jwp91
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Post by jwp91 on Apr 18, 2024 17:58:20 GMT -5
Current roster doesn’t have a lot in terms of catch and shoot 3 pointers. Curtis had a bad season, but if he can be rehabilitated, then it could be worth the try.
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hoyasaxa2003
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Post by hoyasaxa2003 on Apr 18, 2024 18:52:40 GMT -5
Current roster doesn’t have a lot in terms of catch and shoot 3 pointers. Curtis had a bad season, but if he can be rehabilitated, then it could be worth the try. Fair. I’m just jaded by our three point specialists who cannot shoot spanning our last three coaches. Nikita Meshcheryakov, Stephen Domingo, Reggie Cameron, Kaiden Rice, Massoud. I guess at some point our fortunes need to turn around. And we do need some guys who can shoot.
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hoyarooter
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Post by hoyarooter on Apr 18, 2024 18:56:30 GMT -5
Current roster doesn’t have a lot in terms of catch and shoot 3 pointers. Curtis had a bad season, but if he can be rehabilitated, then it could be worth the try. Fair. I’m just jaded by our three point specialists who cannot shoot spanning our last three coaches. Nikita Meshcheryakov, Stephen Domingo, Reggie Cameron, Kaiden Rice, Massoud. I guess at some point our fortunes need to turn around. And we do need some guys who can shoot. In defense of Rice, he did occasionally light it up, which we can't really say about any of the others. Of course, he was another defensive sieve.
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hoyarooter
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Post by hoyarooter on Apr 18, 2024 18:58:14 GMT -5
I'm not sure that coaches can afford to worry all that much about using playing time to incentivize players to stay with the program. reality seems to be that any upperclass (non-freshman) who does not think they will be starting the following season is fairly likely to transfer, no matter what kind of playing time they got the previous season. a coach will drive himself nuts trying to perfectly calibrate playing time so nobody gets frustrated and consequently decides to transfer I think the best a coach can do is to gather as much talent as he can, with as broad a set of complementary skills as possible. then play the guys who play the best/give you the best chance to win. When the season ends- you find out who wants to transfer, you look at the freshmen you have coming in, and you do the best you can to work the transfer portal to fill in the gaps. Coaches who try to cater to specific players to keep them around next season at the expense of winning games in the current season are playing a bit of a guessing game as to whether the increased playing time will encourage a player to stick around. I just don't think it is worth it to try to thread this needle between player development/satisfaction and on court performance/winning. there are always going to be players who got lots of playing time but still transfer because they think they could lose playing time to incoming frosh/transfers, and/or they think they can get more NIL money somewhere else - no matter how much they played the previous season. We were so bad the past two years that it is tough to use our experience for examples. But guys like Akok and Styles both got lots of playing time and still transferred because they feared loss of playing time and/or saw better NIL opportunities elsewhere. It is a tough system if your goal is to develop talent over time. But I just don't think there are many coaches who are going to succeed at a high level with this kind of player development model. Some have still done well this way,, but if the current free agent/NIL system holds - I think we'll soon see player development models struggle more and more. the best programs will be the ones that are best at recruiting the right transfers to complement their 2 or 3 returning foundation players. This is not intended to be a defense of Cooley, but rather a realistic assessment of the current program building landscape. Within these parameters - I think we are off to a good start this off season. But we could still lose someone like Fielder to a transfer if we bring in someone like Traore to compete with him for minutes. Does that mean we don't bring in Traore? I just don't think you can run a program that way anymore. If you think the player is good enough to potentially help your program, you have to bring him in. If the returning player would rather skip to another school than compete for a starting job - so be it. Because any player could decide to bolt for another school at every transfer portal opportunity these days. If you try to build a program from the position of protecting returning players from the risk of competing with other talented players for playing time for fear of them transferring - than it feels like you are coaching from a perspective that fears competition, and that just does not sound like a winning plan. This is very well reasoned, but it really makes me tear out my remaining hair as to what the game has become.
