(10-18-2019 09:15 PM)Miggy Wrote: Not sure if D.Moore has returned to practice.
Suspect that starting line-up will be Alani, Nate, Rose, Moorman, and Hamilton.
Hamiton will have tough time, as Georgetown is big, very big.
Based on what i’ve seen, do hope Moorman earns the right to take the most field-goal attempts, especially since most of his shots are three- balls, and he shoots them at 40 percent plus.
Rose and NPL may struggle as both face major obstacles getting to hoop. Hope they don’t compensate by taking a lot of jumpers.
In my gut, I always want to see two jump shooters in the backcourt.
Ultimately, I think Temple’s,’ best line-up would be Scott, Dunn, NPL or Rose, and D.Moore. Like it because there would be few turnovers, and Temple would be deadly from the outside, and still get to the hoop.Doubt we’ll ever see it.
1. Damion's status:
Not a good sign if not practicing yet with 3 weeks to go, considering his history of foot injuries. Those injuries could kick up again, especially with high speed of play. Very concerned about the OOC schedule with Dunn and Damion both hampered by injuries.
2. Suspect starting line-up: Alani, Nate, Rose, Moorman, and Hamilton.
Hamilton may end up as a starter the season if Damion's history of injuries is going to limit his play. I think he and Moorman can play well together, but not so confident about any combinations with Perry or Parks. Losing Damion could end up losing some winnable games.
Alani as a starter? I see him as a very limited role player with an incomplete offensive skill set and difficulties defending taller guards.
Maybe the HC wants to see Scott come in off the bench and give the team a jump start, but our best back court is definitely Nate, Rose, and Scott. If Alani plays more than 20 mpg, the team's productivity will lag significantly.
3. "Hamilton will have a tough time."
He very well may, but he's going to have a tough time the rest of his career until he learns how to play on the interior and accepts that role.
He's lean, it's true, but tall, athletic and muscular enough to play near the hoop. Got to get tough. "When the going gets tough, the tough get going."
We had a player named Tim Perry who was of somewhat similar build, but he became a truly dominant interior player and major shot blocker. It can be done. "Be the man, Ham."
4. "Georgetown is big, very big."
This is likely to be a problem for Temple until Coach McKie starts to recruit a sufficient number of big men.
The best D1 teams are well stocked with 6'9" and taller players who are athletic and able to dominate the basket area on both ends. Temple has two 6'9" or taller players, and one is not yet practicing. Next season, Temple will only have a player at that height, and the following season, Temple's tallest players will be only 6'8" (Parks & Forrester), unless McKie can recruit some true big men by then.
Any team without a single 6'9"+ player is unlikely to make it far beyond the round of 32 in the NCAA tournament.
5. Moorman - most FGAs?
With his height and shooting ability, could be possible, but he was so very reluctant to shoot last season, I don't expect him to take the most shots. Something like 10 to 12 shots per game would definitely help, though, would take scoring pressure off the back court players, and would prevent defenses from over-defending the guards/wings.
6. Rose and NPL struggle to get to the basket (?)
I don't see that as a big problem. Yes, Rose struggled in conference play, but that was when he was injured. In the prior seasons and OOC play last season, he was a brilliant penetrator to the hoop, although he did turn the ball over too often or failed to finish at times.
Nate's strong suit is penetrating toward the basket, it seems to me, and he is a good finisher. Intermediate range shooting is less consistent, and his 3 pt shot developed quite a bit.
7. "always want to see two jump shooters in the backcourt."
I don't think two is enough, because it's too easy for an opponent to shut down perimeter offense with only two jump shooters.
In fact, Temple wants to have four perimeter shooters much of the game (NPL, Rose, Scott, & Moorman). It's very hard to defend the perimeter against 4 good distance shooters.
The only reason Temple had success on offense last season was that NPL developed into a good perimeter shooter, so that Temple had 3 good backcourt jump shooters to defend against.
8. Ultimately, I think Temple’s,’ best line-up would be ... Scott, Dunn, NPL, Rose, and D.Moore.
That could be Temple's best lineup if D. Moore is healthy enough to play near 100%.
Here are some other good lineups for Temple:
Before Dunn returns:
1) Scott, NPL, Rose, Moorman, & Damion/Hamilton.....that's about it.
After Dunn returns:
1) Scott, NPL, Rose, Moorman, & Damion/Hamilton
2) Scott, NPL, Rose, Dunn, & Moorman/Damion/Hamilton
3) Scott, Dunn, Rose, Moorman, & Damion/Hamilton
4) Scott, NPL, Dunn, Moorman, & Damion/Hamilton
5) Dunn, NPL, Rose, Moorman, & Damion/Hamilton
This illustrates, dramatically, how many more options Coach McKie will have when Dunn returns, assuming of course that Dunn comes back and is able to play at 100% in a way reminiscent of the way NPL and Rose played in their freshman seasons.
Mathematically, quintupling the number of best lineup possibilities may multiply, in turn, the likelihood of Temple victories when Dunn returns.