Georgetown @ UConn 1/23/16 Discussion
Jan 25, 2016 9:10:24 GMT -5
hoyainspirit and aristides like this
Post by aleutianhoya on Jan 25, 2016 9:10:24 GMT -5
And yet with all of the flaws that have been identified with this team--both real and imagined in the aftermath of some very disappointing losses--the reality is that with a little bit of composure down the stretch this team could easily have won 5 of the games it has lost. Not trying to be the voice of optimism as it is not a role I am suited for, but it does help occasionally to step back and see how close they are to realizing the potential that many of us continue to see. Does not change the record.
Freshmen take time to develop everywhere. The problem is that on this team these kids are playing critical roles. Additionally, take away Akoy and White and you compound the problem. As for the remainder of the players, Hayes is really a sophomore at best in terms of his development and the same is true for Cameron. The lack of playing time cannot be overcome simply by being at practice for several years. Truthfully, nothing at a practice on the Hilltop prepares the kid for a packed arena at Nova or Creighton.
Finally, with respect to DSR and Copeland, it is true that both were expected to do more, but perhaps without justification. DSR is playing about like he always has--a valuable piece of the puzzle but not the lead dog in terms of running the team. He is also not a point guard and the effort to develop his pg skills has been difficult to watch at times. Copeland is struggling and it shows on his face. At MSG against St. Johns even in the warm-up before the game he seemed relieved to hit his shots from distance. The kid needs to relax and that is something the coaches will have to address. What worries me most is when the disappointment in a kid's play turns to anger on fan boards, campus newspapers and in the media. I saw it happen during the tail end of the Esherick era and it certainly did not help the program.
I agree with everything here except lumping DSR with Copeland. DSR has averaged 16 pts, 3.1 rebs, and 4.5 assists per game. And he's had only 2 TOs per game despite the amount of time the ball is in his hands and he's expected to create. I know he's only shooting 35% from three and 42% overall (and even his FT% is down slightly from what you might have hoped). And I recognize that he has some physical limitations that haven't changed. But I think it's fair to say that he is the least of our problems.