Well this team's balls finally dropped as a group tonight and I hope they can take this as a building block.
1.) I like Durham a lot and people forget this was a Top-15ish guy until his leg blew to smitherines in High School. Of anyone who I think benefits most from injury-mania, it's going to be him. His ceiling is really, really high.
2.) Vital is just a fun, gamey player. I think some of the star-guard-in-the-making stuff is hilariously over the top with him, but he does sort of everything and is your ideal third guard of sorts. Can shoot a little, defends well, can get some pesky rebounds, etc. He's a def. four year guy and will probably be a real presence on the team for while. He's do some wildly idiotic things this year i'm sure; but he'll be worth the growing pains 100%.
3.) I hope Facey continues to play somewhere in the zip code of the way he played tonight because if he can, we might be able to hang around a little bit. Lord knows the talent has always been there - and he'll only be what he'll be - but he'd be a big add if he can continue to not suck.
4.) I love this team driving to the hoop. Maybe it's me - but they really carved up that zone tonight - in spite of not being able to hit the floor if they threw a brick at it. Shooting certainly needs work, but I feel like that's the one real gap skill this team can develop this year.
5.) Brimah. I just find Brimah arguments to be so pointless anymore. He's an elite shot blocker, a real defensive presence down low and once in every blue moon he'll take over a game on total raw ability alone. He's also got the lousiest hands i've ever seen, still fouls too much and gets stuck in no-man's land (see tonight's layup) mentally at least once a game. He's a slightly above average, kind of toolsey big who's good to have a on a developing, not contending team like this one that you're not married to long-term. I'll take him for what he is.
But just based on where they're at developmentally, it's going to have to be the effort they put out tonight every night if they want to hang around. My hope is they can post a winning record, maybe make a run in the conference tournament and we'll see where we're at.
