Did Hurley give any reason why he did not play Akok?

[Waquoit]

I'm not in total agreement on the "excellent man manager."

He turned Alterique Gilbert around that alone puts him in the man management HOF. Even players that leave seem to do so on good terms. They play team ball and look out for each other.

 

[Husky Alien]

He turned Alterique Gilbert around that alone puts him in the man management HOF. Even players that leave seem to do so on good terms. They play team ball and look out for each other.

I guess I'm use to Calhoun's "man management", more than Hurley's time will tell.

 

[Umami Zen]

AA has the heart of a lion. He has limited foot speed and limited lower body strength in his legs to play the 4 defending vs strong/big guys in the paint who are trying to establish position against him. Quicker 3/4s can get by him with their foot speed.

So.. His value is weak side shot blocking/help defense.. And spacing the floor for threes and/or for AS to do his thing in the paint. As DH says --Know your identity.

Keep spending time w/ SnC program and perfect your three ball.

 

[businesslawyer]

I guess I'm use to Calhoun's "man management", more than Hurley's time will tell.

It's unfair to compare Hurley to Calhoun. Both because it's unfair to compare anyone to Calhoun, and because if you start doing that then the odds are we'll never have a satisfactory (to us) coach.

 

[Husky Alien]

It's unfair to compare Hurley to Calhoun. Both because it's unfair to compare anyone to Calhoun, and because if you start doing that then the odds are we'll never have a satisfactory (to us) coach.

Hey! Stay in the the Ollie arbitration thread will ya. LOL.

 

[Husky25]

What? He is not that slight. He's a damn sight stronger and more physical than Polley who spent many of his minutes at the 4 last night and who has never met a rebound he didn't want to grab. Watch Akok board, he isn't afraid to rebound in traffic and is very good at it. He's easily big enough to be a modern 4. Per 40 he averages 9.6 boards, behind Sanogo, Jackson and Springs. Polley is 4.2 and can't guard anyone in the paint at all. Blocks: Polley .4, Akok 3 per 40. He isn't nearly as slight as he was as a freshman.

The post I responded to specifically referred to Hawkins.

Anyhow, on second glance, this thread is misplaced. Akok is averaging 17 min/game. He is not a regular starter, so flow of the game, matchups, and situation will go a long way in determining his playing time.

 

[HuskyHawk]

AA has the heart of a lion. He has limited foot speed and limited lower body strength in his legs to play the 4 defending vs strong/big guys in the paint who are trying to establish position against him. Quicker 3/4s can get by him with their foot speed.

So.. His value is weak side shot blocking/help defense.. And spacing the floor for threes and/or for AS to do his thing in the paint. As DH says --Know your identity.

Keep spending time w/ SnC program and perfect your three ball.

Limited foot speed? Have you seen him live? The dude can absolutely fly.

 

[dennismenace]

The kid is a winner. I'd dove to see him get more minutes. Sanogo has to get his minutes and if Whaley is a double-double he has to play similar minutes. So you look to the wing and you have AJ and Tyrese. You don't want to have any of them off the floor too much. That said, I still believe in Akok. He is one of those focused kids who won't allow himself to fail. I'm confident it will click.

Agreed. I don't see why Polley was on the floor for 24 mins. He was 2/6 from 3 and no other points including free throws. He had ONE rebound, no assists, no steals and no blocks shots. He certainly wasn't handling the ball by bringing it up. Martin was handling that as well as shootig the lights out so it seems Polley was in there as a three. I am mystified by Akok's absence and despite the theories presented in this thread I have not heard anyone defending the minutes given to Polley over Akok. It was very fortunate that Martin had a phenomenal game. BTW, this was Polley performing against a weak team.

 

[imno1]

Agreed. I don't see why Polley was on the floor for 24 mins. He was 2/6 from 3 and no other points including free throws. He had ONE rebound, no assists, no steals and no blocks shots. He certainly wasn't handling the ball by bringing it up. Martin was handling that as well as shootig the lights out so it seems Polley was in there as a three. I am mystified by Akok's absence and despite the theories presented in this thread I have not heard anyone defending the minutes given to Polley over Akok. It was very fortunate that Martin had a phenomenal game. BTW, this was Polley performing against a weak team.

Polley play a lot in the second half. We outscored Butler by 23 in half 2. So it's hard to criticize Coach for his substitution pattern.

 

[navery12]

Polley play a lot in the second half. We outscored Butler by 23 in half 2. So it's hard to criticize Coach for his substitution pattern.

