Cassell

[Danzz]

Give me Cassell over TSam anytime. Cassell isn't shooting well right now but we have seen him do it whereas we've never seen TSam shoot well from the outside. I don't think either are particularly good defenders and both get beat off the dribble.

 

[boog204]

TSam was automatic on drives during the tourney. Now he's bricking layups. Hard to explain.

He absolutely was money on those tourney drives. But I have zero memory of him being an effective finisher those other 34 games last year. Perhaps the tourney games were the outliers? He hasn't been able to finish with any consistency this year.

 

[tentoes4rings]

Give me Cassell over TSam anytime. Cassell isn't shooting well right now but we have seen him do it whereas we've never seen TSam shoot well from the outside. I don't think either are particularly good defenders and both get beat off the dribble.

TSam isn't a particularly good defender? Did you watch at all down the stretch last year? He did get beat badly by Felix on one layup today but overall he's an excellent on ball defender. Other than leaving their best three point shooter open three times today, defense wasn't the problem. Inept offense and not being able to pad the lead the last 6 minutes is what lost this game.

 

[Fishy]

Cassell is just not a great shooter - wasn't one in high school and wasn't one at junior college. If you're waiting for him to hit 38-40% of his threes, you're going to be waiting a while.

He is a volume shooter, though, and that's starting to become a problem.

The kid is an 80% free throw shooter from way back...when he resolves to just stand out and throw the ball towards the basket, he's basically turning the ball over. Move towards the basket, post up a smaller guard, get to the middle against the zone, whatever...just stop pretending you're Ray Allen out there.

 

[mauconnfan]

Cassell is just not a great shooter - wasn't one in high school and wasn't one at junior college. If you're waiting for him to hit 38-40% of his threes, you're going to be waiting a while.

He is a volume shooter, though, and that's starting to become a problem.

The kid is an 80% free throw shooter from way back...when he resolves to just stand out and throw the ball towards the basket, he's basically turning the ball over. Move towards the basket, post up a smaller guard, get to the middle against the zone, whatever...just stop pretending you're Ray Allen out there.

Agree to a point Fishman but everyone needs shooters and hate to say it, but looking at everyone besides Boat (he missed 13 shots today) and DHam we're in trouble. He shot it well enough preseason I will wait to see - and it looks decent leaving his hand. He can help at 30-35% from 3 actually! I do agree though he looks good on the short back up his guy game with the little fade away. Omar needs to get back to or better than his frosh or there will be some major packing in all year.

 

[willie99]

he has to play better, or he'll be playing less

I'm sure he'll contribute in a positive fashion in the future

 

[mauconnfan]

he has to play better, or he'll be playing less

I'm sure he'll contribute in a positive fashion in the future

Agree no doubt but so does everyone else though. Besides Facey, Boat and Dham and possibly Phil on D there isn't one person who played well enough to warrant positive feedback.

 

[imno1]

I agree with Fishy. Sam has missed enough shots that had no chance to go in to tell me he's not a great shooter. It's unfortunate because we could really use one. Sam will continue to be asked to shoot though since we have so few options. Is there a shot chart on him for the season? As bad as he has shot I think he is much better from the left side of the court especially in the corner. Call me crazy but I'd like to see Facey a little more involved in the offense. Rumors were he was pretty good from 15' in.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Team really missed a healthy Purvis yesterday. Three point shooting is critical in college basketball, if you can't hit them, they shut down the lane and everything becomes difficult. With interior defense like Texas has, that's a real problem.

I recall during preseason, many of you said Cassell would start and get 25 mins a game. I didn't see it. He's a nice player, once he learns what he can and can't do at this level. That's going to take some time. It's a pretty big adjustment from JuCo to playing the #7 team in D1. Samuel was and is clearly the better PG.

 

[Danzz]

Yes

TSam isn't a particularly good defender? Did you watch at all down the stretch last year? He did get beat badly by Felix on one layup today but overall he's an excellent on ball defender. Other than leaving their best three point shooter open three times today, defense wasn't the problem. Inept offense and not being able to pad the lead the last 6 minutes is what lost this game.

Cassell is just not a great shooter - wasn't one in high school and wasn't one at junior college. If you're waiting for him to hit 38-40% of his threes, you're going to be waiting a while.

He is a volume shooter, though, and that's starting to become a problem.

The kid is an 80% free throw shooter from way back...when he resolves to just stand out and throw the ball towards the basket, he's basically turning the ball over. Move towards the basket, post up a smaller guard, get to the middle against the zone, whatever...just stop pretending you're Ray Allen out there.

