Cole is the key

[87Xfer]

This I agree with. I don’t know if Cole or Gaffney is the better answer at PG but one needs to sit. Split their time at PG. Slide Bouknight to SG and insert Sanago at center.

Like everyone else seems to be saying, I'm not digging the Cole Gaff combo at all. Is this just an early season eval thing by Hurly to determine who ultimately starts? Or is he actually thinking of them one the court together long term??

 

[hardcorehusky]

2 games in and the Boneyard - likes/doesn't like Cole, likes/doesn't like Gaffney, Andre Jackson = Sid Wilson, etc. It's 2 early season games, let Hurley figure it out and let's see what they look like in the end of January(and hopefully playing).

 

[businesslawyer]

Our highest upside as a team is with Gaffney playing point and Cole playing the 2. Hurley knows this as do many others. It’s only been 2 games...if Hurley played only 1 of Cole or Gaffney at a time you’d all be screaming for him to put them both in. Y’all need to relax and let the team chemistry brew. Hurley has seen a lot more of these guys than we have. All of our championships have been won with 2 guys starting who could both run the point. Both Cole and Gaffney are very good passers and can also knock down 3’s. Gaffney needs to penetrate to the basket a bit more to open things up. Our best lineup will still likely be when those guys are both on the floor. Gaffney just helps us win (but needs to improve his defense). Cole will have nights where he carries us, just trust the process. I think at the end of the year we’ll have 4-5 guys averaging double figures in scoring, so we’re very well balanced

Don't know that I agree with the particulars, but I fully agree that it's going to take time for both Hurley and the players to figure out the recipe here. This team has a lot of pieces that can play, and a lots of ways they could play as a team. It's going to take some time. Hopefully next week goes at least o.k.

 

[Ewekon]

Not sold on Cole yet. He is an average athlete at best and tonight is an example of how can get himself in to foul trouble.

I'm also not sold on Cole and Gaff together.

I would rather see Gaffney the floor with Bouk and Polley where Gaff plays pure distributor.

Would like to see a package of Cole, Jackson and Sanogo where Cole knows he needs to score.

It's very difficult to go from a needed 20 ppg scorer where you are always shooting to a split scorer/distributor.

Come Jan 15:

Cole, Bouk, Jax, Akok and "Whalogo". Plenty of mins for Martin, Gaff and Polley. (Husky) dog fight for rest of mins. IMHO.

2 quality deep eveywhere with Bouk getting 35 mins run a game as a 2/3.

 

[Kitaman]

Hurley's future in terms of short term success is married to Gaffney. Let him grow, learn, develop and improve. He's a 4 year player leading all of 'his' teams into the post season with success. He had no turnovers last night (and only one in his first game)! Cole has 6 so far. AG last year was RJ Cole'ish, and freshman Gaffney proved to be the better guard, or the best one to build on.

Anyway, I think Hurley recognizes his marriage to Gaffney especially with our top guard recruits coming in.

At some point Hurley will need to decide which one to play as I don't see them co-existing, particularly with our abundance of bigs who need floor time.

 

[87Xfer]

There was a lot of noise around here about "Cole has been the best player in practice". Has anyone seen any of that through the first 2 games? Obv games and practice are 2 different things, but just asking.

 

[JB75]

2 games in and the Boneyard - likes/doesn't like Cole, likes/doesn't like Gaffney, Andre Jackson = Sid Wilson, etc. It's 2 early season games, let Hurley figure it out and let's see what they look like in the end of January(and hopefully playing).

That’s actually pretty funny Andre Jackson = sid Wilson LOL lol You can just tell Jackson’s going to be jaw-dropping when he gets everything under his belt

 

[mauconnfan]

There was a lot of noise around here about "Cole has been the best player in practice". Has anyone seen any of that through the first 2 games? Obv games and practice are 2 different things, but just asking.

Too early to be sure of RJ but a very good question. He’s had TO issues for now could be just tight trying to be the man, who knows for sure just waiting for Jim Hurley to throw his 2 cents in?

