Hurley post Cinncinati

[MuchoDogYears]

I expect this years starting 5 to be next years starting 5 in game 1.
Maybe Akok works his way in because of the lack of physical inside play by Polley and Sid. Maybe.
Gaffney, Boukright, and BA will come off the bench. They aren’t beating out AG or CV.

 

[JB75]

Carlton hasn’t done much past 3-4 games. He had a nice little stretch right before that but he’s just not good enough. No explosion around the rim, can’t finish, low motor, free throws very inconsistent -Yeah he improved somewhat this year but, eh , not impressed. AG the only one I want to see on floor next year besides our recruits. I guess cv too but he’s been reverting back to old cv as of late. Can we just land a big mountain of a guy with some killer instinct? I don’t care how raw he is. We need something down low-anything. Please!

 

[intlzncster]

Don't get your hopes up about Akok early in the season. True he is joining the program early, but then so did Sid. Maybe by mid season he may see starters minutes

He may be limited, but he'll be better than Polley. I will be surprised if Polley starts, barring an huge overall jump in a number of aspects of his game.

Remember, Sid joined early under KO. Different culture, different coaching.

 

[JB75]

I will be expecting akok to come in and immediately be better than polley

 

[intlzncster]

Hope not. Really don’t wanna see polley or Carlton starting for us ever again after this year. I think akok will deff start over sid/polley

If Carlton doesn't start, who the hell will? And I'm still on record as saying Carlton's upside is a quality backup on a decent team. I know that sounds harsh to some. Perhaps he makes huge leaps in his game, but as of right now, I don't see it.

 

[intlzncster]

Carlton gets better the more he plays. He was huge on the defensive end during our comeback against a quality opponent. I watch this kid get better and better and don't understand the animus aimed at him as a player.

Because his upside is a quality backup on a good team. But he will likely be our starter next year. Perhaps if he had a natural Kevin Freeman motor, he would be more than serviceable. But it is what it is.

I've no animus against him mind you, I just think I'm looking objectively at his limitations, some of which are inherent. Make no mistake, as it stands, we'd be much worse off without him, and In that regard, I'm glad he's here. But that speaks more to our roster, than it does Carlton himself.

We've been so bad in the post for so long, that we cling onto any glimmer of hope and make it more than it actually is.

Perhaps he makes enormous strides, idk. But he'll need a Kemba Walker-esque jump in order to be a good (not great) player. Because he started from such a low level.

 

[intlzncster]

Carlton hasn’t done much past 3-4 games. He had a nice little stretch right before that but he’s just not good enough. No explosion around the rim, can’t finish, low motor, free throws very inconsistent -Yeah he improved somewhat this year but, eh , not impressed. AG the only one I want to see on floor next year besides our recruits. I guess cv too but he’s been reverting back to old cv as of late. Can we just land a big mountain of a guy with some killer instinct? I don’t care how raw he is. We need something down low-anything. Please!

You can't start 3 freshman and hope to win a ton of games. These kids are good, but EOD, they're still freshman. I expect 3 returning starters, maybe four, depending on how it shakes out.

 

[Edward Sargent]

You can't start 3 freshman and hope to win a ton of games. These kids are good, but EOD, they're still freshman. I expect 3 returning starters, maybe four, depending on how it shakes out.

You can if you are Duke or Ky or Fab 5. This board vastly overestimates incoming recruits even if they haven’t signed.

 

[superjohn]

He may be limited, but he'll be better than Polley. I will be surprised if Polley starts, barring an huge overall jump in a number of aspects of his game.

Remember, Sid joined early under KO. Different culture, different coaching.

I wouldn't really be surprised if any of the current starters came off the bench next season. AG is the only 100% guaranteed starter.

 

[CL82]

He has been so bashed on this blog that it has become like a cartoon character

It would be great if somehow we could add gifs of leprechauns

Ask and ye shall receive:

 

[intlzncster]

I wouldn't really be surprised if any of the current starters came off the bench next season. AG is the only 100% guaranteed starter.

It really depends on who else commits. It's tough to pencil in three frosh, but it could happen. Of the current three, the most likely is Akok, and he's the least talented and developed of the bunch. We've just got a giant gaping hole where the front court is supposed to be.

I just have a hard time seeing Vital coming off the bench (despite that being a role he's more suited towards) as a senior. Gaffney/Bouk might even be better players coming in, but we'll see with regards to team dynamics. Now, if they get more minutes, I wouldn't be remotely shocked.

 

[intlzncster]

You can if you are Duke or Ky or Fab 5. This board vastly overestimates incoming recruits even if they haven’t signed.

If Precious were to miraculously sign, he'd start automatically. I don't care who you want to take out.

 

[Palatine]

It really depends on who else commits. It's tough to pencil in three frosh, but it could happen. Of the current three, the most likely is Akok, and he's the least talented and developed of the bunch. We've just got a giant gaping hole where the front court is supposed to be.

I just have a hard time seeing Vital coming off the bench (despite that being a role he's more suited towards) as a senior. Gaffney/Bouk might even be better players coming in, but we'll see with regards to team dynamics. Now, if they get more minutes, I wouldn't be remotely shocked.

Akok is also practicing with the team right now. That gives him a huge jump on Bouknight and Gaffney. Of the current players, AG seems like a lock to start along with Carlton. The rest will be competed for.

 

[MDHuskFan]

I’d love clarity as to if we’re talkin starters game 1 or starters come time conference play comes along. I’m sure there will be some change

 

[superjohn]

It really depends on who else commits. It's tough to pencil in three frosh, but it could happen. Of the current three, the most likely is Akok, and he's the least talented and developed of the bunch. We've just got a giant gaping hole where the front court is supposed to be.

