Vital and Gilbert
- Thread starter MarkT
- Start date
Exactly. That’s all most of us really want to see. He can still start and he will still get plenty of minutes. But he needs to have less of a green light and be held accountable for his mistakes more often.
I think Vital is an emotional guy and Hurley doesn’t want to cause any more issues between them, especially since he’s leaving soon anyway.
But Vital may leave Hurley no choice but to sit him more.
Yeah I want to know if this is true. Would love to see the last possession again. If it is true I’m even more disappointed in Vital than I was before, and that’s saying a lot.
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22:00 minute mark
Watch "UConn vs Indiana Basketball Game Highlights 12 10 2019" on YouTube
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It's not accurate, in many cases not realistic and it's derisive. It's every bit as out of control as the players being criticized. Classic case of I despise what I am.
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Yeah honestly - my takeaway is that Vital just needs to have a shorter leash at this point. Stuff like last night can't happen. Context and all, I get it - but he's the senior player on the team and that's just not acceptable on any level. Gilbert at least distributed (he shot terribly) and there's an element of organization to the offense when he's on the court that doesn't exist when he's not on it. But I can't say that for CV.
I will say though - for people complaining about minutes, etc.. there's a coaching element to this. Vital - playing issues aside - is a big part of the team's leadership structure and it's hard to just bench a guy initially - who's been through what he's been through at the program and frankly - is the only guy in his spot with a proven track record. Sure, Bouknight is going to take over probably a lot sooner than later for him; but as a coach you sometimes have to give players enough rope to hang themselves with and play themselves to the bench. In a way - we're seeing that with Vital. You gotta remember, we're playing a long game here - and a developmental one and there's gotta be an element of justification to play the unproven freshman who's gotten himself in a little off the court trouble over the senior who stuck out the coaching change, has done mostly all of what's been asked of him but is a clearly flawed player.... it's about sending messages and building culture. So I get that. But at this point I think Vital has kind of played himself into more of a supporting role.
I'm not making excuses for Hurley, here; but this is what i'm kind of noticing. But I think that transition is about due to start happening as we roll into conference season. We've got a few softies to play in the next few weeks which is good, because I think it'll help bring that rotation into a little bit clearer focus, but i'd be more of an advocate for Vital heading to the bench at this point to give Bouknight a chance. We're sorta there.
I will say though - for people complaining about minutes, etc.. there's a coaching element to this. Vital - playing issues aside - is a big part of the team's leadership structure and it's hard to just bench a guy initially - who's been through what he's been through at the program and frankly - is the only guy in his spot with a proven track record. Sure, Bouknight is going to take over probably a lot sooner than later for him; but as a coach you sometimes have to give players enough rope to hang themselves with and play themselves to the bench. In a way - we're seeing that with Vital. You gotta remember, we're playing a long game here - and a developmental one and there's gotta be an element of justification to play the unproven freshman who's gotten himself in a little off the court trouble over the senior who stuck out the coaching change, has done mostly all of what's been asked of him but is a clearly flawed player.... it's about sending messages and building culture. So I get that. But at this point I think Vital has kind of played himself into more of a supporting role.
I'm not making excuses for Hurley, here; but this is what i'm kind of noticing. But I think that transition is about due to start happening as we roll into conference season. We've got a few softies to play in the next few weeks which is good, because I think it'll help bring that rotation into a little bit clearer focus, but i'd be more of an advocate for Vital heading to the bench at this point to give Bouknight a chance. We're sorta there.
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Watched it. To be fair it looks like he didn’t realize Gilbert was behind him. I’ll give Vital the benefit of the doubt here.
That said, I don’t think he should look upon himself as “the guy” in this situation. He has never proved he can be and has actually proved the opposite on many occasions.
He’s a great leader in most instances, he needs to extend his leadership to allow for more humility and defer to others in these situations.
I was worried about this happening even before the season started. Part of being a leader is knowing your limitations and knowing how to delegate.
