Bouknight should start

[BNich]

I just mentioned this to my dad today. I could see a starting 5 of Vital, Gilbert, Bouknight, Akok, and Carlton by seasons end.

 

[upstater]

I just mentioned this to my dad today. I could see a starting 5 of Vital, Gilbert, Bouknight, Akok, and Carlton by seasons end.

It makes a lot of sense.

& then think about Polley off the bench for 3s.

 

[BNich]

It makes a lot of sense.

& then think about Polley off the bench for 3s.

Exactly. He's not a premium defender. He's not a ball handler. He's not going to create off the dribble. He takes a lot of shots on the run. Nothing like Rashad Anderson back in the day. I think they have missed a shooter like Anderson for what feels like a decade now.

 

[ctchamps]

Exactly. He's not a premium defender. He's not a ball handler. He's not going to create off the dribble. He takes a lot of shots on the run. Nothing like Rashad Anderson back in the day. I think they have missed a shooter like Anderson for what feels like a decade now.

I have to disagree. He's made considerable progress over last season. He's a very good defender. He should have gotten a blocked call on his one fast break. Has to learn to slide away from defender to get that call.

And his shooting has been pure that past two games. Best shooter on the team currently.

 

[nomar]

No, Bouknight is by far our best player. Alterique has been awful.

I can't believe there are people who watch Bouknight and think he shouldn't start, of course he should. He should touch the ball every time down the court.

As long as he gets minutes and is finishing games, I don’t care if he starts.

You have to think everybody in that locker room knows that JB is already their best offensive player — or at least the guy who needs the ball in his hands when the game is on the line b

 

[BNich]

I have to disagree. He's made considerable progress over last season. He's a very good defender. He should have gotten a blocked call on his one fast break. Has to learn to slide away from defender to get that call.

And his shooting has been pure that past two games. Best shooter on the team currently.

You mention his defense then reference it with a very blatant charge that he committed on a fast break? Don't run right at the guy. Point blank. He's not a very good defender. I disagree. He should be getting Bouknight's minutes and vice versa.

I understand Bouknight is still working his way back into the good graces of coach Hurley, so I get it. IMO, by the end of the season I expect to see Bouknight in the starting 5.

 

[browndog319]

Ray Allen was the 6th man his freshman year but he was also the leading scorer. That takes pressure off the young kid .
In basketball starting is not as important as minutes.

But wasn’t Ray a freshman when we had Donyell Marshall? Different positions but DM was still considered the front man of that team until he left in 1994. I don’t remember Ray leading in scoring (he MAY have, I just don’t remember him becoming a sensation until 1994-1995 which would have been his sophomore year). DM was Big East Player of the Year in 1994 and he was a great scorer - he went #4 in the draft that year.

 

[browndog319]

I'll be obnoxious. Why not. He's going to be viewed by fans as better than Bazz and Lamb!

He might be. Is that bad? Kemba was better than Bazz.

 

[BNich]

He might be. Is that bad? Kemba was better than Bazz.

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.

 

[browndog319]

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.

I’m with you. I don’t get all this “he’s like Caron and Jeremy”. He’s like Bouk. He’s different and I don’t know why but it’s awesome. I think that’s pretty cool.
My favorite Huskies are: Kemba, Ray, Okafor, and Doron.
I would love to add to that list. I can’t ever take anyone off it, though.

 

[ctchamps]

You mention his defense then reference it with a very blatant charge that he committed on a fast break? Don't run right at the guy. Point blank. He's not a very good defender. I disagree. He should be getting Bouknight's minutes and vice versa.

I understand Bouknight is still working his way back into the good graces of coach Hurley, so I get it. IMO, by the end of the season I expect to see Bouknight in the starting 5.

Totally agree he has to work on driving to the basket and not always go straight to the basket.

His minutes as well as Christians will be reduced by Bouknight as they should be not only because Bouk is the best player but they play too many minutes and that will wear their bodies. The plan was always to rotate more players. You just need time for their development. That time is hard to know. It took a year for Brendan.

This will be a team effort all season. There is no need to put down players because we have players that are our favorites.

