Time to bench AG

[WhereistheDove?]

I find it funny that some are ready to
hand the keys to JG already. Did he play better tonight than his first few games? Yeah because he was pretty poor (to say the least) in those, so not a huge mountain to climb. AG is in a serious slump, benching doesn’t help get him out of it. BA has played very good but we need a guy like him off the bench. Let’s see how we do without AG for a full game to make an actual judgement.

Just went back through the whole thread and maybe I missed it but I don’t see one person suggesting that JG should be the starting point guard right now. I can’t remember seeing that in any other threads either.

 

[CL82]

Me too. I fell asleep last night before halftime and I wasn't even drinking. Have to try something different tonight.

For me it’s just the opposite. I find it hard to wind down and go to sleep after the game. It’s going to be a little tough at work at about 3 PM today.

 

[HuskylnSC]

AG is pressing, probably from reading all the preseason comments on how we need him to lead. He needs to slow down mentally and let the game come to him. He has the best handle on the team (until Gaffney and Bouk really show what they can do) and has proven to be a skilled passer. I trust Dan Hurley to get him squared away. BA was great and will get the opportunity to run the team the rest of the weekend. Gaffney will also get more minutes (which Dan Hurley said he needed). Al will be on the bench with taliek in his ear. Suggest we don't throw the kid overboard after 4 games considering all he has suffered to play here. It's all good. Beat Xavier!

 

[Sphinx]

My guess is that Dan Hurley would be willing to hand the keys to Gaffney this very day if the kid were up to the job defensively. Same is true of Bouknight. Probably the reason Bouk sat out the last six minutes. Not true of Adams, who shines defensively and will see starter's minutes if he can deliver offensively as he did last night.

 

[GoDAWGS]

Gilbert is removed totally from the rotation. I’ve never seen anything like this.

He was clearly hurt.

 

[browndog319]

Gilbert has struggled to start this season, but if we’re going to be a tournament team we will need him to be a large contributor and play a role.

If we’re going to be a tournament team, I don’t think we wait for him to figure it out. I think we play with the players that are playing well and develop them... so that by March they have experience.
I know AG has been hurt a lot of his time at UConn but he is a senior. At some point, he has to own the development he has had. He has had more time to develop than other guys who had no problems.

 

[GoDAWGS]

Alterique will be fine, hes our best option at point guard, are we really going to say we should keep the guy off the floor when we have at least 18 more games. Hes not looking great but we still need him in the rotation. Are we really going to trash the kid already.

 

[browndog319]

Alterique will be fine, hes our best option at point guard, are we really going to say we should keep the guy off the floor when we have at least 18 more games. Hes not looking great but we still need him in the rotation. Are we really going to trash the kid already.

No one said keep him off. We said maybe not start him.

 

[outlaw]

any update on the injury?

 

[Rico444]

I don't think it's quite time to bench him yet, but he doesn't look like the same player so far this year, that's for sure. You have to wonder if all the injuries have taken their toll, and I was really impressed with Gaffney tonight. The kid can really play, and he hasn't even made an impact scoring yet.

That being said, Gilbert deserves to play when healthy. Three games isn't enough of a sample size to make any final decisions on who should be getting the lion's share of minutes.

 

[Rico444]

For me it’s just the opposite. I find it hard to wind down and go to sleep after the game. It’s going to be a little tough at work at about 3 PM today.

Yeah it took me awhile to wind down too. Then my dogs woke me up at 4 AM, so tonight's game may be tough to make it through.

 

[8893]

For me it’s just the opposite. I find it hard to wind down and go to sleep after the game. It’s going to be a little tough at work at about 3 PM today.

If I make it through to the end of a game, that’s exactly what happens to me. But for some reason I still haven’t adjusted to DST and I’m waking up before 5:00 a.m. almost every day so 9:00 feels like midnight to me and I frequently start nodding off before 10:00.

 

[mauconnfan]

No one said keep him off. We said maybe not start him.

