Brimah - what is the story?

[ConnHuskBask]

Brimah is still an extremely raw basketball player. Sometimes I see flashes of him being a very good center and sometimes you see him making the same exact mistakes over and over again.

He has good timing on his shot blocking, hustles all over the court and has good touch on his free throws and mid range jumpers.

He also is lost on defense a lot, can't box out and goes to block every shot as opposed to staying with his man or boxing out.

The guy, from what we can see on tv, plays with a ton of heart and is always the most fired up guy on the bench when others are doing well.

No, he's Okafor or even Thabeet as who he's often compared to, but he's still a good player who is a true UConn Husky.

 

[ShoeStrangz]

Brimah was not a ball player when we got him. He was a long thin kid with some athleticism and NO experience. The coaches knew the bread wasn't baked but saw the possibility of eating good with a little oven time. Brimah is not going to be at the same level as some kid whose been hooping since 8 years old. Big doesn't make you a rebounder. He has less experience than probably every opponent he has faced. But he does have a useful knack and the rest is coming slowly. Just remember Thabeet in his first couple of years when he constantly sprawled on the floor like a logo. Remember, Brimah's true ball experience pretty much started in Storrs. Yet he is our starting center. I'd cut him some slack.

 

[Marty Jackson]

Yeah that's me Ern - I consider that a compliment from a genius like you
You are such a miserable self absorbed expert in so many areas

Geez, Happy thanksgiving everyone!

 

[imno1]

I thought Brimah was ok while he was in but Michigan had no inside game so coach rolled with our small line ups. It's not like Nolan, Facey, or Enoch saw much time either. Kenton probably deserved more minutes but judging by the win, Coach seems to know what he's doing. If we get by Syracuse we are going to need AB against the Zags

 

[RichZ]

...he's getting pretty good at the old trick Rodman used on the offensive boards of going behind the basket then using his butt to back his way to the front of the rim when the shot is taken.

Way before Rodman, that's pretty much how Oscar Robertson owned the paint as a point guard.

 

[weyuo]

I was surprised that Brimah didn't gain bulk over the summer. I don't know what kind of training he did during the off season but he needed to learn how to carve out space near the rim for rebounds and that apparently didn't happen.

 

[mauconnfan]

I was surprised that Brimah didn't gain bulk over the summer. I don't know what kind of training he did during the off season but he needed to learn how to carve out space near the rim for rebounds and that apparently didn't happen.

He did gain some muscle you can see it. His body will not allow too much bulk as it's a thin frame. Having said that and I will now repeat, his strength is only a small part of his short comings near the rim on both sides. His instincts for the game on the other hand, are a very large part of those. Just hasn't caught up to the game at all intellectually from what we are seeing. If he beat people to the punch he'd be plenty strong. Those white guys were using him and just bodied him away from the rim all night. It won't be the last time and as we saw his minutes will dwindle and we will need to go small a lot more. Not sure on Enoch but he could've done some things better. They were shooting the ball so much from the perimeter Ab can't block shots then he isn't much of a factor. Steve's going to need to practice better I guess.

 

[sledog]

He needs rebounding drills with Drummond in a phone booth.

Did he ever attend a legit big boy camp this summer?

 

[Brettloaf]

AB really isn't that good of a basketball player. He may be a long athlete but I can't stand watching him in the games. He ends the game with solid block numbers and some points and rebounds but he truly doesn't know how to play offense or defense. Going for the shot block every time is not good defense in every scenario. There is a reason why he is always in foul trouble because he just doesn't understand the game. It could be that he is still raw and that is fine but to me the best lineup Ollie can put on the floor is Gibbs, Purvis, Adams, Hamilton, and Miller. From the eye test I don't think he would last in the NBA similar to Thabeet.

 

[Palatine]

Brimah had 5 rebounds in 18 minutes, 2 offensive and 3 defensive. Some people just bitch to bitch. He had four points.

That's pretty much a double/double for 40 minutes.

So lets crucify him.

 

[mauconnfan]

Brimah had 5 rebounds in 18 minutes, 2 offensive and 3 defensive. Some people just bitch to bitch. He had four points.

That's pretty much a double/double for 40 minutes.

So lets crucify him.

No one is crucifying him people need to let that crap go. He's in his 3rd year, he is a "7 footer" - we can't expect him to be better and break it down when he's not? He only played 18 minutes for a reason too.

 

[Palatine]

No one is crucifying him people need to let that crap go. He's in his 3rd year, he is a "7 footer" - we can't expect him to be better and break it down when he's not? He only played 18 minutes for a reason too.

The original poster wrote a hit piece.

BTW, a lot of Hamilton's early success came because Michigan was very aware of Brimah on the lob and it helped open the middle for DHam.

 

[CTBasketball]

Brimah had 5 rebounds in 18 minutes, 2 offensive and 3 defensive. Some people just bitch to bitch. He had four points.

That's pretty much a double/double for 40 minutes.

So lets crucify him.

I don't really believe in the per-40 stats. But I think if we're looking to go to Brimah for anything but dump-offs, alley-oops, or put backs we're misusing the offense. So many other capable players of scoring. If Brimah starts seeing massive amounts of touches that might be a bad thing.

 

[mauconnfan]

The original poster wrote a hit piece.

BTW, a lot of Hamilton's early success came because Michigan was very aware of Brimah on the lob and it helped open the middle for DHam.

