Alex Oriakhi questions

[CamrnCrz1974]

Apologize to the board/moderators in advance for starting another thread; my initial review of a number of threads did not seem to completely answer the following questions and I only saw a few UConn games this year:

1) How would you describe Alex Oriakhi's game? What are his strengths/weaknesses? Is there a particular player(s) comparison?

2) Did Oriakhi play a lot with Drummond? Or did they substitute for one another?

3) Did Oriakhi play closer to the basket, or did he use a mid-range game?

4) What was the issue with Oriakhi's suspension?

Side note(s)...yes, I am a Duke grad/fan. However, I have met several board posters in person (including one of the moderators) and was at the UConn-Oklahoma Fiesta Bowl. I have always enjoyed interacting with UConn fans and would love it if you ended up joining the ACC one day.

 

[Gurleyman]

Oriakhi is a strong body, somewhat mechanical - he can carve out room on the low block but doesn't always have the athleticism and coordination to do a lot with it. Would take him forever to gather himself sometimes, and loose, deflected passes or rebounds would often go through his area before he reacted to them. If a rebound fell straight into his area without a deflection he would look a little better. He has strong muscles, but weak hands, and his confidence gets shaken easily. He was a better player as a sophomore when he didn't have to worry about getting pulled.

We tried to play Oriakhi and Drummond together, but their skills were somewhat redundant. Drummond was more raw, but could finish more plays than Oriakhi so he ended up getting more of the minutes. Neither was a great low post scorer.

Oriakhi would usually try to play closer to the basket. He can step out to 15 feet and look decent shooting from there, whereas his moves around the basket were usually limited. But a pick-and-pop guy he isn't - it's more that if he is open on a kickout on a drive and dish, he can knock it down. He had a lefty jump hook that was effective earlier in his career, but he lost confidence with it. Usually when he tries going to low post moves, it's going to end up in a bad shot. If he can catch and shoot quickly, he's usually better.

He was never suspended. He was benched at different times in key moments (Syracuse in the BET and Iowa State), but that was more of an effectiveness or match-up issue (or a coaching hunch), not a disciplinary one.

 

[Ricky1Moore]

Did you watch any last year ? Like maybe the Final Four games?

1) Big and can be lively / Misses layups, plays like a wimp, shys away from contact
2) Yes and it didn't really work
3) This year it would be hard to say he played anywhere. Last year, close to basket, scoring off rebounds
4) ?

Duke-Lehigh was the single most satisfying college basketball game I have ever watched that did not involve Uconn.

But I will say that if that was going to happen to you, better this year than any other. Even hard core Duke fans know this years team wasn't going as far as most of your teams. Better to have this blip out of the way...

 

[zls44]

I spent a week in Phoenix last summer. Awesome, awesome place. I hate you for it, CC.

 

[specialisthusky]

1) Alex's strengths = being tall and strong, rebounding, defense and holy water
Alex's weaknesses=playing tall and strong, post moves, consistency, mental toughness, and catching the basketball in the post.

I have no comparisons for him. I think his expectations were along the lines of guys like D. Blair due to body similarity. Someone else can probably have a better example of a comparable player.

2) The Oriakhi and Drummond experiment did not go well. I believe Alex and Drummond started about 25 games together, yet it never gelled and during our runs of best basketball this season only one would be on the floor at a time in my opinion. He is a 5 make no mistakes about it, he is not a college PF from the three years I have seen of him.

3) AO may have some touch, but his offense is almost exclusively under the basket and in the paint. Alex may prefer shooting midrange though as it never appeared he welcomed contact like a guy his size should.

4) Alex didn't respond well to being benched and tweeted about it in a sulking and poor me manner. I don't recall him being suspended, only removed from the starting lineup to light a fire under him that apparently never caught flame.

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

Did you watch any last year ? Like maybe the Final Four games?

1) Big and can be lively / Misses layups, plays like a wimp, shys away from contact
2) Yes and it didn't really work
3) This year it would be hard to say he played anywhere. Last year, close to basket, scoring off rebounds
4) ?

Duke-Lehigh was the single most satisfying college basketball game I have ever watched that did not involve Uconn.

But I will say that if that was going to happen to you, better this year than any other. Even hard core Duke fans know this years team wasn't going as far as most of your teams. Better to have this blip out of the way...

