Thoughts

[Hoops91]

If they get a power center next year, whoever that is UCONN is going to be really good next year.

PG - Cole
SG - Gaffney
SF - Bouknight
PF -AKOK
C- ? (Someone that rebounds like crazy) not Carlton


Plenty of offense...

They'll have great guards, bouknight the true scorer like Rip. AKOK and another true big with Whaley coming off the bench. They'll have depth with Adams and maybe a freshman - I haven't been this excited in years but they 100% need another true center..

 

[Conndog]

Akok needs to become offensive threat down low, if possible. I would love him to put on some more weight and be rebound/banger type. Imagine if he develops some moves down low, some nice pivots, etc. physically, he has body like Kevin McKale- could he develop similar game? Let other guys shoot the outside shot, if he is too far from basket, he can’t get any rebounds.

 

[superjohn]

The team gets torched from outside and it is the bigs' fault? That is stellar analysis on your part.

The refs also gifted us several calls, so we can't blame them for tonight. The team didn't play any defense at all, and the only reason they came back was SMU inexplicably went into this loose 1-3-1 that left everyone wide open for about 4 minutes.

Look at how transparent this moron is...

SMU was getting to the rim at will. Some of our defenders, particularly Akok, were just backing up and letting them get to the hoop.

 

[Fatroony5]

Sure. They clearly aren't good enough. And Akok is absolutely playing at no better than 50% of what he was in Charleston and shortly after. Not sure if injuries, a freshman wall or something else. Even that high effort motor where he used to beat everyone down the floor on D is not there.

That said, Nelson is correct that Josh can't score, except via offensive rebounds, when we never put him in the post and get him the ball. Hurley seems to have intentionally removed that from the game plan. If that's because it's not part of his offense going forward and he wants the team to adapt, I get that. But Josh is nearly useless in that system on offense. I can't give Josh a full pass on his play, he drops too many passes and rebounds and doesn't finish strong. But a center isn't supposed to create his own shots, and we aren't getting him the ball.

Honestly, I think just having Springs this year might have been worth two more wins. We are so weak inside. Even with no other big Javonte Brown Ferguson and Springs are upgrades next year. I do expect Hurley will get somebody else, and I really do not see how Josh fits going forward.

It seems like early in games they are content to try and feed JC down low. Problem is a few things. One, the guards are making it more difficult for him to be effective on the block. The entry passes have not been great. Lob passes from well beyond the three point line, passes from the top of the key that get tipped and stolen. That’s not good offense so some of that is on our guards trying to force that action. That being said, JC weakness is his footwork and hands. He can’t adjust well to non perfect passes. Seems like after the first few minutes, DH is fine with moving away from that. JC is just not a good finisher. This team would look so much different if we had a physical, strong big who had good hands and decent footwork. Don’t need a 20/10 guy, but they do need at least some production from their front court guys.

 

[AJP12]

The team gets torched from outside and it is the bigs' fault? That is stellar analysis on your part.

The refs also gifted us several calls, so we can't blame them for tonight. The team didn't play any defense at all, and the only reason they came back was SMU inexplicably went into this loose 1-3-1 that left everyone wide open for about 4 minutes.

They made 9 three pointers. Not exactly torched. Granted, they made half of them, but we made 11 at a 45% clip. You can win games giving up 9 threes.

Where they also killed us at a greater degree was inside. We outscored them from 3. How badly do you think they outscored us in the paint? They, primarily, Hunt and Davis repeatedly drove and we had nobody to offer any help defense. Carlton may as well not even be there, that's how much help D he offers. At one point their 5'8 guard drove in and took one dribble past him and calmly laid it up and under for a lay in. The same exact play that Gilbert has been blocked on about 50 times this year.

I've said a hundred times, but I'm going to say it again since you apparently are a slow learner. Carlton and Gilbert are THE reasons we lose these games. The 2 guys you refuse to criticize and constantly bash posters for criticizing. All our players make mistakes. But they do it a few times. Carlton and AG are constantly making negative plays because they have (had) the ball so much. So you can continue condescendingly poo pooing other posters while you continue to be wrong at every turn and blaming Hurley and everyone but those 2. But you will continue to be wrong.

You think its a coincidence that we finally started pulling out those close W's when both saw their playtime significantly cut?

