Bouknight should start

[UconnU]

 

[CL82]

Technically Kemba came before Bazz, but regardless it's not a problem and certainly not a bad problem to have. Shouldn't the goal be to bring in superior athletes and basketball players year after year? Don't you want to bring in better talent than the program has ever seen? Kemba is a UConn legend. At the PG spot, I don't think anyone outshines him and I'm a Ricky Moore homer. Moore will always be my favorite husky.

Ricky's performance the national championship was the stuff of legend. We had a bit of slow start and he kept us in it in the first half. Talk about a guy in a zone he was literally saying "can't guard me" but he didn't need to. Everyone knew. Then in the second half his defense was lock down, especially on the final two plays. It was just an amazing performance.

That said, Kemba was otherworldly the last 11 games of the season. Bouk has a long way to go before he's talked about in that company. Off to a great start though.

(FWIW I like bringing Bouk as a change of pace sub. Calhoun used to talk about how your subs should make you better. After playing against our starters and burning up energy on both ends of the floor, having Bouk come in has got to be disheartening.)

 

[UconnU]

During the Xavier game Bouknight had a really nice drive and dish to Whaley where he did a little hesitation move at the top of the key to freeze the defender before blowing by him. I thought to myself at the time I know I’ve seen him do that move before. It just dawned on me that that was the move he and Springs were practicing in that random workout video on YouTube. Check the video @1:35

 

[Huskybass]

He shouldn’t start any of these games. Starting a freshman who’s been suspended is how you lose ur team. Hurley playing it the right way. He works his way back. Maybe he’s sixth man for the year who knows but he’s going to play 25 plus minutes a game.

He should start EVERY game if he is our best option at the 2 or 3. Continuing to punish him after he served his suspension makes no sense at all.

 

[tzznandrew]

He shouldn’t start any of these games. Starting a freshman who’s been suspended is how you lose ur team. Hurley playing it the right way. He works his way back. Maybe he’s sixth man for the year who knows but he’s going to play 25 plus minutes a game.

Debates like these are dumb. Like you said, he's going to get burn. Hurley knows more about the team than us, so until he proves he can't coach, maybe we should chill on worrying about who starts a game.

 

[huskyrob1]

Don’t want him to be that great that quick. Guys that are that great tend to get picked high in nba draft quickly

My thoughts exactly, it's the reason why Hurley will not start Bouknight until next year. If Bouknight has two or three 30 point games, he could be one and done, and Hurley is not dumb enough to allow that to happen. His defense also still leaves alot to be desired, needs work.

 

[NJHusky]

My thoughts exactly, it's the reason why Hurley will not start Bouknight until next year. If Bouknight has two or three 30 point games, he could be one and done, and Hurley is not dumb enough to allow that to happen. His defense also still leaves alot to be desired, needs work.

I don't think DH would ever do that to a kid...You WANT kids leaving early if they are lottery picks....He is too much of a player's coach to ever put his own interest above a player's future IMO.

Polley is not as multi-dimensional a player as Bouk and needs a better supporting cast. On the first unit, he's our sniper. I think Bouk is better off the bench than Polley because he's a more complete player and can do more on his own. this makes the second team better and makes the team better overall.

 

[willie99]

Starting is overrated, quality time is important

AG is our best PG, and I'm trusting coach to make those decisions anyhow

 

[ctchamps]

Debates like these are dumb. Like you said, he's going to get burn. Hurley knows more about the team than us, so until he proves he can't coach, maybe we should chill on worrying about who starts a game.

I see you’ve begun posting again. Must be finished with your project.

 

[Rico444]

It's too bad Calhoun wasn't smart enough to bring Kemba off the bench his junior year; imagine how good we would've been with that instant offense coming out of the U16 timeout?!

 

[huskyrob1]

I don't think DH would ever do that to a kid...You WANT kids leaving early if they are lottery picks....He is too much of a player's coach to ever put his own interest above a player's future IMO.

Polley is not as multi-dimensional a player as Bouk and needs a better supporting cast. On the first unit, he's our sniper. I think Bouk is better off the bench than Polley because he's a more complete player and can do more on his own. this makes the second team better and makes the team better overall.

Coaches do that all the time, Boeheim did it for years, as did koach krap, and even Calhoun with certain players. Their mission is to win basketball games and Championships, and advise kids about getting their degree vs trying out for the NBA too soon, not to put kids in the NBA with no clue about what defense is and risk washing out, and ending up with nothing.

 

[andy34]

During the Xavier game Bouknight had a really nice drive and dish to Whaley where he did a little hesitation move at the top of the key to freeze the defender before blowing by him. I thought to myself at the time I know I’ve seen him do that move before. It just dawned on me that that was the move he and Springs were practicing in that random workout video on YouTube. Check the video @1:35

Sure its just a workout but its astonishing how softly the ball seems to drop through the hoop when Bouknight shoots. So smooth

 

[B1GEast]

Starting is overrated, quality time is important

AG is our best PG, and I'm trusting coach to make those decisions anyhow

It's about minutes, some guys start for defensive purposes to set the tone. Once the game flow has been established, the in game substitutions take over.