For now there’s something to be said about 1 TO in 2 games so Gaff has an early edge but we could use one of them to step up to be really good. For now we will wait and be patient.

 

[jibsey]

Cole can make the 3. That’s all.

 

[Castlevania]

starting 5 in the future will be, Sanogo, Akok, Martin, Bouknight, Cole.
Gaffney, Whaley, Polley, Adams, Jackson off the bench. with Brown, Carlton, and Springs in reserve depth.

Gaffney and Cole should rotate at point guard
Whaley and Sanogo rotate at center
Polley can back up akok at pf
Jackson and Martin rotate
Bouk and Adams.

 

[jibsey]

starting 5 in the future will be, Sanogo, Akok, Martin, Bouknight, Cole.
Gaffney, Whaley, Polley, Adams, Jackson off the bench. with Brown, Carlton, and Springs in reserve depth.

Gaffney and Cole should rotate at point guard
Whaley and Sanogo rotate at center
Polley can back up akok at pf
Jackson and Martin rotate
Bouk and Adams.

Jeez, I like that lineup. There are plenty of opportunities for the bench, and what a bench it is.

 

[imno1]

There was a lot of noise around here about "Cole has been the best player in practice". Has anyone seen any of that through the first 2 games? Obv games and practice are 2 different things, but just asking.

I think that was hyperbole. There is no way Bouk was/is not the best player in practice. I like JB as our 2. The more he has the ball the better. Between RJ and Gaff is a tough one. Cole is the better scorer while Jalen seems steadier and a better distributor. Neither seem great at penetrating at least not yet. Can Martin play the 3 effectively? If so I like a lineup of Cole, Bouk, Martin, Polley, and Whaley. It give us length and enough shooters.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I think that was hyperbole. There is no way Bouk was/is not the best player in practice. I like JB as our 2. The more he has the ball the better. Between RJ and Gaff is a tough one. Cole is the better scorer while Jalen seems steadier and a better distributor. Neither seem great at penetrating at least not yet. Can Martin play the 3 effectively? If so I like a lineup of Cole, Bouk, Martin, Polley, and Whaley. It give us length and enough shooters.

Polley is far better as a 3 than a 4. Martin doesn’t need to play the 3, he should be the starting 4. If you think Polley should start, make him the 3. I’m not sold that he’s better than Jackson, certainly don’t think he will be for long.

The 2 PG lineup is not good. It’s one thing to run it with Napier and Boatright when they are both ++ defenders. Gaff and Cole are both below average defenders. Bouknight is not great on D either, but has been better than those two. And for God’s sake we should never be playing all 4 of our guards at the same time as we did Friday.

Hurley had some unexpected success late last year when forced to play small and seems to have an unhealthy fascination with it now. One of the biggest strengths thus team has is length and front court depth. If we aren’t going to use it, I don’t think we are going to be all that good.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

After watching the replay. I still can’t offer an analysis as it’s tough to stay awake when three ref’s take over a game .
Those guys where beyond bad. If you watched the highlights you watched the game unless your thing is a critique of free throw form.

 

[Chin Diesel]

starting 5 in the future will be, Sanogo, Akok, Martin, Bouknight, Cole.
Gaffney, Whaley, Polley, Adams, Jackson off the bench. with Brown, Carlton, and Springs in reserve depth.

Gaffney and Cole should rotate at point guard
Whaley and Sanogo rotate at center
Polley can back up akok at pf
Jackson and Martin rotate
Bouk and Adams.

Whaley is starting every game this year he is healthy and is showing he is a 25 mpg player. Sanogo is his primary relief. The two of them will soak up nearly 100% of minutes at the five. If anything, Whaley and Sanogo playing together will mean reduction in minutes at the four for everyone else.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Polley is far better as a 3 than a 4. Martin doesn’t need to play the 3, he should be the starting 4. If you think Polley should start, make him the 3. I’m not sold that he’s better than Jackson, certainly don’t think he will be for long.

