Rick Issanza (C, 7'1", 225) to visit

[Chief00]

Jake was a terrific screener. He was part of the double screen that got RIP open for that sweet jumper.

Indeed, best screener Chief has seen at UConn. Jake enjoyed that part of the game too.

 

[UconnFanDC]

Josh Boone, Jake, Travis, Alex, Hilton, just to name a few all developed nicely under Jimmy C. They also didn't look lost as Josh Carlton doesoften. Let's see what year 3 brings but it as of now, he shouldn't be compared to any of those guys under a coach that made big overachievers.

 

[mauconnfan]

Josh Boone, Jake, Travis, Alex, Hilton, just to name a few all developed nicely under Jimmy C. They also didn't look lost as Josh Carlton doesoften. Let's see what year 3 brings but it as of now, he shouldn't be compared to any of those guys under a coach that made big overachievers.

His jump to year 2 was pretty good no denying that especially on the offensive end. After 2 years he's better than each of those you named offensively if for only in the fact he can get to the hoop with his back to the basket. As you said they all "developed" and as we can see Carlton is in his transition with 2 years left we can only hope we see the same. Josh B great offensive rebounder, tap in specialist - Jake very good passer and really could set a pick - Travis could shoot it from 12-15 - Alex a brute around the basket - Hilton as a soph not a real lot at all yet - Josh C has better post moves than all of them year 2. Defensively he's not there yet and hopefully year 3 brings that into play, a quicker more helpful big man. But reality is he even improved there after year 1 it was nice leap.

Fact is the comparison to those guys isn't that far off as we look at each after year 2. If you're looking at where each finished we can only hope he gets there but for now not a reach to think he can get there or close.

 

[pj]

Josh was in his first year under a new coach, and now he's in the first summer when he has tape to review playing under his new coach. Hopefully he'll be a lot less lost next year.

 

[Son of Robert]

Indeed, best screener Chief has seen at UConn. Jake enjoyed that part of the game too.

Boone set nice picks. So did Eric Hayward.

 

[djct1999]

Indeed, best screener Chief has seen at UConn. Jake enjoyed that part of the game too.

Great hair too. Now, not as much.

 

[UconnU]

Boone set nice picks. So did Eric Hayward.

But neither could take a charge as well as Phil Nolan.

 

[UConnStats]

I get that you can’t teach 7’1, but this kid is that tall and isn’t even a big factor on his HS team. I’m sure he’ll block shots but nothing else about his game is college ready at all. I didn’t see the point in reaching for someone whose role Whaley could better fill for the next two seasons.

Hurley and the staff really dropped the ball at C in their first year here, but taking a huge project with a low floor could compound our frontcourt problems before alleviating them. I’d rather strike out then hit into a double play.

 

[RipCity]

I’d rather strike out then hit into a double play.

Not with a man on third and nobody out in a tie game in the bottom of the 9th

 

[Huskyforlife]

I get that you can’t teach 7’1, but this kid is that tall and isn’t even a big factor on his HS team. I’m sure he’ll block shots but nothing else about his game is college ready at all. I didn’t see the point in reaching for someone whose role Whaley could better fill for the next two seasons.

Hurley and the staff really dropped the ball at C in their first year here, but taking a huge project with a low floor could compound our frontcourt problems before alleviating them. I’d rather strike out then hit into a double play.

This was my fear, to have those measurables and be ranked where he was...

Good luck at Oklahoma.

 

[Scrutineer]

My bet Whaley steps up because this time Hurley will .. play him like he should have this year. Cob was never a player. Whaley will play D in the paint,rebound and block shots. That's all he has to do. He can hedge better than anybody including JC.

Like Rod Sellers thirty years later?...............wouldn't be a bad situation to have.

 

[Son of Robert]

But neither could take a charge as well as Phil Nolan.

True that, Phil could move his feet. Rod Sellers set great picks too.

 

[Rico444]

Not with a man on third and nobody out in a tie game in the bottom of the 9th

Actually, in that situation the other team would be playing the infield in and would be coming home on any ground ball. So any double play in that situation would likely come from a fly ball with the runner being thrown out at the plate.

