Five Questions for 2012-13

[SFHoya99]

Jul 15, 2012 16:24:05 GMT -5 hoyas big supporter said:

Jul 15, 2012 15:30:46 GMT -5 EtomicB said:

In my opinion the lack of penetration has more to do with the system than the player. Not a lot of pick&roll or ball screens in JT3's system(not bashing the system at all).

Using Austin as an example is very shaky also.. Even overweight Austin could get to the rim against just about anyone in the BE without a problem.

this. Austin got to the bucket pretty much when he wanted at 235 so I dont really see that argument. If anything Austin used Kenner to work on his outside game. And the Jabril example? He doesn't have the handle to get around people. There's a difference between getting into the lane to score or kick, and getting in the pane to draw a foul.

Austin didn't get to the hoop at will in BE play. Just bc there a couple of times a game off a screen, that does not mean he was great at driving the ball. Both Jabril and Austin were driving to the hoop, at different levels of effectiveness, but still much greater effectiveness than in BE play.

This should not surprise. It is Kenner League.

We're going to need DSR to bring the offense and something other than jumpshots. That's much harder in the BE. From all descriptions, he's creating space or using his body, not blowing by people. In other words, is his advantage great enough o absorb the increase in level of competition.

That said, if you think he's going to be good, just say so. Your answer wold be yes, he's gonna be good.

[hoyas big supporter]

Jul 15, 2012 17:07:32 GMT -5 SFHoya99 said:

Jul 15, 2012 16:24:05 GMT -5 hoyas big supporter said:

this. Austin got to the bucket pretty much when he wanted at 235 so I dont really see that argument. If anything Austin used Kenner to work on his outside game. And the Jabril example? He doesn't have the handle to get around people. There's a difference between getting into the lane to score or kick, and getting in the pane to draw a foul.

Austin didn't get to the hoop at will in BE play. Just bc there a couple of times a game off a screen, that does not mean he was great at driving the ball. Both Jabril and Austin were driving to the hoop, at different levels of effectiveness, but still much greater effectiveness than in BE play.

This should not surprise. It is Kenner League.

We're going to need DSR to bring the offense and something other than jumpshots. That's much harder in the BE. From all descriptions, he's creating space or using his body, not blowing by people. In other words, is his advantage great enough o absorb the increase in level of competition.

That said, if you think he's going to be good, just say so. Your answer wold be yes, he's gonna be good.

My comment was not in any way referring to DSR's level of effectiveness or even about the way KL results translate to college play. I talked about neither of those two things.

My post was that Austin was above average getting to the basket because he had deceptive quickness, but if you dont think that he was above averaged then we're going to have to agree to disagree.

And also it doesnt matter how often Jabril gets to the bucket in KL, if you watch his game you really shouldn't expect him to be able to take a defender off the dribble one on one in the BE regardless of how he does in summer league, unless he uses a crossover first.

People too often compare KL performances and figure that if someone was able to do so and so effectively one year and this newcomer had the same results, then they must translate the same way to the season. Using Austin as an example of someone who got to the basket a lot during the summer and not as much during season is "shaky" because I remember Austin getting to the basket and working on his outside game a lot during the summer, and his game was largely the same in season minus the lower percentage jumpers. Jabril, on the other hand, can get to the basket by outsmarting people in KL and using subtle change of direction, but his handle, just by looking at it, does not seem to be one that would translate to the college game unless it is tightened up and he begins to dribble lower.

[Locker]

Jul 15, 2012 17:02:44 GMT -5 SFHoya99 said:

Jul 15, 2012 16:20:32 GMT -5 hoyas big supporter said:

he played some center, but was he A center? The op used the position "center" to define a role and solidify his argument. I was simply noting that the person to play the Hub role did not strictly have to be a center. Thanks for educating me, but I am completely aware of the role Jeff played on this team.

He played center all year.

And the word center in the op was in quotes, and it was modifying the word role, meaning the role in the offense that ball runs through. It was never meant to mean literally the defensive or traditional center position.

That's right, though in 2006 Jeff guarded the other team's center all the time. Roy only played 24 minutes a game, and AKD was the only other option.

[hoyas big supporter]

Jul 15, 2012 20:10:13 GMT -5 Locker said:

Jul 15, 2012 17:02:44 GMT -5 SFHoya99 said:

He played center all year.