 

[AJP12]

I though Bouk and Gaffney did great for the most part. I do wonder if Gaffney is still a not quite 100%. He goes east west a lot and can't really get by his man. I think he is more athletic than that. Bouk plays like a Junior, and a damn good one. When was the last time on of our freshman scored over 20 points 3 straight games?

I thought Hurley stayed with Gilbert a few too many possessions at one point, but then he hit 2 big 3s later to get us back into it. Missed free throws hurt, especially the front end by Whaley, that's essentially a turnover.

That said, next year should be exciting. With Cole our spacing should be better and I suspect we will see Cole, Gaffney and Bouk on the court together a lot. That's an exciting trio. Add Andre Jackson and an improved Akok, as well as senior Josh and it's a real nice nucleus. Not to mention a really good role player in Adams.

We are close, but not quite there yet.

Yeah I'm not sure what is up with Gaffney. He played well last night and has been improving. He has a great stroke and moves the ball well and quickly. But he has yet to flash any athleticism at all, and some on here were billing him as "Westbrook-ish" (lol).

The only issue I see is that he is soooo passive and soft. He's like the guard version of Carlton. They both sort of just fling the ball to the hoop and avoid contact, rather than taking it strong.

I want to see Gaffney develop a little bit of an edge to him. Carlton, to his credit, flashes that edge from time to time. Unfortunately, his physical limitations hold him back. But if Gaffney gets some confidence and a little edge, he could be really good for us.

 

[Towney007]

Some wild stuff in here.

Carlton just isn't and shouldn't be considered a focal point on offense for us anymore and if he is - we're in way worse trouble than we think. He's going to have to adjust to the style here and frankly, i'm not sure he will. Good kid, but he's not a fit here in this system anymore. He'll get time because we need his body, but expecting anything outside of that is a big, fat lol.

Gaffney's a freshman's freshman. He's being asked to start before he's ready because Gilbert's just not very good - and all things considered - has been pretty darn transformational for this ballclub. Yes, he shoots like crap, yes he's timid, sometimes soft - and he's 100% THE GUY on the floor who you can watch and see that when the game speeds up, he struggles to keep up. But he's not dribble driving into traffic every third possession, he's not throwing the ball into the stands and bouncing balls off guys' feet. Our overall degree of competitiveness with him running the show is like night and day compared to Gilbert.

We're better than our record, we've got a shot at a goofy run... we need to get Akok cooking again, but he just looks beat up and totally gassed... But I've been mostly pleased with all of the adjustments and improvements on the team.

 

[jibsey]

I saw Akok setting a screen a while back. He looked like a toothpick stick figure. That body type doesn’t gain weight easily. shot blocker fine but he’s going to need to pull up for mid range jumpers to get his O.

 

[UConn2SF]

Yeah I'm not sure what is up with Gaffney. He played well last night and has been improving. He has a great stroke and moves the ball well and quickly. But he has yet to flash any athleticism at all, and some on here were billing him as "Westbrook-ish" (lol).

The only issue I see is that he is soooo passive and soft. He's like the guard version of Carlton. They both sort of just fling the ball to the hoop and avoid contact, rather than taking it strong.

I want to see Gaffney develop a little bit of an edge to him. Carlton, to his credit, flashes that edge from time to time. Unfortunately, his physical limitations hold him back. But if Gaffney gets some confidence and a little edge, he could be really good for us.

I agree, we havent seen it. But was Mike Rice, the disgraced former Rutgers coach that first compared him to Westbrook. Rice coached Gaffney's AAU team for 4 years.

 

[PAHusky]

Akok needs to become offensive threat down low, if possible. I would love him to put on some more weight and be rebound/banger type. Imagine if he develops some moves down low, some nice pivots, etc. physically, he has body like Kevin McKale- could he develop similar game? Let other guys shoot the outside shot, if he is too far from basket, he can’t get any rebounds.

I actually don't mind akok shooting threes. He's got a pretty good natural stroke, and while he's missing a lot they're not bad misses - usually in and out. Tends to take them at the end of the shot clock with a hand in his face too

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Look at how transparent this moron is...

No thanks, I'll spend my attention & energy elsewhere.
You could do the same.
I invite you to give it a try.

 

[Hoops91]

Yes and we caught them on one of those days when a good offensive team was really hot. The lack of intensively On D from our guys didn’t help. One issue that is plaguing us thru all these close loses is FT shooting. Not saying we would have won if we hit more last night but we would have been in a better pos

I know nothing about Springs game but he's supposed to be a ferocious rebounder. Is it possible he could be the man in the middle?

