Post by FLHoya on Jul 9, 2011 22:40:09 GMT -5
Will they be any good this year? Who knows.
This is one of my favorite conventions when writing about the Hoyas, especially during the offseason. I’ve used a variation in two consecutive Midnight Madness recaps—once in the second paragraph www.guhoyas.com/genrel/101710aaa.html and once in the second-to-last paragraph www.guhoyas.com/genrel/101809aab.html .
I thought about this yesterday at my office picnic when a co-worker asked me if I’d seen Georgetown’s freshmen and whether I thought they’d be good next season.
My response: “Who knows?â€
On a literal level, it’s an honest response: it’s difficult for me or anyone to predict during the summer how successful a team or group of freshmen will be during the season.
Of course, I repeat the question as a literary device so often because it’s always asked. As college sports fans, we’re future focused the moment the present becomes too painful. For a few months, “the freshmen†become shorthand for forgetting what happened during the Final Four, or in some cases a daydream about the next Final Four.
The way I use the turn of phrase—and the reason I use it in Midnight Madness recaps—is to be dismissive, with a wink, of the question that causes so much existential angst during the offseason.
Kenner in a way represents the tension between “Will they be any good this year?†and “Who knows.†While I wouldn’t go as far as calling the Nike Pro City Summer League a “scene†(until I see someone other than Hollis Thompson wearing skinny jeans), it does provide a fun outlet for basketball hungry fans to watch good local players and reconnect during the offseason. At the same time, Kenner is the first in-person chance to answer that first question—the most common thing I’m asked on the first day of KL is to describe the freshmen players and whether they’re supposed to be good.
I hope recaps and stats help advance that dialogue a small bit. But truth be told, I’m a fan of Kenner League because of the phrase “Who knows.†I said last week that I enjoyed the “curious optimism†of July basketball, and the fact that games don’t really count. Sometimes it’s nice—although a bit strange when you think about it—to put so much work into recaps about freshmen players that don’t really matter that much right now.
I enjoy it when “Who knows†is a legitimate answer, and “standings†are tacked to the wall next to the snack bar.
When I think about it in retrospect, the season that I remember surprisingly fondly is 2004-05, and the one that seems less pleasant and more stressful is 2007-08. I guess with time it seemed more fun to follow a new team as they found themselves and sometimes overachieved than an experienced team with the pressure to not underachieve.
To put it another way…I liked the 2004-05 team for the same reason I anticipate liking the 2011-12 team: it’s fun for me when “Who knows†is the only reasonable expectation. The same reason I like summer basketball.
Now, to be fair: it certainly makes things better if those 2004-05 teams turn into 2007-08 teams (some stressful season, winning a Big East title and being ranked in the Top 10 most of the year). It’s fun to daydream, especially if the young players are reasonably talented—and I think the five GU freshman are very talented.
Will the 2011-12 Hoyas have a bright future in the Final Four? Who knows.
In the meantime, here are some stats to tide you over.
But first, some music:
Kool and the Gang, “Summer Madnessâ€
One of my favorite intros in music leads us off…
Boss Auto 61 HOOP MAGIC 49
Kenner League games will reliably bring the energy—the tempo-adjusted stats would make a supercomputer explode—but the results vary greatly between contests. This game had everything you could ask for if you’re into suicide sprints, but aesthetically Boss Auto has probably put cars in demolition derby that were prettier than this: the Men In Black led by double figures most of the game.
However, it wasn’t without intrigue.
Moses Ayegba: 10 pts, 5-12 FG, 0-2 FT, 12rb, 1TO, 1blk, 3F
The most interesting Kenner League performance through three days this summer. Perhaps it’s no accident that Ayegba is a near-rhyme for enigma: he came to Georgetown with fans knowing very little of him in advance, and the limited minutes he played during the regular season only confused matters.
