Hurley: Polley current starter at PF

[UConnStats]

 

[UConnStats]

 

[HuskyHawk]

That second one is weird. Not Wilson, but one of the three guards?

 

[UConnStats]

That second one is weird. Not Wilson, but one of the three guards?

I’d assume this is because we’ll be going small most of the game, so most of the minutes at the 4 will go to Polley and Wilson, most of the 5 goes Carlton/Cobb, and then Yakwe/Whaley can eat up the rest between the two spots.

 

[auror]

When your 4 best players are guards, it makes sense to start 3 of them. Especially with rebounding Vital showed last year.

Probably more of an indictment on the Sidney Wilson hype that Hurley himself started this week.

 

[awfuldan]

Adams Gilbert Vital Polley and Carlton sounds good to me. I like that there are multiple shooters out there. Sid bringing energy off the bench makes sense too.

 

[UConnStats]

 

[the Q]

Effort never wavers.

Hustle all the Way.

Whaley is my guy. He’s not even close to the most talent player, but no one plays harder.

 

[Huskymagic]

I told everyone that Polley would be a starter.

He’s just a smart player. He has more confidence now which will help him. I wouldn’t worry about him rebounding. He will be able to rebound perfectly fine.

 

[tcf15]

Dan Hurley’s UConn men’s basketball coaching staff is earning high praise on recruiting trail, in the gym
Hurley noted that Tyler Polley is probably the best shooter on the team right now, and would start at the four if the season began tomorrow. He indicated Adams and Alterique Gilbert would also likely start, and noted the Huskies would probably start four men on the perimeter to start the season and go with three guards “90-percent of the time” this season.

 

[3rdbass]

I’d assume this is because we’ll be going small most of the game, so most of the minutes at the 4 will go to Polley and Wilson, most of the 5 goes Carlton/Cobb, and then Yakwe/Whaley can eat up the rest between the two spots.

Yeah, Diarra is the wildcard to starting Polley or Wilson at PF. Diarra has the skills to play the 4 in Hurley's system even though he isn't an outside 3 threat. He can hit the baseline or short 10 foot jumper and is very mobile at the 4 as well as rebounder when he doesn't foul.

 

[Ewekon]

What strikes me is that Coach Hurley alludes to Wilson's continuing development in the voice of "nobody did anything to develop him last year". He wasn't injured. He sat his transfer year in good health. He was a top 100 kid. In theory he should be ready to go.

When he is ready I hope the lineup becomes Adams, Gilbert, Wilson, Polley with 15 fouls in the middle from a pick 'em center. I'm less confident (but hopeful) on Carlton than many here.

Smith and CV fill solid minutes in back court and 3 guard look. As with Carlton, I'm in the show me state with Diarra and hope he is better than he has shown. This 4 spot will need his muscle at times.

I'm pretty comfy with us running small at 1-3 with the 5 guys mentioned above. Polley and Wilson develop? UConn will surprise some people.

 

[UConnStats]

Dan Hurley’s UConn men’s basketball coaching staff is earning high praise on recruiting trail, in the gym
Hurley noted that Tyler Polley is probably the best shooter on the team right now, and would start at the four if the season began tomorrow. He indicated Adams and Alterique Gilbert would also likely start, and noted the Huskies would probably start four men on the perimeter to start the season and go with three guards “90-percent of the time” this season.

May see a lot more Brendan Adams than we anticipated as long as he’s making shots.

 

[UofCT]

Whaley is my guy. He’s not even close to the most talent player, but no one plays harder.

This is kind of an absurd statement. Whaley plays the hardest? He stunk last year.

 

[3rdbass]

This is kind of an absurd statement. Whaley plays the hardest? He stunk last year.

His troubles last year were not because he didn't work hard but due to his very limited basketball skill set at this time.

 

[UConnStats]

This is kind of an absurd statement. Whaley plays the hardest? He stunk last year.

