smokeyjack
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Post by smokeyjack on Nov 7, 2018 12:21:15 GMT -5
I didn't mean to start a wave of complaints. To be clear, I haven't really changed my expected view of Akinjo (or others) in terms of long term potential. But the game did clarify some expectations for me in terms of style, etc, for me. He's obviously our best PG, but my comment was simply that for whatever reason, I had talked myself into him being farther along in terms of some of the more nuanced areas of being a point guard. He's got a way to go there, I think. Which, as others point out, is not unusual even for highly rated freshman points. (In my defense, I mentioned that as well). We'lkl see if we pick it up on Saturday. I unquestionably expected too much of Akinjo. He played like a very average freshman. Even his 7 assists pretty much all came on passes and jumpers and nothing he created. I’m sure he’ll be fine, but we don’t need “fine.” He looked exceptional quite frequently in both all star games and Kenner last summer. And he was exceptionally ordinary on Tue night. Maybe he is still well under 100% from the injury. Maybe he just had a terrible game. But the “he’s a frosh” argument doesn’t wash. Exceptional freshmen never look ordinary with that much burn; you can see the quickness, skills, vision, etc. even as raw babes. That wasn’t on display against UMES. It just wasn’t. I have no doubt Akinjo will be fine. I was obviously delusionally hoping for way better than fine.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 7, 2018 12:28:00 GMT -5
By the way, Fox Sports Go has the game available for streaming in the "Replay" area. I believe this is a new feature, as archived games were not available in the past. This might require that a channel in your area showed the game to begin with, but it's an alternative viewing option that we never had before. Thanks. If anyone has creative ideas for those of us that didn’t have a channel in our area with the game to begin with, I would appreciate it. If you want to do a little "work", you can sign up for a 7 day trial of Fubo TV - be sure to include the sports package (not sure what they call it) and make sure you pick the channel lineup that lets you do a trial version - they've gotten smarter and I think the default lineup that shows up when you register doesn't have a free trial period. The UMES game is on replay today in the afternoon on one of the Fox regional channels. Fubo has a DVR function, caveat that I think you have to wait 2 hours after the game is shown to use the DVR feature (although maybe it's available immediately on replays). The 7 day trial period will also get you the Central Conn game (also on replay, I think on Sunday). Probably a lot of work for two 300+ level RPI opponents, but I guess we wouldn't be on this board otherwise!
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SirSaxa
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Post by SirSaxa on Nov 7, 2018 12:32:26 GMT -5
Box Score from GUHoyas.com guhoyas.com/boxscore.aspx?path=mbball&id=12545Too many turnovers (Corrected, thanks Dan) First 10 or so minutes of game I think we only had 2 TOs. Then in the next 5 or so possessions we turned it over like 4 times... just from sloppy play... several different Hoyas. Getting overly excited about "sloppy play" or "not as good as I expected" about freshmen playing their first ever college game? Everyone on this board knows better. I saw some exciting new talent. The three frosh will all make significant contributions this year, and beyond. Things looking up for our Hoyas.
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DanMcQ
Moderator
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Post by DanMcQ on Nov 7, 2018 12:36:52 GMT -5
Actually, UMES had 16 TOs, Hoyas had 19 according to the box score.
Lots to tune up and only playing games will really help to identify and fix those things.
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Post by HoyaRejuveNation85 on Nov 7, 2018 13:36:06 GMT -5
I agree strongly with HoyaSaxa2003's and HoyaLove4ever's comments. Way, way too soon to judge the team, which has many newcomers, but especially the frosh guards. I saw very good things. Fearless play. One of Mac's turnovers was a dish to Trey that he never expected and was stolen as a guy stepped around him under the hoop. Next time, hopefully, Trey seals the guy. Akinjo missed a few shots then buries 2 3's. They're learning. LeBlanc was an absolute beast. Love what I saw. He's much more stout than I expected, bigger too. The reach, physicality, relentlessness make him a major contributor from day 1 on both sides of the ball. I think Mourning did a good enough job in his first ever college start, but is a rotation big at best, not a starter. He needs to consistently make his shot to draw the help defenders from Jessie if he wants to play. I was most disappointed in Jiggy's play. He was as or more careless with the ball than anyone. He needs to improve a lot and quickly. Malinowski has a good game and isn't any liability on defense, but needs to minimize the dribbling. I was surprised Juggy didn't play more, but I think his role is a sniper off the bench, and coach wanted to see more of the others.
The team's more athletic than ever, and we need to exploit that on defense. If the team adopts Josh's motor, we have something. On offense, I think it will come. Mac showed that he could get to the rim. James had some overdribbling moments, but the talent is there. He'll see what he did wrong on the tape. The point guard position is a huge responsibility for a frosh, especially one that hasn't been practicing. He's going to be much better, but will have bad times too. It's a maturation process. It will take time. I want to get back to the days when teams didn't want to face us in February and beyond. Keep the faith. Go Hoyas!