If you’d asked me before last weekend who was most likely to be the cause of the inevitable over-analysis of Kenner League evaluations, I’d have pegged Moses…and I’m not sure I’m going to help matters over the next few paragraphs.
He was…surprising.
One observation: Kenner League is not a friend of the traditional big man. The up-and-down tempo, shoot-first mentality, and relative lack of quality big men to compete against all make KL a gunner’s league, with guards usually carrying the day. A pedestrian, un-athletic center is often reduced to cherry picking offensive rebounds and playing the third wheel in fast breaks.
Moses isn’t as tall as a redwood tree, but he’s built fairly sturdy, and by all appearances seems like a traditional five. What I was surprised about today is that, in a moderately paced game by Kenner League standards, Moses consistently ran the floor with speed—both on the break and trailing—and didn’t seem the least bit for wear.
His team situation helps here: Hoop Magic has good depth and size, and their coach likes to sub in waves. Moses played the first 7-8 and final 6-7 minutes of each half, with an extended breather in the middle. Had he gone the full 40 (20-minute halves today instead of 22…not sure why), he might have fatigued more, but it worked out nicely to his advantage.
In any case: Moses came across as athletic in a league where that is a strong benefit. Keep in mind: this is grading on my previous knowledge of Moses—let’s not turn him into Deron Washington or even Jeff Allen here. Still, encouraging.
The skill set still hasn’t caught up to the athleticism. On defense, he was a bit all over the place at times—on several occasions he ran into teammates in the lane. Offensively, it was a mixed bag. He will go to the low post and has a serviceable set of tools to build with: he executed a nice spin to the baseline and finished with a running reverse layup, and he went to the lefty hook going away from the basket.
His rebounding performance was workmanlike, particularly in the second half, where he tallied five offensive rebounds. His strength certainly helps here, though his technique boxing out still needs work.
Moses is still a raw talent, but one who has obvious physical tools that could be brought to bear in a major way if his skill set catches up. Every so often, he does something—a leaping one hand catch of an outlet pass, or a clever assist from the post to a cutting Ian Hummer—that makes you think he’s getting closer.
Not sure how far away he is right now though.
CLYDE’S 67 A.Wash/Madness 66
The first of three consecutive final possession games today saw Clyde’s rally from a 14-point second half deficit to pull a small upset over A.Wash/Madness. The final margin came on a second-chance basket in a crowd of no less than six players with only 0.6 seconds to go. Clyde’s Aaron Bowen—who made game winning baskets on two consecutive days last summer—didn’t touch the ball on the final Clyde’s possession.
Aaron Bowen: 16 pts, 4-7 2FG, 1-7 3FG, 5-6FT, 3RB, 2TO, 1BLK, 4F
I like Bowen better when he attacks the rim. This is the third time I’ve written some variation on that theme, but it’s still valid. I think he’s got a good enough first move to get by a defender—either off the dribble or with a shot fake—and the athleticism (both hops and length…strength is a question mark) to finish plays at the rim.
Here are Bowen’s shooting stats for the first three games:
2-pt FGs: 16-26
3-pt FGs: 2-14
Shooters go through slumps, and Bowen is probably the streakiest of any Hoya player. It wouldn’t shock me if he went out in his next game and shot 5-6 from downtown—I saw him do that last summer.
This being said, he’s a much better player in my view when he doesn’t settle. I get it: a lot of Kenner League is settling, and Bowen’s three point attempts are no worse than many KL guards (at least he’s set when shooting). A fellow recapper posited that Bowen appeared to be tinkering with his shot, trying a slightly different release on each attempt. Maybe, but the opportunities are there for easier buckets—even as a 2-14 shooter, he gets defenders to commit. His reverse layup in the final minutes—which put Clyde’s ahead—is more of an ideal situation when he’s struggling from outside.
Unlike Moses, Aaron Bowen’s roster situation did him a definite disservice. With a guard heavy lineup and taller opponent, Bowen was often forced into playing the four position on defense against…you know, actual fours. It wasn’t a good look, but not his fault.
