Andre will be the nightmare of opposing team
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jleves
Awesomeness
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Obviously playing great D and racking up a lot of assists. But can we please start getting 10 to 12 points a game from him? There's no reason he can't get 1 three and a couple of dunks and get to the line 3 or 4 times. He can do that. It would be a huge thing.
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He hit a 3 and took another. And drove to the lane for a dunk and the Bates make a great play to recover and interfer with what looked like a wide open dunk.
Listen to his interview with Rob Duaster. I've accepted the fact that he's comfortable doing everything to help the team including all the little things without needed to be a go to scorer. He may never be what we want him to be, but he's playing the game as the player he wants to be.
prankster
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Cannot do both!
Pick one:
1 - Tons of assists.
B. Lots more points.
I prefer 1. Because of his court vision, passing ability, athleticism, he makes the entire offence more versatile and more impossible to defend against.
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He’s a terrible shooter, so scoring a lot of points is out of the equation.
If he sticks to what his athleticism allows him to do, he should be appreciated for that and there’s nothing wrong with that.
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RichZ
Fort the ead!
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We SHOULD play the game the way the coach wants it to be played. If Alex is doing what Hurley wants, and he's satisfied with that role and the team is successful, it ain't really up to fans to upset that applecart.
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You have some very odd takes lately
I want us to win, and want players who prioritize that.
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He's not a terrible shooter.
He plays AWESOME defense.
He distributes the ball as well as any wing/forward to put on a UConn uni.
He is fitting perfectly into the flow of the game.
Whatever he scores is a bonus.
If he were to force more shots, then our chances of being elite go down.
Anyone wanting anything different is not thinking team-ball.
He plays AWESOME defense.
He distributes the ball as well as any wing/forward to put on a UConn uni.
He is fitting perfectly into the flow of the game.
Whatever he scores is a bonus.
If he were to force more shots, then our chances of being elite go down.
Anyone wanting anything different is not thinking team-ball.
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August_West
Conscience do cost
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We do. In fact we actually have run the first play of at least 3 games this year with plays run for Andre to get dunks. The FIRST PLAY of the game.
If Newton were scoring a few more points, which I think will happen moving forward, the AJ's scoring wouldn't be a talking point. When two players produce minimal scoring, it will eventually become a problem because it makes the defense's job easier.
Andre's confidence on offense is growing with each game, the scoring will follow.
Andre's confidence on offense is growing with each game, the scoring will follow.
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Andre is what he is accept it and be happy he’s on our team. Overall a great team player and huge piece to the puzzle. Opposing coaches don’t have to prepare for him but know he’s a nightmare no matter.
Can’t shoot it why make him? But he can’t double pump when going to the basket like he did with an open lane the other night try to dunk it and get fouled don’t be pretty. FTs are solid for him take them.
Can’t shoot it why make him? But he can’t double pump when going to the basket like he did with an open lane the other night try to dunk it and get fouled don’t be pretty. FTs are solid for him take them.
D
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He went up soft. He should’ve put him in the hole or at least drew a foul but switched it up last second. All he had to do was go straight into him as hard as he could and it’s at least a foul. Even if he missed it Hurley would’ve appreciated him taking it up strong. He has to believe in his athleticism on these drives.
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This. Love what he brings but he’s a big dude and tends to try to avoid contact on his drives with his body control, which just results in no foul and a harder finish. He’s gotta go up strong and draw the contact.
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Yeah I recall that but I wish we did it more throughout the game. One designed play with the athleticism he possesses it not enough IMO.
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They definitely do have to prepare for him.... just not the way you would traditionally scout a player (ie. double-team Sanogo because it probably isn't coming out). Teams are definitely spending the week practicing things like transition defense to prepare for Andre. I'm sure they're working on their press break more than they would other times, defensive rebounding... stuff like that.
It's more of a team preparation than an individual scout, but Andre's energy on defense means you HAVE to gameplan for intense pressure for your guards.
If I'm an opposing guard, I'm going to be pretty damn scared going up against Andre any given night. If you're sloppy with the ball, you're going to end up with 6 TOs, shooting 1/5 from the field if you're lucky.
August_West
Conscience do cost
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A couple things happened there. Andre hesitated before driving, you could see the split second thought on "should I take the 3?" That allowed just enough recovery time for defender.
Also, and I think I've seen it discussed on here before, Andre is so athletic, but he seems to take off a step too early when he goes to the rack and then hangs in the air making finishes more difficult.
Don't know how to address that. Don't know if we need to. He is playing so well in all the facets we need him to excel in that it just doesn't matter to me.