I just have a hard time seeing Vital coming off the bench (despite that being a role he's more suited towards) as a senior. Gaffney/Bouk might even be better players coming in, but we'll see with regards to team dynamics. Now, if they get more minutes, I wouldn't be remotely shocked.

Akok is the most obvious to start as we have no power forwards and he is an elite shotblocker on a team with no shotblockers.
I wouldn't say Akok is the least talented of the bunch, least developed maybe but not least talented.
I just think some of our fanbase has forgotten what talent looks like. Vital plays hard, rebounds great for his postion and has developed a pretty good three point shot but he just isn't that talented and has glaring holes in his game. He probably will start but if either of the freshmen guards prove better they'll play over him.
I still think we'll get a couple more good players with a chance that one of them is elite.

 

[intlzncster]

I still think we'll get a couple more good players with a chance that one of them is elite.

If we are going to be decent, then this is a priority. Right now, our front court next year will not cut it.

 

[ClifSpliffy]

Because his upside is a quality backup on a good team. But he will likely be our starter next year. Perhaps if he had a natural Kevin Freeman motor, he would be more than serviceable. But it is what it is.

I've no animus against him mind you, I just think I'm looking objectively at his limitations, some of which are inherent. Make no mistake, as it stands, we'd be much worse off without him, and In that regard, I'm glad he's here. But that speaks more to our roster, than it does Carlton himself.

We've been so bad in the post for so long, that we cling onto any glimmer of hope and make it more than it actually is.

Perhaps he makes enormous strides, idk. But he'll need a Kemba Walker-esque jump in order to be a good (not great) player. Because he started from such a low level.

as a sophomore playing about 20 minutes per game, jc averages about 8 points and 6 rebounds. these numbers equate to, for example, stanley robinsons junior year output, excepting for mr. robinson playing 5 minutes more per game. not to equate the two since they play different positions, just using a high visibility reference. furthermore, mr. carlton is currently top 40 in D1 in blocks per 40 minutes average, about 3+. stanley, who I enjoyed immensely, averaged about 1.5/40 in his career. josh will be more than fine, and a continual starter, proally 12-15 ppg with 9 rpg next season. solid. foundational.
fyi jc is #1 in AAC Offensive Rebound Percentage. 2018-19 American Athletic Conference Leaders | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com

 

[JB75]

I don’t kno who I wud start ahead of Carlton. Unfortunately , no one unless we land a grad or juco big that comes out of blue with ferocity. And let’s stop letting Carlton slide by saying he’s only a sophomore. He’s really now almost a junior and he’s prolly got more playing time and experienced minutes than many uconn players before him at this stage of his career. He needs to start making stronger strides period.

 

[Edward Sargent]

Akok is the most obvious to start as we have no power forwards and he is an elite shotblocker on a team with no shotblockers.
I wouldn't say Akok is the least talented of the bunch, least developed maybe but not least talented.
I just think some of our fanbase has forgotten what talent looks like. Vital plays hard, rebounds great for his postion and has developed a pretty good three point shot but he just isn't that talented and has glaring holes in his game. He probably will start but if either of the freshmen guards prove better they'll play over him.
I still think we'll get a couple more good players with a chance that one of them is elite.

SuperJ, here is where hyperbole gets this board's expectations up and sets us up for failure. I admit that I have seen a few high school mix tapes of Akok which show him blocking some shots. I wouldn't characterize him as elite based on what he did in high school.

 

[BigEastLuva]

Vital was the most important player for either team last game. EXCEPT when he put the ball on the floor. He was really unbelievable. He was everywhere the ball was. He was the engine for that comeback by making hustle plays and grabbing big rebounds over bigger guys and getting fouled and sinking his FTs (rest of team was 8/16 on FTs, he was 5/5). If we needed a play, he made it. He was so fun to watch.

But he made a couple bad drives and threw inaccurate passes to bigs who weren't ready and coughed the ball up a couple times. He's a GREAT glue guy. He just can't be a primary initiator this season. Maybe if he cleans up his handle and both he and his teammates get a better feel for where everyone will be in Hurley's system next year he can be a secondary playmaker, but it's a net negative when he does it this season.

Totally agree! CV wants to go to the league, as they all do. You can’t be a 6’2” 2-guard in the NBA, no matter the intangibles. To make him a 3&D guy doesn’t help him get to the next level. Hurley has the skill to develop playmaking guards (Matthews, Terrell at URI). We could always use another ball handler, and it only adds to the culture to keep the coach-player relationship tight. When you get buy-in both ways, you get what Rip was holding last Sunday. When there’s friction you get guys sitting and thinking elsewhere.

 

[MDHuskFan]

Totally agree! CV wants to go to the league, as they all do. You can’t be a 6’2” 2-guard in the NBA, no matter the intangibles. To make him a 3&D guy doesn’t help him get to the next level. Hurley has the skill to develop playmaking guards (Matthews, Terrell at URI). We could always use another ball handler, and it only adds to the culture to keep the coach-player relationship tight. When you get buy-in both ways, you get what Rip was holding last Sunday. When there’s friction you get guys sitting and thinking elsewhere.

You can be a 6’2 off ball guard tho.... they just are more naturally talented & athletic than cv

 

[intlzncster]

SuperJ, here is where hyperbole gets this board's expectations up and sets us up for failure. I admit that I have seen a few high school mix tapes of Akok which show him blocking some shots. I wouldn't characterize him as elite based on what he did in high school.

If he can block 1 shot, and grab 3 rebounds he's ahead of Polley.

 

[Caronimo]

Espn really hyped Hurley all game with split screens etc. Can’t imagine Cinci fans were thrilled. Imagine it they kept showing Mick?

They’re doing this again in the Duke game but with Zion. They legit did a split screen of the game and of Zion on the bench for three straight possessions. ESPN getting worse and worse!