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Post by ColumbiaHeightsHoya on Nov 7, 2018 13:44:04 GMT -5
Trey is really going to help and can stretch defenses. Not agreeing with the Akinjo stuff. He is a freshman guard and last night was what I would expect to see in a first game. He will be good but I think the freshman guards will really struggle some games. Ewing has a lot of pieces to work with and will need to figure out rotations. This team could be a lot like the JT Jr. teams that ran out 3 subs every buzzer because we have the depth. I left overall pretty pessimistic however about the ceiling on this year. I didn't see the game live so I don't really understand the concerns about Akinjo. Sounds like he had some turnovers but he also had a bunch of assists. That is going to happen with a freshman as he becomes accustomed to the speed and athleticism of the D1 college game. I did watch some the Kansas game last night and their 5 star freshman PG, Dotson, also had some freshman moments in the game last night. He had a handful of turnovers and also forced a few plays. I am sure those were plays that during high school and AAU he would easily finish. He ended up with decent numbers, (and played against a much better opponent) but I think it just shows that most freshman PG's are going to have some growing pains. I am excited about Akinjo and think he is going to be a huge boost to the team this year and to the program over the next few years. He is definitely the pure PG the team has missed for a few years. The Akinjo angst isn't warranted. These guys got away with certain types of passes in high school and AAU they won't get in college. Mac had 3 passes that I think all turned into turnovers that come to mind. They will adjust and probably pretty quickly. Akinjo was fine.
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drquigley
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Post by drquigley on Nov 7, 2018 14:39:22 GMT -5
This post is so far off-base, that I am not even sure if it's serious ("a little guy with shaky handles"; "we need a point guard"). It's certainly not to be taken seriously. I am serious. Look we are talking about THIS YEAR. We desperately need a good, solid point guard THIS YEAR. Sure Akinjo will improve but will he improve enough THIS YEAR to make us truly competitive in the BE? If he doesn't then we are once gain up sh**s creek without a paddle. He looked much better in the one Kenner game I saw but guys weren't playing defense like they do in real games. Of course it's ridiculous to expect so much from a freshman but hello we all agreed at the end of last year (and like every TV analyst who saw us play said) that we needed a quality point guard. Akinjo was/is expected to be that guard. We were playing UMES not UNC or Kentucky. I am dead serious that we could have expected much more from Akinjo last night.
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gunny
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Post by gunny on Nov 7, 2018 14:53:28 GMT -5
Stat line for Tremont Waters last night: 9 points on 3-7 shooting (1-2 from 3), 2-2 at line, 2 assists, 5 steals and 3 turnovers.
Daquan Bracey: 16 points on 7-12 shooting (0-2 from 3), 2-3 at line, 1 assist, 1 steal and 2 turnovers in upset on road over Wichita State
Akinjo 8 points on 2-8 shooting (2-5 from 3), 2-2 at line, 7 assists, 0 steals and 4 turnovers.
I agree that he did not have a great game, but give him a few games before saying bust or whatever. Not much different than Waters. (at least stats wise).
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Post by hoyasaxa2003 on Nov 7, 2018 15:35:30 GMT -5
I am serious. Look we are talking about THIS YEAR. We desperately need a good, solid point guard THIS YEAR. Sure Akinjo will improve but will he improve enough THIS YEAR to make us truly competitive in the BE? If he doesn't then we are once gain up sh**s creek without a paddle. This year, the only people on our roster who are going to play that position are Akinjo, McClung, and maybe a little bit of Mosely. I still think Akinjo is the best person for that job this season, and while his outing last night was shaky, I saw a lot of good things too. Either the guards (including Akinjo) tighten up and improve their play, or we are probably not a very good team this season. But, I have faith they will improve over the course of the year. Keep in mind they are replacing Jonathan Mulmore and Dickerson. While I have nothing against Mulmore or Dickerson personally (and Dickerson has particularly shown a ton of school spirit, which I admire), that doesn't set a very high bar. Can Akinjo and McClung improve on last year? Almost certainly. Will it be enough to get to the tournament? Too early to know.