No doubt that concern for the lob for other team is there I totally agree. And today if people get into the gaps and in the paint the lob can be there or make the defense stay home. But he's not a viable part of the offense unless it's that play, period. There is no other go-to play for him and a game plan for the other team can easily offset that. Heard a lot about he 15 footer he developed even more and have seen none of that, need to or his time will always be around 20 minutes. Let'a be honest, as mobile and long as he is if he's under 20 minutes in a game it's not just the fans that have lost some confidence in the guy!

 

[Rocktheworld]

When AB was a freshman, I thought he was going to be the second coming of Patrick Ewing. He had a good frame, could block shots, runs the court, and he had a nice stroke at the free throw line.

Two years later, I'm disappointed in his skills development, expected a bit more muscle, and wonder if his work ethic is an issue. I'm glad to see KO using a bit of tough love at this point and hope he responds well to it. I have a feeling he will.

Anyone who questions Brimah's effort needs to

and stay gone

 

[aceboon]

AB really isn't that good of a basketball player. He may be a long athlete but I can't stand watching him in the games. He ends the game with solid block numbers and some points and rebounds but he truly doesn't know how to play offense or defense. Going for the shot block every time is not good defense in every scenario. There is a reason why he is always in foul trouble because he just doesn't understand the game. It could be that he is still raw and that is fine but to me the best lineup Ollie can put on the floor is Gibbs, Purvis, Adams, Hamilton, and Miller. From the eye test I don't think he would last in the NBA similar to Thabeet.

AB hasn't been in foul trouble once this year, and he hasn't been selling out for blocks. You haven't watched a single game this year and you're just trotting out lazy, clichéd "analysis", do better.

 

[jojipoji]

Brimah has never been a good rebounder. You don't just magically become a great rebounder, especially since he didn't grow up playing basketball. Give the guy some slack, he has improved in that area. With Miller and Hamilton he isn't going to have as many opportunities to bound as he did last year. Also with uconn being pretty much 2 deep at every position, Brimah won't have as many opportunities to display his offensive game. He is better and he did get a couple of bounds he would have never gotten as said above, but our team is definitely more stacked pushing him into a more of a role player than anything.

 

[dogpause]

Did he ever attend a legit big boy camp this summer?

A very good question.

 

[TasteofUConn]

He needs rebounding drills with Drummond in a phone booth.

He's be dialing 911 within two minutes.

 

[Waquoit]

Let'a be honest, as mobile and long as he is if he's under 20 minutes in a game it's not just the fans that have lost some confidence in the guy!

Let's be honest, you really miss AO and you are trying force AB into that role to somehow fill that space in your heart.

 

[mauconnfan]

Let's be honest, you really miss AO and you are trying force AB into that role to somehow fill that space in your heart.

I like AB as a kid and his heart much more than AO so way off on this one Waq. Difference is AB is really working and he runs back both sides of the court full out, the other guy eh. If he had the brute of AO on the inside he'd be better for sure but neither so far have ever touched their ceiling.

 

[OkaForPrez]

I'm fairly confident that AB's minutes were reduced purely because of the nature of UM's outside in style and the fact that their 4/5's were a threat to shoot the three. If they were a bigger threat to us in the paint (off the dribble nobody outside of Levert was getting to the rim, and their bigs weren't going to back us down in the low post) than AB would have played his normal minutes. The small lineup allowed Dham to move to the 4 where he was abusing his defender on every possession. So AB's reduced minutes were as much a function of continuing our dominant matchup with Dham has anything else. I'm not reading any more into it than that.

 

[jibsey]

Miller

Brimah has never been a good rebounder. You don't just magically become a great rebounder, especially since he didn't grow up playing basketball. Give the guy some slack, he has improved in that area. With Miller and Hamilton he isn't going to have as many opportunities to bound as he did last year. Also with uconn being pretty much 2 deep at every position, Brimah won't have as many opportunities to display his offensive game. He is better and he did get a couple of bounds he would have never gotten as said above, but our team is definitely more stacked pushing him into a more of a role player than anything.

I think this is the real reason. We have some real muscular men down there to rebound. DHam, Miller, even Rodney. KFace is more muscular this year and is a rebound machine. AB doesn't have to be a go to guy for us to be great. He didn't turn into a big time big man but we still have smiles on our faces with this team don't we? I think that we should feed Miller in the post more and let him go up with that controlled short jump shot of his. He may give up a bit of size but he will get to the line.

 

[mauconnfan]

Miller

I think this is the real reason. We have some real muscular men down there to rebound. DHam, Miller, even Rodney. KFace is more muscular this year and is a rebound machine. AB doesn't have to be a go to guy for us to be great. He didn't turn into a big time big man but we still have smiles on our faces with this team don't we? I think that we should feed Miller in the post more and let him go up with that controlled short jump shot of his. He may give up a bit of size but he will get to the line.

Shonn has a nice explosion getting up for his finishes as well as his extension on his jump hooks and mid range shots - agree he needs to see the ball more in scoring position.

 

[BUHusky]

I'm fairly confident that AB's minutes were reduced purely because of the nature of UM's outside in style and the fact that their 4/5's were a threat to shoot the three. If they were a bigger threat to us in the paint (off the dribble nobody outside of Levert was getting to the rim, and their bigs weren't going to back us down in the low post) than AB would have played his normal minutes. The small lineup allowed Dham to move to the 4 where he was abusing his defender on every possession. So AB's reduced minutes were as much a function of continuing our dominant matchup with Dham has anything else. I'm not reading any more into it than that.

Agreed. The small lineup with Dham at the 4 and Miller at the 5 just matched up better with Michigan in the 2nd half. I think that was the main reason Brimah lost his minutes late.