AAC in 2016-17: A time for Huskies, and a time for regression

[ctchamps]

I'm not gonna say who will or won't start, but what you just wrote to describe Diarra are the same words that were used to describe Facey coming into college. I have no issues with Facey being offensively challenged, my biggest disappointment with him as I don't really don't see the relentless motor and energy that he was billed as having coming out of HS. Alot of the time he just looks like a guy getting some cardio in while on the court.

The result of his trying to integrate team imo.
He was an offensive rebounding phenom freshman year but had no idea where to be on the court. He still lacks that ability but I feel he's made significant improvements from freshman year. Still a long way to go.

The same process is taking place with Brimah. He still struggles to avoid the instinct to block every shot with other aspects of the game. But you can tell he's trying to adjust.

If these two players can integrate their instinctual gifts with how to play within the framework of team play then they could be special. It's just hard to predict if they can. The pessimists already have written them off. The optimists are declaring they will succeed. IMO the future is unknown.

 

[Matrim55]

Nice write up but top 10 team? Please explain.

I think the team we were in the AAC tourney is the team we'll most often be next year. Not a national championship contender, but a team that has balance, plays suffocating defense, and can get to the Elite 8 with the right draw.

A lot of that prediction hinges upon Jalen's improvement in running the show, which is a big ask - neither Shabazz nor Kemba was particularly ready to lead as a sophomore. But neither of those guys had a Hamilton-type to take some of the creative/leadership burden off their shoulders.

That said, even if the offense doesn't improve all that much, I think our defense is going to be enough to get past 95% of the teams out there. It's going to be really, really tough to score against us.

 

[tzznandrew]

A lot of that prediction hinges upon Jalen's improvement in running the show, which is a big ask - neither Shabazz nor Kemba was particularly ready to lead as a sophomore. But neither of those guys had a Hamilton-type to take some of the creative/leadership burden off their shoulders.

Many of our sophomore PGs have struggled. One who didn't was Taliek, who had a savant at the SF in Caron--who averaged 3 assists as our primary scorer--and two secondary ball handlers with the ability to penetrate, shoot, and score (Robertson and Gordon). While I don't expect a freshman Gilbert to come close to Gordon's numbers, I do think the fact that he's more of a PG than Gordon was will help ease the transition as well.

I expect there to be some growing pains, but I'm hoping that in Adams' second year the team's success is closer to Taliek's second year than Kemba/Shabazz. And I think you're right to situate the hope for that in Hamilton making a jump.

 

[Matrim55]

Avery Woodson is transferring from Memphis. Dude shot 43% from 3 and averaged 10 ppg.

That one hurts them a lot.

 

[bmo22]

Avery Woodson is transferring from Memphis. Dude shot 43% from 3 and averaged 10 ppg.

That one hurts them a lot.

Memphis might be one of the worst teams in the conference next year. They're losing 4 of their top 5 guys in MPG and PPG, and who are they bringing in? One top 100 guard and one Juco wing. Pastner needed quite the haul to fix his roster and signed just two players. What a disaster.

 

[tcf15]

Avery Woodson is transferring from Memphis. Dude shot 43% from 3 and averaged 10 ppg.

That one hurts them a lot.

Another one gone...