Hurley/Gilbert

[Excalibur]

Figure it out. We beat Temple shooting horribly. Let's have this conversation after Tulsa and a descending Memphis.

What conversation? The one about Hurley and Gilbert?

 

[coachn]

AG was not productive enough to keep dominating the ball. He could not improve his shooting, his free throw shooting or stop driving inside and getting stuffed or missing layups. He never adjusted his play which is on him.

He would be a good spot up shooter keeping CV JG JB together on the floor with him. Fits in to the scrambling ball hawking defense we are playing.

 

[HuskyHawk]

He would be a good spot up shooter keeping CV JG JB together on the floor with him. Fits in to the scrambling ball hawking defense we are playing.

If you go back and watch the last several games, that was already happening. Gilbert would bring it up, handle any pressure D (which he's great at) and pass to Bouknight or Vital above the circle and split wide as a shooter. It was generally effective. Unfortunately, at the end of each game we abandoned that, and Al dominated the ball, which produced the results we all know about. That wasn't all on him either, as the other guys tended to stand around or not get free in a place where he could get them the ball.

One thing you will notice if you look at yesterday and the Tulsa game is that Bouknight was doing about a 75% Richard Hamilton impression in terms of running through the lane and curling up the wing on the other side. That's new. He was not doing that before.

 

[outlaw]

any word if Gilbert is travelling to TN? apologies if I missed it

 

[cap10dingus]

It's really not complicated. The team hasnt been performing well all season. Read the Mike Anthony article.

"Hurley came to Gilbert's defense, loudly, and I dont know that a UConn coach and player have hugged more than these two... But all the way, Hurley has also been in the difficult spot of wondering whether, or when, to move Gilbert down in the rotation and risk losing him altogether. Hurley stuck with him for so long, not quite ready to turn the key on a youth movement for a number of reasons."

And all some of us are saying is Hurley should have adjusted his minutes sooner and in a more gradual way. He waited until we were 10-9 and in last place in the league. And Al went from starter/leader and 30+ minutes a game, to the bench and having a freshman start over it. That's drastic.

The victim culture is getting INSANE. He should be grateful for the many opportunities that he was given despite not deserving them and look in the mirror and understand this is his fault not anyone else's. Hes been a staple guy at uconn and we all (most of us) appreciate him for the man he is. Hurley supported him and will continue to do so, honestly almost to a fault. We felt the same way about craig austrie, no not the hype but why does that matter at this point, who was a very good bench player for us once he understood his role.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

The victim culture is getting INSANE. He should be grateful for the many opportunities that he was given despite not deserving them and look in the mirror and understand this is his fault not anyone else's. Hes been a staple guy at uconn and we all (most of us) appreciate him for the man he is. Hurley supported him and will continue to do so, honestly almost to a fault. We felt the same way about craig austrie, no not the hype but why does that matter at this point, who was a very good bench player for us once he understood his role.

Nothing in this situation has anything to do with victim culture, whatever nonsense that is. Some of you should stop trying so hard.

 

[Kathy]

'He should be grateful for the many opportunities that he was given despite not deserving them'

 

[cap10dingus]

Nothing in this situation has anything to do with victim culture, whatever nonsense that is. Some of you should stop trying so hard.

I'll stop pointing it out when we stop asking a D1 basketball coach to not pull the band aid off so hard. LMAO Gilbert is struggling on the court, Hurley should have pulled the band aid off just as hard a month ago. Other issues aside you can bench a player and run a program while still supporting him.

 

[Watchdog]

How many more wins do you think UConn would have if it had played the entire month of January like it played last night?

If they shot 93% on free throws during the month they'd probably have 3 or 4 more wins. The other stats might mitigate for or against that though.

 

[ctchamps]

Let’s not go crazy here, it was Temple, a bad Temple team. We will see if things are actually better after the next few games.

Was today’s game bc Temple couldn’t turn UConn over because Temple is bad, or because UConn has fixed that part of the game.

Was Whaleys play something that can be counted on? Adams?

I will say UConn did seem to attack the rim more and got calls bc they didn’t try and avoid contact.

I personally believe Gilbert isn’t necessarily the problem but rather Vital and Gilbert are just a very bad combination. I think having either one off the bench would have been an upgrade. Their skill sets just don’t mesh well, and was particularly bad at the end of games. A team can handle playing one player that takes bad shots on the court at a time, not two who do at the volume they do.

Problem Hurley has/had is that both are seniors who play hard and are pretty good defenders. Not to mention their backups were freshmen (one who was suspended to start the year and one who was recovering from a leg injury).

