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

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

Aside from getting 2 more outside shooters, this is likely the biggest key for next year. We need to have better spacing on offense, but it was impossible this year when the defense could clog the paint because you aren't a threat to shoot from 15ft out. Sanogo has a good looking free throw stroke too, it should be pretty easy for him to consistently knock down a 12-15fter
 
If Adama can develop a good enough shot to pull his man out of the paint, and Jackson improves his handle, things could get very interesting in a highlight reel kind of way.
 
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.
 
Huskybass said:
If Adama can develop a good enough shot to pull his man out of the paint, and Jackson improves his handle, things could get very interesting in a highlight reel kind of way.
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So which of the two stock responses will be the right one? "From your mouth to God's ear," or "If 'ifs and buts' were 'candy and nuts,' we'd all have a Merry Christmas."
 
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I think by season's (too soon) end, Cole played above mid manor pay grade. I'll keep him and bet he works his a ss off over the summer. Not NBA stuff but if he can become a Senior Rashamel it would be more than enough from him imho.
 
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Ewekon said:
I think by season's (too soon) end, Cole played above mid manor pay grade. I'll keep him and bet he works his a ss off over the summer. Not NBA stuff but if he can become a Senior Rashamel it would be more than enough from him imho.
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Agreed. I like Sanogo a lot too. I’m optimistic we might get Antric Klaiber levels of production from him by the time he’s a senior.
 
businesslawyer said:
So which of the two stock responses will be the right one? "From your mouth to God's ear," or (ii) "If 'ifs and buts' were 'candy and nuts,' we'll all have a Merry Christmas."
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If ifs and butts were candy and nuts then every day would be erntedankfest.
 
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.
 
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NJHusky said:
I think Jackson's shot needs more work than his handle
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Correct, but several, myself included, think he can get more bang for the buck working on ball handling vice still being a poor ballhandler and making marginal improvments in his shooting. I don't see him becoming even average at 3 point shooting next year no matter how hard he works at it.
 
Tenspro2002 said:
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.
Expand ...

I see 1 shooter, 2 questionable shooters, and 2 absolutely non-shooters in this lineup. What am I missing here?
 
Chief00 said:
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 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.
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For once, I'm on board with Chief. Either shoot the 3 or stick to post ups, IMO.
 
Palatine said:
Kyle Filipowski is mentioned at the end of the article. Love to see this kid as a Husky.
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100%. He isn't quite the athlete we've been recruiting at the 4 (Samson, Akok), but he is a hell of a shooter with good size and length.
 
Ewekon said:
I think by season's (too soon) end, Cole played above mid manor pay grade. I'll keep him and bet he works his a ss off over the summer. Not NBA stuff but if he can become a Senior Rashamel it would be more than enough from him imho.
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A 13ppg soph Rashamel I would gladly take. Senior... not so much.
 
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karstenkibbe said:
A 13ppg soph Rashamel I would gladly take. Senior... not so much.
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both harsh and silly. Rash did not become a worse basketball player as his career wore on. He lost minutes and was asked to play a different position. And his ability to both make the switch and contribute without ever complaining about having lost his importance to the team contributed to a friggin national championship.
 
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businesslawyer said:
both harsh and silly. Rash did not become a worse basketball player as his career wore on. He lost minutes and was asked to play a different position. And his ability to both make the switch and contribute without ever complaining about having lost his importance to the team contributed to a friggin national championship.
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Please stop with the personal attacks. There was nothing harsh or silly about it. I’d rather have a Rash who shot 36% from 3 than one who shot 11% from 3. Really not interested in going back and forth with you so that you can feel good about yourself at the expense of others.
 
karstenkibbe said:
Please stop with the personal attacks. There was nothing harsh or silly about it. I’d rather have a Rash who shot 36% from 3 than one who shot 11% from 3. Really not interested in going back and forth with you so that you can feel good about yourself at the expense of others.
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To be clear, since you felt the need to respond, what you really mean by "not interested in going back and forth with you" is "I'd feel much better if I can have the last word."

Rash's senior year he did what he was asked to do, which is what Coach thought the team needed him to do. He didn't have a green light to shoot many threes as a senior. Here's what you need to know -- he was on the court at the end of a one possession national championship game.
 
businesslawyer said:
To be clear, since you felt the need to respond, what you really mean by "not interested in going back and forth with you" is "I'd feel much better if I can have the last word."

Rash's senior year he did what he was asked to do, which is what Coach thought the team needed him to do. He didn't have a green light to shoot many threes as a senior. Here's what you need to know -- he was on the court at the end of a one possession national championship game.
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Thanks for the reminder, tough guy. I was already aware.
 
karstenkibbe said:
Thanks for the reminder, tough guy. I was already aware.
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Strange definition of "tough guy" as well, since no one said anything about physical attributes of the posters. Apparently, you want everything you write to mean what you think it should, and then get all snowflakey when challenged. Good luck going through life like that.
 
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husky429 said:
For once, I'm on board with Chief. Either shoot the 3 or stick to post ups, IMO.
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If this is the only time you are onboard with Chief - you got a lot of developmental opportunities. LOL
 
Chief00 said:
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.
Expand ...
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.
 
jibsey said:
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.
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Love his patience and footwork. He really works on his game.
 
Chief00 said:
Love his patience and footwork. He really works on his game.
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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.
 
Chief00 said:
Love his patience and footwork. He really works on his game.
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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.
 
No SJ, 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
 
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