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Cronin: Some guys 'can play better than they're playing'
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ctipton Offline
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Cronin: Some guys 'can play better than they're playing'
Cronin: Some guys 'can play better than they're playing'
Bill Koch, bkoch@enquirer.com 6:08 p.m. EST November 21, 2014

[Image: 635521898866150274-UC-Morehead-State-8.JPG]
Bearcats head coach Mick Cronin shouts instructions to his team against Morehead State. (Photo: The Enquirer/Gary Landers)

As the University of Cincinnati Bearcats prepare for their third game of the season Sunday against Eastern Illinois, coach Mick Cronin is still waiting for his three most experienced players to come to the forefront.

Seniors Jermaine Sanders and Ge'Lawn Guyn, along with junior Shaq Thomas, have yet to step into the prominent roles that veterans have traditionally assumed during the Cronin coaching era at UC. Instead, the newcomers have done the bulk of the scoring.

"We still have some guys that can play better than they're playing," Cronin said, "The three guys that have played (extensively) for us were guys that have never been star performers."

Two of the three – Guyn and Thomas – are returning starters from last year and have started both games this season. Thomas has scored only three points and has made one field goal in nine attempts in 38 minutes. Guyn has scored seven points on 3-of-13 shooting. He's 1-for-6 from 3-point range.

Sanders did not score in the season opener against St. Francis (Pa.), but he bounced back Wednesday against Morehead State with eight points and five rebounds in 23 minutes.

Cronin says he's not worried about Sanders, calling him a solid player who will make open shots and can play multiple positions. And he says Guyn has been bothered by a finger injury that has affected his shot.

Thomas is another story.

"Shaq has just got off to a bad start," Cronin said. "I've got to do a better job of coaching him. He's got to take more normal shots. He took one shot in the second half that he should have taken and he made it. He's got to become the master of the 8-foot pull-up jump shot. He's got to stop and shoot and quit dribbling into people and trying to shoot circus shots. Circus shots are low-percentage shots, even for the guys in the circus. He's got to shoot normal shots - two feet, two hands."

According to Cronin, Thomas worked hard during the offseason to correct his flaws, but he tends to revert to his bad habits in games.

Fortunately for UC (2-0), several of the newcomers have compensated, especially junior center Octavius Ellis, a junior college transfer who has averaged 14.5 points and 7.5 rebounds with five blocked shots. And guard Farad Cobb, another junior college transfer, stole the show against Morehead State with an electrifying 24-point performance during which he made six of nine shots from 3-point range.

Cobb did not score in UC's opener, but scored 16 points in the second half against Morehead. Ellis has been solid from the first exhibition game and has clearly been the most consistently productive player on the roster.

"Octavius is our best player because he can affect the game on both ends," Cronin said. "He's leading us in blocked shots, deflections, rebounding, field goal percentage and points per game, so I'm not going out on a limb telling you he's our best player right now."

Two other newcomers – freshmen Gary Clark and Quadri Moore – played well in the opener, with Clark scoring 10 points and Moore nine, but neither accomplished much in game two.

"We've got a lot of guys that I think are capable," Cronin said. "They just need minutes."

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/c.../19364309/
 
11-21-2014 11:01 PM
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Dannyboy Offline
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Post: #2
RE: Cronin: Some guys 'can play better than they're playing'
Mick is right (as usual) about Shaq. He needs to take smarter shots. I just don't see it with Guyn. He's never looked like a good player to me. Hard worker, but not enough talent.
 
11-21-2014 11:57 PM
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RE: Cronin: Some guys 'can play better than they're playing'
Shaq and Guyn make my eyes bleed. We are back to playing 2 on 5 on offense most possessions when they are on the floor together. If they don't improve in a big way and quick, there absolutely needs to be a shake up to the starting 5.
 
11-22-2014 07:52 AM
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RE: Cronin: Some guys 'can play better than they're playing'
Rath

Sounds like Guyn's injury is some of the reason for his woes.....the guy isn't a bad shooter from what I can remember from last year. He's no Stephen Curry but he can hit an open shot usually. He had some HUGE three's for us last year late if I recall. We really need his experience and lock down defense. Not saying he should start even...but we need minutes from him imo.

Now Shaq....meh, I'm to the point where he probably needs to ride the pine.
 
(This post was last modified: 11-22-2014 08:57 AM by Bearcats#1.)
11-22-2014 08:56 AM
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RE: Cronin: Some guys 'can play better than they're playing'
(11-22-2014 08:56 AM)Bearcats#1 Wrote:  Rath

Sounds like Guyn's injury is some of the reason for his woes.....the guy isn't a bad shooter from what I can remember from last year. He's no Stephen Curry but he can hit an open shot usually. He had some HUGE three's for us last year late if I recall. We really need his experience and lock down defense. Not saying he should start even...but we need minutes from him imo.

Now Shaq....meh, I'm to the point where he probably needs to ride the pine.

