- Joined
- Aug 26, 2011
- Messages
- 54
- Reaction Score
- 44
Lets assume here that Boat and Deandre come back. I'll examine the possible replacements for the seniors we lost as well as what improvements our hold overs need make for us to return to the final four.
Lets start with Boat: I think we can agree that he definitely made a jump in his game this past year. although his numbers were down as he deferred to Shabazz, he displayed more maturity in his game overall and really came on in all facets down the stretch. Clearly the key for boat is to continue to develop his point guard skills. This will be pivitol. He will be our main ball handler next year and he needs to be the rock that Kemba and Shabazz have been for us. Besides that, two things i think Boat can improve upon are getting his shot off the dribble in the half court. I really liked his ability to drive and pull up but kemba and shabazz had an incredible ability to create separation and seemingly be unstoppable in the half court. Boat is good three point shooter when his feet are set but hasn't quite shown the ability to get it when hes guarded tightly in the half court. This is what won championships for us this year and 2014, having a player that can get his anytime and anywhere. secondly, i think boat can work on being a little more crafty with his dribble. While he's an excellent ball handler, id like to see him make quicker moves toward the basket instead of the lateral ball handling he's shown quite a bit of. Boat could also work on keeping his defenders off balance more, Khalid had that ability to keep defenders off balance with the hesitation dribble and i think that something boat could really benefit from. I remember saying to someone when Boat was a freshman, that he could be unstoppable come his senior year. I'm sticking with that claim.
Deandre: Deandre could flat out be a monster next year. I'm thinking something along the lines of what Doug McDermott did for Creighton this year except more athletic. He's shown he can shoot it from deep, post up, hit NBA style fall a ways, and drive to the basket. I think he just needs to continue to improve on all of these things. If i was to pick something in particular, it would be taking his man off the dribble and creating his own shot. Deandre wont play the 3 next year, but if he wants to have a long a successful NBA career, he's going to need to show he can do these things to play the 3 at the next level.
Omar Calhoun: lets hope Omar can come in and play defense, do some intangible things and hit open three point shots. I'm not sure what to expect out of him but if he can be a slightly better version of his freshman year self, id be very happy and that may be exactly what the team needs from him.
Terrence Samuel: Terrence came on strong at the end of the year, made some huge baskets and played solid D. Were going to need someone who can adequately handle the point next year besides boat and I think that will be Terrence. Obviously Terrence can improve on all aspects of his game, but i think the most important thing for him is going to be tightening up his handle and shooting. Even if he doesn't improve his shooting at all, if his handle improve, we know he has great passing ability and it will add a great dimension to our team. Another player who can control the game from the most important position.
Leon Tolksdorf: Not too sure what to expect of Leon. If he can come in and stretch the floor with the three and play adequate defense and get rebounds, that's the best case scenario. I'm not sure he has much of a role on this team next year unless he makes as big jump.
Kentan Facey: Defense, defense, defense. I really liked Kentan in limited time. he looked a little unsure of himself at times but i think once he gets a little more comfortable, he will be a big factor for us off the bench. Obviously with Deandre his role should be relatively limited. But in 10-15 minutes a game, if he can play defense, get rebounds and finish around the rim, that would be huge for the team. I really like Kentan and i think he has a bright future on this team.
Phil Nolan: Phil is another person that can pretty much improve upon everything. He showed some good things down the stretch, playing goof defense on Payne to be specific. But he really needs to be able to consistently play defense without fouling and play better defense overall. We also need him to be able to finish better at the rim, any other offensive improvements would be tremendous for the team.
Amida Brimah: We don't need Amida to be a big offensive threat next year, not with the other options we have on this team. If he does improve is offense that's just an added benefit. What Amida really needs to do is get stronger and improve on his defense and rebounding with out fouling. I have very high hopes for Amida and i think he will be a pro at some point. with added strength, confidence and experience I think he can make a big leap for us next year and be dominate on the defensive end.
Rodney Purvis: He's a bit of an unknown for me despite being a pretty dynamic player by all accounts. But I'm not completely sold. He's shown at NC State to be a great player in the open court but besides that I'm not so sure. He's had and will have a lot of time to improve on his game, specifically his half court offense. Our two guard positions need to be able to create for others as well as create there own offense. If he can average 12 pts a game and play solid defense i would be very happy. With the other options on this team, i don't see Rodney having an off the charts season next year, but just a good year. If he can have a similar season to boats last year, i think everyone would be happy with that.
Daniel Hamilton: I think in certain aspects, Daniel at the three should be a an improvement over Niels at the three in our offense. I really like his game and think he could eventually turn into a lottery pick. He seems to be a better ball handler and play maker than Niels. overall he should be a better offensive player than Niels, but can he offer the same defense and intangible plays? No would be my guess at this time. Can he offer the same three point shooting?. though all indications are that hes a very good shooter, he is a freshman, and you never really know until he's in a uniform. with that said, i am very high on Daniel and think he's not only going to have bright future here but will make a pretty significant impact on our team next year. All the talk from goodman and the other analyst last year were that hes a big time jacker with terrible shot selection. Prior to that, Daniel was known as a great passer and someone who blended in perfectly with a great all around game. If i remember correctly, he averaged over 5 assists and 5 boards a game his senior year so i fully expect that he will adapt his game to fit what ever the team needs next year.
