Well, That Was Refreshing

[auror]

-Look, I know it was vs. CCSU, but:

- 8-13 (61.5%) from 3pt range was not too shabby. Andre's 1 attempt at a 3 looked pure, too...just didn't fall. All you "zOmG wE cAn'T ShOoT" negative nellies, let me know how you want your crow cooked. I think our shooting may be improved this year

Sanogo is going to draw a lot of attention and collapse a lot of defenders, leading to open shots.

 

[tcf15]

My one criticism was Donny’s all-time UConn starting 5 consisting of 4 guards - Chris Smith, Ben Gordon, Khalid El-Amin and Doron Sheffer. Guess being told he couldn’t include himself really threw him off.

 

[Chin Diesel]

-Look, I know it was vs. CCSU, but:

- 8-13 (61.5%) from 3pt range was not too shabby. Andre's 1 attempt at a 3 looked pure, too...just didn't fall. All you "zOmG wE cAn'T ShOoT" negative nellies, let me know how you want your crow cooked. I think our shooting may be improved this year

-Defensive movement and activity looked really good. Turnover stats speak for themselves

-FT shooting was solid, especially from Sanogo & Jackson, who look to have many attempts/game

-Whaley was great on D & a steadying force out there

-Akok may have lost a little vert, but seemed to move quick, played tough smart D and active offensively

-Martin & Cole were great

-Gaff overall played well, showed good signs of improving his north/south game

-Polley much more active on D (though made a few oops mistakes), offense looked fine

The Jackson and Sanogo FT% is huge. They will most likely end up as two of the players with most FT attempts this year. Jackson shoots FT's really good and Sanogo has a great stroke and 70% seems achievable.

 

[UCfor3]

Hope all is ok on the Corey Floyd front. Looking forward to the clarity.

 

[LIuconn]

Red shirt?

 

[SeattleHoop]

Jackson is still very hesitant to shoot. That’s my one takeaway.

Yeah was hoping he would show more confidence shooting the 3. I know he worked hard on it over the summer. Hopefully next game, we really need him to have confidence taking that shot

 

[GotNets?]

Rudy and Stanley come to my mind as well.

I can’t speak to Burrell — before my time — but Sticks was off the charts in a similar way to Ajax, except he was even more powerful. Rudy definitely had it too but not as much.

 

[HooperScooper]

Jackson is still very hesitant to shoot. That’s my one takeaway.

Yeah I was a little disappointed in that. Let it fly Andre! He had a couple wide open threes so might as well shoot them.

 

[Dooooooomed]

Jackson's floater is a beauty. Take it all day.

 

[HooperScooper]

My one criticism was Donny’s all-time UConn starting 5 consisting of 4 guards - Chris Smith, Ben Gordon, Khalid El-Amin and Doron Sheffer. Guess being told he couldn’t include himself really threw him off.

Yeah that was lame. Posted that in another thread. Was laughing after he finished. Isn't he best buds with Ray? Maybe he was doing it on purpose to bust on Ray.

 

[UCTitleTown]

Red shirt?

Do they normally announce a redshirt or wait until the season develops? I'm guessing a suspension or eligibility issue.

 

[SaeHusky]

hes redshirting

 

[UConNick]

Jackson's floater is a beauty. Take it all day.

It’ll look even nicer once he makes a couple threes, and then he can blow by defenders closing him out right into it

 

[karstenkibbe]

My one criticism was Donny’s all-time UConn starting 5 consisting of 4 guards - Chris Smith, Ben Gordon, Khalid El-Amin and Doron Sheffer. Guess being told he couldn’t include himself really threw him off.

I wasn’t at all surprised to hear Sheffer’s name. Donny did a whole lot of feasting on the break at UConn. And I know that you know as well as anyone here who fed him all those passes in stride. It’s Donny’s all-time starting five. Not yours or mine.