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EtomicB
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Post by EtomicB on Apr 18, 2024 21:50:48 GMT -5
I'm not sure that coaches can afford to worry all that much about using playing time to incentivize players to stay with the program. reality seems to be that any upperclass (non-freshman) who does not think they will be starting the following season is fairly likely to transfer, no matter what kind of playing time they got the previous season. a coach will drive himself nuts trying to perfectly calibrate playing time so nobody gets frustrated and consequently decides to transfer I think the best a coach can do is to gather as much talent as he can, with as broad a set of complementary skills as possible. then play the guys who play the best/give you the best chance to win. When the season ends- you find out who wants to transfer, you look at the freshmen you have coming in, and you do the best you can to work the transfer portal to fill in the gaps. Coaches who try to cater to specific players to keep them around next season at the expense of winning games in the current season are playing a bit of a guessing game as to whether the increased playing time will encourage a player to stick around. I just don't think it is worth it to try to thread this needle between player development/satisfaction and on court performance/winning. there are always going to be players who got lots of playing time but still transfer because they think they could lose playing time to incoming frosh/transfers, and/or they think they can get more NIL money somewhere else - no matter how much they played the previous season. We were so bad the past two years that it is tough to use our experience for examples. But guys like Akok and Styles both got lots of playing time and still transferred because they feared loss of playing time and/or saw better NIL opportunities elsewhere. It is a tough system if your goal is to develop talent over time. But I just don't think there are many coaches who are going to succeed at a high level with this kind of player development model. Some have still done well this way,, but if the current free agent/NIL system holds - I think we'll soon see player development models struggle more and more. t he best programs will be the ones that are best at recruiting the right transfers to complement their 2 or 3 returning foundation players.
This is not intended to be a defense of Cooley, but rather a realistic assessment of the current program building landscape. Within these parameters - I think we are off to a good start this off season. But we could still lose someone like Fielder to a transfer if we bring in someone like Traore to compete with him for minutes. Does that mean we don't bring in Traore? I just don't think you can run a program that way anymore. If you think the player is good enough to potentially help your program, you have to bring him in. If the returning player would rather skip to another school than compete for a starting job - so be it. Because any player could decide to bolt for another school at every transfer portal opportunity these days. If you try to build a program from the position of protecting returning players from the risk of competing with other talented players for playing time for fear of them transferring - than it feels like you are coaching from a perspective that fears competition, and that just does not sound like a winning plan. This is exactly how it's always worked for Non BB programs. The key for Cooley & staff is finding that foundational core of players to build around. I'm probably beating a dead horse but to me offensively versatile players like Fielder & Sorber Akok isn't a good example since he never played for Cooley, as for Styles he's gone because Cooley didn't want to match his request for NIL not because he was scared to compete for PT. The talk of finding it hard to give developmental minutes to players when you're trying to win has an opposite side which we saw this past season when the team wasn't winning yet we continued to see the staff give the bulk of the time to the more experienced players. How productive was that strategy for the program?
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royski
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Post by royski on Apr 18, 2024 23:00:43 GMT -5
Gotta land Cliff. He's exactly what we need.
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thedragon
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Post by thedragon on Apr 18, 2024 23:08:03 GMT -5
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dense
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Post by dense on Apr 19, 2024 0:45:38 GMT -5
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jwp91
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Post by jwp91 on Apr 19, 2024 6:59:20 GMT -5
Adding Cliff would change the game for the Hoyas next year!!!!
Think about a Mack/Cliff PNR.
