Comparing 2013-14 team to 2014-15 team

[The Smart One]

I'll give you one key attribute to each player and see that we compare favorably to what we had to what we will have.

Shabazz - Heart / Good scorer
Boatright - Heart / Defender ?
Giffey - a top 3 pt threat
Deandre - inconsistent but dangerous
Nolan / Brimah - Young / Average or Below production

Kromah - One of the best 6th men in country / leadership
Samuel - Freshman with moxy who came on late
Omar - Never hit a stride
Facey/TO - Not much time / ineffective

At PG : This year we replace shabazz with boat and Purvis who was an all american can take over shabazz scoring/heart - Id say we have a slight advantage here with an older more experienced Tsam.

At SG : We lose a ball handling Boatright but gain Purvis / Cassell - We might lose a little speed / and might see a slight downgrade here.

At SF/3rd G : we lose Giffey a top 3 pt shooter in the country but average or slightly above average in other categories but gain a all around talent albeit young Daniel Hamilton - Id say we gain a little here.

At PF : we lose Daniels who was an up and down performer but added an extra threat in some games / not a great rebounder at his position this year we gain some muscle in Lubin and Facey sharing the role not much scoring would be expected but more rebounding contributing to more attempts for others - Id say with the added scoring threats we have this year we dont necessarily need a random DD performance. EVEN

At C : this is where we gain a lot with out losing anyone here and an added year experience for the bigs - we gain big here.

Overall id say we are a better team overall with the same heart and more experience for some key players. My only concern is how determined Ryan is at taking his last chance at the NBA and how that could help or hurt the team. Also, concerned about complacency (sic?). Talent / skill alone we are a better team.

 

[alfonse]

At Shooting guard you mention us losing speed. I am well aware of how fast Boatright is but if you watch the video of Purvis his freshman year against Uconn it looks like he can at least match Boatrights speed as he leaks out on 2 plays. In particular the play at 36 seconds.

 

[Jluc]

We dont have more of an advantage at point guard this year than we did last year..

 

[Jluc]

And we arent even close to even at power forward

 

[David 76]

SF- you left out Omar. I think he will contrbute
I think Bazz to Boat will be some drop-off.
I think Purvis may do a little more than Boat did at SG
PF will be our biggest loss (love to be wrong here)
at C we will gain experience but I don't think that will be our big gain
I think Omar and DH will produce much more at the SF
Boat will be the heart of the team but I think Purvis be a leader too.

 

[Citrusdog]

I think Sam Cassell Jr will surprise many. I see subtle things in his overall game - that I don't see in others. I also realize... that I am only working from a handful of videos. And actually... very little of Rodney Purvis.

For me... I have always learned very little from watching an uncontested breakaway dunk. To me... youtube is a place where a mediocre basketball player (with height) can post a tremendous looking dunk... and 'conceptually' be spoken of in the same breath as others who are far more talented. For me... I enjoy watching what players do in the half court - on either side of the ball. This is where you can witness the bb IQ, more refined skills and subtle stuff.

I think this young man (a more mature 21 or 22 - as well) is going to be terrific. He is getting very little press... and I think he is much better than most think.

 

[champs99and04]

I'd be very surprised if Hamilton as a freshman was as good as Giffey was last year. And even though I like Facey, there is simply no way he and whatever else we cobble together at the four will be as good as Daniels. I think overall you're a bit overly optimistic in your analysis.

 

[scrappy2.0]

And we aren't even close to even at power forward

I'm going to hold tongue until I see both Facey and Lubin play PF. Remember Deandre Daniels was NOT good his freshmen year and than pretty much was the same player in years 2-3. Facey has all the attributes to make the same jump Daniels did--he's long and athletic he can play in and out, he's mobile runs the floor well rebounds--lets give him HIS chance before we say Daniels is much better. Also we haven't had a player like Lubin since JA graduated. We could've used a guy like that a few times last year--namely Louisville.

PG--yes Shabazz is long gone BUT we have 2 of the core 3 guards returning. We just saw a GLIMPSE of Samuels who may be a better all around PG than Shabazz in the long run. There is NO doubt in my mind we will see a lot of 3 guard sets that include Purvis Samuels and Boatright and that is a SCARY combination for other teams with speed quickness and 2 way play.

Both Nolan and Brimah should be better improved

We add in another potential star player in Hamilton a scorer off the bench in cassell and hopefully a resurgence from Omar Calhoun who can easily play the Kromah role.

IMHO right away I think this team is BETTER in terms of team ball-handling rebounding and more speed end to end. I think this team has ever chance to be special on defense IF everyone stays healthy and I believe this team might have all round more fire power.

