Explain to me why we didn’t bring in another point guard???

[Lefty2one]

It's been clear that Gaffney is a combo guard and he leans more towards being an SG than a PG.

While Martin is a huge asset for us, playing him at the 2 is problematic. He's a wing and a modern smallball four against certain matchups. It is incredibly tough to beat good teams with a single ballhandler.

I said it when last season ended: we need Diggins to play significant minutes as a freshman if we want the '22 team to reach its potential.

 

[JB75]

I still am in disbelief people on this board thought Gaffney should start over Cole. Hurley needs to do whatever he can to get Diggins ready because Gaffney should not be getting time outside of blowouts.

This board loves them some gaff. Never bought it. Get diggins in now while we have the chance. What’s the worst that can happen?

 

[businesslawyer]

We clearly need a player who can dribble the ball well against the press. Why didn’t Hurley get a transfer who could help to beat the press. Was Hurley under the impression that Gaffney can dribble well? We don’t look like a top 25 team based on these last two games. We can’t shoot well and can’t dribble well. I’m not an expert but I think you need to do both of those well in order to be a good team. I’m other news, Hawkins needs 28 minutes a game and Gaffney needs to play less.

He wanted Diggins. If you bring in a transfer PG, do you get (or keep) Diggins? These decisions aren’t as easy as blowing steam off because Gaffney had a really poor weak. Unless, of course, you’ve given up on Diggins 7 games into his freshman season.

 

[cohenzone]

He wanted Diggins. If you bring in a transfer PG, do you get (or keep) Diggins? These decisions aren’t as easy as blowing steam off because Gaffney had a really poor weak. Unless, of course, you’ve given up on Diggins 7 games into his freshman season.

It becomes ever more obvious on the BY with every passing victory why fans are fans and not coaches.

 

[8893]

He wanted Diggins. If you bring in a transfer PG, do you get (or keep) Diggins? These decisions aren’t as easy as blowing steam off because Gaffney had a really poor weak. Unless, of course, you’ve given up on Diggins 7 games into his freshman season.

Who could have given up on Diggins at this point, other than Hurley? None of the rest of us have seen enough to know.

 

[tentoes4rings]

This board loves them some gaff. Never bought it. Get diggins in now while we have the chance. What’s the worst that can happen?

In earlier cupcake games I think people were fooled into thinking Gaffney could be counted on versus good competition. To me, he looks like the same guy we’ve seen the previous two seasons. He doesn’t have the handle or quick first step to be relied on for many minutes at PG. Our best teams have always had two guards who can handle the ball, Martin at the two is far from ideal. I agree that Diggins needs to be a major factor for us to have any real aspirations this season.

 

[Kenny11]

Sool had offers from Seton Hall, Nova and Kansas. The kid can ball. I’m a little perplexed by his lack of run, especially during the cupcakes.

Right. He was ranked in the 60s or 70s right? A point guard with that type of ranking is certainly talented enough to play in these games…unless he’s just way worse than his ranking suggests.

 

[the Q]

Both of our pgs are really combo guards who both would be better off the ball if Jackson could handle the primary distributor/facilitator role.

At this point you just have to imagine that diggins practice play isn’t there to justify the PT despite the need for a pure pg.

 

[Hoops91]

Gaffney to me is just like Brendan Adams. He doesn’t look comfortable dribbling the ball like a good point guard, turns the ball over too much, but has a good game once in a while. Hawkins will eventually get more playing time. The game was against VCU, not a must have win after a long tournament. I wonder if Hurley purposely didn’t give him time yesterday making Hawkins really work for his minutes that’s what good coaches do with young kids. Or, Hawkins is in the dog house. Either one. He clearly will get more time, Hurley knows that but he’s a freshman- Hurley always slow roles his freshman but by the end of the season he’ll get a ton of time.

 

[Chief00]

The problem is Diggins body isn’t physically capable yet for top D1 ball. He needs to get stronger. A one year transfer would have bridged that gap.
I know the casual fans are not going to like Chief saying this but I wish it was more acceptable today for many players to view their freshman year as a learning experience.
This rush to get to The League, a destination most players don’t make or others just make briefly is a fools destination for so many. Chief wishes more players would focus on having a good college career and winning games and let that translate.

