to rebound with wins @ Penn, vs St Joe’s and vs Delaware is a good sign for their young core. Somebody got the message to Arcidiacono to pass the ball and not heave 30 footers and that helps.
On lessened roles, it seems Mikael Hopkins is at least starting to defer more for Georgetown. It has resulted in two positive steps forward for the Georgetown offense, which in my estimation looked it’s best since Brooklyn on Saturday. It certainly helped that Greg Whittington broke out of his slump. If Whittington can find his stroke, then this can improve:
Marcus Paige vs Mike Gesell is probably something Iowa fans will debate for a while. The two have been linked together as they faced off in High School and Paige was courted by Iowa until UNC landed him. Iowa was able to land a very nice consolation prize in Gesell – now it appears as if Iowa may have won that trade off. Gesell is playing off the ball some but looks like a steady four year college PG and eventual All Big 10 player. It’s not to say Paige has performed poorly or won’t be a strong player in his own right but Gesell looks to be physically stronger and more advanced right now nearly across the board. Iowa also picked up a nice neutral court win vs Northern Iowa. The Hawkeyes are positioning themselves to be in the hunt for an NCAA bid as the year progresses.
I happened to catch some of A&M and Oklahoma and it’s still creepy how lifeless the A&M sideline is under Billy Kennedy, I don’t know what gives. OU fans should be excited about the future back court of Je’lon Hornbeak and Buddy Hield.
I had Purdue penciled in to finish 2nd to last in the Big 10 (pre- Tim Frazier injury). I questioned if I wasn’t giving Matt Painter enough respect. Well, they might finish 10th now but that’s it. The talent level among the upperclassmen is atrocious and the FR are not impact players.
Alabama was literally minutes away from a 7-0 start with a huge road win @ Cincinnati. Instead, they couldn’t close the door and now have followed that with a bad home loss vs Dayton and embarrassing trip to VCU. The silver lining has to be a strong performance from Devonta Pollard (finally).
When’s the last time you’ve seen a coach play a Box and 1 exclusively for a whole game? Tim Cluess (of all people) did it vs Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and somehow it worked. Iona has had some tough losses and likely was due for a close win. Not the most impressive day on the job for Mark Fox whose team had the ball in a tie game with the shot clock off and took a shot – with 17 seconds left.
South Dakota St and Nate Wolters fetch a lot of buzz but I’d put North Dakota St in the memory bank for March. Just a hunch.
After watching them twice now, I just don’t see Belmont being a threat this year to be Cinderella. Last years team seems like the better group. No shame in getting blown out in Phog Allen but also didn’t come away that impressed with the Bruins vs Middle Tennessee St. They struggle with physicality and length, it makes it very difficult to get the looks that they want on offense. Ben McLemore stole the show on the KU side of things and he looks more impressive each day.
I’ve talked before about Syracuse’s think back court. Just how thin? Brandon Triche and Michael Carter-Williams rank #1 and #2 nationally in average plus/minus (+25 and +24.6). Granted, it’s an extremely small sample – but a look at just how crucial those two are to stay healthy and out of foul trouble this season. It also is likely when MCW’s ‘incident’ this past week did not lead to a suspension against an upstart Canisius team.
Trey Burke is silly good. I mean, there isn’t much else to say. His blend of scoring and facilitating at the PG position is tops in the country right now. Also credit to John Beilein, I’ve never been much of a fan but that’s starting to change – no longer is he employing much (if any) of his trademark 1-3-1 zone and his players attack on offense and the reliance on the 3 ball has come down this year. I realize this started to become the case last year as well, I’m just a little late arriving. Seeing is believing. Not to say they’ll win it all or even be a Final 4 team – but it kind of feels like there is a little ’97 or ’98 Arizona to this Michigan team in the back court:
Kyle Wiltjer off the bench now? It might do some good for UK putting Poythress in the 4 spot and provide more offense by getting a third guard on the floor more often. Harrow had 12 points and 0 turnovers. Baby steps. While he’s certainly raw shooting the ball or operating with his back to the basket it is worth mentioning Nerlens Noel is averaging 2.1 assists, 9 rebounds, 2.8 steals and 3.9 blocks.
