Enoch is transferring

[Excalibur]

I'd say this is typically true but not always.

2014 Patriots over Seattle is an example of offense over defense. For that matter, so is 2003 Patriots over Carolina. I'm not saying these teams were all time world beaters statistically, but only that offensive explosions over top defenses won the actual games.

There's a certain irony in citing the 2014 Patriots as an example of offense over defense.

 

[mauconnfan]

Not an agenda just my honest opinion.

Saying it's not fair that the staff got these guys isn't an excuse in my opinion. They went out and recruited these guys. They knew Brimah and Facey only played < 5 years of organized basketball. If they didn't live up to UConn expectations it's a mix of player and coaching blame.

I have always said you can blame the coaches for recruiting players with low BBIQ and minimal instincts. That's on them, but you can't say that then say they haven't developed under the coaching staff. They wouldn't develop after a year at Pete Newell camp, they don'e get it - that's my point.

Let's drop it anyway it's repetitive beyond belief, it's time to get better players and turn this thing around rid ourselves of projects unless they are in the back up roles. Projects starting or playing key roles for 4 years in not a trend we need in Storrs this we can agree on!

 

[CTBasketball]

I have always said you can blame the coaches for recruiting players with low BBIQ and minimal instincts. That's on them, but you can't say that then say they haven't developed under the coaching staff. They wouldn't develop after a year at Pete Newell camp, they don'e get it - that's my point.

Let's drop it anyway it's repetitive beyond belief, it's time to get better players and turn this thing around rid ourselves of projects unless they are in the back up roles. Projects starting or playing key roles for 4 years in not a trend we need in Storrs this we can agree on!

Agree. Smart players + adaptive coaching + winning mentality = championships.

 

[upstater]

Has any big man improved on defense outside of blocking shots? I've seen Facey, Brimah, Durham, Nolan, Daniels, and Enoch get beat on defense every possession with our saving grace being a weak side or chase down block. It masks what's really going on.

If we were all good with feet position, hedging screeners, and staying in front of your man we'd be a much better rebounding team as well.

Yes. Nolan and Daniels improved. Why did you include Durham?

 

[PAHusky]

Feel like sometimes, especially when it comes to recruiting big men, KO focuses on NBA measurables/potential rather than taking an "undersized" or relatively unathletic (by the NBA's standards) who has a bit more polish to their game. It's a calculated risk; if the NBA size and potential skill set pans out, you get Emeka or Thabeet, but you also miss out on kids like Colson. At the end of the day, it's a crapshoot, and we've missed out recently and had some of our big man recruiting deficiencies covered by all world guard play. I'm sure the pendulum will swing back the other way soon.

 

[upstater]

Not an agenda just my honest opinion.

Saying it's not fair that the staff got these guys isn't an excuse in my opinion. They went out and recruited these guys. They knew Brimah and Facey only played < 5 years of organized basketball. If they didn't live up to UConn expectations it's a mix of player and coaching blame.

Brimah was a pretty lowly ranked recruit. The idea that they went out and purposely looked for a kid with his characteristics is far from the reality of recruiting. As for Facey, the UConn team of 2012 was not going to pass on the New York Player of the Year.

 

[mauconnfan]

Feel like sometimes, especially when it comes to recruiting big men, KO focuses on NBA measurables/potential rather than taking an "undersized" or relatively unathletic (by the NBA's standards) who has a bit more polish to their game. It's a calculated risk; if the NBA size and potential skill set pans out, you get Emeka or Thabeet, but you also miss out on kids like Colson. At the end of the day, it's a crapshoot, and we've missed out recently and had some of our big man recruiting deficiencies covered by all world guard play. I'm sure the pendulum will swing back the other way soon.

Spot on

 

[CTBasketball]

Brimah was a pretty lowly ranked recruit. The idea that they went out and purposely looked for a kid with his characteristics is far from the reality of recruiting. As for Facey, the UConn team of 2012 was not going to pass on the New York Player of the Year.

