12/18 - MBB vs. UMBC

[TampaBuzz]

I'm only guessing here but there has been talk before by CDS and others that DO will pop off from time to time and wasn't shy about expressing his opinions to his coach and others. After the way he was sat down in the Northwestern game and Mutumbo got the big man minutes for the remainder of that game, it makes me wonder if DO "popped off" about it and stepped over the line. Or maybe as RM worked himself back into playing shape and was getting more first team reps in practice that upset DO. Again just a wild guess from me but you don't just go from being the starter to not being with the team over night for no reason. then again grades might be the reason as someone else pointed out. Regardless, I hope the situation can be resolved.

Another interesting coincidence is this comes right on the heels of Sylla committing to us. Not sure if or why that could be an issue.

Who is Sylla? Is there a thread on him somewhere? Seems like there should be something in the recruiting folder with a big "committed" next to his name if this is correct.

 

[Connell62]

What I didn't like:
-Sutton's FT stroke (and some of the other misses). It didn't cost us the game, but 66% at the FT line could be improved.

Noticed that too... Phew-weee....I was shocked because I thought he had a bit of a stroke.

He's gotta get better from the line because he will spend a lot of time there as his game develops.

 

[MtnWasp]

The only player that I can recall that flamed-out academically in only one semester was Juan Gaston. So, that would be rare.

Stoudamire has been pretty open in his love of DO. Stoudamire doesn't seem like a hard coach to get along with. Gapare bailed on him. Maybe the kids are hard to get along with?

Losing Onwuchekwa is a bad surprise for a program that can ill afford bad surprises. Sheesh.

 

[spdrama]

Who is Sylla? Is there a thread on him somewhere? Seems like there should be something in the recruiting folder with a big "committed" next to his name if this is correct.

He is not committed. He does not have an offer from GT. There is no thread on him, but there are posts in the 2025 class recruiting. He is a top Center recruit and had an OV at GT recently. Senegal Countryman of Baye Ndongo. Supposed to announce this month. GT made his final 5 along with Arkansas, Washington, Oregon, & Kansas. He has no offer from Kansas either. An offer would have officially been recruiting over Onwuchekwa, which might be why one was not made. The fact that GT made his final 5 indicates at least a non-published offer, which would not be a surprise from CDS and the recent announcement might have added fuel to any DO issues, if not academic. Just reading tea & speculating.

 

[TampaBuzz]

He is not committed. He does not have an offer from GT. There is no thread on him, but there are posts in the 2025 class recruiting. He is a top Center recruit and had an OV at GT recently. Senegal Countryman of Baye Ndongo. Supposed to announce this month. GT made his final 5 along with Arkansas, Washington, Oregon, & Kansas. He has no offer from Kansas either. An offer would have officially been recruiting over Onwuchekwa, which might be why one was not made. The fact that GT made his final 5 indicates at least a non-published offer, which would not be a surprise from CDS and the recent announcement might have added fuel to any DO issues, if not academic. Just reading tea & speculating.

Thanks for the info....I was confused. Another post on here had speculated that DO leaving was linked to Sylla committing to us. I might have read it wrong.

 

[Connell62]

I'm only guessing here but there has been talk before by CDS and others that DO will pop off from time to time and wasn't shy about expressing his opinions to his coach and others. After the way he was sat down in the Northwestern game and Mutumbo got the big man minutes for the remainder of that game, it makes me wonder if DO "popped off" about it and stepped over the line. Or maybe as RM worked himself back into playing shape and was getting more first team reps in practice that upset DO. Again just a wild guess from me but you don't just go from being the starter to not being with the team over night for no reason. then again grades might be the reason as someone else pointed out. Regardless, I hope the situation can be resolved.

Another interesting coincidence is this comes right on the heels of Sylla committing to us. Not sure if or why that could be an issue.

DO is still a young man and sometimes young men tend to be head strong. I've heard multiple people say that Damon at practice is much different than Damon on the sideline. He is an old head, he practices a certain way. He chews their asses out, he puts them on the baseline and runs them, he challenges them.

Some guys respond to that in different ways. As I've been saying, practices are super intense as of late. Damon is trying to get these guys onto the same sheet of music. Think we are frustrated? Imagine how frustrated Damon must be...Sounds like it is a situation where DO has some things (maturity issues) to deal with, and it is probably safe to assume those two things collided.

It was stated as personal reasons....I'll honor that and leave it there. Would hate to lose DO, and I love the fire, but you have to be coachable.

Wouldn't read too much into Sylla playing a role here...Always possibility that I'm wrong, but I don't think there is any correlation. Completely unrelated.

 

[78pike]

Thanks for the info....I was confused. Another post on here had speculated that DO leaving was linked to Sylla committing to us. I might have read it wrong.