Why focus on his bad plays as opposed to the silky smooth shots he made in this game or how he was our most successful big guarding Jones in the Xavier game.

 

[BNich]

I’m with you. I don’t get all this “he’s like Caron and Jeremy”. He’s like Bouk. He’s different and I don’t know why but it’s awesome. I think that’s pretty cool.
My favorite Huskies are: Kemba, Ray, Okafor, and Doron.
I would love to add to that list. I can’t ever take anyone off it, though.

I remember watching Doron when I was a young kid. Those years were so much fun to watch. I don't want to jump the gun here, but I think we are all in store for more fun times as fans. This team has already been fun to watch. The ugly St. Joe's loss aside. What we've seen from the squad since has been VERY encouraging. Missed layups and defensive lapses aside, the freshmen has shown plenty of ability. Bouknight is the real deal and he's only played three collegiate games thus far.

 

[Balker]

His first half play was the first time we got to see what he can do for this team. Unfortunately the players did not make shots given the opportunities he set up for them.

I like our future if the injury bug stays away.

We saw him play the whole game today the way he should. Both he and Carlton made tremendous adjustments with their play when they had the ball in the paint.

 

[browndog319]

I remember watching Doron when I was a young kid. Those years were so much fun to watch. I don't want to jump the gun here, but I think we are all in store for more fun times as fans. This team has already been fun to watch. The ugly St. Joe's loss aside. What we've seen from the squad since has been VERY encouraging. Missed layups and defensive lapses aside, the freshmen has shown plenty of ability. Bouknight is the real deal and he's only played three collegiate games thus far.

Bouk will only get better which is awesome

 

[superjohn]

I have to disagree. He's made considerable progress over last season. He's a very good defender. He should have gotten a blocked call on his one fast break. Has to learn to slide away from defender to get that call.

And his shooting has been pure that past two games. Best shooter on the team currently.

Polley has turned himself into a knock down shooter. I used to feel good about him taking an in rythm open catch and shoot where he's all set up. I now feel confident in him catching and shooting on the run and off curls. He's a weapon with his shot.

Will be interesting to see what Hurley does with the lineup with some cupcake games coming up. Does he start our best player in place of Polley and have Polley as our 6th man sniper or does he have our best player come off the bench to catch teams off guard, not sure anyone will be caught off guard now. No matter what, Bouknight needs to play as many minutes as possible.

 

[BNich]

We saw him play the whole game today the way he should. Both he and Carlton made tremendous adjustments with their play when they had the ball in the paint.

Adjustments aside. They did play against a significantly weaker opponent. It's just like last year when Carlton balled out against ECU and a few others to end the season. I'm not a believer until I see it against some significantly tougher competition. I know Gilbert can do it. He's still coming back from all his lost time IMO. Just wish he wouldn't try to get to the hoop all the time. He can create off the dribble, but he gets stuff at the rim way too often.

 

[3rdbass]

I was at the whole tournament and he was just that miluch better than anybody on the court. He is the real deal as a freshman. The only player who can really create and finish. He is just too smooth. He is more athletic Jeremy lamb. He just has to improve his D. I'm not worried about him starting or not as he will get a lot of minutes at the 3 and will be in at end of game situations no doubt it.

 

[Burnsbros23]

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.

 

[Jaker]

I have no problem with Bouk coming off the bench as our secret weapon.

 

[ctchamps]

We saw him play the whole game today the way he should. Both he and Carlton made tremendous adjustments with their play when they had the ball in the paint.

Yes we did. Having Akok, Josh Brendan and Bouk available for the entire game were as much a part of the reason he could play both halves this game as opposed to Xavier.

 

[browndog319]

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.

Really? So there’s no forgiveness?
El Amin was caught with marijuana back when it was a big deal, Sid and Jalen were suspended last year for a university infraction - should JA have not started (we needed him to start).
For decades the court has been adjudicating a ton of UConn students up there to that rehabilitation program that Bouk was put into... 1 year no issues, you’re cleared. So many of my friends that have gone onto have professional licenses and raise kids. This is basketball. He served his punishment. You can’t keep punishing him.