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Post by hoyariv71 on Apr 19, 2024 7:24:41 GMT -5
Correct me if wrong, his AAU team is the same as Govans, hope he’s involved
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bostonfan
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Post by bostonfan on Apr 19, 2024 7:50:42 GMT -5
Adding Cliff would change the game for the Hoyas next year!!!! Think about a Mack/Cliff PNR. I am not really sure about his offensive production, it has never been really impressive. His real value is as a rebounder/post defender/rim protector. Everyone on the team becomes a better defender when they know they have a legit shot blocker/rim protector behind them. This would be a huge get for Cooley and the staff
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jwp91
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Post by jwp91 on Apr 19, 2024 8:00:06 GMT -5
Adding Cliff would change the game for the Hoyas next year!!!! Think about a Mack/Cliff PNR. I am not really sure about his offensive production, it has never been really impressive. His real value is as a rebounder/post defender/rim protector. Everyone on the team becomes a better defender when they know they have a legit shot blocker/rim protector behind them. This would be a huge get for Cooley and the staff He is not very offensively polished, but he can dunk lobs. And Mack will be albe to find him. We needed better defense and EvanMiya rates him as the #1DBPR in the portal. He is 2X All Big -10 Defensive team. Slide Fielder/McKenna to the 4 and you have another shooter that you need.
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wolveribe
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Post by wolveribe on Apr 19, 2024 8:02:15 GMT -5
Cliff gives you the same points as Cook with upgraded defense. He can get 10-15 on less than 10 shots per game. If anyone is a perfect fit for this team, Clifford is that dude.
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hoyas315
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Post by hoyas315 on Apr 19, 2024 9:22:55 GMT -5
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RBHoya
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Post by RBHoya on Apr 19, 2024 9:46:48 GMT -5
I am so enthusiastic about Cliff. The exact player I wanted to add, along with an elite point guard (a box we've already checked). If we can land him, I really think getting back to the tournament next season is conceivable. There's a lot to sort out, I still have some significant concerns about Epps and think that a lot of our fans have done a good job talking themselves into the idea that if he just has better players around him his game will change drastically and he'll be able to be way more efficient. But Mack, Epps, Peavy, Fielder, Cliff, Mulready, McKenna, Sorber is a talented enough rotation to be very relevant next year and have a huge turnaround. Very exciting and I'm hoping that we can seal the deal with Cliff on his visit.
Traore is worth a look as a combo forward. Wouldn't be my first choice, but there's some potential and we have the room with Styles departing. Also probably much more affordable than some of the other targets we've been on (Mack, Peavy, Cliff). If he helps us with Cliff (same AAU program), 1000% a take. If he puts it together a little bit, could be a nice high energy piece off the bench. If he doesn't, not the end of the world.
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MCIGuy
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Anyone here? What am I supposed to update?
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Post by MCIGuy on Apr 19, 2024 9:51:49 GMT -5
With a likely @*^&$ pinched nerve in the neck causing all sorts of havoc with my ulnar nerve going down my right arm and hand, I didn’t want to spend too much time typing on a keyboard. But with all the discussions going on right now I feel compelled to give more expansive opinions of my own.
Now that Mack is in the fold we can assume that the Hoya backcourt will justifiably get all the attention going into next season. Nonetheless I think the team has potentially special players in the frontcourt as well who can be the real difference makers down the line. And the players I am referring to are Drew Fielder, Drew McKenna and Thomas Sorber.
Drew Fielder
I firmly believe Drew is still here because Cooley has huge plans for him and likely reiterated that to him when Cooley had all of those end of season discussions with his players. Cooley said in an interview a few weeks back that these talks were going to be honest discussions about the prospects (or lack of ) that he felt these guys had in terms of pro potential or their roles going forwards with the team. Perhaps a couple of guys were told there would be no true minutes for them and it would be best to pursue other avenues going forward; perhaps a couple were told that their roles may be diminished and that Cooley would be pursuing through the portal other options with multiple years of remaining eligibility to compete for the starter minutes at their position. This is mere speculation on my part. That being said I feel confident that when Cooley spoke with Fielder he made it clear that his role would be expanding. In the weeks leading up to the season Cooley and his coaches numerous times made bold predictions of Fielder being a Big East star down the line. Cooley actually went as far as saying a “household name” in the BE. (That is a likely reason why Fielder was included in the Hoyas Big East media day up in NYC). About a month into his tenure as head coach during a zoom session of some sort with backers of the program, Cooley reportedly claimed that the offense can be ran through Fielder. That’s a lot of high praise in regards to Fielder’s upside and I don’t feel Fielder did anything this past season that would’ve dissuades Cooley and his staff of that perception.
