Our talent level going 4ward

[Rico444]

Everything I have heard points to a freshmen bazz. Don't know anyone who wouldn't take that. Jalen is bigger and more athletic which you have to like.

Bazz was a great complimentary piece his freshman year, but Kemba ran the show. With a ton of talent around him the next season, as a sophomore, Shabazz struggled. So while I expect JA to be very good, it's safe to say he will have growing pains if he's our starting PG.

 

[mauconnfan]

Bazz was a great complimentary piece his freshman year, but Kemba ran the show. With a ton of talent around him the next season, as a sophomore, Shabazz struggled. So while I expect JA to be very good, it's safe to say he will have growing pains if he's our starting PG.

No doubt but Jalen Adams isn't Bazz coming out of HS either. He's a top 25-40 kid by most accounts and is longer, taller and more athletic. Can he handle it as well? We're not sure but he has the tools to walk in and play to a higher level than either Bazz or Boat were expected coming in. I am not putting that pressure on him but maybe he's the kid that can handle it and be better, more impactful than people think from Day 1? It look like he will need to be and I think he more than likely wants that too, why wouldn't he?

 

[Rico444]

No doubt but Jalen Adams isn't Bazz coming out of HS either. He's a top 25-40 kid by most accounts and is longer, taller and more athletic. Can he handle it as well? We're not sure but he has the tools to walk in and play to a higher level than either Bazz or Boat were expected coming in. I am not putting that pressure on him but maybe he's the kid that can handle it and be better, more impactful than people think from Day 1? It look like he will need to be and I think he more than likely wants that too, why wouldn't he?

Kemba was ranked a little higher than Jalen, and he had his struggles his freshman/sophomore years, too. It takes more time to adjust to running the point than any other position on the court. This coming from someone who LOVES Jalen and thinks he's going to be a first-team AA his junior year if he sticks around that long.

 

[mauconnfan]

Kemba was ranked a little higher than Jalen, and he had his struggles his freshman/sophomore years, too. It takes more time to adjust to running the point than any other position on the court. This coming from someone who LOVES Jalen and thinks he's going to be a first-team AA his junior year if he sticks around that long.

No doubt good analogy. The one thing though about Kemba is he didn't have that role as a freshman actually and wasn't the man coming in, still sitting and biding his time. So he may have pressed a lot when he came in I'm not sure. So even by year 2 he struggled for half the year when given the keys and then BAM he was beginning to become special. As we see it right now Jalen comes in with the keys handed to him much like Taliek from years ago. There will be ups and downs but hopefully he's fully capable of fighting through that for 12-15 games and then settle in. love his game and there are many freshman PG's who have been ready when they first walk in, here's hoping JA is one!

 

[Goat]

Freshman Bazz had Kemba on the ball for the majority of minutes.
I love TSam but he is not Kemba.

Kemba got his nc with Lamb and Bazz. Bazz got his nc with a Jr. Boat. Looks like Adams is a year late for Boat to get a signature nc. Adams has 2 or 3 seasons to win. Without Stone, next year would have to be Daniel on a mission. The next year - Sophomore Adams and Enoch, Junior Hamilton, and seniors Brimah, TSam, Facey, Cassels is a formidable team with stars and role players probably including a 2016 point and center.

 

[David 76]

I hope he can do that Mau., but he will still need a Robin. He won't be able to do as a freshman what Boat can't do as a senior.

 

[uchusky32]

I hope he is ready. But it's such a major leap from Hs/Prep to major D1 ball. One thing he has going for him I the competition he is playing against in practice. However, what he will find is everything is faster. The D is incredibly better. Everyone is stronger. And he will have to bring it on both ends of the court. He will have major pressure on him to resurrect a programs hopes. Hope he is the exception to the rule.

 

[Gurleyman]

Brimah has to work a lot harder in the offseason. I know he was hurt last spring, but I was expecting much more improvement this year.

Huh? The basket against St. Joes was two feet and might have been the deepest shot he made all year - and the closest thing he had to a post move. This year, he's tripled his scoring (which granted would be only doubling if you took out the Coppin State outlier) and shown both good shooting range out to 15-18 feet, and some ability to knock down jump hooks with both hands.

He has looked overmatched against legit front courts, yes, but sometimes the first phase of the growth curve is learning how to dominate weaker opponents - and then trying to close the gap against the upper echelon. He didn't dominate weak opponents last year.

I'm not sure what improvement you were expecting. Hard to go from completely raw to a finished polished product in one half of one off season. If you don't think he worked hard this off season in the time he had, I don't know what to tell you.

 

[Dribbles]

There's no reason we can't contend for a championship next year. I'm not saying it'll happen, but it's a reasonable goal. Even without Boatright, the talent and experience will be there, it's just a matter of whether the guys who will be on that team are able to take the necessary steps to becoming really good players between now and then.

Agreed, but only if we can get past Yale........

 

[gtcam]

Brimah has to work a lot harder in the offseason. I know he was hurt last spring, but I was expecting much more improvement this year.

He came to the program as a project not a prospect. The summer hurt him, for sure. But basically, he's played a total of one full season of playing time. His defense off the ball and positioning for the controlled block is much better. His offense has improved in some areas. With more action, his hands will get better and decision making will be stronger. He needs to let the game come to him rather than he throwing himself at the situation - at his size the refs see everything and unfortunately for AB, don't give him any respect so the whistle blows - he'll earn it.
I am much more concerned with RP and his play - coming to UConn as a MDAA - and S Cassell, Jr who reportedly had a killer shot.