Cole is the key | Page 3 | The Boneyard

Cole is the key

Status
Not open for further replies.

BParkDog

I will see number 5.
Joined
Nov 28, 2020
Messages
154
Reaction Score
1,130
I am very happy Cole is here, but I am less sanguine than most as to his prospects going forward, especially at point guard.

In his first 2 games with us, shot well, but 7 assists, 6 turnovers, 2 rebounds.

Cole, at Howard, shot 43% from 2, 37% from 3, had 6.2 and 3.5 Assists/TOs per game for a 1.8 Assist/TO ratio. Those numbers were against opponents who would be considered "cupcakes" for BE teams, such as American, Fordham, George Washington, Ball State, Hampton, and so on. That year, against Georgetown, with a final RPI of 84, and the highest ranked team he played, I believe, he had 6 assists, 6 turnovers, and 2 rebounds. He shot well. I did not see, but could have missed, any other top-100 RPI team on Howard's schedule (schedule is here . . . 2018-19 Men's Basketball Schedule - Howard University Athletics (hubison.com))

It seems, to me, that Cole will almost certainly struggle when he plays against top 50 teams. I expect his shooting % to drop and his assist/TO to move toward the Georgetown game last year. Further, at his age, with his experience and level of athleticism, I think he is at or near his ceiling.

Ultimately, I see Cole as a guy who will, at season's end, come off the bench or have an Olander-esque starting role. He will be a guy who we can, hopefully, turn to for some instant offense.

Gaffney is the most critical piece of our puzzle - we absolutely need him to play exactly as he finished last year and picked up this year. He is a true point, and his ball-safety is top notch.

Gaffney this year, so far 5 assists to 1 turnover (5:1 assist/TO), 4 for 10 from 2, 2 for 5 from 3, so 40% from both 2 and 3, 3 blocks, 7 out of ten from the line.

Unfortunately, I think Cole has been substantially over-hyped because of his numbers at Howard and rumors about practice. Caution encouraged when comparing success as far-lesser basketball schools (Cassel Jr) or performance in practice (Wilson/Purvis). "We talken bout PRACtice" people, not the game.

I will consider him a success at UConn if he can play 20 minutes a game, average 40% from 2 and 40% from 3, and maintain at least a 2:1 assist ratio. We need him to spell Gaffney, provide a reliable 3 point shooter, and act as a reliable 3rd ball handler in smaller line ups.
 
Joined
Dec 8, 2015
Messages
12,242
Reaction Score
91,214
Hurley recruits a lot of bad defenders for a supposed defensive coach. Does he think he can change them?

Bouk, Gaff, Cole are all bad defenders. Jackson was not known for defense coming in, but I guess the athleticism was obvious. Sanogo the jury is still out imo.

Has he maybe learned his lesson? Sool is an terrible defender, but imo Hawkins and Johnson are difference makers on D day 1.
 
Joined
Aug 17, 2011
Messages
14,300
Reaction Score
78,541
Bouk, Gaff, Cole are all bad defenders. Jackson was not known for defense coming in, but I guess the athleticism was obvious. Sanogo the jury is still out imo.
Bouknight has the ability to be a good defender. He has quick feet and long arms. He just has to try harder.
 
Joined
Aug 26, 2011
Messages
5,134
Reaction Score
22,263
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.
Yeah I don't really care about the numbers but I'm thinking more on defense with Tyler guarding their 4.
 
Joined
Aug 28, 2011
Messages
360
Reaction Score
1,356
I think so much of being a PG is showing energy and competitiveness to the rest of your floor mates and neither Cole or Gaffney are displaying enough offensively or defensively. Given that, I'd recommend DH separate them for now and make them compete for minutes. That will force them to pick up their game and if both rise to the occasion then he can play them together/start later in the season.
 

Huskyforlife

Akokbouk
Joined
Feb 19, 2013
Messages
11,901
Reaction Score
47,412
I'm a Gaffney guy, but I think it says a lot how split we are on who should be the only starting PG. No matter who it is, half of us will think Hurley is wrong.
 
Joined
Aug 24, 2011
Messages
8,234
Reaction Score
17,488
We can’t have only one guy on the floor who can create his own shot. So Cole over Gaffney if given the choice.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Online statistics

Members online
82
Guests online
2,775
Total visitors
2,857

Forum statistics

Threads
155,799
Messages
4,032,034
Members
9,865
Latest member
Sad Tiger


Top Bottom