Amore: KO on Jalen Adams, Mamadou Diarra & Team Chemistry

[LIUCHusky]

You're not missing anything. Ollie and the geniuses on the yard think that taking the ball out of Adams hand and giving it to Alterique is going to make Adams into Jeremy Lamb. We saw the evidence last year with a much better cast of players and the outcome was losses to Wagner and Northeastern and would have been a loss to Loyola Marymount if not for late heroics by Christian Vital. Instead of elevating and affirming Adams status as the man of the team, he is doing the opposite. How Ollie and the entire staff don't see the obvious that Jalen Adams needs to be our point guard and lead guard with Vital as his 2 man is hilarious.

Ollie is putting his players in position to not succeed. Just like last year, you have a huge defensive asset in Brimah and what does he do: play zone to effectively neutralize Brimah's effectiveness because you know players need to rest when playing Houston, ECU, and Tulsa.

Alterique needs to come off the bench to start the year. He needs to defend way better and learn to play off the ball like Boat for next year to be useful for our team.[

Hey Huskymagic, just out of curiosity what is your career coaching record?

 

[HuskyHawk]

You're not missing anything. Ollie and the geniuses on the yard think that taking the ball out of Adams hand and giving it to Alterique is going to make Adams into Jeremy Lamb. We saw the evidence last year with a much better cast of players and the outcome was losses to Wagner and Northeastern and would have been a loss to Loyola Marymount if not for late heroics by Christian Vital. Instead of elevating and affirming Adams status as the man of the team, he is doing the opposite. How Ollie and the entire staff don't see the obvious that Jalen Adams needs to be our point guard and lead guard with Vital as his 2 man is hilarious.

Ollie is putting his players in position to not succeed. Just like last year, you have a huge defensive asset in Brimah and what does he do: play zone to effectively neutralize Brimah's effectiveness because you know players need to rest when playing Houston, ECU, and Tulsa.

Alterique needs to come off the bench to start the year. He needs to defend way better and learn to play off the ball like Boat for next year to be useful for our team.

Alterique needs to start, even if it is at the SG position. Vital is a classic 6th man. I argued last year that it was a mistake to make Adams the shooting guard, and screwed him up early in the year before he went back.

Here's the reality. Those are our two best guards. So they play the most. I don't care if they are both point guards. They both need to learn how to play in a two PG offense, where they can read the situation and distribute or score as dictated by the defense. This is the biggest test this staff has to start the year, and I will judge them on it. If KO is just expecting it to happen, it won't. But we've run dual PG offenses for quite some time, and we can do it again. Both guys need to understand what that means. Neither can monopolize the ball as Gilbert did early last season.

 

[CL82]

Hey Huskymagic, just out of curiosity what is your career coaching record?

"Undefeated"

 

[mauconnfan]

You're not missing anything. Ollie and the geniuses on the yard think that taking the ball out of Adams hand and giving it to Alterique is going to make Adams into Jeremy Lamb. We saw the evidence last year with a much better cast of players and the outcome was losses to Wagner and Northeastern and would have been a loss to Loyola Marymount if not for late heroics by Christian Vital. Instead of elevating and affirming Adams status as the man of the team, he is doing the opposite. How Ollie and the entire staff don't see the obvious that Jalen Adams needs to be our point guard and lead guard with Vital as his 2 man is hilarious.

Ollie is putting his players in position to not succeed. Just like last year, you have a huge defensive asset in Brimah and what does he do: play zone to effectively neutralize Brimah's effectiveness because you know players need to rest when playing Houston, ECU, and Tulsa.

Alterique needs to come off the bench to start the year. He needs to defend way better and learn to play off the ball like Boat for next year to be useful for our team.

Would you stop with the zone stuff, they had 8-9 guys who could play (2 weren't good) and 2 guards, it wasn't for brimah. And all he could do is block shots should have been better for him, he couldn't guard anyone in a man.

And like it or not Alterique needs to be real good for them to be good. He and Jalen need to be able to share the duties like KO/Sheffer, Ricky/KEA, Kemba/Bazz and Bazz/Boat. He needs to start and be real good like his AA honors showed, he's a highly talented kid. As much as we fell in love with CV he is a perfect 6th man type or when beginning with a 3 guard lineup the 3rd guard. But no matter, they need these 2 to lead this team.

 

[gtcam]

Ya don't say?!

Best post in ages
Thanks for the laugh!!!!!

 

[Tenspro2002]

Ya don't say?!

Do you disagree with AZ's assessment?

Recruits care first and foremost about a coach being able to get them to the NBA. So far, KO has gotten one guy there (Shabazz), who is on his third team and may not see a second contract.

If Adams or Larrier don't get there, it's going to be hard to overcome the perception that playing for KO is useless or even harmful for a recruit with NBA ambitions.

 

[businesslawyer]

Do you disagree with AZ's assessment?

