'14-15 Preseason Hoops Outlook

[orientalnc]

I believe Q will be relief for MGH at the 3 spot. His issues are weight and strength. With 20 more pounds I think he would be starting. He has good skills and appears to have good hoops fundamentals. Plus, he can shoot the lights out. BTW, this is what a real gym rat does.

 

[kg01]

I believe Q will be relief for MGH at the 3 spot. His issues are weight and strength. With 20 more pounds I think he would be starting. He has good skills and appears to have good hoops fundamentals. Plus, he can shoot the lights out. BTW, this is what a real gym rat does.

Man, I think QS will become one of my favorite players and soon. He can shoot it, has a high BBIQ and shows toughness.

 

[Peacone36]

I like the kid as well. Good length, nice jumper, potential to be great help side defender.

He needs to either gain weight so he can effectively defend on the block or gain footspeed to defend the perimeter.
He is a kid that by the time he is a senior could have a ceiling like a "poor mans" Preston Shumpert. I don't think he will put up 21 a game as a senior but I could see 13-17 given his ability to stroke it.

 

[dtm1997]

Really good discussion. It's been a busy week already and it's only Tuesday, so I'm gonna tackle my outlook in pieces.

I think a lot of discussion is centered around who I view to be a huge x-factor - Chris Bolden. A lot of the points have already been made, but I'll throw 2 more cents out there.... maybe 10.

• The kid is clearly talented. He may have had a disappointing season, but I think he has certain skills he can bring to bear.
• He showed flashes his FR year where you thought we may have a steal. What excited me most about him was in an interview after one of his big games where he literally showed no emotion. Seemed entirely coldblooded. I was hopeful we might finally have one of those cutthroat killers you dream about having on the team you root for.
• I think we've accepted this, but last summer's DUI incident, compounded by his early season suspension appeared to do a number on his confidence. It was essentially shot for the whole season.
• He might open the season as a starter, but I'm not sure that will last long. I think Tadric's athleticism & skill on defense will be better suited to set the tone early on in games and his versatile ability to score will likely provide equal offense to Chris.
• Personally, I think this is the best for everyone. We put a better player on the floor and, while we need production from everyone, there's much less pressure on Bolden. He can come in and let it fly, which could be the spark we need off the bench. Also, we'll minimize any potential minutes of lesser defense (Note: I do think Bolden put in effort on defense, but I also think there were a lot of mental errors).
• Net net - I think Chris can carve out an important niche for himself this year as a sixth man scorer (8-12ppg) and be the important contributor he has the skills to be.

 

[Ramblingon]

The agreement is that our success will be based on how well our guards do. I hope this doesn't put too much pressure on them. Technically our starters could both be freshmen. Have to do a lot of growing up during the season. But Jorgenson and Jackson is as exciting a duo that we've had in a while. If Bolden can return to where he was headed as a freshman it would lend major support to this equation.

 

[kg01]

Short write-up on our preseason tournament.
http://www.cbssports.com/collegebas...ney-releases-grading-the-best-of-the-brackets

Orlando Classic
Held in Disney, at the HP Field House in Orlando. This used to be called the "Old Spice Classic." The tournament will be played on Nov. 27, 28 and 30. The bracket breaks down like this: On Nov. 27, it's Santa Clara-Tennessee, Kansas-Rhode Island, Michigan State-Rider and Marquette-Georgia Tech.

Grade: B-plus. That grade based solely on the prospect of a Kansas-Michigan State final. Self-Izzo? Always will take that. Tennessee's going to be the worst team in the SEC most likely, and Marquette could be in for a rough first year under Steve Wojciechowski. Georgia Tech's been treading water under Brian Gregory -- could they make some waves here? Rhode Island will have a chance to show out, thanks in part to E.C. Matthews, who might be the best player in the A-10 next season.

Really happy we'll be facing some higher-level talent early. I recall Kevin Durant saying STTE, "steel sharpens steel". Much rather see us tested early and often than sleepwalking (or struggling )through over-matched opponents.

 

[orientalnc]

Really good discussion. It's been a busy week already and it's only Tuesday, so I'm gonna tackle my outlook in pieces.

I think a lot of discussion is centered around who I view to be a huge x-factor - Chris Bolden. A lot of the points have already been made, but I'll throw 2 more cents out there.... maybe 10.