 

[ctchamps]

Polley has turned himself into a knock down shooter. I used to feel good about him taking an in rythm open catch and shoot where he's all set up. I now feel confident in him catching and shooting on the run and off curls. He's a weapon with his shot.

Will be interesting to see what Hurley does with the lineup with some cupcake games coming up. Does he start our best player in place of Polley and have Polley as our 6th man sniper or does he have our best player come off the bench to catch teams off guard, not sure anyone will be caught off guard now. No matter what, Bouknight needs to play as many minutes as possible.

Bouknight is a freshman who was disciplined. He will be coming off the bench most if not all season. Hurley will slowly increase his minutes because he will be letting Bouk know that behavior off court is more important than being the best player on the court. This has to aggravate Hurley to no end but not knowing 100% if Bouk’s off court issues are a one off he’s got to keep him in check.

 

[ctchamps]

Really? So there’s no forgiveness?
El Amin was caught with marijuana back when it was a big deal, Sid and Jalen were suspended last year for a university infraction - should JA have not started (we needed him to start).
For decades the court has been adjudicating a ton of UConn students up there to that rehabilitation program that Bouk was put into... 1 year no issues, you’re cleared. So many of my friends that have gone onto have professional licenses and raise kids. This is basketball. He served his punishment. You can’t keep punishing him.

It’s not about forgiveness. More an insurance policy to remind Bouk not to do it again. If Bouk commits another university infraction he’s done for the season and goes pro. if not NBA to Europe.

 

[Palatine]

In basketball who is in at the end is much, much more important than who is in at the beginning.

Finishers are more important than starters..

 

[Dean Wormer]

On the court you can’t take your eyes off this kid. Let’s hope he sticks around and we do some things, without the NBA vultures swooping in.

 

[Wise2]

he's also shooting 72.7% from the field and he is not a dunking center

 

[Huskyforlife]

My problem is we always start games slowly on offense. Our best offensive player should be starting and playing as many minutes as he can handle.

 

[amsterdamjade]

Ray Allen was the 6th man his freshman year but he was also the leading scorer. That takes pressure off the young kid .
In basketball starting is not as important as minutes.

There was no way Allen was the leading scorer on the team his freshman year. You mean to tell me he averaged more points than Donyell his last year at UConn?

 

[browndog319]

It’s not about forgiveness. More an insurance policy to remind Bouk not to do it again. If Bouk commits another university infraction he’s done for the season and goes pro. if not NBA to Europe.

I think the insurance policy is he knows the consequences because there were consequences for the first mistake. And those are bigger than a university violation. He had legal issues and these could become criminal issues.
I don’t believe you hold something over someone’s head as an insurance policy. The punishment is the insurance policy. I guess that just comes from 15 years of parenting - this last week I had my first real kid screw up (complete with Saturday detention). Literally impulsive teen behavior - asked to go to Peer Group during study hall but ran into a friend on the way and decided to go to the art room instead. She didn’t realize that was cutting class beforehand but got immediately why she was in trouble. Punished in school and at home. She completed both punishments yesterday and unless she pulls it again, we will never, ever talk about it again. The insurance policy isn’t the study hall teacher doesn’t give her passes to things during study hall. The insurance policy is she now knows it’s a problem and hopefully the punishment deters future bad behavior.
Bouk seems like a good guy who did a stupid thing. We all did stupid things as college freshmen. He just happens to be famous and play on a D1 team. Imagine that?

 

[Burnsbros23]

Really? So there’s no forgiveness?
El Amin was caught with marijuana back when it was a big deal, Sid and Jalen were suspended last year for a university infraction - should JA have not started (we needed him to start).
For decades the court has been adjudicating a ton of UConn students up there to that rehabilitation program that Bouk was put into... 1 year no issues, you’re cleared. So many of my friends that have gone onto have professional licenses and raise kids. This is basketball. He served his punishment. You can’t keep punishing him.

he is playing that’s the forgiveness. If Hurley wants to start in two more games he can. If he doesn’t it’s fine. You take out Gilbert you have no point Guard. You going to bench a senior in vital? Bench Polley or Akok? Theirs no obvious answer there. It might just be easier to leave him as sixth man chemistry wise.