He's only 6'6 they need a true big guy down low

 

[HooperScooper]

He's only 6'6 they need a true big guy down low

Springs is listed at 6-9 and 220.

 

[Fatroony5]

Springs is listed at 6-9 and 220.

Yeah not sure where he got that 6’6 from. But I do agree that this team could use a physical big who can guard those athletic strong bigs who keep going off against us.

 

[Tenspro2002]

If they get a power center next year, whoever that is UCONN is going to be really good next year.

PG - Cole
SG - Gaffney
SF - Bouknight
PF -AKOK
C- ? (Someone that rebounds like crazy) not Carlton


Plenty of offense...

They'll have great guards, bouknight the true scorer like Rip. AKOK and another true big with Whaley coming off the bench. They'll have depth with Adams and maybe a freshman - I haven't been this excited in years but they 100% need another true center..

Imagine that starting 1-4 with a sophomore Kofi Cockburn.

Add Adams off the bench at the guard position, Sid Wilson, Andre Jackson, and Polley off the bench at the 3/4, and Whaley/Springs/Brown-Ferguson at the 5, and that's a hell of a roster.

That's one recruiting miss away from being a top 10 team.

 

[Marat]

Yeah not sure where he got that 6’6 from. But I do agree that this team could use a physical big who can guard those athletic strong bigs who keep going off against us.

Yes definately need another physical athletic big since JC is not going to become that next season.

Springs will also need to beef up as he currently fits the skinny UConn physique. I hope Sal is working with him.

 

[JustbrewitMan]

Yes definately need another physical athletic big since JC is not going to become that next season.

Springs will also need to beef up as he currently fits the skinny UConn physique. I hope Sal is working with him.

I dunno Marat. I met him in person in the fall at the UConn football game. He's definitely not skinny. I'm cautiously optimistic that come next fall, he's gonna be even more beefed up and will more than hold his own against tough physical comp

 

[Marat]

I dunno Marat. I met him in person in the fall at the UConn football game. He's definitely not skinny. I'm cautiously optimistic that come next fall, he's gonna be even more beefed up and will more than hold his own against tough physical comp

Well not Akok skinny, no. But from seeing him upclose around the bench wearing a short sleeve polo shirt it seems he could definately fill out more which could very well happen into next fall.

 

[husky429]

Springs is listed at 6-9 and 220.

I have heard he's grown to 6'10. Not sure about weight... but you have to think he's gotten much stronger working with Sal all year.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Yeah I'm not sure what is up with Gaffney. He played well last night and has been improving. He has a great stroke and moves the ball well and quickly. But he has yet to flash any athleticism at all, and some on here were billing him as "Westbrook-ish" (lol).

The only issue I see is that he is soooo passive and soft. He's like the guard version of Carlton. They both sort of just fling the ball to the hoop and avoid contact, rather than taking it strong.

I want to see Gaffney develop a little bit of an edge to him. Carlton, to his credit, flashes that edge from time to time. Unfortunately, his physical limitations hold him back. But if Gaffney gets some confidence and a little edge, he could be really good for us.

How much 1-on-1 perimeter play do you want? We are pretty close to every possession already. Should our posts players take no shots a game?

 

[Rico444]

I just want Gaffney to improve his handle a bit. Quicker defenders get right in his grill and at times, it takes us 15 seconds or more just to get into our offense. I have no doubt that in time he will improve there.

 

[tjc1888]

How much 1-on-1 perimeter play do you want? We are pretty close to every possession already. Should our posts players take no shots a game?

Did you not watch the beginning of the year when our offense was being run through Carleton? How’d that work out?

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Did you not watch the beginning of the year when our offense was being run through Carleton? How’d that work out?

Beat Florida and took Xavier to OT. That's how.

 

[tjc1888]

Beat Florida and took Xavier to OT. That's how.

Carleton was 4-12 with 5 TOs against X and bouk had 19.

Florida isn’t nearly as good as they were billed to be. Also not like Carleton is the reason we won that game. Had 13 on 5-10 but also 4 TOs.

If you think the offense should run through Carleton then I don’t even know what to tell you

 

[joober jones]

Whaley's biggest problem is a lack of height. He's been employed at a position he physically isn't built to play. That he's been able to perform as well as he has is pretty impressive.