August_West
Conscience do cost
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Yeah they really do need to prepare for him. In all the ways you just mentioned, but I also feel that weirdly he is the "head of the dragon"on offense for us too. We are so unique in that manner. Some smart opposing coach will focus on taking him out of the game from a running and pushing point of view and make our guards handle and bring up. It probably won't work because we have so many unique answers, but as the season progresses I think people will realize he is the internal combustion engine of our squad and see what happens when trying to take him out, seeing as all the other "scouts" that opponents have tried (Im sure most center around Sanogo) have been ineffective.
We really are a handful to try and play. I love it
Rico444
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This was such a great play. I love that he's so athletic that he can play right up in a guard's grill on defense and allow the guard to beat him with his first step, and yet still recover to block any shot attempt. I don't know if I'd say he baits guards into trying it, but he's good enough that they should know by now that it's not going to work.
D
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Yeah there’s no reason to avoid contact like he does. People should be afraid to jump with him instead of vice versa. But he does bring a lot to the table so it’s not a crazy big deal. It would just be nice to add that to his game.
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D
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I want to rewatch the play again because when he drove I remember him having plenty of run way and taking the right steps this time but I could be wrong. He needs to find a way though because it would elevate his game so much and help his career. I’m not sure how he even has this issue in the first place.
It’s weird cause I never remember us having so many problems finishing around the basket (which outside of Bouknight has been a problem for every guard we’ve had over the years). Is it because everyone is so focused on 3s nowadays?
Chin Diesel
I've always been crazy but it's kept me from going
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Part of that head of the dragon dilemma is a lot of his touches start with a UConn defensive rebound and outlet pass to him. Run the risk of putting a defender in the backcourt to deny him the ball and you run the risk of leaving someone open in the front court for a transition basket.
That's what makes him difficult to stop. There isn't a "normal" point of entry for him running the offense. Also, if you put your best perimeter/wing defender on him full court, you now have to put your second best defender on Newton and I think Newton is better than most team's #2 perimeter defender. We go back to Bazz and Boat because we had two elite perimeter defenders who could shut down the offense no matter who was starting it. that is still rare in CBB.
August_West
Conscience do cost
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That's true, but when he isn't pulling boards himself he seems to be the primary outlet for bigs, which is unusual and awesome. It is a pick your poison deal. Newton is certainly a capable guard, but he isn't Andre when on the move getting us from our defensive 3 point line to our offensive 3 point line, and Newton has shown a propensity to be susceptible to traps. Newton may very well handle it, but if I was an opposing coach, I would at least test it and see. That's all I'm saying. We may just end up surgically picking them apart in a a 1/2 court game. Andre sets the pace of our offense though, not Newton. Newton can't play at Andres pace (not really many people in NCAA can) so Newton as the 2nd option forced to be first, changes our look, even if that look in response ends up being successful.
We are a hard team to play. I love it.
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All of these are reasons why I'm very curious to see what Shaka will do against UConn.
UChusky916
Making the board a little less insufferable
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Would love to see Andre use his athleticism to get to the rim. His handle is good enough to drive it, not sure why he doesn't try to get to the rim more.
There was a play vs Butler where Andre was uncovered on the perimeter, and it took him a few seconds before he realized, and took it to the rim. Unfortunately, the slight hesitation allowed a defender to recover and he had to double-clutch at the rim and missed.
If he can have a mentality of driving to get to the rim, only good things would happen... either get contact and go to the line, or draw a defender and use his great vision to dish it at the rim or kick-out to a shooter.
There was a play vs Butler where Andre was uncovered on the perimeter, and it took him a few seconds before he realized, and took it to the rim. Unfortunately, the slight hesitation allowed a defender to recover and he had to double-clutch at the rim and missed.
If he can have a mentality of driving to get to the rim, only good things would happen... either get contact and go to the line, or draw a defender and use his great vision to dish it at the rim or kick-out to a shooter.
He jumps a little early this time too. But obviously early is relevant. He had a wide open lane to the basket and had a good head of steam there's no real reason not to jump early except ...
Manny Bates comes from the back/side and makes a good play on the ball in the air. In this case there wasn't really a body for him to make contact with. The body is on his right at full wingspan away and the basket to his front left. But because he's right-handed the ball is on his right so it's vulnerable.
Bates covered a lot of ground and is kind of whaley-esque with his long arms and quick feet. Jackson likely did not think he was going to be able to get there in a bang bang moment. And Bates would not have been able to get to the rim, but he was able to meet the ball in the air.
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