(06-14-2017 03:39 PM)Hoots Wrote: (06-13-2017 06:44 PM)MTigerBlue Wrote: . . . till bball season, and I’m starting to get excited -- looking forward to seeing this team play. I’ve been watching videos trying to get to know each player’s game a little bit, and several things stood out.
Number one, we’re going to have a much deeper bench than we had last year. Nobody’s getting 35 minutes on this team because of that and because I think we’re gonna do a lot of pressing.
I do think we’ll get most of our scoring from inside again, but Johnson’s a shooter, and a couple of the 6‘7-6‘8 guys have some range (Davenport, Nickelberry), so hopefully, we won’t be as susceptible to teams packing it in like they did last year. Regardless, this team has the size to score it in the paint either way -- Thornton is a big dude.
And David Nickelberry has a personality that reminds me of Penny. He’s got some moves and handles, too. I would not be surprised if he ends up being the vocal leader of the team -- seems to be that kind of guy.
Anyway, just tired and bored with all the same ole, same ole, so I thought I’d offer up some relief from all that and say something positive. I think there are a lot of positives in Tiger basketball, even though you wouldn’t know it by reading this site!
Nice post, thanks. When I saw the title, I thought I might see something like "Five months and Tubby still hasn't...." whatever. I didn't base that on anything you've posted previously. Just figured it was likely to be something negative.
But yeah, I agree with what you said. I am liking this team more and more, and given that this staff is getting people they want--not inherited--I'm a believer in what they can do.
Thanks, I appreciate it -- and from others, as well. I know there are a lot of fans who are feeling better about the atmosphere now than they have in a long time -- not the talent, yet, but the general attitude of the staff and players toward each other. And I think that bodes well for the future of the program and the associated attendance at games.
It's synergy. One thing builds on another. Get the attitude right, and the actions will follow. Show people that you're having fun and playing for the name on the front of the jersey, and the fans will be there.
And I am excited when I look at the construction of the team. I don't know what we'll get out of the 5 -- we have height and size, but I don't know about the skillsets. Regardless, we have two of them, both of whom are big enough to defend the position, and that is going to make it better than last year. We won't have to play undesized at that position.
I'm not sure about Enoh. He's got a big body, but can he push people around and bang inside? He's a freshman. We shall see. But all the rest I expect to see in and out of the lineup at the 1 through 4 spots on a regular basis.
And at the position that matters most, we have the most experience. Only a handful of players (Rose, Kemp, Anderson, Jackson) have averaged four assists in the last dozen years. Joe did it in his junior and senior years. Jeremiah averaged four his sophomore year, and that was on a team that couldn't shoot.
We've got a point guard and a center and a whole bunch of interchangeable pieces in between, which means we can play defense 94 feet when we want to. And that, in my opinion, is going to make this coming season fun to watch.
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Five Months
