The Issue with Brimah

[CTBasketball]

You didn't answer my question. Do we or do we not win that game with championship caliber defense? Kemba and Shabazz were phenomenal offensive players but they were also incredibly destructive defenders.

We win this game if we played "decent" defense.

 

[champs99and04]

We win this game if we played "decent" defense.

I think we agree, then. If this defense turns into the top ten unit it was supposed to be, everything else will take care of itself.

 

[CTBasketball]

I think we agree, then. If this defense turns into the top ten unit it was supposed to be, everything else will take care of itself.

A huge problem today was rebounding against the zone. You don't have a block-out assignment since you're not in man-to-man. Cuse's length and ability to sneak to get balls really affected them. We looked lost.

 

[TouchdownHusky]

Wtf do you keep mentioning Elon, they haven't even played Elon, go skip your ass back to the football board. First time anyone sees you is after a loss, go take your hysterics that away --->.

Elon, Coppin State, Hillhouse High School, who gives a crap. Weak opponent anyway you look at it. Brimah's 40 points were a "big deal" a year ago and then his complete inability to play well in next game against Duke, I believe. And not "skipping my ass back" anywhere, Skippy.

 

[zls44]

It really is basketball season now that the loons are out.

 

[Huskyforlife]

Pretty sure I acknowledged that Brimah has outperformed his 240 ranking but I can understand with you getting so worked up it affected your reading ability. Gotta put you on the ignore list at this point, this same argument has been going on since last season and I'm not the one initiating it, can't do it anymore, won't do it anymore.

I'm not sure I understand your argument. Are you saying we should be ok with this level of production from Brimah because of his ranking out of high school? All I know is, lots of people here were saying this guy is an NBA center, and anyone who disagreed was made out to be a sorry loser ashole.

 

[Huskyforlife]

The truth is he isn't very good. He's a great moral leader, and seems like a great kid, but he's a very flawed basketball player. If it were up to me, I'd give facey a chance to start, he's earned it.

 

[jfuchs91]

Brimah has his flaws as a player, but his rim protection makes our entire team better. You can feel the difference in our defense when he's on the floor. We haven't played great perimeter D and Brimah prevents teams from getting easy layups. His blocks often lead to fast break opportunities, which is an area that this team excels.

Amida is visibly a better rebounder this year - though that may just be a testament for how bad he's been in the past. He needs better hands and still needs to foul less (though these new foul rules really drive me nuts...). I don't think hedging as hard as we did today did him any favors, though. We were in constant mismatches and he can't recover as well as smaller players.

I'd like to see Brimah and Facey on the floor together more often. Miller will get his minutes, but Facey has earned himself more playing time, and the height of a AB/KF frontcourt is intriguing.

 

[MexicoHusky]

I didn't think Brimah was horrible. His failure to catch the ball hurt us. Rodney decision making in the lane hurt. He'll improve.

 

[joober jones]

He had a terrible game despite the numbers. That being said, nearly any program in the country wishes they had a center of his caliber.

 

[HuskyFich]

Brimah lead the nation in blocked shots last year, allows us to stretch the D more, was a captain as a sophomore, his foul numbers are down this year. All great things.

There's no real issue with Brimah. Yes, he has a lot to improve on. Yes he's still going to make mistakes. But yesterday he just stood out because he is ineffective against the long zone and got a couple cheap fouls.

Don't expect a huge bounce back game from Brimah today. Karnowski is a load with some serious touch around the rim.

With all that said, keep the vibes positive and root on our Huskies against our inferior dog opponent. BLEED BLUE BABY!

 

[uconnell]

I was disappointed in Miller's performance, he seemed somewhat lost out there. I don't know what caliber of teams that Cornell played but he seemed much better playing slower less prestigious teams. Probably never played against a zone team like Cuse employs. Hopefully in a few more games he will become accustomed to the speed.

 

[mauconnfan]

I was disappointed in Miller's performance, he seemed somewhat lost out there. I don't know what caliber of teams that Cornell played but he seemed much better playing slower less prestigious teams. Probably never played against a zone team like Cuse employs. Hopefully in a few more games he will become accustomed to the speed.

Pretty sure he played against his neighbor Syracuse every year he was at Cornell. I think the 2 games he hasn't been as active he's been screwed by early touch fouls leaving him to be more timid of physical play. We actually need to get him the ball more for his jump hook and little floaters rather than lobs and that's on the guards to get it to him in scoring position.

 

[Rico444]

I was disappointed in Miller's performance, he seemed somewhat lost out there. I don't know what caliber of teams that Cornell played but he seemed much better playing slower less prestigious teams. Probably never played against a zone team like Cuse employs. Hopefully in a few more games he will become accustomed to the speed.

Miller went 6-11 from the floor for 12 points last year against Syracuse. I'm not happy with how he's played so far, but he's played against talented teams in the past, and done well against them.

 

[UConnSwag11]

I think I've finally cracked the code. The stats just don't match the visuals at all. If someone didn't watch today's game and only went off of the box score, 10 points 5 boards and 3 blocks in 19 minutes looks not too bad. But he failed the eye test in every way imaginable. Because of this, he's the most puzzling player on the team to evaluate and therefore the most polarizing to discuss.