It was on low volume, but among players who played 30% of the time or more, Whaley was 1st on the team in Offensive Rating (117.6), first in FG% (55.8%), 1st in BLK% (8.8%), fewest turnovers per 40 (1.2), had the lowest Fouls per 40 in our frontcourt (4.5), and the highest FT% in our frontcourt (67.9%). He's weak and didn't rebound well, but relative to the rest of the team I don't think he "stunk".

 

[the Q]

It was on low volume, but among players who played 30% of the time or more, Whaley was 1st on the team in Offensive Rating (117.6), first in FG% (55.8%), 1st in BLK% (8.8%), fewest turnovers per 40 (1.2), had the lowest Fouls per 40 in our frontcourt (4.5), and the highest FT% in our frontcourt (67.9%). He's weak and didn't rebound well, but relative to the rest of the team I don't think he "stunk".

Dont forget he was first in box plus minus (5.1) and defensive box plus minus (5.4), 4th in win shares (1.0) and win shares per 40.

 

[tcf15]

Sounds like Hurley likes Whaley: “Isaiah has been probably the most consistent of all our front-court players in terms of doing the things we need our front-court players to do. Isaiah is a key, has as good a chance as any of those [forwards] players to start the first game because he can really defend, doesn’t make a lot of mistakes on the court, he’s just a solid guy.”

Does Hurley start Polley/Whaley together at the start of the season?

 

[intlzncster]

When your 4 best players are guards, it makes sense to start 3 of them. Especially with rebounding Vital showed last year.

Probably more of an indictment on the Sidney Wilson hype that Hurley himself started this week.

Yes and no. Def need to balance minutes.

• Jalen, while hopefully in better shape this year, shouldn't be playing 38min per game. I'd like to see him at 32 or so.
• Alterique should probably be at 22-25min to start, as he eases his way back.

Who starts isn't really as important to me as how minutes are distributed.

 

[intlzncster]

Effort never wavers.

Hustle all the Way.

Whaley is my guy. He’s not even close to the most talent player, but no one plays harder.

Vital plays as hard. Especially considering last year's low energy dumpster fire. Let's not sell him short.

 

[intlzncster]

May see a lot more Brendan Adams than we anticipated as long as he’s making shots.

That's what Hurley has indicated this preseason. Really likes Brendan.

 

[the Q]

Vital plays as hard. Especially considering last year's low energy dumpster fire. Let's not sell him short.

Agreed. Those 2 are head and shoulders in terms of effort imo. They play 100 basically non stop

 

[intlzncster]

Sounds like Hurley likes Whaley: “Isaiah has been probably the most consistent of all our front-court players in terms of doing the things we need our front-court players to do. Isaiah is a key, has as good a chance as any of those [forwards] players to start the first game because he can really defend, doesn’t make a lot of mistakes on the court, he’s just a solid guy.”

Does Hurley start Polley/Whaley together at the start of the season?

Would be really interesting if Whaley turned into a guy Hurley uses and trusts going forward. Not at all what I would have predicted when we signed him as an 'plan E' option in the spring of 2016.

 

[intlzncster]

Agreed. Those 2 are head and shoulders in terms of effort imo. They play 100 basically non stop

I think we're going to see a lot of guys on that list this year with Hurley steering the ship.

 

[awfuldan]

Sounds like Hurley likes Whaley: “Isaiah has been probably the most consistent of all our front-court players in terms of doing the things we need our front-court players to do. Isaiah is a key, has as good a chance as any of those [forwards] players to start the first game because he can really defend, doesn’t make a lot of mistakes on the court, he’s just a solid guy.”

Does Hurley start Polley/Whaley together at the start of the season?

Damn, I actually really like that. By all accounts, Whaley is a better defender than Carlton, right? I know I saw him hit a couple jump shots last year too, and he's pretty athletic. It's definitely a small line-up, but we are going to be playing small teams for the first couple games anyway. Syracuse might be rough though.