hoyainspirit
Platinum Hoya (over 5000 posts)
When life puts that voodoo on me, music is my gris-gris.
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Post by hoyainspirit on Apr 6, 2007 10:50:34 GMT -5
I think the biggest debate will be who gets the most playing time out of wattad, rivers, and tyler. that's where the fight will be. Everyone else will get their minutes. You may be correct, but I will be surprised if Rivers does not continue to see significant minutes because of his outstanding defense. The kid's development over the course of the year as a shut down defender was impressive.
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Post by HometownHoya on Apr 6, 2007 15:00:50 GMT -5
I think the biggest debate will be who gets the most playing time out of wattad, rivers, and tyler. that's where the fight will be. Everyone else will get their minutes. You may be correct, but I will be surprised if Rivers does not continue to see significant minutes because of his outstanding defense. The kid's development over the course of the year as a shut down defender was impressive. Also as we saw Jessie improve in his game from Freshman to Sophmore year, as long as Rivers keeps working over the summer, we could also see a drastic improvement in his game. Also remember that he has an extra year of experiance in JTIII's system that usually takes a year to year 1/2 to understand
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MCIGuy
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Post by MCIGuy on Apr 7, 2007 13:28:18 GMT -5
I think that although Chris and Austin are very good we should temper our expectations a bit. I remember when someone on this board was arguing that Vernon would be starting over Roy this year. The people who said that were foolish and had little regard for Roy (a few were still complaining about Roy and suggesting the Hoyas were better with him on the bench when January of this past season rolled around). Huge differences between that scenario and the one that could occur next season. First of all as his high school senior year was progressing, some folks were a little down on Vernon. As physically gifted as he was/is, both scouts and fans wondered about his offensive skills and questioned either how long it would take him to adapt to the Gtown system (the consensus appeared to be at least a season) or whether he would ever fit in the system. I think the latter concern regarding Vernon was ridiculous. That being said has anyone had such concerns regarding Freeman or Wright? Was anyone disappointed with their showing in their respective senior seasons? I don't think so. And that makes their arrival far different from Vernon. In fact some gurus think Freeman is the perfect fit for the Hoya offense, a far cry from their feelings concerning Macklin. Next Vernon would have to come in and replace, at the center spot, a taller and stronger big man who was headed eventually to the NBA (regardless of whether the Hibbert doubters amongst Hoya fans). Sapp and Wallace's chances of collecting an NBA check are far less likely. In other words our returning starting guards are more vulnerable to losing their spots in the starting rotation. This is not to suggest that our starting guards aren't good. They are indeed very good and have proven themselves worthy to start on a true contending team. Their play once again will be a strength next season. But Freeman and Wright are outstanding "prospects'. If they live up to their reps Wallace and Sapp will have a fight on their hand to keep taking part in the players introduction at the start of each contest. I think Wallace is a lock to start throughout the season though. One he may be III's favorite player outside Jeff. Secondly he is a senior who will have started every game. Not many guys have that type of experience. Next he will likely still be the team's best shooter. And being a senior means the new guy behind him will only have to wait a year before moving into the starting lineup. The difference between waiting one year and two years (if Sapp keeps his starting job for the next two seasons) is huge for guys that are the caliber of Wright and Freeman My suggestion to Sapp would be to work his tail off on his outside shooting, learn how to execute the post entry pass more effectively and shore up on his drive and dish abilities. The person we are sleeping on is Rivers who was once a top 25 recruit himself when he committed to GU. Compared to the starting guards Rivers as a frosh is already a better defender, better at finding the open man and better at delivering the ball to his teammate. He may even be better at driving the ball in the pain right now than Sapp. Plus he's the taller one of the bunch. If he can gain confidence and work on his shot his potential is as good as anyone's, including Wright and Freeman.
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MCIGuy
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Post by MCIGuy on Apr 7, 2007 13:31:10 GMT -5
I hope we play Dook at home next year. Why? Why are people here still so fixated on Duke?
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MCIGuy
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Post by MCIGuy on Apr 7, 2007 13:41:52 GMT -5
CHopefully he and Rivers work on their passing all summer. Every day, take a basketball everywhere and pass it to each other all day. It's how Jerome Williams got such a great handle- he took it everywhere and dribbled everywhere. Now if only JYD had worked on shooting during those offseasons. Maybe he would have become a truly terrific player rather than basically a one-trick pony who stole money from NBA teams. Summers does not pass as well Jeff, that's true. He does not have as good an all-around game yet either (perhaps he never will). But Summers already has a better and quicker shot, is a better finisher, can get from point A to point B quicker while dribbling, is more athletic and appars to be someone who will be a more explosive scorer for the Hoyas down the road. And I doubt you'll ever see Summers take only five shots in 40 minutes during the biggest game of his college career. Especially when the defenses are giving him open looks from the perimeter.
