Next Year's Hopes - Durham &Diarra

[RayIsTheGOAT]

What instincts? He was awful and produced virtually nothing in an awful league.

He's a total wait-n-see.

I like having the 5-6 players playing for minutes at the 4-5. Who knows who emerges and it will likely change at times.

We need production there. Hopefully the stress and pressure produces great results.

He wasn't awful. He was just a young kid coming off 2 torn ACLs who barely saw the floor.
He definitely has solid instincts. If he can get physically stronger and develop a more aggressive mindset (and stay healthy), he has the potential to be very good.

 

[gtcam]

With all the big bodies that will be in uniform next year, KO will have one luxury:
a minimum of 25 fouls (almost enough for a half of a repeat of the UConn/Cinci game!)
I truly feel that the pivot won't be the huge issue that many think - I have to believe that on of the 5 will be good every game so it's Russian roulette
I am more worried about the wings hitting shots on a consistent basis - you have Larrier who never met a shot he didn't like and VJ who never shoots unless invited
I feel JD will be a pleasant surprise and Enoch will return hungry and eager to impress

 

[gtcam]

They need more talent. period.

Ollie can talk about what guys need to work on but you need to have the talent. UConn's bigs are extremely limited and often looked overwhelmed.

The biggest thing this team needs is Ollie to work as hard as possible to find more talent. He hasn't shown a great ability to evaluate and land enough talented players. He has gotten a few good players but not enough to build a new quality team. Ollie talks about what the players need to do but it all comes down to his ability to evaluate, land and develop quality, healthy talent. Depth is important as well.

Calhoun always had a process of putting great teams together 3 to 4 years at a time. Great progression each year leading to an eventual deep NCAA tourney run. Ollie doesn't seem to have things planned out well - multiple players at the same position with major deficiencies at other positions.

So wrong on so many levels
How long was JC here vs KO'd tenure? and you use it as a comparative
Yeah KO has only recruited crap - you got it

 

[hardcorehusky]

Enoch needs to get into basketball shape. Lean out a little bit and he will have quicker reactions and moves. He needs to play basketball and be a student of the game.

Durham has skills and could have redshirted without all the injuries. He needs to put on 25 pounds of muscle and gain confidence.

Re: 2017-2018 - I would like to see AG, JA, CV, TL and VJ playing the 5. Offensively, Vance could pull out the bigs and the other guys could spread, kick and drive. I think Larrier and VJ can rebound enough - but when they need to go big- then we have an array of options/fouls.

I would like to see us get the ball out on the break quicker and even fast break after made baskets. Calhoun's teams used to push after made baskets and picked up easy scores that demoralized the opponents.

 

[JSM1970]

So tired of the "coming off 2 ACLs" thing. If you aren't ready to play don't play and redshirt.

He was awful in the minutes he played. And he was still bad even after playing for 6 months.

I hope he can contribute next year, but it's a total wait-n-see deal.

And I have zero idea what type of player he is or where they'll play him.

He wasn't awful. He was just a young kid coming off 2 torn ACLs who barely saw the floor.
He definitely has solid instincts. If he can get physically stronger and develop a more aggressive mindset (and stay healthy), he has the potential to be very good.

 

[BFieldHusky]

You wanted to redshirt him when we were down to 8 guys 3 games into the season and played a lot of the year with 6-7 guys? Again is this your logic?

 

[Storrs South]

I'm asking anyone with video skills (maybe tc) to put together a few of Enoch's stellar offensive moves and compare, I can't believe the short memories here.

hi.

 

[JSM1970]

The decision to not redshirt him was made long before the injuries.

Harry Giles came off major knee surgery and looks like a stud. The excuses here are endless.

We'll have to see next year.

You wanted to redshirt him when we were down to 8 guys 3 games into the season and played a lot of the year with 6-7 guys? Again is this your logic?

 

[jleves]

Well this is pretty much the cool thing about college teams - you never really know what you are going to get year to year. We all expected great things going into 04 and that turned out fine. We pretty much expected similar things in 06 and that turned out to be a lot of guys more interested in improving their draft position than winning a national title. I think most of us expected great things having Andre join Alex and Roscoe and that turned out horrible. I don't think many of us expected great things with a frosh project center in 14, but we had a stud guard carry us to a championship. Seems to me next year is a lot like 14. Jalen could be the breakout junior guard ala Kemba and Shabazz with a solid core of decent to possibly really good big men and some superior help from young (or returning from injury) guards and wings.

I'm pretty sure there will be about 330 or more teams that wish they were in our shoes next year.

There are a lot of potential pieces next year and we get to see how it plays out.

 

[TheChamps990411]

Vital,Adams,Gilbert and Langford look very promising and im excited about those guys. Larrier(if healthy) and Jackson can be solid at the 3. The 4 and 5 spots terrify me. Far too many ifs and if recent history has shown ifs have gotten us nowhere. I think ultimately itll be Durham and Enoch starting even if theyre not much improved theyll likely be our best options.

 

[BFieldHusky]

The decision to not redshirt him was made long before the injuries.

Harry Giles came off major knee surgery and looks like a stud. The excuses here are endless.

We'll have to see next year.

Harry Giles is averaging 4 and 4 this year coming off surgery. I'm so "tired" of you never doing any research before you speak. Try it sometime.

 

[JSM1970]

Go watch him lately, dude is tough

And he plays on a good team in a legit conference

Harry Giles is averaging 4 and 4 this year coming off surgery. I'm so "tired" of you never doing any research before you speak. Try it sometime.