 

[RichCTBB]

I want to see Hawkins get more time but his dribbling in traffic is also a concern.

His handle reminds me of Terry Larrier

 

[Hamms30]

Is Diggins knee completely healed up? Has he been going full pace in practice? This weekend playing 3 intense games in a row might not be the best time to throw him into the fire. We already saw Hawkins take a heavy bump and grab his ankle in the early games.

Also, always and forever.. you don't dribble through the press. You pass through it.

 

[UofCT]

His handle reminds me of Terry Larrier

Who?

 

[RichCTBB]

Who?

Short memory?

 

[UofCT]

Short memory?

I have no recollection of that season

 

[RichCTBB]

I have no recollection of that season

I completely understand. The mind has its way of protecting itself against bad memories.

 

[HeGotGame]

To be fair, after four games Gaffney looked better. After seven games not so much.

Cole had the highest efficiency rating on the team against CCSU and was higher than Gaffney and his 1:1 A/TO ratio in the LIU game. Cole had an off night against Binghamton, that is it. That is the only game you can definitely say Gaffney looked better.

 

[bendm]

Relax we can still reach our sweet 16 ceiling with 30 mpg from Cole at the point and 5 each from AJ and Gaff.

I’m already more concerned with next year. if we either bring back Cole or bring in a PG grad transfer we’ll be legit. Otherwise Diggins won’t be ready and Gaff is proving himself third string.

 

[Fishy]

We have a freshman point guard.

Like with Akok sometimes this year, I think Hurley gets too myopic with his lineups. Rahsool Diggins was a top 50-60 recruit and now he cannot even get a minute of playing time?

That’s stupid.

 

[Kolumbo]

El Amin was 18 years old and played 30 mpg his freshman year. I've hardly seen Diggins, 19, play and no one is quite like Khalid but given how dominant Diggins was in high school, he's gotta get more PT. Unless Hurley has a Calhoun-type dog house we don't know about.

 

[Phoenixhusky]

We clearly need a player who can dribble the ball well against the press. Why didn’t Hurley get a transfer who could help to beat the press. Was Hurley under the impression that Gaffney can dribble well? We don’t look like a top 25 team based on these last two games. We can’t shoot well and can’t dribble well. I’m not an expert but I think you need to do both of those well in order to be a good team. I’m other news, Hawkins needs 28 minutes a game and Gaffney needs to play less.

Rashool was hurt a good part of the practices and is playing catch up right now. He will play more as the season goes on.

 

[Improviser]

Is Diggins knee completely healed up? Has he been going full pace in practice? This weekend playing 3 intense games in a row might not be the best time to throw him into the fire. We already saw Hawkins take a heavy bump and grab his ankle in the early games.

Also, always and forever.. you don't dribble through the press. You pass through it.

Lou Carneseca had said that many times.

 

[superjohn]

We have a freshman point guard.

Like with Akok sometimes this year, I think Hurley gets too myopic with his lineups. Rahsool Diggins was a top 50-60 recruit and now he cannot even get a minute of playing time?

That’s stupid.

It would make sense if we were set at point guard but we're not. Cole is being asked to give 40 minutes of ball pressure on the opposing point guard and then run the team the entire time and make all the big shots. He's a very good player but it's too much to ask of one player. Even Kemba who was the best player in the country had freshman Bazz to help him out. Even Donnell Beverly got 9 minutes per game.

Diggins better play a lot in these next 2 games.

 

[superjohn]

Rashool was hurt a good part of the practices and is playing catch up right now. He will play more as the season goes on.

He has to but the concern is Hurley has said we have a 9 man lineup and he seems wedded to the players he's talked about and who played in this tournament. That needs to change. Gaff is way too comfy right now in his playing time.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Gaffney is what he is, and not the reason UConn lost to MSU or struggled with a mediocre A10 team. Gaffney is good enough to be a piece of a team that beats MSU and Auburn by 5-10 points and VCU by 15+ points.