I fell in love with Christian Vital Saturday

[willie99]

He gave his all, he wanted it, he played with that determination and toughness that UConn basketball is all about. I thought the team played hard overall, but his effort and sacrifice was special.

We're going to like this kid

 

[Jaker]

He played great towards the end of this season, in my mind he earned a starting spot for next season.

 

[WrenchFan69]

Our guard depth is going to be unreal next year

 

[JSM1970]

He did, but hopefully not. Would like to see

JA
AG
TL
#4 is open to competition
SE

He played great towards the end of this season, in my mind he earned a starting spot for next season.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Loved when he wrestled the ball away from Brooks. Not the highest rated recruit but he will make this team tough to beat moving forwards. His charge when he dished for a score late was one of the tougher calls.

 

[blackbird]

He needs to absolutely start next season. He earned it.

IMO, we need to play small. Similar to our last NC, with Giffey at the 4...meaning Larrier and Jackson need to bulk up and learn how to rebound.

I'd start
Adams
Vital
Jackson
Larrier
Enoch (although, up for grabs..)

And I wouldn't even be shy about going with a Gilbert/Adams/Vital guard trio at times..Vital was probably our second best rebounder this year after Facey, and is tough enough to handle a small forward for spot minutes, IMO. And the offense advantages would be great.

Not only that, but I swear Ollie is better at coaching a "small ball" team. Whether his offensive philosophy or NBA experience helped him there.

We just don't have great post players, and we do have great guards...play as much of our best 5 as we can as much as we can.

 

[J187Money]

He got a lot more minutes this year than he would have otherwise, and did some good things. Will serve him well in the long run.

 

[JSM1970]

I disagree. There is a reason this was an awful team, a lot of it due to having to play CV and VJ such big minutes instead of AG and TL.

He needs to absolutely start next season. He earned it.

IMO, we need to play small. Similar to our last NC, with Giffey at the 4...meaning Larrier and Jackson need to bulk up and learn how to rebound.

I'd start
Adams
Vital
Jackson
Larrier
Enoch (although, up for grabs..)

And I wouldn't even be shy about going with a Gilbert/Adams/Vital guard trio at times..Vital was probably our second best rebounder this year after Facey, and is tough enough to handle a small forward for spot minutes, IMO. And the offense advantages would be great.

Not only that, but I swear Ollie is better at coaching a "small ball" team. Whether his offensive philosophy or NBA experience helped him there.

We just don't have great post players, and we do have great guards...play as much of our best 5 as we can as much as we can.

 

[upstater]

Kid is fearless. I trust Ollie to come up with the best lineup say by the 5-8 game of the season.

But I expect it will look like this:

Alterique
Adams
Larrier
Vance or Durham
Enoch

First Sub: Vital
Lots of playing time: Cobb

8 man lineup. Carlton comes in if Enoch piles on fouls, MAL if any of the guards need a break, Polley is Durham is not fully back to where he should be 1 1/2 years after surgery.

 

[Ts5034]

I was really impressed with the way Vital played all season. Its true that with all the injuries he played a lot more than was expected of him. If Vital can have a four year career similar to Craig Austrie, then I will be perfectly fine with that and it would be a huge help for the team. Its always a good thing to have an experienced guard who can handle the ball.

 

[BFieldHusky]

I disagree. There is a reason this was an awful team, a lot of it due to having to play CV and VJ such big minutes instead of AG and TL.

You are an idiot. Again.

This team is not a great 3 point shooting team. So we shouldn't play our 2 best shooters. Plus Vital is growing into a really good defender and glue guy. But hey according to you he sucks.

 

[Hungryhusky99]

Kid is fearless. I trust Ollie to come up with the best lineup say by the 5-8 game of the season.

But I expect it will look like this:

Alterique
Adams
Larrier
Vance or Durham
Enoch

First Sub: Vital
Lots of playing time: Cobb

8 man lineup. Carlton comes in if Enoch piles on fouls, MAL if any of the guards need a break, Polley is Durham is not fully back to where he should be 1 1/2 years after surgery.

There was an article the other day that said KO promised MAL playing time.

 

[tjc1888]

I was really impressed with the way Vital played all season. Its true that with all the injuries he played a lot more than was expected of him. If Vital can have a four year career similar to Craig Austrie, then I will be perfectly fine with that and it would be a huge help for the team. Its always a good thing to have an experienced guard who can handle the ball.

People need to stop comparing him to Craig Austrie. He's already better than austrie was.

 

[Rocktheworld]

He gave his all, he wanted it, he played with that determination and toughness that UConn basketball is all about. I thought the team played hard overall, but his effort and sacrifice was special.

We're going to like this kid

He was the second most upset looking player coming off the court after the buzzer sounded. He wanted that bad. He also gave Enoch a serious talking to when he committed a foul almost immediately after coming in towards the end of the game. Love to see that as a freshman.

