Now that the roster is in place, where’s the team’s weakness(es)?

[Sick Puppy]

Just watched 1st half UConn vs Zags.

How do you replace the best passer and play maker in college hoops?
How do you replace the best shooter in college hoops?
How do you replace the best bench shooter in college hoops?
How do you replace the best center in college hoops?

You don't.
Team will look different next year. Still with our style of play, the same, but different. Kids will become men. Vets will step up. Coaches gonna coach. Gonna be fun.

 

[StllH8L8ner]

I’m weak in the knees thinking about next season’s team while still toasting our ‘chip.

 

[Waquoit]

Sanogo was money down low when he got the ball this year. Can DC become a money finisher this year?

 

[Sibeerian]

another way to look at this is, if you were the other coach, how would you try to beat us? I think it starts with trying to get Donovan into foul trouble. Of course if that doesn't work, you're eating a lot of leather.

 

[mauconnfan]

Sanogo was money down low when he got the ball this year. Can DC become a money finisher this year?

Money down low or not we simply can look at doubling his output and the numbers will suffice. Sanogo 17.2/7.7/0.8 blocks - 13 minute Clingan X2 = 14/11.2/3.6 as a soph.. Now we know he needs to stay out of foul trouble but I expect with his work ethic he will be better down low and maybe even on the perimeter. But look at the overall this may not be where we have the most concern at all. Plus with some of the penetrators the lob is his money, easy money. Needs to get to Sanogos consistency at the foul line though too that alone will make his numbers comparable.

 

[Waquoit]

Money down low or not we simply can look at doubling his output and the numbers will suffice. Sanogo 17.2/7.7/0.8 blocks - 13 minute Clingan X2 = 14/11.2/3.6 as a soph..

I'm not convinced it works that way.

 

[SubbaBub]

Complacency. We lost our top 3 players, Can 4 through 6 step up and fill that gap? Not if they stop getting better. Can the new pieces provide the necessary depth / flexibility? Not if they think just putting on the uniform wins games at this level.

 

[mauconnfan]

I'm not convinced it works that way.

Nor do I but prefer the positive in this one. I’m not sure his numbers won’t be better either we just don’t know.

 

[jibsey]

I know the ranking is high but I just need to see these new players and Johnson before getting too confident. Wouldn’t be surprised to see a lot of ups and downs early on. We won #5, so it’s house money right?

 

[Nick2005]

Shooting is only issue. No Hawkins? No joey or alleyene? I want 10 plus 3s a game given. Who?

 

[metsfan2323]

Shooting is only issue. No Hawkins? No joey or alleyene? I want 10 plus 3s a game given. Who?

Karaban, Newton, and Spencer for starters and hopefully a couple freshman can shoot.

 

[Spaceman213J]

Clingan has to give them some buckets out of the post. If he strengthens his base this offseason, he could become dominate pretty quickly. He has shown signs of solid (not Sanogo like) footwork, and teams will be hard pressed to double him. Karaban, Spencer, Newton, Castle, Ball & company will be camped out on the arc and I don't think teams will leave any of them open like they did AJax. I think that's where part of Jackson's production could be replaced. It should also open up some driving rains for the big UConn guards.
I am interested to see where Karaban is at when the season starts. He's smart and looks like a gymrat. He was a pleasant surprise, but I would be shocked to see another jump in his game. I also think Stewart will push him in practice. Again, a deep team let's players really develop quickly and full because they have to practice against each other all the time and they won't to stand out in a positive way, so they are motivated.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

We have a head coach who has never won a road game against a Top 25 team; hasn't yet beaten Sean Miller; and historically has a losing record in close games. Is this really the guy we want coaching our program?

How quickly we forget.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Depth for sure

 

[boog204]

While AJ facilitated the offense he wasn't a PG either. WIth Castle and Newton who was effective in creating offense for others we are in good hands.

