1st Team vs 2nd Team

[husky429]

With 4 starters gone Jaylin Stewart will have a tremendous impact on this team. Perhaps the biggest jump of the returning players including Karaban, Ball, Diarra, and Ross. McNeely, Stewart, and Karaban sharing the floor for some minutes, sure why not.

My pick for likely MIP is definitely Stewart. He was naturally deferential to other guys last year but showed real flashes of elite defense and work in the lane.

 

[bendm]

Samson is a senior and made an impact on the best college team in the last 15 seasons. Reed started on the worst team in the B10 and was their 5th option.

staff was all over reed the day the portal opened. They brought him over for the chip parade. It’s an insult to the staff to say they brought in a stiff

 

[RuffRuff]

My pick for likely MIP is definitely Stewart. He was naturally deferential to other guys last year but showed real flashes of elite defense and work in the lane.

Wouldn’t discount Solo. He didn’t play as much because we were just much deeper at guard once Castle was healthy. Solo is an athletic freak with a really, really nice stroke. His issue last year when he did play was more mental than anything. Seemed out of position a lot and staring way too much, with a happy trigger from 3. If he can figure out a role in the scheme, I think he has just as much upside.

 

[Nick2005]

Liam will be our best player. I want Hass off the bench with Stewart. Imagine being down 5 after six minutes of first half. Then say to yourself, who cares bc Hass and Stewart haven’t even played yet. We need someone to step up at pg outside of Hass. Many possibilities. If you can shoot and play some D, you will get plenty of minutes. Up to the kids to play with confidence and just know you belong. I think playing 23 minutes a night on UConn means good chance you are first round draft pick. We are the problem everyone knows they have to deal with.

 

[Huskybass]

Samson is starting, it's a lock.

Reed will start over Samson.

 

[UofCT]

Reed will start over Samson.

Sure thing dude.

 

[JB75]

Agree with the premise here. My percent chance starting at the beginning of the year:
1 - Diarra 80% / Nowell 20%
2 - Ball% 60% / Mahaney 40%
3 - Liam 70% / Stewart 20% / Ross 10% / Abraham 0%
4 - AK 100% / Stewart 0%
5 - Samson 75% / Reed 25%

I like this prediction -mostly. I love solo but I wud switch those numbers to 60/40 in mahaneys favor and close the gap a little between Stewart and mcneeley. Maybe 60/40. Everything else looks good. Reed and Nowell wud assumingly close the gap on Samson and Diarra as season progresses

 

[jibsey]

Remember the game where Stew took over and went off from 3? Beautiful elevation and jump shot I was impressed by that. Was that a one of or is that really him?

 

[husky429]

Agree with the premise here. My percent chance starting at the beginning of the year:
1 - Diarra 80% / Nowell 20%
2 - Ball% 60% / Mahaney 40%
3 - Liam 70% / Stewart 20% / Ross 10% / Abraham 0%
4 - AK 100% / Stewart 0%
5 - Samson 75% / Reed 25%

If Ball is starting, it's with Mahaney--not over Mahaney (which is unlikely, but possible). Mahaney was the #2 option on a ranked team. He averaged almost 20ppg and 39% on volume from deep vs. high-major/ranked teams and a positive A:TO.

If AK is a lock (he is), Mahaney is probably the next closest thing.

 

[husky429]

Let me give my starting lineup percentages for the first game of the season because I'm bored. Too hot to work on the house, and I have my brothers kids all weekend anyways.

PG: Diarra 70% / Nowell 15%/ Mahaney 15%... Nowell is really good, but it's rare for a freshman PG to be ready no matter how talented. Maybe coach wants to go with Mahaney at the 1. Or Nowell adjusts really fast. Who knows.
SG: Mahaney 70% / Solo 30%... Like I said in my previous post. Mahaney is a hell of a talent and this board underestimates his skill because he played in a mid-major conference. #2 option on a top-25 team didn't transfer to sit. Period.
SF: McNeeley 50 % / Stewart 40% / Ross 10% Basically a Stewart/McNeeley toss-up in my eye. The comments recently on McNeeley adjusting in practice quickly gave him the edge.
PF: Karaban 95% / Stewart 5% Only way AK sits is if he's got the flu day 1.
C: Reed 65% / Johnson 35% Probably the one choice I'll get heat for. I think Samson's style is built to be a spark off the bench. Blaze of energy doesn't work for 25-30mpg. He's a 3-5 minute stint energy piece IMO--and he'll be very good at it. Reed is going to wear teams down with his size, strength, and quickness in the lane. Our system will help him cut down on his only glaring weakness: TOs.