I agree. Cobb, Caupain, Sanders, Clark, and Ellis should be the starting five. Guyn, first guard off the bench at either spot. Thomas first forward off the bench for either Sanders or Clark. The rest of the bench would be used depending on the game situation, foul trouble, and player fatigue.
 
11-22-2014 09:05 AM
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Post: #6
RE: Cronin: Some guys 'can play better than they're playing'
to me this may be our best combo at this time:

Caupain
Cobb
Sanders
Clark
Ellis

But I don't think we need to get hung up on starting five...this team is built with interchangeable parts and the strength of this team is that the sum is greater than its parts. We need minutes from lots of people in multiple combinations. Because of that it may take a while for this team to gel, but when it does, look out.
 
(This post was last modified: 11-22-2014 09:10 AM by Bearcats#1.)
11-22-2014 09:08 AM
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Ring of Black Offline
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RE: Cronin: Some guys 'can play better than they're playing'
(11-22-2014 08:56 AM)Bearcats#1 Wrote:  Rath

Sounds like Guyn's injury is some of the reason for his woes.....the guy isn't a bad shooter from what I can remember from last year. He's no Stephen Curry but he can hit an open shot usually. He had some HUGE three's for us last year late if I recall. We really need his experience and lock down defense. Not saying he should start even...but we need minutes from him imo.

Now Shaq....meh, I'm to the point where he probably needs to ride the pine.

I need to lay off of Guyn, for the time being. I had forgotten about the finger injury.

However, it all the more supports those questioning Cronin for playing him over the likes of KJ and Mormon, if Ge has an injury that is clearly affecting his play.
 
11-22-2014 10:15 AM
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Post: #8
RE: Cronin: Some guys 'can play better than they're playing'
(11-21-2014 11:01 PM)ctipton Wrote:  Circus shots are low-percentage shots, even for the guys in the circus.

One of the best quotes I've read in a while 03-lmfao But, talk is cheap Mick. I'd like to see an actual plan as to how to get Shaq out of this poor-bball-IQ funk. Not certain that it is doable, when we're talking about a fourth-year guy.

I will settle for the ST we got in the second half, where he made some good hustle/athletic plays outside of scoring. Looks like I'll have to, because clearly Mick is settling for it too, as much as he still plays him.
 
(This post was last modified: 11-22-2014 10:20 AM by Ring of Black.)
11-22-2014 10:19 AM
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RE: Cronin: Some guys 'can play better than they're playing'
(11-22-2014 08:56 AM)Bearcats#1 Wrote:  Rath

Sounds like Guyn's injury is some of the reason for his woes.....the guy isn't a bad shooter from what I can remember from last year. He's no Stephen Curry but he can hit an open shot usually. He had some HUGE three's for us last year late if I recall. We really need his experience and lock down defense. Not saying he should start even...but we need minutes from him imo.

Now Shaq....meh, I'm to the point where he probably needs to ride the pine.

G shot 31% from 3 last year. Last year's struggles were supposed to be because of his shoulder, although he has never been a good shooter. He quite simply is a terrible offensive player. Can't penetrate at all off the bounce, terrible finisher at the rim, bad shooter. There is no offensive ability there. And since Cobb, KJ and Morman are all good on defense, I see no reason he plays.
 
(This post was last modified: 11-22-2014 12:53 PM by Overrated.)
11-22-2014 12:53 PM
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Bearcatbdub Offline
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Post: #10
RE: Cronin: Some guys 'can play better than they're playing'
The fourth year players are just role guys. I had more hope for Shaq, and he has shown flashes, but can't seem to piece it together for more than a half. Until proven otherwise, he's not giving us anything special. Sanders is playin better right now and should get the minutes.
 
11-22-2014 03:57 PM
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Post: #11
RE: Cronin: Some guys 'can play better than they're playing'
I hope Mick sends Shaq a message by sitting him. He has another off season to take a big jump that he really needs.
 
11-22-2014 05:08 PM
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bearcat54 Offline
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RE: Cronin: Some guys 'can play better than they're playing'
(11-21-2014 11:57 PM)Dannyboy Wrote:  Mick is right (as usual) about Shaq. He needs to take smarter shots. I just don't see it with Guyn. He's never looked like a good player to me. Hard worker, but not enough talent.

the team never seemed to move well on offense when Guyn was at the helm. I feel Cobb is our answer. Sort of reminds me of the final four year where ad Jackson was the starting point guard until mid season when DePaul beat us soundly. Huggs replaced AD with Nicky V and the rest is history.
 
11-24-2014 06:16 PM
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RE: Cronin: Some guys 'can play better than they're playing'
Cobb had a good game, but calling him "the answer" reserved now that someone guarded him.
 
11-24-2014 07:51 PM
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RE: Cronin: Some guys 'can play better than they're playing'
Lol! Egads, I hope you are wrong.
 
11-24-2014 08:07 PM
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