Yes, but he was the guy who would drive/dish. He was the one waiting for Hawk to come up screens, etc. Newton became less and less of our primary PG as the season wore on. If we are looking at question marks, Castle and Newton and who "runs" our half-court O has to be one of the pressing issues. I think it will be fine, but we did have our struggles at times when Newton tried to be our PG.

 

[3rdbass]

Yes, but he was the guy who would drive/dish. He was the one waiting for Hawk to come up screens, etc. Newton became less and less of our primary PG as the season wore on. If we are looking at question marks, Castle and Newton and who "runs" our half-court O has to be one of the pressing issues. I think it will be fine, but we did have our struggles at times when Newton tried to be our PG.

Maybe we watched different games but Newton was running our offense at the end of the year and AJ was just helping out like a Draymond Green with some passing. He wasn't a classic drive an dish guy basically because offenses could sag offf him since he couldn't score off the dribble.

 

[superjohn]

Just watched 1st half UConn vs Zags.

How do you replace the best passer and play maker in college hoops?
How do you replace the best shooter in college hoops?
How do you replace the best bench shooter in college hoops?
How do you replace the best center in college hoops?

You don't.
Team will look different next year. Still with our style of play, the same, but different. Kids will become men. Vets will step up. Coaches gonna coach. Gonna be fun.

The best passer and playmaker in college hoops was Markquis Nowell.

 

[superjohn]

Shooting is only issue. No Hawkins? No joey or alleyene? I want 10 plus 3s a game given. Who?

Alleyne shot 31% from three and made less than 1 three per game, that shooting shouldn't be difficult to replace.

 

[Psolo12]

Maybe we watched different games but Newton was running our offense at the end of the year and AJ was just helping out like a Draymond Green with some passing. He wasn't a classic drive an dish guy basically because offenses could sag offf him since he couldn't score off the dribble.

You did not just compare Ajax to Draymond

 

[3rdbass]

You did not just compare Ajax to Draymond

Yeah comparable game in how rhey play. It has been done alot in this board since they both impact games without scoring due to their limitations there. Draymond is a bigger more physical guy while AJAX a better athlete but they both play the game similar in how they impact it by faciltating offense. Neithr can shoot or creat their own offense. Draymond is a better shooter but still not a skill he can lean on.

 

[HuskyHawk]

The main question I have is how the pieces fit together. I'm not worried about replacing certain guys. Every year you get a new team. Last year the team was really brilliantly complementary. No matter what was needed, Hurley could put a team out there for it.

This year I think we are less flexible. There may be certain teams that give us problems, and we might have a hard time matching up. If Johnson or the two freshman forwards really have an impact, then we probably have the ability to adjust as needed, but it's certainly not a given.

 

[Sphinx]

We are now at the bottom of the third page, and the word "defense" has not occurred in this thread to my notice.

Yet, a slow-footed perimeter defense is certainly the most glaringly-obvious weakness this team has to overcome. A starting lineup that replaces AJ with Spencer represents a massive regression in a defense that was often exposed by perimeter shooting even last year. Also, there is no projected starter at the 2 with the agility and foot speed of Hawkins.

It is simply true to say that none of our five starters is a 5-star athlete by today's standards. Defensive quickness is a question mark at every position, Castle is an amazing stop-and-go, slide-and-shuffle offensive ball handler, and perhaps he can translate these skills to defense, but he is so far untested.

My guess? We will see changes in playing time this year that nobody is now projecting. It will be dictated by our defensive shortcomings. Ball, Stewart and Ross are going to get minutes, and one or two of our current penciled-in starters are going to end up as instant offense off the bench.

 

[McLovin]

Leadership of Andre Jackson.

But I think Karaban becomes the vocal leader of the team on and off the court and Tristen fills the “everything and anything you need” leadership role that Jackson gave us.

 

[ktuck911]

New team, new identity fellas... These youngins gotta grow together... Take the lumps early (like last year) and gel into a National Championship threat in March...

 

[ktuck911]

Nice assessment here...