This is one of my favorite conventions when writing about the Hoyas, especially during the offseason. I’ve used a variation in two consecutive Midnight Madness recaps—once in the second paragraph www.guhoyas.com/genrel/101710aaa.html and once in the second-to-last paragraph www.guhoyas.com/genrel/101809aab.html .
I thought about this yesterday at my office picnic when a co-worker asked me if I’d seen Georgetown’s freshmen and whether I thought they’d be good next season.
My response: “Who knows?â€
On a literal level, it’s an honest response: it’s difficult for me or anyone to predict during the summer how successful a team or group of freshmen will be during the season.
Of course, I repeat the question as a literary device so often because it’s always asked. As college sports fans, we’re future focused the moment the present becomes too painful. For a few months, “the freshmen†become shorthand for forgetting what happened during the Final Four, or in some cases a daydream about the next Final Four.
The way I use the turn of phrase—and the reason I use it in Midnight Madness recaps—is to be dismissive, with a wink, of the question that causes so much existential angst during the offseason.
Kenner in a way represents the tension between “Will they be any good this year?†and “Who knows.†While I wouldn’t go as far as calling the Nike Pro City Summer League a “scene†(until I see someone other than Hollis Thompson wearing skinny jeans), it does provide a fun outlet for basketball hungry fans to watch good local players and reconnect during the offseason. At the same time, Kenner is the first in-person chance to answer that first question—the most common thing I’m asked on the first day of KL is to describe the freshmen players and whether they’re supposed to be good.
I hope recaps and stats help advance that dialogue a small bit. But truth be told, I’m a fan of Kenner League because of the phrase “Who knows.†I said last week that I enjoyed the “curious optimism†of July basketball, and the fact that games don’t really count. Sometimes it’s nice—although a bit strange when you think about it—to put so much work into recaps about freshmen players that don’t really matter that much right now.
I enjoy it when “Who knows†is a legitimate answer, and “standings†are tacked to the wall next to the snack bar.
When I think about it in retrospect, the season that I remember surprisingly fondly is 2004-05, and the one that seems less pleasant and more stressful is 2007-08. I guess with time it seemed more fun to follow a new team as they found themselves and sometimes overachieved than an experienced team with the pressure to not underachieve.
To put it another way…I liked the 2004-05 team for the same reason I anticipate liking the 2011-12 team: it’s fun for me when “Who knows†is the only reasonable expectation. The same reason I like summer basketball.
Now, to be fair: it certainly makes things better if those 2004-05 teams turn into 2007-08 teams (some stressful season, winning a Big East title and being ranked in the Top 10 most of the year). It’s fun to daydream, especially if the young players are reasonably talented—and I think the five GU freshman are very talented.
Will the 2011-12 Hoyas have a bright future in the Final Four? Who knows.
In the meantime, here are some stats to tide you over.
But first, some music:
Kool and the Gang, “Summer Madnessâ€
One of my favorite intros in music leads us off…
Boss Auto 61 HOOP MAGIC 49
Kenner League games will reliably bring the energy—the tempo-adjusted stats would make a supercomputer explode—but the results vary greatly between contests. This game had everything you could ask for if you’re into suicide sprints, but aesthetically Boss Auto has probably put cars in demolition derby that were prettier than this: the Men In Black led by double figures most of the game.
However, it wasn’t without intrigue.
Moses Ayegba: 10 pts, 5-12 FG, 0-2 FT, 12rb, 1TO, 1blk, 3F
The most interesting Kenner League performance through three days this summer. Perhaps it’s no accident that Ayegba is a near-rhyme for enigma: he came to Georgetown with fans knowing very little of him in advance, and the limited minutes he played during the regular season only confused matters.
If you’d asked me before last weekend who was most likely to be the cause of the inevitable over-analysis of Kenner League evaluations, I’d have pegged Moses…and I’m not sure I’m going to help matters over the next few paragraphs.