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MCIGuy
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Post by MCIGuy on Apr 7, 2007 13:53:35 GMT -5
I think it's clear that Summers is an excellent player. It's also clear Summers was not the starting SF at the start of the season. He became a starter via a confluence of improvement, injuries & transfers. Nonsense. He started after a few games into the season and the person he pushed out was Egerson I believe (opening day satrting lineup was Green, Hibbert, Wallace, Crawford and Egerson). Summers took Egerson's starting position almost instantly and it came as no surprise considering all the praise that Bias, Katz and Seth Davis were throwing his way after watching the Gtown team practice before the season got underway. About a month before Egerson transferred Summers took the three spot and never looked back. So he didn't benefit from an injury or a transfer unless you're suggesting Josh Thornton would have been the team's small forward. When an NBA scout told Barker Davis about a week ago that Summers was just a midrange game and some more strength from being able to be guarded at the college level, I just can't imagine that same person saying that about Egerson if he had stuck around. No knock on Egerson because that kid could play. But he's not Summers. The person who ddi benefit immediately from an untilemly injury/illness was Sapp who got Crawford's starting job. However I do think Sapp would have taken that from Crawford eventually anyway.
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MCIGuy
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Post by MCIGuy on Apr 7, 2007 13:59:52 GMT -5
I'm not disagreeing with your assertion that Summers was starting at the time. What I'm arguing is that Summers and Egerson were essentially splitting the SF position up and until his transfer. Both were getting about 20 minutes a game. It is hard to see if one was really that much higher on the depth chart than the other. My point is that 1) Egerson's transfer, 2) Crawford's illness and 3) Summers' dramatic improvement over the course of the season allowed Summers to fill the starting role at SF nicely, but I'm not entirely sure that had any of those factors not occured he would definitely be the starting SF at season's end. More than likely, had Crawford not gotten sick or Summers not improved dramatically, we would have seen a lot more of Crawford and Ewing at the SF earlier in the season. My boy, Ewing, had over an entire year to learn the system (plus more college expereince to boot) and still could not beat out Summers. That has to tell you something. Sapp is going no where. Are you all saying that Wright--not even the human MACHINE, Austin Freeman--is going to be so much better by the end of the year he will have surpassed a bigger, stronger, Jessie Sapp with 2 years more of experience in some legitimately huge games, who I further assume will have an ever improving and at least respectable jump shot and the same above average perimater defense skills? Whaaaaat? I really, really, really hope this somehow happens. Uh, yeah it very well could happen. Its obvious some of you folks don't have any idea how good Freeman is. It's so hard to predict how things will turn out with the guard rotation next year. Here are some of my own observations though: Jeremiah: Will certainly get PT in the beginning of the year, but if he does not become a bigger threat to shoot offensively, his minutes will be in jeopardy. The only advantage he really has over Chris is his knowledge of the offense, but if Chris starts to catch up, there will be little reason for Jeremiah to get time. I’ll give you a reason: 6’4. Sorry to be skeptical about freshmen as second comings but I can't think of a freshman backcourt more talented than Lawson/Ellington. And they got wrecked by poor little old Jon Wallace and Jessie Sapp and their inferior games AFTER a full season of playing. Very good point. But the one known weakness concerning Lawson’s game and a surprising glaring weakness often in Ellington’s game was the perimeter shot. If Freeman and Wright live up to expectations that’s something that gives them an advantage. Plus did you notice how soft Ellington played this season/ He didn’t drive to the hole; he didn’t fight for rebounds in the paint. That is not something you’ll see from Freeman. Freeman’s showing in the spring and summer before his senior season was more impressive than Ellington’s. Don’t be surprised if Freeman ends up being the better player of the two. But I’m getting ahead of myself there. Freeman’s weakness though is his D. That will hurt him and his minutes early on. Here are my thoughts on each player and their role, for whatever they are worth (my thoughts, not the players!!)- Roy Hibbert- Again, a decision is in order, but I really don't see Roy leaving. I think he takes one more big step up in his senior year and really goes out on top. If he can work on that nice little outside jumper he showed and work on preventing the silly fouls he gets while just improving his overall game, we should see something very special out of the Center spot all next year. Roy has had that shot for years now. Back in high school even. I don’t know why he doesn’t take it. Maybe the coaches don’t ask/demand he takes it. Maybe Roy lacks the confidence to do so. Still I like the fact that he has a legit outside jumper and yet still chooses to do his work exclusively around the basket. He wants to be a Big man. As for his stupid fouls most come it seems because III wants his 7’2 275 pound center to switch on defense on the perimeter even if it means guarding 5’10 speed demons 20 feet from the hoop. Does anyone know of any other team (pro or college) that requires a TRUE big man (6-10 +, 250 lbs +) to do anything similar to that? Mourning and Mutombo would have picked up a bunch more fouls if they had to play like that. Which is why I will rehash one of my earlier arguments that Roy doesn’t necessarily get sat in up and down games because he can’t keep up with the pace; he is sat down because III wants every player on the floor to be able to guard the three point line and the perimeter. When Roy lets a couple of smaller guys open, III won’t hesitate to go with the smaller lineup. Having Roy work on this part of the game may make him a better overall defensive player but I can bet you he won’t be called upon often to guard like that at the next level. III doesn't seem like the kind of guy that will get caught empty handed. I have a feeling both will be back. The only problem I have with Green coming back is that III keeps him out on the floor for at least 38 minutes a game unless Green is I foul trouble. This does not lead to a lot of opportunities for other frontcourt players to get minutes. If the system stays deliberate it means even less opportunities for minutes. I don’t see why Green can’t just get 30 to 32 minutes per game. Acting as if the team is only at its best when Green is on the floor is absurd. Sometimes you want to make sure that people on the court are fresh. Besides in that Ohio State game when Hibbert was on the floor it wasn’t always necessary to have a passive (or well-guarded) Green on the floor in some stretches. Maybe Tyler or Macklin could have given the team an extra basket or two that Green obviously did not.