 

[kemba]

Coaches do that all the time, Boeheim did it for years, as did koach krap, and even Calhoun with certain players. Their mission is to win basketball games and Championships, not to put kids in the NBA with no clue about what defense is.

Who are the players Calhoun played less to keep them from being good enough for the NBA too soon?

 

[businesslawyer]

Ricky's performance the national championship was the stuff of legend. We had a bit of slow start and he kept us in it in the first half. Talk about a guy in a zone he was literally saying "can't guard me" but he didn't need to. Everyone knew. Then in the second half his defense was lock down, especially on the final two plays. It was just an amazing performance.

For those too young to have lived through the 99 season, Ricky Moore's D was not lock down in the second half of the championship game. It was lock down pretty much every minute of every game all year long. Still the best defensive performance over the course of a year that I've ever seen.

Up 1 and Duke having the ball for the last full possession, you could have banked the W the moment it was clear K's idea was to let Langdon try to take Ricky Moore one on one. If you had paid attention to the season, there was close to a zero chance that that was going to result in Langdon getting a good shot.

 

[8893]

For those too young to have lived through the 99 season, Ricky Moore's D was not lock down in the second half of the championship game. It was lock down pretty much every minute of every game all year long. Still the best defensive performance over the course of a year that I've ever seen.

Up 1 and Duke having the ball for the last full possession, you could have banked the W the moment it was clear K's idea was to let Langdon try to take Ricky Moore one on one. If you had paid attention to the season, there was close to a zero chance that that was going to result in Langdon getting a good shot.

We were up three; and don't forget Rashamel gave a lot of pressure on that last possession, too.

 

[Rico444]

We were up three; and don't forget Rashamel gave a lot of pressure on that last possession, too.

I'm almost positive he's talking about the possession where Duke had it and K had Langdon go at Moore one-on-one. The "TAKE HIM, TRAJAN!" moment.

 

[businesslawyer]

I'm almost positive he's talking about the possession where Duke had it and K had Langdon go at Moore one-on-one. The "TAKE HIM, TRAJAN!" moment.

Thank you. I said last full possession. That's not having six seconds to go the length of the court needing a 3 to tie.

 

[8893]

Thank you. I said last full possession. That's not having six seconds to go the length of the court needing a 3 to tie.

Ok, I understand what you mean now; I'm just not familiar with your concept of "full possession" in contrast to what you would consider having the ball with six seconds left. Is there a term for the latter? If so, at what point--and on what basis--does it become distinct from what you are referring to as "full possession"?

 

[freescooter]

Doesn’t matter that much if he starts or is the first guy off the bench. He’ll Ray Allen was the first guy off the bench his first year. The important thing is that he plays many minutes and keeps out of trouble off the court.

 

[huskyrob1]

Who are the players Calhoun played less to keep them from being good enough for the NBA too soon?

Playing them less to keep their point totals down and playing them less to keep them from improving their games are two different things, and I've got some news for you, players improve their games in practice. Duh

 

[ClifSpliffy]

UConn coaches are expected to win. big time. when you win, some players make it to the League. because they've been winning for a long while, more quality recruits come to increase their chance to uh, you know, make it to the League. so winning=better recruits=more winning. why again would coach not play his best hand at all times? also, coach calhoun established the UConn culture of brutal honesty in communicating to the player their best chance to make it to the League. if it's now, it's now. if it's not now, it's not now. a rep like that is gold, and not toyed with. within seconds of getting his first uconn run, young james got his hand on a d board, ultimately grabbed by a mate. subsequently, his first bucket came on a putback, exhibiting more windex skills in his first minutes than a certain 'designated shooter,' who doesn't like to be touched, in his entire 2+ year career. we know that mr. B can put the biscuit in the basket. from anywhere. at anytime. i am certain that coach dan knows, and will do, what's best for that 'winning' thing, and send more playas to the League.

 

[Apollo]

Ok, I understand what you mean now; I'm just not familiar with your concept of "full possession" in contrast to what you would consider having the ball with six seconds left. Is there a term for the latter? If so, at what point--and on what basis--does it become distinct from what you are referring to as "full possession"?

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Playing them less to keep their point totals down and playing them less to keep them from improving their games are two different things, and I've got some news for you, players improve their games in practice. Duh

Coaches don't keep kids on the bench to prevent them from scoring too many points. Coaches, generally speaking, like scoring points.

 

[huskyrob1]

Coaches don't keep kids on the bench to prevent them from scoring too many points. Coaches, generally speaking, like scoring points.

Oh horse s h it, you show me where a coach doesn't take a kid out (especially a frosh) after he scores 9 points in five minutes, and the crowd goes wild in giving the kid a hand as he sits down. a hole