He made all his shots in his highlight video.

 

[Hoophound]

We don't need Cassell to be a great shooter but 35% from three would be better than what we have. These guys can't stop shooting. There is nowhere to score points if the big men can't score. You are looking for Hamilton and Boat to do all the scoring and have the other guys make a bucket of two. Boat might average 20, Hamilton 15. We still need another 35 points and looking down the bench I see Cassell as about my second option behind Purvis to score...and he isn't a good shooter either.

I sure hope Omar comes back strong because 10-11 points from him would help significantly. I think Cassell is in a mini slump. I don't think he is a great shooter but I certainly think he's a decent one. is

 

[mauconnfan]

Team really missed a healthy Purvis yesterday. Three point shooting is critical in college basketball, if you can't hit them, they shut down the lane and everything becomes difficult. With interior defense like Texas has, that's a real problem.

I recall during preseason, many of you said Cassell would start and get 25 mins a game. I didn't see it. He's a nice player, once he learns what he can and can't do at this level. That's going to take some time. It's a pretty big adjustment from JuCo to playing the #7 team in D1. Samuel was and is clearly the better PG.

The Samuel of which half? And of which of the last 3 games? I agree as a pure PG he should be our 2nd best no doubt. But he hasn't lived up to it and neither has Sam Jr as a shooter of any kind. Right now both of them have hurt us although when TSam plays defense like he did in the 2nd half he is clearly the better defender. For now with Rodney and Omar out they both need to play better as neither has asserted themselves as people earning lots of minutes. And if Omar and Rodney play well when they return both will lose PT.

 

[ctchamps]

Uconn turns him into a great shooter... Boneyarders need to calm down... Shot selection is his problem, he needs a niels approach where only good 3s are taken.. Itll come were fine...

There were many a times last season I wished Niels took a Cassell approach!

 

[hthusky74]

I thought in the exhibitions Cassell shot real well. As we've moved into the regular season he seemed to have slumped and the hole keeps getting deeper. His percentages last year were good. He needs to keep shooting as that is the only way to break out of the slump, well that and practice, practice, practice. Where is Ray Ray? Maybe he can spend some time with him and show him how to get it done. I'd like to see Hamilton keep working on his three too. It is good, but I'm thinking he is the next great one.

 

[Brettloaf]

Both Cassell and Purvis really need to start playing better basketball or we may need to experiment with going big. Until further notice we should be playing boat TSAM ( who looked scared yesterday btw) Hamilton Brimah and Facey with Nolan first off the bench.

 

[huskymagic]

Both Cassell and Purvis really need to start playing better basketball or we may need to experiment with going big. Until further notice we should be playing boat TSAM ( who looked scared yesterday btw) Hamilton Brimah and Facey with Nolan first off the bench.

interesting post milkman and good analysis. The lineup listed is probably our lineup for Yale game, and if T-Sam, Purvis, Cassel, Omar arent't playing well I like the idea of playing big like the good old days.

A lineup of Boat, Hamilton, Facey, Nolan, and Brimah deserves some looking into.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

A lineup of Boat, Hamilton, Facey, Nolan, and Brimah deserves some looking into.

I can't even imagine the thought process that leads to the conclusion that this lineup is a good idea.

 

[huskymagic]

I can't even imagine the thought process that leads to the conclusion that this lineup is a good idea.

Posts like this Cracken are the reason we can't have meaningful discussions but I know your goal to rack up as many likes received as possible on the boneyard so sarcasm should do it.

On to more pertinent matters, our lineup issues. Playing big is a good idea especially against teams that press. We have 2 scorers in Boatright and Hamilton, all we need from everybody else is to rebound, defend, block shots, set screens, and feed the ball to Boat and Ham. Facey is a guy that has serious potential of improving and is capable of hitting a jumper out to 15 feet. Going big allows us to crash the board and guys like Facey are quick enough to guard 3's on the perimeter if need be like Roscoe. Playing big allows us to crash the board and force teams to react to our size.

 

[boog204]

Posts like this Cracken are the reason we can't have meaningful discussions but I know your goal to rack up as many likes received as possible on the boneyard so sarcasm should do it.

