Atlantis Observations 2

[TasteofUConn]

Toughest part about watching from courtside is the lack of replay. There was one stretch where we got called for a foul about four times in a row and it wasn't clear to me it was a foul.

I thought we were lucky to be in the game late. We hit some threes down the stretch to get it close, but we lost this game on D because we couldn't get two stops in a row.

We gave up multiple wide open threes. They drove to the rim often and easily. We fouled constantly. Rodney committed a foul in frustration at a point late.

BUT.

I don't put too much weight in this loss, and it didn't hurt as much as I thought it would. Syracuse's zone is probably the best we'll see, but we won't see it in the tourney. They were tall, quick, and athletic at every position. We got the first loss out of the way.

Regarding the players, as concise as I can be, I'm very surprised and happy with Purvis, Hamilton is a lottery pick and the difference between second weekend and NIT, Gibbs and Miller are solid contributors with limitations, Brimah is still in the process of refinement, but from my perspective, he looks to body up on most rebound opportunities and will continue to improve. He looked bad on several dump offs and alley oops, but Syracuse was putting a lot of pressure on the ball handler, and the deliveries were not as exact as in prior games. That ball pressure and defense were also apparent in Rodney's drives, where multiple lay in attempts were taken at odd angles.

Love Omar hitting threes in a huge game. Same with Sam in last game. Those two hitting open threes makes us very dangerous.

Adams showed his freshman inexperience. He looked a bit overwhelmed out there.

All in all, great learning experience and it will pay dividends down the road.

I expect that we'll come out strong today, and that that will be the mark of the great team that I hope we will be.

 

[Worldwide]

I wouldn't say Hamilton is a lottery pick. I like his game but as a pro prospect there are a lot of average or below average qualities. Not a great shooter, defender, or athlete. Anyways, I think Enoch is our best big and Ollie needs to start increasing his minutes game by game in the hope that he is ready for the tournament. Brimah and Nolan are too much of liabilities on the offensive end. Miller can't play the five against bigger teams. Time to start grooming this kid for a larger role. Just have to live with the growing pains because he will be our best option down low some nights.

 

[TasteofUConn]

Not a great shooter, defender, or athlete. Anyways, I think Enoch is our best big and Ollie needs to start increasing his minutes game by game in the hope that he is ready for the tournament

I'm not sure where the "not a great athlete" myth came from, but Magic Johnson and a bunch of other guys have been great NBA players without throwing down 360 dunks. To me it's laughable that the guy can knock on the triple double door every night and also get called un athletic.

You think Enoch is our best big? And Ollie played him zero minutes last night to rest him for the consolation game? You can't be serious. Can you ¿ he's a freshman. He's raw. Syracuse would have annihilated him.

Haven't we all learned this lesson in the past thirty years? Yearning for more minutes for so and so who is a bench sitter is almost always wrong headed because we don't see these guys in practice every day.

 

[Worldwide]

Have you seen our bigs? Enoch has the best hands and body of our bigs. Hamilton is not a great athlete nor is he magic and he would be the first one to say that.

 

[Worldwide]

And he needs minutes weather is 3 or ten. The problem is he should not get zero minutes against Maine. He needs to play including against Syracuse in order to get ready for the important part of the season. Game five of the year really doesn't mean Jack in the grand scheme of things other than the fact wet hate Syracuse. Play the Damn kid because Brimah can't make a layup and Phil can't do much better.

 

[TasteofUConn]

nor is he magic and he would be the first one to say that.

You thought my point was that Daniel Hamilton was Magic? Again, I must ask, seriously?

 

[Worldwide]

The kid can rebound and catch the ball which more than Brimah and Nolan can do

 

[Dogbreath2U]

Today could be a good game to give Enoch some minutes against the big Gonzaga center, but he will probably accumulate fouls quickly. Karnowski could break AB by accident.

 

[mauconnfan]

Today could be a good game to give Enoch some minutes against the big Gonzaga center, but he will probably accumulate fouls quickly. Karnowski could break AB by accident.

All the bigs will see time today for sure, maybe even Foxen

 

[Worldwide]

I'm not sure where the "not a great athlete" myth came from, but Magic Johnson and a bunch of other guys have been great NBA players without throwing down 360 dunks. To me it's laughable that the guy can knock on the triple double door every night and also get called un athletic.

