D
Deleted member 3149
In my eyes, this is the perfect team. We may not have a 7 foot impact player, but I feel as though it's really not needed. We have a stellar back court duo in SN and RB. They fight hard every defensive possession, and become clutch shooters and passing magicians on offense. RB can even attack the rim to give us that extra flare of confidence. And as for SN, he reminds me of Kemba Walker 2.0. However, I think it's unfair to call him that because he deserves his own name instead. Plain and simple, he's the new Shabazz Napier.
We have a wing shooter in OC. A guy that we knew would be a scorer, but not quite like what we saw last night. The record setter at Christ the King High School has far surpassed our expectations. I can't wait to see how he progresses as a person both on and off the court. I would be surprised if OC leaves UConn without a final four.
We have an athletic DD a the 4 that can shoot the ball. He has the perfect amount of length which allows him to dominate on both ends of the floor. He needs to be a bit more consistent with his shooting, but I love the shot selections so far. It's just a matter of time before he starts dropping 20+ a game consistently.
We have an experienced TO at the 5. It seems like so long ago, but really it wasn't. TO was a starter in Houston in our 2011 season. He's had games where he can shut down the likes of Jack Cooley and Adreane Payne, but he's also had games he's played like Jonathan Mandeldove. But one thing we must remember is that TO is part of the glued structure that is the University of Connecticut. Without him, the structure would collapse. If he can be more consistent, we win games over St. Johns, New Mexico, and Pitt. Also, we have an x-factor in NG coming off the bench to fill in for the 4.
Who would think the German from Berlin would be such a key member of this year's team? Every minute that he plays is valuable, and his defense is second to none. He guards the perimeter better than anyone, and has an inside presence as well. Just perfect. It's exactly what we need. And according to Shabazz, Niels is one of the most athletic on the team. I feel like we haven't even seen everything out of Niels yet. Can't even imagine his potential. This kid is the real deal.
We have an athletic big man named PN to give TO a rest. He stepped into some big shoes last night, and filled them with ease. Remember, he's only a freshman. Could you imagine PN 2 years from now? Or even next year? Scary how good he can be.
We have a role player named R.J. that gives Bazz/Boat/Omar a chance to rest, while brining fire, enthusiasm and passion to the court. While RJ is the only member of the team that can't return next year, I have a feeling that he'll still help out with the team. He'll remain in grad school, and I've got to imagine that he'll be helping out in practice. It seems to me like he knows just exactly how to motivate these guys.
We also have a goofy kid named Leon who occasionally gets in as well. And when he does, you can tell he has potential to be a lights out shooter.
And last but not least, we have a leader by the name of Kevin Jermaine Ollie. Words cannot describe how perfect he is for this year's team. He is a class act, and he shows that both on and off the court. I wasn't sure what to expect before the season started, but today I sit here on February 14th, 2013, thinking to myself...I wouldn't rather anyone else in the country to coach us. Think about the amount of adversity this man has fought through this year. Not Jim Boeheim, not Coach K, not Bill Self, and not even Steve Fischer could handle this. Kevin Ollie is the perfect fit. He's a motivator, and a teacher. He's been through so much adversity throughout his life, and knows what it takes to rise above everyone else. I could go on and on praising Kevin Ollie. My ten toes couldn't be further in right now.
On a final note, all of our losses have been by single digits. (yes, the louisville game was double digits, but if SN was healthy that 2nd half, things would have been different.) We're a Junior Codougan shot out of 1st place in the Big East. We could have beaten St. Johns, New Mexico, and Pitt. NC State was a good game as well, and who knows what would happen if we played them 10 times. I'm guessing we'd split 5/5.
I love this team. I love everything we stand for, and I believe that the future is brighter than ever. Calhoun said it best, "Next year I don't believe we'll be in the same situation we are in the Big East." Once we find a new home, we'll put our feet up on the couch and take over.
'99 '04 '11 .....and many more.....
We have a wing shooter in OC. A guy that we knew would be a scorer, but not quite like what we saw last night. The record setter at Christ the King High School has far surpassed our expectations. I can't wait to see how he progresses as a person both on and off the court. I would be surprised if OC leaves UConn without a final four.
We have an athletic DD a the 4 that can shoot the ball. He has the perfect amount of length which allows him to dominate on both ends of the floor. He needs to be a bit more consistent with his shooting, but I love the shot selections so far. It's just a matter of time before he starts dropping 20+ a game consistently.
We have an experienced TO at the 5. It seems like so long ago, but really it wasn't. TO was a starter in Houston in our 2011 season. He's had games where he can shut down the likes of Jack Cooley and Adreane Payne, but he's also had games he's played like Jonathan Mandeldove. But one thing we must remember is that TO is part of the glued structure that is the University of Connecticut. Without him, the structure would collapse. If he can be more consistent, we win games over St. Johns, New Mexico, and Pitt. Also, we have an x-factor in NG coming off the bench to fill in for the 4.
Who would think the German from Berlin would be such a key member of this year's team? Every minute that he plays is valuable, and his defense is second to none. He guards the perimeter better than anyone, and has an inside presence as well. Just perfect. It's exactly what we need. And according to Shabazz, Niels is one of the most athletic on the team. I feel like we haven't even seen everything out of Niels yet. Can't even imagine his potential. This kid is the real deal.
We have an athletic big man named PN to give TO a rest. He stepped into some big shoes last night, and filled them with ease. Remember, he's only a freshman. Could you imagine PN 2 years from now? Or even next year? Scary how good he can be.
We have a role player named R.J. that gives Bazz/Boat/Omar a chance to rest, while brining fire, enthusiasm and passion to the court. While RJ is the only member of the team that can't return next year, I have a feeling that he'll still help out with the team. He'll remain in grad school, and I've got to imagine that he'll be helping out in practice. It seems to me like he knows just exactly how to motivate these guys.
We also have a goofy kid named Leon who occasionally gets in as well. And when he does, you can tell he has potential to be a lights out shooter.
And last but not least, we have a leader by the name of Kevin Jermaine Ollie. Words cannot describe how perfect he is for this year's team. He is a class act, and he shows that both on and off the court. I wasn't sure what to expect before the season started, but today I sit here on February 14th, 2013, thinking to myself...I wouldn't rather anyone else in the country to coach us. Think about the amount of adversity this man has fought through this year. Not Jim Boeheim, not Coach K, not Bill Self, and not even Steve Fischer could handle this. Kevin Ollie is the perfect fit. He's a motivator, and a teacher. He's been through so much adversity throughout his life, and knows what it takes to rise above everyone else. I could go on and on praising Kevin Ollie. My ten toes couldn't be further in right now.
On a final note, all of our losses have been by single digits. (yes, the louisville game was double digits, but if SN was healthy that 2nd half, things would have been different.) We're a Junior Codougan shot out of 1st place in the Big East. We could have beaten St. Johns, New Mexico, and Pitt. NC State was a good game as well, and who knows what would happen if we played them 10 times. I'm guessing we'd split 5/5.
I love this team. I love everything we stand for, and I believe that the future is brighter than ever. Calhoun said it best, "Next year I don't believe we'll be in the same situation we are in the Big East." Once we find a new home, we'll put our feet up on the couch and take over.
'99 '04 '11 .....and many more.....