The bottom line is we have a LOT of our core championship team back--and we have added star power in Purvis and Hamilton. On paper this team with guys gaining experience and a lot of talent--might be better than last year. Also it will help a lot that Purvis was with the team all year last year. Chemistry is always the all important question mark. I think when you have three guards like Samuels Purvis and Boatright--you can win any game.

 

[David 76]

I think LK was more core for us last year than TS

 

[donyell34]

We lose experience and lots of it. Young guys F acey, Rock, and Hamilton need some time. Calhoun big? His fall was quick and deep and injury related. We have only 10 scholarship players and need production and positive results from all.

 

[MrP]

PG--yes Shabazz is long gone BUT we have 2 of the core 3 guards returning. We just saw a GLIMPSE of Samuels who may be a better all around PG than Shabazz in the long run.

Call me a pessimist, but I do not see what everyone else sees in Samuel. Truthfully, in his time last year I felt that he got lucky making the plays he did, perhaps getting the benefit of being an unknown quantity for the opposing defense. He has a high, shaky looking handle, can't shoot, and appears to play too fast, sort of like Kemba as a freshman/soph. Also, not that he really had an opportunity, but he didn't display any sort of advanced court vision either. If anyone expects him to become better than possibly the best UConn guard EVER, prepare to be disappointed.

Along the same lines, this board spent months canonizing Niels Giffey, and the virtues of his "glue guy" role. Now we are willing to say that a freshman will step in and and do more? Will he guard centers in a pinch? Get a hand on seemingly every loose ball? Get timely rebounds in traffic? Shoot 50% from 3? Make approximately ALL of his foul shots? Have a creepy neck beard?

As for the OP, it is filled with logical inconsistencies that reach way farther than being merely over-optimistic. For example, just because we may not NEED the same production from the 4 spot (according to OP's hypothetical, a circumstance I personally am not willing to stipulate), doesn't mean we actually break even at that spot. No way Facey and Lubin replace what DD did, except maybe on the boards.

Finally, we need to pump the brakes on Purvis, and wait to see him in action. He was a HIGH SCHOOL all american, hasn't played a game in a year and a half, and had surgery.

Despite all that, I think this is a Sweet 16 team, which is what I though last year's team was going to be too. 20/20 hindsight I guess. I didn't realize this was going to be such a negative post. If you need me, I will be listening to Coldplay in the dark.

 

[mauconnfan]

Maybe it's Coldplay in the dark that created such dark thoughts on our next Husky team? For whatever reason I am wondering why you would bother posting what you did and finish saying you still believe this is a Sweet 16 team……amazing!

Anyway I do agree completely with the Giffey paragraph……tough to replace the many facets he brought!

 

[Dogbreath2U]

Call me a pessimist, but I do not see what everyone else sees in Samuel. Truthfully, in his time last year I felt that he got lucky making the plays he did, perhaps getting the benefit of being an unknown quantity for the opposing defense. He has a high, shaky looking handle, can't shoot, and appears to play too fast, sort of like Kemba as a freshman/soph. Also, not that he really had an opportunity, but he didn't display any sort of advanced court vision either. If anyone expects him to become better than possibly the best UConn guard EVER, prepare to be disappointed.

Along the same lines, this board spent months canonizing Niels Giffey, and the virtues of his "glue guy" role. Now we are willing to say that a freshman will step in and and do more? Will he guard centers in a pinch? Get a hand on seemingly every loose ball? Get timely rebounds in traffic? Shoot 50% from 3? Make approximately ALL of his foul shots? Have a creepy neck beard?

As for the OP, it is filled with logical inconsistencies that reach way farther than being merely over-optimistic. For example, just because we may not NEED the same production from the 4 spot (according to OP's hypothetical, a circumstance I personally am not willing to stipulate), doesn't mean we actually break even at that spot. No way Facey and Lubin replace what DD did, except maybe on the boards.

Finally, we need to pump the brakes on Purvis, and wait to see him in action. He was a HIGH SCHOOL all american, hasn't played a game in a year and a half, and had surgery.

Despite all that, I think this is a Sweet 16 team, which is what I though last year's team was going to be too. 20/20 hindsight I guess. I didn't realize this was going to be such a negative post. If you need me, I will be listening to Coldplay in the dark.

Initial posts that are overly optimistic like this one beg for a balancing view. After each championship, some fans always greatly underestimate the difficulty of following such an accomplishment with another great year. I think that the success of this year's team will require a great deal of growth in virtually every single player including high level performances and consistency from more than one freshman. There is a point where the mojo must be replenished and I hope our guys can start to come together late in the season and then "who knows?" what might happen.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

I'm optimistic about our chances next season, but I'm sorry you just can't replace Shabazz. Not even close.