Overall, this season is still going in the right direction. I would hate to think what some recent teams would have done this year. The defense has been solid all year and it appears the system is being put in place. Regardless of record this is a good step for year two of a program rebuild.

Jake Forrester’s foul trouble was a major factor as well.

 

[BlueDogs]

Kid deserves full respect. Not every talented kid ends up fulfilling his potential. He has good character as far as we know and that makes him a winner in life.

 

[alphasigko]

Most of us who have played sports and have not gone on to "bigger and better things/places" come to a place in the road of whatever sport(s) we played when we realize that we have reached a limit in our "potential" and have to come to terms with that limit. For some it is is during tryouts to make the HS team, for others the college teams, and for the few who make it as far as pro tryouts, they cannot make the leap due to some deficient aspect to their game. Look at deAndre Daniels who could not make it in the NBA and is lost playing in Australia or Europe, and Daniel Hamilton who cannot get beyond the D-League, and many others with similar fates. Also, for every successful pro golfer there are a thousand scratch golfers who just cannot make it to the tour for whatever reason.

All that being said, perhaps AG has reached that limit in his game and is having trouble coming to terms with meeting the expectations of his dreams. Having been there long ago when I realized that the farthest I would go would be dusty league ball, I respect that, and wish him success in facing whatever the future holds for him.

 

[UconnU]

 

[gtcam]

If you go back and watch the last several games, that was already happening. Gilbert would bring it up, handle any pressure D (which he's great at) and pass to Bouknight or Vital above the circle and split wide as a shooter. It was generally effective. Unfortunately, at the end of each game we abandoned that, and Al dominated the ball, which produced the results we all know about. That wasn't all on him either, as the other guys tended to stand around or not get free in a place where he could get them the ball.

One thing you will notice if you look at yesterday and the Tulsa game is that Bouknight was doing about a 75% Richard Hamilton impression in terms of running through the lane and curling up the wing on the other side. That's new. He was not doing that before.

Thanks - Ive been saying this since the first few games of the season
My heart breaks for AG
Ive coached for 30 years and Ive seen this type of sport related depression and it is hard to relate
I just pray AG hasn't been reading the Boneyard - no kid deserves some of the absolute crap about him posted here - frustration with him or not - a 22 yo doesn't need to be slammed like he has been here

 

[Rico444]

 

[dannyHAM]

any word if Gilbert is travelling to TN? apologies if I missed it

He is in TN.

 

[Son of Robert]

Wow, look at this. I love seeing AG sticking with it. Kid has so much heart.

 

[gtcam]

n

The victim culture is getting INSANE. He should be grateful for the many opportunities that he was given despite not deserving them and look in the mirror and understand this is his fault not anyone else's. Hes been a staple guy at uconn and we all (most of us) appreciate him for the man he is. Hurley supported him and will continue to do so, honestly almost to a fault. We felt the same way about craig austrie, no not the hype but why does that matter at this point, who was a very good bench player for us once he understood his role.

This is one of the most insensitive and to use your words INSANE thing I've ever read in this site
You obviously have never played at a high level or coached at the same
He should be grateful for the many opportunities that he has been given despite not deserving them
That statement itself is pure BS
The kid was a MDAA and has had nothing but one bad break after another since coming to Storrs. He has had brutal injuries that would cause many to walk away from the sport
He is obviously doing a lot of second guessing as a result of looking in the mirror and beating himself up for it - if anyone can relate its DH - he went through the same thing at Seton Hall and walked away from the game for more than a season
Equating him to CA is a huge joke
It seems all you care about is UConn Ws - its a freaking game and this is a human being going through a huge bump in the road
I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and hoping you are saying this out of frustration - if not you are in need of some sensitivity lessons
I really hope you don't have kids who go through what AG has faced in life above and beyond the hardwood

 

[upstater]

This is why I don't like people talking about getting out the brooms, or never putting on a uniform again, etc. Let the coach decide what is best for the team. & even then, even if he might be wrong, he knows best.

 

[mussels]

If Gilbert got a haircut Memphis doesn't have a chance.

 

[UConnDad]

This can be just what we need. The frosh gained some confidence, team coming off a W, boys rally around their brother, should have some new energy. Time to step up and take control.

 

[Waquoit]

I really hope you don't have kids who go through what AG has faced in life above and beyond the hardwood

But if they do, I'm confident they would still pass the rock.

 

[Kathy]

But if they do, I'm confident they would still pass the rock.

 

[Waquoit]

Wha?