Best player on this team is Donovan clingan

[freshler40]

In 8 league games AJ and Newton are shooting 34% overall. Three amigos of Joey, Alleyne and Diarra are actually worse. Hawkins, the guy we work so hard to get open (and wear him out running around) is shooting 37%. Too many low % shots. 45% of UConn's shots are 3's, that's Golden State Warriors range and I'm not seeing any Curry clones on UConn. Opponents have made 50 more foul shots in just 8 games (and that includes playing Butler and Georgetown).

Clingan has taken 29 shots in 8 league games.

Minutes played per game:

Alleyne 14.1
Diarra 13.9
Clingan 12.3
Joey 11.6

Too bad UConn doesn't have a big guy who shoots 69%, averages a rebound every 2 minutes and a block every 6 minutes.

Yes, the eye test and reality don't seem to meet. Are we trying to be something were not? Were focused on three players being able to shoot or have green lights. Several starters have been reigned in. We are easy to defend with this combo. Just shut down two of the three shooters. The last game was a perfect example of that with Hawkins going off for a career high,

Two other shooters had good stat games but we lost big time. The two non-shooter still need to produce 8-10 points apace unless they contribute in major other way like jackson. Four guards produced 13 points in 80 minutes of play or something like that. Our offense is too predictable, slow and well known. Where is the floor general that sees opportunity and has this green light? The Hawk does but he's a hybrid. Clingan has a lot of upsides. He also, for the most part, has high BB IQ and fire IMO.

 

[PAHusky]

Drummond’s feet are anchored to the ground. Always has been. He has never been a good defensive player. He is just an athletic freak.

As far as Clingan, he has more length and skill is going to be a much better defender. No one is going to rebound like Drummond

Look at big men in nba like Walker Kessler. you need drop big men with length. Check out how Brook Looez plays.

Weird take. In the same paragraph you say Drummond's got his feet anchored to the ground and he's "just an athletic freak".

DC is nowhere close to the athlete Drummond is/was, nor is he close to the NBA prospect Drummond was after his freshman year. DC probably has better hands and plays better fundamental defense, but that's about it. Drummond was consistently one of, if not the, best rebounder in the NBA for a few years.

 

[UConnSwag11]

Most Important Player*

 

[caw]

That give him his 2nd foul.

My contention is if the plan is only to play him 12-15 a game (20 if he's on fire), might as well play him until he gets his third. Can't treat him like a starter with fouls if you aren't going to play him like a starter, IMO.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

He's been our best player but this is just completely false. He came into the game when we were up 13-8 and came out of the game and we were up 18-15, so that's a -2 point swing during his time

I don’t know what game you were watching but it definitely was not the one I saw and recorded. I guess weed is legal now in Connecticut? Or wherever you are. Lol

 

[Deleted at users request]

There are only about a thousand offensive sets with two bigs, but Hurley did actually say that he had not practiced any sets with them together after I believe the providence game. What the fudge is he doing in practice?

There is a tunnel vision aspect to Hurley that is extremely frustrating. I bet, based on interviews of him, that he thinks his focus is the reason he has become a top tier D1 coach, but it actually effectively creates a ceiling on how good he can be.

If that’s the case, it seems like Hurley coaches to his system and his system only which isn’t good. Things like motion offense teaches players common basketball IQ skills they can take with them everywhere to succeed. Any coach that doesn’t teach their players that is doing them a huge disservice.

I know we hate Cal but that’s part of the reason his players are so well prepared for the NBA, because all he runs is motion iso offense with those kind of sets. It makes issues like we’re talking about a non factor too because it factors in any kind of lineup since the offense is just reads based.

 

[HuskyHawk]

If that’s the case, it seems like Hurley coaches to his system and his system only which isn’t good. Things like motion offense teaches players common basketball IQ skills they can take with them everywhere to succeed. Any coach that doesn’t teach their players that is doing them a huge disservice.

I know we hate Cal but that’s part of the reason his players are so well prepared for the NBA, because all he runs is motion iso offense with those kind of sets. It makes issues like we’re talking about a non factor too because it factors in any kind of lineup since the offense is just reads based.

