Just got back from the 5:00 game that featured Anachebe, Bacote, Palmore, Larsen and Mosley.
They only had five players on their team so everyone played the whole game. Nick Wright was manning the sidelines for them. The team was down most of the game but came back from being down 5 with less than 1:30 to go to end up winning by 4. They played a solid trap defense that forced several TO's to get them back in it and eventually it led to the win. The team showed resilience coming back and I was impressed with their fitness level for having only 5 players.
Anachebe:
-He moves well for his size. His shoulders are pretty narrow but other than that he has a nice frame for a college big. He is raw on the offensive end and needs time in the gym with Blaine to work on his foot work and post up technique. He didn't get good positioning on the offensive side of the ball today. He is a plus shot blocker with a good wingspan and stays grounded on his block attempts which is what you like to see from a prototypical shot blocker. He has a steady motor around the rim and gets after it on the offensive glass. Overall his rebounding is solid although he has a habit of not securing the ball with two hands. He is average at best from the line.
It will be interesting to see if he redshirts or not this year. If Painter does indeed get a waiver, I think a redshirt year would benefit the system greatly.
Bacote:
-He has a pretty consistent stroke from all over the floor. He has good intangibles and can take the ball off the dribble to the rack. His court awareness is plus and he has good size for a two guard. He could improve on the defensive end by being more aggressive in the passing lanes. He looks for the open guy on the offensive end but isn't afraid to create for himself by using screens to set up open looks. He needs time like any other freshman in the weight room but looks to have a solid frame to but on more muscle.
He should provide solid minutes behind Hill and Batten.
Palmore:
-He looks to be the leader of the incoming freshman class. He has great handles and uses his body well to get to the basket. He finishes well with both hands. He is a true point guard with a high IQ. He would rather blow by his defender on the way to the rack rather than pulling up for a mid range shot. Right now (without seeing Clark yet) he looks like the penciled in starter at the 1. I think he will be something special by the time he ends his days at ODU. He just gets it and looks to be really coachable. I love the comparison to Rondo for his game as he is more of a creator and slasher on the offensive end.
Mosley:
-He did not shoot the ball well at all today although he hit a clutch three late. He plays well on the defensive end by using his long arms to get into the passing lane. He has a pretty lanky frame that needs to be bulked up. He doesn't hesitate on the offensive end which is a plus. He will probably get the redshirt this year.
Thanks for the update, I wish I could go to these games, but unfortunately I'll be busy for at least most of them. Glad to see that we finally have a true point guard. I'm very excited for this class, I think they have the potential to do some great things.
How did Larsen compare to the freshman? Just wondering how our senior center is doing.
(06-23-2012 08:04 PM)Blue_Trombone Wrote: [ -> ]Thanks for the update, I wish I could go to these games, but unfortunately I'll be busy for at least most of them. Glad to see that we finally have a true point guard. I'm very excited for this class, I think they have the potential to do some great things.
How did Larsen compare to the freshman? Just wondering how our senior center is doing.
I'm going to be honest; I don't see Larsen seeing much time if any at all next year. He still is a step slow mentally and he doesn't rebound well enough for his size. He gets pushed around by smaller men and that was clearly evident today. He hasn't made progress from year to year to warrant any new post game or an increase in minutes. I respect Anton for giving his all and being a model student-athlete.
Yeah, not so hot on Anton. To be fair, our boys looked winded out there. The other team stayed fresh as they had more players than bench seats. We had zero subs and it showed. Hopefully it'll get better with McEwen and Clark thrown into the mix.
Loved how they didn't give up in the final minute of the game. Bacote and Mosley really turned it on in the end.
Good review:
I couldn't stay for the late game, but did see Ross & pimintel plus batten.
Ross has put on about 20 lbs of muscle, he looks like a beast. If he can develop a consistent 10ft turn around jumper, he is the best player in the CAA no question. He will be a Gerald Lee that can jump like Jonathan Adams.
Pimentel looks a lot thinner, and maybe a little quicker. I don't see him pounding down low with the big boys being that thin.
Batten is Batten, great attitude and always plays hard. Going into his sophomore season he needs to work on his endurance. When he is in he is a threat both inside and out. We need 15 pts a night from him next year.
I saw half of the game with Donte Hill. He was nailing threes and looked very polished.
If the Painter waver comes through and we can get good minutes from some of the freshman guards we will contend for an at large birth. Bacote/Palmore at point, Batten at 2, Hill at 3, Ross at 4, Painter at 5. Pimentel should get more time but needs about 30 lbs. Nick Wright will start a lot early. He is very skilled around the basket, and will be a big part of the rotation.
I still would have loved for Cooper to redshirt his freshman year.
Very impressed with Keenan, he is the real deal and will be playing PG as a freshman. Keenan can get to the rim easily, we haven't had a slasher like him at ODU in years. Aaron is a very solid player and is going to have a great career at ODU. He lead all scorers with 28pts. Ambross can hit the big bucket once he gets going, the guy avg 15pt/gm at Hargrave. We still haven't even seen Deion Clark or Stuart who should be joining the team and former ODU great Joe Bunn who should add some nice size. Deion game is very similar to Batten, saw him play a couple of games last Xmas in Fla. EK looks like a freshman with potential. Agree with Les, he needs to work on his offensive skill set, but he had a solid line with 8pts, 16rebs and 6blocks. I thought he had 2 more blocks and he made a few players their alter their shots at the rim. The guys did great playing the whole game without a blow. This will be one fun class to watch in the next few years.
