Sporting News on Ryan Boatright

[tcf15]

Sporting News addressed certain areas of improvement for some of the top returning players in college basketball. Here's what they said Boatright needed to work on during the offseason:

Area to improve: Playing on the ball.

Advancing the basketball and initiating the UConn offense are not new to Boatright. There were times over the past few years when he either took over for All-American Shabazz Napier on a temporary basis – a possession here and there, while Napier tried to get open to score – or filled in when Napier left the game.

This will be an entirely different experience. It’s going to be pretty much an every-possession thing now. The ball will belong to Boatright. He will make the majority of the crucial decision in the UConn offense. He will determine where the ball goes, and when it gets there. It’s possible there never has been a college player more prepared to handle a late-career position switch.

Boatright has been a 100-assist player in each of his three UConn seasons. As his responsibility increases, though, he cannot afford to see his error rate rise. He was just on the verge of unacceptable while operating primarily as a shooting guard, with an average of 74 turnovers per year.

http://www.sportingnews.com/ncaa-ba...-levert?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

 

[Peacefrog]

tcf's on fire today! Good stuff, thanks.

 

[Waquoit]

Admittedly a small sample size, but Boat ran the team for almost a half in the Big Dance, without Napier, down double digits against a 2-seed. And the team thrived. Boat will be great this year.

 

[Obrero]

"It’s possible there never has been a college player more prepared to handle a late-career position switch. "

Agree. Lots of Uconn fans seem to assume this transition from Shabbaz to Boatright is going to be similar to the one from Kemba to Shabbaz. But Boatright is way ahead of where Shabbaz was as a sophomore.

 

[mauconnfan]

"It’s possible there never has been a college player more prepared to handle a late-career position switch. "

Agree. Lots of Uconn fans seem to assume this transition from Shabbaz to Boatright is going to be similar to the one from Kemba to Shabbaz. But Boatright is way ahead of where Shabbaz was as a sophomore.

I disagree with this mostly, sorry. Bazz was already a really good PG as a soph and a true one at that. It's close and in both cases there are question marks and things which both need or needed to improve. We'll see but I do think he will have his tough games and will need some help from the backup PG's to calm him. The one thing in his favor is his 2G's and even his 3's can handle the ball something which Shabazz didn't always have. Boat will be fine but it will take some time!

 

[UConn17]

I disagree with this mostly, sorry. Bazz was already a really good PG as a soph and a true one at that. It's close and in both cases there are question marks and things which both need or needed to improve. We'll see but I do think he will have his tough games and will need some help from the backup PG's to calm him. The one thing in his favor is his 2G's and even his 3's can handle the ball something which Shabazz didn't always have. Boat will be fine but it will take some time!

It is not just from the skills point that Boatright is ahead of sophomore Napier, but from the leadership standpoint. Boatright is going to be senior, with three years of college experience, as well as a clear leader on the court with his attitude and heart

 

[mauconnfan]

It is not just from the skills point that Boatright is ahead of sophomore Napier, but from the leadership standpoint. Boatright is going to be senior, with three years of college experience, as well as a clear leader on the court with his attitude and heart

Yeah I guess but in different ways. Bazz was clearly a born leader but showed his immaturity (off the court mostly - interviews) his soph year too so yeah this makes sense. Boat seems to have turned the corner there too so that will be interesting to watch!

 

[CL82]

Don't underestimate the benefit of the attention that Purvis will draw. This isn't Boat and an inexperience guard. It's Boat and kid who will make the defense pay if they pay enough attention to him. They'll be fine, as long as they are on the same page.

 

[BearJWS]

Here's my take on Boat this year:

Boat will be "The Man" if he doesn't try to be "The Man".... meaning, he needs to be the Leader of the team, not the leading scorer. We all know he can score & dunk, everyone knows that. He needs to make the pass or the pass that leads to the pass for the score. The past 3 years Napier has been "The Man", so Boat hasn't been in this position til now. Boat's a Senior, so it's his team & all eyes are him this year (including the NBA scouts). His teammates will depend on him to direct them. I think he has that respect on the team. No pounding the ball into the court & falling susceptible trapping defenses along the baseline. He needs to move the ball & keep it fluid before defenses can attack. His defense has improved & he needs to help his teammates follow his lead on defense by keeping vocal (especially with switches, etc). I saw evidence of that last year (Brimah was excellent in that respect as a Freshmen). Yeah, Boat's athletic & quick, but his smarts will make UConn go. Sometimes he's a bit stubborn, but he needs to let go & just have fun. He's a very smart & talented kid. I think he can do it. He needs to trust his teammates & make them better, in return, that makes him better... Big Year for Boat. I want Boat as a Leader. I think he can do it, he just needs to believe it.... and so do we!

 

[Pudge]

A few posts ... and no one mentioned Terence Samuel. I think he is going to have a role that takes him into the game & gives Boat minutes at the 2G or on the bench. And, I feel fairly comfortable that we will have a solid offense and a kid who wants to just stop the other team's guards.

Boat needs the subtlety of leadership and PG. I think he will be there; but, its not a snap.

 

[Rocktheworld]

Honestly, we have more ball handlers that can be on the floor together: TS, Jr, Purvis, and Boat (and none of them are freshmen). While Boat will ultimately be the leader of the team, I think that will free up Boat to move off the ball a lot more than Bazz could this year. Boat may not have to play the role Bazz played, which would most likely be a good thing.

 

[David 76]

I think TSam and Jr will give us more depth than we've had in the back court, Boat will be fine. Different but fine. But we can't expect Kemba/Bazz three. Distribute, drive and defense.

 

[CL82]

TSam played well. I agree that he's going to contribute.

 

[CallMeBruce]

I don't think that any sane or reasonably person is going to be worried about backcourt depth on this team. We've got guards coming out of our ears.

 

[imno1]

I think TSam and Jr will give us more depth than we've had in the back court, Boat will be fine. Different but fine. But we can't expect Kemba/Bazz three. Distribute, drive and defense.

But we can hope!

 

[intlzncster]

Omar comin'!

 

[Kembacity]

yeah sporting news did a terrible job if you ask me, ignoring TSam. I foresee Boat and TSam working in the way Boat and Bazz did the past 2 years, Boat might be "primary" PG, but with Samuel, boatright can get free for some offense, just like Bazz did for Kemba when he was a freshman.