If healthy he's our best option at point. He won't be playing tonight so I certainly hope the kids are ready for a different look from a tougher defensive team. Not saying they can't we will see. Until then we need to get his ankle healthy then his mind and game healthy because we need AG to be good as he can be and we've seen. All these extra great things we see and have is predicated upon him figuring it out.

 

[Candyman]

Adams had a great game but lets stop with the he should be starting PG talk. He filled in and played well as you want from your bench players, Next Guy Up, as they say. Please remember that Adams fouled out in 10 minutes against St Joe's and played 11 minutes against Florida and was 0-3. Should be play more yes but should he start no.

 

[CTrefugee]

We have had a bunch of these guys.. They do a few good things and they get "full of themselves" and regress to the schoolyard where they could get away with anything (such as driving 1 on 3 into the trees). Calhoun would yank them immediately. Sometimes, with the smart ones, that lesson sank in. Not sure if it would work with AG.

 

[firstnline]

For me it’s just the opposite. I find it hard to wind down and go to sleep after the game. It’s going to be a little tough at work at about 3 PM today.

I couldn't get any sleep after the game I was so pumped. Let it happen again tonight baby

 

[mauconnfan]

If I make it through to the end of a game, that’s exactly what happens to me. But for some reason I still haven’t adjusted to DST and I’m waking up before 5:00 a.m. almost every day so 9:00 feels like midnight to me and I frequently start nodding off before 10:00.

I did exactly what CL82 did, wound up. A brief post game with my brother despite calling each other 20 times during the game and then I was so awake watched my DVR of Chicago PD until almost 1. Woke up at 5 so tonight my hope is a nap prior LOL, then the alarm and get right into it. Won't be easy. (maybe some golf in an hour and a few beers today too yikes)

 

[mauconnfan]

We have had a bunch of these guys.. They do a few good things and they get "full of themselves" and regress to the schoolyard where they could get away with anything (such as driving 1 on 3 into the trees). Calhoun would yank them immediately. Sometimes, with the smart ones, that lesson sank in. Not sure if it would work with AG.

Not even close throwing him in with a "binch of these guys" actually ridiculous. He's had som many terrible injuries and yet has had some tremendous games and show his potential he can't be bunched in like that. He's struggling big time but we need him to be healthy and find his game because he is a difference maker at that point.

 

[spudzj6]

any update on the injury?

Hurley said last night - “I’d be surprised if we see him the rest of the week”

 

[Candyman]

Hurley said last night - “I’d be surprised if we see him the rest of the week”

Also per Borges - Hurley said that Gilbert wanted to get back in the game, but that he wasn’t medically cleared by trainer James Doran. The coach added that Gilbert probably won’t play again in this tournament, though he’ll see what Gilbert can do at shootaround on Friday.

 

[willie99]

Brendan Adams should be starting at PG until Bouknight proves himself. AG’s inefficiency is killing us. 24% fg and 21% from 3 not counting this half’s bricks. He doesn’t make up for the inefficiency in any other facet of the game.

It pains me to say this, but he's killing us when he's out there. Never mind not making shots, his decisions with the ball and his turnovers are awful.

I'm hoping he finds his game again, because I do believe he's critical to our short term success. Although I'm really excited about how our young guards are playing as well as Akok. I think Bouknight had one of the best debuts we've seen in a long long time, maybe since Ray Ray. I loved him for all of those 12 minutes.

Back to AG, step it up my man, be the leader we all know you can be.

 

[willie99]

Hurley said last night - “I’d be surprised if we see him the rest of the week”

I think I saw something about AG wanting to play the 2nd half too, I'm hoping he plays again in this tournament

 

[Marat]

I couldn't get any sleep after the game I was so pumped. Let it happen again tonight baby

Also woke up early before 5am and then couldn't fall asleep - had visions of Bouknight terrorizing our opponents in my dreams.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

What’s the injury? Is this the equivalent of when the place a struggling pitcher on the IL in MLB with “arm soreness” to give them time to mentally recover?