To be honest, no, I did not see the Final Four last year. I did watch the Big East Tournament; however, I was too focused on watching Kemba Walker, to the point I could not even tell you who else was on the floor with him.
I agree with you about the loss this year and this year's team as compared to previous years. Lots of big wins. But were we one of the eight best teams in the country (to warrant a #2 seed)? No, not in my opinion. The wins were there, but the holes were masked with good coaching.

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

I spent a week in Phoenix last summer. Awesome, awesome place. I hate you for it, CC.

Glad you liked it! It is a great place to live...from October until May. Not so much in the summer...

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

My mistake on the suspension. I seem to recall that we was suspended for a few games, though I thought it was an institutional one, not an NCAA one. Serves me right to rely on my memory instead of researching it before posting the question.

 

[Ricky1Moore]

To be honest, no, I did not see the Final Four last year. I did watch the Big East Tournament; however, I was too focused on watching Kemba Walker, to the point I could not even tell you who else was on the floor with him.
I agree with you about the loss this year and this year's team as compared to previous years. Lots of big wins. But were we one of the eight best teams in the country (to warrant a #2 seed)? No, not in my opinion. The wins were there, but the holes were masked with good coaching.

Yes, completely agree. Duke was not very good this year and it was a combo of great coaching and terrible ACC competition that masked it. I have to give it to coach K that, even when they aren't great, he keep sthem in the upper echelon. Though in more recent years this also has been a function of the conference being down.

Duke in Big East this year? Hard to see them finishing above 6th or 7th

 

[Gurleyman]

My mistake on the suspension. I seem to recall that we was suspended for a few games, though I thought it was an institutional one, not an NCAA one. Serves me right to rely on my memory instead of researching it before posting the question.

You might have been thinking of Ryan Boatright - who dealt with some strange compliance issues this year and had to sit twice.

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

Yes, completely agree. Duke was not very good this year and it was a combo of great coaching and terrible ACC competition that masked it. I have to give it to coach K that, even when they aren't great, he keep sthem in the upper echelon. Though in more recent years this also has been a function of the conference being down.

Duke in Big East this year? Hard to see them finishing above 6th or 7th

Agree regarding the conference. The ACC been top heavy for a few years now, with not much depth.

As for the Big East, I think we would match up better with some teams, as opposed to others. Obviously, we beat St. Johns this year (in Cameron; I flew in for the game). I think your team would have given us lots of problems, so I can see losing to you. I think Louisville is another team that would have given us problems, though I think we would have defeated Marquette, South Florida, and Notre Dame. Syracuse would have beaten us. Georgetown and Cincinnati would have been toss-ups. I could see a high of 3rd or 4th with a low of 6th or 7th, depending on the schedule and which opponents we played at home. Realistically, probably anywhere from 11-7 to 13-5, in terms of conference wins and losses.

 

[Ricky1Moore]

Agree regarding the conference. The ACC been top heavy for a few years now, with not much depth.

As for the Big East, I think we would match up better with some teams, as opposed to others. Obviously, we beat St. Johns this year (in Cameron; I flew in for the game). I think your team would have given us lots of problems, so I can see losing to you. I think Louisville is another team that would have given us problems, though I think we would have defeated Marquette, South Florida, and Notre Dame. Syracuse would have beaten us. Georgetown and Cincinnati would have been toss-ups. I could see a high of 3rd or 4th with a low of 6th or 7th, depending on the schedule and which opponents we played at home. Realistically, probably anywhere from 11-7 to 13-5, in terms of conference wins and losses.

Honestly, with Coach K I wouldn't put it past him to get you gusy up to the 3rd or 4th... But I think that's quite unlikely without a lot of good fortune (or South Florida's schedule).

Reality is Duke has no inside game apart from the one good Plumlee, who teams would intentionally get in foul trouble immediately. Behind him, no one. Kelly is of little use in the Big East, he would just get pushed around and would be an even bigger liability on defense.

Rivers is good, but his drives to hoop would be met with some serious pain in the big East, and there are actually good big guys there to block his runners or make them more difficult.

The rest of your guys are all the same, they just shoot 3s. Drive and kick, drive and kick.

I think Marquette would dominate Duke. They can match up on the outside. Crowder would oull Plumlee from basket and it's game over as no one on Duke can defend their physical/strong guards. Add them on your schedule plus Cuse, Louisville, Cincy, WV, CT, ND, Gtown.... now choose two of them to play twice... add in a loss or two to a bad team that drains a bunch of threes and you have up to 10 or 11 losses a realistic possibility.

