Solo's performance last night after watching replay

[mauconnfan]

I’ll go a step further… When we had Karaban playing center and Liam running the point, we looked the best against Creighton.

Only because it was Creighton in all respects they don’t turn teams over. All of this changes against teams who can turn you over. Creighton didn’t shoot it well and they don’t have great defenders hell they don’t even foul lol, this will all change. And Alex and solo will need to make shots or Liam won’t have any space.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Flagg is better than Liam. I don't like Duke as much as the next guy and I think Liam is underrated in the national conversation/mock drafts after playing on the same loaded HS team and then being injured, but Flagg is a lock for first pick. Liam definitely moving up in the lottery if he keeps this up though.

Flagg is better around the rim, but Liam is a better shooter, either long range or closer in. As for passing and defense I think they’re even.

 

[jibsey]

Flagg is better around the rim, but Liam is a better shooter, either long range or closer in. As for passing and defense I think they’re even.

Flagg is taller with longer reach it appears.Amazing they were on the same team,

 

[CardiacAndre7]

Flagg is better around the rim, but Liam is a better shooter, either long range or closer in. As for passing and defense I think they’re even.

Flagg is 100000% a better defender. Defense was/is his main calling card.

 

[Gurleyman]

Kemba and Shabazz had a close to 20% turnover rate their freshman years.

For comparison, Castle had 13%, Newton had 15%, Cam had 8%, and Alex had 7%. You can find these numbers in the advanced stats category of basketball reference.

Do you think Hurley would’ve allowed them to make the mistakes they did on last years team as freshmen?

Solo could slash. But like any freshman that’s not a ready made NBA prospect, giving him the freedom to do that would’ve naturally came with mistakes that Hurley was not going to allow with the stacked roster we had and won with.

One more thing. Absolutely hilarious that the first time Solo is the “guard” on the floor that he leads the team in assists. Almost like he could do it if that was his role and what he was asked to do.

Well, he tied for the team lead with our backup center. With three. Just as a comparison, Rip Hamilton was forced to play point guard as a freshman against No. 1 Kansas with Ricky Moore suspended and had eight assists. But Solo didn’t really play point guard - it was more Liam as point forward and then into our offense - so that isn’t apples to apples.

We all saw Kemba’s elite quickness, handling, and finishing at the rim over bigger players on a stacked team coming off the bench. He couldn’t shoot, but he could attack the basket. We all saw Bazz’s savviness and court awareness. He didn’t necessarily have elite quickness or athleticism, but he was smart and crafty and made great reads. Those were their primary skills. And yeah, they made mistakes a lot as they cut their teeth and learned what they could get away with, but you could see their upside.

We haven’t seen much in that vein yet from Solo. Elite shooter obviously - and he has developed a very nice pull up midrange game to complement his three point shot when he’s run off the line. He can finish on straight drives to the rim when he has an angle and can try to explode to the basket. He’s gotten better at all those things and is a more complete scorer than he was at the start of the year. But his creativity off the bounce is limited and will have to expand a lot for the next level. Other than an exception here or there, I haven’t really seen him show the ability to make a great slip pass or lob to a big off the bounce after drawing the shot blocker, or find a teammate on a kickout after the defense collapses. Or use deception to score on an up fake, or fadeaway, or using his body to seek contact and finish. His bag is sort of either a straight athletic drive, a reverse, or a floater over the shot blocker.

 

[CTBasketball]

The guy makes one block and then we say he’s improved defensively.

He still gets beat off the dribble and loses guys in transition, he is not improving. It’s about living with his mistakes, not fixing at this point in time.

 

[Deleted at users request]

We all saw Kemba’s elite quickness, handling, and finishing at the rim over bigger players on a stacked team coming off the bench. He couldn’t shoot, but he could attack the basket. We all saw Bazz’s savviness and court awareness. He didn’t necessarily have elite quickness or athleticism, but he was smart and crafty and made great reads. Those were their primary skills. And yeah, they made mistakes a lot as they cut their teeth and learned what they could get away with, but you could see their upside.

With those turnover percentages do you think they get the opportunity to showcase their upside in that way on last years team?

Especially when it comes to putting the ball on the floor and making a play happen.

Also I’m not sure if Solo is improving or just showing he is capable of doing more the more we ask of him to do. That’s the main thing I disagree on with most of the board.

For instance, that mid range jumper you talk about has always seemed to be there. I watched him in pregame warm ups against Georgetown and he was easily the best on the team and he hardly hit rim on his reps. But it took Liam going down and certain game plans for him to be asked to actually go to it.

 

[aceboon]

Flagg is better around the rim, but Liam is a better shooter, either long range or closer in. As for passing and defense I think they’re even.

nope

 

[AllHusky]

The guy makes one block and then we say he’s improved defensively.

He still gets beat off the dribble and loses guys in transition, he is not improving. It’s about living with his mistakes, not fixing at this point in time.

He has improved. His effort and attention has improved. I'm sure somehow the metrics gang can prove or disprove that, but he certainly is getting after it with more intensity and focus than he was a month ago. I realize you don't win trophies for trying hard, but it starts with effort and awareness.

 

[mauconnfan]

Flagg is taller with longer reach it appears.Amazing they were on the same team,

Have you seen Derick Queen play for the Terapins? He was on that Montverde team as well, crazy!

 

[HooperScooper]

Have you seen Derick Queen play for the Terapins? He was on that Montverde team as well, crazy!

I stole this from our prolific resident Twitter follower that is posted in another thread. No wonder why they went undefeated.

 

[CTBasketball]

He has improved. His effort and attention has improved. I'm sure somehow the metrics gang can prove or disprove that, but he certainly is getting after it with more intensity and focus than he was a month ago. I realize you don't win trophies for trying hard, but it starts with effort and awareness.

What games have you been watching?

 

[HailUConn]

What games have you been watching?

Stop. The game log for the guy you referred to:
He played with taped up wrist in Creighton game:

 

[mauconnfan]

I stole this from our prolific resident Twitter follower that is posted in another thread. No wonder why they went undefeated.

Forgot about Rob Wright holy crap would’ve liked him in Storrs. And Newell, didn’t know very impressive.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

He has been my favorite guy to watch this year. His in-season growth has been fantastic

 

[Huskyforlife]

I love Solo so please don't read that much into this.

But this is the type of thread you only get after a win. Being 4/15 (27%) from the field with 3 assists is not a good game for a star player, which he is. Balls performance would've been a clear factor in the loss had Liam not saved everyone's behinds with an all time performance. The bar is much higher for him.

Also for the Solo development argument. All I remember from his freshman year was that he tried to reverse probably 70% of his layups attempts for no reason. He looked like he had no feel for the 'art' of finishing. Don't think you can blame the staff for that, he's a natural at shooting the ball, not handling and finishing. The latter has developed significantly this season, imo.

 

[ctbro1999]

I stole this from our prolific resident Twitter follower that is posted in another thread. No wonder why they went undefeated.

That MV team would have been top 20 ranked last year. Sick

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Flagg is 100000% a better defender. Defense was/is his main calling card.

Maybe, you could be right but don’t sell Liam short on defense.

 

[mauconnfan]

Maybe, you could be right but don’t sell Liam short on defense.

He has improved immensely since the URI exhibition I agree. And he guards to the basket and doesn’t give up much space. Neal took him to the hole 2nd half during the Blue Jays comeback and he stayed in front of him, kept his hands up and on the miss was ready for the rebound excellent defensive stop. He’s good on that end as well.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

Maybe, you could be right but don’t sell Liam short on defense.

That’s not selling Liam short. He has improved defensively, but Flagg is an elite defensive prospect.