The offense we ran earlier in the year was absolutely an NBA style motion offense. It sure hasn't looked like it lately, but he talked all off season about how he wanted to play. I have no idea what "motion ISO" is. ISO is pretty much the opposite of motion.

 

[Deleted at users request]

The offense we ran earlier in the year was absolutely an NBA style motion offense. It sure hasn't looked like it lately, but he talked all off season about how he wanted to play. I have no idea what "motion ISO" is. ISO is pretty much the opposite of motion.

Gotcha. I haven’t been paying attention hard enough to know what exactly we run. It’ll be something I keep an eye out on though. Without a rewatch I just remember a lot of screen action for Hawkins or post ups for Sanogo. Also mostly action to get guys open for three and not action to get guys open cuts to the basket.

I could be wrong though because I don’t do many rewatches.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Gotcha. I haven’t been paying attention hard enough to know what exactly we run. It’ll be something I keep an eye out on though. Without a rewatch I just remember a lot of screen action for Hawkins or post ups for Sanogo. Also mostly action to get guys open for three and not action to get guys open cuts to the basket.

I could be wrong though because I don’t do many rewatches.

Loads of cuts and motion and quick passing earlier. Certainly not seeing much of that now. The off ball motion has ground to a halt except Hawk off screens. First couple minutes will show the glaring difference.

 

[Deleted at users request]

Loads of cuts and motion and quick passing earlier. Certainly not seeing much of that now. The off ball motion has ground to a halt except Hawk off screens. First couple minutes will show the glaring difference.

I see very few cuts to score in this game too or backside screens with the intent of a cut to score at the rim.

Most of the time it’s guys are just trying to get open on the perimeter. The only one who consistently does it both in the game you showed and St John’s is Karaban and he’s typically rewarded for it.

I saw one instance from Alleyne too in the first half (only watched the first) where he made a nice cut to the basket with purpose that he was awarded for.

Hawkins should be a big benefactor from those backdoors with how much guys play up on him. Watching St John’s, the spacing isn’t always right for when he does on the floor. But it’s there and open for the taking. Would like to see more of this movement with DC at the top of the key to find guys.

Too many times we set screens just to pop out to the 3 point line instead of cut to the rim to make the defense move.

 

[PAHusky]

If that’s the case, it seems like Hurley coaches to his system and his system only which isn’t good. Things like motion offense teaches players common basketball IQ skills they can take with them everywhere to succeed. Any coach that doesn’t teach their players that is doing them a huge disservice.

I know we hate Cal but that’s part of the reason his players are so well prepared for the NBA, because all he runs is motion iso offense with those kind of sets. It makes issues like we’re talking about a non factor too because it factors in any kind of lineup since the offense is just reads based.

Cal's "motion iso" offense is to spread the floor and let your nba-talent level players go one v one against the other team in an attempt to get to the rim/kick to shooters.

The reason it doesn't work for Cal's team this year, and definitely wouldn't work for UConn this year, is that, bereft of NBA talent, you're left asking players who can't beat their man consistently/can't create their own bucket to do so over and over and over again.

Our offense this year is built on four out and isolating AS in the post for easy buckets. DC comes in for AS and the bench runs basically the same offense. Playing two bigs means a radical rethinking of the offense and defense. Not really sure we can fault Dan Hurley for not running it a ton in practice.

With the way these refs are calling BE games, how long do we honestly think we could play two bigs anyways?

 

[Deleted at users request]

Cal's "motion iso" offense is to spread the floor and let your nba-talent level players go one v one against the other team in an attempt to get to the rim/kick to shooters.

The reason it doesn't work for Cal's team this year, and definitely wouldn't work for UConn this year, is that, bereft of NBA talent, you're left asking players who can't beat their man consistently/can't create their own bucket to do so over and over and over again.

Our offense this year is built on four out and isolating AS in the post for easy buckets. DC comes in for AS and the bench runs basically the same offense. Playing two bigs means a radical rethinking of the offense and defense. Not really sure we can fault Dan Hurley for not running it a ton in practice.

With the way these refs are calling BE games, how long do we honestly think we could play two bigs anyways?

There’s rules and principles to that though that makes it work so everyone isn’t standing around watching guys go one on one.