The 2 PG lineup is not good. It’s one thing to run it with Napier and Boatright when they are both ++ defenders. Gaff and Cole are both below average defenders. Bouknight is not great on D either, but has been better than those two. And for God’s sake we should never be playing all 4 of our guards at the same time as we did Friday.

Hurley had some unexpected success late last year when forced to play small and seems to have an unhealthy fascination with it now. One of the biggest strengths thus team has is length and front court depth. If we aren’t going to use it, I don’t think we are going to be all that good.

I could be convinced Bouk, Polley, Martin and Whaley are four of the five starters come BE game time.

 

[87Xfer]

I could be convinced Bouk, Polley, Martin and Whaley are four of the five starters come BE game time.

Polley?

 

[huskyblooz]

Gaffney more of a distributor. Cole made some lackadaisical passes in both games, but has that scorers mentality. Jackson looked nervous and not in the flow of the game.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Polley?

Yep. You still need shooters. And Polley for all his flaws forces a wing defender to stay out of the lane, freeing up room for others.

 

[ctchamps]

The biggest problem with Cole, Gaffney and Bouknight playing together at this point is defense. All three struggle to keep their player from driving to the basket. The situation is made worse without Akok unavailable and with Polley's defense well below what he provided before the ACL injury. OTOH this is the best combo for offense.

Gaffney's strength in running offense is low turnover numbers. But it comes at a cost. He slows the half court offense down by dribbling far too long away from the basket. I've also noticed several instances where he missed a wide open player. Is this because he has poor court vision or because he's too deliberate or because he prefers waiting for Bouknight to be open?

Hurley was unhappy with the defense in the CCSU game. The players tried their best to generate a defense they thought their coach wanted. At this stage they don't have the skills to accommodate their coach. It resulted in three of their best scorers getting in foul trouble with the consequence of scoring struggles. Bouknight and Cole have the foot speed to be adequate perimeter defenders. Let's hope they can develop the skill to figure out how to disrupt opponents without fouling.

Gaffney and Cole are still developing as point guards. Gaffney because he was behind Al for most of last season and is just a sophomore. Cole because he was the primary scorer on a subpar team. I'd give them time before proclaiming which is better and what combos we need.

 

[Doctor Hoop]

Yep. You still need shooters. And Polley for all his flaws forces a wing defender to stay out of the lane, freeing up room for others.

Agree. I get that a lot of 'yarders have a sour taste when uttering "Polley". But you have to have shooters, especially those who have done it in the past (40% on 3's). Once his legs improve, coming off the ACL, with more PT he'll be fine in most areas. Right now he and Cole are the most consistent outside shooters, with Bouknight next.

You have to have shooting. Guys that drive the lane need to learn to kick to him. And he needs to see the openings and slide to them, ready to shoot.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Agree. I get that a lot of 'yarders have a sour taste when uttering "Polley". But you have to have shooters, especially those who have done it in the past (40% on 3's). Once his legs improve, coming off the ACL, with more PT he'll be fine in most areas. Right now he and Cole are the most consistent outside shooters, with Bouknight next.

You have to have shooting. Guys that drive the lane need to learn to kick to him. And he needs to see the openings and slide to them, ready to shoot.

If he is going to play, can we please run some stuff designed to get him the ball? That’s one of my annoyances. He isn’t a good shooter off the dribble, he doesn’t get free once he has the ball or create anything. He’s a catch and shoot wing. I think passes back out from the interior or clean looks in transition are where he is most useful. So far we haven’t run or passed the ball inside, so he’s not getting good looks.

 

[CL82]

This thread seems as good as any to stick this :

Pretty decent line for Gaffney.

 

[Chin Diesel]

I think you have a better chance of Akok, Martin and Whaley starting once Akok gets healthy. I don't think you can play two forwards, Martin and Jackson, incapable of stretching or spreading the floor.