Sam Cassell: Sam seems like a shot maker for us next year. Especially from 3. I think he will be relegated to a backup position but get around 15-20 minutes a a game. His three point shot seems to be his best attribute but has also shown pretty adept creating off the dribble. If he can play defense i think he can become a big time factor for us next year. Keep in mind, Sam went to Notre Dame Prep after high school, wasn't admitted to Maryland because notre dame prep was doing sketchy things if i remember correctly. he then spent two years at junior college and will now attend here. So this is a player that will be a sophomore next year but by age, should really be a senior.
Rakim Lubin: I dont think Rakim has a role on this team next year. If he averages over 2 minutes a game, id be surprised. I am intrigued by his size and strength though and if he buys into being a guy that goes out and plays with energy on defense and rebounding, maybe he does find a role.
Starters
Ryan Boatright - 16 PPG, 3 RPG, 6 APG, 30 MPG
Rodney Purvis - 10 PPG, 4 RPG, 2 APG, 25 MPG
Daniel Hamlton - 8 PPG, 4 RPG, 3 APG, 25 MPG
Deandre Daniels - 16 PPG, 7 RPG, 1 APG, 30 MPG
Amida Brimah - 7 PPG, 8 RPG, 0.5 APG, 25 MPG
Bench
Terrence Samuel - 5 PPG, 3 RPG, 3 APG, 15 MPG
Sam Cassell Jr - 6 PPG, 2 RBG, 1 APG, 15 MPG
Omar Calhoun - 4 PPG, 2 RPG, 0 APG, 10 MPG
Kentan Facey - 3 PPG, 4 RPG, 0 APG, 10 MPG
Phil Nolan - 5 PPG, 5 RPG, 0 APG, 15 MPG
Ultimately i think Calhoun could be a non factor towards the end of the season with Samuel and Cassell Jr taking on those minutes. We will see how that plays out.
Its obviously going to take some big improvements and heroic efforts to replace what Shabazz gave us, that will be the real question mark going into next year. the other question is can we replace what Niels gave us with defense and over all quality play from a senior including 3 point shots and intangible plays. other than that i think Kromah's contributions can be replaced by the combination of Purvis, Samuel, and Cassell Jr.
Lets start with Boat: I think we can agree that he definitely made a jump in his game this past year. although his numbers were down as he deferred to Shabazz, he displayed more maturity in his game overall and really came on in all facets down the stretch. Clearly the key for boat is to continue to develop his point guard skills. This will be pivitol. He will be our main ball handler next year and he needs to be the rock that Kemba and Shabazz have been for us. Besides that, two things i think Boat can improve upon are getting his shot off the dribble in the half court. I really liked his ability to drive and pull up but kemba and shabazz had an incredible ability to create separation and seemingly be unstoppable in the half court. Boat is good three point shooter when his feet are set but hasn't quite shown the ability to get it when hes guarded tightly in the half court. This is what won championships for us this year and 2014, having a player that can get his anytime and anywhere. secondly, i think boat can work on being a little more crafty with his dribble. While he's an excellent ball handler, id like to see him make quicker moves toward the basket instead of the lateral ball handling he's shown quite a bit of. Boat could also work on keeping his defenders off balance more, Khalid had that ability to keep defenders off balance with the hesitation dribble and i think that something boat could really benefit from. I remember saying to someone when Boat was a freshman, that he could be unstoppable come his senior year. I'm sticking with that claim.
Deandre: Deandre could flat out be a monster next year. I'm thinking something along the lines of what Doug McDermott did for Creighton this year except more athletic. He's shown he can shoot it from deep, post up, hit NBA style fall a ways, and drive to the basket. I think he just needs to continue to improve on all of these things. If i was to pick something in particular, it would be taking his man off the dribble and creating his own shot. Deandre wont play the 3 next year, but if he wants to have a long a successful NBA career, he's going to need to show he can do these things to play the 3 at the next level.
Omar Calhoun: lets hope Omar can come in and play defense, do some intangible things and hit open three point shots. I'm not sure what to expect out of him but if he can be a slightly better version of his freshman year self, id be very happy and that may be exactly what the team needs from him.
Terrence Samuel: Terrence came on strong at the end of the year, made some huge baskets and played solid D. Were going to need someone who can adequately handle the point next year besides boat and I think that will be Terrence. Obviously Terrence can improve on all aspects of his game, but i think the most important thing for him is going to be tightening up his handle and shooting. Even if he doesn't improve his shooting at all, if his handle improve, we know he has great passing ability and it will add a great dimension to our team. Another player who can control the game from the most important position.