Calhoun ran a lot of the same fwiw. But it wasn’t just straight motion for him I believe. Here’s a small clip of his 3 out 2 in offense.



That’s the thing about motion offense though, you can throw any guys in there and it works because it relies on reads and principles. Then you can throw a couple of plays in there. So even if AS and DC needed to play together it would be fine.

Defense is a different story. We’d probably have to run a zone. I don’t have a big opinion on that because I’m not a fan of zone’s but our man defense hasn’t been good.

I don’t think Sanogo’s passing is good enough for them to be on the floor together effectively anyways. If he developed playmaking skills the lineup could’ve been lethal.

 

[Deleted at users request]

Look at the 2011 offense. There’s times when Oriaki and Okwandu (two VERY less skilled players than Sanogo and Clingan) are in and we are cutting to the rim and getting shots there with purpose.

 

[navery12]

I don’t know what game you were watching but it definitely was not the one I saw and recorded. I guess weed is legal now in Connecticut? Or wherever you are. Lol

When you say last game you're talking about St John's right? Because what I posted is exactly what happened

 

[80shusky]

Question for the "play the two bigs together" guys: If you play them together who plays the 5 when they are on the bench getting a rest? Or so you mean just have them overlap a little? Foul trouble?

 

[CONN78SEJ]

When you say last game you're talking about St John's right? Because what I posted is exactly what happened

I didn’t see the St John’s game yet, it was the last game I saw (sorry), must have of been the Marquette game. In any event it was about 5 or 6 minutes into the game, score was going back and forth, but we built a 12 point lead when Clingan came in, after Clingan sat the lead evaporated and it was tied at halftime.

 

[Buffett10]

..... definetly not our best player. If he is were in serious trouble. I think he's got MAJOR potential. Misses so many layups. No idea why he doesn't just go up hard and tries wild layups. No where near conditioned enough to do 30 minutes a game. So how can you have your best player not even playing 3/4 of a game? There's ya answer you can't. Look at Edey he's a beast and doesn't get winded. Donovan will get there but takes time. Edey can hit the top of the key shot consistently

 

[superjohn]

..... definetly not our best player. If he is were in serious trouble. I think he's got MAJOR potential. Misses so many layups. No idea why he doesn't just go up hard and tries wild layups. No where near conditioned enough to do 30 minutes a game. So how can you have your best player not even playing 3/4 of a game? There's ya answer you can't. Look at Edey he's a beast and doesn't get winded. Donovan will get there but takes time. Edey can hit the top of the key shot consistently

Who is our best player then and please don't say Sanogo?

 

[coachn]

I think we all would agree that DC came in understanding that this was Sanogo's year. He can be ecstatic about how he's playing and thinks he deserves more minutes....but there is ZERO chance (imo) he's soured about playing time.

He understands the vision very well

DC is the future and hope he has the courage to see the dream realized.

 

[Rico444]

Donovan has to start and play as many minutes as he can handle. We're clearly a better team when he's I think the game. He has to do a better job of staying out of foul trouble but that will come with experience. Sanogo should move into the backup role and only play 10-15 minutes at most.

 

[jibsey]

Donovan has to start and play as many minutes as he can handle. We're clearly a better team when he's I think the game. He has to do a better job of staying out of foul trouble but that will come with experience. Sanogo should move into the backup role and only play 10-15 minutes at most.

That would be a major slap in Sanogo's face and one Hurley is unlikely to do but do many here want that that? What's happening now is not working.

 

[Scrappy3]

Donovan has to start and play as many minutes as he can handle. We're clearly a better team when he's I think the game. He has to do a better job of staying out of foul trouble but that will come with experience. Sanogo should move into the backup role and only play 10-15 minutes at most.

No. It’s not about benching Adama
It’s about playing a little differently and using both players for as long as as they can go. I think the game is over and we win if we utilize clingan I. The middle on last play ,

 

[Get a Job]

No. It’s not about benching Adama
It’s about playing a little differently and using both players for as long as as they can go. I think the game is over and we win if we utilize clingan I. The middle on last play ,

Well said

 

[Hunt for 7]

Or it could just be that we are not very good regardless what or who we play. Just another version of a mediocre team who for some reason played out their a** for the first few months. I don’t see this as a correctable issue. They are who they are .