 

[karstenkibbe]

What impressed me the most tonight was Sanogo’s quick recognition of the double team on the block or in the paint. I counted three clean passes from Adama while he was doubled. All turned into baskets.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

Gaff looked a lot quicker than he has in the past

 

[SeattleHoop]

Gaff looked a lot quicker than he has in the past

He’s got more muscle on him too

 

[Travelman6]

Just one point shy of triple digits! Oh well.

We have not seen this kind of opening game since 2015-16.

Opening games since 2014-15:
2020-21: W CCSU 102-75 (needed a 10-0 run to end the half up 48-41)
2019-20: W SHeart 89-67
2018-19: W Morehead ST 80-70
2017-18 W Colgate 70-58
2016-17: L Wagner 58-67
2015-16: W Maine 100-56
2014-15: W Byrant 66-53

UConn has opened with a number of thuds in recent memory, so indeed, this is a wonderful way to open the season, even if it is just CCSU. They put the team away from the start, for a full 40 minutes, like we would want to see.

(2013-14 was the last time UConn started the season off with a good team, beating Maryland 78-77.)

 

[freescooter]

This type of game is really hard to evaluate. We were clearly way more skilled and athletic. But what I liked was that we looked focused and didn’t screw around. We were a far superior team and we played like it. Didn’t let them get even really a modest run going. Sanogo looked like a man playing against a middle school team.
The flip side is this Central team is awful. They might just be the UConn football of college basketball.

 

[zmart]

Scott Burrell was also a very good quarterback in high school.

 

[CTBasketball]

-Look, I know it was vs. CCSU, but:

- 8-13 (61.5%) from 3pt range was not too shabby. Andre's 1 attempt at a 3 looked pure, too...just didn't fall. All you "zOmG wE cAn'T ShOoT" negative nellies, let me know how you want your crow cooked. I think our shooting may be improved this year

-Defensive movement and activity looked really good. Turnover stats speak for themselves

-FT shooting was solid, especially from Sanogo & Jackson, who look to have many attempts/game

-Whaley was great on D & a steadying force out there

-Akok may have lost a little vert, but seemed to move quick, played tough smart D and active offensively

-Martin & Cole were great

-Gaff overall played well, showed good signs of improving his north/south game

-Polley much more active on D (though made a few oops mistakes), offense looked fine

Bookmark this and let’s see how good of a 3-pt shooter Jackson is by mid season.

Classic BY allure “his shot looked pure, so I think we’ll be an improved shooting team!” Dude, the guy missed his only attempt and was so hesitant from the arc that he was giving everyone an aneurism.

 

[AntG168]

Bookmark this and let’s see how good of a 3-pt shooter Jackson is by mid season.

Classic BY allure “his shot looked pure, so I think we’ll be an improved shooting team!” Dude, the guy missed his only attempt and was so hesitant from the arc that he was giving everyone an aneurism.

His observation about Jackson's shot was spot on. Nowhere did he state he'd be an elite shooter. We need him to at least be a threat from the corners if hes going to start. Otherwise start Hawk and let Jackson be the change of pace guy off the bench

 

[JustbrewitMan]

Bookmark this and let’s see how good of a 3-pt shooter Jackson is by mid season.

Classic BY allure “his shot looked pure, so I think we’ll be an improved shooting team!” Dude, the guy missed his only attempt and was so hesitant from the arc that he was giving everyone an aneurism.

I was referring to the overall team, which includes AJ.

Yes the sample size was small, and AJ only took one shot, but anyone objectively looking at his shot form during open practice and during last nights game will say his shot looks much much better.

I would be shocked if his % doesn’t increase accordingly.

Feel free to bookmark it. Let’s eval when he’s shot at least 20 in-game. The % will be improved.

So will our teams overall 3pt %.

Stop being so negative and enjoy the ride!

 

[Fairfield_1st]

Rudy and Stanley come to my mind as well.

I just thought of Willie McCloud. Not a particularly impactful player, but my memory says he was a tremendous athlete.