Awful day at Kenner

[hoyaboy1]

Painful 4+ hours in the gym for me today. First game Clyde's beat a nobody team of Bethesda Magic in a fairly sloppy game. Roy only had about 12, and struggled a bit against the short and stout Willie Shaw. Did dominate on D though. Overall, fairly boring game.

Next game was CUTS with Ewing against Electro-Lite with Thornton and Crawford. I can't even really comment on this - it was extremely low scoring and boring until the last minute, and I actually managed to fall asleep a few times in the 2nd half despite the bleachers being the 2nd least comfortable things I have ever sat in (1st being the Multi-Sport facility seats, which were designed for pre-schoolers). Electro won.

Finally, what is for some reason the worst Tomb's team ever lost to the Bulldogs (Bowie State, I think) by 1 to fall to 2-4. Some Bulldog made a 25 foot three with 10 seconds left, and Jeff missed a J as time ran out. Jeff was OK, as was Summers, but it was an ugly, ugly game. Tons of TOs, and somehow the Tombs managed to get DESTROYED on the boards. And Macklin has rocks for hands. Only highlight was a nasty put back dunk by Rivers.

Hopefully things are more exciting tomorrow.

[rkerby15]

The best dunk of the day came from Ewing. His putback dunk was even better than Rivers. Three technical fouls were given out after that play, when Ewing and his defender almost got into it.

[hoyaboy1]

This is sad, but the fighting after that dunk woke me up from a brief nap, so I didn't actually see the dunk. I feel like an 80 old man.

[MCIGuy]

Of all the days to go to the KL this summer I went today. It wasn't as bad to me as hoyaboy suggests but it was pretty disappointing. I concur that the third game involving Ewing and Crawford and Thornton was unwatchable for the most part and almost had me dozing off. More later.

[RDF]

mciguy said:

Of all the days to go to the KL this summer I went today. It wasn't as bad to me as hoyaboy suggests but it was pretty disappointing. I concur that the third game involving Ewing and Crawford and Thornton was unwatchable for the most part and almost had me dozing off. More later.

Okay for two Hoya fans to admit they either did or almost SLEPT during a game--let me just say I'm happy that I'm nowhere near McDonough today--what did they do, hold the ball and never shoot? Sloppy? Almost hate to admit how interested I am in finding out what led to the boring day, because I feel for those who took time to watch it and recap it for us who can't be there.

MCI--still looking for tape of the BE--ACC Challenge Matchup between GU/UNC. I'll check at my brother's apartment tonight and see if he has it.

[hoyaboy1]

mciguy said:

Of all the days to go to the KL this summer I went today. It wasn't as bad to me as hoyaboy suggests but it was pretty disappointing. I concur that the third game involving Ewing and Crawford and Thornton was unwatchable for the most part and almost had me dozing off. More later.

Since it was your first day, it probably still had the newness appeal. I've been to tons of games already, and just couldn't handle it today.

RDF - the main reason the 2nd game was so boring is that it was simply really sloppy, and nobody scored. It was 23-23 at the half. That just ain't exciting.

[RDF]

hoyaboy1 said:

mciguy said:

Of all the days to go to the KL this summer I went today. It wasn't as bad to me as hoyaboy suggests but it was pretty disappointing. I concur that the third game involving Ewing and Crawford and Thornton was unwatchable for the most part and almost had me dozing off. More later.

Since it was your first day, it probably still had the newness appeal. I've been to tons of games already, and just couldn't handle it today.

RDF - the main reason the 2nd game was so boring is that it was simply really sloppy, and nobody scored. It was 23-23 at the half. That just ain't exciting.

23-23?? What the heck is going on? Lids on the rims? That's awful basketball and beyond what you both described. Just terrible. In a Summer League game? WOW. Who put the teams together for love of scoring? Sounds like a bunch of teams have people out of position or no clue how to play together--at least there should be some scoring in the games.

I still stand by the fact I think next year's Hoya team is the one that makes the noise in terms of potential Final Four, etc... and not this one--too weak in the backcourt beyond Jessie and Jonathan to win it all--Thornton is not doing anything to step up his game and to me he was a key player for this year's team--and can still be--but he better up his game in a major way.