 

[mauconnfan]

Let me give my starting lineup percentages for the first game of the season because I'm bored. Too hot to work on the house, and I have my brothers kids all weekend anyways.

PG: Diarra 70% / Nowell 15%/ Mahaney 15%... Nowell is really good, but it's rare for a freshman PG to be ready no matter how talented. Maybe coach wants to go with Mahaney at the 1. Or Nowell adjusts really fast. Who knows.
SG: Mahaney 70% / Solo 30%... Like I said in my previous post. Mahaney is a hell of a talent and this board underestimates his skill because he played in a mid-major conference. #2 option on a top-25 team didn't transfer to sit. Period.
SF: McNeeley 50 % / Stewart 40% / Ross 10% Basically a Stewart/McNeeley toss-up in my eye. The comments recently on McNeeley adjusting in practice quickly gave him the edge.
PF: Karaban 95% / Stewart 5% Only way AK sits is if he's got the flu day 1.
C: Reed 65% / Johnson 35% Probably the one choice I'll get heat for. I think Samson's style is built to be a spark off the bench. Blaze of energy doesn't work for 25-30mpg. He's a 3-5 minute stint energy piece IMO--and he'll be very good at it. Reed is going to wear teams down with his size, strength, and quickness in the lane. Our system will help him cut down on his only glaring weakness: TOs.

I like this and agree with most of the numbers. I’m hoping Hassan still comes off the bench though no matter. It’s not that he doesn’t deserve the shot of starting it’s the fact that it worked so well last year. Just seems he’s made to be that vet coming in to either give a rest or light a fire, which ever is required.

I also think Stew will get good minutes no matter and be a huge piece of this years squad. Loaded roster I mean Ross could improve and still be 9-10-11.

 

[husky429]

I like this and agree with most of the numbers. I’m hoping Hassan still comes off the bench though no matter. It’s not that he doesn’t deserve the shot of starting it’s the fact that it worked so well last year. Just seems he’s made to be that vet coming in to either give a rest or light a fire, which ever is required.

I also think Stew will get good minutes no matter and be a huge piece of this years squad. Loaded roster I mean Ross could improve and still be 9-10-11.

Agreed. This is how I'd imagine minutes. I'm wrong on this every year, but it's fun to imagine. I think we may be deep enough to have our guys max out at 30 mpg. More like 22-23 than 23-24 in that regard. This is my "big game" minutes, so ignore the spot minutes you might see from the bench guys. We're going 9 deep.

PG: Hass 25, Nowell 15
SG: Mahaney 25, Solo 15
SF: McNeeley, 25, Stewart 15
PF: AK 30, Stewart 10
C: Reed 25, Samson 15

I think this is going to be a developmental year for Abraham and Ross. It will be their time (as well as Nowell) when AK and McNeeley (and Hass) are gone.

 

[navery12]

For reference when people talk about how hard it'll be to be good again because we're losing so much, so is most of the Big East

 

[superjohn]

Wouldn’t discount Solo. He didn’t play as much because we were just much deeper at guard once Castle was healthy. Solo is an athletic freak with a really, really nice stroke. His issue last year when he did play was more mental than anything. Seemed out of position a lot and staring way too much, with a happy trigger from 3. If he can figure out a role in the scheme, I think he has just as much upside.

Jaylin's dad agrees with you.

x.com

x.com

 

[superjohn]

Agreed. This is how I'd imagine minutes. I'm wrong on this every year, but it's fun to imagine. I think we may be deep enough to have our guys max out at 30 mpg. More like 22-23 than 23-24 in that regard. This is my "big game" minutes, so ignore the spot minutes you might see from the bench guys. We're going 9 deep.