On to more pertinent matters, our lineup issues. Playing big is a good idea especially against teams that press. We have 2 scorers in Boatright and Hamilton, all we need from everybody else is to rebound, defend, block shots, set screens, and feed the ball to Boat and Ham. Facey is a guy that has serious potential of improving and is capable of hitting a jumper out to 15 feet. Going big allows us to crash the board and guys like Facey are quick enough to guard 3's on the perimeter if need be like Roscoe. Playing big allows us to crash the board and force teams to react to our size.

Facey is not a 3. I know there is a video of him hitting 3's against a ballboy, but does not mean that he has that type of "in-game" range. This lineup would mean that Facey would be getting the ball on the wing in our half court offense and need to make decisions with the ball and be in the "triple-threat" position. He does not have those skills yet. Putting him at the 3 would be like the year when Freeman was our 3 and he was a pump-faking maniac who totally bogged down our offense. That is a terrible lineup with only two ballhandlers, two guys who are willing to take a shot (Facey is excellent around the hoop), and would rely on Facey guarding guys on the perimeter.

 

[huskymagic]

Facey is not a 3. I know there is a video of him hitting 3's against a ballboy, but does not mean that he has that type of "in-game" range. This lineup would mean that Facey would be getting the ball on the wing in our half court offense and need to make decisions with the ball and be in the "triple-threat" position. He does not have those skills yet. Putting him at the 3 would be like the year when Freeman was our 3 and he was a pump-faking maniac who totally bogged down our offense. That is a terrible lineup with only two ballhandlers, two guys who are willing to take a shot (Facey is excellent around the hoop), and would rely on Facey guarding guys on the perimeter.

you do realize that Kentucky plays with the Harrison Twins, Poythress, Towns, and WCS as their starting lineup something similar to the big lineup we should experiment with to see how it works. If not T-Sam, Purvis, Cassell, Omar are right there to mix and match. Your focusing too much about X's and O's, basketball is simple its about putting the 5 guys out there that give you the best chance to win. This is a suggestion that deserves tempering with if our guards other than Boatright and Hamilton can't be productive.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Playing big is a good idea especially against teams that press.

Even better, you want that lineup against the press.

I think a lineup of Brimah, Nolan, Dave Sevush, James Doran, and Jonathan Husky might be effective against certain zones.

 

[boog204]

you do realize that Kentucky plays with the Harrison Twins, Poythress, Towns, and WCS as their starting lineup something similar to the big lineup we should experiment with to see how it works. If not T-Sam, Purvis, Cassell, Omar are right there to mix and match. Your focusing too much about X's and O's, basketball is simple its about putting the 5 guys out there that give you the best chance to win. This is a suggestion that deserves tempering with if our guards other than Boatright and Hamilton can't be productive.

You do realize that the Harrison twins are both guards and that Poythress and Towns both have perimeter skills, right? Nolan and Brimah have next to no offensive ability and Facey most definitely is not a 3. Not really a good comp, in my opinion.

X and O's aside, we are having a world of difficult scoring points b/c of a lack of ballhandling and shooting. This lineup makes us more deficient in both areas.

 

[huskymagic]

Even better, you want that lineup against the press.

I think a lineup of Brimah, Nolan, Dave Sevush, James Doran, and Jonathan Husky might be effective against certain zones.

your doing an awesome job proving my point

 

[Gurleyman]

you do realize that Kentucky plays with the Harrison Twins, Poythress, Towns, and WCS as their starting lineup something similar to the big lineup we should experiment with to see how it works. If not T-Sam, Purvis, Cassell, Omar are right there to mix and match. Your focusing too much about X's and O's, basketball is simple its about putting the 5 guys out there that give you the best chance to win. This is a suggestion that deserves tempering with if our guards other than Boatright and Hamilton can't be productive.

If you play your lineup against me, I'll run a double at Boat every time he touches the ball and stay at home on Hamilton. Now what are your three non-shooting, non-passing post players going to do with the ball on the perimeter?

If you get it into a big, I'll double immediately off one of your other bigs and stay at home on Boat and Hamilton. Now what?

 

[huskymagic]

You do realize that the Harrison twins are both guards and that Poythress and Towns both have perimeter skills, right? Nolan and Brimah have next to no offensive ability and Facey most definitely is not a 3. Not really a good comp, in my opinion.

X and O's aside, we are having a world of difficult scoring points b/c of a lack of ballhandling and shooting. This lineup makes us more deficient in both areas.

What we need is some "nasty" from our players like the Calhoun teams of the past decade and a half. I am seeing too much indecision with the ball and not enough grit. The main concern for me are toughness, smarts, and decision making more than ball handling and shooting although shooting is a problem no doubt.