Our Center Tandem Is Good

[jibsey]

OK I know it was a cupcake Texas Whatever but Reed played 16 minutes and had 10 rebounds and 9 points. Johnson played 22 minutes with 8 points and 5 rebounds. I’ve seen Reed twice now in person and I like what I see. First off he is a human mountain of muscle. He has very strong and sure hands and will not be pushed around. When he’s in the paint it’s almost like having a screening wall down there.
Samson looks like he’s rebounding better, he’s stronger. Anyway, it’s not Clingan and Sanogo and until we see them against good teams we won’t be sure but these guys can get the job done IMO, and on nights where their numbers aren’t good our big forwards will step up to fill the stat sheet…..I hope.

 

[Scot-e]

Watching other teams play this year made me realize how spoiled we have been the last two years.

 

[diggerfoot]

OK I know it was a cupcake Texas Whatever but Reed played 16 minutes and had 10 rebounds and 9 points. Johnson played 22 minutes with 8 points and 5 rebounds. I’ve seen Reed twice now in person and I like what I see. First off he is a human mountain of muscle. He has very strong and sure hands and will not be pushed around. When he’s in the paint it’s almost like having a screening wall down there.
Samson looks like he’s rebounding better, he’s stronger. Anyway, it’s not Clingan and Sanogo and until we see them against good teams we won’t be sure but these guys can get the job done IMO, and on nights where their numbers aren’t good our big forwards will step up to fill the stat sheet…..I hope.

I agree. Reed does well at what you want from a center. Johnson covers ground quickly, the biggest advantage being coming to block a shot out of nowhere, which adds an “in your head” factor to our rim protection.

Clingan was special, but this tandem can serve a championship caliber team.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

I feel better than I did at the beginning of the season but I’m reserving judgment on the bigs. There is such a huge gap athletically and physically against these type of cupcakes that I always find it hard to really take too much away from these games. It’s not specific to Samson Johnson or Reed, just the nature of these type of matchups.

Memphis doesn’t have the greatest front court, but I will be very interested to see how we look in that matchup.

 

[Hunt for 7]

Hurley and staff seems to be very comfortable with our center position. It could be that it really is and either or decision so that will be based on each game situation.

I will say this, I am less worried about rebounding than I was when the season started and that is because Liam is a way better rebounder than I thought he would be.

Each team has to develop their own identity and this team is still developing that. Like min have said let’s wait until the plane lands at Bradley on the return trip from HI.

We are about to get a lot of answers.

 

[StllH8L8ner]

We’ll find out who’s who and what’s what over the next handful of games against real opponents.

So far this year, the only team that’s had a chance to compete with our first unit is our second unit….

 

[Umami Zen]

Samson showing some progress on grabbing some rebounds and being more selective on shots he's attempting to block. Next week in Maui with better comp will be a better benchmark as to where we're at with our Bigs (and guards).

Looking forward to it.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

Our bigs are good enough imo. Reed is a starting caliber center and Johnson is still a great change of pace player.

Our biggest worry right now is at PG and also seeing if there’s a player that can rise above the Xs and Os.

 

[controlfade]

Reed has shown good coaching really matters, Juan did this kid no service at all.

 

[Waquoit]

Watching other teams play this year made me realize how spoiled we have been the last two years.

That's a good point. But not just the last two years, today. How many teams have what we have now?

 

[dingaling]

Sanogo/Clingan was about the best 5 tandem college basketball has seen in some time, so it's not really fair to compare them. It seems we have what we need to compete for a 3rd title which is all we can really ask for after losing what we lost. Im staying optimistic.

 

[AllHusky]

Our bigs are good enough imo. Reed is a starting caliber center and Johnson is still a great change of pace player.

Our biggest worry right now is at PG and also seeing if there’s a player that can rise above the Xs and Os.

The magnitude of our personnel losses when contemplating threepeat are breathtaking. Trying to discipline myself to just enjoy watching this years team take shape through the ups and inevitable downs. Its not easy.

 

[uh-no]

let's see how they do against a real team.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

The magnitude of our personnel losses when contemplating threepeat are breathtaking. Trying to discipline myself to just enjoy watching this years team take shape through the ups and inevitable downs. Its not easy.

Yeah I’m not sure if making threepeating and end all be all is healthy. I just want to see good basketball, guys play hard, and getting the most out of what we have.

