The Ross Enigma

[superjohn]

The Jaylin Stewart 2023-24 body of work has magically become something it never was in part due to how awesome that team was and a few highlight moments. It amplified spontaneously in the minds and souls of all Huskymaniacs.

JStew Memphis - 17 minutes, 16 pts (7-9 shooting), 5 rebounds
JStew Gonzaga - 19 minutes, 10 pts (4-5 shooting), 3 rebounds, 1 block

Now those are games to build off of and the JStew we need.

Yep, his biggest scoring games of the season last season were 11 points against Depaul, 8 points in the last regular season game of the season against the Johnnies, and 9 points in the final of the Big East tournament against Marquette. He went 6 for 8 combined from three against DePaul and Marquette. The game against St. John's he was 4-4 on two pointers and if I remember correctly he had 2 or 3 alley oops. He wasn't getting downhill and doing any scoring last season. He played because our starters couldn't play every minute and he was playing good solid team D.

 

[Scrutineer]

I'm scratching my head because I've seen several posters that I consider basketball savvy scratch their heads as to why Hurley keeps touting Ross and chose him to start over Mahaney and Stewart now that Liam is out.

The obvious reason has to be what Ross is doing in practice. If you listen to the Providence post game pressor Hurley stated Ross just needs a game where he makes a couple of threes and scores in other ways to be the player coach sees him in practice. Currently the only thing Ross has consistently shown is effort and athleticism. He's made some spectacular blocks, had some put backs and goes for rebounds. But beyond that he's demonstrated very little. So it comes down to this. Can Ross demonstrate in a game what he obviously has shown Hurley in practice? Hurley believes he can. Will it happen? That remains to be seen.

But it can't happen unless he's given every opportunity to try.

If this forum's overwhelming point of view is correct it won't happen and he shouldn't be given that opportunity. I have a different position, I think it can happen. And I believe he (and Stewart) are the x factors to how far this team can go tournament time.

He must show well in practice but seems to rush his shots and when he misses he hangs his head and the cycle repeats.
The cure might be running an easy scoring play for him (like we did for TO in 2014) hoping the sight of the ball going in will get him to relax. Then we pray he remembers the feeling and can repeat the scoring from greater distances.....or maybe find he can be a force driving for shots.

 

[Brochacho]

I have three thoughts on this team:
1. We are going to be a poor defensive team no matter what.
2. We need a backup PG for March when Hass is fasting.
3. Given #1, our optimal offensive players should be the only ones in the rotation.

The rotation I hope we get:
Diarra 30/Nowell 10
Ball 15/Mahaney 25
McNeeley 25/Ball 15
Karaban 35/McNeeley 5
Johnson 20/Reed 20

That will be the rotation we need in March. Ross and Stewart are too inconsistent. Hass will need blows. If we want to beat good teams we will have to out score and out shoot them. Embrace that we can’t defend and that Mahaney isn’t a PG and go out and score points.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

Jaylin Stewart averaged 2.5 ppg last season.

I didn’t say he was a huge part, I said that team played to his strengths more. The ball movement was a lot better and more fluid. His game is more getting downhill off movement than spot up shooting. You can see he wants to take his guy off the dribble more, it’s just a bit more clogged this year.

 

[lateralous]

I think Jaylin Stewart is the better all around basketball player but the issue for him IMO is that his game is a bit redundant to the two guys starting in front of him. I think Hurley sees Ross developing into a piece this team desperately needs, a defensive specialist.

Honestly, it took Castle 2/3 of the season to really figure things out (more so on the offensive side) and that was while getting starters minutes. Hopefully Ross can become a sort of poor man's Stephon Castle by tournament time. I hope it's just a confidence thing because it is pretty rough on the offensive end right now

 

[HailUConn]

There are plenty of practice all-stars in this world. I was one of them. But at the end of the day, you've gotta produce in games or see the bench.

The problem, IMO, is that none of the 3 really deserve to start. Every one of them is a decent bench option with not enough skill on either end to start for a final-4 team right now. That's why we recruited McNeeley in the first place.

His offense skill is very limited or non-showing. IIRC, he only shoots 3 which he's doing very poorly (cannot even find the rim type)...