Fielder demonstrated that at a legit 6’10 he could reliably stretch the floor as well as display enough foot maneuverability and handling to drive to the hoop. Small sample size acknowledged, but he showed the ability to dribble to the basket with BOTH hands comfortably and most importantly to finish at the hoop with either hand once he got there. People may not recall but in early games Fielder at the top of the key was making perfect, bullet passes to teammates in the paint for scores or getting assists off the bounce when kicking out to teammates outside the paint. Media folks who visited the Georgetown practices before the season began were writing about how Fielder was a true alley-oop threat based on what they saw. We have not yet gotten a real chance to see him display his considerable athleticism. We also didn’t see him show the post moves that you can see he has in his bag just by checking out highlights of his on YouTube. That all may have been a result of Fielder not yet being strong enough or confident enough but that should all come in time. I am hyped up over the prospects of this kid but I’ll admit it is mostly from an offensive standpoint. I don’t ever see him as some dude who can lock down guys on the perimeter or be a deterrent to most opponents in the paint even if he blocks a shot or two. I am also still on the fence when it comes to accessing his rebounding capabilities. However in terms of his size, shooting, overall skill and athletic capabilities, there is no stretch big/stretch four in the portal with better tools than him. Perhaps there are those with far more experience who can make an even quicker impact, but there is no one else with his upside. His high school coach who runs that California basketball academy stated that Fielder fits the mold of the prototypical “power forwards” in the NBA these days who can stretch the floor. For those of you who don’t watch the NBA, he is not far off in that assessment.
Drew McKenna
McKenna is the forgotten man. Not just among the media but among Hoya fans. He should not be. He gets lost in the shuffle because he skipped his entire senior season as a player and therefore didn’t get his proper grading or flowers for his last run. Instead he was stuck in limbo on a Hoyas bench. Bad enough there wasn’t much highlight material of him online in the first place. What it all leads to is a player whom fans have no idea what he does or how he plays. Back in the summer after seeing him I posted this about McKenna:
My controversial opinion is that Drew’s floor is an eventual 2nd or 3rd Team All Big East during his time a Hoya uniform. His ceiling? Well, let’s say if he applies himself its pretty high.
I stand by this which is why I am so eager to see McKenna in a Hoya uniform. Based on highlights of his I have seen on Twitter and on YouTube and especially based on my first hand observations, he is a guy that can score at all three levels. And he can do this in a 6’8 body which means he can post up as well. His shot-making ability is ridiculous. I don’t think people understand that. He obviously is not going to make every shot attempt, but from my vantage point EVERY shot is in his wheelhouse. From EVERY possible angle. He has such a soft touch. Midrange pullups, stepbacks off the dribbles, log three bombs, kisses off the glass. At KL his shots were going through the net so clean. And he is money at the free throw line. Another crucial ability he brings to the table is his ability to comfortably bring the ball up the court. Not saying he can play point or that he will be used as a point forward, but in a pinch he seems capable of keeping the ball in his hands to take pressure off our primary ballhandlers.
Here's a link to one of his games. This is the one against Bishop McNamara in which McKenna went for 42 points and 18 rebounds. AS A JUNIOR. Now Bishop McNamara may not have been a dominant team but they still are a WCAC team and the WCAC is largely considered not just the best league in the DMV but one of the very best in the nation. McKenna scored 42 of his lousy team’s 62 points against that team. You don’t have to watch the entire slog of a contest btw.
[EDIT : I am including semi-timestamps (time marks) so you guys don’t have to watch the entirety of game – 14:52 15:34 21:20 21:42 38:38 59:50 1:11:12 1:11:48 1:14:35 1:15:09 1:18:40 1:20:45 1:26:30 1:30:47 1:36:08 1:39:17 1:40:12 ]
Watch those plays. Watch. I know its just high school competition so it may not translate but you can’t ignore the skill that is on display by McKenna.
