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Message: [QUOTE="Hans Sprungfeld, post: 4505541, member: 181"] Not sure about "badly constructed team," but everything else resonates. 3 years ago in January, there was no leader. Further, the team looked like it had no smart or composed players. I suggested Whaley was the only possibility, simply because he wasn't doing stupid stuff and he cared. He assumed the role because nobody else would. And thus began his most unlikely rise. Then Vital played better and with greater control, and Bouknight developed into a second semester freshman, and we all felt pretty hopeful about post-season possibilities before COVID shut things down. We're in that spot now. NONE of 'the big 3' are playing with leadership, smarts, composure, maturity. They all have skills. Diarra & Alleyne, in that order, aren't up for serious consideration, but Hassan has improved his contribution is some valuable areas. Alex has survived his Big East baptism by fire, but needs to get stronger. Now Donovan is in the midst of his painful growth spurt. They're both coming through, but they are maturing freshman, and they aren't going to be the leaders. Tonight, Newton actually showed some improvement over recent games, but he is still much more timid than we want & need. He lost out on the offensive foul call, and he got fouled later in the game as he drove and was too slow to get to tge basket, but he actually got a solid pass off to Alex whose quite decent 3-ball shot did not go in. It might have won the game. A bit earlier, Joey had teamed with Donovan for 2, and then sunk his own 3, but then the starters came back in and couldn't get it done. The job is open. Somebody has to claim it. The coaching staff isn't going to fill the hole. Things are currently quite weird and, of course, dismaying. The spate of one-word descriptions that kicked off this thread is very telling. Things [I]could[/I] get better, but the necessary leadership cannot come from sloppiness, lack of discipline, or low energy. And it can't be a hot potato. Who wants it? Anybody? Please. [/QUOTE]

Verification: First name of men's bb coach