For Stewie OTOH, it's mental. He has a few games that he scored enough and put enough assists (zone buster). But Hurly seems to have a very short leash on him. It's a head-scratcher.

 

[6Nattys4Us]

Ross will improve - he needs more minutes for the game to come to him as he is just not used to the pace of real games and or talent and feeling like everyone else is. It's in his head. He'll figure it out.

Everyone who has really progressed this season from start to now has gotten real minutes (Reed Jr, Mahaney, Diarra, even Liam). Ross in particular has not had steady minutes (of late his minutes have been 15-5-11-19-14-14-11. This is now Big East basketball and lineups are fairly cemented and we don't get another UMES or UNH for him to get 20+ minutes and 10+ pts until DePaul or Butler play us at our home.

 

[3rdbass]

I think Jaylin Stewart is the better all around basketball player but the issue for him IMO is that his game is a bit redundant to the two guys starting in front of him. I think Hurley sees Ross developing into a piece this team desperately needs, a defensive specialist.

Honestly, it took Castle 2/3 of the season to really figure things out (more so on the offensive side) and that was while getting starters minutes. Hopefully Ross can become a sort of poor man's Stephon Castle by tournament time. Hopefully it's just a confidence thing because it is pretty rough on the offensive end right now

Honestly he isn't playing that great on the defensive side either besides a few nice blocks and steals. Definitely not as good as Castle was from the beginning of last year.

 

[Jaydumo20]

Honestly he isn't playing that great on the defensive side either besides a few nice blocks and steals. Definitely not as good as Castle was from the beginning of last year.

True. Although I thought he played Nembhard really well. And RN is better than anybody we've faced since. He will be a very good defender come march.

 

[RuffRuff]

I think Jaylin Stewart is the better all around basketball player but the issue for him IMO is that his game is a bit redundant to the two guys starting in front of him. I think Hurley sees Ross developing into a piece this team desperately needs, a defensive specialist.

Honestly, it took Castle 2/3 of the season to really figure things out (more so on the offensive side) and that was while getting starters minutes. Hopefully Ross can become a sort of poor man's Stephon Castle by tournament time. Hopefully it's just a confidence thing because it is pretty rough on the offensive end right now

Castle was an offensive weapon for us last year as a second on ball shot creator, and a guy who would constantly mix it up near the rim for points. Ross has no dribble game to speak of, is 100% reliant on a pass to create his offense, then doesn't make the shot. His defense isn't Steph - Steph had super quick feet and would velcro his matchup, was in their shirt. Jayden gets beat often, feet look a bit clumsy, can sometimes recoup with his length. He's high energy and active, and long, not necessarily quick and it doesn't translate to staying in front of his matchup. There is very little similar about their overall game, definitely not hoping for a poor man's Steph, just the best version of JR.

The thing about his shooting is that he has been really open, not bad shots at all - so the 2-15 from 3 is generally on a lot of uncontested shots. He's just not making them.

Ross was net -8 against Zags in 11 minutes. Looking pretty good against RN is a nice to have, but need players that net+. Net- players only value become giving Net+ players a chance to rest, and you hope the damage isn't deep while they are in.

 

[pj]

Jaylin Stewart averaged 2.5 ppg last season.

Statistically he's almost the same player as last year, just with slightly more minutes. His free throw shooting, rebounds, assists, and defense may be a bit better, but overall not much advancement.

 

[ctchamps]

Of all the players who are getting playing time Ross has had the least amount of college game experience prior to this season other than Liam. Plus he's had two strikes against him which I've mentioned numerous times. The first is he had a sudden large and late growth spurt which sometimes takes time to adjust to. The second is, because of that spurt, after playing point guard all his life he started playing as a wing.

He's just starting to get into a rhythm coming off the bench as a role player. Now with Liam out he's a starter. New body, new position, new players, new scheme, new role. Apparently he's got the talent. Now he has to become comfortable with it.

 

[PAHusky]

I think at some point (with the caveat that I'm not a national championship winning coach) Dan Hurley needs to just pick one or the other and give them the lion's share of the minutes with Liam out. At this point Ross hasn't really shown anything beyond a few above average defensive plays and almost nothing on the offensive end, so I think you have to go with Stewart, who has at least shown in flashes that he can contribute offensively.

