14-15 backcourt discussion

[Danzz]

I can see it although were guard heavy we can use another guard with handle. When boat plays off the ball or when hes on the bench we need another player whos better with the ball. TS has average handle hes much better off the ball slashing or in transition. I dont think purv is a primary ball handler either.

Cassell could be that PG with a handle.
Purvis is converting from a 2G so we'll have to wait and see his handle and how he runs a team but I still think he starts in the backcourt with Samuel as a backup. From everything we've read Hamilton could be that special talent and will either start or get starter's minutes.. If we play essentially 3 guards it wouldn't surprise me to see Nolan and Brimah in the game together. It would be great if Nolan could develop better touch around the basket. Somebody is going to have to rebound. Bazz was our leading rebounder most games and we'll miss him big time on the boards.
If Omar turns things around and I think he will Ollie is going to have a lot of pieces at the SF and G positions. It will be interesting to see how KO fits all these pieces together.

 

[champs99and04]

Last year we weren't that talented of a team. At least we didn't think that going in. We were a great coached team through the season and tournament with Bazz making great plays throughout. This year we will be a lot more talented.

I also don't think we will feel the lose a Bazz too much. Ryan is a senior PG who has been practicing running the show for awhile. I expect Rodney to be really really good too. Scoring wise Hamilton will be better than Giffey or Daniels. Let's just hope Omar goes back to his freshman form so he could be a good contributor off the bench or a solid starter so Hamilton could be a scoring plug off the bench and get ready to be an all around wing his sophomore year.

I think most of us thought we were a pretty talented team last season, we just weren't sure if there was enough of it in the front court. You could certainly make the argument that with the additions of Purvis and Hamilton, we are more talented this season, but I'd be surprised if we were better. If you don't think we will feel the loss of Bazz too much, I think you're underestimating the value of one of the best players in the history of the program who also happens to be a seasoned leader. I have no question Boatright can fill the leadership void, but it obviously remains to be seen whether he can be nearly as good. It definitely helps, though, to have a senior point guard who was a leader on a national championship team returning - this isn't like 2012 when we were relying on an untested Napier to fill the shoes of the guy coming off probably the best single season in UConn history. If you wanted to take a glass-half-empty approach, you could say it feels a little like 2010 when a senior Dyson and a sophomore Kemba were trying to share the play-making duties in the back court, and their skill sets ended up being more redundant than complementary. I tend to think the back court will be more than fine, but we'll see.

Daniels and Giffey will both be sorely missed, and even though I expect Facey to be a really good player in time, I can't imagine he'll be able to fill the shoes of those two right away. It isn't often you find a forward who can hit threes, drive, and also protect the rim on the other end, but that's exactly what Daniels was able to do. His skill set gave us the luxury of spreading the floor while not losing anything defensively; this season, I suspect we'll be forced into more either/or situations unless Nolan and/or Facey is further along offensively than we thought. Giffey gave us an additional long-range threat in addition to versatility defensively that is damn near unparalleled - he could guard centers in spurts and then step out onto the perimeter late in the shot clock and defend point guards, all the while usually being responsible for the opposition's best wing scorer. Granted, it's possible that Brimah will be enough of a force defensively at the five that we can play ultra-small and not get burned too often, but by the end of their time here, Giffey and Daniels were two of the best two-way forwards in quite a while. Daniel Hamilton is an awesome talent, but if I had to guess, I'd say that transition is going to be far from seamless. At the end of the day, freshman are freshman.

 

[boog204]

Ha, I was constantly mocked by a few posters when I said we played a G-G-G-W-C lineup last year (Boat-Bazz-Omar-DD-Phil/Amida early in the season). Some people just like labels & there is no such thing as a 3 G lineup, nor is DD as wing/SF.... according to them.

We had several moments of G-G-G-W-W last year with either DD or Giff playing the 5. In the college game you just need guys who can play.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

I agree with most of what your saying there and I don't want to sound like a DD hater but he really was a guy who disappeared for long stretches of games, it seems like the boneyard remembers him only for his play in the tournaments which I understand but outside of the tournament he was a very inconsistent stretch 4 who can give you 2 points 3 rebounds next game and then 17 and 11 the next. I think KO did a great job getting him involved through screens to get him open on post ups and 3 point shots to let him drive. He didn't become a consistent low post scorer until the tourney and only played like that when his confidence was really high which wasn't too often. There's a reason he's projected to be a 2nd round pick after his great tournament run.

I'm just saying we won't have inconsistency problems with Facey like we did with DD because he seems like a guy who has a great motor to go along with his size to make a much better consistent fit at the 4. He also seems like he has that ability to spread the floor from the 3 and shows a great midrange shot. His high school tape seemed to show off a variety of nice post moves also and be a much more consistent rebounding threat. I know he didn't play much his freshman year but neither did DD and I think he was a lot less ready to play his freshman year than Facey was and Facey seems like a harder worker. I just don't know how he will play on the defensive end. Hopefully Ollie and the weight room will prepare him for that because he can really be one of the best 4s we've had here at UConn with his size, athleticism, and shooting touch.

Giffey and Kromahs defnense will not be replaced by Hamilton and Calhoun I'm sure. Which will hurt. But offensively they both will be able to fill it up more and in more variety of ways. I know everyone wants to downplay Hamilton because they don't want to build the hype machine but I'm very sure that he can come in and fill it up right away with his scoring ability and confidence with two of the best guards I the country to make the game easier for him and take the pressure off. Defense is something that will probably come along for him throughout the season.

I'm scared Bazz's leadership won't be replaced by Boatright either. I hope he can play with the more talented Purvis a long side of him with his eyes on impressing nba scouts. Hopefully he doesn't need the practice year to become a leader like Bazz did and can just take the torch and run. Scoring wise I'm sure Purvis can replace what Bazz brought to the table. I just hope Boat and this teams talent along with Ollie's coaching can bring us over that hump. I don't think everyone here understands how great a job Ollie did with the sets and plays ran for these guys last year outside of Bazz, Boatright, and Kromah to get these guys open looks and how much having a green light can help a player like Giffey's or DDs confidence shooting the ball. It really is just on the defensive end where they will be missed.