Tyler Polley returning to UConn

[Ajs120102]

Hawkins did not come to UConn for 10 minutes a game, that's for sure!

Yup and as a person who has never visited the school, like Javonte Brown Ferguson, have to be extra careful how you treat freshman. Especially with Kenya not being there.

 

[Umami Zen]

this is assuming jackson gains at least a serviceable jumpshot. if not, his minutes will drop.

by end of season:
1: rj 25, sool 15
2: hawkins 20, gaffney 10, martin 10
3: jackson 20, martin 10, polley 10
4: whaley 20, akok 10, polley 5, johnson 5
5: sanogo 25, whaley 10, akok 5

Don't disagree with most of your PT allocations -But I will say this-I believe the Young Bucks coming in this year are really going to push the vets for PT-They're all Alphas. Think the BY is underselling Samson Johnson

Will make us a better team and a deeper team.

Add another bucket getter and/or sniper with the remaining three spots- FF team

 

[husky429]

Hawkins did not come to UConn for 10 minutes a game, that's for sure!

He is going to earn 25 a game by February. The other freshman could earn 5 mins or 25... idk. I just don't see a situation where Hawkins doesn't play. Effecient scorer, high % from deep and thrives playing defense.

His handle will be a concern at times but if Jackson is able to play big minutes as an extra ballhandler to make up for it, we'll be more than okay.

 

[MexicoHusky]

Interesting. I was way wrong. Thought some of our guys would head off to Europe.

 

[his dudeness]

I noticed Samson J liked one of Polley's tweets regarding the return, hopefully that means he's not upset by the fairly deep returning frontcourt. Multiple guys miss time with injuries every season, so I'm not sweating the minutes crunch either. Competition will be fierce and it will work itself out.

 

[uconn1999]

Damn, I thought I was told he was going to make $$$$ as a Pro. Guess the taste of pine is more to his liking.
No handle, no moves, no speed, an eternity to get his shot, no D, can’t hit the glass and NO options.
Like a kid that won’t leave home.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Damn, I thought I was told he was going to make $$$$ as a Pro. Guess the taste of pine is more to his liking.
No handle, no moves, no speed, an eternity to get his shot, no D, can’t hit the glass and NO options.
Like a kid that won’t leave home.

God this program has some absolute cretins following it.

 

[husky429]

Damn, I thought I was told he was going to make $$$$ as a Pro. Guess the taste of pine is more to his liking.
No handle, no moves, no speed, an eternity to get his shot, no D, can’t hit the glass and NO options.
Like a kid that won’t leave home.

I see the local dunce has showed up again. Welcome!

 

[superjohn]

God this program has some absolute cretins following it.

It wasn't always like this, it's gotten so much worse just in recent months.

 

[bendm]

Martin does literally everything better than Polley aside from shoot. Granted, shooting is a big part of the game and I'm happy that Polley is back, but you're underselling Martin. There's a reason he played 10 minutes more a game this year than Polley did.

when i gave my rotation i said i was hoping we finally get back pre-injury polley but no one seems to have noticed or is taking that into consideration. before he got hurt last year, paving the way for bouk to start, polley was arguably playing better than anyone

 

[Huskyforlife]

Cole(25)-Diggins(10)-Gaffney(5)
Hawkins(25)-Gaffney(10)-Jackson(5)
Jackson(20)-Polley(15)-Martin(5)
Whaley(15)-Akok(20)-Martin(5)
Sanogo(30)-Whaley(10)-RS/Samson Johnson(DNP/Foul Trouble

I'm in the camp that doesn't love Martin, especially playing at the 3. Personally think there's a chance he's played out of the rotation entirely if some guys play up to their potential. But there's also a chance he out plays Polley, that'll be an interesting situation to monitor. I'm also at the point where I dont see how Hawkins doesn't get the nod at SG considering his fit and talent, but Gaffney could start the season there as we figure our rotations out like last year. There's just no minutes for Springs or Johnson outside of foul trouble anymore, so I hope dan is honest with Springs about that. Also doubt we add anyone else who would be more than a redshirt candidate, we have an abundance of competition as it stands.

 

[OkaForPrez]

Thank you for the MANY corrections to my Jackson omission

 

[tzznandrew]

when i gave my rotation i said i was hoping we finally get back pre-injury polley but no one seems to have noticed or is taking that into consideration. before he got hurt last year, paving the way for bouk to start, polley was arguably playing better than anyone

I mean, not to be a jerk, but it wouldn't be a great argument. He was playing well, and injured himself scoring 19 points against Tulane. But in the last five games he played, including that one, he averaged:

7ppg on 37% shooting (28% from 3). He was averaging 4.4 rebounds, so that's something. But he wasn't a world beater. He does something well.