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Madgesdiq
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Post by Madgesdiq on Apr 7, 2007 20:56:28 GMT -5
I think that although Chris and Austin are very good we should temper our expectations a bit. I remember when someone on this board was arguing that Vernon would be starting over Roy this year. The people who said that were foolish and had little regard for Roy (a few were still complaining about Roy and suggesting the Hoyas were better with him on the bench when January of this past season rolled around). Huge differences between that scenario and the one that could occur next season. First of all as his high school senior year was progressing, some folks were a little down on Vernon. As physically gifted as he was/is, both scouts and fans wondered about his offensive skills and questioned either how long it would take him to adapt to the Gtown system (the consensus appeared to be at least a season) or whether he would ever fit in the system. I think the latter concern regarding Vernon was ridiculous. That being said has anyone had such concerns regarding Freeman or Wright? Was anyone disappointed with their showing in their respective senior seasons? I don't think so. And that makes their arrival far different from Vernon. In fact some gurus think Freeman is the perfect fit for the Hoya offense, a far cry from their feelings concerning Macklin. Next Vernon would have to come in and replace, at the center spot, a taller and stronger big man who was headed eventually to the NBA (regardless of whether the Hibbert doubters amongst Hoya fans). Sapp and Wallace's chances of collecting an NBA check are far less likely. In other words our returning starting guards are more vulnerable to losing their spots in the starting rotation. This is not to suggest that our starting guards aren't good. They are indeed very good and have proven themselves worthy to start on a true contending team. Their play once again will be a strength next season. But Freeman and Wright are outstanding "prospects'. If they live up to their reps Wallace and Sapp will have a fight on their hand to keep taking part in the players introduction at the start of each contest. I think Wallace is a lock to start throughout the season though. One he may be III's favorite player outside Jeff. Secondly he is a senior who will have started every game. Not many guys have that type of experience. Next he will likely still be the team's best shooter. And being a senior means the new guy behind him will only have to wait a year before moving into the starting lineup. The difference between waiting one year and two years (if Sapp keeps his starting job for the next two seasons) is huge for guys that are the caliber of Wright and Freeman My suggestion to Sapp would be to work his tail off on his outside shooting, learn how to execute the post entry pass more effectively and shore up on his drive and dish abilities. The person we are sleeping on is Rivers who was once a top 25 recruit himself when he committed to GU. Compared to the starting guards Rivers as a frosh is already a better defender, better at finding the open man and better at delivering the ball to his teammate. He may even be better at driving the ball in the pain right now than Sapp. Plus he's the taller one of the bunch. If he can gain confidence and work on his shot his potential is as good as anyone's, including Wright and Freeman. I agree with almost everything you said except I think Wallace is much more firmly entrenched than you may or may not be suggesting. That being said, JT3 had no problem putting Wallace next to him on the bench in an offensive/defensive substitution with the season on the line to get the better on ball defender on the court (Rivers) against UNC. I think there will be plenty of minutes to go around.
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Post by hoyahavoc on Apr 14, 2007 3:00:45 GMT -5
Starting 5... Wallace, Sapp, Freeman, Summers, Macklin
Second string Wright, Rivers, Wattad, Ewing....
Extra Crawford, Spann, Walkon joe.....
be surprised folks.., my pro folks have jeff and roy gone!... 08 we give out 4 (braswell, clark, ** *( i guess samuels, joespeh, and MAYBE sims/davis) and hold one for 09 to go with Jesse and Tay...
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Post by sawitbeginin72 on Apr 14, 2007 12:25:40 GMT -5
That's one hell of a recruting job by JT3. Question: Chris Braswell is a no-show, even among the honorable mentions. Was he out all year on suspension and/or because of injuries?
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RBHoya
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
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Post by RBHoya on Apr 14, 2007 21:43:35 GMT -5
That's one hell of a recruting job by JT3. Question: Chris Braswell is a no-show, even among the honorable mentions. Was he out all year on suspension and/or because of injuries? Out because of what basically amounted to a self-imposed academic suspension. Also had a knee injury. Should be back with a vengeance next year for the Stags.
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