Secret Scrimmage

[gtcam]

Have no idea what all your faces are all about
My comment was made in general and not as a reply thinking that you agreed with Purdue folks - maybe next time I will preface
But if you in reality do agree with them, so be it

 

[MuchoDogYears]

Al had almost a full season last year and rarely demonstrated he could run the team.
We desperately need Al to significantly improve to make up for the production loss of JA.

This. So many posters here have year after year anointed AG as a superstar in waiting based on his McD HS AA status from 4 years ago. Based on past performance I don’t see that happening.
Will be estatic if I’m wrong. For now, I’m simply looking for him to play smart and under control, and get a few assists. We know his D will be good.
If he can become a competent PG this year I’ll be happy.

 

[Candyman]

Al had almost a full season last year and rarely demonstrated he could run the team. Although not by any means etched in stone it would have been preferable to not start out with a sub 25% shooting game. BA continues his minimal contribution role. Christian is an excellent rebounder and gets points but he’s demonstrated an inability to run a team. The only other player is Jalen whom I think is going to be a good player but not necessarily capable of running the team as a freshman.

Its a scrimmage that doesn't count. Even if it did count we won so as a PG (without Jalen) he would be 1-0. Al ran the team when Jalen was out and did a damn fine job as we lost on last second shots to Cincy and Wichita State. Stop putting so much emphasis on a scrimmage. Trying to predict the season based on a scrimmage that no one here seen. Nice that you're already looking who can replace Al to run the team.

 

[HuskyHawk]

This. So many posters here have year after year anointed AG as a superstar in waiting based on his McD HS AA status from 4 years ago. Based on past performance I don’t see that happening.
Will be estatic if I’m wrong. For now, I’m simply looking for him to play smart and under control, and get a few assists. We know his D will be good.
If he can become a competent PG this year I’ll be happy.

And yet there are freshmen around the country getting more fanfare who have done even less and who weren't as good in HS. He has the talent. Hasn't had the health. He's our best player and I'm not worried about him.

 

[Get a Job]

“We’ve been” as expressed by Ricker is not the same as we are. Until the commitment of Springs there was a lot of concern about the front line in this forum. Many People feel Whaley is too short and Akok too skinny and Tyler an ineffectual rebounder.

Otherwise we’re in agreement. Al had almost a full season last year and rarely demonstrated he could run the team. Although not by any means etched in stone it would have been preferable to not start out with a sub 25% shooting game. BA continues his minimal contribution role. Christian is an excellent rebounder and gets points but he’s demonstrated an inability to run a team. The only other player is Jalen whom I think is going to be a good player but not necessarily capable of running the team as a freshman.

We desperately need Al to significantly improve to make up for the production loss of JA.

who*

 

[MattMang23]

Have no idea what all your faces are all about
My comment was made in general and not as a reply thinking that you agreed with Purdue folks - maybe next time I will preface
But if you in reality do agree with them, so be it

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

I had honestly never heard of E'Twaun Moore.

He played for the Celtics.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Yes, but we're Carsen and Moore as good as Ben Hansbrough and/or Jimmer?

Not as good. In 2011, those were the best players in the Big East and the country respectively. Carsen and Moore never won those awards.

PS, on the use of the apostrophe

Undone by autocorrect.
How about two wrong's make a right?

 

[ctchamps]

Its a scrimmage that doesn't count. Even if it did count we won so as a PG (without Jalen) he would be 1-0. Al ran the team when Jalen was out and did a damn fine job as we lost on last second shots to Cincy and Wichita State. Stop putting so much emphasis on a scrimmage. Trying to predict the season based on a scrimmage that no one here seen. Nice that you're already looking who can replace Al to run the team.

Expressing a concern doesn't imply a projection of the season. I'm well aware this was only a scrimmage so the concern for me is minor. Nonetheless anyone who doesn't recognize the key player for this team has to be a point guard, and that player most likely has to be Alterique (unless Jalen or Brendan can shock us) is deceiving themselves.

IMO my statement was not an over the top concern nor did it imply I want to replace Al. I actually expressed the opposite. That there is no one who likely can be a replacement. And for the record, like most of the posters in this forum, I very much want Al to succeed. He has been nothing but a great ambassador for the program and has gone through far too much adversity in his bb life not to be a player to root for.

I will be more upset for him than I would be for the team if he is unable to produce and the team struggled this season. How many fans in this forum will have that attitude if that were to happen?

 

[businesslawyer]

“ Although not by any means etched in stone it would have been preferable to not start out with a sub 25% shooting game.

