Game Day

[auror]

I dont know what / how u guys were watching, but I couldn't find it. Will there be replay?

There was 1 fan tweeting from in the arena

 

[Sphinx]

I think there's a chance Diarra starts but I don't see any chance Castle isn't playing starter minutes day 1.

Diarra brings a lot of pressure and intensity because he plays at a crazy pace. I could see Hurley using that to try to get the team to start aggressive and then pretty quickly bringing in Castle. Unfortunately, I still think Diarra has a few too many question marks offensively (namely shooting and turnoSom the whole vers) to play huge minutes especially in conference play, but he has looked really good to me on this European tour.
. still think Castle starts, for the record.

The problem with the "Diarra vs Castle" debate is that it doesn't resolve the starting PG question. When Diarra is in the lineup, he is the guy who brings up the ball and initiates the offense. When Castle comes in for Diarra, Newton takes over the PG role. That is what we saw in Saturday's game. Castle only brings up the ball and initiates the offense when Ball replaces Newton at the 2. This complicates the "Diarra vs Castle" debate, since it is not a debate as to who would make the better PG. My personal opinion is that Diarra will exit the debate entirely, that it will come to a choice between Newton and Castle, and that Castle will eventually assume the role.

 

[yungdowork]

The problem with the "Diarra vs Castle" debate is that it doesn't resolve the starting PG question. When Diarra is in the lineup, he is the guy who brings up the ball and initiates the offense. When Castle comes in for Diarra, Newton takes over the PG role. That is what we saw in Saturday's game. Castle only brings up the ball and initiates the offense when Ball replaces Newton at the 2. This complicates the "Diarra vs Castle" debate, since it is not a debate as to who would make the better PG. My personal opinion is that Diarra will exit the debate entirely, that it will come to a choice between Newton and Castle, and that Castle will eventually assume the role.

Diarra doesn't really do almost anything at a higher level offensively than either Castle or Newton in my opinion. His strength is that he's a lot quicker and can be very disruptive to opposing teams' ball handlers. Newton and Castle are both just too big to match the quickness of some of the smaller PGs we'll face, and college basketball is a guard's world. He'll see minutes to give the other guys a break and to provide some defensive versatility.

I don't see any stretch of time after we play cupcakes where he's getting 15+ minutes a game so I don't really think it's a debate

 

[superjohn]

The problem with the "Diarra vs Castle" debate is that it doesn't resolve the starting PG question. When Diarra is in the lineup, he is the guy who brings up the ball and initiates the offense. When Castle comes in for Diarra, Newton takes over the PG role. That is what we saw in Saturday's game. Castle only brings up the ball and initiates the offense when Ball replaces Newton at the 2. This complicates the "Diarra vs Castle" debate, since it is not a debate as to who would make the better PG. My personal opinion is that Diarra will exit the debate entirely, that it will come to a choice between Newton and Castle, and that Castle will eventually assume the role.

There is no Diarra vs Castle debate.

 

[Shamon30]

Is Hurley the only walk-on this year?

 

[Sphinx]

There is no Diarra vs Castle debate.

They also serve who only underscore the obvious.

 

[REB1094]

I understand all the caveats of these Europe games, but Castle leading the team in scoring in his 2nd game as a college player is awesome. Yes it's a meaningless exhibition, but he still scored more than every other Husky that played in the same game

Cam leading the team in rebounding is surprising (and awesome). Newton flirting with an almost triple double, if that makes any sense. Excited to see some Solo Ball highlights if anyone has them, box score looks like a solid game

 

[superjohn]

I understand all the caveats of these Europe games, but Castle leading the team in scoring in his 2nd game as a college player is awesome. Yes it's a meaningless exhibition, but he still scored more than every other Husky that played in the same game

Cam leading the team in rebounding is surprising (and awesome). Newton flirting with an almost triple double, if that makes any sense. Excited to see some Solo Ball highlights if anyone has them, box score looks like a solid game

Cam is the difference in UConn being a damn good team who seemed like there was a decent chance they would just fall short shooting, ballhandling, experience wise to repeat to a team who has a very legit shot at repeating. If Samson really pans out as that big time backup center/4 man it makes them even scarier.

 

[REB1094]

Cam is the difference in UConn being a damn good team who seemed like there was a decent chance they would just fall short shooting, ballhandling, experience wise to repeat to a team who has a very legit shot at repeating. If Samson really pans out as that big time backup center/4 man it makes them even scarier.