For all of the talk of "dominant frontcourt", you have to have dominant performer at a perimeter position to win it all or make it to Final Four--yes Florida had one in Corey Brewer-who saved their season in our matchup in Sweet 16. Taurean Green also played outstanding ball in NCAA's and Humphrey was draining 3's all tournament/year as well.

Those who talk of UConn's best teams think of Okafor, but Ben Gordon was reason that team rolled--he was unstoppable and made key play after key play. They had El-Amin and Hamilton on their best team back in '99 too.

You look at Championship teams and you can win with serviceable bigs but you better have at least 2 perimeter players that are capable of dominating a game--and to me Austin Freeman is that type of player and type we're missing right now. It could be Dajuan Summers--but he's going to have to grow into that role and I believe Jessie Sapp can become an All Big East caliber guard by end of his Hoya career--and hope he accelerates that development this year--but Hoyas lack that as of now in my opinion.

If they are able to get Chris Wright--you throw him in backcourt with Sapp and Freeman, have Hibbert in Post, and Summers as the Combo forward, you have 5 high/elite level talents for the college game. I've heard PE JR has improved a great deal but I can't comment on his game other then what I saw at IU which was full of high basketball IQ and athleticism but untapped due to Mike Davis's moronic player rotation and lack of developing a team.

That's why keys to this year's team to me are how Rivers comes along--he's got to step up and be consistent as a ball handler and capable of hitting some shots, Thornton, Spann, and Egerson. 1, if not 2 of those guys need to step up as outside threats consistently to help this team elevate to their maximum potential and hopefully they are working towards that.

But I'm not as high on this year's team as most due to fact I don't trust the backcourt--yet. Still a lot of time to improve and Staff will have this team ready to go when season tips off but if you are going to win it all or talk of that as a legit goal--you better bring some firepower at the perimeter spots or you'll be disappointed.

**not referring to 3pt shooting either--just strong perimeter talent with ability to make plays and shots.

[GIGAFAN99]

No offense RDF but Taurean Green went 14-61 in the tourney, 9-35 from three. He completely chewed from the field and Lee Humphrey had three good games where he average 18ppg and three awful games where he averaged 7.6ppg.

So let's not revise history on Florida to fit the guard theory. Their guards did not start dominating anything when the tourney started. They just played well occasionally and waited for the 3-4-5 guys to take over. And they did.

So who had double digits in all six games?

Joakim Noah

Five of the six?

Brewer and Horford

Dominant frontcourt play for sure.

[DFW HOYA]

While I won't be seeing any Kenner games this fall (being in the Central Time Zone tends to limit day trips to McD), RDF is right on target about the importance of guards.

The big guys get all the credit for the 1984 run but the guards got them there. Michael Jackson shot 56% from the field in Big East play (when was the last GU guard to do that?) with a 1.50 assist to turnover ratio. Fred Brown and Gene Smith combined to shoot right at 50%, with a 1.66 assists to turnover ratio. Even David Wingate, thought to be the streaky shooter among the bunch, still shot 44%.

No Georgetown guard shot better than 47% in 2006, and while Jon Wallace is certainly capable of that kind of consistency, there's nothing suggesting Sapp, Crawford, Thornton, or Rivers can do so yet. Maybe, but it's not in the books.

RDF pointed out the need for smaller players who potentially can take over a game--Jackson and Wingate were those kind of players. Whether it will come on one, two years, or more is not settled, but the backcourt needs to be at top level. The biggest loss from 2006 wasn't Brandon Bowman, it was Ashanti Cook, and getting his successor up to speed should be a top priority.

If Georgetown fans expect Roy and Jeff to do all the heavy lifting in '07, teams will dust off the VHS tapes and play Georgetown the way they did in 1990-91, when teams simply piled in on Mourning or Mutombo and let Joey Brown (.350 FG, .231 from three) and Charles Harrison (.347 FG, .266 from three) take the bulk of the shooting.

[nychoya3]

While I agree with the thrust of what you're saying DFW, I just want to note that comparing FG percentages from the pre-three pointer era is, if not apples-to-oranges, at least apples-to-pears. But, yeah, we will need some guards to step up and play big. I guarantee they all shoot it better than Joey Brown, if that's any comfort.

[GIGAFAN99]

dfw said:

While I won't be seeing any Kenner games this fall (being in the Central Time Zone tends to limit day trips to McD), RDF is right on target about the importance of guards.

