Starting Five

[temery]

I don’t know if anyone noticed this today but we don’t shoot the basketball well....From day one this year. We’ve seen 12-13 games of this so my question is this; what makes anyone think that it will make one iota of difference who the starting five is?

Then play defense and for rebounds. Give the crappy shooters a second chance.

 

[AdamaNation]

I don't think it takes a season to send that message to the starters. I think it takes 1 game...

They would all transfer

 

[intlzncster]

Calhoun’s quick hook may have cost a few games, but it worked.

Should be noted that there was a large cadre of people who thought it was a negative that hurt player development and confidence. I personally was a fan, even when it was a bit uncomfortable.

 

[temery]

Should be noted that there was a large cadre of people who thought it was a negative that hurt player development and confidence. I personally was a fan, even when it was a bit uncomfortable.

Overuse hurts the players, underuse hurts the team.

 

[UConnDan97]

I'm shocked that you think the starting 5 matters.

The thread is literally titled "starting five". Plenty of other threads to perform a comedy routine...

 

[UConnDan97]

They would all transfer

I think it's funny that you're worried about the transfer of under-hustling players because they get less playing time for one game...

 

[RayRay34]

At this point in the season, we are 7-5 with a few days off before the matchup with Wichita State. Without using the names Gilbert or Wilson, using active players on our current roster, who would you like to see as your starting 5?

I'll wait to hear from a few folks before I post my list...

In a perfect world:

1st Tier
Adams, Vital, Larrier, Cobb, Whaley.

2nd Tier
Carlton, Polley, Anderson

3rd Tier
Diarrhea and Kwintin as our energy guys?... (verdict is still out on Kwintin though?)

No one else sees time unless it's a blowout.

 

[UConnDan97]

In a perfect world:

1st Tier
Adams, Vital, Larrier, Cobb, Whaley.

2nd Tier
Carlton, Polley, Anderson

3rd Tier
Diarrhea and Kwintin as our energy guys?... (verdict is still out on Kwintin though?)

No one else sees time unless it's a blowout.

I'm seeing a lot of posters with the name Polley. I think he's got a nice upside, but for me, he's maybe the greenest big of the entire bunch. I would really limit his minutes as much as possible during meaningful moments or games...

 

[Letsgohuskies11]

I don’t know if anyone noticed this today but we don’t shoot the basketball well....From day one this year. We’ve seen 12-13 games of this so my question is this; what makes anyone think that it will make one iota of difference who the starting five is?

i think i noticed that when we went 1 for 13 from 3 one of our first few games

 

[RayRay34]

I'm seeing a lot of posters with the name Polley. I think he's got a nice upside, but for me, he's maybe the greenest big of the entire bunch. I would really limit his minutes as much as possible during meaningful moments or games...

Valid point. I guess I'd play him just to get the minutes t make him less green. But I guess for immediate winning chance, I'd switch him and Diarra

 

[Hankster]

Carlton, Whaley, Larrier, Adams and Vital.

I'd prefer to see fewer minutes for Cobb and Anderson (Anderson has been driving me crazy lately).

Spot minutes for Polley and Cobb, Anderson for a blow for Vital and Adams. I may have forgotten a player but I submit it is not my fault.

I agree on Anderson. What the heck happened to him. He looks tentative, Looking to get rid of the ball.

 

[Hamms30]

Cobb, Diarra, Whaley, Vital, Jalen .. our outside shooting is atrocious and Larrier putting the ball on the floor is like watching a little kid go after a light socket with a fork. He also plays piss poor defense. We need to wear teams down in the paint and need size to do it. When Jalen, Anderson, or Larrier go to the hoop they go up weak and fade away. Vital is the only small guy that attacks the hoop hard. Whaley is very active and pulls his weight. Cobb and Diarra have size and can eat up pain on offense and defense so our whole friggin team doesn't get pulled into the pain on defense so the other team doesn't kick it out to the 3 line for a 3 second set-up for an open 3 pointer. Sub Carlton and Williams in and out. Sub Larrier and Anderson in and out with Jalen and CV need rest. Maybe it'll light a fire under Larriers ass. Dude plays lazy. Jalen does too...

