I wasn't able to get to campus soon enough. Anything to report? Are the new guards quicker than we've had in the past?
(10-15-2016 08:52 PM)bcunn3128 Wrote: [ -> ]I wasn't able to get to campus soon enough. Anything to report? Are the new guards quicker than we've had in the past?
I was there. I'll try to write something tomorrow, but JC guard Daniel Dzierzawski was the best player on the floor, IMO.
Really? Oh boy. It could be a long season.
I wanted to go but tickets for the football game were outrageous me knew I didn't want to pay to park just to watch a free hoops scrimmage
My opinion on the players from watching the scrimmage and part of one practice.
James Gordon. Don't believe he played in the scrimmage. From watching him in practice, I doubt he plays much this year.
Jonathan Williams. Seems stronger. Needs to assert himself more.
Taylor Adway. Maybe the most improved returning player. He can block shots and rebound and has a decent outside shot.
Lucas Antunez. Didn't see him do much.
Justin Roberts. Small, but stocky. A pretty good passer and ball handler, but didn't see much offense.
Daniel Dzierzawski. Very impressive at the scrimmage. Can drive the entire floor with speed we haven't seen in a while. Finishes around the basket. Nice outside shot. Very quick. Not the 6 foot as listed.
Jaelan Sanford. Looks like he has improved his outside shooting. Stronger. Could have a big year.
Steve Taylor. Physically imposing. Nice game around the basket, but not an outside shooter. Will rebound and play defense.
Jordan Lauf. Looks like he's in the best shape of his career. Might have found his outside shot.
Luke Knapke. Still learning. Needs to take more advantage of his height. A good passer and rebounder. A good athlete who has loads of potential.
Zach Garber. Seems to get a little better each year, and I can see improvement.
Nate Navigato. Looks to have really worked on his outside shooting.
(10-15-2016 09:38 PM)emanoh Wrote: [ -> ]Really? Oh boy. It could be a long season.
Why would that mean it'll be a long season? Just because he's a JuCo transfer doesn't mean he's not good.
If a kid who just transferred into the program is our best player vs our homegrown guys then IMO we are in trouble.
SI hoops mag has us winning the West. I'm not so sure.
Well, we have a lot of experience in the lineup. IIRC, Navigato was very good as a Fr.. And if DD demonstrates such talent on game day it seems like we could have a pretty starting lineup at least.
Thanks for that report, Detroit Rocket!
Really think not having a true baseline-to-baseline point guard last season was a problem. We just didn't seem comfortable on offense with tempo and never really disrupted the play of opposing PGs and I think it cost us at least 2 MAC games (which would have been the difference between playing someone else at home in the MAC tournament instead of the nightmare matchup at EMU). If DD is the answer to that problem then he was a good get.
I like Navigato & Sanford. They don't have to be all-MAC to make some important contributions.
So after a redshirt year is Knapke still a bit of a work in progress? If he's more comfortable in the high post or on the perimeter maybe we give teams 2 different looks this season, with Knapke running some offense similar to Boothe from the high post and then substituting personnel with Steve Taylor & Garber as more of a low post presence?
Hope Adway has a nice season. Seems like the better MAC teams have an athletic forward. Could be a nice contributor on both offense & defense off the bench.
Jon Jon just needs to provide leadership and let the game come to him--offensively I think we have enough pieces that he doesn't need to force things.
Of course, the real key may be how well do we play defense this season.
(10-16-2016 11:25 AM)H2Oville Rocket Wrote: [ -> ]SI hoops mag has us winning the West. I'm not so sure.
4 very good seniors 3 senior starters Sanford and Navigato improved. If we can improved point guard play we should.
I don't think that is a big if because this thread said the Juco is a an improvement there.
(10-16-2016 11:17 AM)emanoh Wrote: [ -> ]If a kid who just transferred into the program is our best player vs our homegrown guys then IMO we are in trouble.
That's horrible logic.
(10-16-2016 01:18 PM)MidnightBlueGold Wrote: [ -> ] (10-16-2016 11:17 AM)emanoh Wrote: [ -> ]If a kid who just transferred into the program is our best player vs our homegrown guys then IMO we are in trouble.
That's horrible logic.
Since 1980 the Rockets have had a number of good teams some of which have had the potential to win the MACC tournament but whether it was Stan or Coach K, those "good" teams always seemed fade and disappear at tournament time.
I have seen this happen enough times that I am not going believe the Rockets are ever going to the NCAA again (at least in my lifetime) unless it actually somehow happens.
So much Winning the MACC tourney is being HOT at the right time. Being good is extremely important, but being hot in a tourney is so important. As we've seen with a single bid from our conference the best team doesn't always get to go. Where else can you dominate a 27-30 game schedule and lose to a hot team or on a bad call and not get into the NCAA's. For that reason when everyone is complaining we aren't ranked or 10-0 in December I'll enjoy the process and complain when we lose in the first round of the tournament. Just joking...I'll be on the band wagon to fire coach K after his first loss and beg for some Purdue or other B1G assistant to be our rebuilding savior.
(10-16-2016 01:18 PM)MidnightBlueGold Wrote: [ -> ] (10-16-2016 11:17 AM)emanoh Wrote: [ -> ]If a kid who just transferred into the program is our best player vs our homegrown guys then IMO we are in trouble.
That's horrible logic.
I agree if he is better than Jon Jon which I doubt it I can live with that.
BTW, I didn't say Dzierzawski was the best player on the team, just the most impressive at the scrimmage. Maybe he was trying harder.
(10-16-2016 07:35 PM)DetroitRocket Wrote: [ -> ]BTW, I didn't say Dzierzawski was the best player on the team, just the most impressive at the scrimmage. Maybe he was trying harder.
It was just a scrimmage for a little homecoming weekend fun. Let's not read too much into it.
(10-16-2016 07:54 PM)San Giuseppe Jato Rocket Wrote: [ -> ] (10-16-2016 07:35 PM)DetroitRocket Wrote: [ -> ]BTW, I didn't say Dzierzawski was the best player on the team, just the most impressive at the scrimmage. Maybe he was trying harder.
It was just a scrimmage for a little homecoming weekend fun. Let's not read too much into it.
True- based on one of these I predicted Delino Deer would be MAC Defensive Player of the Year.
(10-16-2016 08:08 PM)H2Oville Rocket Wrote: [ -> ] (10-16-2016 07:54 PM)San Giuseppe Jato Rocket Wrote: [ -> ] (10-16-2016 07:35 PM)DetroitRocket Wrote: [ -> ]BTW, I didn't say Dzierzawski was the best player on the team, just the most impressive at the scrimmage. Maybe he was trying harder.
It was just a scrimmage for a little homecoming weekend fun. Let's not read too much into it.
True- based on one of these I predicted Delino Deer would be MAC Defensive Player of the Year.
I thought you were going to tell me;
"That's horrible logic."
(10-16-2016 08:08 PM)H2Oville Rocket Wrote: [ -> ] (10-16-2016 07:54 PM)San Giuseppe Jato Rocket Wrote: [ -> ] (10-16-2016 07:35 PM)DetroitRocket Wrote: [ -> ]BTW, I didn't say Dzierzawski was the best player on the team, just the most impressive at the scrimmage. Maybe he was trying harder.
It was just a scrimmage for a little homecoming weekend fun. Let's not read too much into it.
True- based on one of these I predicted Delino Deer would be MAC Defensive Player of the Year.
And I predicted he'd be a high scoring combo forward after watching Delino early in his freshman year.