Temple thoughts. And semi-related stuff.

[RichZ]

1. Suddenly, we seem to have a team. A team that plays D, and knows where its points come from.
2. Thought the announcers dwelled way too much on their perception that our guys should be tired. One thing Elmore had right yesterday, these guys aren't far removed from daily playground/pickup game effort. I remember playground basketball well. Sure you take some plays off to catch your breath, but for us, it was pretty much 10AM to dark in the summer. And do it again tomorrow. When DHam spent the summer playing with his brothers and Reggie Jackson, do you think they stopped after an hour and took the next day off? When these guys play pickup games before practice officially starts, how many hours do you think they go. Only Amida is lacking in a history of playground ball, but I guess they have pickup games on the soccer field, too.
3. Anyone notice that Amida has been a serious force on the boards the last couple games? 16 boards and 16 points over those two games, plus of course the expected 8 blocks. Not too shabby at all.
4. Speaking of Amida, the play in the 2nd half, when Adams missed bunny and Amida got the putback was something that until today, I would have thought was way beyond him creativity-wise. He got a hand on the ball, and knowing he couldn't get possession or a tip in the crowd, he slapped it hard off the board, and bounced right back up to tip it in. Since he was the only one prepared for the bounceback, the other three guys in the paint couldn't elevate again quickly enough to do anything about it. I was awestruck.
5. As well as Amida played, I still would have liked to see Enoch get some minutes today. His bulk and muscle might have proved helpful against Bond, and it would have been good experience for him.
6. DHam has been nothing short of tremendous so far in the tourney. The move where he hesitated at the foul line, then accelerated past his man was a damned thing of beauty.
7. Jalen is just plain fun to watch. Between he and the newly emergent dominant DHam, we have some excitement and creativity going on that this team has sorely lacked.
8. Shonn had his best game in a long time. Only game he scored more was against Sacred Heart, which is not quite the same level of competition.
9. 52, 50 and 80. I'll take those shooting percentages any day of the week. Defensively, we held Temple to 36 and 20 percent, and they held themselves to 55% from the line.
10. There is not a player on this team that I have not screamed at from afar this season. Some of them, almost every game. This weekend, I love them all.
11. As of tonight, Rodney's FT shooting is at 75% since the 1st of the year. (36 of 48).

 

[TasteofUConn]

Very good points - noted a few myself during the game.

Adams, DHam, Brimah are the huge points.

Rodney banging away at 75% is also tremendous.

 

[tykurez]

Always good to see the Oddz and Endz

 

[aceboon]

I thought the tired argument pre-game was relevant, can't compare pickup runs and workouts to what these guys played yesterday. Last year was a lil different since it was a night game to day game split, but just look at the performance against Cincy in that Friday night quarterfinal and then the Tulsa semifinal on Saturday, they were whipped.

 

[djct1999]

How high can Shonn jump? It seems he could dunk on a 12 foot hoop with ease.

 

[James]

How high can Shonn jump? It seems he could dunk on a 12 foot hoop with ease.

He wins every jump ball too. His bounce is surreal on lobs we should target him more

 

[Balker]

Commentators always talk stamina to death whenever it seems remotely relevant. Probably because they have nothing better to talk about most of the time. I mean, look, they let Len Elmore make up the "Len Elmore Index", just to fill some time after a commercial break...

I was a lot more concerned about them getting sleep last night than I was about them being worn out for playing basketball for 20 extra minutes the day before.

 

[Matrim55]

How high can Shonn jump? It seems he could dunk on a 12 foot hoop with ease.

He wins every jump ball too. His bounce is surreal on lobs we should target him more

It's not just the elevation, it's how quickly he elevates. Bigger guys can't block his shot because he's already releasing at his apex and they're just getting off the floor.

It's uncanny. Ben Simmons is the same way (only moreso).

 

[Chin Diesel]

2. There's a huge difference between pick up game conditioning and high level D1 conditioning.

3/4. Brimah has been great and has been playing like the player we all have been rooting for all season. He's has rebounded in traffic, been a force defensively, runs the floor and has some put backs. For some reason the alley oops to him have been off since he returned from his injury. He did have an incredible catch on the run and made FG on while reversing his body.

6/7. No one has benefited more from Adams' emergence than DHam. It's allowed him to be more efficient offensively and not have to make plays for the team every possession. Gibbs and Purvis are incapable of beating their defender off the dribble. Adams is the only player who can create for the offense besides Hamilton. And Adams commands the best on the ball defender. The effect is that Hamilton is now guarded by the opponents second best perimeter defender.

 

[RichZ]

2. There's a huge difference between pick up game conditioning and high level D1 conditioning.

And there is an even more huge difference between playing for 12 hours every day and playing for 3 hours, then being ready to play for 2 more the next day.

...Adams commands the best on the ball defender. The effect is that Hamilton is now guarded by the opponents second best perimeter defender.

Excellent point.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

Comparing the the emotional energy spent in a high stress game like Friday's and just the pure phyical energy of a playground are apples and oranges.

 

[Rico444]

Things might be gelling at just the right time. Adams and Hamilton are hitting another gear; both were tremendous yesterday. And when Miller avoids the dumb fouls, he can be our best player. The three of them playing at a high level, combined with our defense, is enough to hang with anyone.

 

[SixRings]

I liked that in the first half vs Temple Adams slashed to the rim with great speed and confidence. He really pushed the tempo on both made and missed baskets from the Owls. This was when we played our best bball. Adams has lots of moxie right now which is helping lift the team out of those oh-no moments when the other team goes on a run. Like that DHam isn't bring the ball up the floor anymore.