Team is starting to get in a groove

[itgoeslike]

We're probably not in a groove yet, but the Florida game could be the catalyst that sets things in motion. I do think that the pieces parts have been trending in the right direction, however, getting them all to come together on a consistent basis still needs to happen. The team does deserve credit for playing hard.

 

[uconn_jack]

And all this talk about DHam leaving after this year is way premature. Kid's got significant skill and talent no doubt, but I think it will take another year for him to mature before he is ready for the NBA.

 

[mets1090]

Haha clown.

I can't Brimah has the audacity to complain about individual stats when he's been virtually invisible against good teams for 2 seasons.

Go to the NBA, I could care less, he'll be a bigger bust than Thabeet and Lamb

First things first, you couldn't care less. I don't generally give a about grammar but when you are literally saying the exact opposite of what you mean, you come off looking like an idiot.

Also, because Brimah as a sophomore isn't good enough to beat good centers yet, you have written him off and don't care if he goes to the NBA? He obviously was and is a project that will continue to get better. The only people who thought he stood a chance against Okafor (probably the most complete PF/C in the country) are idiots in the media and idiots in CT. Still, he is the best big man we have and is only a sophomore so it makes no sense to talk about him like he's a senior who hasn't improved at all and might as well just not be on the team.

 

[Palatine]

Two things. First, and amazingly, Fishy is right on the money. They tend to operate in complete disfunction for a stretch, fall behind, eventually tighten up the defense and then either make it back... or not. But I'm optimistic enough to believe, they are making progress. They are very good in stretches. They are figuring out their roles. When they do, the should be pretty good.

Second. Big men depend on other players to get them the ball in the right spots. Brimah is only as good as the players he compliments. Against UF, Rafferty spent most of the second half wondering why UConn would not pass the ball into Brimah even when he established good post position. Heck, he didn't have a shot for 25 minutes. This isn't a problem with Brimah as much as it is a problem with the rest of the team being unable to take advantage of him.

 

[Doheny]

Let us see how they play the USF game. Do they come out strong and control the game or do they get funky and make into a nail- biter? We will see then if they are getting their groove back.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Haha clown. I can't Brimah has the audacity to complain about individual stats when he's been virtually invisible against good teams for 2 seasons. Go to the NBA, I could care less, he'll be a bigger bust than Thabeet and Lamb

You seem like an incredibly angry person. It's kind of sad. If you've got this much hostility about Amida Brimah I can't imagine the rest of your life.

 

[8893]

If you've got this much hostility about Amida Brimah I can't imagine the rest of your life.

Apparently it does not involve Bill Murray, either, Crazy McCracks.

 

[Fishy]

Second. Big men depend on other players to get them the ball in the right spots. Brimah is only as good as the players he compliments. Against UF, Rafferty spent most of the second half wondering why UConn would not pass the ball into Brimah even when he established good post position. Heck, he didn't have a shot for 25 minutes. This isn't a problem with Brimah as much as it is a problem with the rest of the team being unable to take advantage of him.

He was right in that Brimah was not getting the ball - I'm not sure he was right in saying that Brimah should get the ball.

He doesn't get particularly good position and he's easily moved away from the basket by much smaller people. If he does get the ball in the post, you're usually looking at one of two scenarios - an out of control spin move where he puts the ball way down low or a hook shot from whatever angle at which he finds himself.

In the second half, we had both - one post move where he put the ball down near his sneaker tops and lost it and one six foot hook from an impossible angle behind the basket. Either way, the offense ends as soon as the ball finds him. Kid passes the ball like it's a winning lottery ticket.

At this point, against better teams, he's better used sparingly on offense - let him convert those lob passes from Hamilton where the ball never dips below 10' off the ground and improve his rebounding. (Where he seems to have made strides over the past four games since the Duke debacle.)

 

[itgoeslike]

He was right in that Brimah was not getting the ball - I'm not sure he was right in saying that Brimah should get the ball.

He may be a sophomore work-in-progress, but he's the second leading scorer shooting a team high 68% Field Goal Percentage. . .

 

[pj]

You're fin' clueless. Why would Brimah be complaining about an individual statistic if he didn't care about things like the NBA. Get a clue.

You can want your stats to be accurate without thinking of the NBA. In intramural basketball leagues, I wanted my accomplishments recognized in the stat sheet, and I had not the slightest thought of going to the NBA.

 

[Fishy]

He may be a sophomore work-in-progress, but he's the second leading scorer shooting a team high 68% Field Goal Percentage. . .

That's 6-9 against Bryant, 5-7 against Charleston, 7-8 against Yale, 13-13 against Coppin State, 7-10 against Columbia, 5-5 against Central Connecticut. It's not as easy against better teams - 2-4 against Dayton, 3-5 against West Virginia, 1-7 against Texas, 0-1 against Duke, 1-3 against Florida.