Thanks for these updates fellas. Good reads.
So, is it true that they played what was essentially the VWC team? And 4 kids plus Larsen beat them?
(06-24-2012 12:33 PM)djnva Wrote: [ -> ]So, is it true that they played what was essentially the VWC team? And 4 kids plus Larsen beat them?
That is correct. I was impressed that a young group like our freshmen competed and eventually had the moxy to beat a team that has been together for a couple of years. Keep in mind this was the first competitive action our young guys have had as a unit.
Palmore got to the rack with ease against players that have had multiple years of work in the weight room at the collegiate level. I came away impressed the most with his game and wouldn't be suprised to see him become one of the leaders of this squad in the near future.
I would recommend that you go see him play next Saturday at 5pm at Maury HS if you have the chance.
(06-24-2012 02:33 PM)Les Geaux Wrote: [ -> ]Palmore got to the rack with ease against players that have had multiple years of work in the weight room at the collegiate level. I came away impressed the most with his game and wouldn't be suprised to see him become one of the leaders of this squad in the near future.
This truly is good to hear. I was concerned that all of the early gushing over K. Palmore was mostly just wishful thinking. I'm still keeping my expectations in check, but I'm delighted to hear a positive report.
Many thanks for this excellent reporting, Les Geaux.
Is there a schedule for these games?
Thanks for the updates.
Everything I've heard about Palmore so far both from you and from others has been positive. A good PG with plus offensive ability is exactly what ODU has needed for some time.
I'd be careful about projecting too much after just 1 summer league game though. Guys can light up a summer league and then struggle greatly to contribute in a much different, more structured environment like college basketball.
Regardless, the updates are appreciated.
to echo what others have said:
Palmore looked like the real deal. Excellent handle, good court vision - able to push good assists out and also cut to the rack. He will be an improvement almost immediately at PG if he can play like that consistantly.
Ekene was also impressive - he is VERY large. listed at 6'9" and looked pretty thick. We will need him down low. He is big enough to bang down low but his offensive game needs work. Also, in keeping with the ODU tradition, his FT shooting was less than desireable. Will be an excellent shot blocker though - he had at least 4 during this game. WIll need to work to make sure he doesnt foul. He is much stronger on the defensive end than on offense, but as a comparison, he is much farther along than Frank the tank was as a Frosh. Good pickup.
Anton is Anton - not too much to be said, although he did have a handful of good moments and scored about 8 points in the game. Had a few nice rebounds as well. SOME improvement, but not much. We'll see.
Bacote and Mosley took a while to get going...once they got their heads in the game both contributed. Bacote will probably see more time than Mosley. I expect one of these two to redshirt.
This game was particularly impressive because it was our 5 guys vs 9 for them. They had fresh legs and were most of the VWC team - who have played together in the past. Obviously our guys have not played a competitive game together before, so this was a good sign. They came back from 6 or 8 down with 3 mins to go to win this one, with a clutch 3 from Mosley late. I left feeling GIDDY about their performance and much more confident in our future. THis team SHOULD compete for the top of the CAA this year. I expect good things. More reports to come as the summer goes on.
If you have the time, get out to these games - they're FUN.
Redshirting will be interesting this year.
With Anton it is almost like someone is redshirting shice he really wont' see much from him.
That leaves 12 scholarship players. I feel Clark and Mosley redshirt this year. EK should, but not sure if the numbers up front allow it..... Also with Nick and Stu we'll be thin unfront - sizewise much less quantitywise. So If Clark and Mosley redshirt that is 10 players. Just about right in Taylor's system.
How did the returning players look (Batten, Hill, Ross, Wright, Pim)? Anyone watch any of those games?
I did not watch any returning players...wanted to see the new guys. May try to watch some of their games in the coming weeks. For example - saturday we can see Pim and Ross play agains Frank Hill and Baby Baze. Following that, the Frosh will play. Might be a nice couple games to see.
Also of note - Nick Wright was coaching their team. Pretty cool. He actually filled that role failry nicely. The guys made several mid game adjustments that all seemed to work out well. Glad to see him take a leadership role.
(06-25-2012 12:34 PM)MonarchManiac Wrote: [ -> ]I did not watch any returning players...wanted to see the new guys. May try to watch some of their games in the coming weeks. For example - saturday we can see Pim and Ross play agains Frank Hill and Baby Baze. Following that, the Frosh will play. Might be a nice couple games to see.
Also of note - Nick Wright was coaching their team. Pretty cool. He actually filled that role failry nicely. The guys made several mid game adjustments that all seemed to work out well. Glad to see him take a leadership role.
Awesome about Nick. I will probably only see the freshmen as well, for lack of time. Metternick gave positive reviews from Ross and Batten, but their reported numbers weren't really impressive. Just curious for another perspective.