11-21-2017, 10:02 AM
Three Observations
1. Much can be debated about the play of the ODU starting five, but perhaps the most surprising results of the weekend came from Aaron Carver. Many fans (of all D1 teams, not just ours) think that every player on scholarship is a bust if they aren't averaging double digits. But, the really successful teams have non-star players who have defined roles and play within those roles. AC is flourishing in his right now. He has a grown man's body, and refuses to give an inch. Against Temple, he was a huge factor in the Monarchs' fight to get back into the game. Against Indiana State, his advanced stats weren't great, but he grabbed more than 50% of the defensive rebounds when he was in the game. The Monarchs don't need a double-double from AC, but they will be more successful if he can come in to defend and rebound, while giving Jones some time to rest Brandan and Trey.
2. There has obviously been much debate about the play of Randy Haynes. I don't think, however, there has been a debate as to how valuable he could be for these Monarchs. In his career, he hasn't been a great shooter, particularly from deep. But the Monarchs could certainly use more shooting nights like the Dayton game from Haynes. Unlike some previous wings, he isn't afraid to shoot it from deep, but it will go a long way for the Monarchs if he can raise his average from 28% (his current average) to something in the mid-30s. Right now, the Monarchs are shooting an abysmal 29% as a team from deep. One has to believe that Caver's average will increase from the current 26%, as he shot nearly 37% last year. If Randy and the team can get to the mid-30s, this team could become very dangerous.
3. Ahmad Caver is the unquestioned leader and arguably most important player of this team, but Trey Porter might be its best. The redshirt junior has become a force in the post. His drop-step is reminiscent of the post-play of some recent Monarch greats. He can create points when the ball is dumped into him, but he might be even more dangerous grabbing offensive rebounds and putting them back. In addition to the offense, he and Brandan allow our guards to take chances at times on defense, as they know opposing guards will have to think twice about taking the ball to the rack and dealing with the long arms and great timing of Trey and Brandan.
Two Questions
1. Other than the first half of the Temple game, this Monarch team had a really good weekend. The defense was tremendous in the Indiana State and really good in the Dayton game (some garbage 3s at the end distorted those stats a bit). But, the question still becomes, will this team be able to generate enough offense to be legitimate contenders for an NCAA bid? It is clear, there are more weapons than in previous years, but thus far, the consistency on the offensive end has not yet been there. Will they find it?
2. Perhaps this is related to the previous question, but can Jeff Jones find a way to work the freshmen (Green, Godwin, Hueitt) in to create offense? These young ones come with reputations as guys who can score, but in their limited opportunities (Green excepted), have found the transition to be a challenge. Five of the next seven games (so, not the games against the teams from the capital city) seem to be good opportunities to work these guys in to the rotation to see if they are going to be able to help this year.
One Prediction
1. It wouldn't shock me to see the Monarchs come out a little flat on Saturday night in Kaplan Arena. It won't be because of the tryptophan from the turkey, but W&M Hall has a way of lulling teams to sleep. It is large. It is square. It is boring. It is far too easy to start a game with a bit of laziness. However, this is not a David Schneider, Quinn McDowell, Marcus Thornton, or Daniel Dixon led Tribe. This is Tony Shaver's least talented roster in a while. The Monarchs should be able to enforce their will upon the Tribe. The size in the post and the athleticism in the backcourt should be more than enough for the Monarchs to pull away. I expect to see at least 10 guys get some playing time for the Monarchs, as they pull away late in the first half and control until the buzzer sounds.
1. Much can be debated about the play of the ODU starting five, but perhaps the most surprising results of the weekend came from Aaron Carver. Many fans (of all D1 teams, not just ours) think that every player on scholarship is a bust if they aren't averaging double digits. But, the really successful teams have non-star players who have defined roles and play within those roles. AC is flourishing in his right now. He has a grown man's body, and refuses to give an inch. Against Temple, he was a huge factor in the Monarchs' fight to get back into the game. Against Indiana State, his advanced stats weren't great, but he grabbed more than 50% of the defensive rebounds when he was in the game. The Monarchs don't need a double-double from AC, but they will be more successful if he can come in to defend and rebound, while giving Jones some time to rest Brandan and Trey.
2. There has obviously been much debate about the play of Randy Haynes. I don't think, however, there has been a debate as to how valuable he could be for these Monarchs. In his career, he hasn't been a great shooter, particularly from deep. But the Monarchs could certainly use more shooting nights like the Dayton game from Haynes. Unlike some previous wings, he isn't afraid to shoot it from deep, but it will go a long way for the Monarchs if he can raise his average from 28% (his current average) to something in the mid-30s. Right now, the Monarchs are shooting an abysmal 29% as a team from deep. One has to believe that Caver's average will increase from the current 26%, as he shot nearly 37% last year. If Randy and the team can get to the mid-30s, this team could become very dangerous.
3. Ahmad Caver is the unquestioned leader and arguably most important player of this team, but Trey Porter might be its best. The redshirt junior has become a force in the post. His drop-step is reminiscent of the post-play of some recent Monarch greats. He can create points when the ball is dumped into him, but he might be even more dangerous grabbing offensive rebounds and putting them back. In addition to the offense, he and Brandan allow our guards to take chances at times on defense, as they know opposing guards will have to think twice about taking the ball to the rack and dealing with the long arms and great timing of Trey and Brandan.
Two Questions
1. Other than the first half of the Temple game, this Monarch team had a really good weekend. The defense was tremendous in the Indiana State and really good in the Dayton game (some garbage 3s at the end distorted those stats a bit). But, the question still becomes, will this team be able to generate enough offense to be legitimate contenders for an NCAA bid? It is clear, there are more weapons than in previous years, but thus far, the consistency on the offensive end has not yet been there. Will they find it?
2. Perhaps this is related to the previous question, but can Jeff Jones find a way to work the freshmen (Green, Godwin, Hueitt) in to create offense? These young ones come with reputations as guys who can score, but in their limited opportunities (Green excepted), have found the transition to be a challenge. Five of the next seven games (so, not the games against the teams from the capital city) seem to be good opportunities to work these guys in to the rotation to see if they are going to be able to help this year.
One Prediction
1. It wouldn't shock me to see the Monarchs come out a little flat on Saturday night in Kaplan Arena. It won't be because of the tryptophan from the turkey, but W&M Hall has a way of lulling teams to sleep. It is large. It is square. It is boring. It is far too easy to start a game with a bit of laziness. However, this is not a David Schneider, Quinn McDowell, Marcus Thornton, or Daniel Dixon led Tribe. This is Tony Shaver's least talented roster in a while. The Monarchs should be able to enforce their will upon the Tribe. The size in the post and the athleticism in the backcourt should be more than enough for the Monarchs to pull away. I expect to see at least 10 guys get some playing time for the Monarchs, as they pull away late in the first half and control until the buzzer sounds.