Hollis Thompson Discussion

[deacon]

Jason Clark.

Not making a statement of who is better now or a better pro prospect, but next year's team is Jason's team.

[gtowndynasty]

Not sure Id agree with next year is Jason's team. I like Jason as a player but not a centerpiece. He has come back the same size with the same handle he has had for the past 3 years. Hollis has come back bigger, stronger and better with the ball on the perimeter. I think he would have to be the focal point next year with Jason playing second fiddle.

I found this article and thought it was interesting for you stats guys. Looking strongly at player efficiency. Do note that Hollis was our most efficient player last year, although he did not get many looks.

www.midwestsportsfans.com/2011/07/the-bottoms-line-fun-with-numbers-offensive-rating-and-usage-rate/

[SFHoya99]

I'm not overly optimistic about next year's team in general, but I do think that if it is "Jason's team" in the sense that he's a star -- I think if we ask him to be a big creator and scorer, he won't be able to do it efficiently.

If you mean in terms of leadership, fine. If you mean in terms of putting the team on his back, I think we see a repeat of DaJuan's junior year or Sapp's senior year -- where we asked players not really suited to play a big create/score role to do so. I think Jason can step it up, but he can't replace Chris or Austin.

I think Hollis is better suited to the scoring role, but I also think it'd be a mistake for him to try to be the offensive man. He should be more active and take a larger role, certainly, but I think if this team surprises me, it's going to be through a rededication to D along with a balanced, find a way to score offense.

[gtowndynasty]

Jul 26, 2011 11:17:21 GMT -5 SFHoya99 said:

I'm not overly optimistic about next year's team in general, but I do think that if it is "Jason's team" in the sense that he's a star -- I think if we ask him to be a big creator and scorer, he won't be able to do it efficiently.

If you mean in terms of leadership, fine. If you mean in terms of putting the team on his back, I think we see a repeat of DaJuan's junior year or Sapp's senior year -- where we asked players not really suited to play a big create/score role to do so. I think Jason can step it up, but he can't replace Chris or Austin.

I think Hollis is better suited to the scoring role, but I also think it'd be a mistake for him to try to be the offensive man. He should be more active and take a larger role, certainly, but I think if this team surprises me, it's going to be through a rededication to D along with a balanced, find a way to score offense.

Agree 100% SF. Neither Jason or Hollis will be a Kemba this year and if either try, it will end disastrously. We are much more suited to be like a Notre Dame in terms of spreading the wealth around. The frosh will need to be more impactful than any frosh class in III's tenure here and to do that he will have to relax the reigns substantially. But there is talent on this team no doubt. It will begin and end with defense. If this team is anything like last year's team defensively, we wont win a game in Maui and will be NIT bound (maybe) with 9-12 wins. Nobody should be playing 35 mpg! Id take a fresh Otto or Jabril over a winded Hollis or Jason in a heartbeat.

Havins said that, I think Hollis/Jason could each easily give us 13-17ppg very efficiently. If Markel can give us 10 ppg and Nate chipping in 8, then we have a balanced attack and will assuredly get some production out of our frosh.

[dudeslade]

Are we really thinking that a Kemba style team would ever result from a JTIII offense? No offense, but every year he's been our coach, we've had a very balanced dispersal of scoring with starters scoring between 8 and 17 ppg -- always at least 3 in double digits and no one lower than 8. I will be shocked if Nate, Markel, Jason and Hollis can't hold that up. The question to me is the 5th guy, our supposed center. But if he brings enough defense and rebounding, especially offensive rebounding, it will be a big boost to the starting lineup.

I actually think you will see the largest deviation from the norm this year under JTIII with the possible exception of Austin last year. Austin should have taken over more last year. It looked like Hollis realized someone needed to in the NCAA tourney game. I honestly think Hollis will be between 17-20 ppg and one of the top 3 single season scorers under JTIII. Those additional points from the normal 14-16 ppg of our leading scorer will come because center won't put a ton of points up and because Hollis is the best shooter we've had outside of the Alabama Rainmaker, but he also has the ability to get to the basket.

I'm expecting the leap from Hollis, in short. Not Kemba style leap, but I don't think it's out of the question that he approximates Austin's contributions of the last 2 years, though perhaps not the feeling I always had (whether justified or not) that Austin would pull it out for the team.

[lichoya68]

HHMMM HOWS ABOUT THE FAB FIVES TEAM ?? just wondering go hoyas go newbies one and all YES

[the_way]

maybe this year's squad may just be a team. i think that could be a reasonable goal.

no stars, but just guys working together as a unit. isn't that what the princeton is based on? or good fundamental basketball in general.

hollis and jason seem to be the most popular choices because of experience and ppg from previous years, but i'm not so sure on that. we've been down that road with Summers and Jesse Sapp.

we talk about the princeton all the time, but its going to come down to an attitude of a willingness to play defense, and getting back to basic fundamentals of passing, dribbling, moving without the ball on offense.

i think the amount of freshman coming in is interesting. we have to figure out what kind of players they are, attitude-wise and playing-ability wise. do they contrast or compliment the current crop of returning players?

i think that is the biggest thing. how well this collection of players fit together and define their roles.

[SFHoya99]

Jul 26, 2011 11:51:51 GMT -5 dudeslade said:

Are we really thinking that a Kemba style team would ever result from a JTIII offense?

Well, no, but that's the point. When people say it's "Hollis' team" or "Jason's team" it's kind of silly. It isn't going to happen with III very often, but it really isn't going to happen this next year at all.

gtowndynasty, Notre Dame is a great comp of our upside, I think. Surprising defense, shared offense (hoepfully someone plays as well as Ben Hansbrough), a bunch of athletic 6'9" guys playing down low...

However, I do think 04-05 still had less returning than we have now. I love SoCal and Bobo, but Hollis and Jason are not bad comps to the rising junior versions in terms of talent, and while Henry, Nate, Moses, Markel and Aaron aren't yet a murderer's row, they absolutely kill Amadou, Sead, Ramell Ross and DJ Owens. Owens may be have been a nice complementary piece, but those big men...wow!

[daytonahoya31]

We've had plenty of defined teams....

The 07 team was Jeff's

The 08 team was Roy's

The 10 team was greg's

The 11 team was Chris and Austin's

Those teams generally went the way those guys went. When Jeff put up a stinker against OSU, we lost. When Roy couldn't stay on the floor against Davidson, we lost. When Chris went down with an injury, we lost and were never the same.

Do I have hopes for this team? Absolutely. Hollis and Jason are two players who will score every night. Markel will be fine with the offense, and we have a bunch of athletes that we didn't have a year ago. We're young, but youth is the nature of college basketball for one. And for the other, everyone who will start has had at least a year in the system, and four of the five have starting experience at some point in their careers. Anyone on this board using youth as a reason for low expectations is just using a cop out. I think this team has a good chance to win every single year.

This is no different

[idhoya]

when the hoyas need a clutch basket, Hollis and/or Jason will be looked to this year. Next year, it will be Otto.