People realize he was the best player in the country and easily one of our top 3-5 Huskies of all time right?

Not to mention an NBA Draft pick in Daniels and two seasoned veterans that went on to NBA Camps in Giffey and Kromah.

It's a message board and there's nothing else to talk about in August but if we were to read similar threads on a UNC or UK board we'd laugh.

 

[Onions]

scrappy2.0 " We just saw a GLIMPSE of Samuels who may be a better all around PG than Shabazz in the long run."

This just may be the dumbest thing ever posted here, and that's saying something.

 

[scrappy2.0]

I'm optimistic about our chances next season, but I'm sorry you just can't replace Shabazz. Not even close.

People realize he was the best player in the country and easily one of our top 3-5 Huskies of all time right?

Not to mention an NBA Draft pick in Daniels and two seasoned veterans that went on to NBA Camps in Giffey and Kromah.

It's a message board and there's nothing else to talk about in August but if we were to read similar threads on a UNC or UK board we'd laugh.

In terms of overall talent--this team has a great chance to be better. Were getting essentially a junior level player in Purvis who had a better freshmen season than Shabazz did and has been w the team 2 years now. I don't think people realize just how good this kid is going to be. How many Daniel Hamitlon 's or Rakim Lubin's did we have last year---ah none. Our frontline is two years in now and bigger stronger more skilled. I'm not saying that any negatives cant happen especially w a short bench but I see this team with THREE returning starters from a NC one super-stud junior to replace Shabazz a late season find in Samuels who I think might be the most improved Husky--I just think the team this year has more parts. I do not see us losing to a team 73-48. Lets not forget we were a 3 pt play under 1 minutes away from just tying game 1. It was a really good team with great chemistry that played well and had good match ups and a little bit of luck. This team to be has MORE NBA talent and I think that the chemistry should be good.

 

[CTBasketball]

I disagree with gaining at point guard. You don't lose Shabazz Napier and become "better" at the position. Just doesn't happen.

 

[scrappy2.0]

scrappy2.0 " We just saw a GLIMPSE of Samuels who may be a better all around PG than Shabazz in the long run."

This just may be the dumbest thing ever posted here, and that's saying something.

Talk to me in a couple of years.

 

[scrappy2.0]

You will see a lot of this

 

[Tenspro2002]

Something we should also keep in mind is: even if you can convince yourself somehow that this year's team will be just as good as last year's team, that doesn't mean this year's team is championship-caliber.

It's easy to forget, but in 2014 we were generally a middling team, ranked 15-25, the 3rd best team in a decent, but not deep conference.

If you think the 2015 team is just as good as 2014, Sweet 16 is a more reasonable prediction than Final Four.

 

[aceboon]

lol @ TSam "getting lucky" to make key plays in big moments. when you play well in back to back tourney games and then in a Final 4, that's not luck. that sounds like something a Jeff Goodman or another idiot talking head would say.

 

[Hoophound]

lol @ TSam "getting lucky" to make key plays in big moments. when you play well in back to back tourney games and then in a Final 4, that's not luck. that sounds like something a Jeff Goodman or another idiot talking head would say.

Yep, TSam is fearless and he knows how to get to the rim and finish. No luck there, just confidence and moxie.

 

[David 76]

I think people forget how important Lk was to us. Mid year he was our third, arguably second best player on the team and we were all apologizing to the kid who was talking him up beginning of the season.
There are a lot of questions this year after a big loss in talent. But we have a lot of possible answers too.

 

[HuskyBballFan]

The 2014 team won the National Chanpionship. We have no idea how good the 2015 team will be given the number of new faces.

But if we want to set expectations in August that have even an iota of credibility, we should probably start by admitting that expecting us to be better at point guard and "even" at power forward is beyond absurd.

 

[MrP]

Yep, TSam is fearless and he knows how to get to the rim and finish. No luck there, just confidence and moxie.

I mean, he his his free throws, but he only had 8 field goals in the entire tourney (and only 24 for the entire season). It just looked like a lot of his drives were reckless, and I don't think anyone can expect him to maintain similar effectiveness in extended minutes. I'm not sure that merits an insinuation from @aceboon that I'm an idiot. By the time UConn got to the final four, I think other teams figured him out, and more or less neutralized him pretty easily. He scored 6 points total in those games, and didn't get to the line at all.

As for my Sweet 16 prediction, I think these guys are going to be good, just not better than last year's team.