Recruits care first and foremost about a coach being able to get them to the NBA. So far, KO has gotten one guy there (Shabazz), who is on his third team and may not see a second contract.

If Adams or Larrier don't get there, it's going to be hard to overcome the perception that playing for KO is useless or even harmful for a recruit with NBA ambitions.

His first job is to win friggin games. Not to manage a team for his star's NBA contract. Calhoun did that to some extent with Drummond. How did that turn out for us?

If we're going to be good this year, it's because Gilbert and Larrier are going to contribute at a very high level. Period. If Gilbert is healthy, he is going to start. Additionally, I know Adams was our best player last year by light years but am I the only one who noticed that the worst part of his game was stretches where he was a turnover machine. He's not a pure 1. He is a scorer with many of the tools of a 1. We need him to be Kemba to AG's Shabazz, or Shabazz to AG's Boat, if we're going to accomplish anything.

 

[Tenspro2002]

His first job is to win friggin games. Not to manage a team for his star's NBA contract. Calhoun did that to some extent with Drummond. How did that turn out for us?

If we're going to be good this year, it's because Gilbert and Larrier are going to contribute at a very high level. Period. If Gilbert is healthy, he is going to start. Additionally, I know Adams was our best player last year by light years but am I the only one who noticed that the worst part of his game was stretches where he was a turnover machine. He's not a pure 1. He is a scorer with many of the tools of a 1. We need him to be Kemba to AG's Shabazz, or Shabazz to AG's Boat, if we're going to accomplish anything.

I don't disagree with any of that. They should have a Kemba/AJP or Bazz/Kemba or Boat/Bazz dynamic.

To be honest, I'm less concerned about who's called the "1" vs. the "2". Both Gilbert and Adams will have the ball in their hands a lot. If the team plays well and generates buzz, Adams as our best player will reap the benefits in terms of NBA attention regardless of what position he's listed as.

The point that I most strongly agreed with was that if KO doesn't get start getting guys to the NBA (including Adams and Larrier), recruiting will be even more difficult and may dry up completely as far as top talent is concerned.

 

[UConnStats]

That's a good point about today's game that a lot of people seem to be getting hung up on.

NBA teams want all guards to be able to pass and keep the ball moving. Ball stopping 2 guards are a thing of the past.

Whichever player has the ball in their hands the most will probably end up with the most assists, but you can look at both Adams and Gilbert as PGs even if they're both on the court together.

 

[jibsey]

I have a question. Realistically how are we going to rebound this year?

 

[HooperScooper]

I have a question. Realistically how are we going to rebound this year?

It's a legitimate concern. With no real answer at this point.

 

[Hurleyman216]

I have a question. Realistically how are we going to rebound this year?

Hopefully by boxing out and timing our jumps correctly. Usually one would rebound by boxing out, putting their arms up over their head, jumping and then grabbing the ball with both hands. I hope this explanation helps the "casual fan" on the BY with regards to rebounding.

 

[jibsey]

Hopefully by boxing out and timing our jumps correctly. Usually one would rebound by boxing out, putting their arms up over their head, jumping and then grabbing the ball with both hands. I hope this explanation helps the "casual fan" on the BY with regards to rebounding.

That clears things up a lot. thanks.

 

[husky429]

I have a question. Realistically how are we going to rebound this year?

Hope that diarra can rebound. Or one of Carlton, Cobb, and onourah. The big that boards, plays.

 

[Mr. French]

People still talking about "who's the real PG" ... Amazing.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

I am Amby Burfoot!

I spent the summer of 2001 living at his brother's house, including 9-11.

 

[Huskymagic]

Hey Huskymagic, just out of curiosity what is your career coaching record?

With last years team different from Ollie I would have beaten Wagner, Northeastern, Oklahoma State, Tulsa, Houston, ECU, Memphis and Georgetown, so I would have had 8 more wins than Ollie did last year.

This isnt really about my coaching record. It's about the guy who has a "PHD" in basketball and making 3 million a year who is making it mission impossible to finish above 6th in the AAC and make the NCAA tournament.

 

[Mr. French]

With last years team different from Ollie I would have beaten Wagner, Northeastern, Oklahoma State, Tulsa, Houston, ECU, Memphis and Georgetown, so I would have had 8 more wins than Ollie did last year.

This isnt really about my coaching record. It's about the guy who has a "PHD" in basketball and making 3 million a year who is making it mission impossible to finish above 6th in the AAC and make the NCAA tournament.

That's some statement.

 

[Stainmaster]

With last years team different from Ollie I would have beaten Wagner, Northeastern, Oklahoma State, Tulsa, Houston, ECU, Memphis and Georgetown, so I would have had 8 more wins than Ollie did last year.

This isnt really about my coaching record. It's about the guy who has a "PHD" in basketball and making 3 million a year who is making it mission impossible to finish above 6th in the AAC and make the NCAA tournament.

The size of your ego is making me nauseous.