 

[bendm]

I mean, not to be a jerk, but it wouldn't be a great argument. He was playing well, and injured himself scoring 19 points against Tulane. But in the last five games he played, including that one, he averaged:

7ppg on 37% shooting (28% from 3). He was averaging 4.4 rebounds, so that's something. But he wasn't a world beater. He does something well.

why are you limiting him to 5 games? in the 15 games he played he was averaging 9.5 pts and 3.2 rebs on 40% from 3 in 25 mpg. those are starters numbers and if he can do that next season as the 3rd scoring option he'll be starting again

 

[Spaceman213J]

It's a deep roster fill with talented guys, who most have some serious questions coming into next year. What I love about that is it puts pressure on the kids to improve. There isn't a single guy on there is truly assured a starting spot. Some of next falls practices are going to be physical and epic. Wish I could watch them and not just the games.

 

[husky429]

It wasn't always like this, it's gotten so much worse just in recent months.

In a weird way it's probably a good thing. People are flocking to the program with our recent success. They just happen to also be nincompoops

 

[tzznandrew]

why are you limiting him to 5 games? in the 15 games he played he was averaging 9.5 pts and 3.2 rebs on 40% from 3 in 25 mpg. ok not playing the best but those are starters numbers. if he can put up those numbers next season as the 3rd scoring option he'll be starting again

I took you to mean that he was—at that moment—playing better than anyone. He was mired in a slump that he broke out of in that particular game. By any objective measure he was at best the third best player, but I don't think he was, ultimately, and last year's team was less talented across the board than this year's team—and next year's.

 

[upstater]

I don't see any scenario where Polley gets more minutes than Jackson or Martin. Martin may not get SG minutes this year, but he did last year at times. But we will see.

Outside shooting is going to be a big need. If Polley ups his game a little more, especially on D, he'll take minutes away from someone.

I see Akok eating up a lot of minutes as well. Don't be surprised if Whaley sees his minutes go down a bit.

 

[imno1]

To start the season I think only Cole, Whaley, and Sanogo are guaranteed starters. I stated this in another thread that as the season gets deeper a starting lineup of Cole, Hawkins, Jackson, Akok, and Sanogo would mean guys made huge strides and we would be very dangerous come tournament time. I really think if Hawkins is playing 20 plus minutes a game we are in for some fun.

 

[T-Squared]

Will average 40 plus percent from 3 next year. Write it down.

I don’t think that he has time to shoot 10,000 threes by September.

 

[bendm]

I took you to mean that he was—at that moment—playing better than anyone. He was mired in a slump that he broke out of in that particular game. By any objective measure he was at best the third best player, but I don't think he was, ultimately, and last year's team was less talented across the board than this year's team—and next year's.

i dont think we're that far off actually. 3rd option on offense doesnt mean i think he's the third best player. but he's definitely our best 3 point shooter, which is what we need more than anything. so imo that makes him the best fit for the SF spot given our other personnel

 

[superjohn]

To start the season I think only Cole, Whaley, and Sanogo are guaranteed starters. I stated this in another thread that as the season gets deeper a starting lineup of Cole, Hawkins, Jackson, Akok, and Sanogo would mean guys made huge strides and we would be very dangerous come tournament time. I really think if Hawkins is playing 20 plus minutes a game we are in for some fun.

That's my thinking as well.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

I don’t think that he has time to shoot 10,000 threes by September.

I just don't get this impulse to say snarky things about kids on the team you root for. Especially things you would never in a million years say to the kid if you met him.

Polley has shot 40+% for two seasons in his career. He was not very good this past season coming back from injury and was at 35.5%. Acting like he's Michael Kidd Gilchrist or something where it would be absolutely unheard of for him to do something he's already done twice is just moronic.

 

[bendm]

Cole, Hawkins, Jackson, Akok, and Sanogo would mean guys made huge strides and we would be very dangerous come tournament time

i think we can all agree this is the team we'd like to see come march

 

[gtcam]

Not many college coaches inspire the loyalty and family attitude he does.
Not true -many more coaches do than don't

I am happy for Tyler that he is comfortable in his decision to return. If he can work on several things he will be a better contributor, shooting off a dribble, taking it to the hoop when he has an opening (to be fair he did that at least 3 times this past season and looked great doing so) and at 6'9" plus he needs to hit the boards more. Tyler is and always will be a true Husky. I guess Tyler, IW and JC weren't train wreck recruits of KO as so many here loved to say. Go figure