How Great Is Our Freshman Clingan?

[jibsey]

Help defense, blocks, stops offenses in their tracks, converts fg 80% and does ok at the line. He’s like a rescue St. Bernard dog that finds the buried skiers in the snow and brings them a shot of whiskey to revive them. One more year. Please, please, please.


And no, I have not forgotten Karaban. He deserves his own thread!

 

[Hankster]

Help defense, blocks, stops offenses in their tracks, converts fg 80% and does ok at the line. He’s like a rescue St. Bernard dog that finds the buried skiers in the snow and brings them a shot of whiskey to revive them. One more year. Please, please, please.


And no, I have not forgotten Karaban. He deserves his own thread!

Great hands, high BBIQ and scores smoothly. Add in blocks with o stress. What is there not to like. SD is on track for All American. A player who cannot hold on to the ball. This has been a problem since day one. He scores big sometimes but is a turnover machine. Strange.

 

[dogpause]

Help defense, blocks, stops offenses in their tracks, converts fg 80% and does ok at the line. He’s like a rescue St. Bernard dog that finds the buried skiers in the snow and brings them a shot of whiskey to revive them. One more year. Please, please, please.


And no, I have not forgotten Karaban. He deserves his own thread!

This was a literary masterpiece.

 

[freescooter]

He is much better than I thought he would be, I have to admit. When I saw him in high school he looked like he didn’t try too hard because he just totally overwhelmed the guys playing against him. I questioned whether he would adjust this quickly to major college game. He definitely has adjusted. He is also in MUCH better shape.

 

[Vancat]

And a freshman. How lucky are we?

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Karaban and Clingan are examples of what you get when you bring in guys who have been playing high level hoops since they were like 8. No “he’s raw but he’ll get there”

 

[REB1094]

20 points, 10 rebounds, 5 blocks, 2 steals on 73% on the road against a top 25 team.

We’re upset because we lost but THAT IS NOT NORMAL

This kid is special. If he develops a couple post moves and a midrange jumper in the off-season, he’s going to be a real problem.

Early in the season he would chase every block and get out of position often but he’s already gotten so smart on defense. He knows when to chase and when to stay home. He’s 7’2, agile, and a complete workhorse. We have something great here

 

[jibsey]

20 points, 10 rebounds, 5 blocks, 2 steals on 73% on the road against a top 25 team.

We’re upset because we lost but THAT IS NOT NORMAL

This kid is special. If he develops a couple post moves and a midrange jumper in the off-season, he’s going to be a real problem.

Early in the season he would chase every block and get out of position often but he’s already gotten so smart on defense. He knows when to chase and when to stay home. He’s 7’2, agile, and a complete workhorse. We have something great here

I think he may already have the midrange jumper but has not been allowed to break it out because he gets the ball at the rim. If he were to be fed at the foul line, he makes foul shots doesn’t he? Is that a better choice than Sanogo trying to back in, get doubled or tripled and then getting stripped? Yes it is.

 

[REB1094]

I think he may already have the midrange jumper but has not been allowed to break it out because he gets the ball at the rim. If he were to be fed at the foul line, he makes foul shots doesn’t he? Is that a better choice than Sanogo trying to back in, get doubled or tripled and then getting stripped? Yes it is.

I see him shoot it in shootarounds so I think you’re right. His FT form is nice but it doesn’t go in all the time. High post Clingan next year??

 

[imno1]

I see him shoot it in shootarounds so I think you’re right. His FT form is nice but it doesn’t go in all the time. High post Clingan next year??

Why? He's so dominant inside. I think opposing coaches would prefer Donovan at the high post. But if he continues to impress there may be no next year. Adama is a great college player but my guess is that scouts rate Clingan higher.

 

[RichZ]

Karaban and Clingan are examples of what you get when you bring in guys who have been playing high level hoops since they were like 8. No “he’s raw but he’ll get there”

Actually one of the often used disses of Clingan among bball 'experts' before he arrived was that he stayed in the local school system and never really played against high level competition.

 

[UCLJ0211]

Great hands, high BBIQ and scores smoothly. Add in blocks with o stress. What is there not to like. SD is on track for All American. A player who cannot hold on to the ball. This has been a problem since day one. He scores big sometimes but is a turnover machine. Strange.

Who is SD?

 

[Kitaman]

He's not great, but he will become UConn great when he leaves. Perhaps even Gampel looking up great!

He's not a freshman anymore, but you can still some some freshman in him. I think he'll shine in the BET Tourney, I just have that feeling.

