Season pulse check

RamblinRed

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This team is right about where I expected before the season and slightly ahead of where I thought based on how the season started with all the injuries and suspensions.

I was expecting about a 15 win season give or take a game before the season started. If this team could overachieve again and win a couple more to make it to the NIT I would have been very happy. I always thought of NCAA talk this season as mostly a pipe dream as like last year so much would have to go right and break in our favor just like last season and it is just hard to have that sort of luck multiple years in a row.

As soon as Josh and Lammers were hurt any thought of NCAA was completely unrealistic and getting back to the NIT became much more difficult.

I'm thrilled with the play of Alvarado. He is already looking like an ACC Caliber starter talent. Haywood was also on that progression until his injury and I think eventually he will get there to. They key to this class is how do Moses and Evan develop over the next couple of years. After a game in December Pastner in his radio interview made the statement that this class was going to be great when they are JR. If he is right then year 4 should be a good yr.

Pastner (who I was not in favor of hiring) has done a good job so far. He has been open and honest with the fanbase. He has said the plan is a get old, stay old plan. That it will take multiple recruiting classes (and time for them to develop) to build an NCAA level program and there will be no shortcuts. If it works the good news is that it is a much more sustainable model, but it is hard on the fanbase to have to wait. I have heard him say he hopes they can be an NCAA team in year 4 and expects to be an NCAA team in year 5.

I'll also ad i'm thrilled with where AD is right now. He is starting to remind me of another former GT post player who didn't make alot of positive contributions for about 2 1/2 years and then was a very good player for his last 1 1/2 years.

Keep in mind it was year 4 where both Cremins and Hewitt finally got things going. So I tend to take anything before year 4 as a bonus.
 
GTHomer

GTHomer

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RamblinRed said:
Pastner (who I was not in favor of hiring) has done a good job so far. He has been open and honest with the fanbase. He has said the plan is a get old, stay old plan. That it will take multiple recruiting classes (and time for them to develop) to build an NCAA level program and there will be no shortcuts. If it works the good news is that it is a much more sustainable model, but it is hard on the fanbase to have to wait. I have heard him say he hopes they can be an NCAA team in year 4 and expects to be an NCAA team in year 5.
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Glad to see you are coming around with respect to Pastner being our coach. I was concerned that his first season set some 'false expectations' with some fans regarding the state of the rebuild. I believe his plan is a sustainable model that should ensure our programs will be a perennial contender every year however as you mentioned, it will take some time.

RamblinRed said:
I'll also ad i'm thrilled with where AD is right now. He is starting to remind me of another former GT post player who didn't make alot of positive contributions for about 2 1/2 years and then was a very good player for his last 1 1/2 years.
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Since you didn't mention the former GT post player, I took this as a riddle. Are you referring to Eddie Elisma? He really progressed each year he was here. I didn't realize he was third on the all time shot blocking list for GT.
 

g0lftime

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We are going to be a spoiler this year and that is about ot. May have lost too many games early to have any chance at post season. Josh and Tadrick messed up big time. Too bad for the seniors.
 

RyanS12

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I like the look of next years team. Jose, Devoe, Josh and CH with AD down low. We will have more depth next year as well. I’d like to see ya push the tempo like a Villanova and play small/4 guard type ball. Phillips, Moore, Sjolund and Wright give us quality depth and hopefully another threat from 3 PT range. Only thing I worry about is replacing what Ben does. It’s hard to find a shot blocker like that and our rebounding is going to look a lot like yesterday though.
 

mstranahan

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Back in early Nov (pre-Ron, pre-injuries) I said ACC was somewhere between 7-11 and 10-8. I think that is still our likely finish

I also predicted 9-4 or 8-5 non-conference. I was off by one game, which I chalk up to suspensions & Lammers twisted ankle.

I hate to remind myself, but we are actually almost exactly where I thought we would be this year when I looked at our talent and the schedule.
 

MWBATL

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Overall, I remain optimistic because I think I see good player development (especially in big men) which I don't recall seeing under prior regimes.

CJP said before the season started we would be more talented but less experienced and this year could be tougher than last year. He was right, i think. I'm still on board, but I do think it will be two more years before we can judge things. I think it is Alvarado's junior year where we will know if it's really working or not.
 

KeystoneJacket

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D-man44 said:
even so I think it is nit picking complaining about the 2019 class when only 11 of the top 100 are committed
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Maybe. Two key in-state recruits off the board to Georgia and two other ones not even mentioning GT. That's disappointing to me. Still plenty of time to regroup though, I agree with that.
 
dtm1997

dtm1997

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RyanS12 said:
I like the look of next years team. Jose, Devoe, Josh and CH with AD down low. We will have more depth next year as well. I’d like to see ya push the tempo like a Villanova and play small/4 guard type ball. Phillips, Moore, Sjolund and Wright give us quality depth and hopefully another threat from 3 PT range. Only thing I worry about is replacing what Ben does. It’s hard to find a shot blocker like that and our rebounding is going to look a lot like yesterday though.
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I think the item your concerned about might be mitigated by Cole's development. If he adds some more strength over the summer (I expect this to happen), we probably have a backup capable of 10-15min/gm to back up AD and potentially start as a JR. You augment his rebounding by inserting Sjolund, Wright, or Moore in at the 4 when Cole is in. Sjolund & Wright may also prove capable of playing spot small ball 5 minutes as they get stronger.

