Chris Wright--A Little Love

[calhoya]

Spent yesterday's game frustrated over another inconsistent performance from our point guard and complaining to those around me that he cannot shoot and is a turnover machine. Then as the game got close I started focusing on Chris and realized what he does bring to the table. He is as high energy a player as we have had in a long time. He has a very good handle and when he is playing under control, he is as good a guard as we would want. He also is a leader--watching him slow other players down and "coach" Clark and Thompson on the floor was impressive. Lastly, he is a strong defender and an unbelievable rebounder for a small guard. His shooting will come and when it does, I think that many of us will regret saying questioning his role on this team.

[prhoya]

Chris has the tools to be special. As the season moves on, I expect him to settle down, not force things, clean his mistakes, score in bunches and be a floor leader. He'll know that the team doesn't need him to play like last year when it looked liked he was trying to turn things around on his own. Some All-BE love at the end of the season will be nice too...

[gtowndynasty]

Chris will be fine. He is a good kid. He just needs to understand that we have a solid team, slow down, and realize we dont need him to make the spectacular play. To analogize it to a football team, the Hoyas are like the team that doesnt need to qb to go out and win the game, but just not lose it, a la USC Trojans this year. We have very good defense, Monroe and Vaughn are each playing great and doing well on the interior, Jason is much better & consistent than either DaJuan/Jessie last year (no knock on those guys-great Hoyas), Austin is steady, and Hollis plays his role. Therefore, there is no need for Chris to push so hard, especially with the offense working well.

If things are not there it is cool to just pull it out and set up the O. This year the ball is not being thrown around the perimeter for 30 seconds until an off-balance three can be hoisted. Chris will be fine once he stops pressing and becomes a game manager.

[Coast2CoastHoya]

PTS: 13
FG: 4-7
FT: 5-7
RB: 5
A: 3
TO: 4
PF: 2
MINS: 38

Other than A/TO, pretty good stat line---esp. rebounding for a 6'1'' PG. I hope that he continues to cut down on forced shots (without losing the intensity) and takes better care of the rock. Even his tendency to get too far under the hoop on drives, I think, forces Ds to collapse and open up our jump shooters (and it seems like he's realizing, like prhoya said, that he doesn't need to take over himself). Other than that, I like what I'm seeing from Chris this season. I'd say he's been consistently good through 8 games (with plenty of room for improvement throughout the season).

[MCIGuy]

I think Chris gets plenty of love when he plays well. Much more than Austin does.

I think Chris could play much better. First ten minutes against Duke last season better to be more exact (he was superb in that first half). He can be great if/when he puts it altogether. But I will give him credit for not being shot happy. I don't want him to be passive but I didn't want him taking 20 shots a game either like he did at St John's (his high school). He's definitely trying to fit his game within III's offense and its making him a better point guard. If he takes it to the next level this team can beat anyone.

[blueandgray]

While at the game yesterday I started complaining to my wife about some of Chris' lazy passes. She was quick to point out however how hard Chris was working on every possession and the defensive job he was doing on Isaiah Thomas. That pretty much shut me up.

[tashoya]

I think Chris gets skewered as much as he does because it's pretty easy to see how much natural talent the kid has. With that comes greater expectations and, probably, sometimes unrealistic ones. That being said, he does have to cut down on the poor decisions that are much less prevalent (save the first half yesterday) than in the past. It is, however, more difficult to see all of the good things he does. Especially on the defensive end. I think it might be because he makes it look pretty easy. His defense is much less flashy than his offensive game but at least as effective. Defensively I love what I've seen from CW this year. Offensively, I think he's been good but I think he's gonna be REALLY good come March.

[lichoya68]

look i love chris in the kenner he played patient point guard and if he does that we win and all his assets help us tremendously i do think he tries too hard at times but when he settles and is a POINT guard woowowowowowowowowwo he made creeks life in the kenner as HIS point guard and creek dominated and looks like he learned well he now dominates scorers with another hoya former hoya mr. rivers who i think had like seven assists sooooooo good calm point guard is what we need occasional drives,, patient.. not jacking threes.. good rebbies and steals yup and away we go go hoyas go chris TEAM TOGETHER TRUST UNSELFISH think were getting a formula heree and yes i think coach can kinda coach too GO HOYAS GO CHRIS ;D ;D ;D

[FrazierFanatic]

Hopefully as this group develops further as a unit, Chris will realize that everyone will do his job, be where he is supposed to be - and that Chris does not have to do as much as he had to last year. If he cuts down his forced passes he can be everything we need in a point.