PG: Hass 25, Nowell 15
SG: Mahaney 25, Solo 15
SF: McNeeley, 25, Stewart 15
PF: AK 30, Stewart 10
C: Reed 25, Samson 15

I think this is going to be a developmental year for Abraham and Ross. It will be their time (as well as Nowell) when AK and McNeeley (and Hass) are gone.

Too low on Solo Ball.

 

[ddent68]

Mahaney is going to be a stud for us and I think Alex and he are locks to start. In the end I don’t think it matters who starts because the minutes are going to be pretty even especially to start the season. I love what Samson brings to the table but his skill set is just too narrow to be the main guy at the 5. Tarris is just ridiculously skilled for a big man. Have we ever had a big man that could take his man off the dribble from the top of the key? I can’t remember one. The talent on this team is crazy. I can’t wait.

 

[husky429]

Too low on Solo Ball.

Probably. In my mind he deserves 20+mpg like Stewart. If he can play some 3 or if Mahaney plays a bit more at the 1, that will open things up for him.

 

[alphasigko]

"... he’s earned the starting spot."

Not yet. We will see if that is the case in early November.

 

[jibsey]

Does anyone have practice reports?

 

[UofCT]

Not yet. We will see if that is the case in early November.

The only scenario where he doesn’t start is if we go Karaban at the 5.

 

[UofCT]

Reed will eventually start if not right away. He was the 5th scoring option on a horribly coached Michigan team.

He was only starting over Karaban for a game or 2 at best due to seniority and for the same reason may do so early on again. Even with his vast improvement there’s weaknesses that keep him as an very adequate bench player.

When Hurley re-recruited Samson during the 2023 szn do you think his pitch was “play behind Clingan for a year and then play behind the starting center from the worst team in the power 5” OR “play behind Clingan for a year and then start during your senior season” ?

Samson has flaws but let’s be real about Reed, he has some major major issues. There are maybe a handful of centers that could have transferred in and taken Samson’s spot and Reed sure as heck ain’t one of them. If we did reel a starting caliber center I don’t see Samson sticking around to play back up in his last year of eligibility.

 

[ddent68]

When Hurley re-recruited Samson during the 2023 szn do you think his pitch was “play behind Clingan for a year and then play behind the starting center from the worst team in the power 5” OR “play behind Clingan for a year and then start during your senior season” ?

Samson has flaws but let’s be real about Reed, he has some major major issues. There are maybe a handful of centers that could have transferred in and taken Samson’s spot and Reed sure as heck ain’t one of them. If we did reel a starting caliber center I don’t see Samson sticking around to play back up in his last year of eligibility.

You think Hurley guaranteed starting? I don’t think so. I think he had an honest conversation and outlined where he stood. I think Samson made an honest assessment of his own skills and opportunities and decided the best place for him was at UConn. Let the best man win. Either way I think they will both be major contributors. I’m rooting for both these kids. We as fans are winners either way.

 

[Huskybass]

Sure thing dude.

Care to wager ?

 

[ddent68]

When Hurley re-recruited Samson during the 2023 szn do you think his pitch was “play behind Clingan for a year and then play behind the starting center from the worst team in the power 5” OR “play behind Clingan for a year and then start during your senior season” ?

Samson has flaws but let’s be real about Reed, he has some major major issues. There are maybe a handful of centers that could have transferred in and taken Samson’s spot and Reed sure as heck ain’t one of them. If we did reel a starting caliber center I don’t see Samson sticking around to play back up in his last year of eligibility.

You are way under estimating Reed

 

[mauconnfan]

When Hurley re-recruited Samson during the 2023 szn do you think his pitch was “play behind Clingan for a year and then play behind the starting center from the worst team in the power 5” OR “play behind Clingan for a year and then start during your senior season” ?

Samson has flaws but let’s be real about Reed, he has some major major issues. There are maybe a handful of centers that could have transferred in and taken Samson’s spot and Reed sure as heck ain’t one of them. If we did reel a starting caliber center I don’t see Samson sticking around to play back up in his last year of eligibility.

Your opinion and I respect it. Problem is when your game is molded as that as a back up then that’s what you are. He needs to improve with another huge leap to be our starter because as good as he was as a back up if he’s the same player Reed will be starting. Not sure about that handful thought because I like our guy but he had back up skills.

If he’s a lot better this year more power to you.