Other than that, I agree with your concept. I think this roster is being reshaped to play a small ball, uptempo style.

I think Jose & Devoe both start next season, but I think it'll let Jose play fewer minutes as we mix and match across the 1, 2, & 4 spots. I think Josh O will continue to play 35 min/gm, but even he'll have more depth behind him in CGB, Moore, Alston, & Shembari that can sub in for him.

As far as this season goes, there are some thing I'd have liked to have turned out better, but the effects of injuries, suspensions, & other weirdness have clearly taken their toll and I'm OK with that as long as I continue to see effort & opportunities to improve.

Before the season, I thought the absolute ceiling was squeaking in to the NCAA (won't hit that, but needed everything to go right). I would have been thrilled for another long NIT run (I don't see that happening, but there's still a very small opportunity for someone to post the Dumb & Dumber meme). My realistic expectation was getting in to the NIT (seems unlikely, but see variety of obstacles above). All of that said, I'm still seeing bright spots (Jose & CGB), opportunities for continued improvement (Josh O & AD), & potential to develop (Moses & Cole).
 

YlJacket

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Next year we will have 5 guys slotted for the classic 4/5 slots - and that is if we don't play JO there on a small ball lineup. We have one guy seemingly slotted as the starting 5 in AD though he is still a work in progress - improving but not there yet. So how we play and in part how good we are is dependent on the continued development of AD plus how much Cole and Wright can improve plus how well Sjolund can be made ready to contribute first year. Then you have the absolute wild card of whether Ogbondo will be able to do anything at all next year.

We have a lot of ships dedicated to the 4/5 spots for next year. Ravino has been really good so far but this summer is when he really earns his money.
 
dtm1997

dtm1997

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KeystoneJacket said:
Maybe. Two key in-state recruits off the board to Georgia and two other ones not even mentioning GT. That's disappointing to me. Still plenty of time to regroup though, I agree with that.
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Something to consider regarding 2019 - as of today, it's a 2 person class comprised of a wing & a post. I'm fairly certain it'll expand to include a combo guard.

Regarding the wing & combo guard, we had 2 players (Marcus Watson & Brenden Tucker) in for UVA that are top 6 in Georgia according to HoopSeen & are Top 100 in the Rivals 150. They'll be difficult to land, but both have made multiple visits this season.

Other than that, my impression is that, despite a lot of offers being out the door, the net isn't wide yet on 2019 recruits. I'm sure part of this has to do with the set back in-state due to DLaB's situation, but also staff tends to stay back working on developing players rather than traveling too much for scouting. I don't totally agree with that tactic, but it's how he's currently operating.
 
GT_EE78

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YlJacket said:
We are not an awful team. We are a long way from awful.
We are not a really good or tournament team though either. While we have a couple of horrendous losses we also have some solid wins and are 3-3 in the ACC.
We play with a sense of purpose and you can see flashes of potential in the recruits CJP has brought in. At this point I am OK looking for somewhat consistent process. Next year I want to smell the bubble. Year after we should be in.
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Not so impossible to smell the bubble this year tho i don't expect to get in either this year or next. going 7-5 from here might be stretch but those 7 are all potentially winnable.which would get us to 17.....Duke plus road losses to FSU,Clem,UVA and Loui seem assured but road wins at BC/Wake and home w's versus Clem,SYR.VT,Wake,NC ST are plausible, it's just a lot of them. Clemson looks toughest to get. I'm holding out hope for a 10-8 in acc. (but i'm not buying any tickets for march)
 
AE 87

AE 87

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Our ACC opponents know to take out the CBG recruits. CPast may not re recruit as well, but I enjoy his style of play more. :)
 
LibertyTurns

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The Doddfather said:
FSU Has won 29 of their last 30 at home. It’s not going to be an easy game. I agree in the sense that after we started 3-1, I thought we would hopefully end up at 4-4 after this tough stretch. I would say Clem at the house would be more likely, but we need to beat the noles or Clem to keep our head above water. If we can stay close to .500 this year we are still heading in the right direction.
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I watched FSU’s last game & they had a guy throwing up 3’s like he was crazy. If he does that to us, we’re toast. There were 2 others guys jacking up 3’s and they weren’t half bad either just not insane like their primary dude.
 
Peacone36

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LibertyTurns said:
I watched FSU’s last game & they had a guy throwing up 3’s like he was crazy. If he does that to us, we’re toast. There were 2 others guys jacking up 3’s and they weren’t half bad either just not insane like their primary dude.
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The guy making all those shots in their last game was someone you may have heard of.....MJ Walker..
 
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