Skylar Spencer was on my watch list for unheralded freshman. He’s carved his way into the rotation for a strong San Diego St team and while his numbers are modest (3.3 and 4.0 rebounds with 1.3 blocks in 14.9 minutes) I’m excited to see he and Winston Shepard develop in that freshman class. We know the SDSU staff can develop talent.
To go along with Anthony Ireland at Loyola Marymount, Evan Roquemore needs more attention coming from the West Coast. Kevin Foster scores more and Marc Tarsolini is a big story off of his injury for Santa Clara but Roquemore is reason as any for a strong start. The junior guard is 14, 7 and 3 with a shooting line of 53/44/83.
While Rick Pitino’s protege let one get away, the teacher took one back in Memphis. Louisville rallied from an early 16 point hole to eventually put away Memphis. John Wooden once had a quote (I can’t find it) about switching defenses that essentially said, switching defenses is the result of not having any defense. Needless to say, that seems a little dated. Pitino’s teams of late have been thriving on giving different looks to opposing offenses. They give the traditional match-up press look that we’re accustom to seeing with Pitino and then they can drop back into their match-up zone or man to man defense. To note here is the center often takes on the most responsibility in the half-court match up zone with the reliance on communication. Louisville currently is without Gorgui Dieng and is still playing at a high level defensively – holding Memphis to 53 points over the last 30 minutes in an up-tempo game. The level of play is only set to increase when he returns.
I don’t know how you stop Doug McDermott. I don’t think you can. To go along with his insane shooting from 3 (27-51), he seals defenders in the post as well as anyone and has great ability in the mid-range. He doesn’t defend much (at all) and it still isn’t stopping him from being one of the best players in the country. Cal didn’t stand much of a chance on Saturday night and a positive sign for Creighton is how well they defended, limiting Allen Crabbe to 6-26 shooting. On Cal, it’s become increasingly frustrating to watch a team with some good to great college players (Jerome Randle, Patrick Christopher, Harper Kamp, Jorge Guiterrez, Crabbe, Justin Cobbs) just not have the help on thin rosters. Mike Montgomery does a fine job with what he has and Cal isn’t the easiest place to recruit to, but an extra player or two on some of these teams would lead to more success against top teams. As seen here, Cal is just too reliant on the back court duo of Cobbs and Crabbe:
It’s interesting that Myles Mack and Fuquan Edwin are the best players from the now defunct Patterson Catholic program and not Kyle Anderson. Mack has emerged as the best guard and player in the Rutgers program while Edwin keeps trending upward for Seton Hall:
I’m not sure how many players have ever utilized a redshirt season like Kelly Olynyk. I don’t know the amount of muscle Olynyk has put on, but it’s substantial and is leading to a player who looks like he has an NBA future. He’s now averaging 15 points and 6.6 rebounds in only 25 minutes of play.
Speaking of Gonzaga, they have to be at the top of the ‘Catholic 7′ wish list with Butler. I’ve long ago stopped trying to figure out how Butler does it. I believe Indiana is overrated this season but to win that game in OT with the players left on the floor? Impressive. Also, not to discredit Brad Steven’s genius – but we all could have figured out to isolate Jordan Hulls on the last play.
I know Chris Fouch is out for the year but I can’t explain Drexel. Frantz Massenat and Damion Lee can’t get you better than a 3-7 start?
Villanova has made big strides in 3 weeks time. They’re still a bottom feeder in the Big East but after their start, to rebound with wins @ Penn, vs St Joe’s and vs Delaware is a good sign for their young core. Somebody got the message to Arcidiacono to pass the ball and not heave 30 footers and that helps.
On lessened roles, it seems Mikael Hopkins is at least starting to defer more for Georgetown. It has resulted in two positive steps forward for the Georgetown offense, which in my estimation looked it’s best since Brooklyn on Saturday. It certainly helped that Greg Whittington broke out of his slump. If Whittington can find his stroke, then this can improve:
Marcus Paige vs Mike Gesell is probably something Iowa fans will debate for a while. The two have been linked together as they faced off in High School and Paige was courted by Iowa until UNC landed him. Iowa was able to land a very nice consolation prize in Gesell – now it appears as if Iowa may have won that trade off. Gesell is playing off the ball some but looks like a steady four year college PG and eventual All Big 10 player. It’s not to say Paige has performed poorly or won’t be a strong player in his own right but Gesell looks to be physically stronger and more advanced right now nearly across the board. Iowa also picked up a nice neutral court win vs Northern Iowa. The Hawkeyes are positioning themselves to be in the hunt for an NCAA bid as the year progresses.