There's no room for logic and facts in this feelings based argument

 

[Umami Zen]

Limited foot speed? Have you seen him live? The dude can absolutely fly.

He's a vertical player.. That is his strength.. In the paint-He frequently gets out-muscled for position..

 

[businesslawyer]

Polley play a lot in the second half. We outscored Butler by 23 in half 2. So it's hard to criticize Coach for his substitution pattern.

You’d think it would be hard. But, apparently, not.

 

[gtcam]

Agreed. I don't see why Polley was on the floor for 24 mins. He was 2/6 from 3 and no other points including free throws. He had ONE rebound, no assists, no steals and no blocks shots. He certainly wasn't handling the ball by bringing it up. Martin was handling that as well as shootig the lights out so it seems Polley was in there as a three. I am mystified by Akok's absence and despite the theories presented in this thread I have not heard anyone defending the minutes given to Polley over Akok. It was very fortunate that Martin had a phenomenal game. BTW, this was Polley performing against a weak team.

I guess you ride with whats hot at the time
Not DH's MO but surprisingly it was yesterday and it worked

 

[Umami Zen]

Limited foot speed? Have you seen him live? The dude can absolutely fly.

My bad. Probably should have been more specific in this observation. His north/south foot speed (straight ahead) ..On a break is legit for his size.. More about his lateral foot speed. Side-to-side.. Where quicker players can get by him when he's playing D on them.

Let me be clear.. Love what he brings to the team and his value in the right spots.. Just commenting on perhaps why DH does not give him more PT. IMO--It's all about the right matchups for him.

 

[zls44]

You’d think it would be hard. But, apparently, not.

They're also using the "...but Jim Calhoun!" thing. Why don't we go comparing every baseball player to Mike Trout while we're at it.

 

[VindiKate]

They're also using the "...but Jim Calhoun!" thing. Why don't we go comparing every baseball player to Mike Trout while we're at it.

Where can we see +/- stats?

 

[navery12]

Where can we see +/- stats?

Are you looking for a single game or season long?

 

[VindiKate]

Are you looking for a single game or season long?

Both or either, whatever is available

 

[navery12]

Both or either, whatever is available

Not sure where to find season long +/- but individual games are here

StatBroadcast® Systems - UConn Event Calendar

www.statbroadcast.com

 

[Waquoit]

I guess I'm use to Calhoun's "man management", more than Hurley's time will tell.

You do realize that he's be gone for a decade? And his "man management" that last year was suboptimal.

 

[superjohn]

He's a vertical player.. That is his strength.. In the paint-He frequently gets out-muscled for position..

What does that have to do with you saying he has limited foot speed? Akok is fast as hell.

 

[Umami Zen]

What does that have to do with you saying he has limited foot speed? Akok is fast as hell.

Verticality has nothing to do with foot speed.Two different posts. Never said it did. I did say that I think DH finds his D lacking at times and it seems to me that is what is limiting his PT in response to a previous post.

IMO.. His offensive skills are primarily vertical in nature-Not using his body (ala AS) or his handle (ala TM/RJ/AJ) to get his shot. But rather lobs/dunks/jump-shooting. His PT is a function of matchups/his skill set at both ends. I have seen him get lost on switches/picks and /or by the player he is defending using their handle to get by him for their shot. I call that lateral foot speed.

 

[goskis2018]

What? He is not that slight. He's a damn sight stronger and more physical than Polley who spent many of his minutes at the 4 last night and who has never met a rebound he didn't want to grab. Watch Akok board, he isn't afraid to rebound in traffic and is very good at it. He's easily big enough to be a modern 4. Per 40 he averages 9.6 boards, behind Sanogo, Jackson and Springs. Polley is 4.2 and can't guard anyone in the paint at all. Blocks: Polley .4, Akok 3 per 40. He isn't nearly as slight as he was as a freshman.

It's pretty clear to me that Akok is going to benefit greatly from Whaley and Polley being off the team next year. He offers a blend of their skills (hits three at a high percentage and is a defense-first guy) but is worse then both at their specialties, although shotblocking compared to Whaley is likely a wash.

Next year he'll be competing for minutes with Samson, and he's clearly ahead of him in the rotation in the present moment. A frontcourt consisting of a improving offensively AJax, Sanogo, and Akok has good balance both offensively and defensively.

 

[elmcityboy]

hurley addressed the akok situation in the butler game in his press availability today. says it was partially match-up related and partially effort-related. also acknowledges how well whaley and sanogo were playing.