Does this mean that we did hire the right coach?
(10-13-2017 08:52 PM)Cbass33 Wrote: [ -> ]Does this mean that we did hire the right coach?
He's certainly recruiting very well.
(10-13-2017 08:54 PM)hooverblazer Wrote: [ -> ] (10-13-2017 08:52 PM)Cbass33 Wrote: [ -> ]Does this mean that we did hire the right coach?
He's certainly recruiting very well.
We still need a gritty old man to drive a defensive mindset into our players souls..
Last year we couldn't stop a turtle with a box.
Obviously he's a great recruiter. Time will tell if he's even an above average coach.
(10-14-2017 12:00 AM)BlazerPhil Wrote: [ -> ] (10-13-2017 08:54 PM)hooverblazer Wrote: [ -> ] (10-13-2017 08:52 PM)Cbass33 Wrote: [ -> ]Does this mean that we did hire the right coach?
He's certainly recruiting very well.
We still need a gritty old man to drive a defensive mindset into our players souls..
Last year we couldn't stop a turtle with a box.
Yes! Our defense was awful at times last season. Playing defense is all about effort, want and desire. There were games last season where none of these traits were present.
A lot of our defensive issues were systemic too. Consistently, and by design, helping off the other teams best shooters, going under picks by design on the other teams best shooters in pick and roll situations. Not forcing ball handlers towards help, and instead playing the ballhandler straight up and letting the other team setup a layup line with their offense.
My greatest fear for this season is that none of these things are going to be corrected because of a mentality by our staff that “gee we would have been a good team if Nick Norton had not gotten hurt, we don’t need to change anything now that he’s back.”
Looking forward to this years team and future years with these talented players
Frankly I don't have a lot of high expectations for the 2017-18 team. I don't expect them to be bad but I am hoping to be completely surprised. A lot of unknown factors in play.
1. Does Norton return to form from two years ago. A lot of players don't recover to their old selves.
2. We have two really good players in Lee and Cokley, but they have both shown that they don't play with intensity, night in and night out.
3. As mentioned earlier, this is not a good defensive team. The one good defensive player, Hak, is gone. There may be a defensive stopper among the new players, but there will be an adjustment period.
4. We have a coach still learning on the job.
5. three point shooting. This was a problem last year, and We lost Dirk Williams. Norton will pick up some of that, if he is back to normal, Darling has a year's experience, and some of the new players are reportedly great shooters. Then again, there is that adjustment period.
To me the good news is that we have a light OOC conference to work thru these issues and this team has the potential to make me and all of my concerns look like an idiot.
I hope I am an idiot.
(10-14-2017 04:10 PM)Memphis Blazer Wrote: [ -> ]Frankly I don't have a lot of high expectations for the 2017-18 team. I don't expect them to be bad but I am hoping to be completely surprised. A lot of unknown factors in play.
1. Does Norton return to form from two years ago. A lot of players don't recover to their old selves.
2. We have two really good players in Lee and Cokley, but they have both shown that they don't play with intensity, night in and night out.
3. As mentioned earlier, this is not a good defensive team. The one good defensive player, Hak, is gone. There may be a defensive stopper among the new players, but there will be an adjustment period.
4. We have a coach still learning on the job.
5. three point shooting. This was a problem last year, and We lost Dirk Williams. Norton will pick up some of that, if he is back to normal, Darling has a year's experience, and some of the new players are reportedly great shooters. Then again, there is that adjustment period.
To me the good news is that we have a light OOC conference to work thru these issues and this team has the potential to make me and all of my concerns look like an idiot.
I hope I am an idiot.
You are not an idiot. You just often play one on tv.
Just kidding. Actually a really good post. I would however suggest that Dirk being gone might not be noticed as much considering his disappointing senior year anyway. I think that and Norton being out contributed to Cokley's struggling at times.(Defenses didn't have to come out and guard away from basket as much). Absolutely agree that he and Lee need to man up and come out every night with intensity. You simply have to have at least 2 3pt shooters in your lineup these days in college basketball. We will see.
I agree, people think I'm hard on Nick but I'm just being honest. He does certain things well, and it's things that he just doesn't do.
We can play multiple lineups, but we should only focus on a few if certain guys are still a defensive liability.
I expect better guard play since Hak, and Watts are gone. Watts played on of position his whole career like Tosin.
Glad we've finally got somebody to pressure Norton for a starting spot, if we don't then there's a problem. Don't think any guy should go into this season with a starting spot locked up even HaHa. If Bryant is truly a PG he looks like a PD3 clone.
Glad our starting PG doesn't have to play iron man minutes. Something that kinda started with Davis, even though he later kinda tried to correct it in failed attempts.
Would love to see HaHa or Coke average a double double, if not both.
Would like to see if Lew and Deion fixed their shots, Deion could be been the second or third leading scorer had his three ball fell last year.
Mak, JP, Smallwood, Nate,and Luis could be X factors this season if used in the right lineups this season too.
I completely agree that it's good to have somebody who can put pressure on Nick this year Dee. I also wouldn't mind seeing two PGs on the floor at once, especially if we have somebody who can get Nick open shots.
We have about ten guys I can see getting playing time this year. I hope we don't decide to condense the lineup to 7-8 and really let some of the new guys get some experience. The future is bright for us, I just have no idea what to expect this year. Hopefully our seniors take on leadership roles and we don't have to wonder who is leading the team again.
(10-16-2017 09:03 AM)blazers9911 Wrote: [ -> ]I completely agree that it's good to have somebody who can put pressure on Nick this year Dee. I also wouldn't mind seeing two PGs on the floor at once, especially if we have somebody who can get Nick open shots.
We have about ten guys I can see getting playing time this year. I hope we don't decide to condense the lineup to 7-8 and really let some of the new guys get some experience. The future is bright for us, I just have no idea what to expect this year. Hopefully our seniors take on leadership roles and we don't have to wonder who is leading the team again.
I really hope we use 11 guys, Hurtado could be an x factor.
To this 2018 season things get interesting with this signee. He could maybe start at the three over someone like Lavender. Looks to be a decent defender.
Smallwood/Jude
Gueye/Sullivan/Pearson
Boyce/Lavender
Perry/Darling
Norton/Bryant/Hurtado/McCoy