I'm so excited for him. It's easy to glance over him because we had so many other pieces to be excited about, but we really got a senior that led a B10 team in scoring (ok fine, he scored 1 less point than Cliff..) and shot 43% from three. We have two 5th year senior scorers in our backcourt

Agreed that Cam and Samson are the keys this year. I'm so excited

 

[JustbrewitMan]

Too bad Castle just has average athleticism…

 

[Umami Zen]

Spencer is that secondary ball handler who keeps flow and can dish to the right guy in his spot.. The fact that he is such a high percentage three point guy just makes him so valuable.. Starting to think with the Fab Five showing their skills(and Sam) we could make a strong case for running it back..

Understanding that this is not stiff competition.. But for August.. They're not looking too shabby..

 

[superjohn]

Too bad Castle just has average athleticism…

Husky429 is going to catch a lot of heat for that post, haha.

 

[HooperScooper]

Is Hurley the only walk-on this year?

Looks like just he and Andre Johnson, Jr.

2023-24 Men's Basketball Roster - University of Connecticut Athletics

The official 2023-24 Men's Basketball Roster for the University of Connecticut Huskies

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[CZ BRAT]

Does anyone think diarra will be starting the first regular season game or are they just working castle in slowly?

ABSOLUTELY not...he is a bench energy guy...Castle starts...imo

 

[Palatine]

I wouldn’t pat yourself on the back too hard until the season starts. Still seems incredibly unlikely that Diarra starts over Castle during the regular season.

I didn't say he would start. That was a guess.

The point was how many people dismissed it out of hand. But it is NOT incredibly unlikely if you watched Hurley starting line ups over the years. And Hurley has started him twice already in preseason.

 

[Huskyforlife]

Hope Dave gives us a heads up about the replay soon.

 

[Blue Blood]

Looks like just he and Andre Johnson, Jr.

2023-24 Men's Basketball Roster - University of Connecticut Athletics

The official 2023-24 Men's Basketball Roster for the University of Connecticut Huskies

uconnhuskies.com

They'll probably have one maybe two more once the semester starts

 

[navery12]

I didn't say he would start. That was a guess.

The point was how many people dismissed it out of hand. But it is NOT incredibly unlikely if you watched Hurley starting line ups over the years. And Hurley has started him twice already in preseason.

No need to double down, it was as dumb a prediction the 1st time as it is the 3rd. These scrimmages are meaningless and Castle will start game 1. Looking for 1 second into the lineups used is 1 second too much

 

[Huskyforlife]

I still think Castle starts game 1. But there clearly is still a chance someone else begins the season in that spot. And there’s nothing wrong with that.

 

[InKembaITrust]

Husky429 is going to catch a lot of heat for that post, haha.

Looks like he deleted the post....can't blame him

 

[Umami Zen]

Its August.. Castle starts the season Game 1.... Diarra just getting in some reps.. He will be a valuable bench player until Solo takes off..

 

[Huskyforlife]

Solo Ball is next in line of special wing athletes at UConn. He’s gonna have some wow plays as a freshman.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

Solo Ball is next in line of special wing athletes at UConn. He’s gonna have some wow plays as a freshman.

Ijs, in the first game he was doing a fair amount of ball handling and assisting. I wouldn’t count him out to being a guard for us in the future.

Not this year because we have so many guys capable. But he did look like he had the skills to do so. Made some impressive passes in game one.

 

[Huskyforlife]

Ijs, in the first game he was doing a fair amount of ball handling and assisting. I wouldn’t count him out to being a guard for us in the future.

Not this year because we have so many guys capable. But he did look like he had the skills to do so. Made some impressive passes in game one.

He’ll absolutely have the ball in his hands. I’m guessing he’ll never play “point guard” at UConn with Nowell coming in.

 

[EBonz30]

The problem with the "Diarra vs Castle" debate is that it doesn't resolve the starting PG question. When Diarra is in the lineup, he is the guy who brings up the ball and initiates the offense. When Castle comes in for Diarra, Newton takes over the PG role. That is what we saw in Saturday's game. Castle only brings up the ball and initiates the offense when Ball replaces Newton at the 2. This complicates the "Diarra vs Castle" debate, since it is not a debate as to who would make the better PG. My personal opinion is that Diarra will exit the debate entirely, that it will come to a choice between Newton and Castle, and that Castle will eventually assume the role.

Very confused by this whole debate you are creating lol- one player is a future lottery pick & another player has been & continues to be a backup point guard in division one- are we just coming up with these ideas because it’s the summer & we are bored?