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Post by grokamok on Dec 2, 2011 14:05:23 GMT -5
2:33 to 12.8 scares the bejeezus out of me Our lead player celebrating like we've won the game after a 3-point play puts us up by some insecure margin and the opponent calls a time out scares the bejeezus out of me. The intensity is great, but the celebration has to wait!
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professorhoya
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Post by professorhoya on Dec 2, 2011 17:37:49 GMT -5
Don't jinx us.
You do this every year. Saying how you love this team. Then in a couple months have a meltdown (saying the players are horrible, JT3 needs to be fired, they don't want it, etc, etc) when it doesn't meet your lofty expectations.
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Post by gtowndynasty on Dec 2, 2011 17:59:07 GMT -5
Definitely believe this team can finish in the top 4. I have 5 reasons why I believe this to be possible.
1. BE is down significantly. After UConn n Cuse, we are easily the next best talented team. That couple with our schedule with home n homes is skewed in our favor this year.
2. Defense. Our defense is leaps and bounds ahead of last year's and year's previous.
3. Our trio this year > last year. Last year our big three was so one dimensional. They could score. This year we have more diversity amongst the big 3. A guard, a wing, and a post.
4. We are getting a big boost down low. Henry Sims 2k11 > Julian Vaughn at any point.
5. Team chemistry. It is so infectious and it shows that these guys support each other. Hollis does not push the issue and rarely takes a bad shot. Same with Jason and Henry and everyone else. They take the best shot available, which is what this O is supposed to be. THus, we are a much more efficient scoring team.
All those point to us being able to finish top 4 if we play well, definitely top 6 though.
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Post by HoyaSinceBirth on Dec 2, 2011 19:44:01 GMT -5
I don't want this board to raise expectations for this team. This has nothing to do with how good I think this team is, it has everything to do with the fact that I don't think this board can handle this(or any) team not living up to high expectations.
Like those have said we looked similarly dominant at this point last year too. I'm all in on the delusion train. But I'd prefer if the majority of the board remained cautiously optimistic so if the team happens to not meet lofty new expectations the board doesn't melt down.
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Post by hoyasaxa2003 on Dec 2, 2011 20:54:13 GMT -5
I agree about being cautiously optimistic. Around this time last year, we were all pretty ecstatic, with the team entering conference play with a 11-1 record and victories against Missouri and Memphis. I think we do need to stay grounded, but I think there are differences between this year's team and last year's team:
(1) Talent: Both teams were talented, but this year's team is much farther from its ceiling than last year's team. It's certainly feasible that this year's team will get better as the year goes on given the young tilt. For what it's worth, last year's team was pretty much at their peak. Wright/Freeman/Vaughn were all very good, but there wasn't much room for growth.
(2) Big East: The size and athleticism of this year's team equips us better for the Big East and better opponents. Vaughn became neutralized in the Big East because of the better competition. I do think the same thing could happen to Sims, but I am hoping it will not happen. That said, I think Sims has the talent to compete with better competition. In contrast, I think Vaughn worked as hard as anybody, but was somewhat limited by his athleticism.
(3) Realism. Our team last year was actually quite good for a streak in the Big East season. We fell apart shortly before Wright broke his hand. While Wright's injury wasn't the catalyst, it certainly didn't help the team break out of its funk. Despite our post-season failures, don't forget that team beat a very good Syracuse team on the road.
(4) Depth. I think this year's team is a lot deeper - at least with potential. All of the freshman have talent and will only get better. Thus, if something like an injury occurs, I think we are better equipped to handle it. That said, I do think our current team is susceptible to problems if Clark or Sims got injured.
(5) Consistency. It would be tough to be more inconsistent than last year's team, which could beat virtually anybody but also look pretty putrid. This year's team has been more consistent and seems more energized. I think this bodes well for our team in the Big East season.
Still, anything can happen and the season is young. However, I think those are the reasons why this year's team differs from last year's team and why some of us (including me) have a bit more hope for this year's team.
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bmartin
Golden Hoya (over 1000 posts)
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Post by bmartin on Dec 2, 2011 23:01:44 GMT -5
Everyone understandably wants to forget the way last season ended, but two things to remember are that Hollis had 26 points & 7 rebounds against VCU and Clark had 23 points & 8 rebounds in the BET against UConn.
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richfame
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Post by richfame on Dec 2, 2011 23:27:57 GMT -5
Personally, I think the fact that the country had such low expectations for our program this year really lit the fire in our players. I haven't seen a team play with this type of intensity for JT3 in a long time. We don't have any real "oh Edited he has the ball" type of players this year, a la benimonster, and because of that, we don't have to have the ball in the hands of an austin or chris at the last 3 seconds of the shot clock. 8/9 guys that III plays have the ability to make plays and they do so with hustle. Even Caprio has shown that he can make shots. Yes, it's true that we won't win every game we play and we might even lose to some lesser competition, but there is no doubt in my mind that the games will be close and these young men will be working their a$$es off on both sides of the court. I am very excited to watch this team play and to see the freshman develop! On a side note, it is extremely encouraging that JT3 is giving the freshman as much run as he is this year. When is the last time you can remember 4 freshman coming off the bench in a JT3 game vs a top 15 team? Doctor hoya, JT3 is certainly smart getting his FROSH experience. JT3 knows next year is going to be even more inexperienced than this year. Hollis, clark and Sims will be leaving the program. We clearly knew that Holis and Clark would be huge losses but now Sims graduating is going to kill us. If we make a deep run in the ncaa tournament its because Henry Sims is solidifing himself as a dominant force inside. As you look at next year its imperiative that Otto, Whit and the boys get as much PT as possible.
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Post by jerseyhoya34 on Dec 2, 2011 23:49:10 GMT -5
My opposition to the thread is not so much a jinx issue. The problem is that it happens every year practically - what was once an 18 win season prediction-wise turns into 24 or 25 - and just makes any meltdown worse.
Regardless, I give our guys/coaches credit. What we're seeing is good basketball, and the guys are competing hard. It is also fun to see new faces. But, I still think, as a young team, we're fragile. Some of that came out against Alabama. We did not get the same lift off the bench as we have in the past and makes me wonder whether it will be more of a tread water option for us against athletic teams, Otto notwithstanding.
I like the adjustments we've seen from the staff on a more macro level. The 2/3 court pressure with the length we have is EXACTLY what is needed - not to generate turnovers but to keep the game at our pace (a ball control/efficiency game). It took Grant a full half to make adjustments to it.
The subbing for sucking has probably been mentioned. You do something stupid, you sit. I like it, especially with a young team.
Offensively, I still think we're fragile with certain lineups. The Lubick, Porter, Whittington, Trawick, and Starks group of yesterday was certainly fragile. I am still not 100% sold on Henry as our facilitator, but I'm getting there. Kudos to him for rededicating himself to the game over the past year or so.
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