1st Team vs 2nd Team

[HooperScooper]

Care to wager ?

Unfortunately he's out a lot of money after betting on the Mavericks since he was 100% sure they were going to beat the Celtics.

 

[NH Husky]

Samson is starting, it's a lock.

Reed was higher rated than Clingan coming out of high school. Regardless, I love how Hurley exploits his players strengths depending on match ups which I also believe drives the team culture and individuals confidence, even if they are not starting.

 

[UConnSwag11]

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.

If you watch both of their highlights from last season, Reed is a much more skilled big man. Two things will keep Reed from starting - he doesn't pick up Hurley's system and somehow Samson makes an absurd leap in skill and IQ this summer. Samson started at the 4 before getting injured and became our backup center. He doesn't have the size to defend the 5 position similar to Coleman Hawkins.

 

[UConnSwag11]

If you watch both of their highlights from last season, Reed is a much more skilled big man. Two things will keep Reed from starting - he doesn't pick up Hurley's system and somehow Samson makes an absurd leap in skill and IQ this summer. Samson did start at the 4 before getting injured and then became our backup center

 

[bendm]

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.

I’d just give 5 of stews minutes at SF/3rd G to Ball so they’re both at 20mpg. Otherwise agree.

 

[husky429]

Obviously they're different players and there's no use arguing over who is better. But DAMN this kid has potential in the post. He's got good size, strong as hell, some crafty footwork, super nimble for his size.

He's a potential all-conference player if he cleans up his decision-making. I mean, just the the second play of that video is an elite offensive movement only a handful of D1 centers can even try to pull off. It's obvious why we prioritized him.

Nice pivoting and spins and step-throughs.. Finishes with both hands consistently. Nice feel on the o-boards. Fights hard for position.

Michigan ran the worst offense I've ever seena high-major team run. Literally. Reed was basically asked to force up 1v1 shots with no movement or outlet to shooters every game. And his shooting %s still weren't bad. Surround him with some safety valves on those post-ups and he will cut his TO rate by a third. Get more easy buckets off elite offense? Make that cut it in half.

 

[UofCT]

Care to wager ?

Yeah let’s do it.

 

[Huskybass]

Yeah let’s do it.

Ok. Game 1 starter. You have Samson. I have Reed. Stakes?

 

[UofCT]

Ok. Game 1 starter. You have Samson. I have Reed. Stakes?

Let’s side bar

 

[Huskybass]

Let’s side bar

Good idea.

 

[ddent68]

Watching that highlight reel blows me away. Tarris looks like a man among boys. He looks like he was the biggest center in the conference after Edey. I don’t know if that’s true but no one could stop him. He got to wherever he wanted whenever he wanted. He moves people, nobody moved him. He has footwork like Adama with greater size and strength. The potential is ridiculous. With the quality of his teammates and our coaching staff Michigan fans aren’t going to recognize him by March. As far as him vs Samson, Tarris can do what Samson can but not vice versa.

 

[twiceahusky]

He has footwork like Adama with greater size and strength.

Those were a few highlights vs. Penn State and some others. Adama’s footwork worked vs everyone.

Greater strength than Adama? I need to see a video of something moving Adama. Until then, I’ll give Adama the respect I feel he is due and say … I hope Tarris develops to the point where he has 75% of the footwork and bball strength as Adama.

 

[RuffRuff]

Samson has demonstrated absolutely zero so far to auto warrant top 5 team starter minutes. He was dreadful in key stretches this year, rebounding rate was abysmal, foul rate was crazy, has no offensive game other than dunking. The dunking was a product of amazing guards and system. In many of the games where we blew teams out, his +\- was in the red. He gets pushed around a ton, has a high center of gravity on a slight frame. Yes he has flashes, and eye catching moments with the dunks, and is great in transition. Don’t overvalue the highlight play dunks, they’re worth 2 points like all other baskets not 3s. Many of the loyalists want to pay it back to him, but if you take him on pure skills he’s an average starting 5 at best. It was often a massive downgrade when he was in and only buying time till Clingan got his rest.

I’m pulling for the kid as much as anyone and hope he makes a leap, but based on what I’ve seen I’m cautious to think it’s going to happen. I’ll eat crow if it does, happily.

Reed if nothing else is a much bigger and stronger kid, with nice touch. I see much higher upside with him. Danny will figure it out.

 

[Woodson]

Samson has demonstrated absolutely zero so far to auto warrant top 5 team starter minutes. He was dreadful in key stretches this year, rebounding rate was abysmal, foul rate was crazy, has no offensive game other than dunking. The dunking was a product of amazing guards and system. In many of the games where we blew teams out, his +\- was in the red. He gets pushed around a ton, has a high center of gravity on a slight frame. Yes he has flashes, and eye catching moments with the dunks, and is great in transition. Don’t overvalue the highlight play dunks, they’re worth 2 points like all other baskets not 3s. Many of the loyalists want to pay it back to him, but if you take him on pure skills he’s an average starting 5 at best. It was often a massive downgrade when he was in and only buying time till Clingan got his rest.

I’m pulling for the kid as much as anyone and hope he makes a leap, but based on what I’ve seen I’m cautious to think it’s going to happen. I’ll eat crow if it does, happily.

