Borges: For UConn’s Adama Sanogo, the future is bright — and outside the paint

[jibsey]

While Sanogo can improve his mid range game, I really don’t understand this emphasis. He can become possibly the best UConn post guy ever with his footwork, patient deft moves and touch. Why not use that expertise rather than station him on both ends of the court away from his strengths and where he is most likely to commit senseless fouls taking away his valuable playing time. Instead have your opponent commit fouls unsuccessfully trying to stop him.

The way you have him create space is by the inside out passing game as he will likely get doubled. Additionally, there is no spoken strategy of the running game and how he or anyone fits into that underutilized aspect of winning basketball.
I am ok though with utilizing him in the high /low game to cutters or guys with position.

I think Sanogo can add the 15 footer to his game coming out from the post. He has the best footwork post moves I’ve seen at UCONN for a freshman or beyond that. Keeping him out of foul trouble is the challenge going over the back but he can learn to be smart about it.

 

[Chief00]

I think Sanogo can add the 15 footer to his game coming out from the post. He has the best footwork post moves I’ve seen at UCONN for a freshman or beyond that. Keeping him out of foul trouble is the challenge going over the back but he can learn to be smart about it.

Love his patience and footwork. He really works on his game.

 

[rollskies]

Love his patience and footwork. He really works on his game.

I always got the sense that he works harder than most college players out there. Seems like he’s always working on his game. The CV type mentality.

To think he was supposed to be a senior in high school and played like he did in the big east is very impressive. If he continues to work like he did it’s only up from here.

I don’t mind him working on his perimeter shot, but honestly I think that’s more of a general team problem than a Sanogo problem. We would have lineups where no one was a shooting threat and that hurt us this season. Need more offensive weapons with the available scholarships.

 

[Umami Zen]

Love his patience and footwork. He really works on his game.

Can make a lot of money at the next level with a face-the-basket offensive game. Clearly his strength is in the paint at this time in his evolution.

 

[Ewekon]

No Samson Johnson, I meant Stamford's own Rash. Cole and he are not the same kind of player at all.

Rash was a Sr. Captain, pulled from starting 5 and led as super 6th man on court and by example as well.

If Cole is not the starter next year he may still be a captain and I would love him to handle it the way Rash did.

Is it November yet

 

[ZenConn]

I love Sanogo's strides he made as a freshman. He does need to expand his game to be more effective and needs to keep himself on the court.

The question is how he's going to come along defensively. The game has evolved so guys with his height and taller can score on all 3 levels and he needs to match up against those guys on the defensive end.

 

[Griggs]

I think Sanogo can add the 15 footer to his game coming out from the post. He has the best footwork post moves I’ve seen at UCONN for a freshman or beyond that. Keeping him out of foul trouble is the challenge going over the back but he can learn to be smart about it.

If you like his post moves, why do you want him 15 away from the rim? Keep him on the low blocks where he draws the defensive's attention.

 

[mauconnfan]

Hurley acknowledged this in his post-game or post-season press conference -- he knows that playing two traditional bigs, or playing a lot of guys who aren't threats from the perimeters, seriously bogs down offense in this era of basketball. You're not going to see the Ewing/Oakley/Smith/Mason Knicks anytime soon.

He's still getting his personnel in here. I think his ideal lineup would be something like:

Sanogo
Akok (pre-injury)
Jackson
Hawkins
Diggins/Gaffney

That's 3-4 shooters, athletes at every position, and only 1 traditional big. We may even see that lineup for stretches next year, and that will be the dominant lineup the year after.

Guys like Cole and Martin were stop-gaps brought in to fill strategic needs and to be leaders for the young guys.

Cole was easily a more consistent scorer and defender than Gaffney. Let’s not get blown away by a couple good games by Gaff because he has a long way to go still. Martin was our best rebounder and played solid D all year just needs the be stronger in finishing and less pretty.

Having said that one more experienced guard that can shoot it and has some size is a must.