Except he hasn't started out with a sub 25% shooting game. You know how I know that? Because we haven't played a game yet.

Sheesh. How can people have such strong opinions about a practice that they didn't even see?

 

[ctchamps]

Except he hasn't started out with a sub 25% shooting game. You know how I know that? Because we haven't played a game yet.

Sheesh. How can people have such strong opinions about a practice that they didn't even see?

Sheesh. How can anybody get from my statement it was a strong opinion? From a lawyer no less.

It was 4-18. That's a concern. It was a scrimmage. That makes it less of a concern or maybe more of a concern if the opposing team was guarding like they were chairs. The concern is less with the 4-18 than if this is going to be the production for the remainder of the season. Since I don't know if Al will figure things out the concern is valid at this moment.

It's an expressed opinion. I can't see how people want to make an issue over an opinion. If you prefer waiting until the season begins before expressing anything I have no issue with that. But if you think your snark will be adequate to censor me and not express my thoughts FUGGETTABOUTIT!

 

[CL82]

Sheesh. How can people have such strong opinions about a practice that they didn't even see?

It's like you don't know us at all anymore.

 

[businesslawyer]

Sheesh. How can anybody get from my statement it was a strong opinion? From a lawyer no less.

It was 4-18. That's a concern. It was a scrimmage. That makes it less of a concern or maybe more of a concern if the opposing team was guarding like they were chairs. The concern is less with the 4-18 than if this is going to be the production for the remainder of the season. Since I don't know if Al will figure things out the concern is valid at this moment.

It's an expressed opinion. I can't see how people want to make an issue over an opinion. If you prefer waiting until the season begins before expressing anything I have no issue with that. But if you think your snark will be adequate to censor me and not express my thoughts FUGGETTABOUTIT!

Not a big deal. But nothing has "started out" yet. It was a practice against another team in a closed gym. You don't know how hard each team played, you don't know if they played him with a box and one, and you don't know if he just didn't seem to care. To quote Alan Iverson, "it's practice."

 

[mauconnfan]

Rickety it’s not how you start but how you finish. Stay calm and things will work out

Not sure what he said to deserve "Rickety"? Others need to stay calm too in reacting.

 

[ctchamps]

Not a big deal. But nothing has "started out" yet. It was a practice against another team in a closed gym. You don't know how hard each team played, you don't know if they played him with a box and one, and you don't know if he just didn't seem to care. To quote Alan Iverson, "it's practice."

I doubt he just didn't care. If he did the coach would have or should have yanked him. This was not just a practice. This was not a game but it was meant to develop the team for the season. There is only one more opportunity before things count. It's not as if this team is coming from a successful season and can rest on it's laurels. There are a lot of questions but the biggest is who will be the leader on the court?

At least it has been my biggest preseason concern. I can't see how anyone can think otherwise. For all his failures JA was the most productive player for UConn last season. Either one individual player has to step up and make up more than what Jalen contributed or the team as a whole has to contribute more or the team has to be significantly better defensively or the opposition has to be significantly worse or some combo to improve on a 16 win season.

I can easily wait for the season to begin to make an assessment. But why? Assessment should be constant. I'm not isolating this scrimmage and determining things are done for the season. Not by a long shot pun intended. I wouldn't even focus on Al if he had numbers equivalent to CV last season. But he didn't hence a 4-18 game does not reassure me. That may sound pessimistic to pessimists but I'm not pessimistic at all. It's very possible Al can be the player he was in high school. As they say tbd.

 

[Husky68]

Maybe the fact that AG shot 38.1% from the field last year (by far lowest on any guy getting 20 minutes a game) gives some pause as to whether there has been significant improvement for such a key guy. Jalen and his 13 shots a game at 48.7% need to be replaced so hoped that AG would show out, that he did not is not a plus. You don't go into scrimmage intending to show your team and head coach who the leader is and shoot like this.

 

[intlzncster]

Maybe the fact that AG shot 38.1% from the field last year (by far lowest on any guy getting 20 minutes a game) gives some pause as to whether there has been significant improvement for such a key guy. Jalen and his 13 shots a game at 48.7% need to be replaced so hoped that AG would show out, that he did not is not a plus. You don't go into scrimmage intending to show your team and head coach who the leader is and shoot like this.

You don't know how it unfolded. Was he having to take bale out shots because the offense was stalling? We're we not moving to open spots when he drove? Was he simply taking bad shots? Was he on point with his shots, just rimming out? and so on...

This was his first offseason in his college career--a crazy but true statement. We won't know what we have until the first few games.