Good point. Brimah was a direct result of the APR sanctions. We might have been able to grab a more touted big.

Facey was considered a good get though. He was probably ranked higher than he should have been.

 

[Doctor Hoop]

Good, smart players don't make the same mistakes. I feel for them all if they had crappy coaching growing up but c'mon if you're any good you get better.

This, absolutely. You get the game, you observe, you absorb lessons, you get better. You get tunnel vision on your man and don't see the flow of the other players on the court, you hurt the whole team defense concept. Everyone else on the court expects you to be someplace you're not.

By the way, I don't think it's fair to lump Facey in as a bad defender. He was pretty good this year, even when switched onto smaller quicker guards after picks. Not great, but pretty good.

 

[mauconnfan]

Brimah was a pretty lowly ranked recruit. The idea that they went out and purposely looked for a kid with his characteristics is far from the reality of recruiting. As for Facey, the UConn team of 2012 was not going to pass on the New York Player of the Year.

And both great kids and smart kids. We talk about IQ in a basketball sense but I would guess when the staff saw these guys play they knew there was fundamental work to be done, it was obvious. But kids who are solid citizens like these 2 and smart you would think could be taught the parts of the game which will matter. And at the same time you're still hoping to recruit other players of impact in their positions also over the 4 years.

Somehow most of this never happened. Time for a new chapter, hopefully someone like Chillious will be part of that.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Feel like sometimes, especially when it comes to recruiting big men, KO focuses on NBA measurables/potential rather than taking an "undersized" or relatively unathletic (by the NBA's standards) who has a bit more polish to their game. It's a calculated risk; if the NBA size and potential skill set pans out, you get Emeka or Thabeet, but you also miss out on kids like Colson. At the end of the day, it's a crapshoot, and we've missed out recently and had some of our big man recruiting deficiencies covered by all world guard play. I'm sure the pendulum will swing back the other way soon.

Bingo. You always go for the complete players. The top guys. But who are your second choices? Do you take a high ceiling, low floor "athlete", who doesn't really know how to play? Or do you take a lower ceiling higher floor guy, who does all the little things well, like blocking out, making outlet passes, making layups, not backing down in the paint, catching the ball...". We need that second guy. Ever damned American East team seems to have one, why can't we? Those guys stay 4 years, and don't bitch about playing time either. You hope that guy is a valuable backup to your stud center...but if you don't get the stud, you can rely on him to help the team.

This is the 21st century. You don't need to run your offense through your center. What I wouldn't give to just have a Gerry Besselink on this team.

 

[JMick]

Bingo. You always go for the complete players. The top guys. But who are your second choices? Do you take a high ceiling, low floor "athlete", who doesn't really know how to play? Or do you take a lower ceiling higher floor guy, who does all the little things well, like blocking out, making outlet passes, making layups, not backing down in the paint, catching the ball...". We need that second guy. Ever damned American East team seems to have one, why can't we? Those guys stay 4 years, and don't bitch about playing time either. You hope that guy is a valuable backup to your stud center...but if you don't get the stud, you can rely on him to help the team.

This is the 21st century. You don't need to run your offense through your center. What I wouldn't give to just have a Gerry Besselink on this team.

I agree. It's inexcusable to be playing mid major after mid major that has a better five than us, and it's happened a lot.

 

[Storrs South]

I started putting this together before he announced he was going to transfer. Figured I would finish the job I started. There was definitely reason for optimism in his game from watching this but man half the things he does are baffling.

Anyway here's the complete game film on Enoch from this season:

 

[intlzncster]

Has any big man improved on defense outside of blocking shots? I've seen Facey, Brimah, Durham, Nolan, Daniels, and Enoch get beat on defense every possession with our saving grace being a weak side or chase down block. It masks what's really going on.

If we were all good with feet position, hedging screeners, and staying in front of your man we'd be a much better rebounding team as well.