Reed if nothing else is a much bigger and stronger kid, with nice touch. I see much higher upside with him. Danny will figure it out.

Reads as kind of harsh evaluation! For college bball I’d say he’s def better than avg. Whether he’s better than Reed or not though remains to be seen.

 

[UConnSwag11]

Obviously they're different players and there's no use arguing over who is better. But DAMN this kid has potential in the post. He's got good size, strong as hell, some crafty footwork, super nimble for his size.

He's a potential all-conference player if he cleans up his decision-making. I mean, just the the second play of that video is an elite offensive movement only a handful of D1 centers can even try to pull off. It's obvious why we prioritized him.

Nice pivoting and spins and step-throughs.. Finishes with both hands consistently. Nice feel on the o-boards. Fights hard for position.

Michigan ran the worst offense I've ever seena high-major team run. Literally. Reed was basically asked to force up 1v1 shots with no movement or outlet to shooters every game. And his shooting %s still weren't bad. Surround him with some safety valves on those post-ups and he will cut his TO rate by a third. Get more easy buckets off elite offense? Make that cut it in half.

Yeah, I agree. I said earlier I think he can be a better version of Sanogo due to his athleticism.

 

[PAHusky]

Yeah, I agree. I said earlier I think he can be a better version of Sanogo due to his athleticism.

Sanogo was a two time first team BE and the MOP of the final four, put some respect on his name. I think we need to pump the brakes on the hyperbole around here with regards to the new guys

 

[UConnSwag11]

Sanogo was a two time first team BE and the MOP of the final four, put some respect on his name. I think we need to pump the brakes on the hyperbole around here with regards to the new guys

Why does everyone lose their mind and act like it’s an insult? Lol my goodness. It’s a friggin’ compliment. I’m well aware of how good Sanogo was. If you look at Reeds skill set, he’s much more than a back to the basket player. They’re both roughly the same size too. People get too defensive over former and current players when there’s no need to

 

[JustbrewitMan]

This coaching staff has proven they are now the innovators of CBB…

While every staff scouts and game-plans for each game, it would be wild if they start to craft an opponent-specific strategy hyper-focused to the point of having interchangeable starting lineups to maximize mismatches for as many minutes as possible based on the projected starters/subs of the other team.

We’ve got 10+ deep amazing talent with different enough toolboxes to make it happen.

For example, some games Tarris starts, others Samson…some games Stewart, others McNeeley, etc.

Can’t wait to see what our boys have in store for us in the Fall!

 

[husky429]

For example, some games Tarris starts, others Samson…some games Stewart, others McNeeley, etc.

In the last two years we've had the same starting lineup every single game barring injury or sickness IIRC. I mean, we even sub the same players at the same timeouts consistently. I really doubt that we end up having starting lineups that flexible. It's good for chemistry to keep a routine and allows guys to prepare for their specific role.

At the end of the day, someone at each position elevates themselves above their teammates in practice. We don't know who that is going to be, but the overwhelming likelihood is that it's going to happen.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I think we need to pump the brakes on the hyperbole around here with regards to the new guys

Are you new to the boneyard?

 

[UConnSwag11]

This coaching staff has proven they are now the innovators of CBB…

While every staff scouts and game-plans for each game, it would be wild if they start to craft an opponent-specific strategy hyper-focused to the point of having interchangeable starting lineups to maximize mismatches for as many minutes as possible based on the projected starters/subs of the other team.

We’ve got 10+ deep amazing talent with different enough toolboxes to make it happen.

For example, some games Tarris starts, others Samson…some games Stewart, others McNeeley, etc.

Can’t wait to see what our boys have in store for us in the Fall!

The starting lineups won’t change but the amount of minutes distributed between the rest of the players will

 

[JustbrewitMan]

The starting lineups won’t change but the amount of minutes distributed between the rest of the players will

You and @husky429 are likely right but I keep all doors open for innovation with our coaching staff. Gotta stay ahead of the imitators!

 

[CL82]

Jaylin's dad agrees with you.

x.com

x.com

You know if you swap out "Twitter" for "X" the tweets will appear in your post, right? It's fine if you don't feel like doing it, but I just wanted to make sure you were aware of it as an option.

Nice find on the tweet.

 

[CL82]

I appreciate people being willing to make such detailed predictions based on so little information. Don't get me wrong, it's interesting reading and I find myself tweaking the percentages in my own head, but we, obviously, have no idea what Hurley is seeing now, and what he will see prior to the start of the season.

For what it's worth, I feel as if it is easier to start a more traditional big who is a physical presence in the paint and then bring in an athletic highflyer as a change of pace. I worry about Samson picking up early fouls at the start of a game.

That isn't a prediction, just my sense of things. Maybe the new and improved "15 pounds of summer muscle" Johnson can hold his own in the paint without fouling.

 

[HooperScooper]

You know if you swap out "Twitter" for "X" the tweets will appear in your post, right? It's fine if you don't feel like doing it, but I just wanted to make sure you were aware of it as an option.

Nice find on the tweet.

I wish some handy tricks of posting would be pinned to the top of the board so everyone would have quick access to stuff like this. Could include this trick, how to post articles without a paywall, how to embed videos, etc. I'd write it if Tom agreed to pin it and keep it up top here.