Here's your chance, kid.

[amory]

That's almost the exact same way the Davis Washington incident went down. You can't leave the shooter alone- no matter what age they are. It's dumb.

Haha I love your tagline. W.E.B.B. Site was amazing. Forgot about that place.

On a related note, how do you customize the tagline?

 

[Kitaman]

I'm sorry but I don't agree with this. DHam has been mostly fantastic this year and has been the deserved recipient of a lot of praise, but those FTs were brutal to watch and he rightfully deserves some criticism for that as well.

I hear you but it was a totally new situation early in his career. He missed them. Its problematic if it happens repeatedly. First time to me is not a choke, just a missed opportunity. Not shifting blame, just saying I don't think 'choke' applies.

 

[UConn990411]

I think he's gonna be a great player as early as next season, but like any high-risk player, he's gonna make some plays that leave you scratching your head.

I just hope the shots and the free throws - ESPECIALLY the free throws - start to go down more next year. Teams don't have to respect his outside shooting much right now, which is really limiting his ability to drive to the basket (and leading to even more turnovers when he tries to force it).

 

[Gampeltiles]

That's almost the exact same way the Davis Washington incident went down. You can't leave the shooter alone- no matter what age they are. It's dumb.

I was shocked KO didn't talk to him.

 

[Marat]

DHam is good but still has several things that need to be worked on. Obviously his FTs and just as important is his handle driving into traffic - just keeps getting stripped. I'm sure he will improve, though.

On a side note, remember Boatright as a freshman in the Bahamas vs Florida State. He hit 3 crucial free throws to send the game into OT and UConn won.

 

[August_West]

Completely froze him. He looked like he just wanted to get the free throws over with.

You could tell before he stepped to the line that there was no way he would ever sink 2 of 3 there. Body language very bad. He will get there. Big time players WANT to be in that spot. He's not there...........yet. Same thing with his runners. Kid can get to anywhere he wants on the court almost at will, his stuff just doesnt fall afterwards. Eventually they will and we will have a huge stud on our hands.

 

[mauconnfan]

The other four guys letting him think by himself about it was awful. They have to huddle there. Have to.

I was saying the same thing. He was hanging around the line too much and no one was taking his mind off of it - that's on the coaching staff right there!

 

[Palatine]

Tough to be mad at DHam. He is a special talent. But sometimes, he looks like a freshman.

 

[mauconnfan]

The kid looked scared, nervous and someone needed to joke with him or something. He walked around nervously without anyone looking at him or talking to him. He threw them up like he was scared and just didn't want to miss.

Imagine kids don't know you can't change your FT motion dramatically and just throw it off the backboard and go get it? wow

 

[superjohn]

You could tell before he stepped to the line that there was no way he would ever sink 2 of 3 there. Body language very bad. He will get there. Big time players WANT to be in that spot. He's not there......yet. Same thing with his runners. Kid can get to anywhere he wants on the court almost at will, his stuff just doesnt fall afterwards. Eventually they will and we will have a huge stud on our hands.

Precisely, he can get to any spot on the court he wants he just sometimes shoots it at bad angles or with too much of a line drive, he's already really good and will be exceptional next year.

 

[amory]

The kid looked scared, nervous and someone needed to joke with him or something. He walked around nervously without anyone looking at him or talking to him. He threw them up like he was scared and just didn't want to miss.

Imagine kids don't know you can't change your FT motion dramatically and just throw it off the backboard and go get it? wow

Honestly? That's Boatright's role, especially when he can't contribute on the court. He could've and should've talked to him during that timeout.

 

[3uconn]

Him standing at half court for half a minute by himself was horrible. The team needed to get him in the huddle so he wouldn't think about them by himself the entire team. Pressure built up huge.

 

[mauconnfan]

Honestly? That's Boatright's role, especially when he can't contribute on the court. He could've and should've talked to him during that timeout.

Coaches need to see it too though. That's a huge situation to throw on a 56% FT shooting freshman. But I agree he could have yelled for him to come over. Was disappointed he wasn't more involved in the TO's and what not.

 

[BoatShow]

DHam is good but still has several things that need to be worked on. Obviously his FTs and just as important is his handle driving into traffic - just keeps getting stripped. I'm sure he will improve, though.

On a side note, remember Boatright as a freshman in the Bahamas vs Florida State. He hit 3 crucial free throws to send the game into OT and UConn won.

It was really weird watching him just wander around out there. And I immediately thought of Boat in a very similar spot 4 years ago

 

[UconnU]

Kind of ironic how this team is the complete opposite of last years team in so many ways. Goes to show the value of experience.