 

[Hi-Low]

JA, TL, IW, JC & AA I guess.....against good teams we aren't likely to win so keep playing Whaley & Carlton and maybe they develop into something for the future.

 

[upstater]

Cobb, Diarra, Whaley, Vital, Jalen .. our outside shooting is atrocious and Larrier putting the ball on the floor is like watching a little kid go after a light socket with a fork. He also plays piss poor defense. We need to wear teams down in the paint and need size to do it. When Jalen, Anderson, or Larrier go to the hoop they go up weak and fade away. Vital is the only small guy that attacks the hoop hard. Whaley is very active and pulls his weight. Cobb and Diarra have size and can eat up pain on offense and defense so our whole friggin team doesn't get pulled into the pain on defense so the other team doesn't kick it out to the 3 line for a 3 second set-up for an open 3 pointer. Sub Carlton and Williams in and out. Sub Larrier and Anderson in and out with Jalen and CV need rest. Maybe it'll light a fire under Larriers ass. Dude plays lazy. Jalen does too...

Larrier is a bigger problem on defense.

He is working his way back on O and we may have a truly gifted scorer soon.

Just work on defense, like Tom said.

 

[Hamms30]

Larrier is a bigger problem on defense.

He is working his way back on O and we may have a truly gifted scorer soon.

Just work on defense, like Tom said.

Yea, I mean the inbound play under the hoop where his man set a screen at the top of the key and the Auburn player just ran by him for an easy bucket instead of him helping... I literally said to the TV "Do you even care?" I got my answer when they did the slow mo replay and he turned with the most confused look on his face and realized.. he just doesn't know any better.

 

[JimHurley]

Adams, Vital, Larrier, Diarra, and Cobb. It pains me to put Larrier in there but he’s the best option at the 3. Whaley should be first off the bench. Anderson 2nd.

 

[tentoes4rings]

Alright, I'll put mine up now for full disclosure.

Diarra, Whaley, Larrier, Vital, Adams.

Adams has to run the point for me. And it looks like everyone in this thread who answered seriously believes what I believe; that we need 2 bigs in the game with Larrier at the 3. And I'd have Williams in for Whaley and Carlton / Cobb in for Diarra, depending on which one is playing better.

But for me, Diarra, Whaley, and Williams are the high-energy folks and their play needs to be maximized in my opinion...

I agree that if you want to reward kids who will at least provide toughness and play hard, you start Diarra, Whaley and Williams. Jalen and Larrier are by far the two most talented scorers so they need to start as well. Larrier would probably struggle guarding the 2 but at this point what the hell do we have to lose? I’d bring in Anderson as a backup at point, CV at the 2, and Cobb and Carlton up front.

 

[Hoophound]

There are big confidence issues resulting in the bad shooting. While we need more shooters, Adams, Vital, Larrier and Anderson should provide better shooting than they are. They aren’t pure shooters and two of them have quirky form but they’ve all shot much better in the past. The problem is the confidence level of this team is in the toilet and the whole mess is snowballing.

Adams, Larrier, Vital, Cobb and Anderson should be able to scrap with most any team and lose by 10 points or so. Getting absolutely blown out by every decent team is an obvious indicator of coaching issues. Look at that lineup in vacuum. Adams and Larrier are “stars”, Vital is a hardworking team guy that used to be able to make shots, Cobb is gifted for a big guy. He needs development but his coordination and skills are great and Anderson is a very experienced and solid D1 veteran.

It is hard to look at them and think some other coach would have as much trouble keeping games against top teams closer and beating a terrible Columbia team comfortably. This group isn’t great, but it should be better than this.

 

[mauconnfan]

Carlton, Whaley, Larrier, Adams and Vital.

I'd prefer to see fewer minutes for Cobb and Anderson (Anderson has been driving me crazy lately).

Spot minutes for Polley and Cobb, Anderson for a blow for Vital and Adams. I may have forgotten a player but I submit it is not my fault.