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Dribbled head down into two defenders sandwiched between the halfcourt line and out of bounds. Gross.
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Gilbert had 8 assists and 3 TOs. He can't shoot, but he's the least turnover prone guard on the team and the offense runs much better with him in the game.
Gilbert is struggling, but he's the only guy on the team who can get into the lane at will.
No arguments on Vital, I was surprised he only had 7 TOs.
Gilbert is struggling, but he's the only guy on the team who can get into the lane at will.
No arguments on Vital, I was surprised he only had 7 TOs.
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Of course that happened. There's 9.5 seconds remaining. A player doesn't sit around and wait to see who gets the rebound. Every player needs to go for the ball in that moment. CV was quicker and a better rebounder. He doesn't watch to see if Al can get the ball. It's game over if an Indiana player grabs the rebound. Suggesting this action was selfish is nothing more than an attempt to make a dig on CV.
I’m okay with Vital starting and still getting a lot of minutes. He does a lot of great things out there. Most notably his fierce mentality.
But I don’t think he should be “our guy” in crunch time situations. I want to know if you agree with me at least on this point?
And overall we need to find a way to get Bouk more run. Especially in late game situations. But I think you agree with me on this part already
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I agree he shouldn’t be the guy. But do we have a guy? I thought bouk after watching in Charleston, but the last few games he hasn’t been able to get his own shot or drive that well. The team needs a guy.
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I feel like I was watching not just a replay of last night bu
The one thing I liked was the leadership from Polley afterward. Grabbed his downtrodden teammate and pulled everyone together.
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I didn't say anything about it but I did know if we had a chance at the end it would be Vital turning it over or forcing up a prayer, could see that coming from a mile away.
That’s the problem, we really don’t right now so CV has took it upon himself bc no one else has.
I think we need to sort of “force” Bouknight into that crunch time role. I know he’s only a fresh and it’s definitely going to be a bumpy ride for him.
But I’d personally rather watch a freshman with extreme upside play through mistakes at the end of the game than a senior who will be gone next year.
It prepares us more for the future and is a better move imo than trying to correct the past
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We have to turn Bouknight into that guy, it takes playing him more and letting him play through freshman mistakes.
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A la
Eli Manning 2 minute drill
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It’s one thing for AG to struggle doing things he should be doing. But as I said in a thread a couple weeks ago, he is playing like a homeless man’s Kyrie Irving. In the first 10 minutes of the game, besides a couple terrible 3s out of offensive rhythm (something that’s metastasized from CV), that ridiculous circus layup that led to Josh’s second basket, and attempting to split defenders, were absolutely dumbfounding.
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Actually AG rotated so much in that shot that his right shoulder was facing the basket when he came down. Awful form, but it went in.
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Just watched the slow motion of the shot from the video Superjohn provided on previous page. Maybe I need my eyes checked but looked pretty square to me.
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I agree about Gilbert not being the same, and that he can contribute in many ways. But he is a horrible shooter, so don't shoot. KO was the same type of point guard, but he was very self-aware, and was selective on the shots he took,
I don’t care if Vital scores 50 and 20 goes for boards. I can’t tAke him anymore I really can’t. He never ever ever passes on a break. Had akok open twice on break and imploded. Don’t care that he hustles harder than Dustin pedroia . His decision making for a senior is mind numbing. Then he cut off Ag on the inbounds in final seconds and did his usual. Sorry to be hard on him but enough is enough. Hustle doesn’t give u the free credit line to play the way he did yesterday. In regards to Gilbert unfortunately we can’t have anyone else bring the ball up so if I’m hurley I tell him “never ever ever shoot unless you have a wide-open layup just bring the ball over the timeline and distribute and If u don’t follow this then yer sitting for at least 5 mins”
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Holy cow do some people have the bar set low for Gilbert and Vital.
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For his minutes he was the least turnover prone guard on the team last night.
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