If that results in a championship then amazing. I’ll only be upset if it feels like we didn’t put our guys in position to succeed.

 

[UCFan1513]

Everyone thought the problem would be the C position but it’s actually the PGs. It’ll take time - even Newton struggled some at the start of his first year running the show. Not an easy offense to command

 

[CL82]

I actually like the idea of starting Reed, and having Johnson come off the bench. That isn't to say that Reed, is the better center, though there certainly are arguments that he is, rather I like the idea of having opposing fives having to battle against Reed, and then once he goes to the bench and they feel like they are going to get a breather, instead, they have to deal with the speed and athleticism of Johnson

 

[JustbrewitMan]

I actually think the idea of starting Reed, and having Johnson come off the bench. That isn't to say that Reed, is the better center, though there certainly are arguments that he is, rather I like the idea of having opposing fives having to battle against Reed, and then once he goes to the bench and they feel like they are going to get a breather, instead, they have to deal with the speed and athleticism of Johnson

Conversely, Samson can start & tire them out then Big Hoss bullies the crap out of them!

 

[RuffRuff]

 

[huskiesNhoos]

There's going to be a dropoff from the center combos we've seen the last 2 years, but last year's team was historically dominant...we don't have to be that good to make another run in the tourney.

 

[Waquoit]

Better get us now

 

[superjohn]

I actually think the idea of starting Reed, and having Johnson come off the bench. That isn't to say that Reed, is the better center, though there certainly are arguments that he is, rather I like the idea of having opposing fives having to battle against Reed, and then once he goes to the bench and they feel like they are going to get a breather, instead, they have to deal with the speed and athleticism of Johnson

That's what I've been saying too. Reed wears the other frontcourt down and then you have Samson coming in beating people down the court for lobs and blocking their shots. It's what we did with Sanogo and Clingan. Hurley has shown us he knows best though.

 

[jibsey]

Newton could always take the ball inside especially if in an isolation situation. I saw glimpses of Mahaney doing that; if he can master that, we can be okay. I also thought Mahaney looked pretty quick on defense

No one is giving up on Maheney. He can be a star here but I’d like to see him more assertive, penetrating and dishing off of that. Maui is the place to show himself!

 

[Storrs South]

Reed has been way ahead of what I expected thus far, but we won't know for sure until next week.

Samson has been way better as a rim protector than I expected. Still a WIP on the rebounding and the fouling but obviously it was a focus the last week and it already improved some.

That being said, Samson's biggest advantage is his athleticism and verticality. Unfortunately, something Hurley has called out multiple times is the guards aren't getting him the ball where he can take advantage of that.

In fact, Hurley even said he is in the same places as last year but the guards aren't seeing the openings that are there for him. That's the biggest thing I've noticed is how many alley oops are open and the guards aren't hitting him, which surprisingly so far includes Hass who found him multiple times last year. Those simple actions that give him free runs to the rim are wide open.

Once, that connectivity between the guards and Samson is resolved, it will put a ton more rim pressure on defenses and open things up on the perimeter and get things flowing better.

 

[husky429]

Reed has been way ahead of what I expected thus far, but we won't know for sure until next week.

Samson has been way better as a rim protector than I expected. Still a WIP on the rebounding and the fouling but obviously it was a focus the last week and it already improved some.

That being said, Samson's biggest advantage is his athleticism and verticality. Unfortunately, something Hurley has called out multiple times is the guards aren't getting him the ball where he can take advantage of that.

In fact, Hurley even said he is in the same places as last year but the guards aren't seeing the openings that are there for him. That's the biggest thing I've noticed is how many alley oops are open and the guards aren't hitting him, which surprisingly so far includes Hass who found him multiple times last year. Those simple actions that give him free runs to the rim are wide open.

Once, that connectivity between the guards and Samson is resolved, it will put a ton more rim pressure on defenses and open things up on the perimeter and get things flowing better.

I think McNeeley could be the lob connector for Samson Johnson. He's got great size and I think is an underrated passer.

 

[RuffRuff]

No one is giving up on Maheney. He can be a star here but I’d like to see him more assertive, penetrating and dishing off of that. Maui is the place to show himself!

Drawing contact, getting to the foul line. Maui will be a proving ground.