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bostonfan
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Post by bostonfan on Nov 7, 2018 15:58:32 GMT -5
I am serious. Look we are talking about THIS YEAR. We desperately need a good, solid point guard THIS YEAR. Sure Akinjo will improve but will he improve enough THIS YEAR to make us truly competitive in the BE? If he doesn't then we are once gain up sh**s creek without a paddle. This year, the only people on our roster who are going to play that position are Akinjo, McClung, and maybe a little bit of Mosely. I still think Akinjo is the best person for that job this season, and while his outing last night was shaky, I saw a lot of good things too. Either the guards (including Akinjo) tighten up and improve their play, or we are probably not a very good team this season. But, I have faith they will improve over the course of the year. Keep in mind they are replacing Jonathan Mulmore and Dickerson. While I have nothing against Mulmore or Dickerson personally (and Dickerson has particularly shown a ton of school spirit, which I admire), that doesn't set a very high bar. Can Akinjo and McClung improve on last year? Almost certainly. Will it be enough to get to the tournament? Too early to know. I am confident that the combination of Akinjo and Mosely are going to be a significant improvement over the PG play of last year. Will it be the high level playmaking and decision making that everyone wants to see every game this season? I guess we will have to wait and see, but I think Akinjo is much more of a natural PG than either of the guys last year. Jagan might struggle at times if other teams try to speed him up but if the staff can control his minutes and the situations he is used in he should be able to give you solid minutes at PG and he adds a strong defensive element and some toughness that the team needs. I don't see Mac playing a lot of PG minutes this year. I am not sure if handle is ready for those minutes in the Big East yet and I think the team would not be utilizing his biggest asset, scoring the ball, if he is trying to be a playmaker. In todays college game you can not have enough competent ball handlers on your team. Hopefully they can bring in a solid combo guard in this years class that adds some ball handling depth to the guard position for next year.
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SDHoya
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Post by SDHoya on Nov 7, 2018 16:22:19 GMT -5
Akinjo had 7 assists in his first college basketball game--not too shabby. Yes, he threw the ball away a few times.
No, he is not the second coming of AI. Yes, he is already a huge upgrade over what we had last year. Give him (and the rest of the team) a few games to settle in. I still believe that when all is said and done, Hoyas will be a tournament team.
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SFHoya99
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Post by SFHoya99 on Nov 7, 2018 17:16:20 GMT -5
I hear you about Akinjo's injury and being a freshman playing his first big time game. But I saw a little guy with shaky handles and poor decision making. I hear you about Picket's stats and how he is bigger. But I saw the same guy I saw last year. Terrible handle and too lackadaisical. I hear you about Govan and his being a first team BE player. But I saw the same guy whose feet are nailed to the floor when playing defense. Yes LeBlanc looked great and I liked Malinowski's ball handling and maturity. And McClung will be a stud by the end of the year. But like I said before the game on this thread the key to getting better this year is turnovers. Paper said we had 19. 19 against a mediocre team. Folks, unless Akinjo improves dramatically we are the same team we were last year - without MD. WE NEED A POINT GUARD! I didn't see shaky handles. He made some bad choices and wasn't the most intuitive PG, but I don't think his handles are the issue. I was surpised about the lack of D intensity for the first game.
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SaxaCD
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Post by SaxaCD on Nov 7, 2018 17:16:44 GMT -5
Yikes... It's the first game guys. Looked like to me guys were playing with a lot of nervous energy and trying to do too much at times. It's completely normal. Akinjo looked great to me. 4 turnovers are bad, seven assists are good. He brought intensity and effort on D and he made some Freshman mistakes that are totally normal. Pickett shot 4-5 grabbed 4 boards in 20 minutes. Don't understand what was wrong with the way he played last night. He looked fine to me. We'll know more when we play Illinois on Tuesday. Yeah, I don't think there has been enough mention of Akinjo's 7 assists -- that's nothing to sneeze at, and certainly something we're not very used to, and it's his first game in college coming off a pre-season ankle thing. I agree on the turnovers, I saw way more of them committed by guys who looked like they were overhyped up for playing the first game of the season than laziness (i.e., overpenetration, too-quick passes without surveying the situation, etc). For a team with so many new parts, I really didn't see so much to complain about. if all these things continue on and on into the season, well, ok -- but for the first game? I thought it was an ok performance all around, and a very good one from the coach, who managed to get a lot of new guys lots of playing time (which was one thing that frustrated me toward the end of JT3's tenure, the lack of getting bench guys a lot of time in the pre-BE season so they'd be ready to contribute later on).
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SaxaCD
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Post by SaxaCD on Nov 7, 2018 17:19:44 GMT -5
I agree. Pickett looked good to me last night. The one thing i didn't care for but sort of expected were the drives to the basket by Akinjo and Mac where there was no plan. There were a couple of times where players were open on perimeter and they didn't even get a look. This is all part of the learning curve. Moseley looked pretty bad in the first half but was okay in 2nd half. After one game, i'd suggest that Pat may have to play a little slower when Akinjo isn't in the game. It seemed like they were pushing the ball at times where the entire defense was back and trying to dribble through bad situations without a plan. Need to play fast but also play smart! Exactly. That's just guys trying to do too much. It's the first game and kids want to impress/live up to the hype etc. Good point about how the team looked when Akinjo went to the bench. That was the thing I found most concerning tbh.... And besides looking to impress, it's what they were able to do just about every game in their senior seasons of HS. You have to do things against opponents to find out what works and doesn't -- I have no problem with them testing these kinds of things in these early games. Matter of fact, I WANT them to, so they learn what they can and can't get away with!
