It's Miller Time

[Chief00]

When I said he was a "good" player I meant just that - but if you think just improving our defense ( which already was pretty good) is going to get it done - sorry it ain't happening. Basketball is a game in which you need to put the ball in the basket as a team consistently. That was the problem I saw when I broke down last season's games.
I have no problem with folks being unrealistic fans but you need scoring power to beat the elite teams; to match baskets at key points in the game.

 

[8893]

Basketball is a game in which you need to put the ball in the basket as a team consistently. That was the problem I saw when I broke down last season's games.

I just can't get enough of this type of insight.

 

[UCFan1513]

From what I have gathered Miller was the best transfer available. Is that true?

 

[upstater]

Also, at some point KO has gotta get credit for zeroing in on these big time transfers... kromah could have played at indiana, miller had his choices, but KO reeled him in.

We can also look at it this way: once a kid matures a little, and takes a more considered approach, he make a good decision. Most of the cockamamie choices (like going to UNLV) only make sense in the mind of an 18 year old.

We need someone who can get into the mind of an 18 year old.

 

[DogMania]

Guy on the rivals site is saying Alterique Gilbert to UConn is a done deal but will be made public a little later.

Alterique Gilbert attends Miller Grove HS. We just landed a Miller this weekend. Why not make it two? Synergy.

 

[UCFan1513]

Any news on Adam Smith or Trey Lewis?

 

[CardiacAndre7]

Guy on the rivals site is saying Alterique Gilbert to UConn is a done deal but will be made public a little later.

Just wondering, do you have a link or know who the guy was?

 

[Stainmaster]

Any news on Adam Smith or Trey Lewis?

Lewis has committed to Louisville. Smith is visiting Georgia Southern this weekend.

 

[UCFan1513]

Lewis has committed to Louisville. Smith is visiting Georgia Southern this weekend.

Thank you

 

[caw]

From what I have gathered Miller was the best transfer available. Is that true?

Probably top 5 grad transfers. I think there are arguments for a few others.

 

[UCFan1513]

Probably top 5 grad transfers. I think there are arguments for a few others.

Are we in with any other grad transfers?

 

[ChrisSmith]

Miller is a huge get - this team needs a post scorer and rebounder. Miller has a great frame and good length - he's got a nice spring in step. He's also a stat sheet stuffer. He blocks shots and gets steals. This fills a huge need, even if other needs remain.

 

[Danzz]

Miller looks to be bulkier and stronger than Facey or Hamilton so KO may be able to use him the 4. We will just have to wait and see where KO decides to play him and how he reacts to more talented opposition. The good thing about grad transfers is they only use a scholarship for 1 year and the bad thing is we will only have him for one year. Miller looks to be athletic and strong enough to help right away.

 

[61cygni]

Welp, gonna have to get a Miller jersey

 

[UConnNick]

Thank God we've finally replaced Lenehan's GPA.

Maybe this will keep the NCAA's APR police away from Storrs for one more year.

 

[superjohn]

Miller looks to be bulkier and stronger than Facey or Hamilton so KO may be able to use him the 4. We will just have to wait and see where KO decides to play him and how he reacts to more talented opposition. The good thing about grad transfers is they only use a scholarship for 1 year and the bad thing is we will only have him for one year. Miller looks to be athletic and strong enough to help right away.

He will be our starting power forward, he's a prototypical 4 in college.

 

[Towney007]

I feel overly bullish on next year's team to be honest. Purvis/DHam are obviously going to be the two main scorers, but I don't think the addition of Miller can be understated enough. Brimah - despite being an obviously flawed player - has found a bit of a scoring touch and I don't expect that to regress at all next year. Couple that now with Miller and the size and rebounding ability he has - you've now got four point scoring threats in the starting lineup. While I like to be more conservative with freshman PG's like Adams, I still expect him to be a significant contributor and Enoch will add a lot of value off the bench.

Where this team gets interesting is the grab-bag on the bench. Facey, Nolan, Callhoun, TSam.. i'm even kind of interested in what Sam Cassell Jr brings... - if they can get one or two of those guys to hit, this team starts to look pretty darn good. Add in a big piece this offseason and look out.

