Lineup for 2022-23

[gt24]

3. Kyle Sturdivant was well groomed to fill a big role on the team. He got lots of key minutes on the Championship team and had the time in the program and the minutes and shot a decent percentage so, one would have expected that he would have been in line to pick-up his production. But he seemed content to be solid. I don't know if his approach to the game was ordered by the staff or if it was just his predisposition. Either way, he came up far short of the numbers that would have been necessary for last year's team to be decent. He didn't shoot enough, score enough, drive enough create and dish enough, shoot enough free throws, rebound enough, deflect enough passes or make enough steals. All of that was deficient. He was content to safely get the ball up the court and then lope through his cuts and just get the ball to Devoe and watch Devoe take on the entire defense. He flashed but then would disappear for 10 minutes. No Bueno.

I'm a Pastner fan. Yet, I have thought for the last 2 years that no one on the team had a shorter leash than Kyle. In 2020-21 when Jose was still running the show, Kyle had zero margin for error whether he was subbed in for Jose or when he was playing alongside Jose - he was yanked after one mistake almost every single time. That made some sense given Jose and Devoe, although even then I thought it was killing Kyle's potential for growth. My observation was that that approach was not "grooming" him well for taking over as an ACC PG once Jose left. Last year, with Jose gone, thought/observed Kyle played tentative because he was still getting yanked quickly. I watched it closely: Pastner was definitely more patient with Kyle last year, but only marginally. It was still common for Kyle to be brought to the bench after just 1 or 2 mistakes. Rarely was he allowed to play through mistakes. And I agree with your assessment that Kyle played very tentative most of the year, as a result.

 

[SecretAgentBuzz]

I'm a Pastner fan. Yet, I have thought for the last 2 years that no one on the team had a shorter leash than Kyle. In 2020-21 when Jose was still running the show, Kyle had zero margin for error whether he was subbed in for Jose or when he was playing alongside Jose - he was yanked after one mistake almost every single time. That made some sense given Jose and Devoe, although even then I thought it was killing Kyle's potential for growth. My observation was that that approach was not "grooming" him well for taking over as an ACC PG once Jose left. Last year, with Jose gone, thought/observed Kyle played tentative because he was still getting yanked quickly. I watched it closely: Pastner was definitely more patient with Kyle last year, but only marginally. It was still common for Kyle to be brought to the bench after just 1 or 2 mistakes. Rarely was he allowed to play through mistakes. And I agree with your assessment that Kyle played very tentative most of the year, as a result.

I hear you--and I saw that too. But its kind of a "chicken and the egg" scenario here. Was he tentative because of the quick hook, or was the quick hook because he was tentative? Unless we were in the locker room or on the bench, it would be difficult to say for sure. Either way, we need both Sturdy and DSmith to continue to improve in order to have any kind of success this season.

 

[gdamian]

I believe this team will have some tough times in the beginning as they adjust to new schemes and new players. But to suggest they will crumble is too harsh. The returning players have enough grit and determination to compose themselves and play through the trouble spots. We will have more guards and I am hopeful CJP will play more of a style that he played his last few years at Memphis which at times was a three guard, SF, C scheme.

This team is projected to finish last in the acc for a reason. Losing your two best pieces from a not so good team does not project well. The good news is that almost any success will exceed external expectations.

 

[gameface]

We have some good pieces; more good pieces than we had last year. I prefer to look forward and not concentrate in the rear view mirror.

 

[MtnWasp]

This team is projected to finish last in the acc for a reason. Losing your two best pieces from a not so good team does not project well. The good news is that almost any success will exceed external expectations.

Losing pieces off of a team that didn't work well is not necessarily a bad thing. Time for a re-boot.

Still, a lot of things have to be improved to move up in the standings.

 

[forensicbuzz]

This team is projected to finish last in the acc for a reason. Losing your two best pieces from a not so good team does not project well. The good news is that almost any success will exceed external expectations.

"Not-so-good" is a moniker that can change instantly with different chemistry. These kids are extremely talented. I expect us to have a very good year.

 

[MidtownJacket]

We lost two guys who were great for the program and the team. Scored almost as will and played high level D.

That said, there were times our O was way too deferential to them when guys got good looks they’d often pass to let MD or JU take the shot. This isn’t a knock it is what happens when two studs are on the team and one isn’t the main distributor of the ball.

