(11-09-2019 07:42 AM)EagleSam Wrote:  We didn’t exactly handle Siena Heights, either. Gave up 72 points, and only led by 15 at halftime (won by 18). Shot horrendously from 3, and the free throw line.

We aren’t as big, physically imposing, or athletic as we were last year. We also don’t have a defensive equalizer like Tim Bond or Elijah Minnie (I’m hoping Groce can still develop into that). But just from this first impression, we appear to be deeper and better fundamentally. All 4 of the guys that came off the bench in the 1st half looked like they could easily start. You could argue that the Chris’s were better than our starting guards. We haven’t had quality depth like that in a while.

Let’s hope they keep it rolling. Siena Heights beat our next opponent, Goshen, so we may see more of the same. But any experience is good experience for a bunch of new teammates at this stage of the year. We’ll learn a lot more in Jamaica.

Yep, but don't forget @ N. Texas. That is a campus game of the Jamaica tourney.

Friday night they almost beat #25 VCU.

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basket...=401170106

Interesting enough, lest I be wrong, Chris James is our only true frosh. He didn't play like a frosh yesterday.

As Sam noted, last year when we played poorly, even the Little Sisters of the Poor could have beaten us. When we were bad, it was like really bad.

Not sure if prep school counts as a year of eligibility. The website lists Dillard, Pacheco, and Gibbs as true freshmen. It was never considered a redshirt for James Thompson, officially, so I don’t think it will be for them either. I believe all 4 to be “true freshmen”.

James was impressive. Pretty stroke, aggressive on D, runs well. About all he did wrong was hilariously miss a dunk. No shame in playing below the rim, Chris!

Prep school doesn't count as a year of eligibility.

So we have 4 true freshmen, but only 2 played yesterday.

(11-09-2019 06:01 AM)emu steve Wrote:  

(11-08-2019 08:47 PM)Jerry Weaver Wrote:  Guys Sienna Hts. would have trouble beating Lincoln High. Our 7 foot center has his way around the basket against non-scholarship athletes that max out at 6'8" unless he needlessly shuffles his feet? Let me put on my shocked face! We learned very little from today's game, the competition was just too weak.

The bad:
We allowed a lot of clean open looks beyond the three point line as we have in the past.

We also accorded Sienna a bunch of offensive rebounds, another trait of past Murphy teams.

Additionally I saw no evidence of any motion or coherent strategy in our half court offense, another movie that we have all seen before.

The good: Murphy recruited some guys who appear to be athletes, foot speed and hops included.

It looks like we have some 3 point shooters.

We pressed 3/4 court, ideal for a team with no stars who can rotate bodies in and out and wear out the opponent.

GASP! We actually experimented with a different defense late in the first half. That defense was primitive and has not been played at EMU in years, it is called "man to man". We now have a 3/4 press, our regular 2-3 zone and this man to man thing. It might actually allow us to make some half time adjustments instead of being rolled like we were last year in the second twenty minutes.

Steiner made some comments on air today about the egos from last year (JT4, Minnie, Jackson) making the season difficult which brought back memories from Murphy disparagingly commenting on the 2016-17 Lee, Mangum, Toney, Thompson, Bond team. Murph seems to be better when he has less talent.

To summarize, Toure is not even close to Toledo's Knapke, if the offensive approach is to alley oop passes to him, we are doomed. As much as hate to say it, Keno at Central has a far better talent portfolio as well. I'm hoping that Rob does better with less as usual but I think this team maxes out at .500 plain and simple.

My comments:

Last year we struggled with Siena Heights (EDIT: Think it was Rochester, led by 3 at the half to start the season) so misfiring teams can look bad vs. bad teams. We didn't misfire yesterday.

Yes, Murphy will change up his defenses to keep the opponent off stride. This is what folks have been clamoring for.

I was surprised the teams didn't have trouble with the international length three point line.

Don't like pointing fingers but wasn't JT4 sat by Murphy for 'conduct...'? That suggests that the problem was more than one warning or you sit a half... Last year's team struggled from game #1. Team never had it together. Amazing with players coming back for their senior years...

"Amazing" is too mild of a description of that senior behavior. In the last ten years, we had two prized BB recruits that would have merited NBA attention, JT4 and Ray Lee. Both were suspended at times in their senior year. By contrast our best football recruit in that time, Brogan Roback, got his ass kicked in earlier years and left the school as a leader and great citizen. Coaching?

(11-09-2019 09:10 AM)EagleSam Wrote:  James was impressive. Pretty stroke, aggressive on D, runs well. About all he did wrong was hilariously miss a dunk. No shame in playing below the rim, Chris!

Chris James’ bio says he made first team all-state 2 years in a row. I know that does not always translate to collegiate performance or recruit ranking. But this seems intriguing nonetheless and I am surprised we got him. Hopefully he keeps performing like he did in his first game.

As for the other freshman Pacheo, he seems prime for redshirting. Bigs typically seem to take more time to develop unless they are “special”. I would not expect to see him until later in the season, and if Binelli is back by then along with Groce taking some 4 minutes, I would see little need for him.

Glad to see Luckeyone posting after his hiatus. Welcome back!

(11-09-2019 11:39 PM)RamyEMU Wrote:  Glad to see Luckeyone posting after his hiatus. Welcome back!

Thank you, Ramy!! I've read all the posts throughout our football season but was just too busy to write anything.

Cheers!

(11-09-2019 11:38 PM)RamyEMU Wrote:  

(11-09-2019 09:10 AM)EagleSam Wrote:  James was impressive. Pretty stroke, aggressive on D, runs well. About all he did wrong was hilariously miss a dunk. No shame in playing below the rim, Chris!

Chris James’ bio says he made first team all-state 2 years in a row. I know that does not always translate to collegiate performance or recruit ranking. But this seems intriguing nonetheless and I am surprised we got him. Hopefully he keeps performing like he did in his first game.

As for the other freshman Pacheo, he seems prime for redshirting. Bigs typically seem to take more time to develop unless they are “special”. I would not expect to see him until later in the season, and if Binelli is back by then along with Groce taking some 4 minutes, I would see little need for him.

I'm very pleased by the newcomers.

Binelli is obviously an interesting and key cog so we have to wait to see him play.

Otherwise, all the others who played showed well including a true frosh, Chris James.

So the JUCOs + Barnes play for 2 years and the frosh for 4 years. The cupboard isn't bare.

I think the 3 game shakedown cruise is fine. However I reserve judgment until we see how they do against D1 competition. To me that's the real test.