All that being said though - adding Miller to the mix is such a colossal get for them. Just really changes the landscape of what they can do, etc.

 

[djct1999]

When I said he was a "good" player I meant just that - but if you think just improving our defense ( which already was pretty good) is going to get it done - sorry it ain't happening. Basketball is a game in which you need to put the ball in the basket as a team consistently. That was the problem I saw when I broke down last season's games.
I have no problem with folks being unrealistic fans but you need scoring power to beat the elite teams; to match baskets at key points in the game.

You are half right. I don't disagree that we need a perimeter player who can shoot. But go back and break down those games. Do you really think that Miller did not fill a need? There were games that we didn't even have a front court. Miller addresses that immediately!

 

[Kitaman]

but we need a 3 shooter to spread the floor.

A ball handler who can knock down 3s - Bazz style.

 

[RipCity]

Guy on the rivals site is saying Alterique Gilbert to UConn is a done deal but will be made public a little later.

Not saying I don't believe you, but do you have a quote here? Or the guy's name?

 

[Dogbreath2U]

A ball handler who can knock down 3s - Bazz style.

Not asking for much there....sounds like a plan!

 

[cohenzone]

Assuming Miller performs as hoped, obviously the front court improves, probably a lot even if Brimah is the same as this year. But hoops being basically a guards game, the loss of RB and his replacement by an untested freshman, seems to me to be the cause at best of cautious optimism for next year. Very few of our really good guards aside from Khalid performed well enough in year one the way they did later on. Our ball movement was pretty lousy last year with Boatright, and he had the virtue of being able to bail us out at the end of a shot clock because he was such a good ball handler. If the ball movement isn't better, the D will always have a lot of pressure on it and defensive rebounding will be very important.

Aside from needing a very good guard on the floor to begin with and much better defensive rebounding , if the two main problems on the team from this year, and even the magical Shabazz run which tended to overshadow how the team played almost all that year, don't improve, it will continue to be an erratic ride. Ball movement on O is one, and full games, every game ,of defensive intensity is the other. That is on the coaching. Go Huskies.

 

[UConn990411]

Aside from needing a very good guard on the floor to begin with and much better defensive rebounding , if the two main problems on the team from this year, and even the magical Shabazz run which tended to overshadow how the team played almost all that year, don't improve, it will continue to be an erratic ride. Ball movement on O is one, and full games, every game ,of defensive intensity is the other. That is on the coaching. Go Huskies.

Obviously you never know how a freshman's game will transfer from high school, but every time I've watched Adams, he does an excellent job balancing when to run the offense and when to look for his own. As good as Boatright was, he was never able to master this ability...and it really showed this past season without Bazz.

 

[BlueMAB]

Does nobody realize that his ability to play with his back to the basket frees up shooters? Teams will have to consider double teaming him. Purvis, Hamilton, and Calhoun became better shooters as the year progressed. Hamilton and Purvis will both help keep defenses honest, and if Calhoun can stay healthy he can be a third catch/shoot option. Add Adams' ability to shoot the three and this pick up makes our offense much better. We just added a guy who can average 15 and 10, and does anyone really think Purvis and D-Ham can't improve on their numbers from last year?

And for defensive rebounding, Miller will pick up where others can't. He's more athletic than Nolan, stronger than Facey, and has better hands/higher BB IQ, than Brimah. With Brimah chasing blocks, Miller should be grabbing the rebounds for those altered shots.

We're not deep, but we've got a stud PG coming in, two legit scoring threats at the rim and from three in Purvis/DHam, one of the best shot blockers in the country at the 5, and a guy who can play with his back to the basket and collect a double-double every night with this lineup. Next year should be very exciting. With that starting five I expect us to be in the running for the conference championship, and if the bench players can develop into solid role players, we can make some noise in March.

 

[BlueMAB]

Obviously you never know how a freshman's game will transfer from high school, but every time I've watched Adams, he does an excellent job balancing when to run the offense and when to look for his own. As good as Boatright was, he was never able to master this ability...and it really showed this past season without Bazz.

In fairness to Boatright Bazz had Boatright Daniels and Giffey to help score. Those three (in their roles) in 2014 were better than Hamilton, Purvis, and anyone else we had in 2015 (in a supporting role to Boatright).