 

[Kitaman]

Actually one of the often used disses of Clingan among bball 'experts' before he arrived was that he stayed in the local school system and never really played against high level competition.

Come on, give Sanogo some credit. Me thinks he broke him in, Big East/Div 1 style.

 

[PAHusky]

I'll willingly eat crow on this. I thought the CT guys on this board who were lauding him for years were overhyping him and his ability to have an impact this year. Ding dong I was wrong.

As good as he is this year, next year with a full year of college conditioning and the game slowing down for him is going to be wild to watch.

 

[UConnSportsGuy]

As good as he is this year, next year with a full year of college conditioning and the game slowing down for him is going to be wild to watch.

As excited as I am about what the team can still become this year, I keep holding myself back from fantasizing about what we will be able to do next year.

The three man game on offense with Castle, Clingan, and Karaban is going to be insane and nearly impossible to stop. Castle with the ball at the logo with the ability to drive the lane, shoot the pull up, create his own shot or pass, with Clingan posting up down low and his ability to set screens and run the rim off of the pick and roll as well as pass, and then Karaban sitting out on the wing at the 3pt line with his abilty to shoot the 3, drive the lane, and his passing ability---how the heck do you stop that? As Hurley has said...you better get us now!

 

[AdamaNation]

I think he may already have the midrange jumper but has not been allowed to break it out because he gets the ball at the rim. If he were to be fed at the foul line, he makes foul shots doesn’t he? Is that a better choice than Sanogo trying to back in, get doubled or tripled and then getting stripped? Yes it is.

He would be pulled out from under the rim if there was a penetrating wing to fill the void he left.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Great hands, high BBIQ and scores smoothly. Add in blocks with o stress. What is there not to like. SD is on track for All American. A player who cannot hold on to the ball. This has been a problem since day one. He scores big sometimes but is a turnover machine. Strange.

The best play was when he caught the high lob and all put in the reverse layup all in one motion without hesitation. He also had a great catch, turn and shoot where he avoided lunging in to the Marquette player who had come from the weakside to take a charge.

yes, he was very good last night.

Let's put this to rest. A very good night from Clingan will produce less points than a very good night from Sanogo.

Sanogo can go for 25 points against good D1 competition. He has two double digit rebounding games- Butler and BU. He had nine against Creighton. He has 13 blocks on the season.

When Clingan is on, he can score 15-20 points. But he rebounds and blocks shots at a much higher rate. When Clingan is playing his A game he effects and controls both ends of the court.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Here's another on for you.

For the season Clingan has more blocks than personal fouls.

39 blocks
36 fouls

 

[tykurez]

This. Those who haven’t seen him play might be a bit underwhelmed next year, I think it will take him one or more to get up to speed, but if he can come in, rebound and pass the ball out of the post that will be a plus.

And yea, he really could have benefited from leaving that league.

Wrote this back in Feb (along with another facepalm post in March) - fire me off into the sun while eating crows feet. I was dead wrong.

 

[MU in MKE]

Seeing him in person last night... the kid is HUGE! Made 6' 9/10" Oso look small! I thought he was slow, and maybe in terms of footwork he is, but somehow he kept getting his hands up or left his feet at the right time to block shot after shot. Dude is going to be an absolutely beast. I think in post game presser Shaka called him the next Zach Edey.

 

[UConnSwag11]

This is who Clingan reminds me of when you see him compared to everyone out there

 

[QDOG5]

Who is SD?

I'm going with Sadama Danogo

 

[Kenny11]

20 points, 10 rebounds, 5 blocks, 2 steals on 73% on the road against a top 25 team.

We’re upset because we lost but THAT IS NOT NORMAL

This kid is special. If he develops a couple post moves and a midrange jumper in the off-season, he’s going to be a real problem.

Early in the season he would chase every block and get out of position often but he’s already gotten so smart on defense. He knows when to chase and when to stay home. He’s 7’2, agile, and a complete workhorse. We have something great here

He just needs one post move and maybe a counter to it. Otherwise just drop step and dunk it. Sounds a little strange but the guy to study is shaq

 

[Conndog]

Karaban and Clingan are examples of what you get when you bring in guys who have been playing high level hoops since they were like 8. No “he’s raw but he’ll get there”

Karaban played great yesterday- it was amazing how on very first possession Marquette went straight at him because of him being a perceived liability on defense. Even though he is such a good outside shooter, since we need someone who can drive to the hoop and no one else is taking the challenge, maybe he can work on developing this aspect of his game. Had hoped Andre could do this and maybe he still can, but so far it isn't enough.