It'll look like a W in March.

[3rdbass]

Too hard on Nolan. Boatright is going to get to another level this year. If Facey isnt scoring and isnt rebounding why is he getting minutes over Lubin and Nolan? Our guard situation will work itself out. I think the 3 and 4 position are what is worrisome. Purvis and Brimah will get a lot better and Hamilton is awesome.

I think you mean our 2 guard not 3 as dham is manning that. Purvis and sam I am need to step up at the 2.

 

[UconnU]

I thought Amidah looked great out there today. The in-law is here to stay on the offensive end.

 

[Mano]

I can see why Purvis may have some rust in competition, but his handle shouldn't have suffered. It's not like he missed a year with a torn ACL.

He did however have surgery to repair a torn labrum just before Christmas last year though. Something like that can take 6-12 months to fully heal and usually at least 3 months before the doctors tell you to do any lifting of any significance. Still an in-shape 20 year old will probably come back from it faster than most and he certainly had a full summer of bball .

Anyway you can see Rodney REALLY wants to play hard and well, so its not for lack of trying that the results haven't been completely there for him (in his first real game, lol). He is gonna be goooooooood.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

I can see why Purvis may have some rust in competition, but his handle shouldn't have suffered. It's not like he missed a year with a torn ACL.

Rust is rust. He looks like he's thinking rather than playing and going 100 mph. He'll settle down.

 

[superjohn]

Rust is rust. He looks like he's thinking rather than playing and going 100 mph. He'll settle down.

Agreed, he really does seem to be overthinking it instead of just letting it come naturally. No matter how much practice time and scrimmaging you have it's just very different playing in a D1 game after so much time off, he'll be fine.

 

[CAHUSKY]

I still can't believe Berry shoots granny free throws

How could he not with his father?

 

[champs99and04]

3) Rakim Lubin is very important - we need him to progress quickly as the season goes along because...

4) Phil Nolan isn't very good. Not a good rebounder, a pure liability with the ball in his hands. And....
.

Gotta disagree on these two points. Lubin is a project - he has an extremely limited skill set, and in all likelihood, the only thing about him that is D-1 quality is his body. He can probably be a good rebounder from the jump, but whatever limited skillset he has right now is neutralized by Facey being better than him. I would be surprised if Lubin was a meaningful contributor at any point this season.

And for as convincing as your take on Nolan is, I am guessing Ollie sees some value in a kid who played high-leverage minutes for a national championship team a year ago. He's never going to be somebody who fills up the stat sheet, but that's not what he's here for - he's familiar with the schemes, an improved screener, and very good at defending the perimeter and occupying bodies in the paint that clear the way for guys like Boatright to swoop in for rebounds.

I can already sense the Boneyard turning Nolan into another carnation of Tyler Olander. There is value in space fillers who know what they're doing, don't demand anything, and will never be the reason you lose a game. There are for sure much better options, but there are also a hell of a lot of worse ones.

 

[itgoeslike]

- Thread is too hard on Nolan. We wouldn't have won the NC last year without his minutes down the final stretch.
- Two games in and Hamilton doesn't look like a freshman. Smart player with impressive skills. He is going to be very good.
- Boat is averaging 20+ points. He's getting it done on many fronts.
- Amida is decidedly better and shoots with much more confidence. Does need to improve his rebounding.
- Purvis makes me a little nervous handling the ball. Hoping he gains confidence from dropping in some three's.
- Going inside yielded a much higher percentage of success versus throwing it up from the perimeter.
- Free throws were terrible. Left points on the table. Will get addressed.
- The team isn't clicking yet, defense needs a little work, but KO will find the right chemistry and fill in the low spots.
- Thank God basketball season is here. . .

 

[mauconnfan]

Gotta disagree on these two points. Lubin is a project - he has an extremely limited skill set, and in all likelihood, the only thing about him that is D-1 quality is his body. He can probably be a good rebounder from the jump, but whatever limited skillset he has right now is neutralized by Facey being better than him. I would be surprised if Lubin was a meaningful contributor at any point this season.

And for as convincing as your take on Nolan is, I am guessing Ollie sees some value in a kid who played high-leverage minutes for a national championship team a year ago. He's never going to be somebody who fills up the stat sheet, but that's not what he's here for - he's familiar with the schemes, an improved screener, and very good at defending the perimeter and occupying bodies in the paint that clear the way for guys like Boatright to swoop in for rebounds.

I can already sense the Boneyard turning Nolan into another carnation of Tyler Olander. There is value in space fillers who know what they're doing, don't demand anything, and will never be the reason you lose a game. There are for sure much better options, but there are also a hell of a lot of worse ones.

While I agree on most we need to see a lot more of Facey and Lubin to see who could and should get more time. As I said the 11 rebounds against Bryant were on thing but he was bsically out of the loop for 24 minutes today. Not a good defender either on the ball or off and can't handle the ball and for now is downright scary with it in his hands anywhere but after a rebound. Again, Lubins footwork is not good but he bodies better against a big guy. Also his help is short of good but I wouldn't count him out of the rotation as of yet after 2 games!

 

[SixRings]

Team played fine for November sans the 1 for 18 stretch. Looked the same as last November. Chill.

 

[champs99and04]

While I agree on most we need to see a lot more of Facey and Lubin to see who could and should get more time. As I said the 11 rebounds against Bryant were on thing but he was bsically out of the loop for 24 minutes today. Not a good defender either on the ball or off and can't handle the ball and for now is downright scary with it in his hands anywhere but after a rebound. Again, Lubins footwork is not good but he bodies better against a big guy. Also his help is short of good but I wouldn't count him out of the rotation as of yet after 2 games!

Facey is definitely going to be a work in progress defensively. I was only able to watch the first half today, but I did see Facey make a great pass from the high post on the opening bucket. It's just one play, but those sort of things give me hope that he'll be a really good player down the road.

As for Lubin, I'm not counting him out, I'd just be surprised if he was a mainstay in the rotation this season. This is admittedly an opinion I've formed on a limited sample.