 

[mauconnfan]

Go watch him lately, dude is tough

And he plays on a good team in a legit conference

4 and 4, what a stud. I mean for his first 10 games surrounded by great players he looked like he never played before, and this is the #1 HS player coming out. Guess he's supposed to be better huh? Still no matter how you swing it 4/4 in a legit conference is still 4/4....not exactly ground breaking.

 

[JSM1970]

He had 4-4 in 10 mins against ND and 6-7 in 15 mins against UNC

Wait, rankings now matter?

I'm patient with Durham, but the excuses are insufferable

4 and 4, what a stud. I mean for his first 10 games surrounded by great players he looked like he never played before, and this is the #1 HS player coming out. Guess he's supposed to be better huh? Still no matter how you swing it 4/4 in a legit conference is still 4/4....not exactly ground breaking.

 

[WrenchFan69]

The decision to not redshirt him was made long before the injuries.

Harry Giles came off major knee surgery and looks like a stud. The excuses here are endless.

We'll have to see next year.

What? Harry Giles wildly, wildly underachieved

 

[UChusky916]

If Enoch is the key to our season I hope we make the NIT because we are going to have a hole in the middle. I get he is a local kid and everyone wants him to be a star but on what planet is he even a mediocre college player?

Earth. Planet Earth.

 

[Stainmaster]

Harry Giles was at one point the #1 player in the HS class of 2016. Why can't KO just scoop up more guys like that, right JSM?

 

[CardiacAndre7]

Harry Giles will be great. If he doesn't come out this year (which he shouldn't) and comes out next year, he could be #1 overall. He hadn't played competitive ball his senior year and also missed his whole sophomore year, and just like Durham, needed a season to adjust. Now Giles is the better player of the two unquestionably, and showed some glimpses, but this year under both their belts prepared them very well for next season. Thought we'd see a little more from Durham as he was forced into the rotation, but i'm excited for him for next year.

 

[JSM1970]

I'm not comparing the two as players, there is no comparison.

I'm comparing the excuses that the reason Durham was awful was that he hasn't played yet he played a whole season and was equally bad at the end of the season as the beginning

I want to see him with a full off season. He needs to add tons of muscle.

Harry Giles will be great. If he doesn't come out this year (which he shouldn't) and comes out next year, he could be #1 overall. He hadn't played competitive ball his senior year and also missed his whole sophomore year, and just like Durham, needed a season to adjust. Now Giles is the better player of the two unquestionably, and showed some glimpses, but this year under both their belts prepared them very well for next season. Thought we'd see a little more from Durham as he was forced into the rotation, but i'm excited for him for next year.

 

[Greathusky]

Watching Clark of Cincy basically walk into the lane numerous times backing down Enoch was tough to watch!

 

[UConnSwag11]

I'm not comparing the two as players, there is no comparison.

I'm comparing the excuses that the reason Durham was awful was that he hasn't played yet he played a whole season and was equally bad at the end of the season as the beginning

I want to see him with a full off season. He needs to add tons of muscle.

IMO, it's not even the muscle he needs. he needs to be confident and be smarter. you could tell whenever he was out there he was unsure/scared with the ball. I think he'll be good-very good but he needs to get back to playing constantly from not playing in roughly 2 years. He looked lost out there and through bad passes to do being indecisive

 

[JSM1970]

I agree, but how long before the excuses stop?

He was awful at the end of the season just like the beginning after playing for 6 consecutive months.

IMO, it's not even the muscle he needs. he needs to be confident and be smarter. you could tell whenever he was out there he was unsure/scared with the ball. I think he'll be good-very good but he needs to get back to playing constantly from not playing in roughly 2 years. He looked lost out there and through bad passes to do being indecisive

 

[UConnSwag11]

I agree, but how long before the excuses stop?

He was awful at the end of the season just like the beginning after playing for 6 consecutive months.

we don't know what he did and how much during practice. He also missed several games through the season and played about 8 minutes per game.

 

[Fairfield_1st]

When you guys decide you like a guy you come up with the most bizzarre excuses.

You seem to have decided you dislike the player and refuse to acknowledge his development. In the beginning of the season his play was very poor, well below mediocre. Missed close in shots and missed free throws at a Shaq like rate (58.8% on the season). But somewhere along the way he turned the corner a bit. He did start to show some nice moves around the basket and hit free throws at a much better rate (made 10 in a row over the last 3 games). He's still a bit of a bull in a china shop, but there was definite improvement. Defensively I haven't seen much change. Still plays D with his hands. Not sure if it's defensive laziness or lack of foot speed, but that is the most critical area where he needs improvement.
At 6-11 258 (per UConnHuskies.com) I think he could stand to drop a few pounds and increase his foot speed and mobility. By comparison Durham is listed at 207 and he's a little too light. Maybe 240-245 is a good weight, but just a guess.

 

[mauconnfan]

Watching Clark of Cincy basically walk into the lane numerous times backing down Enoch was tough to watch!

He scored at will vs everyone of our bigs this is not anything new. He owned UConn every time he's played them, these types of things need to change no doubt. But the shot blocker did nothing when guarding him either which juts as much, he went around him like nothing too. UConn needs smarter defenders who move their feet and understand basketball. Gary Clark could spin on occasion to the left but his basic move was a nice slow pivot until the defender committed too much one way then he went to the basket at ease, either scoring or getting fouled from behind. Amazing none of our guys could meet the body on him and just stay between the basket and Clark? SMU had less issues that's for sure, as simple as brains!