Amida Brimah wins AAC Freshman of the Week

[tcf15]

Hopefully the first of many this year...

American MBB ‏@American_MBB 1m
Memphis F Shaq Goodwin (19.0 ppg, 9.5 rpg) is our 1/13 Player of the Week. UConn C Amida Brimah (20-8-5 vs UCF) is Rookie of the Week.

 

[Marat]

Nice. This kid is going to become a game changer for us.

 

[tcf15]

Rob Dauster ‏@RobDauster 2m
Amida Brimah plays 13.5 mpg. He's averaging 3.6 ppg, 2.4 rpg and ... 2.9 bpg. That's insane.

Averaging 8.7 blocks per 40 minutes.

 

[sparky]

Can he bring it night after night? If so we will be dangerous in March

 

[imno1]

Can he bring it night after night? If so we will be dangerous in March

Now that his confidence is growing his success lays in the hands of the zebras

 

[DogMania]

Now that he's an AAC Rookie of the Week, KO needs to tell the refs to give his star big a little respect and not call ticky-tack fouls on him. Yeah like thats going help. Seriously, if I was KO, I'd plant that seed or a similar one with the refs that Brimah has improved his technique and has been much better with avoiding foul worthy contact and to not be too quick with their whistles against the big fellah just because he's so big and gets his hands on or alters so many shots. Maybe it will stick in the back of the officials' minds and they'll not be so quick with the whistles on Amida.

After waching hoops for so may years I'm convinced that the refs let the better known bigs (juniors and seniors in particular) get away with fouls while they call phatom ones on the new comers especially the freshmen. I don't think it's mostly technique as to why freshman bigs pile up fouls at an alarming rate, though that is part of it. It just seems Brimah gets one or more bogus calls each game, which makes the difference from him playing just 10 to 15 minutes a given game compared to 16 to 20 plus.

I often joked in the past about some of our foul prone bigs would get whistled for a foul as they walked on to the floor before play would even begin.

 

[bmayuc]

One of the more interesting development with young shot blockers is that as they get noticed and verified as shot blockers they get other benefits:

1. Refs give them more leeway on close calls
2. They can sometimes choose to NOT block a shot and instead prepare for the rebound. Just their presence acts as a deterrent/factor.
3. starts so many fast breaks

 

[DogMania]

One of the more interesting development with young shot blockers is that as they get noticed and verified as shot blockers they get other benefits:

1. Refs give them more leeway on close calls
2. They can sometimes choose to NOT block a shot and instead prepare for the rebound. Just their presence acts as a deterrent/factor.
3. starts so many fast breaks

Good observations, but it often takes a while for then to get that type of respect. In Amida's case, he hasn't learned how to do #2. Too often he's going for the block shots and when he doesn't get it, he ends up out of rebounding position. He's still very young and has a lot of time to develop and learn.

 

[Huskybass]

Amida is energetic, passionate, athletic and humble. I think he will wind up as our best center since Emeka. As a freshman, he is far ahead of where Thabeet was. Plus, Amida isnt on the floor half the time.

 

[Edward Sargent]

Now that he's an AAC Rookie of the Week, KO needs to tell the refs to give his star big a little respect and not call ticky-tack fouls on him. Yeah like thats going help. Seriously, if I was KO, I'd plant that seed or a similar one with the refs that Brimah has improved his technique and has been much better with avoiding foul worthy contact and to not be too quick with their whistles against the big fellah just because he's so big and gets his hands on or alters so many shots. Maybe it will stick in the back of the officials' minds and they'll not be so quick with the whistles on Amida.

After waching hoops for so may years I'm convinced that the refs let the better known bigs (juniors and seniors in particular) get away with fouls while they call phatom ones on the new comers especially the freshmen. I don't think it's mostly technique as to why freshman bigs pile up fouls at an alarming rate, though that is part of it. It just seems Brimah gets one or more bogus calls each game, which makes the difference from him playing just 10 to 15 minutes a given game compared to 16 to 20 plus.

I often joked in the past about some of our foul prone bigs would get whistled for a foul as they walked on to the floor before play would even begin.

Refs are a definite part of the NCAA teaching experience. As it was with those of us majoring in Undecided Studies our Freshman and Soph core courses were fraught with potential failures, while we shined through in our Junior and Senior years with straight As in basket weaving, golf and the art of feng shui

 

[BearJWS]

Rob Dauster ‏@RobDauster 2m
Amida Brimah plays 13.5 mpg. He's averaging 3.6 ppg, 2.4 rpg and ... 2.9 bpg. That's insane.

Averaging 8.7 blocks per 40 minutes.

I was checking yesterday and I believe Amida leads the NCAA in blocks the per 40 mins category... by a full block. An amazing rate. I'd love to see Amida get 25 mpg!

 

[bmayuc]

Good observations, but it often takes a while for then to get that type of respect. In Amida's case, he hasn't learned how to do #2. Too often he's going for the block shots and when he doesn't get it, he ends up out of rebounding position. He's still very young and has a lot of time to develop and learn.

Completely agree I find myself mentally willing Amida to recognize an out of control slash to the bucket and back away. Its also when he gets a large % of his fouls, so solving that tendency is a two birds/one stone issue.

With reference to our great shot blockers, I think it occurred toward the end of OK4's freshman season after "the Arizona Game" and the beginning of Thabeets sophomore year. Just from memory.

I'll add another 2 benefits:

1. teams alternately either try to force it down low early to create foul trouble, which plays right into benefits 1, 2, and 3 above. OR, they stay away from the block all together and change their entire offense for one game. Either way, you are now dictating terms to the offense and that is a HUGE WIN.