 

[ctchamps]

If healthy he's our best option at point. He won't be playing tonight so I certainly hope the kids are ready for a different look from a tougher defensive team. Not saying they can't we will see. Until then we need to get his ankle healthy then his mind and game healthy because we need AG to be good as he can be and we've seen. All these extra great things we see and have is predicated upon him figuring it out.

AG’s movement on offense without the ball puts a lot of pressure on defenses that I noticed was reduced with BA, CV and JG taking point. It was less noticeable with James. Kid is lightening quick. Problem is he’s learning team play.

I’ve been high on Brendan and Jalen earlier than others here. But I’m concerned people are missing things AG does. I expect greater difficulty bringing the ball up the court on full court presses and fatigue to hurt a shortened team. Brendan looked like he was having back spasms towards the end of the game.

Coach Hurley was integrating the role players into the game nicely providing them with more playing time. It was only one game earlier people were saying putting in Brendan and Jalen together was a mistake and now they want them to start.

AG absence will hurt. Hopefully the young pups can play better than where they currently are in their development.

 

[Chuck]

AG, because of his height, needs an outside shot. He needs his defender to respect his ability to hit an open 3 so he could go around him. Once in the lane with the defender on his back, he could do some damage. With his outside shot being off, his defenders are leaving some room (knowing they can come close to closing out on a shot anyway with his lack of size). Now he's dragging multiple defenders into the lane, but not beating them. He's trapping himself. He's always overpenetrated (that's what she said), but it's become worse. If he doesn't fix the outside shot, he's in trouble.

That being said, he was a decent shooter (even if not consistent). It's not like asking Taliek to become Ben Gordon. Something happened to AG's shot (physical or mental) so hopefully he can get it back.

 

[Rocktheworld]

He’s been looking like a homeless man’s Kylie Irving

 

[spudzj6]

I

What’s the injury? Is this the equivalent of when the place a struggling pitcher on the IL in MLB with “arm soreness” to give them time to mentally recover?

Ankle sprain. it didn’t look like your normal roll-and-bounce back up, so I thought it was more than a tweak live. But after he went to the locker room, he ran by us on the far sideline and looked ok to me. But hard to tell how an ankle responds in the moment. Like others said, gotta see how it responds overnight. I’m sure we’ll get an update this afternoon if he’s playing or not

 

[ZenConn]

AG will figure it out. It's just not going to happen overnight. We've seen glimpses and flashes just like when we saw our other PGs as freshman. He's essentially a sophomore in the number of games played.

Kemba played 36 games as a freshman. Taleik played 31 games as a freshman.

Through last season, AG played 34 games and is asked to shoulder the load. The good thing is that Gaffney, BA are getting quality game action as freshman. AG was never afforded that luxury.

I remember people having the same complaints with Kemba, Taleik - drives too deeep, can't finish in the crowd, etc. Right now, I'm still in AG's corner because we need him.

 

[mauconnfan]

AG, because of his height, needs an outside shot. He needs his defender to respect his ability to hit an open 3 so he could go around him. Once in the lane with the defender on his back, he could do some damage. With his outside shot being off, his defenders are leaving some room (knowing they can come close to closing out on a shot anyway with his lack of size). Now he's dragging multiple defenders into the lane, but not beating them. He's trapping himself. He's always overpenetrated (that's what she said), but it's become worse. If he doesn't fix the outside shot, he's in trouble.

That being said, he was a decent shooter (even if not consistent). It's not like asking Taliek to become Ben Gordon. Something happened to AG's shot (physical or mental) so hopefully he can get it back.

Your point is spot on but making the 3 is not the issue at all. No one can stop him from getting to the lane problem is he needs to stop and pop the mid range or kick out, as you said high percentage ends up deep penetration with no where to go it's like a TO. Needs to be a PG first. Hope he can get there.