McKenna’s team wasn’t all that good his junior season and at times got laughed off the court. If McKenna was already a great player at his level that type of stuff wouldn’t happen. I think McKenna needs to first walk through the gate and then take steps to be able to knock at the door of greatness. I am utterly convince he can get there though.
This is what ticks me off a little from folks here who automatically view McKenna as an afterthought (if they even remember his existence at all) because they are hoping we bring in an army of veteran forwards to suck up all the playing time. I mean do we really want to risk losing this potential in McKenna in favor of a quick band-aid to get us through next season? Its one thing to be down on freshmen these days, but McKenna spent half a year getting up to speed with the team. He may be more prepared to add high value contributions faster than people assume. Can’t speak to his defense as of yet but I should point out he may have been the youngest guy competing at KL last summer considering he had not yet entered his senior year of high school. Despite that youth he was flat out ballin’.
Thomas Sorber
The last guy on this list needs no introduction. We have fortunately been inundated with highlights, articles and tweets about Sorber since he first committed to the Hoyas. We have dissected his game and his importance to the program more times than I can count. So there is no true need to go over most of those details again. I will address though the “controversy” regarding his weight. When I first saw pictures of him leading up to first high school games of his senior year, I too was taken aback by how thin his arms look compared to pickup games he participated in mere months earlier. Now that I know he had lost all those pounds for a variety of health and performance issues, I can better understand what went down. I may have preferred how he looked in the months prior but I am also aware that one knock on Sorber’s prospects, including by knowledgeable Hoya fans, was the uncertainty of his being able to switch and guard on the perimeter. The fact that this kid demonstrated the work ethic, maturity and “professionalism” to drop such weight in order to take care of some back concerns and help with his explosiveness is a sign of great things to come. He should be able in time to put back on some mass under the supervision of the coaching staff and keep that new found explosiveness and ability to play more out on the perimeter when necessary. To be honest he always had quick feet anyway, so that works in his favor.
Don’t know where he ends up in terms of his peak capabilities but he is likely not coming in here with the same impact as freshmen Patrick Ewing, Alonzo Mourning, Othella Harrington and Greg Monroe. He shouldn’t have to. But down the line? Who is to say? What I love about him is his outstanding footwork which leads to impressive reverse and post spin moves. I also admire his defense. While not at Zo’s level on this front, he may the best shot-blocking big the program has had since Roy Hibbert. And his passing may end up surpassing Greg Monroe’s.
All three of these dudes have tremendous potential and I hope it can all be properly “exploited” for the Hoyas benefit. There is so much variety to all three of their games. All can post and faceup. All have shooting capability. All can dribble…at least a bit. All can pass. If any one or all three of them were fortunate enough to make it the NBA they would be projected at different positions (Sorber- Center, Fielder – PF, McKenna – SF) so they may be able to exist on the court for extended times at college. Cooley must keep this nucleus together.
My hand is aching again. I’ll stop here.