• The kid is clearly talented. He may have had a disappointing season, but I think he has certain skills he can bring to bear.
• He showed flashes his FR year where you thought we may have a steal. What excited me most about him was in an interview after one of his big games where he literally showed no emotion. Seemed entirely coldblooded. I was hopeful we might finally have one of those cutthroat killers you dream about having on the team you root for.
• I think we've accepted this, but last summer's DUI incident, compounded by his early season suspension appeared to do a number on his confidence. It was essentially shot for the whole season.
• He might open the season as a starter, but I'm not sure that will last long. I think Tadric's athleticism & skill on defense will be better suited to set the tone early on in games and his versatile ability to score will likely provide equal offense to Chris.
• Personally, I think this is the best for everyone. We put a better player on the floor and, while we need production from everyone, there's much less pressure on Bolden. He can come in and let it fly, which could be the spark we need off the bench. Also, we'll minimize any potential minutes of lesser defense (Note: I do think Bolden put in effort on defense, but I also think there were a lot of mental errors).
• Net net - I think Chris can carve out an important niche for himself this year as a sixth man scorer (8-12ppg) and be the important contributor he has the skills to be.

I really like this analysis. Something happened with Chris last year that caused or aided his decline in output. I would like to add another possibility. I wonder if Golden coming in a taking such an obvious role as the "main guy" outside contributed to Bolden's lack of performance. There never seemed to be any positives between them in the games I watched. Did I miss something? If I am right, could he emerge and show more of the promise of his freshman season?

 

[Peacone36]

you know how I know my earlier summer was insane at work?

I just found out from KG that Wojo was the new coach at Marquette.

 

[dtm1997]

@orientalnc - great point. I've thought the same and forgot. I'm hugely thankful for Trae Golden coming in to help us last year, but I do think it's entirely possible that him being here may have stunted both Bolden and, to a lesser degree, MGH. They deferred to him a bit too much and in clutch situations, more often than not, the decision was to play it through Trae.

 

[AE 87]

Short write-up on our preseason tournament.
http://www.cbssports.com/collegebas...ney-releases-grading-the-best-of-the-brackets



Really happy we'll be facing some higher-level talent early. I recall Kevin Durant saying STTE, "steel sharpens steel". Much rather see us tested early and often than sleepwalking (or struggling )through over-matched opponents.

If we get past Marq (doubt it), Gregory v Izzo could be the lowest scoring game since the addition of the shot clock (except we haven't defended the three well).

I hope this doesn't come off as snarky negative. It's a coaching observation with parenthetical replies to expected responses.

 

[jeffgt14]

I like the kid as well. Good length, nice jumper, potential to be great help side defender.

He needs to either gain weight so he can effectively defend on the block or gain footspeed to defend the perimeter.
He is a kid that by the time he is a senior could have a ceiling like a "poor mans" Preston Shumpert. I don't think he will put up 21 a game as a senior but I could see 13-17 given his ability to stroke it.

Have you seen Carmelo Anthony recently? Q's body size is the new trend apparently.

 

[dtm1997]

@AE 87 why do you think we don't get past Marquette? Would be interested in your take.

 

[Peacone36]

Todd Mayo's recent departure makes it..........more likely. Maybe he hadn't seen that?

 

[dtm1997]

Todd Mayo's recent departure makes it..........more likely. Maybe he hadn't seen that?

Possible. With or without Mitchell, I think our interior could have a field day. They still have a few solid guards though.

 

[kg01]

Todd Mayo's recent departure makes it..........more likely. Maybe he hadn't seen that?

I would've said we were the favorite even before Mayo leaving. Marquette lost a LOT when they lost Buzz.

 

[AE 87]

@AE 87 why do you think we don't get past Marquette? Would be interested in your take.

It's not really a considered doubt as much as general pessimism. We've not really had much success against the teams with tradition ooc under Gregory. Sometimes jersey v. jersey is important psychologically.

 

[AE 87]

@AE 87 why do you think we don't get past Marquette? Would be interested in your take.

It's not really a considered doubt as much as general pessimism. We've not really had much success against the teams with tradition ooc under Gregory. Sometimes jersey v. jersey is important psychologically.

 

[Peacone36]

I stand corrected. I thought they still had Otule and Wilson.

JaJuan Johnson will be a player for them eventually but yes their cupboard is pretty bare.

 

[dtm1997]

It's not really a considered doubt as much as general pessimism. We've not really had much success against the teams with tradition ooc under Gregory. Sometimes jersey v. jersey is important psychologically.

Fair enough. Certainly can't blame you for being pessimistic given our recent run. That said, given Marquette losing some talent, I view that game as a must-win, just to get a win over a Big East jersey.

 

[Ramblingon]

Marquette doesn't have a guy over 6-7 who is eligible for the tourney. And the one 6-7 guy they have was played sparingly last season. But they have decent guards and a good 6-6 guy coming in.