Why would you throw Durham in there? Guy is in his first season and hasn't played in two years. Belongs nowhere near any 'didn't improve' list.

 

[CTBasketball]

I started putting this together before he announced he was going to transfer. Figured I would finish the job I started. There was definitely reason for optimism in his game from watching this but man half the things he does are baffling.

Anyway here's the complete game film on Enoch from this season:

Can you compile a video of all of Brimah's ridiculously dumb shots?

 

[Robertelamin]

He really was terrible. Good luck to him though.

 

[Storrs South]

Can you compile a video of all of Brimah's ridiculously dumb shots?

I have considered doing this as well as finding all the times Purvis stepped out of bounds. Low on the priority list of upcoming videos, but maybe I'll get to it this summer. I want to do these game tape cuts for other players first; thinking of doing Adams next.

 

[HuskyBandDad]

Wait. I am confused. Is Steve E transferring and going to play football?

 

[businesslawyer]

My money would be on Providence right now.

Does Providence want him? Why? I know him leaving unexpectedly leaves us in the lurch, and I know he looks like he should have potential, but his first two years of actual play were so far beneath a Tyler Olander or a Phil Nolan that I have trouble seeing a major conference team wanting him.

 

[Candyman]

That video shows he had potential on offense but damn he could not finish. If he had a good big man coach to coach him up he could really be a great low post scorer. I tell ya looking at those Wagner and Northeastern clips still gets me pissed.

 

[businesslawyer]

This....is my nightmare.

I think it will happen.

It's possible that as a redshirt senior, he could get there. But he has to sit a year, and then the next year back he won't have played in two years and still has to deal with the fact that he shoots 42% from the field, not much better from the line and literally couldn't guard my sandwich in a refrigerator. (He would end up pinned between the back of the refrigerator and the wall, looking towards the wall).

I am not saying 12 and 6 is impossible -- big men can make big improvements in years 4 and 5 -- but it doesn't seem particularly likely. And if we don't have a better center than him three years out anyway, him being a 12 and 6 guys without a feel for the game isn't going to solve our long term problems anyway.

 

[pj]

His offensive potential is obvious, but man, he just made so many bad things happen. If he couldn't cut down the error rate in 2 years, is it worth investing another 2-3 in him? I don't like that he blames the coaches for his lack of development. A little introspection would do him good.

 

[ctchamps]

It's possible that as a redshirt senior, he could get there. But he has to sit a year, and then the next year back he won't have played in two years and still has to deal with the fact that he shoots 42% from the field, not much better from the line and literally couldn't guard my sandwich in a refrigerator. (He would end up pinned between the back of the refrigerator and the wall, looking towards the wall).

I am not saying 12 and 6 is impossible -- big men can make big improvements in years 4 and 5 -- but it doesn't seem particularly likely. And if we don't have a better center than him three years out anyway, him being a 12 and 6 guys without a feel for the game isn't going to solve our long term problems anyway.

Would have given several likes if possible just for the guarding a sandwich comment.

 

[Tenspro2002]

It's possible that as a redshirt senior, he could get there. But he has to sit a year, and then the next year back he won't have played in two years and still has to deal with the fact that he shoots 42% from the field, not much better from the line and literally couldn't guard my sandwich in a refrigerator. (He would end up pinned between the back of the refrigerator and the wall, looking towards the wall).

I am not saying 12 and 6 is impossible -- big men can make big improvements in years 4 and 5 -- but it doesn't seem particularly likely. And if we don't have a better center than him three years out anyway, him being a 12 and 6 guys without a feel for the game isn't going to solve our long term problems anyway.

I know we didn't put much stock into his performance over last summer, but didn't he manage to shoot something absurdly horrible, like 30%, in that international tournament?

 

[aceboon]

I know we didn't put much stock into his performance over last summer, but didn't he manage to shoot something absurdly horrible, like 30%, in that international tournament?

Can't remember the exact number but he did shoot horribly in that FIBA tourney, and that was against B level international comp