 

[mauconnfan]

It was really weird watching him just wander around out there. And I immediately thought of Boat in a very similar spot 4 years ago

Kind of like the result of Boats more .

 

[Mike Honcho]

It was really weird watching him just wander around out there. And I immediately thought of Boat in a very similar spot 4 years ago

That was Boat's first game after the suspension too.... against FSU.

 

[Gurleyman]

Everyone's different. Caron hit 3 foul shots late in an NCAA win over NC State and didn't want anyone near him. Even between shots. Although there wasn't a delay for a monitor review then

 

[zls44]

COME ON D HAM

This is an all-time stupid bad mojo post.

 

[amory]

This is an all-time stupid bad mojo post.

Maybe so. But rest assured I wouldn't make this thread during tourney time

 

[zls44]

Maybe so. But rest assured I wouldn't make this thread during tourney time

Then don't make it now, either. Gotta practice those habits!

 

[huskymagic]

DHam is good but still has several things that need to be worked on. Obviously his FTs and just as important is his handle driving into traffic - just keeps getting stripped. I'm sure he will improve, though.

On a side note, remember Boatright as a freshman in the Bahamas vs Florida State. He hit 3 crucial free throws to send the game into OT and UConn won.

That's exactly why Hamilton can't get a pass for three brutal misses. He is too timid and nervous in pressure situations and needs to be more confident and relaxed. He needs to watch tape of Jeremy Lamb and emulate his game. D-Ham's shot is a little funky and combined with his nervousness that was a recipe for 3 bad misses. Inexcusable because Boat hit 3 big free throws in his first game for UCONN against Florida St. as you said. Not only that Amida Brimah hit a huge free throw against St. Joe's last year that led us to our 4th title in a game that had way more pressure. D-Ham's handle needs to improve, he is very soft when driving and careless in the way he holds the ball as are T-Sam, and Purvis, etc.

 

[CTBasketball]

Maybe so. But rest assured I wouldn't make this thread during tourney time

I hope we see NCAA tournament thread's in 2015.

 

[Gurleyman]

That's exactly why Hamilton can't get a pass for three brutal misses. He is too timid and nervous in pressure situations and needs to be more confident and relaxed. He needs to watch tape of Jeremy Lamb and emulate his game. D-Ham's shot is a little funky and combined with his nervousness that was a recipe for 3 bad misses. Inexcusable because Boat hit 3 big free throws in his first game for UCONN against Florida St. as you said. Not only that Amida Brimah hit a huge free throw against St. Joe's last year that led us to our 4th title in a game that had way more pressure. D-Ham's handle needs to improve, he is very soft when driving and careless in the way he holds the ball as are T-Sam, and Purvis, etc.

Two misses - the third one hardly counts as a free throw miss. It counts as a poor play since he didn't draw iron and was in the lane too quickly anyway, but it doesn't count as a real free throw miss. His first one actually hit off the back rim and came straight back to him - means it was right on line, just barely a hair long. I imagine that one probably felt good off his hands (I always kinda thought "uh oh" when I left them short, but usually when I missed long, I thought it was in). But stuff happens - not every shot goes in. He did hit two before that in the final minute of regulation to get it to OT, and there are plenty of other examples of our freshmen not hitting clutch foul shots. I can think of three right off the bat: Kemba 2-9 in the Final Four when we were trailing and needed points, Taliek missing at the end of a one-point Seton Hall loss that doomed us to the NIT, and Ricky at the end of an overtime Iowa loss at the Great Alaska Shootout, etc. Those guys have something else in common, too.

Hamilton has also made several big shots this year already late in close games, so he isn't a kid who's scared under pressure - if I have a beef, he seems to let his last bad play carry over too much (he won't shoot an open shot if he just missed, etc.). But he's certainly been much more consistent and multi-skilled than Lamb was at this stage. Not even close. We just have to hope that he's on an upswing at the end the way Lamb was.

 

[selles]

That's exactly why Hamilton can't get a pass for three brutal misses.

WTF does this even mean? What do you propose to do? Scream at him a lot?

Inexcusable because Boat hit 3 big free throws in his first game for UCONN against Florida St. as you said.

The same Boat who missed huge free throws against Texas and Yale this year? WTF is your point?

DHam led us in rebounds and assists and was second in scoring. The missed free throws s*cked but he is a freshman and he will have better days. Much better days, because this kid is a Caron/Rip level talent.