 

[olehead]

 

[olehead]

I could not resist.

 

[Candyman]

Maybe the fact that AG shot 38.1% from the field last year (by far lowest on any guy getting 20 minutes a game) gives some pause as to whether there has been significant improvement for such a key guy. Jalen and his 13 shots a game at 48.7% need to be replaced so hoped that AG would show out, that he did not is not a plus. You don't go into scrimmage intending to show your team and head coach who the leader is and shoot like this.

Kemba shot 40% his 2nd year and only 42% his last year. He's no Kemba who had to take tons of shots but lets not stress shooting percentages especially in a scrimmage. His shots could have been rimming in and out or missed a bunch of layups he normally makes or he since hes only one on the team that game who could create own shot he had to create late in shot clock.

Al didn't shoot well those few games Jalen was out but he hit big shot after big shot and kept us in to the end and thats what I want except this year I want the W.

• First Cincy game, Jalen fouls out and who hits big shot to put us in OT?
• 2nd cincy game- Gilbert shot horrible but UConn made a big run on good D and lost on a few deep Cane Broome shots.
• Wichita State- left game late with leg cramps but came back in and hit two huge threes one that tied the game with 7 seconds left before losing on last second shot.
• Temple we were in the game right until he took a smack to the face that ended his season.

He may never be the same McDAA he once was but thats fine we need a leader who can right the ship and I think he is perfect for that role.

 

[joober jones]

We had center by committee in '94 and it worked out pretty well in the sense that we made it to to the Sweet 16. At the 5, we had Eric Hayward, Boo Willingham, Kirk King, and a very raw Travis Knight. Knight and King developed into much better players down the road, but in that season, we weren't that much worse off at the 5 than we are now. Of course we had Ray/Doron/Donyell Marshall/Donny Marshall. This is becoming another pointless post on my part so I'll stop here.

 

[huskymedic]

Not exactly a scrimmage but...

 

[UConnKev]

 

[AZHuskiePop]

Not exactly a scrimmage but...

It seems like yesterday I was in Reading PA on Business and during a break there was the Sunday Paper laying there.
I grabbed the Sports section and one full page was a color photo of this real hot prospect. Donyell Marshall He was that big of a deal . I can’t remember if it was before or after he committed but UConn signing a player with a national reputation like his was amazing. He still might be the highest rated prospect we ever recruited.

 

[TheChamps990411]

It seems like yesterday I was in Reading PA on Business and during a break there was the Sunday Paper laying there.
I grabbed the Sports section and one full page was a color photo of this real hot prospect. Donyell Marshall He was that big of a deal . I can’t remember if it was before or after he committed but UConn signing a player with a national reputation like his was amazing. He still might be the highest rated prospect we ever recruited.

And he lived up to it. Man I thought he was going to bring us a title in his last year. I dont think ive ever loved watching a Uconn player more than Donyell. Uconn was a national power by the time he left, I was a teenager and it was the 90s. Man life was great.

 

[Vancat]

Seemed like Donyell could dunk the ball from the foul line.

 

[Captbluefin]

Donyell was/is my favorite Husky. In some ways he is forgotten by many. He was a great great player for us.

 

[intlzncster]

. I can’t remember if it was before or after he committed but UConn signing a player with a national reputation like his was amazing. He still might be the highest rated prospect we ever recruited.

I think Charlie V was #2-3 in the nation. Same with Drummond.

 

[TheChamps990411]

I think Charlie V was #2-3 in the nation. Same with Drummond.

Wasn't Rudy like 1 or 2?

 

[Husky68]

You don't know how it unfolded. Was he having to take bale out shots because the offense was stalling? We're we not moving to open spots when he drove? Was he simply taking bad shots? Was he on point with his shots, just rimming out? and so on...

This was his first offseason in his college career--a crazy but true statement. We won't know what we have until the first few games.

Of course I don't know how it unfolded, didn't claim that I did, guess you don't either based on your list of possible excuses (missed the one that maybe he's a poor shooter). Never said I knew what we have with AG, just keeping it real, he is what he has shown to date until he shows more. Same with Sid (shot even worse than AG last year but didn't play 20 minutes a game), hoping AG and Sid shoot better isn't going to make it happen, they have to just make more shots.
AG shot worst accuracy % of players with 20 minutes per game or more last year. He shot 4-18 this scrimmage. He was by far the worst shooter for UConn in the scrimmage. He is the leader of the team, regardless of how lame the other players were on offense he can not shoot 4-18 and have it as a positive; it is what it is, a negative indicator.