You can say whatever you want about brimah but when he's out of the game every single team attacks the paint without worry. He changes the game on defense. We need to stop using brimah as the scapegoat when the team loses. Yes he's limited offensively, yes he has alligator arms at times when he rebounds but defensively he hedges and recovers very well, challenges and blocks shots extremely well, runs the floor and never stops moving. It's not his fault all the guards and wings that got to the rim missed their shots or missed their fts.

 

[UConnSwag11]

I myself am fine with Brimah as a starting C because I don't ask too much of college Cs to begin with. My issue is with the more higher ranked players with the more proven basketball pedigree doing the same mistakes over and over again that have been the reason for games being lost since last season. Maybe I am in the minority for expecting more out of certain players, but that's how I move.

Yeah brimah was at the bottom of the list with what went wrong with yesterday's game

 

[Rico444]

Amida's biggest issue is the need to learn when to go block a shot and when to just go up with his arms to avoid a foul and merely alter the shot, which will still lead to a missed shot more often than not. Syracuse did a great job last night of using their length when we got in the paint to alter shots, and they got in our guards' heads a little bit.

 

[UConnSwag11]

Brimah lead the nation in blocked shots last year, allows us to stretch the D more, was a captain as a sophomore, his foul numbers are down this year. All great things.

There's no real issue with Brimah. Yes, he has a lot to improve on. Yes he's still going to make mistakes. But yesterday he just stood out because he is ineffective against the long zone and got a couple cheap fouls.

Don't expect a huge bounce back game from Brimah today. Karnowski is a load with some serious touch around the rim.

With all that said, keep the vibes positive and root on our Huskies against our inferior dog opponent. BLEED BLUE BABY!

Yeah with that zone I would've thought miller and facey could've flattened the zone like AO and Coombs did. But they're learning and the team as a whole gave the game away. Not brimah

 

[UConnSwag11]

Amida's biggest issue is the need to learn when to go block a shot and when to just go up with his arms to avoid a foul and merely alter the shot, which will still lead to a missed shot more often than not. Syracuse did a great job last night of using their length when we got in the paint to alter shots, and they got in our guards' heads a little bit.

Miller got called for going straight up multiple times in both games. Didn't reach over and make contact. Made clean blocks or contested cleanly and was still called for fouls. The refs expect fouls so they call them without a foul being committed

 

[mauconnfan]

Yeah brimah was at the bottom of the list with what went wrong with yesterday's game

No he wasn't. But he wasn't the only reason.

 

[Rico444]

Miller got called for going straight up multiple times in both games. Didn't reach over and make contact. Made clean blocks or contested cleanly and was still called for fouls. The refs expect fouls so they call them without a foul being committed

In the long run that's not going to be an issue though. There were probably a couple of bad calls in the inside but that's always going to happen in the course of a game. Overall our big guys don't do a good enough job avoiding contact when going up to defend a shot.

 

[huskymagic]

I think I've finally cracked the code. The stats just don't match the visuals at all. If someone didn't watch today's game and only went off of the box score, 10 points 5 boards and 3 blocks in 19 minutes looks not too bad. But he failed the eye test in every way imaginable. Because of this, he's the most puzzling player on the team to evaluate and therefore the most polarizing to discuss.

Stairmaster you must be drinking some good stuff to think Brimah was the biggest problem yesterday... The real problems yesterday were inept zone offense, terrible perimeter defending by our guards especially Gibbs, Rodney Purvis lack of composure and disciplines panicking drives to the basket and overall lack of basketball intelligence for a player of his experience. Kevin Ollie's decision to go small ball and get abused on switches by Syracuse players who especially the freshman Lydon was made to look like an All American. Brimah is our most important asset defensively and the 2nd best player on this team. Let's be honest with our assessment.

 

[mauconnfan]

Stairmaster you must be drinking some good stuff to think Brimah was the biggest problem yesterday... The real problems yesterday were inept zone offense, terrible perimeter defending by our guards especially Gibbs, Rodney Purvis lack of composure and disciplines panicking drives to the basket and overall lack of basketball intelligence for a player of his experience. Kevin Ollie's decision to go small ball and get abused on switches by Syracuse players who especially the freshman Lydon was made to look like an All American. Brimah is our most important asset defensively and the 2nd best player on this team. Let's be honest with our assessment.

2nd best player on the team? Stairmasters cocktail of choice is hardly as strong as yours magicman, not close. Send me some of that in time for today's game ok I will need it.

 

[Stainmaster]

Stairmaster you must be drinking some good stuff to think Brimah was the biggest problem yesterday... The real problems yesterday were inept zone offense, terrible perimeter defending by our guards especially Gibbs, Rodney Purvis lack of composure and disciplines panicking drives to the basket and overall lack of basketball intelligence for a player of his experience. Kevin Ollie's decision to go small ball and get abused on switches by Syracuse players who especially the freshman Lydon was made to look like an All American. Brimah is our most important asset defensively and the 2nd best player on this team. Let's be honest with our assessment.

You're putting words in my mouth. I wasn't commenting on where Brimah ranked, only making a commentary on a phenomenon that illustrates how difficult it is to get good, accurate discussion of Brimah here.

 

[mauconnfan]

You're putting words in my mouth. I wasn't commenting on where Brimah ranked, only making a commentary on a phenomenon that illustrates how difficult it is to get good, accurate discussion of Brimah here.

Wondering where he got that one Stair?