 

[Stainmaster]

He'll probably have a career ranging from somewhere between "meh...who?" to "damn, we let that one slip away." And that's just fine. There will be dozens, perhaps hundreds of Issanzas throughout Hurley's tenure. No need to pretend the sky is falling or post-hoc rationalize why Hurley and co. passed.

 

[CallMeBruce]

Josh Boone, Jake, Travis, Alex, Hilton, just to name a few all developed nicely under Jimmy C. They also didn't look lost as Josh Carlton doesoften. Let's see what year 3 brings but it as of now, he shouldn't be compared to any of those guys under a coach that made big overachievers.

Carlton is MILES beyond where Hilton and Knight were at the same age.

 

[mauconnfan]

Carlton is MILES beyond where Hilton and Knight were at the same age.

Yeah no doubt would love him to get some of Travis’s shooting ability outside the paint though.

 

[superjohn]

Carlton is MILES beyond where Hilton and Knight were at the same age.

That's true but the circumstances were entirely different and I just don't see Carlton turning into them.

 

[Stainmaster]

That's true but the circumstances were entirely different and I just don't see Carlton turning into them.

We're playing a far weaker schedule, and the rest of our roster is much more talented in relation to the rest of our competition than Hilton and Knight's teams were. We don't need him to turn into them.

 

[CallMeBruce]

That's true but the circumstances were entirely different and I just don't see Carlton turning into them.

The different circumstances are that Carlton is far more skilled than they were at this stage. Knight, in particular, was hot garbage until his junior year.

 

[superjohn]

We're playing a far weaker schedule, and the rest of our roster is much more talented in relation to the rest of our competition than Hilton and Knight's teams were. We don't need him to turn into them.

We're playing a weaker schedule and he's our only option down low which is part of the reason why he's putting up bigger numbers than them. My point was I don't see him becoming as good.as them in the future, no NBA is Carlton's future.


Going to disagree about the talent level competition comment. Knight and Hilton were on some of the best teams in the country, they were always better than the other teams they played.

 

[superjohn]

The different circumstances are that Carlton is far more skilled than they were at this stage. Knight, in particular, was hot garbage until his junior year.

And they were far bigger and far more athletic.

 

[Stainmaster]

Going to disagree about the talent level competition comment. Knight and Hilton were on some of the best teams in the country, they were always better than the other teams they played.

I should've phrased this better. I meant to say that our guards/wings are, on the whole, more superior to our competition's guards/wings than they were back in the OBE days. We weren't playing teams as bad as ECU/Tulane back then.

 

[UconnFanDC]

Carlton is MILES beyond where Hilton and Knight were at the same age.

I will never agree. But I do hope Josh is better in year 3.

 

[CallMeBruce]

I will never agree. But I do hope Josh is better in year 3.

Well, let's take a look, see if we can't convince you.

As a sophomore, Carlton averaged 9.0 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.8 blocks, 3.1 fouls on .607 shooting, .627 from the line. His /40 numbers were 16.2 points, 11.1 rebounds, 3.2 blocks, 5.5 fouls.

Knight's per game numbers were 2.5 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1 block, 2.3 fouls on .439 shooting, 50% from the line. /40 numbers are 8.3 points, 9.9 rebounds, 3.3 blocks, 7.9 fouls.

Armstrong's per game numbers were 2.4 points, 2.8 rebounds, 0.7 blocks, 1.6 fouls, 50% shooting, .388 from the line. /40 numbers were 10.2 points, 12.3 rebounds, 3.0 blocks, 6.9 fouls.

By any reasonable statistical measure, Carlton was, by far, the best player as a sophomore. Why do you feel otherwise?

 

[Stainmaster]

Well, let's take a look, see if we can't convince you.

As a sophomore, Carlton averaged 9.0 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.8 blocks, 3.1 fouls on .607 shooting, .627 from the line. His /40 numbers were 16.2 points, 11.1 rebounds, 3.2 blocks, 5.5 fouls.

Knight's per game numbers were 2.5 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1 block, 2.3 fouls on .439 shooting, 50% from the line. /40 numbers are 8.3 points, 9.9 rebounds, 3.3 blocks, 7.9 fouls.