He was…surprising.
One observation: Kenner League is not a friend of the traditional big man. The up-and-down tempo, shoot-first mentality, and relative lack of quality big men to compete against all make KL a gunner’s league, with guards usually carrying the day. A pedestrian, un-athletic center is often reduced to cherry picking offensive rebounds and playing the third wheel in fast breaks.
Moses isn’t as tall as a redwood tree, but he’s built fairly sturdy, and by all appearances seems like a traditional five. What I was surprised about today is that, in a moderately paced game by Kenner League standards, Moses consistently ran the floor with speed—both on the break and trailing—and didn’t seem the least bit for wear.
His team situation helps here: Hoop Magic has good depth and size, and their coach likes to sub in waves. Moses played the first 7-8 and final 6-7 minutes of each half, with an extended breather in the middle. Had he gone the full 40 (20-minute halves today instead of 22…not sure why), he might have fatigued more, but it worked out nicely to his advantage.
In any case: Moses came across as athletic in a league where that is a strong benefit. Keep in mind: this is grading on my previous knowledge of Moses—let’s not turn him into Deron Washington or even Jeff Allen here. Still, encouraging.
The skill set still hasn’t caught up to the athleticism. On defense, he was a bit all over the place at times—on several occasions he ran into teammates in the lane. Offensively, it was a mixed bag. He will go to the low post and has a serviceable set of tools to build with: he executed a nice spin to the baseline and finished with a running reverse layup, and he went to the lefty hook going away from the basket.
His rebounding performance was workmanlike, particularly in the second half, where he tallied five offensive rebounds. His strength certainly helps here, though his technique boxing out still needs work.
Moses is still a raw talent, but one who has obvious physical tools that could be brought to bear in a major way if his skill set catches up. Every so often, he does something—a leaping one hand catch of an outlet pass, or a clever assist from the post to a cutting Ian Hummer—that makes you think he’s getting closer.
Not sure how far away he is right now though.
CLYDE’S 67 A.Wash/Madness 66
The first of three consecutive final possession games today saw Clyde’s rally from a 14-point second half deficit to pull a small upset over A.Wash/Madness. The final margin came on a second-chance basket in a crowd of no less than six players with only 0.6 seconds to go. Clyde’s Aaron Bowen—who made game winning baskets on two consecutive days last summer—didn’t touch the ball on the final Clyde’s possession.
Aaron Bowen: 16 pts, 4-7 2FG, 1-7 3FG, 5-6FT, 3RB, 2TO, 1BLK, 4F
I like Bowen better when he attacks the rim. This is the third time I’ve written some variation on that theme, but it’s still valid. I think he’s got a good enough first move to get by a defender—either off the dribble or with a shot fake—and the athleticism (both hops and length…strength is a question mark) to finish plays at the rim.
Here are Bowen’s shooting stats for the first three games:
2-pt FGs: 16-26
3-pt FGs: 2-14
Shooters go through slumps, and Bowen is probably the streakiest of any Hoya player. It wouldn’t shock me if he went out in his next game and shot 5-6 from downtown—I saw him do that last summer.
This being said, he’s a much better player in my view when he doesn’t settle. I get it: a lot of Kenner League is settling, and Bowen’s three point attempts are no worse than many KL guards (at least he’s set when shooting). A fellow recapper posited that Bowen appeared to be tinkering with his shot, trying a slightly different release on each attempt. Maybe, but the opportunities are there for easier buckets—even as a 2-14 shooter, he gets defenders to commit. His reverse layup in the final minutes—which put Clyde’s ahead—is more of an ideal situation when he’s struggling from outside.
Unlike Moses, Aaron Bowen’s roster situation did him a definite disservice. With a guard heavy lineup and taller opponent, Bowen was often forced into playing the four position on defense against…you know, actual fours. It wasn’t a good look, but not his fault.