Tremont Waters

[KembaStepback]

The off-season isn't done. We don't know what the team is going to look like in a few months. We can hope that Waters decides to come here. Maybe some grad transfers or whatever and we'll assess from there.

 

[businesslawyer]

First of all, I'm not a whiner. I'm concerned that we are now in what has been called survival mode and I just find this difficult to swallow. How we got into this situation wasn't the point of my post. It was my dismay that we may be in this position and based on some responses there are some posters who believe we are actually in survival mode. This just isn't where I thought we would be at this point in time, so yeah I'm disappointed as all of us should be. However, at some point "another disappointing year" isn't going to cut it.

You are free to determine what "cuts it" for you. What you are not free to do is ignore the reality of the situation which is that we've had four players leave -- at least 3 unexpectedly -- and have at the moment an 8 man roster which means we have five empty spaces on the bench at a time of year when the vast majority of top high school prospects are already committed. So the reality of the situation is that we need to fill at least most of those spots, and those of us grounded in reality can only judge how we are filling them based on what is currently possible and not what might have been if we were filling them before the first signing period.

So if you want to panic because we may be heading for back to back years that are below our standards, go ahead. But the season is seven months off. Forgive most of us who are focused on how we make lemonaid out of a lemon of a situation while we're making the lemonade. We can then join you in going back to whining about the overall state of the program when we have done the best we can filling our immediate needs.

 

[businesslawyer]

Historical precedent is great, but it really depends on the players, and to give you a tautology, different players are different. I happen to like him better at the 3, from what I saw in his brief appearances.

Why would you even say this? I'd rather wake up to Brooklyn Decker in the morning than my wife. So what?

The only relevant question is whether he can guard a 4 defensively. Because if he can, that is where reality dictates he plays regardless of what you think his best position is.

 

[CTBasketball]

Why would you even say this? I'd rather wake up to Brooklyn Decker in the morning than my wife. So what?

The only relevant question is whether he can guard a 4 defensively. Because if he can, that is where reality dictates he plays regardless of what you think his best position is.

+1,000

 

[Doctor Hoop]

Why would you even say this? I'd rather wake up to Brooklyn Decker in the morning than my wife. So what?

The only relevant question is whether he can guard a 4 defensively. Because if he can, that is where reality dictates he plays regardless of what you think his best position is.

So, I think what you're saying is it depends on matchups and situational effectiveness. We agree, then. I think that's a perfectly reasonable approach. Ollie seems to be trying to construct a team that gives him the flexibility to play with 3 guards and a slim stretch four, or go bigger/stronger with more length and strength inside, depending on matchups. You want your best players on the floor but you can't get burned by matchups because of it.

 

[walkrightier]

I don't get all the concern about UConn not being Tremont's first choice. Plenty of kids end up going to colleges, including UConn, that aren't there first choice and end up perfectly happy and successful

 

[imno1]

I don't get all the concern about UConn not being Tremont's first choice. Plenty of kids end up going to colleges, including UConn, that aren't there first choice and end up perfectly happy and successful

Who cares as long as it's his final choice

 

[walkrightier]

Who cares as long as it's his final choice

Exactly

 

[Fishy]

They do not award style points in recruiting.

Just get Tremont Waters into a UConn uniform.

 

[Matrim55]

They do not award style points in recruiting.

Just get Tremont Waters into a UConn uniform.

You said it, Chief!

 

[Tenspro2002]

I don't get all the concern about UConn not being Tremont's first choice. Plenty of kids end up going to colleges, including UConn, that aren't there first choice and end up perfectly happy and successful

The concern is that, in this era where kids transfer at the drop of a hat -- and as we've seen lately, they're not shy about bailing on UConn in particular -- someone who's lukewarm about being here may not be here for long.

That said, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it and I'd much rather have him come here than not.

 

[Danzz]

I don't get all the concern about UConn not being Tremont's first choice. Plenty of kids end up going to colleges, including UConn, that aren't there first choice and end up perfectly happy and successful

He wasn't our first choice either. Tremont's first choice was Georgetown. I'd call it a push.

 

[walkrightier]

The concern is that, in this era where kids transfer at the drop of a hat -- and as we've seen lately, they're not shy about bailing on UConn in particular -- someone who's lukewarm about being here may not be here for long.

That said, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it and I'd much rather have him come here than not.

you make a good point, we were the top choice for Jackson/Enoch/Durham and they all left. We were the second choice for CV and he's still here. So there's no good way of predicting who's gonna be a good fit and not. We are talking about teenagers after all

 

[UConnStats]

2005-06 Villanova Wildcats Roster and Stats | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com

Something to daydream on.

 

[Mooch82]

you make a good point, we were the top choice for Jackson/Enoch/Durham and they all left. We were the second choice for CV and he's still here. So there's no good way of predicting who's gonna be a good fit and not. We are talking about teenagers after all

And we were Boat's 3rd choice, Purvis' 2nd choice...and they each stayed 4 years.

 

[King Husky]

2005-06 Villanova Wildcats Roster and Stats | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com

Something to daydream on.

Dante Cunningham too, who has made himself a stable NBA player. But I thought Curtis Sumpter was their one big in that lineup?

 

[the Q]

Dante Cunningham too, who has made himself a stable NBA player. But I thought Curtis Sumpter was their one big in that lineup?

Wasn't that the year Sumpter tore his ACL?

 

[the Q]

2005-06 Villanova Wildcats Roster and Stats | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com

Something to daydream on.

2009 and 2016 work well too.

 

[UConnStats]

2009 and 2016 work well too.

My point was more that they were an elite 8 team playing 4 guards 6'4 and shorter for 75% of their games.

A hypothetical 3 guard lineup for us next year with Larrier and X Center could still be a very good team if we add some quality depth.

 

[Mr. French]

My point was more that they were an elite 8 team playing 4 guards 6'4 and shorter for 75% of their games.

A hypothetical 3 guard lineup for us next year with Larrier and X Center could still be a very good team if we add some quality depth.

Definitely ... You're both onto something.

Brunson, Arci, Hart and either Jenkins or another plus ochefu, that's not a monster lineup, but it's effective if everyone actively rebounds.

Much like our 2014 team also.

 

[Chief00]

They do not award style points in recruiting.

Just get Tremont Waters into a UConn uniform.

That's so true - get him in a uniform. That was a huge mistake we made on Diallo - we had a class schedule without the student.

 

[King Husky]

My point was more that they were an elite 8 team playing 4 guards 6'4 and shorter for 75% of their games.

A hypothetical 3 guard lineup for us next year with Larrier and X Center could still be a very good team if we add some quality depth.

And not to start a fire here, but I have a feeling that's a type of team KO would really excel at coaching.

 

[Durks07]

That's so true - get him in a uniform. That was a huge mistake we made on Diallo - we had a class schedule without the student.

Great, now he's talking to himself....

 

[the Q]

And not to start a fire here, but I have a feeling that's a type of team KO would really excel at coaching.

Like the 2014 team...

 

[the Q]

Definitely ... You're both onto something.

Brunson, Arci, Hart and either Jenkins or another plus ochefu, that's not a monster lineup, but it's effective if everyone actively rebounds.

Much like our 2014 team also.

1999, 2011, and 2014 were all somewhat similar.

2004 was a little different.

The one real similarity across all 4?

Multiple ball handlers (99: KEA/Moore, 04: Brown/Gordon, 2011: Kemba/Bazz, 2014: Bazz/Boat)