Where’s Bouknight ??
- Thread starter pluckage5
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Agree but when he was in the game he was invisible and played very timid. Needs to be more of an offensive presence on the court. I thought he would step up tonight but no such luck. I wouldn’t be opposed to him starting and having Polley coming off the bench but that ain’t happening. Hurley is not going to take away PT from Vitale regardless of how he plays.
Right as to Bouk, he was terrible tonight. Not just missing easy shots but being tremendously passive on offense.
This kid is going to be a stud, but give him time.
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Hurley is treating him much differently than everyone else. My guess is he knows how special he is and doesn't want him to develop the same bad habits as our fourth year players but it's going to cost us this year if he's not allowed to play through some of his mistakes and figure some things out on the court on his own.
As much as I love Bouk and wanna give him the keys to my new car I jus can’t yet. We all see the potential but he’s still a freshman with not even 10 collegiate games under his belt. He needs time just like most freshman. We need just a lil more patience with this kid. He’ll shine with more experience. His time is coming
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He has to play more. Without him Gilbert is the only guy that could break his man down and create his own shot. The problem is Gilbert is shooting poorly from the outside and eats the ball 95% of the time in the paint. We simply need another threat on the floor.
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I don't want to give him the keys but I would at least like him in the car.
He was in the car a lot tonight and he was just riding around and not joining in the conversation. Incredibly passive. That's on him.
I fully expect him to be seizing the keys by March though.
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It's a huge mistake, IMO. He needs to be on thr floor with Gilbert, he's our most talented offensive player and the only guy who can take someone off the dribble besides Gilbert. These hockey line shifts need to stop. Bouknight should be playing with the first team.
ctchamps
We are UConn!! 4>1 But 5>>>>1 is even better!
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He was primarily playing with starters this game after Hurley benched CV in the second half. Bouk had a wide open three and missed. He had three turnovers in 17 minutes. Brendan had 3 in 19. Sid had 2 in 12 but none in the second half.
This loss hurts because a lot was riding on it. We know it, the coaches and players know it. They played tight all game except for two runs one in each half.
I disagree. Yes he's talented. He's also young. He looked timid and scared tonight with the ball in his hands. Tonight was a big game. One of the bigger they've played yet. It's Indiana. Idc what people have to say about their record or who they've played. It's Madison Square Garden, not Gampel, and not the XL center. Intimidating for a young man no matter how talented he may be. He's not ready for those bright lights just yet. Playing in Charleston is like an oversized high school gym. THIS is different. Notice how Gaffney barely even saw the floor aside from the bench? Hate to say it but he's not Cole Anthony. He's James Bouknight and he has some developing to do no matter how talented and athletic he is. He played 15 minutes and turned the ball over 3 times.
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Akok is a freshman and he was by far the best player on the court. Vital is a senior and was by far the most in over his head with the bright lights.
Akok does it on the defensive end. Ball not in his hands. He has timely buckets and contributes but he's not the go to man on offense. Akok has also been on campus since last January before he ever played in a college game. Bouknight has significantly less time in the program and practicing against high end college talent each day to this point.
Regarding Vital, I disagree again. He made a boneheaded play at the end there. But he is far from in over his head. He's the best this team has right now as experienced guard in these instances. Bouknights time will come. I don't get you blow hards wanting him to play every minute. It never happened with Calhoun and it won't happen with Hurley.
Try again.
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I think we are talking about going forward. We know what we have with the guys getting minutes over him and frankly they are what they are at this point. Bouknight will have games and moments like tonight cuz he is a freshman but he is the most talented offensive player we have. He is the only guy that can both create and finish. Most games and start of halves, we are not seeing him on the floor until the 13 minute mark. Yeah he was a bit timid tonight. 3 turnovers will do that to a freshman. I wish our senior guards were a little more timid tonight and Bouk was a bit more assertive.
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Try what again? If you don't realize Akok was the best player on the floor tonight I don't know what to tell you. If you don't think Bouknight and Akok have to be a bigger part of the offense I don't know what to tell you. If you don't realize the biggest reason we lost that game was our four year guards and not because of our freshmen, again I don't know what to tell you.
They have played 9 games. 9! What do you expect from a true freshman 9 games in? You guys seriously need to temper your expectations. Seriously. It's a bit ridiculous to expect him to put the team on his back and go HAM. Its not going to happen folks. Give it up.
Try again? How many times do you need watch our seniors, particular Vital, make terrible play after terrible play in late game crucial situations?? We have tried, again and again and again. Time to start focusing on the new blood of our program
NO. You don't get it. Akok's offensive game isn't advanced. He's a defensive stud right now. He's had WAY more time than Bouknight in a college program, practicing etc. 9 games pal. 9. 9 games in and you're expecting freshmen to carry this team to a win at Madison Square Garden. The biggest arena and stage they've played on yet. That thought alone is foolish.
What would you like Akok to do offensively? What have you seen from him so far that makes you say " he's got to score for this team to succeed"? Please tell me. I'd love to hear it.
Bouknight's time will come. Trust me, I want him to be our savior, the guy that brings this program back. But you guys seriously need to chill when it comes to this. He's talented. He's not Carmelo Anthony as a freshman. He's not Zion Williamson. He's not going to be the leader of this team as a freshman no matter how bad you want it happen. Just give it a rest already. Let him learn and grow. They've played 9 games! 9!
Please see my last response.
By the way, you don't get it either. Vital comes back as a 4th year senior. You realize this team has one senior. ONE. Gilbert a McDonald's All-American has missed a ton of time due to injury. 9 games into the season and people want to bench every experienced guard and play all true freshmen. Morale would be putrid, the team would win NOTHING and they would be worse off.
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Nobody said put the team on his back. Nobody said play every minute. Nobody said go HAM.
Sry but I don’t want Vital dribbling down the court and handing the ball off to the other team at the end of games anymore. I’m okay with him starting for morale purposes but we can’t continue to let him lose games for us. He was a big reason for our Xavier loss too. It’s a trend and it needs to stop.
Ok cherry picker. He played 15 scared minutes tonight. He played. He didn't do anything. But folks want more. More of what at this point? Nice way of trying to pick and choose with your response. Please tell me what more you expect.
You do that and you lose your most valuable asset come tournament time, experience especially in the back court. You need experience on the floor. You just have to put them in a position to succeed. Vital shouldn't be handling the ball in that instance. It was also possibly the game ending possession with less than 11 seconds on the clock. A senior trying to make a play. It is what it is at this point. Not sure what else you want. This team, this season will go as far as the experienced men can take them. Akok and Bouknight will assist and give plenty of shining moments, without a doubt. But if you expect freshmen to lead this team, you're sadly mistaken.