^^ This one^^

 

[UConnDan97]

I agree that if you want to reward kids who will at least provide toughness and play hard, you start Diarra, Whaley and Williams. Jalen and Larrier are by far the two most talented scorers so they need to start as well. Larrier would probably struggle guarding the 2 but at this point what the hell do we have to lose? I’d bring in Anderson as a backup at point, CV at the 2, and Cobb and Carlton up front.

Its funny that you bring this list up, because I was contemplating this as well; what would this squad look like with Larrier at the 2 in a big lineup?

I actually think it would work out well, so long as he could guard the opposing 2. What you lose in the extra shooter, you gain in rebounding and size in the paint...

 

[mauconnfan]

I'm seeing a lot of posters with the name Polley. I think he's got a nice upside, but for me, he's maybe the greenest big of the entire bunch. I would really limit his minutes as much as possible during meaningful moments or games...

I will ask for more time for Tyler, think he's a real nice 4 year piece for a program. Think he gets less time than he should but I'm not at practice. Heck according to some of the rumors maybe our coach isn't at half the practices with al he's doing. Oops did I say that?

 

[mauconnfan]

Its funny that you bring this list up, because I was contemplating this as well; what would this squad look like with Larrier at the 2 in a big lineup?

I actually think it would work out well, so long as he could guard the opposing 2. What you lose in the extra shooter, you gain in rebounding and size in the paint...

I like the idea and Kwintin in his garbage time did some nice things, certainly worked hard on both ends. Larrier has 4 rebounds vs 2 good teams in 56 or so minutes that last 2 games. Unacceptable for sure and he was not very good at all yesterday until the game was out of hand. He's not ready or tough enough to be a leader on this team. But I'm afraid Diarra is long way away from being where he needs to be defensively, he's not good right now. Plays hard but always out of position and following his guy.

 

[UConnDan97]

I will ask for more time for Tyler, think he's a real nice 4 year piece for a program. Think he gets less time than he should but I'm not at practice. Heck according to some of the rumors maybe our coach isn't at half the practices with al he's doing. Oops did I say that?

Et tu, Mau?

I'm trying to keep this thread clean of the nonsense if I can; strictly basketball talk, which is such a rarity these days among the myriad of "fire Ollie" threads.

Beyond talking basketball, another reason for this thread was to demonstrate that choosing a starting five for this year's squad seems almost impossible 13 games into the season. Think about that for a second. Normally we would all be whining about one person getting more time. But this year, nobody knows who the other 4 players should be either.

This squad has a bunch of pieces that don't seem to fit together, starting from a lack of a point guard. Everything has to be shifted around to accommodate for that.

That doesn't mean it's not Ollie's responsibility for why we don't have multiple point guards; it IS his responsibility. But this season without a point guard is going to take some extremely creative roster manipulation to get back to the dance...

 

[tentoes4rings]

I like the idea and Kwintin in his garbage time did some nice things, certainly worked hard on both ends. Larrier has 4 rebounds vs 2 good teams in 56 or so minutes that last 2 games. Unacceptable for sure and he was not very good at all yesterday until the game was out of hand. He's not ready or tough enough to be a leader on this team. But I'm afraid Diarra is long way away from being where he needs to be defensively, he's not good right now. Plays hard but always out of position and following his guy.

It's not a perfect solution Mau by any means but for a team that always comes out flat I'd like to see Mamadou get the start. He has plenty of defensive issues but who doesn't at this point? It can't get worse than the starting 5 we've had recently, unless we like seeing 23-7 deficits.

 

[mauconnfan]

It's not a perfect solution Mau by any means but for a team that always comes out flat I'd like to see Mamadou get the start. He has plenty of defensive issues but who doesn't at this point? It can't get worse than the starting 5 we've had recently, unless we like seeing 23-7 deficits.

His energy is not to be forgotten so in that case I agree, its at least something to work with I agree. But I need Whaley in the 5 no matter, intensity and offensive rebounding are nice to see and I think he's that guy that could jump from a freshman piece to a really nice player.