Still work to be done, but he'll get there - I'm happier about the six rebounds against Temple and ten against Florida than I would be if he had he scored ten points in each game.

 

[8893]

I'm happier about the six rebounds against Temple and ten against Florida than I would be if he had he scored ten points in each game.

Absofu ckinglutely. Best sign of progress I've seen from him recently.

 

[itgoeslike]

That's 6-9 against Bryant, 5-7 against Charleston, 7-8 against Yale, 13-13 against Coppin State, 7-10 against Columbia, 5-5 against Central Connecticut. It's not as easy against better teams - 2-4 against Dayton, 3-5 against West Virginia, 1-7 against Texas, 0-1 against Duke, 1-3 against Florida.

Still work to be done, but he'll get there - I'm happier about the six rebounds against Temple and ten against Florida than I would be if he had he scored ten points in each game.

In addition to the rebounds he affected some shots from Florida that helped keep UConn in the game.

 

[Gurleyman]

Offensively, he's uneven, and obviously struggles against better teams. He shows flashes, but I'm not sure he's going to get there this year, not until he has another offseason of constant repetition. Defensively, though, his contributions are obvious. Bond just ate UCF alive (21 points, 14 rebounds), but was a non-factor against us. He only played 10 minutes against Duke, but I'm not sure Okafor scored on him, other than getting a couple kinda cheap foul calls. But that game was too small a sample size to judge him on (we actually had our best stretch of basketball in the first five minutes of the second half when he stepped up as a defensive anchor, before he picked up his third). Turner and Ridley only had one basket apiece for Texas. Walker only got 3 FGA for Florida, two of which were baseline finishes on good passes when Brimah left to bring help. He's able to neutralize other front courts without scoring and give us a chance to win with our guards, which is generally what we want.

He was a low-rated recruit we signed in the spring - folks thought he was a big reach and we should have pocketed the scholarship and not brought in another project. Thank goodness they are only folks. We don't win the title without him last year, and he's a terrific defensive anchor - he's raw offensively, but a lot better this year despite shoulder surgery costing him a couple months. Those lashing out at him as an NBA bust are really silly. The issue when we signed him was whether he'd be a college bust, and he high jumped that bar a long time ago.

 

[AstarIsBorn31]

I want better defense from our team for a full game. The only reason I say that instead of offense is because I expect great defense from the guys we have more then I expect very good offense. We have very athletic guys who should be locking down on every possession but for some reason we give up chippy fouls too often, let people in our paint, and dont close out on 3s... The help defense off of screens and drives is very suspect. Its something that is very situational and I hope becomes more natural to the younger guys as we move forward. The more we let people in the paint the bigger challenge it will be too keep Brimah/Nolan out of foul trouble.. Which brings me to my next point of Brimah learning when to jump, step, hand positioning etc. It will come more natural in time but I hope he learns sooner that it is very difficult for smaller guys to shoot over him without him having to jump. If he does decide to leave his feet he needs to figure out timing because jumping early isnt necessary with his length. If he waits just before the ball will be released he is still going to have ample time to get the block without goaltending... Basically lets step the D up!

 

[gtcam]

Haha clown.

I can't Brimah has the audacity to complain about individual stats when he's been virtually invisible against good teams for 2 seasons.

Go to the NBA, I could care less, he'll be a bigger bust than Thabeet and Lamb

Do you do this when you're drunk, pissed at the dog, or just a plain downer?
AB has his faults but not all are on his shoulders alone. I didn't need Rafferty for me to scream at the tv screen to urge someone dressed in blue to pass the ball to AB when he was open.
He won't be NBA bound next year which is great news for us who are fans. He needs the 3rd off season to work on his footwork, hands and hit the weight room
Bashing Thabeet and Lamb serves no purpose - Lamb is just with the wrong coach, IMHO.

Try some positive entries - calling people clowns etc when they disagree is a reflection of your demeanor and intelligence

 

[pj]

he high jumped that bar a long time ago.

Of course he was going to high jump that bar, he's a champion high jumper. http://borgesblognhr.blogspot.com/2013/06/basketball-recruit-and-high-jump.html

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

It comes from him being a . put him on ignore and your time on the boneyard will improve significantly.

Yep, and I don't even know who it was.

 

[jibsey]

Calhoun is working into form, he is the key.

 

[Doheny]

Let us see how they play the USF game. Do they come out strong and control the game or do they get funky and make into a nail- biter? We will see then if they are getting their groove back.

So they get funky for 15 minutes, then come on strong and contol the game for 25. Palatine nailed it - they're dysfunctional for while and then tighten up (this time they tightened a lot.) So the game didn't answer the question of whether they're getting back in their groove, but I'm hopeful.

p.s. Sorry about replying to my own post.

 

[RipCity]

A lot of the guard talk lately has been Purvis vs Omar centric, but I think they actually compliment each other well. We have a much better chance of one of our SGs showing up each game now. Great problem to have.