2. Shooters automatically feel more pressure to make shots because they go into a game KNOWING easy buckets will be few and far between.

BRIMAH4PREZ

 

[upstater]

Thabeet's defense made the 09 team so tough defensively. The guards and forwards, who were already taller and tougher than our current crew (Price, Dyson, Stanley Robinson) could take chances. Of course, Adrien was there with his lunchpail too allowing Thabeet to roam.

Next year, with Purvis, Hamilton and Cassell coming in, and Ali the year after, I hope to see a lot more pressure on the perimeter. Of course, we'll still have a rebounding deficiency at PF and C unless Lubin and Facey can step up.

 

[BoatShow]

His interior presence on D is already huge. Usually a couple guys will go right at him when he first comes in. After they get sent back they rarely come back.

 

[CAHUSKY]

Amida is energetic, passionate, athletic and humble. I think he will wind up as our best center since Emeka. As a freshman, he is far ahead of where Thabeet was. Plus, Amida isnt on the floor half the time.

Thabeet averaged 6.2 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.8 blocks per game as a frosh. Amida is averaging 3.6, 2.4 & 2.9. I don't think those numbers support the fact that he is "far ahead of where Thabeet was".

 

[Brochacho]

Thabeet averaged 6.2 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.8 blocks per game as a frosh. Amida is averaging 3.6, 2.4 & 2.9. I don't think those numbers support the fact that he is "far ahead of where Thabeet was".

Thabeet averaged 25 minutes, Brimah 13. Brimah is a better shot blocker, at the least.

 

[Scot-e]

Thabeet's defense made the 09 team so tough defensively. The guards and forwards, who were already taller and tougher than our current crew (Price, Dyson, Stanley Robinson) could take chances. Of course, Adrien was there with his lunchpail too allowing Thabeet to roam.

Next year, with Purvis, Hamilton and Cassell coming in, and Ali the year after, I hope to see a lot more pressure on the perimeter. Of course, we'll still have a rebounding deficiency at PF and C unless Lubin and Facey can step up.

Lubin looks like a load- you never know till they get on the court but he is going to role into UCONN around 250 lbs. We currently have no one to put on the floor to fill that role. Him and an improved AB should really change our interior D next year.

 

[Strummer]

Thabeet averaged 25 minutes, Brimah 13. Brimah is a better shot blocker, at the least.

Okay - not to minimize what Thabeet meant to this program - he was largely responsible for the FF run in 09 which kept the program on top after 4 long years of subpar results - but Brimah is hugely more fun to watch as a freshman than Thabeet was.

Here is what he is better at:

Better motor, better hands, better attitude, better enthusiasm, better shot blocking instincts, better vertical, better toughness, better grit, better running the floor, better finishing, better dunking. I remember JC screaming "dunk 'n ball" after Thabeet again tried a lay-in and muffed it at some point.

Brimah is flat out better as a freshman, and with his length, motor, and will to win, he will do better in the pros than Thabeet has done, by a lot.

Seeing the potential and landing Brimah is Ollie's finest moment, so far, even if Brimah can't reproduce the UCF results for the rest of this year.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

I don't know what it is about your posts, but they annoy the ____ out of me. I think it's the blowhardy tone.

 

[Strummer]

I think it's the blowhardy tone.

 

[David 76]

Amida is energetic, passionate, athletic and humble. I think he will wind up as our best center since Emeka. As a freshman, he is far ahead of where Thabeet was. Plus, Amida isnt on the floor half the time.

That would make him our 2nd best center in the modern era.

 

[DogMania]

Thabeet's defense made the 09 team so tough defensively. The guards and forwards, who were already taller and tougher than our current crew (Price, Dyson, Stanley Robinson) could take chances. Of course, Adrien was there with his lunchpail too allowing Thabeet to roam.

Next year, with Purvis, Hamilton and Cassell coming in, and Ali the year after, I hope to see a lot more pressure on the perimeter. Of course, we'll still have a rebounding deficiency at PF and C unless Lubin and Facey can step up.

Lubin has been putting up big time numbers. I think he's going to be a beast in the paint even at the next level at the 4. It would be nice to add another true 5, or at least a 4-5 Combo.

 

[scrappy2.0]

Lubin has been putting up big time numbers. I think he's going to be a beast in the paint even at the next level at the 4. It would be nice to add another true 5, or at least a 4-5 Combo.

Look at our frontcourt next year

Lubin Facey Nolan Bridah--thats pretty darn good. My bet is Deandre Daniels also comes back--thats 5.

Bridah--there is a fine line of results versus unwanted NBA exposure. Even though he had his nice game--I dont think he can sustain anywhere near that level right now--because if he did--he would be gone THIS year(think about 6-11 225 pound C who can run jump etc.. like him with a 7-5 wingspan).--I think we can all safely say that wont happen for better for worse this year. BUT after he puts on 10-13 pounds gets stronger physically and with the ball--gets his 30 minutes next year--hes going to be a lottery pick by the end of his sophomore year.

 

[mauconnfan]

Good observations, but it often takes a while for then to get that type of respect. In Amida's case, he hasn't learned how to do #2. Too often he's going for the block shots and when he doesn't get it, he ends up out of rebounding position. He's still very young and has a lot of time to develop and learn.

That's true but we've had many guys who have never learned #2…….4 years in and Tyler Olander, who maybe has 7 blocks in his career, is still trying to block shots whether it would be his guy or front he secondary position on D…….hence the rebounding average! Going back there were others, DD did it against Harvard and twice down the stretch and it backfired….blocking shots is huge and is a game changing play, but not being in rebounding position can also be. As stated, they need to pick and choose, especially for those not named Brimah, Thabeet, Okafor etc etc…...