And the word center in the op was in quotes, and it was modifying the word role, meaning the role in the offense that ball runs through. It was never meant to mean literally the defensive or traditional center position.

That's right, though in 2006 Jeff guarded the other team's center all the time. Roy only played 24 minutes a game, and AKD was the only other option.

I don't see why we are debating this. In my original post I used Jeff as an example of what i think Otto will look like this year. I'm not talking about pre-getting-real-nice-at-basketball Jeff, I'm obviously referring to the role he played en route to a 5th overall pick.

[bigelephant]

I don't think that Nate will be THE center but he will run in and out as he did last year. When the going's good he will play more 5 and if it isn't he will play there less. But due to his experience ( more than ability) he will play plenty somewhere.

[Dhall]

We don't want Otto as the "hub". His best advantages are his ability to get good position and to get off his feet quickly to take a shot or grab a rebound. You lose all of that when he is so far from the basket looking for cutters, etc. A few times a game to keep defenses honest, sure, but I don't want him to be the first option as the distributor every time down the court.

[nychoya3]

He's not going to be standing at the top of the key. That's not how the offense works. I think he's actually fairly perfect to initiate the offense, in that he will be moved around a lot. He can catch it in the high post, on the block, on the wing, on the elbow, and he can make plays from any of those spots. If he can hit the three pointer as well, there just aren't a whole lot of guys in college basketball that can check him.

[bmartin]

This offense, like almost any other offense against a set half-court defense, works best when a long player can get the ball at the elbow and is a threat to drive and score, hit a jumper, or pass out of a double team for a layup/dunk or wide-open three by a good perimeter shooter. That is where Jeff did his best work and for the first two years he was more effective when Roy was not in the game because Jeff was better at going to the hole than at hitting mid-range jumpers. It was when he started hitting the jumpers that he became unguardable because if teams closed out on him, he could drive, dish to Roy, or kick to Wallace. Monroe also was more effective his first year in college from the elbow than on the low-post.
You need good enough shooters so that teams don't just sag in a zone and dare you to make jumpers and you need enough of a low-post threat to force defenses to try to deny the entry passes and double down. If you have those threats, then you should be able to get the ball into the elbow or on the baseline with decent ball and player movement.

[hoyazeke]

1. I believe Otto will be a very good 1 option for GTown. He will be a viable candidate for AA when the season is over.
2. A scorer is a scorer. I don't think that will change. If he can digest the offense he will score points. JT3 gives his guards freedom to shoot when on the floor. So I think if DSR is playing he will be able to score.
3. I also think that our starting center will be Moses. He will be a better rebounder and a better defender than our other options. It is always better to come off the bench with the better offensive player than the better defender.
4. I think GW will be solid. Avg 10-14 pts and play his usually elite D.
5. I think this is the key to the season. We need Markel to be closer to the L'Ville game Markel than the post "concussion" Markel. I think Markel will play well next year. He will take that next step and become on of the better pgs in the BE. That doesn't mean that he will avg 20pts and 10ast. He won't need to on most nights. But I predict Markel playing under control and running the team well. Stroking big 3s and just drive the well tuned machine..........

[idhoya]

he's got it in him zeke. He has to show as much confidence in his own game as he does in his teammates.

[lichoya68]

ok imo we will be ok the key in my humble opinion is hopkins MUST have a stepped up year like henry for us to be really good as he IS the center imo.. and he show great strides and confidence on o and d in the end of season games last year so lets watch hops and WISH HIM WELL as hops goes... so goes the hoyas.. the rest will be just fine .. and alot more depth than i thought at end of last year we have some new good pieces as coach says interchanageble pieces too. and thats the hoyas . BEAT CUSE THREE TIMES on their going away tour. go hoyas

[Yaboynyp]

Big East: 5 freshmen to watch

D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera, Georgetown: The bullish 6-3 guard is drawing comparisons to the former Georgetown star Austin Freeman. Smith-Rivera is solidly built, and is able to use that size to push around smaller players. He's not the most athletic person on the court, but he's a lights out shooter. His high school coach said, “He is a smart player—he’s cerebral and understands the game. On top of that, he’s physically ready to compete, and some freshmen aren’t. He’s better than advertised, and most kids that come out of high school are not. D’Vauntes, he doesn’t really have any weaknesses.” The Hoyas only really return two guards who saw significant playing time, so Smith-Rivera should could earn significant minutes.

bloguin.com/runthefloor/2012-articles/july/big-east-5-freshmen-to-watch.html

[berrypatch26]

This is new from CBS Sports. The anonymous answers are from coaches.