What's hard to communicate to other leagues is the wear and tear of playign great to pretty decent teams every night. We only have one Wake Forest and his name is Depaul. You saw what PC can do when some little arse hits 7 threes in a row...

Duke finishes at 8-10 at worst... 12-6 at best in this years BE

 

[johnhuskies95]

He's one on the best bigs I can ever remember at UConn in terms of getting good post position. He seems to always be deep inside the paint when he catches the ball.

His finishing is below average for a big, and he really didn't show any post moves this year. Last year and the year before he had a left handed hook that he would go to that was pretty reliable. He really doesn't have a right handed hook shot.

He's pretty sound defensively in terms of positioning and he's an underrated shot-blocker. He boards his area pretty well, but doesn't get many rebounds out of his area.

He'd be an interesting fit at Duke. He'll certainly have plenty of high major suitors who are looking for a big.

 

[HuskyBballFan]

I'd be pretty surprised if Oriakhi leaves the New England, or atleast Northeast, area.

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

I'd be pretty surprised if Oriakhi leaves the New England, or atleast Northeast, area.

If you do not mind me asking, what makes you say that?

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

He's one on the best bigs I can ever remember at UConn in terms of getting good post position. He seems to always be deep inside the paint when he catches the ball.

His finishing is below average for a big, and he really didn't show any post moves this year. Last year and the year before he had a left handed hook that he would go to that was pretty reliable. He really doesn't have a right handed hook shot.

He's pretty sound defensively in terms of positioning and he's an underrated shot-blocker. He boards his area pretty well, but doesn't get many rebounds out of his area.

He'd be an interesting fit at Duke. He'll certainly have plenty of high major suitors who are looking for a big.

How would you see him faring in the ACC? Did he fare better in UConn's conference games or non-conference games?

 

[Gurleyman]

It's impossible to say - he had great games against top frontcourts last year (Texas, Michigan State) where you thought he might be overmatched, and then he was rendered a complete non-factor by smaller teams, even mid-majors, where you look on paper and figure he'd be able to get 10 points and 12 rebounds in his sleep.

 

[Fishy]

Agree regarding the conference. The ACC been top heavy for a few years now, with not much depth.

As for the Big East, I think we would match up better with some teams, as opposed to others. Obviously, we beat St. Johns this year (in Cameron; I flew in for the game). I think your team would have given us lots of problems, so I can see losing to you. I think Louisville is another team that would have given us problems, though I think we would have defeated Marquette, South Florida, and Notre Dame. Syracuse would have beaten us. Georgetown and Cincinnati would have been toss-ups. I could see a high of 3rd or 4th with a low of 6th or 7th, depending on the schedule and which opponents we played at home. Realistically, probably anywhere from 11-7 to 13-5, in terms of conference wins and losses.

Duke struggled with physical, athletic teams - in fact, if there's ever been a 'type' of team that has given Coach K fits, it's that sort of team.

I would not want to play K with a finesse team. He'd find a way to outscore me nine times out of ten. But a tough, physical, athletic team is another ballgame and that's generally what you find in the Big East. Plus, I think pressing this year's team would cause issues due to the back court - Curry and Rivers really were two-guards and they dominated the ball. Marquette, Syracuse and UL would have would have caused Duke fits.

I can't imagine what would happen if this Duke team met a vintage Pitt team. They might not come out for the second half.

 

[HuskyBballFan]

If you do not mind me asking, what makes you say that?

It's really just a hunch. But he's a New England kid. His family is used to making a short drive to every home game. Rumors of Umass and URI are already floating around.

 

[caw]

How would you see him faring in the ACC? Did he fare better in UConn's conference games or non-conference games?

Yes he fared better out of conference. He doesn't know how to take a charge but often is the one being called for one. Not sure how that would work in the ACC.

 

[specialisthusky]

How would you see him faring in the ACC? Did he fare better in UConn's conference games or non-conference games?

in the acc alex would foul out in the first 10 minutes of playing time he gets with charging fouls alone. I am completely guessing but to throw a number out I'd say Alex was whistled for maybe 20 offensive fouls in the low post this year all from him lowering his shoulder and the defender flopping. What i think about those defender's and the use of the flop in the ACC i will keep to myself...

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

Thank you all for taking the time to respond. Really appreciate the comments and insight.