You think Enoch is our best big? And Ollie played him zero minutes last night to rest him for the consolation game? You can't be serious. Can you ¿ he's a freshman. He's raw. Syracuse would have annihilated him.

Haven't we all learned this lesson in the past thirty years? Yearning for more minutes for so and so who is a bench sitter is almost always wrong headed because we don't see these guys in practice every day.

Do you still feel the same about Enoch? Quiet all of a sudden. I can tell you never played the game or seen Enoch play as I have. He is our best big and needs to play. Bilas said he may be our only lottery pick on the roster. But again what does he know since you have all the answers.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Do you still feel the same about Enoch? Quiet all of a sudden. I can tell you never played the game or seen Enoch play as I have. He is our best big and needs to play. Bilas said he may be our only lottery pick on the roster. But again what does he know since you have all the answers.

I feel exactly the same way I felt about Enoch yesterday. Great body, strength, athleticism, and potential, no clue on defense. An uncontested dunk on a breakaway doesn't change that.

 

[gtcam]

Do you still feel the same about Enoch? Quiet all of a sudden. I can tell you never played the game or seen Enoch play as I have. He is our best big and needs to play. Bilas said he may be our only lottery pick on the roster. But again what does he know since you have all the answers.

Wrong again - BigErn has ALL the answers

 

[joober jones]

I don't get the love fest for Enoch. He blew a dunk and grabbed a few really easy rebounds - not the stuff of legends. To say he's better than Facey or even Brimah is quite a stretch.

 

[Stainmaster]

I don't get the love fest for Enoch. He blew a dunk and grabbed a few really easy rebounds - not the stuff of legends. To say he's better than Facey or even Brimah is quite a stretch.

It's a UConn fanbase thing. Up until this year, on the football board the backup QB was always the best player on the team.

 

[TouchdownHusky]

It's a UConn fanbase thing. Up until this year, on the football board the backup QB was always the best player on the team.

Yeah, but that is a fact, plain and simple.

 

[Rocktheworld]

Do you still feel the same about Enoch? Quiet all of a sudden. I can tell you never played the game or seen Enoch play as I have. He is our best big and needs to play. Bilas said he may be our only lottery pick on the roster. But again what does he know since you have all the answers.

Please . Like you have a clue. KO sees the kids day in day out. He knows what Enoch has. You don't. End of discussion. From what we have seen so far, he may be strong, but he has a smaller offensive repertoire than Nolan, and is more lost defensively than Facey.

Just because he has an NBA body and MAY be a decent pick some day does not mean he is ready right now. I can't believe we need to explain this basic stuff to you. You're just posting in absolute desperation (and it's a bad look). The answer is not Enoch right now.

 

[TasteofUConn]

Do you still feel the same about Enoch? Quiet all of a sudden. I can tell you never played the game or seen Enoch play as I have. He is our best big and needs to play. Bilas said he may be our only lottery pick on the roster. But again what does he know since you have all the answers.

Two points, three boards, and one turnover and you believe your point is made? All deference to Bilas, but name the last player to average 8 minutes a game while playing in only half of his team's games who ended up in the lottery.
I don't have all of the answers, true. But you don't need all of them to make reasonable conclusions.

 

[Inyatkin]

It's a UConn fanbase thing. Up until this year, on the football board the backup QB was always the best player on the team.

You can't honestly believe that thinking the backup QB (or his basketball equivalent) is the best player on the team is somehow unique to UConn.

 

[huskyharry]

The kid can rebound and catch the ball /QUOTE]
Steve looked pretty solid in there today. By all reports he is a hard worker and a sponge.
He has an NBA body and good hands. Which means he has the potential to be an NBA player, but seems certain to be a very good player for UConn.

 

[weyuo]

I think maybe a little too much fun in the sun and not enough rest in between games. Also, Miller needs to be a little less pouty and more focused on what is happening on the court and especially what is about to happen.

 

[intlzncster]

I don't get the love fest for Enoch. He blew a dunk and grabbed a few really easy rebounds - not the stuff of legends. To say he's better than Facey or even Brimah is quite a stretch.

He moves well. Must be good. hah