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Post by 401to202hoya on Apr 19, 2024 10:07:21 GMT -5
With a likely @*^&$ pinched nerve in the neck causing all sorts of havoc with my ulnar nerve going down my right arm and hand, I didn’t want to spend too much time typing on a keyboard. But with all the discussions going on right now I feel compelled to give more expansive opinions of my own. Now that Mack is in the fold we can assume that the Hoya backcourt will justifiably get all the attention going into next season. Nonetheless I think the team has potentially special players in the frontcourt as well who can be the real difference makers down the line. And the players I am referring to are Drew Fielder, Drew McKenna and Thomas Sorber. Drew Fielder I firmly believe Drew is still here because Cooley has huge plans for him and likely reiterated that to him when Cooley had all of those end of season discussions with his players. Cooley said in an interview a few weeks back that these talks were going to be honest discussions about the prospects (or lack of ) that he felt these guys had in terms of pro potential or their roles going forwards with the team. Perhaps a couple of guys were told there would be no true minutes for them and it would be best to pursue other avenues going forward; perhaps a couple were told that their roles may be diminished and that Cooley would be pursuing through the portal other options with multiple years of remaining eligibility to compete for the starter minutes at their position. This is mere speculation on my part. That being said I feel confident that when Cooley spoke with Fielder he made it clear that his role would be expanding. In the weeks leading up to the season Cooley and his coaches numerous times made bold predictions of Fielder being a Big East star down the line. Cooley actually went as far as saying a “household name” in the BE. (That is a likely reason why Fielder was included in the Hoyas Big East media day up in NYC). About a month into his tenure as head coach during a zoom session of some sort with backers of the program, Cooley reportedly claimed that the offense can be ran through Fielder. That’s a lot of high praise in regards to Fielder’s upside and I don’t feel Fielder did anything this past season that would’ve dissuades Cooley and his staff of that perception. Fielder demonstrated that at a legit 6’10 he could reliably stretch the floor as well as display enough foot maneuverability and handling to drive to the hoop. Small sample size acknowledged, but he showed the ability to dribble to the basket with BOTH hands comfortably and most importantly to finish at the hoop with either hand once he got there. People may not recall but in early games Fielder at the top of the key was making perfect, bullet passes to teammates in the paint for scores or getting assists off the bounce when kicking out to teammates outside the paint. Media folks who visited the Georgetown practices before the season began were writing about how Fielder was a true alley-oop threat based on what they saw. We have not yet gotten a real chance to see him display his considerable athleticism. We also didn’t see him show the post moves that you can see he has in his bag just by checking out highlights of his on YouTube. That all may have been a result of Fielder not yet being strong enough or confident enough but that should all come in time. I am hyped up over the prospects of this kid but I’ll admit it is mostly from an offensive standpoint. I don’t ever see him as some dude who can lock down guys on the perimeter or be a deterrent to most opponents in the paint even if he blocks a shot or two. I am also still on the fence when it comes to accessing his rebounding capabilities. However in terms of his size, shooting, overall skill and athletic capabilities, there is no stretch big/stretch four in the portal with better tools than him. Perhaps there are those with far more experience who can make an even quicker impact, but there is no one else with his upside. His high school coach who runs that California basketball academy stated that Fielder fits the mold of the prototypical “power forwards” in the NBA these days who can stretch the floor. For those of you who don’t watch the NBA, he is not far off in that assessment. Drew McKenna McKenna is the forgotten man. Not just among the media but among Hoya fans. He should not be. He gets lost in the shuffle because he skipped his entire senior season as a player and therefore didn’t get his proper grading or flowers for his last run. Instead he was stuck in limbo on a Hoyas bench. Bad enough there wasn’t much highlight material of him online in the first place. What it all leads to is a player whom fans have no idea what he does or how he plays. Back in the summer after seeing him I posted this about McKenna: My controversial opinion is that Drew’s floor is an eventual 2nd or 3rd Team All Big East during his time a Hoya uniform. His ceiling? Well, let’s say if he applies himself its pretty high.I stand by this which is why I am so eager to see McKenna in a Hoya uniform. Based on highlights of his I have seen on Twitter and on YouTube and especially based on my first hand observations, he is a guy that can score at all three levels. And he can do this in a 6’8 body which means he can post up as well. His shot-making ability is ridiculous. I don’t think people understand that. He obviously is not going to make every shot attempt, but from my vantage point EVERY shot is in his wheelhouse. From EVERY possible angle. He has such a soft touch. Midrange pullups, stepbacks off the dribbles, log three bombs, kisses off the glass. At KL his shots were going through the net so clean. And he is money at the free throw line. Another crucial ability he