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Post by SoCal Hoya85 on Nov 7, 2018 17:25:38 GMT -5
I agree with all of this except for the comments about Pickett. What didnt you like about his performance? To my eyes, he played within the flow of the offense, hit just about every shot he took, and his handle looked much improved. His D was pretty solid too. From watching in person you could see he clearly has been putting in the work too. Bigger frame, more explosive, more confident. That being said, i dont see how were better than last year. Losing Derrickson was too much and the team looks like it has farther to go than most in terms of developing an identity. Ball movement could be a problem. Hope im wrong. Pickett shot well, but I thought overall he glided through the performance and showed little outside the jump shot. Honestly, I'd like to see some aggression in getting his offense, testing the defense. He just floated. We need someone to step up into Marcus' scoring void -- today gave me very little confidence that Pickett has improved significantly. Or even wants to be that guy. It's early, of course, but I was hoping to see a lot more from him. Fair enough. But i think that could be unfair depending on the role he is being asked to play. If Ewing is giving Mac and Ackinjo the green light to do Mac and Ackinjo things (transition threes, behind the back passes, one on three drives) and you also need to feed Govan, thats not a lot of room for Pickett to agressively hunt his shot. In that scenario, I think a long highly efficent 3 point sniper is a great asset. If your going to ask more from Pickett then I think you need to have Mackinjo pull back a little (which would not be my first choice).
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HOYAPLAYA
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IT'S TIME FOR A RUNNNNNNN!!!!!!
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Post by HOYAPLAYA on Nov 7, 2018 18:08:13 GMT -5
Pickett shot well, but I thought overall he glided through the performance and showed little outside the jump shot. Honestly, I'd like to see some aggression in getting his offense, testing the defense. He just floated. We need someone to step up into Marcus' scoring void -- today gave me very little confidence that Pickett has improved significantly. Or even wants to be that guy. It's early, of course, but I was hoping to see a lot more from him. Fair enough. But i think that could be unfair depending on the role he is being asked to play. If Ewing is giving Mac and Ackinjo the green light to do Mac and Ackinjo things (transition threes, behind the back passes, one on three drives) and you also need to feed Govan, thats not a lot of room for Pickett to agressively hunt his shot. In that scenario, I think a long highly efficent 3 point sniper is a great asset. If your going to ask more from Pickett then I think you need to have Mackinjo pull back a little (which would not be my first choice). Plus, the guards will need to be able to find him over the course of the season when he's open and they are driving towards the basket. Kick out opportunities were there and I'm fairly certain they will be coached about it as they go back through the tape. Our freshman guard play yesterday reminded me of freshman running backs trying to bounce everything to the outside. I'm confident they will learn and we will see growth over the next 30 days as they figure out how to punch and counterpunch to the defense that they are going to see at this level.
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Post by TrueHoyaBlue on Nov 7, 2018 19:05:57 GMT -5
FWIW, Mulmore got 7 assists in a game twice in his 2-year Hoya career, and Dickerson never got that mark. I think Akinjo will need some adjustment time, but I’m not about to write him off as a “pretty good” PG, or as not-much-of-an-upgrade after an 8 point 7 assist debut. (Even if he hadn’t been coming off an injury).
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EasyEd
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Post by EasyEd on Nov 7, 2018 20:14:08 GMT -5
My three cents (senior discount): Keep telling myself not to reach judgments after only one game, but can't resist. Wow, what a first game for LeBlanc. Main problem with him might be controlling his agression. JYD#2 Underwhelmed by Akinjo. Didn't see any quickness or penetrating capability. Hope it was the result of his injury. Mac looked okay for first game but shot looks suspect. Please don't screw things up by unnecessary reverse dunks. Greg surprised me with his handle for a tall guy. Decision making suspect. Pickett seemed almost to disappear. Shot looked really good. Mourning looked serviceable. Gets pushed around but has really good looking soft shot. Govan was Govan. Mosely was Mosely. Is Ewing signalling that Blair is not critical part of the team? Just wondering. Carter? Anxious to see starting lineup when Johnson returns. Suspect he replaces Mourning.
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RusskyHoya
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Post by RusskyHoya on Nov 7, 2018 20:20:15 GMT -5
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EtomicB
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Post by EtomicB on Nov 8, 2018 14:09:29 GMT -5
Trey is a very impressive young man!! Please allow him to do all the team interviews, he's ridiculously good at it..
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