The question: If you could add any one player to your team for next season, who would it be?

1.Indiana sophomore Cody Zeller: 35 percent
2.UCLA freshman Shabazz Muhammad: 12 percent
3.Ohio State junior Aaron Craft: 9 percent
4.Creighton junior Doug McDermott: 9 percent
5.Murray State senior Isaiah Canaan: 7 percent
6.Kentucky freshman Nerlens Noel: 7 percent
7.Michigan sophomore Trey Burke: 5 percent

Also received votes: C.J. Leslie (N.C. State), Pat Young (Florida), Otto Porter (Georgetown), Gorgui Dieng (Louisville), Lorenzo Brown (N.C. State), Phil Pressey (Missouri), Kyle Anderson (UCLA), Marcus Smart (Oklahoma State).

[sleepy]

I'm not so sure that Otto will be best used as the facilitator of the offense. I really have not seen the passing ability or the back to the basket game that Green had. Potentially a much better rebounder with an umcanny ability for finding the ball he should break out as a big time scorer. I agee with whoever stated that Hopkins will start at the 5 and i do see him being able to handle much of what we got from Henry last year.

If we can get some semblance of a consistent game from Nate watch out

Really have no idea of what we will get out of Moses, Adams or Bolden but we will need 20 plus good minutes a night out of 2 of the 3.

What i'm exicited about is the potential of the defense. They may need some time to figure out some of the Zone schemes but by January i expect a well tuned defense capable of winning games on their own.

What i'm terrified of.. inability of the backcourt to handle pressure I'm far from convinced that a backcourt of Markel and Greg are up to handling pressure Big east D, let alone what Pitino will throw at them.

[TBird41]

Aug 7, 2012 20:13:14 GMT -5 sleepy said:

I'm not so sure that Otto will be best used as the facilitator of the offense. I really have not seen the passing ability or the back to the basket game that Green had. Potentially a much better rebounder with an umcanny ability for finding the ball he should break out as a big time scorer. I agee with whoever stated that Hopkins will start at the 5 and i do see him being able to handle much of what we got from Henry last year.

If we can get some semblance of a consistent game from Nate watch out

Really have no idea of what we will get out of Moses, Adams or Bolden but we will need 20 plus good minutes a night out of 2 of the 3.

What i'm exicited about is the potential of the defense. They may need some time to figure out some of the Zone schemes but by January i expect a well tuned defense capable of winning games on their own.

What i'm terrified of.. inability of the backcourt to handle pressure I'm far from convinced that a backcourt of Markel and Greg are up to handling pressure Big east D, let alone what Pitino will throw at them.

Good news is that Otto can handle the ball against pressure too. He was used a lot last year in the press break.

[hoyasaxa2003]

The one positive thing is that I don't think we'll be any worse at defeating pressure this year than last year, because we haven't really lost any crucial parts in that area (unlike the last year, when we had lost Wright). It's true that Clark's ball handling improved a lot last year and throughout the season, but he was never great against pressure (and in his first three years, his ball handling was pretty bad).

Starks handled Louisville's pressure just fine last year - if Starks is improved, I think we'll be fine, as Whittington and Porter should be capable of helping out against pressure, as well.

[mapei]

I think Nate can do well as the offensive hub, and Hops can be serviceable. To put Otto there would take away from his other cconsiderable skills.

It's on D where we have big-man issues. I'm not sure we have an answer for this year on our roster. I would like to say that Moses will be the answer but the guy seems star-crossed, unfortunately. I'm in the camp that thinks it's unlikely that Tyler will be able to play, unfortunately. His condition, whatever it is, doesn't seem to be one that improves with time and/or therapy, though there's always a chance that I'm wrong about that.

DSR will come off the bench, learn and contribute. He'll get better as the season progresses.

Markel and Whit will be fine. Potentially very good if not great.