Hi, board. I'm going to ramble as means of introduction.
(Another) Frustrating loss, but I feel quite a bit better about the program now than I did 14 months ago. Last season featured unusually strong and unexpected development from Okogie, as well as significant in-game luck. This year, while we've had suspensions and injuries and on and on - Alvarado has panned out and Haywood is already the all-purpose wing (and, thank God, a credible secondary playmaker who's a legitimate three point threat) I hoped he'd be. The record is disappointing, but we've been a bit unlucky, on the whole - witness the own goal versus Grambling and the well defended late game heave by Wofford.
Obviously, we need JO back and Lammers healthy for a return to the postseason.
We have a real shortage of ACC players. Lammers is excellent, as is Okogie. Alvarado and Haywood already look like legitimate rotation guys as three star freshmen, impressive. Tadric is a fine sixth man (clearly, look at last year!), where his strength and lefty power moves can get him buckets against reserve defenders. He's a bit stretched in his current role with us, given his lack of shooting and questionable decision making with the ball (where Alvarado needs a little help from time to time).
Beyond them, I'm not sure that anyone on the roster should be playing more than stray minutes in specialized roles (sadly, we will have to go beyond this as we play 5-on-5):
- Gueye is an able defender, as well as a surprisingly good passer. He's also terrible at scoring, in the post, from outside, or via drives, and teams will continue to exploit this. He also isn't helping with our issues on the boards, being slow to start for the ball and not boxing out as well as I'd like.
- Increased minutes for Wright likely helps here, as his wingspan and energy can secure loose balls. He also doesn't look like he understands where to be on the court yet and I don't trust his decision making at all.
- Cole gives me a Christian Matthews vibe, as a combo forward who doesn't defend well enough to spend a lot of time on the court. Haven't seen enough of him to form a strong opinion, but he's looked better (to me) than his stats indicate.
- How healthy is Ogbonda? If he is, I'd like to see him pick up a few minutes to rest Ben. Tired Lammers >>>>> Ogbonda, but we are playing with fire here -- even aside from Big Ben's ankle.
- Alston wasn't a particularly good backup at Lehigh. He's now in the ACC. That he's our best wing option off the bench is terrifying.
- Justin Moore can defend fairly well and that is absolutely it. I guess he's a destitute man's Mario West?
- Who knows with the walk-ons?
I'm torn as to what we should do here. With so little depth, a slow pace (check), tight rotation (check), and playing the five best guys as much as possible makes sense - but I don't think a JO at the four lineup should be used that often, particularly as we don't have the shooting to stretch the floor anyway and - foul problems aside - I'd love to see Jackson on the floor whenever one of JO/Haywood/Alvarado aren't. (Tadric can't run point, but you could use a big lineup in spurts with Lammers in the high post.)
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Side note: I'm disinclined to kvetch about play calling, but the last offensive play against the Terriers seemed very strange. Haywood making the inbound pass - with Alvarado in the backcourt? I don't know who our best fullcourt inbound passers are, but I'd've liked them to have been options to receive the ball (or be decoys) within 35 feet of the basket.