The inability of the sophomore class to make the leap this year from bench pieces to top-25 level starters is what's separating us, in my opinion, from a sweet 16 and a national championship level team. Stewart, Ross and to a lesser extent Solo are not anywhere near what Dan Hurley billed them as over the summer. That really trickles down in a lot of negative ways - forcing more offensive burden onto Karaban (game not suited for it) and a freshman Liam, increased defensive responsibilities of the bigs, etc.

 

[superjohn]

I think at some point (with the caveat that I'm not a national championship winning coach) Dan Hurley needs to just pick one or the other and give them the lion's share of the minutes with Liam out. At this point Ross hasn't really shown anything beyond a few above average defensive plays and almost nothing on the offensive end, so I think you have to go with Stewart, who has at least shown in flashes that he can contribute offensively.

The inability of the sophomore class to make the leap this year from bench pieces to top-25 level starters is what's separating us, in my opinion, from a sweet 16 and a national championship level team. Stewart, Ross and to a lesser extent Solo are not anywhere near what Dan Hurley billed them as over the summer. That really trickles down in a lot of negative ways - forcing more offensive burden onto Karaban (game not suited for it) and a freshman Liam, increased defensive responsibilities of the bigs, etc.

Solo has been really good and he's made a massive jump from last season.

 

[UDann]

Seems like Stewart is an even bigger enigma, because he showed last year he really could do some things, and a lot of people predicted a breakout. He's taken a step back.

Would be nice to see one (or both) go off at some point.

Last year a much stronger team with no pressure to perform. This year we need him to step up. Hopefully he meets everyone’s expectations soon. He has the talent.

 

[AllHusky]

Agree on Solo, would pick Jaylin Stewart over Ross and tell him he "better get his butt in gear and make some plays, cause you're the guy!!" Sink or swim. Ross upside I'm unclear on, because I haven't seen it other than some athletic plays on D, but Stewart has shown the ability to contribute on both ends, just inconsistently.

 

[Waquoit]

These guys are all gonna be better in March.

 

[AllHusky]

These guys are all gonna be better in March.

The Hurley seasonal improvement bounce

 

[nomar]

I remember when the 1999 team was practicing in the Final Four and Billy Packer stated the best player on the practice floor that week was Ajou Ajou Deng. Vitale even proclaimed Deng may end up as the best player ever to wear a UConn uniform.

I don't doubt Ross is doing something electric in practice....but he's not doing it during games and is not consistent enough. Same can probably be said for Nowell and Abraham.

Ajou Deng, the best UConn player ever, followed closely by "The Ferrari," Rodney Purvis.

 

[UConn990411]

It’s not a huge mystery - given his inconsistent playing time last year, he’s basically somewhere between a freshman and sophomore right now.

He’s got a ways to go, but he’s flashed enough potential to know there’s a good player in there. My hope is that he puts most of his focus on defense and rebounding right now, as that’ll be the clearest path to playing time for this team. From there, the game should start to slow down for him and the offense will come along as a result.

 

[ctchamps]

Ajou Deng, the best UConn player ever, followed closely by "The Ferrari," Rodney Purvis.

One more backcourt violation by Mahaney and I’m calling him “The Bentley”.

 

[Inyatkin]

Ajou Deng, the best UConn player ever, followed closely by "The Ferrari," Rodney Purvis.

Rodney Purvis was LeBron James compared to Ajou Deng

 

[Dogdeacon]

I think at some point (with the caveat that I'm not a national championship winning coach) Dan Hurley needs to just pick one or the other and give them the lion's share of the minutes with Liam out. At this point Ross hasn't really shown anything beyond a few above average defensive plays and almost nothing on the offensive end, so I think you have to go with Stewart, who has at least shown in flashes that he can contribute offensively.

The inability of the sophomore class to make the leap this year from bench pieces to top-25 level starters is what's separating us, in my opinion, from a sweet 16 and a national championship level team.

