Secret Scrimmage

[navery12]

Matchup dependent but if we’re going to be starting Polley and Akok together we will probably be playing a lot of zone I imagine.

We're not and never will be Syracuse

 

[Pgh2Storrs]

I don't expect James to have an extended suspension.

James will hopefully get the JA treatment. Scrimmage + First game.

Good on CV and Whaley, though. Two dudes that easily could’ve left but chose to stay. Both very much deserve to have huge years

 

[Psolo12]

Realizing how much I miss watching UConn basketball when hearing stats from a secret scrimmage get me fired up

 

[bmayuc]

The tragedy of Vital's career is that he is an A+ complimentary player for a championship level squad, but due to his one fault as a player, his inability to handle/playmake, he simply cannot be a lead player on offense. And since his career has happened to coincide with the worst UConn squads in the past 3 decades, he's been miscast as a player that needs to do more than he is capable. Add in what seems to be a bit of an overinflated sense of his game, and its been a tough run for Christian.

I'm hopeful now that the offensive talent is upgraded, he can truly fit into his ideal space as an awesome defender/rebounder/shooter and let other people dictate the offense. He deserves an awesome senior year, kid is a warrior.

 

[intlzncster]

On a good team, maybe. But nobody on this team can create their own shot and that's the biggest issue

Obviously don't know for certain, but I don't think Bouk is gonna have much trouble there.

 

[intlzncster]

Friendly reminder that this was a scrimmage

Beats losing by 20.

 

[Pmurph678]

I remember providence demolishing us, very happy to field a competitive team even if it’s just an exhibition.

 

[intlzncster]

I get you theoretical intention. But Hurley is not going to be playing much zone defense if any.

He said in an interview the other day that he would grudgingly play some against teams that struggle to shoot outside, because the new 3pt line will be a big disadvantage to those teams.

 

[UconnU]

We're not and never will be Syracuse

Ideally not but the personnel we have right now screams zone. Akok and Polley aren’t going to be able to match up with the wings we have in conference. They are long enough to cover space in a zone though.

 

[NH Husky]

Yes he's a good player. But it's really hard to call someone 'the best player' when they cannot create their own shot.

My expectation is alterique and josh are the two best players this year. If vital is third then bouknight, Sid and company following makes for a very very nice upcoming season.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

It’s still the closest thing we’re going to get to try and predict this teams season. It’s a decent indicator

By its very nature, I wouldn't give a game like this any value as a predictor of the season, unless they were absolutely terrible (which would be concerning), but they weren't.

A positive outcome against a credible opponent (playing for the same, limited purpose) serves only to increase my eagerness to see them, and it's near enough.

 

[uconnbill]

I'll take it.

They played well without a couple of key subs.

 

[Huskyforlife]

I'm not trying to dog on Vital, but you can't seriously believe we'll be any good if our 3 and D 6'2 off guard is leading the team in scoring. We also should hope he isn't leading us in rebounding either, otherwise josh and akok aren't very good. He was the second best player last year on a bad team, why would being the best player on this team make us any better?

 

[uconngb]

Secret scrimmage and we have posters attacking each other already!! When nobody saw a lick of the game!! This is gonna be a fun year.........

 

[Shine33]

You come on here and do the same routine in almost every thread. We get it, Vital is a good player. But you don’t seem to understand his limitations are critical and they will and have kept him from being an ‘elite’ player.

Second team All AAC is about the ceiling for Vital. The truth is we won’t be saying that for Bouk, Gaff, Akok and future Hurley recruits.

Those guys could be 1st team All Big East caliber eventually.

So please stop trying to convince me of something that i know is not true. The kid has grit and heart and I’m happy we have him for another year. But he is by no means in the ‘elite’ class of UConn guards. Sorry.

That said I hope he has the most productive year of his life because I want us to win this season and I look forward to see his relentless effort on display

 

[olehead]

Vital has always been aggressive offensively, we will have to ride with that along with Josh until the others come along, particularly Bouk. Strong contributions from Bouk, Akok, Sid and Whaley could get us into the 2nd round of the tournament this year.

 

[ucp990411]

They gave up 80 to a Harvard team without Seth Towns, not exactly the defensive showing I was expecting after reading posts like this.

Points given up is not always a true indicator of a good defensive team. If a team plays up tempo there will be many more possessions than if a team runs down the shot clock every possession. Points given up per defensive possession is a much better indicator.

 

[Caronimo]

Love how we have a bet opportunity on the players. Is this even legal? Someone has to take this for entertainment purposes

 

[KembaStepback]

What were Sid's stats?

 

[mauconnfan]

A couple of things:

If they did win 86-80 even without Towns in the lineup, this is a good thing and I have no idea how it couldn't be. They also had some missing pieces and our lead guard went 4-18 they we still found a way to get 86. Guessing Alterique will need to shoot 50% more often when we're trying to get 86 or more during the season so they found other options which is nice to see. Harvard is a solid team, one we would've especially struggled against the last few years so a nice experience for the team. Wish Bouk and Gaff were able to experience they need that time. Springs a DNP? Anyway Whaley 8/4/2 that's a nice contribution, could get used to that. Hopefully one of the hordes give us a nice rundown on the game and a bit more detail if they are allowed. I mean 6/4/1 for Akok did he look like he belonged or does he have a ways to go? Sid? etc etc..

And the Vital arguments will always be there. I was always a fan of his aggressiveness, motor and earlier on in his career his potential. But never liked his inability to play under control while taking shots from everywhere and anywhere. Add to it the idea of throwing our name in the NBA hat after year 2 - wow! He improved late soph year and really improved under DH last year. I mean those who argue about him being the best player have a right, the kid fills the stat sheet and works his tail off. He's a great rebounder for his size and position to top it off. I've done a 360 on the kid over his career, not saying he's the best player on the team as we speak but love him being a rep of the Huskies and how they play the game. That's enough for me. I'd like to have about 10 best players on the team this year all for their own reasons so we can win again. Leave the arguments on this to the BY, just get me 20-23 wins with everyone doing their job as they are tasked.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

If you don't really like something you've read here, then why say that you love, or that others gotta love it, or that it'll be fun for it to continue?

Isn't that essentially wishing for something you don't want?

 

[ClifSpliffy]

What were Sid's stats?

hopefully, a breakfast of 3 boneyard b.e.c sammiches, a couple of donuts, and a banana or two, followed by a lunch of 4 big macs, large fries, and two milkshakes. then a nice dinner of popeye's family spread with all the fixins. throw in a few bags of doritos thruout the day, some apples, and now we're talking progress. who cares about his cholesterol, a1c, and all that other mumbojumbo? kid needs to eat, and those hoop stats will take of themselves nicely. beastin' sid, kinda catchy donchuthink?

 

[SubbaBub]

Here is the comparison you are looking for, didn't we lose this game last year?