Leon Tolksdorf: Not too sure what to expect of Leon. If he can come in and stretch the floor with the three and play adequate defense and get rebounds, that's the best case scenario. I'm not sure he has much of a role on this team next year unless he makes as big jump.
Kentan Facey: Defense, defense, defense. I really liked Kentan in limited time. he looked a little unsure of himself at times but i think once he gets a little more comfortable, he will be a big factor for us off the bench. Obviously with Deandre his role should be relatively limited. But in 10-15 minutes a game, if he can play defense, get rebounds and finish around the rim, that would be huge for the team. I really like Kentan and i think he has a bright future on this team.
Phil Nolan: Phil is another person that can pretty much improve upon everything. He showed some good things down the stretch, playing goof defense on Payne to be specific. But he really needs to be able to consistently play defense without fouling and play better defense overall. We also need him to be able to finish better at the rim, any other offensive improvements would be tremendous for the team.
Amida Brimah: We don't need Amida to be a big offensive threat next year, not with the other options we have on this team. If he does improve is offense that's just an added benefit. What Amida really needs to do is get stronger and improve on his defense and rebounding with out fouling. I have very high hopes for Amida and i think he will be a pro at some point. with added strength, confidence and experience I think he can make a big leap for us next year and be dominate on the defensive end.
Rodney Purvis: He's a bit of an unknown for me despite being a pretty dynamic player by all accounts. But I'm not completely sold. He's shown at NC State to be a great player in the open court but besides that I'm not so sure. He's had and will have a lot of time to improve on his game, specifically his half court offense. Our two guard positions need to be able to create for others as well as create there own offense. If he can average 12 pts a game and play solid defense i would be very happy. With the other options on this team, i don't see Rodney having an off the charts season next year, but just a good year. If he can have a similar season to boats last year, i think everyone would be happy with that.
Daniel Hamilton: I think in certain aspects, Daniel at the three should be a an improvement over Niels at the three in our offense. I really like his game and think he could eventually turn into a lottery pick. He seems to be a better ball handler and play maker than Niels. overall he should be a better offensive player than Niels, but can he offer the same defense and intangible plays? No would be my guess at this time. Can he offer the same three point shooting?. though all indications are that hes a very good shooter, he is a freshman, and you never really know until he's in a uniform. with that said, i am very high on Daniel and think he's not only going to have bright future here but will make a pretty significant impact on our team next year. All the talk from goodman and the other analyst last year were that hes a big time jacker with terrible shot selection. Prior to that, Daniel was known as a great passer and someone who blended in perfectly with a great all around game. If i remember correctly, he averaged over 5 assists and 5 boards a game his senior year so i fully expect that he will adapt his game to fit what ever the team needs next year.
Sam Cassell: Sam seems like a shot maker for us next year. Especially from 3. I think he will be relegated to a backup position but get around 15-20 minutes a a game. His three point shot seems to be his best attribute but has also shown pretty adept creating off the dribble. If he can play defense i think he can become a big time factor for us next year. Keep in mind, Sam went to Notre Dame Prep after high school, wasn't admitted to Maryland because notre dame prep was doing sketchy things if i remember correctly. he then spent two years at junior college and will now attend here. So this is a player that will be a sophomore next year but by age, should really be a senior.
Rakim Lubin: I dont think Rakim has a role on this team next year. If he averages over 2 minutes a game, id be surprised. I am intrigued by his size and strength though and if he buys into being a guy that goes out and plays with energy on defense and rebounding, maybe he does find a role.
Starters
Ryan Boatright - 16 PPG, 3 RPG, 6 APG, 30 MPG
Rodney Purvis - 10 PPG, 4 RPG, 2 APG, 25 MPG
Daniel Hamlton - 8 PPG, 4 RPG, 3 APG, 25 MPG
Deandre Daniels - 16 PPG, 7 RPG, 1 APG, 30 MPG
Amida Brimah - 7 PPG, 8 RPG, 0.5 APG, 25 MPG
Bench
Terrence Samuel - 5 PPG, 3 RPG, 3 APG, 15 MPG
Sam Cassell Jr - 6 PPG, 2 RBG, 1 APG, 15 MPG
Omar Calhoun - 4 PPG, 2 RPG, 0 APG, 10 MPG
Kentan Facey - 3 PPG, 4 RPG, 0 APG, 10 MPG
Phil Nolan - 5 PPG, 5 RPG, 0 APG, 15 MPG
Ultimately i think Calhoun could be a non factor towards the end of the season with Samuel and Cassell Jr taking on those minutes. We will see how that plays out.
Its obviously going to take some big improvements and heroic efforts to replace what Shabazz gave us, that will be the real question mark going into next year. the other question is can we replace what Niels gave us with defense and over all quality play from a senior including 3 point shots and intangible plays. other than that i think Kromah's contributions can be replaced by the combination of Purvis, Samuel, and Cassell Jr.