 

[JSM1970]

You're the idiot.

If CV and VJ were as skilled as people on this board thought this team wouldn't be sub .500 overall.

Let me ask another way, do you think this team would have been better/worse/even if TL and AG played all year and CV and VJ were out?

I say much better.

You are an idiot. Again.

This team is not a great 3 point shooting team. So we shouldn't play our 2 best shooters. Plus Vital is growing into a really good defender and glue guy. But hey according to you he sucks.

 

[Hurleyman216]

I was really impressed with the way Vital played all season. Its true that with all the injuries he played a lot more than was expected of him. If Vital can have a four year career similar to Craig Austrie, then I will be perfectly fine with that and it would be a huge help for the team. Its always a good thing to have an experienced guard who can handle the ball.

Can we all stop with this Craig Austrie stuff? I'm tired of hearing how we "hope" Vital can be "as good" as Austrie. He is far and away beyond anything we got from Austrie. You're comparing our extremely underrated freshman who averaged over 9 points/game to a guy that averaged 6 points/game his entire UConn career. Vital just put up better numbers as a freshman than Austrie had in any year at Uconn.

Vital has a ceiling, but Craig Austrie is not it. If he improves his handle a bit and improves his jump shot, the kid could be flirting with the the NBA in 3-4 years.

 

[BFieldHusky]

You're the idiot.

If CV and VJ were as skilled as people on this board thought this team wouldn't be sub .500 overall.

Let me ask another way, do you think this team would have been better/worse/even if TL and AG played all year and CV and VJ were out?

I say much better.

So because two guys who were expected to play 10 minutes a game or less didn't carry a team with at times 6 scholarship players, it is their fault? Is that your reasoning?

I think Gilbert and Larrier are studs. Of course if they had a WHOLE team they would have been better. But those guys did play under difficult circumstances and got better as the year went on.

 

[tjc1888]

Can we all stop with this Craig Austrie stuff? I'm tired of hearing how we "hope" Vital can be "as good" as Austrie. He is far and away beyond anything we got from Austrie. You're comparing our extremely underrated freshman who averaged over 9 points/game to a guy that averaged 6 points/game his entire UConn career. Vital just put up better numbers as a freshman than Austrie had in any year at Uconn.

Vital has a ceiling, but Craig Austrie is not it. If he improves his handle a bit and improves his jump shot, the kid could be flirting with the the NBA in 3-4 years.

Hahha. Beat you to it, but agreed.

 

[HungryHuskies]

Is this bad? I hope this is NOT a goodbye.

 

[CTBasketball]

I have a feeling his career will turn out like Rashamel Jones's. Especially if Ollie prioritizes MAL and Gilbert's playing time.

 

[huskymagic]

Olliewood is correct. Vital is the closest thing we have to Shabazz on this team. He is the best of this freshman recruiting class in overall game and performance. He is much better than Craig Austrie and he is only a freshman. Vital has a chance to be an NBA player if he keeps improving.

There is no way Alterique who is a 5'9 with a bad shoulder should be starting over Vital. Vital is a player with swagger and the talent to back it up like UCONN legends of past. He's also got a connection with Adams. I wouldn't mess with it. Alterique and MAL would have to be NBA one and done guys to beat out Vital.

This is a no brainer, Vital is second behind Adams on the guards depth chart and its not even close.

 

[UConnSwag11]

he is going to be great but I don't think he'll start because ollie wants two true pgs on the floor. Having him the first off the bench would be huge as well. What Vital earned is the respect and trust of the coach and his teammates. He deserves more minutes but idk about starting. We need to play the best players and not be locked in to "he deserves to start". Could he work his way in? Yes, but right now Ollie wants two true pgs to run the show

 

[Tenspro2002]

Is this bad? I hope this is NOT a goodbye.

Where the hell would he be going?

In terms of starters for next year, there will be a hell of a competition, something we could use more of.

The only starter etched in stone is Adams. Everyone else has to earn it. But I expect each of Adams, Vital, Gilbert, MAL, Larrier, and Jackson to earn upwards of 20 mpg, with a few above 30 mpg.

 

[Hurleyman216]

Hahha. Beat you to it, but agreed.

I was busy looking up stats to prove my point, lol. I feel like we'll still be hearing this comparison for the next 3 years. Once someone posts something dumb on the BY once, it's an unwritten rule that it becomes fact so every other dumb poster can keep repeating the same garbage.

 

[JSM1970]

I am talking about him starting over AG or even MAL next year.

I could see him playing a lot of combo guard 3 with a 3 guard lineup and TL @ the 4.

So because two guys who were expected to play 10 minutes a game or less didn't carry a team with at times 6 scholarship players, it is their fault? Is that your reasoning?

I think Gilbert and Larrier are studs. Of course if they had a WHOLE team they would have been better. But those guys did play under difficult circumstances and got better as the year went on.