I believe we needed Kyle hungrier for points and assists off players other than those two. I’d have tracked that ratio and been looking for 2:1 or 2.5:1 with the team taking every other opportunity except for clutch end of game minutes or fighting off : creating our own scoring runs.

 

[SecretAgentBuzz]

I never doubted Usher's heart and I always enjoyed Devoe's shot and crafty layups, but they are not irreplaceable. In fact, like many of you, I have hopes that this year's sum of the parts will be greater than the individual talent levels of the players. That didn't happen last year, for whatever reason.

 

[orientalnc]

Losing pieces off of a team that didn't work well is not necessarily a bad thing. Time for a re-boot.

Still, a lot of things have to be improved to move up in the standings.

You made some good points in this thread. I remain optimistic about the team.

 

[slugboy]

I’m curious what our new assistant Brian Eskildsen brings from Harvard.
Pastner has a plan for defense and it works if we get buy-in. He might be more open to changing the offense

 

[Connell62]

I never doubted Usher's heart and I always enjoyed Devoe's shot and crafty layups, but they are not irreplaceable. In fact, like many of you, I have hopes that this year's sum of the parts will be greater than the individual talent levels of the players. That didn't happen last year, for whatever reason.

Here is a quote directly from Josh when I spoke with him last week: "The star of this years team will need to be the Team"

Safe to say that we will be hearing a lot about the Open man being the Go-To Man! That is when we have played our best ball IMO.

 

[SecretAgentBuzz]

Here is a quote directly from Josh when I spoke with him last week: "The star of this years team will need to be the Team"

Safe to say that we will be hearing a lot about the Open man being the Go-To Man! That is when we have played our best ball IMO.

I like the sound of that.

 

[SecretAgentBuzz]

And now we got our backup center! Let’s go!

 

[Buzzbomb]

2022-

Signees(2):

-Freds Pauls Bagatskis
Latvia (Latvia, LATV); 6-9 / 180 2G

-Cyril Martynov
UPLAY Canada; 7-0 / 233 Center

-Transfers (2):

Javon Franklin
6-7 / 200 SF

Lance Terry
6-2 / 180 2G

P-Walk on:

William Emmer Nichols
2022 • Small Forward, Shooting Guard
6'6"
HEIGHT
220lbs
WEIGHT
Sneakersteal
CLUB
Sacred Heart Preparatory School
HIGH SCHOOL
Woodside, CA
HOME TOWN

 

[gt69hjcollins]

I like Pastner. I think he is a good game time coach and I think he has done a great job this year using the portal and recruiting to get what we need. We have the pieces for now and the future. I predict he will do well going forward.

 

[78pike]

I remain hopeful as always. With the transfers and the two kids signing the past several days I think we have more options than we have had in years' past. I agree that we might be better without the offense depending on two guys while the rest stood around and watched last year. Today's basketball is all about shooters and I think we have some. If these new guys can contribute and last year's freshmen show the sophomore growth that everyone talks about who knows. We always seem to play better as underdogs and we certainly should be one this year. Nobody outside the program expects much so here's hoping we surprise much like Wake did last year.

 

[forensicbuzz]

Here is a quote directly from Josh when I spoke with him last week: "The star of this years team will need to be the Team"

Safe to say that we will be hearing a lot about the Open man being the Go-To Man! That is when we have played our best ball IMO.

That was the difference between 2003 and 2004.

 

[GT33]

2022-

Signees(2):

-Freds Pauls Bagatskis
Latvia (Latvia, LATV); 6-9 / 180 2G

-Cyril Martynov
UPLAY Canada; 7-0 / 233 Center

-Transfers (2):

Javon Franklin
6-7 / 200 SF

Lance Terry
6-2 / 180 2G

P-Walk on:

William Emmer Nichols
2022 • Small Forward, Shooting Guard
6'6"
HEIGHT
220lbs
WEIGHT
Sneakersteal
CLUB
Sacred Heart Preparatory School
HIGH SCHOOL
Woodside, CA
HOME TOWN

Was this turnaround due to the ridiculous NCAA penalties getting removed?

 

[MISSOURIJACKET]

That was the difference between 2003 and 2004.

Hopefully this year’s team will buy into that like the 2004 team did.

 

[Ironmike57]

Has anyone heard how Franklin has looked during the summer? He is an interesting pice to the puzzle.