The big guys get all the credit for the 1984 run but the guards got them there. Michael Jackson shot 56% from the field in Big East play (when was the last GU guard to do that?) with a 1.50 assist to turnover ratio. Fred Brown and Gene Smith combined to shoot right at 50%, with a 1.66 assists to turnover ratio. Even David Wingate, thought to be the streaky shooter among the bunch, still shot 44%.

No Georgetown guard shot better than 47% in 2006, and while Jon Wallace is certainly capable of that kind of consistency, there's nothing suggesting Sapp, Crawford, Thornton, or Rivers can do so yet. Maybe, but it's not in the books.

RDF pointed out the need for smaller players who potentially can take over a game--Jackson and Wingate were those kind of players. Whether it will come on one, two years, or more is not settled, but the backcourt needs to be at top level. The biggest loss from 2006 wasn't Brandon Bowman, it was Ashanti Cook, and getting his successor up to speed should be a top priority.

If Georgetown fans expect Roy and Jeff to do all the heavy lifting in '07, teams will dust off the VHS tapes and play Georgetown the way they did in 1990-91, when teams simply piled in on Mourning or Mutombo and let Joey Brown (.350 FG, .231 from three) and Charles Harrison (.347 FG, .266 from three) take the bulk of the shooting.

I hope they dust off those tapes. If they do we'll go undefeated.

Because Jeff, unlike 'Zo can stray from the paint to score and both Roy and Jeff can pass out of a double team better than Dikembe or 'Zo.

Oh yeah and Jonathan Wallace and Jeff Green are the #2 and #15 three-point shooters all-time. Joey Brown is...well Charles Harrison was...um...well they did shoot A LOT of threes. So I guess in that way they're similar to the proven shooters on this team.

And I really hope they dust off the 1985 tapes because the teams that do will get called for shot clock violations constantly and be distracted all unfrozen-caveman-lawyer style by this new "three-point line" of which we speak.

[FLHoya]

hoyaboy1 said:

Finally, what is for some reason the worst Tomb's team ever lost to the Bulldogs (Bowie State, I think) by 1 to fall to 2-4.

You think there's any significance to this? I mean, the whole Tombs team has only played together for (I think) three of those six games (and they're 1-2). But on some level, regardless of who played on the team that day, I always end up thinking to myself for a brief moment: "Gee, should a team with [insert combo of GTown players here] really be losing to [other team here]?" It's weird.

There's so many things working against Summer League games being relevant in any way whatsoever. My view of them is that they're useful to look at the skill set an individual incoming frosh player is bringing to the table, or how an upperclassman has developed/is developing his skill set. Looking for "team" play or combo play b/t two specific players is usually hit or miss, with a big emphasis on the latter.

This being said though, second question comes up though so I'll list them both:

1. Whazzup with the Purple Nurples' 2-4 record/"bad losses" and does this mean anything in the larger scheme of things?

2. Which players do you think we've learned a lot about so far this summer? I guess that's weird since I write a lot of Kenner recaps, but I know a lot of people on the board go to the games too and have strong opinions. And I guess I'm not always the best person to ask regarding what people are learning from my reports--I might think I've learned a lot about player X but the way it's written it might seem as if player Y is showing more.

Sorry the games sucked today hoyaboy. Is the weather any less suck-tastic in DC this weekend? Pretty humid and sweating-out-of-shape-out-of-state-tourist-tastic in Orlando where I am today and tomorrow.

[MCIGuy]

Overall I was very impressed with the talent of the Tombs. The three newcomers all demonstrated ability that has me excited for their future and the future of the team. I was particularly impressed with Macklin.

That being said the reasons why the Tombs lost today are obvious:

1)no one on the Tombs were hitting any threes except for Wallace who hit two early three pointers and then virtually disappeared the rest of the game

2)The Tombs gave their opponents too many second and third and fourth chances by failing to get defensive rebounds or at times getting defensive rebounds only too cough up the ball a second later to give the opposition one more chance to score (which they almost always did).

3)The Tombs missed far too many free throws with the biggest offender being Macklin.

Had some other things to do tonight, folks. So my shorter than average writeup will have to wait until sometime during tomorrow afternoon.

[Thomas]

The Bulldog who hit the 3 to beat Tombs was Orlando Wright(CHRIS WRIGHT'S BROTHER)!