 

[HuskyHawk]

Who is our best player then and please don't say Sanogo?

It's Sanogo, and he's a lot better than Clingan. Hawkins could be, but he seems to lack something. Sanogo was the best player vs Seton Hall and there wasn't a close 2nd really. Doesn't mean he was anywhere near as good as he should be, but that's where we are. Newton and Hawk were the next best players last night. Beyond that, it was pretty bad. Clingan was not good on either end. Karaban was good on one end and horribly bad on the other (rebounding especially). Diarra wasn't good. Alleyne was invisible.

I'm not sure I've ever seen a player more overrated by our fans than Clingan. I think he has a nice future, but people ignore his limitations. Maybe because he's a local kid with an intriguing story.

 

[temery]

It's Sanogo, and he's a lot better than Clingan. Hawkins could be, but he seems to lack something. Sanogo was the best player vs Seton Hall and there wasn't a close 2nd really. Doesn't mean he was anywhere near as good as he should be, but that's where we are. Newton and Hawk were the next best players last night. Beyond that, it was pretty bad. Clingan was not good on either end. Karaban was good on one end and horribly bad on the other (rebounding especially). Diarra wasn't good. Alleyne was invisible.

I'm not sure I've ever seen a player more overrated by our fans than Clingan. I think he has a nice future, but people ignore his limitations. Maybe because he's a local kid with an intriguing story.

It's kind of tough for Clingan to shine the way he's being played. He has 3x more blocks, the same number of rebounds in 1/2 the min, same number of pts per min with a 70% FG avg.

 

[Improviser]

Question for the "play the two bigs together" guys: If you play them together who plays the 5 when they are on the bench getting a rest? Or so you mean just have them overlap a little? Foul trouble?

If he ever gets to play, and if he has any type of decent game to offer after his injury layoff, maybe Samson for spot minutes at the 5?

I know he looks thin , but has length and athleticism.

We'll have to see where he plays and how he plays when he gets back (hopefully soon.)

 

[Get a Job]

It's Sanogo, and he's a lot better than Clingan. Hawkins could be, but he seems to lack something. Sanogo was the best player vs Seton Hall and there wasn't a close 2nd really. Doesn't mean he was anywhere near as good as he should be, but that's where we are. Newton and Hawk were the next best players last night. Beyond that, it was pretty bad. Clingan was not good on either end. Karaban was good on one end and horribly bad on the other (rebounding especially). Diarra wasn't good. Alleyne was invisible.

I'm not sure I've ever seen a player more overrated by our fans than Clingan. I think he has a nice future, but people ignore his limitations. Maybe because he's a local kid with an intriguing story.

This is a truly bizarre opinion. What makes Sanogo "a lot" better than Clingan? Clearly Sanogo's ability to create his own scoring opportunity is much better than Clingan's, but that seems to be his only inarguable advantage. I think reasonable people can disagree as to which player is "better," but to act like anyone who thinks Clingan is better (or at least rejects that Sanogo is better) is crazy, is, well, crazy.

 

[HuskyHawk]

It's kind of tough for Clingan to shine the way he's being played. He has 3x more blocks, the same number of rebounds in 1/2 the min, same number of pts per min with a 70% FG avg.

I know. But the fans don't seem to realize that he's being played this way because he's completely incapable of defending a lot of the bigs in this league. It's obvious if you watch the substitution patterns, with the exception of Sanogo foul situations, they are based on who he has to guard. The other team puts a mobile 5 who can shoot out there, and Clingan comes out. Even when he's playing well.

Could Hurley do something to minimize that situation? He could. I think he has tried with half measures, and the result has been that the whole team defense is screwed up. I like Donovan a lot, but if he wasn't a local kid, we wouldn't have recruited him. He'd fit better at Iowa or a similar program. Look at next year's new center...could they be more different? Hurley has a decision to make here. Donovan can be an impact player, but UConn has to fundamentally change the way it plays for that to happen.

 

[temery]

I know. But the fans don't seem to realize that he's being played this way because he's completely incapable of defending a lot of the bigs in this league.

Based on what? How many minutes has he had against "the bigs in this league?"