That's my bad. I read a post from a yellow jacket site that I thought said he committed but it was really saying we made his top five. But on that subject since there is often so much criticism of CDS, this is another case of one of the top recruits in the country considering coming to play at Tech. Say what you will about his on court coaching, but we have not seen top recruits like Sylla and several others even give Tech a sideways glance since the Bobby Cremins days. We all know it takes high level players to compete and CDS is our best chance to get them here. Of course we all live in the what have you done for me lately world, but I believe CDS will get the players to have us very competitive if we have the patience to let him do his thing.

 

[Root4GT]

That's my bad. I read a post from a yellow jacket site that I thought said he committed but it was really saying we made his top five. But on that subject since there is often so much criticism of CDS, this is another case of one of the top recruits in the country considering coming to play at Tech. Say what you will about his on court coaching, but we have not seen top recruits like Sylla and several others even give Tech a sideways glance since the Bobby Cremins days. We all know it takes high level players to compete and CDS is our best chance to get them here. Of course we all live in the what have you done for me lately world, but I believe CDS will get the players to have us very competitive if we have the patience to let him do his thing.

Hewitt brought in very high level talent. Favors and Young and Bosh were all top 10 type HS Players.

 

[MtnWasp]

Bosh's stock exploded at the big July Sneaker camps while his recruitment was already winding down and he had his Final 4 schools already established. I know that Miami was one of the four along with GT.

He was a well regarded recruit but his rating as an elite recruit was after his recruitment was largely over. Good job by the Hewitt staff to be on Bosh early.

Favors and Thaddeus will Blue chip recruits from the git-go.

 

[stingray]

Bosh's stock exploded at the big July Sneaker camps while his recruitment was already winding down and he had his Final 4 schools already established. I know that Miami was one of the four along with GT.

He was a well regarded recruit but his rating as an elite recruit was after his recruitment was largely over. Good job by the Hewitt staff to be on Bosh early.

Favors and Thaddeus will Blue chip recruits from the git-go.

Jarrett Jack & Iman Shumpert were also elite players recruited by Hewitt.

 

[JacketsSports]

Jarrett Jack & Iman Shumpert were also elite players recruited by Hewitt.

Don't forget about Javaris Crittenton. I believe he was the #1 or 2 overall point guard in the class. Thaddeus and JC came in together the same yr.

 

[78pike]

Jarrett Jack & Iman Shumpert were also elite players recruited by Hewitt.

All true but these days you need a few top players playing together each year to compete. Not someone one year and then maybe another a couple years later and the another the year after that. Keep in mind players like Bosh and Favors didn't stick around very long. I guess what I'm saying is to compete with the likes of Duke and UNC you need to be pulling in top talent every year especially due to guys leaving early. That's what Bobby was able to do pretty consistently and yes maybe Hewitt to a smaller degree. CDS represents our best chance to be able to attract those recruits on a consistent level since those days. Whether or not he can continue to do it and turn it into a finished product on the court remains to be seen. I'm in the camp that believes he can so I'm willing to give him more time than many on here who seem to want him gone right now.

 

[MWBATL]

Hewitt actually proved that you need more than top notch talent to win in college basketball. Even with great recruits, his offense was trash and we lost far more than we ‘should have’ (my own opinion). But Hewitt was unabashedly a supported of doing everything to prepare his players for pro ball, and if that cost him wins, so be it. He also felt it his role to advance minority assistant coaches, perhaps even over more qualified alternatives. I am not trying to condemn his choices (there’s a reasonable discussion to be had there once one gets past political kneejerk reactions either way)….merely commenting on some things which I think played a role in our W-L record while he was here.

 

[Root4GT]

All true but these days you need a few top players playing together each year to compete. Not someone one year and then maybe another a couple years later and the another the year after that. Keep in mind players like Bosh and Favors didn't stick around very long. I guess what I'm saying is to compete with the likes of Duke and UNC you need to be pulling in top talent every year especially due to guys leaving early. That's what Bobby was able to do pretty consistently and yes maybe Hewitt to a smaller degree. CDS represents our best chance to be able to attract those recruits on a consistent level since those days. Whether or not he can continue to do it and turn it into a finished product on the court remains to be seen. I'm in the camp that believes he can so I'm willing to give him more time than many on here who seem to want him gone right now.

Players didn't leave early for much of Bobby's time as HC. Once they started leaving early his teams were never at the same high level again. That era passed 30 years ago.

 

[alagold]

I'm only guessing here but there has been talk before by CDS and others that DO will pop off from time to time and wasn't shy about expressing his opinions to his coach and others. After the way he was sat down in the Northwestern game and Mutumbo got the big man minutes for the remainder of that game, it makes me wonder if DO "popped off" about it and stepped over the line. Or maybe as RM worked himself back into playing shape and was getting more first team reps in practice that upset DO. Again just a wild guess from me but you don't just go from being the starter to not being with the team over night for no reason. then again grades might be the reason as someone else pointed out. Regardless, I hope the situation can be resolved.

Another interesting coincidence is this comes right on the heels of Sylla committing to us. Not sure if or why that could be an issue.

Sylla committed? hadn't seen that