I think a good way to look at it while McNeeley is out is that JStew & JRoss are on steepest part of their learning curves and the mistakes plus weaknesses will be exacerbated by responsibilities beyond their current experience or capabilities. The good news should be once McNeeley is back they'll be able to excel in more complimentary roles.

Hurley keeps saying that the sophomores developing is the key to this team/season and this is an opportunity for that to occur. They were lucky to get the W over Providence, there might be some unanticipated challenging games that look like a regression yet could ultimately become growth via learning thru error and tough game experiences.

 

[RuffRuff]

Rodney Purvis was LeBron James compared to Ajou Deng

All time Uconn c233ck teases: 1) Ajou Deng 2) Andrew Bynum 3) Rodney Purvis 4) Doug Wrenn 5) Lamar Odom

 

[Inyatkin]

All time Uconn c233ck teases: 1) Ajou Deng 2) Andrew Bynum 3) Rodney Purvis 4) Doug Wrenn 5) Lamar Odom

1. Barely played. 2. Never played. 3. Played several years, but not as well as people hoped. By all accounts a great teammate. 4. Barely played. 5. Never played.

One is not like the others.

 

[RuffRuff]

1. Barely played. 2. Never played. 3. Played several years, but not as well as people hoped. By all accounts a great teammate. 4. Barely played. 5. Never played.

One is not like the others.

This is like a NYTimes puzzle where you have to find the common theme - all of these players have somehow teased & seduced UConn fans into frenetic hope and allure. You don't have to necessarily play for the team to do that, simply bait and watch the salivation.

That was also a very quick list of 5 - unlikely to be all that accurate. If you have better, have at em.

 

[Northbound]

Ajou Deng, the best UConn player ever, followed closely by "The Ferrari," Rodney Purvis.

You’re sleeping on Ater Majok.

 

[Inyatkin]

This is like a NYTimes puzzle where you have to find the common theme - all of these players have somehow teased & seduced UConn fans into frenetic hope and allure. You don't have to necessarily play for the team to do that, simply bait and watch the salivation.

That was also a very quick list of 5 - unlikely to be all that accurate. If you have better, have at em.

Just trying to defend the honor of Rodney Purvis, that's all

 

[superjohn]

This is like a NYTimes puzzle where you have to find the common theme - all of these players have somehow teased & seduced UConn fans into frenetic hope and allure. You don't have to necessarily play for the team to do that, simply bait and watch the salivation.

That was also a very quick list of 5 - unlikely to be all that accurate. If you have better, have at em.

Teased and seduced, frenetic hope and allure?

Is this the boneyard or is this Penthouse Letters?

 

[DogMania]

We've all seen both Jay's make plays. They're both talented and capable. Neither seem to have enough confidence in their game so far to perform consistently, especially Ross.

Jayden has not been able to replicate consistently the eye popping plays he's demonstrated against the lessor opponents. He looked very Reggie Lewis light in the early games, but for some reason the game seems too fast for him. He just needs to learn to play hard and relax at the same time. He needs to experience some early success when he's out there, knocking down a 3, successfully driving the paint and finishing or setting up a teammate who has a better shot. He also needs to pick his spots on making the big defense plays and to focus more on staying between his man and the basket.

Jaylin, as pointed out, has shown some spurt scoring ability against a couple good teams after not showing much at the beginning of the season. Many probably forgot how MIA he looked at the beginning of the season, but has since contributed a couple times. Stewart doesn't have the play making or create his own shot skills like Ross did early on, but is a more physical player and has had a more reliable 3 Pt shot than Ross.

I'm fine with Ross starting and would be fine with Stewart starting depending the matchups. Unfortunately, a lineup with Diarra, Ball and Mahaney is just not big or physical enough, at least to start the game or for long stretches. They'd run the risk of getting exposed on the defense end and picking up a slew early fouls. I see Aidan more of a replacement when Ball sits, so with McNeeley out for a while it's time for the Jay's to step up. I hope both do so since they are both capable, and doing so makes the Huskies a more dangerous and deep team.

Just as the Yard needed to show patience with Mahaney who is starting to come around albeit in the Joey Cal role, we just need to be patient with these two sophomores and hope the stage begins to not feel so big for them. I'm hopeful.