Armstrong's per game numbers were 2.4 points, 2.8 rebounds, 0.7 blocks, 1.6 fouls, 50% shooting, .388 from the line. /40 numbers were 10.2 points, 12.3 rebounds, 3.0 blocks, 6.9 fouls.

By any reasonable statistical measure, Carlton was, by far, the best player as a sophomore. Why do you feel otherwise?

Prepare yourself for an avalanche of dubious OBE/AAC claims.

 

[Ewekon]

Prepare yourself for an avalanche of dubious OBE/AAC claims.

I get what you are saying; but not dubious. Big competitive difference. Still there is a happy medium and Josh has come a long way.

 

[imno1]

We need @tcf15 to put together 2nd year highlights of Travis, Jake, Hilton and Boone. Let’s see if he can get 12 minutes on any of them. They all turned out to be important players but I believe Carlton had the better soph season.

 

[Kenny11]

I’m not sure of the numbers but Boone was a beast and a very good rebounder immediately. He Had a big impact even as a freshman and athletically was a nightmare for opponents, but that’s was helped by the other bigs he played with.

I might disagree about Boone but the human memory isn’t very good plus I’m drinking. Carlton clearly had a better sophomore season than the others you mentioned though

 

[pj]

Well, let's take a look, see if we can't convince you.

As a sophomore, Carlton averaged 9.0 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.8 blocks, 3.1 fouls on .607 shooting, .627 from the line. His /40 numbers were 16.2 points, 11.1 rebounds, 3.2 blocks, 5.5 fouls.

Knight's per game numbers were 2.5 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1 block, 2.3 fouls on .439 shooting, 50% from the line. /40 numbers are 8.3 points, 9.9 rebounds, 3.3 blocks, 7.9 fouls.

Armstrong's per game numbers were 2.4 points, 2.8 rebounds, 0.7 blocks, 1.6 fouls, 50% shooting, .388 from the line. /40 numbers were 10.2 points, 12.3 rebounds, 3.0 blocks, 6.9 fouls.

By any reasonable statistical measure, Carlton was, by far, the best player as a sophomore. Why do you feel otherwise?

Travis Knight played 11.8 minutes per game as a sophomore, Hilton Armstrong played 9.1, Josh Carlton played 22.2. Carlton was the only interior player for UConn last year. Travis as a sophomore in 1993-1994 played with Donyell Marshall, Donny Marshall, Ray Allen, Doron Sheffer, Kirk King, Rudy Johnson, Brian Fair. Hilton as a sophomore in 2003-2004 played with Emeka Okafor, Charlie Villanueva, Josh Boone, Ben Gordon, Rashad Anderson, Denham Brown, Taliek Brown, Marcus Williams, and Marcus White.

Offense was not going through either Travis or Hilton on either team, and there was a lot of competition for rebounds from their teammates. On offense, both were often pulled away from the basket to set screens, which Calhoun used extensively.

Bottom line, Travis and Hilton had similar per-minute statistics on much stronger teams and with much less offense running through them.

I like Carlton and he may be a better college player than Travis or Hilton as a sophomore, but he has much less pro potential.

 

[superjohn]

Travis Knight played 11.8 minutes per game as a sophomore, Hilton Armstrong played 9.1, Josh Carlton played 22.2. Carlton was the only interior player for UConn last year. Travis as a sophomore in 1993-1994 played with Donyell Marshall, Donny Marshall, Ray Allen, Doron Sheffer, Kirk King, Rudy Johnson, Brian Fair. Hilton as a sophomore in 2003-2004 played with Emeka Okafor, Charlie Villanueva, Josh Boone, Ben Gordon, Rashad Anderson, Denham Brown, Taliek Brown, Marcus Williams, and Marcus White.

Offense was not going through either Travis or Hilton on either team, and there was a lot of competition for rebounds from their teammates. On offense, both were often pulled away from the basket to set screens, which Calhoun used extensively.

Bottom line, Travis and Hilton had similar per-minute statistics on much stronger teams and with much less offense running through them.

I like Carlton and he may be a better college player than Travis or Hilton as a sophomore, but he has much less pro potential.

Exactly, the circumstances are all completely different. All these guys he's getting compared to were NBA players, let's just hope Carlton keeps improving.