Ben Lammers

[ChasonBaller]

One thing he needs to work on is going straight up with the ball...he likes to shy away from contact at times and tries to finesse too much

 

[Techster]

More hosannas for the big guy:

http://www.ajc.com/sports/college/h...ves-about-ben-lammers/ir8HZ0rpQNrz3h0kwPpOfI/

LOL...Pastner. This is what the coach does when you're the best player on the team:

The least impressed person in Cassell Coliseum Wednesday night?

Pastner.

“We need him to be better for us offensively,” Pastner said. “He wasn’t assertive enough. We need him to be more assertive. And he’s got to be even better defensively. He needs to engage a little more, but he did have eight blocks and you’ve got to give him credit on that, and he has continued to improve.”

 

[ChasonBaller]

I agree with him

 

[kg01]

More hosannas for the big guy:

http://www.ajc.com/sports/college/h...ves-about-ben-lammers/ir8HZ0rpQNrz3h0kwPpOfI/

LOL...Pastner. This is what the coach does when you're the best player on the team:

The least impressed person in Cassell Coliseum Wednesday night?

Pastner.

“We need him to be better for us offensively,” Pastner said. “He wasn’t assertive enough. We need him to be more assertive. And he’s got to be even better defensively. He needs to engage a little more, but he did have eight blocks and you’ve got to give him credit on that, and he has continued to improve.”

It's called 'coaching', Techster. I'll let you off the hook for not recognizing it. We haven't seen it on the Flats in a while.

Seriously though, it's harsh but I love it. For some reason I was watching BSPN's NBA preview show or whatever and they showed Jason Kidd (who's a fairly decent HC now) and the player he was hardest on was the Greek Freak. Said STTE, "I'm hardest on you because I expect the most from you and I believe you can get it done." or w/e.

Contrary to popular belief, good players welcome coaching (with some notable exceptions of course *cough* Lebron and @ChasonBaller *cough*).

Just messin with you, CB.

 

[DvilleJacket]

One thing he needs to work on is going straight up with the ball...he likes to shy away from contact at times and tries to finesse too much

My dad has been saying this for years about Tech big men. Slam the dang ball!

 

[Techster]

My dad has been saying this for years about Tech big men. Slam the dang ball!

That one play in the second half where Q dribbled to the basket and laid it off the bounce as the defense was closing in...then Lammers shot the lane into Q's layoff bounce pass to jam it home was a thing of beauty.

 

[gt02]

looking ahead to next year, really want to get to the tourney for this guy.

 

[Deleted member 2897]

I remember another time we had a Center who was pretty unheralded that many people underestimated the value of. His name was Matt Geiger, and he went in the 2nd round, something like #40-45 overall in the NBA Draft.

 

[Peacone36]

My dad has been saying this for years about Tech big men. Slam the dang ball!

I'm actually buying into the Gregg Poppovich style of encouraging his people not to dunk the basketball. Swears that's how he keeps his players a little bit fresher throughout the season. Not exerting energy when it's not needed. You can go up strong without dunking.

 

[Techster]

I remember another time we had a Center who was pretty unheralded that many people underestimated the value of. His name was Matt Geiger, and he went in the 2nd round, something like #40-45 overall in the NBA Draft.

Geiger shaved his head, got some tats, and it was like he was a different BBall player. The shaved head and tats added 10 years to his NBA career.

 

[glandon1960]

I chuckle at Pastner's comments .... but KG01 is dead on- it's Pastner's coaching style and he knows Ben can be even better.
Being at the game in Blacksburg last night - I can tell you every VT fan I spoke with on the way out were raving about Lammers. None of them mentioned any other GT player by name.

I was right behind the GT bench during the post game handshakes and noticed Buzz Williams stopped far longer to talk to Lammers than any other player. All I could see of Buzz was the back of his head, but if I read Ben's lips right he responded 'thank you' ... no doubt Buzz told him pretty much what he later said in the presser.

I do agree w/comments that he needs to go up 'stronger' more often (too quick to finesse) - but he is the best all around player on the team.
I will be shocked if he is not first team All-ACC Defensive team, and frankly will be somewhat surprised if he does not get All-ACC honors (probably third team ...) - something I thought no player on this team could get this year.

 

[YlJacket]

Does anyone know Lammer's wingspan? Most of the blocks he gets are without a lot of jumping. Timing and wingspan - at least that is what it appears.

While I like CJP's comment about being assertive on offense, in reality last night VT geared its defense to take him out of the game. They were fronting him aggressively in the post and doubling him when we were even just thinking of getting the ball to him. He was doubled without the ball more than I can remember anyone in quite a while. When they are fronting that aggressively the rest of the team has to move the ball so they have a better angle to get him the ball if/when he seals the guy fronting him away from the basket.

I would like to see him be more aggressive/assertive when he gets the ball at the foul line area. The way we space the floor he has room to operate and if they come to help I expect a hard cut right behind the help.

Regardless of the coaching criticism, his improvement this year is beyond ridiculous.

 

[lover1971]

RELAX....As a lot of you may know (especially Matt Ryan fans ) this is just "Big Ben" first year in this system, plus he has a first year coach. In Matt Ryan's first year with a new coach (OC Shanahan) not so good. But, look at him now! Sooo, I'm saying this, with better coaching (Pastner by far a better coach ) and next year in this system....MVP!

 

[DC Bee]

Geiger shaved his head, got some tats, and it was like he was a different BBall player. The shaved head and tats added 10 years to his NBA career.

For those who don't know the side story on that, I believe it was Matt's brother who was diagnosed with cancer. Matt shaved his head in solidarity for his brother's chemo and said that the ordeal gave him the epiphany that because his brother was facing death there was nothing to fear out on the court. He credited the experience for making him both a mentally and physically tougher NBA player.

 

[Techster]

For those who don't know the side story on that, I believe it was Matt's brother who was diagnosed with cancer. Matt shaved his head in solidarity for his brother's chemo and said that the ordeal gave him the epiphany that because his brother was facing death there was nothing to fear out on the court. He credited the experience for making him both a mentally and physically tougher NBA player.

Thanks for sharing. I never knew that. I was in elementary school when Geiger was at GT so I never really got to know the personal side of players.

 

[99jacket]

One thing he needs to work on is going straight up with the ball...he likes to shy away from contact at times and tries to finesse too much

He also needs to learn to make shots around the basket with both hands. Teams have started taking his right hand away from him and limiting his effectiveness.

 

[Lightbulb]

My dad has been saying this for years about Tech big men. Slam the dang ball!

I would scream something to that effect every time Daniel Miller had the ball near the basket.

 

[alagold]

Lammers is like a new player from last yr.How can you learn to pass, shoot from 15 and shoot good % FTs in ONE yr? AND be even more aggressive on DEF? few guys at Tech have ever made that improvement that I've see so quickly (I've only been watching for 50 yrs)

 

[99jacket]

Lammers is like a new player from last yr.How can you learn to pass, shoot from 15 and shoot good % FTs in ONE yr? AND be even more aggressive on DEF? few guys at Tech have ever made that improvement that I've see so quickly (I've only been watching for 50 yrs)

I think Lammers has actually been progressing each year. He was much improved last year over his freshman year. It is what can happen when a young man works hard, he gets the good fortune of opportunity and he is ready for the opportunity. It makes me hopeful that next year he will come back even better than this year.

 

[Silk3]

You no Gregory was bad coach bc he had this beast and sat him on the bench. Smart...