[FewFAC]

Other than the turnovers, I'd say he's he doing a great job. It's easy, though, to see the turnovers and be dumbfounded by the mental lapses causing them and conclude he's playing poorly. I suspect the turnovers frustrate Chris more than they frustrate us watching them, and I always feel a little bad because he'll never have the high assist numbers to balance them out while running this offense.

Personally, I'm just thrilled his shot selection is light years beyond what it was just a year ago, and I'm ecstatic that he's getting to the line significantly more as well.

[blueandgray]

Dec 13, 2009 19:56:51 GMT -5 tashoya said:

I think Chris gets skewered as much as he does because it's pretty easy to see how much natural talent the kid has. With that comes greater expectations and, probably, sometimes unrealistic ones. That being said, he does have to cut down on the poor decisions that are much less prevalent (save the first half yesterday) than in the past. It is, however, more difficult to see all of the good things he does. Especially on the defensive end. I think it might be because he makes it look pretty easy. His defense is much less flashy than his offensive game but at least as effective. Defensively I love what I've seen from CW this year. Offensively, I think he's been good but I think he's gonna be REALLY good come March.

I think you hit the nail on the head. His D is much improved over last year. He just chomps down on that mouth piece of his and goes all out.

Makes me wonder if Markel is going to follow in what has become a great tradition of point guards wearing mouth pieces that started with AI and was rekindled with JWall and now Chris.

[Coast2CoastHoya]

Dec 14, 2009 17:14:28 GMT -5 blueandgray said:

Dec 13, 2009 19:56:51 GMT -5 tashoya said:

I think Chris gets skewered as much as he does because it's pretty easy to see how much natural talent the kid has. With that comes greater expectations and, probably, sometimes unrealistic ones. That being said, he does have to cut down on the poor decisions that are much less prevalent (save the first half yesterday) than in the past. It is, however, more difficult to see all of the good things he does. Especially on the defensive end. I think it might be because he makes it look pretty easy. His defense is much less flashy than his offensive game but at least as effective. Defensively I love what I've seen from CW this year. Offensively, I think he's been good but I think he's gonna be REALLY good come March.

I think you hit the nail on the head. His D is much improved over last year. He just chomps down on that mouth piece of his and goes all out.

Makes me wonder if Markel is going to follow in what has become a great tradition of point guards wearing mouth pieces that started with AI and was rekindled with JWall and now Chris.

Definitely agree re: the first sentence, tas. And the second. I think we generally show our appreciation for Chris and Austin less than we do for Jason and Julian because we know how talented they are and how capable they can be.

[kghoya]

JT went out his way to single out Chris on his show today.

Lots of praise for what he said Chris was doing.

[hoyahalffull]

Free throws...Chris has been pretty big in close out situations so far, with a nice improvement in percentage from last year. If Chris, along with Jason and Austin can keep knocking em down, the game gets shorter. If we can get to a late lead, with only a few minutes left, it'll be over, like handing the ball to Mo Rivera in the 9th. Unfortunately, we're not quite there yet because of late turnovers, 5 second calls, stepping out of bounds, so that 15-20 pt leads become 6-8 pt leads in minutes. But if we get to a point where we can take care of the ball, how sweet that would be.

[tashoya]

What hoyahalffull said plus I'd breathe a lot easier if we just bump the lead to like 30 points every game and damn the free throws. Hey... it's the holiday season. And I did, in fact, put that wish on my list to Santa.

[lichoya68]

GOOD POINT ABOUT CHRIS ADN HIS ICING END OF GAME CRITICAL FREE THROWS FOR SURE go hoyas beat odu pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee ;D

[sleepy]

Dec 16, 2009 20:43:11 GMT -5 kghoya said:

JT went out his way to single out Chris on his show today.

Lots of praise for what he said Chris was doing.

What did he say?