I happened to catch some of A&M and Oklahoma and it’s still creepy how lifeless the A&M sideline is under Billy Kennedy, I don’t know what gives. OU fans should be excited about the future back court of Je’lon Hornbeak and Buddy Hield.
I had Purdue penciled in to finish 2nd to last in the Big 10 (pre- Tim Frazier injury). I questioned if I wasn’t giving Matt Painter enough respect. Well, they might finish 10th now but that’s it. The talent level among the upperclassmen is atrocious and the FR are not impact players.
Alabama was literally minutes away from a 7-0 start with a huge road win @ Cincinnati. Instead, they couldn’t close the door and now have followed that with a bad home loss vs Dayton and embarrassing trip to VCU. The silver lining has to be a strong performance from Devonta Pollard (finally).
When’s the last time you’ve seen a coach play a Box and 1 exclusively for a whole game? Tim Cluess (of all people) did it vs Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and somehow it worked. Iona has had some tough losses and likely was due for a close win. Not the most impressive day on the job for Mark Fox whose team had the ball in a tie game with the shot clock off and took a shot – with 17 seconds left.
South Dakota St and Nate Wolters fetch a lot of buzz but I’d put North Dakota St in the memory bank for March. Just a hunch.
After watching them twice now, I just don’t see Belmont being a threat this year to be Cinderella. Last years team seems like the better group. No shame in getting blown out in Phog Allen but also didn’t come away that impressed with the Bruins vs Middle Tennessee St. They struggle with physicality and length, it makes it very difficult to get the looks that they want on offense. Ben McLemore stole the show on the KU side of things and he looks more impressive each day.
I’ve talked before about Syracuse’s think back court. Just how thin? Brandon Triche and Michael Carter-Williams rank #1 and #2 nationally in average plus/minus (+25 and +24.6). Granted, it’s an extremely small sample – but a look at just how crucial those two are to stay healthy and out of foul trouble this season. It also is likely when MCW’s ‘incident’ this past week did not lead to a suspension against an upstart Canisius team.
Trey Burke is silly good. I mean, there isn’t much else to say. His blend of scoring and facilitating at the PG position is tops in the country right now. Also credit to John Beilein, I’ve never been much of a fan but that’s starting to change – no longer is he employing much (if any) of his trademark 1-3-1 zone and his players attack on offense and the reliance on the 3 ball has come down this year. I realize this started to become the case last year as well, I’m just a little late arriving. Seeing is believing. Not to say they’ll win it all or even be a Final 4 team – but it kind of feels like there is a little ’97 or ’98 Arizona to this Michigan team in the back court:
Kyle Wiltjer off the bench now? It might do some good for UK putting Poythress in the 4 spot and provide more offense by getting a third guard on the floor more often. Harrow had 12 points and 0 turnovers. Baby steps. While he’s certainly raw shooting the ball or operating with his back to the basket it is worth mentioning Nerlens Noel is averaging 2.1 assists, 9 rebounds, 2.8 steals and 3.9 blocks.
Skylar Spencer was on my watch list for unheralded freshman. He’s carved his way into the rotation for a strong San Diego St team and while his numbers are modest (3.3 and 4.0 rebounds with 1.3 blocks in 14.9 minutes) I’m excited to see he and Winston Shepard develop in that freshman class. We know the SDSU staff can develop talent.
To go along with Anthony Ireland at Loyola Marymount, Evan Roquemore needs more attention coming from the West Coast. Kevin Foster scores more and Marc Tarsolini is a big story off of his injury for Santa Clara but Roquemore is reason as any for a strong start. The junior guard is 14, 7 and 3 with a shooting line of 53/44/83.
stunnafasho03
Banned
- 1,132
- 126
- Joined
- Nov 26, 2003
Those kids r the truth..we got the #1 recruiting class again next year for like the 97th time in a row because of them..as a KY alumni and season ticket holder ill pay these redic ticket prices aslong as we keep gettin the top talent..i could care less if they only stay 1 year then bounce to the NBA..we always re-up
