Now granted, I have only been watching ODU hoops since '91 and since then I have seen some great guards. But historically we have been a team that thrived on the post game. Right now I feel that Aaron Bacote and Trey Freeman are the two best ODU guards I've ever seen.... Thoughts?
I imagine Aaron will be more consistent next year. With Trey establishing himself, it took Aaron some time to adjust to not being the go-to guy. Love them both.
(02-28-2015 09:41 PM)Old Blue Wrote: [ -> ]Now granted, I have only been watching ODU hoops since '91 and since then I have seen some great guards. But historically we have been a team that thrived on the post game. Right now I feel that Aaron Bacote and Trey Freeman are the two best ODU guards I've ever seen.... Thoughts?
That's a very question. I have been watching since the Dave Twardzik days and tend to agree that this tandem are the two best we have had. However, i guess you could technically say that Bacote is a small forward since Baker actually starts at shooting guard. My opinion is Freeman is the best since Twardzik. I get the argument some may have for Drew Williamson but he was not asked to carry his team like Freemen has been asked to do.
As for Bacote comparisons, I would say in the recent era I may tend to give the nod to Isiah Hunter since he could do it all at times and was electrifying. Going back before Hunter, Mike Jones and Keith Thomas come to mind as excellent shooting guards that could do it all. Twardzik had a running mate in a 5'9" guard named Ricky Nau that could shoot with anyone but his size would keep him from matching up with current players.
But back to your original question, yes, I would agree this is the best tandem we have had.
Twardzik & Nau were a pretty solid duo but right after them what about Oliver Purnell and & Joey Caruthers? Twardzik will forever be at the top of my list at guard but for a tandem Purnell and Caruthers pretty much dominated every other set of guards they faced. They would be the best duo I can recall.
Different game now a days but I told my buddy last night that Freeman is starting to bring back memories of Twardzik. He can handle the rock, make the pass, drive to the hoop, hit the mid range jumper and is not bad from deep, usually right when we need one. Starting to hit his foul shots again (Twardzik was awesome at the Foul line) He is the floor general too, does it all. And is good on defense. Kinda amazing all that Freeman does for this team.
Bacote and Freeman are right up there on the best ODU list. Would need to get out my media book and refresh my memory of all the other tandems we have had. When Bacote decides to attack he is just a great player.
Love Freeman and Bacote.
Freeman is likely going to get to the 1000 point mark here at ODU next season. Pretty nice for 2 seasons. In fact, he'll have an outside shot of getting to 2000 for his career.
He's at 469 now at ODU and had 864 at Campbell.
I agree FreeCote the best Tandem.
Also, If we can get into the tournament this year (either by an at-large or winning the championship). A duo like freeman and Bacote can really carry us to several wins. Good guards are instrumental to success in the tournament. Plus the fact that we play lock-down defence. I really feel this is the year to make some post season noise.
(03-01-2015 11:18 AM)Old Blue Wrote: [ -> ]Also, If we can get into the tournament this year (either by an at-large or winning the championship). A duo like freeman and Bacote can really carry us to several wins. Good guards are instrumental to success in the tournament. Plus the fact that we play lock-down defence. I really feel this is the year to make some post season noise.
The TV commentators during last night's game were saying just that.
Ha! FreeCote is good, better than Bac-man anyway. I have to say that Freeman is probably the best I've seen (didn't see Twardzik) because of his all-around abilities and being deadly with the pull-up. The short rang pullup is a lost art and so hard to stop. Bacote is a good shooting guard but he really shines driving to the hoop. I have a hard time comparing them to previous duos but they are certainly at or near the top. Not saying they are the best, but I do have a special affinity for Swann and Larkin.
Drew Williamson or Freeman. Who would you pick? Tough choice. Drew was a better distributor, but Freeman is so steady, a puts the rock in the hole.
Golly that's tough... But I'd have to vote for Trey due to his explosive scoring abilities
(03-01-2015 11:56 AM)monarx Wrote: [ -> ]Drew Williamson or Freeman. Who would you pick? Tough choice. Drew was a better distributor, but Freeman is so steady, a puts the rock in the hole.
It's an unfair comparison, for the reason stated by JJMonarch on the preceding page: "Drew Williamson ... was not asked to carry his team like Freemen has been asked to do."
But unfairness aside, my guess is that Trey would have thrived just as well playing with the teams that Drew was leading. I honestly don't know if the reverse is true, and for that reason will likewise go with Trey.
Freeman is a scoring machine great team leader. Every great team has one. I take him first.
I have only been here since '94 and truthfully, I did not watch the Monarchs all that carefully at first, but I think I can say that no twosome stands out to me like Freeman and Bacote. Freeman is a given. What I especially like about Bacote (as I recall, a preseason all-conference pick) is how he has adjusted his role to fit in with Freeman, yet he can still carry the load when the team needs him to step up to the task. They make a really great starting duo.
Ummm... everybody is forgetting the dynamic duo of Delancey and Iliadis... or as I called them; Dish and Swish!
(03-01-2015 09:42 AM)ETSUDB8-79 Wrote: [ -> ]Twardzik & Nau were a pretty solid duo but right after them what about Oliver Purnell and & Joey Caruthers? Twardzik will forever be at the top of my list at guard but for a tandem Purnell and Caruthers pretty much dominated every other set of guards they faced. They would be the best duo I can recall.
Not going away to some of you basketball guru types who go back far enough at least comment on Purnell - Caruthers. I am just a fan when it comes to b-ball but I really cannot think of any other tandem that always dominated the opposition like they did.
You could make an argument that Trey Freeman is the best player in the conference (win shares per 40 minutes). You can make an argument that Bacote is one of the most efficient players in the conference. I don't think you can top them.
(03-01-2015 11:18 AM)Old Blue Wrote: [ -> ]Also, If we can get into the tournament this year (either by an at-large or winning the championship). A duo like freeman and Bacote can really carry us to several wins. Good guards are instrumental to success in the tournament. Plus the fact that we play lock-down defence. I really feel this is the year to make some post season noise.
This team can beat anyone if the shots are falling. They could go on a run is they get hot. Not predicting it as that would require Bacote, Baker, Mosley, and Arledge all going off at the same time and getting refs that let us play our defense at the same time, but it is possible. Happened for VCPoo and Mason.
(03-01-2015 11:56 AM)monarx Wrote: [ -> ]Drew Williamson or Freeman. Who would you pick? Tough choice. Drew was a better distributor, but Freeman is so steady, a puts the rock in the hole.
Definitely Freeman. This team would be around .500 this year without his scoring. Williamson was steady as they get, but his style required a stronger supporting cast and inside scoring. He was not asked to force his will very often.