brings to the table is his ability to comfortably bring the ball up the court. Not saying he can play point or that he will be used as a point forward, but in a pinch he seems capable of keeping the ball in his hands to take pressure off our primary ballhandlers. Here's a link to one of his games. This is the one against Bishop McNamara in which McKenna went for 42 points and 18 rebounds. AS A JUNIOR. Now Bishop McNamara may not have been a dominant team but they still are a WCAC team and the WCAC is largely considered not just the best league in the DMV but one of the very best in the nation. McKenna scored 42 of his lousy team’s 62 points against that team. You don’t have to watch the entire slog of a contest btw. McKenna’s team wasn’t all that good his junior season and at times got laughed off the court. If McKenna was already a great player at his level that type of stuff wouldn’t happen. I think McKenna needs to first walk through the gate and then take steps to be able to knock at the door of greatness. I am utterly convince he can get there though. This is what ticks me off a little from folks here who automatically view McKenna as an afterthought (if they even remember his existence at all) because they are hoping we bring in an army of veteran forwards to suck up all the playing time. I mean do we really want to risk losing this potential in McKenna in favor of a quick band-aid to get us through next season? Its one thing to be down on freshmen these days, but McKenna spent half a year getting up to speed with the team. He may be more prepared to add high value contributions faster than people assume. Can’t speak to his defense as of yet but I should point out he may have been the youngest guy competing at KL last summer considering he had not yet entered his senior year of high school. Despite that youth he was flat out ballin’. Thomas Sorber The last guy on this list needs no introduction. We have fortunately been inundated with highlights, articles and tweets about Sorber since he first committed to the Hoyas. We have dissected his game and his importance to the program more times than I can count. So there is no true need to go over most of those details again. I will address though the “controversy” regarding his weight. When I first saw pictures of him leading up to first high school games of his senior year, I too was taken aback by how thin his arms look compared to pickup games he participated in mere months earlier. Now that I know he had lost all those pounds for a variety of health and performance issues, I can better understand what went down. I may have preferred how he looked in the months prior but I am also aware that one knock on Sorber’s prospects, including by knowledgeable Hoya fans, was the uncertainty of his being able to switch and guard on the perimeter. The fact that this kid demonstrated the work ethic, maturity and “professionalism” to drop such weight in order to take care of some back concerns and help with his explosiveness is a sign of great things to come. He should be able in time to put back on some mass under the supervision of the coaching staff and keep that new found explosiveness and ability to play more out on the perimeter when necessary. To be honest he always had quick feet anyway, so that works in his favor. Don’t know where he ends up in terms of his peak capabilities but he is likely not coming in here with the same impact as freshmen Patrick Ewing, Alonzo Mourning, Othella Harrington and Greg Monroe. He shouldn’t have to. But down the line? Who is to say? What I love about him is his outstanding footwork which leads to impressive reverse and post spin moves. I also admire his defense. While not at Zo’s level on this front, he may the best shot-blocking big the program has had since Roy Hibbert. And his passing may end up surpassing Greg Monroe’s. All three of these dudes have tremendous potential and I hope it can all be properly “exploited” for the Hoyas benefit. There is so much variety to all three of their games. All can post and faceup. All have shooting capability. All can dribble…at least a bit. All can pass. If any one or all three of them were fortunate enough to make it the NBA they would be projected at different positions (Sorber- Center, Fielder – PF, McKenna – SF) so they may be able to exist on the court for extended times at college. Cooley must keep this nucleus together. My hand is aching again. I’ll stop here. Completely agree RE: McKenna. I think his role is the big wildcard in all of the discussions about the roster going forward. A highly regarded freshman wing with half of a year under his belt, learning the system and physicality of the college level. Where he sits in the depth will have a big impact on the assumed roles of Peavy/Fielder/Sorber/Williams.
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Post by FrazierFanatic on Apr 19, 2024 10:18:43 GMT -5
Thanks for playing hurt MCI!
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hoyas315
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
Posts: 3,096
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Post by hoyas315 on Apr 19, 2024 10:33:11 GMT -5
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jwp91
Platinum Hoya (over 5000 posts)
Posts: 6,006
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Post by jwp91 on Apr 19, 2024 10:38:05 GMT -5
Great post, MCI. Lots of great possibilities. It is just hard to project when these new players will be ready to contribute. There is a decent chance McKenna could be ready this fall for big contributions this fall.
With Mack/Epps/Peavy/Omoryuri - there is a chance that we see each of these players at times filling in last spot....maybe depending on the match-up and what is needed.
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