(@Bar) VCU, Tue. Nov. 20, 7:30p, ESPN-2 / 970 WNYM

[quote="sirvoo" post=303920]Heron looked completely checked out of this game. Say what you want about Ponds’ volume but he was engaged every second he spent on the floor and refused to lose[/quote]
I wouldnt say that, he banged in the paint and fought for rebounds. He just didnt get the ball in his spots tonight. The game is more than just points which Fraschilla kept saying about Ponds and I agree with him. I love Shamorie and he should get the most shots but not the way he did it tonight. That clutch gene in him is real though actually amazing to watch, I was literally 3 inches away from the TV screen at the end.
 
We continue to play positionless Mullin ball but it is starting to look like a bunch of guys picking and choosing their position as the game unfolds.  Once the ball is tossed up by the ref any resemblance to traditional college basketball goes out of the window.
Case in point were our first two shot attempts tonight.  Both were missed 3's by Clark.  Of course not one St Johns's player was ready for a rebound since they all were playing from the 3 point line.
Shamorie Ponds won the MVP but if we look at his game from a position viewpoint he did not do the job of a future NBA point guard is expected to do. On a half dozen possessions he took the ball 1 on 1 and took long range shots without another redmen player touching the ball.
We again allowed 3 after open 3 shot attempts.  One would think after 3 years Mullin, St. Jean and our make believe assistant coach Richmond would have read "Coaching Defense for Dummies". 
I'm sorry but 5-0 or 8-0 this team is not clicking and what we thought would be depth was Mullin double talk.  When players like Simon, Clark and Trimble are stinking up the court with bone head plays fans expect the products of our recruiting to help a few minutes here and there. 
Our guys looked completely winded tonight while VCU, who deserved the win, went 10 deep.  Something stinks on our bench and it may not just be inexperienced freshmen.
 
After the last two games people complaining about Ponds would be like Adam complaining to God that he didn't give Eve big enough breasts.
 
That is why I like the new recruit Cameron Mack he really distributes the ball will be a great pg for us with the right approach by coach ,discipline and start getting some plays in place and not just playing schoolyard ball good thing can take place. But we are heading in the right direction.i would prefer the games not being so close needed some caffeine after the game
 
Really fun, frustrating, and intense game tonight! A huge win.

Ugh. That second half was so hard to watch. Everytime we would get within 1 and have the ball, we would take a terrible shot. I think we had like 7-8 possessions with opportunities to take the lead before we actually did take the lead. Only to lose it seconds later.

Regardless, a win is a win. 5-0. I know if the tables turned, and that foul at the end was on a 3 from us, I’d be pissed... but at the same time jeez the refs messed up so many calls in that game against us, so I don’t feel bad for VCU at all.

There are things to figure out. Offensively and especially defensively, but that is actually a pro to this bad schedule, we can work things out without (hopefully) taking a bunch of losses.

5-0
 
It wasn't pretty but it's still 5-0 so everyone have a Happy Thanksgiving and lets hope the team gels as the season gets on.

Lavin's first year it took a while. I still think the same thing is going to happen with us and time to do damage in a down year big east
 
[quote="we are sju" post=303927]After the last two games people complaining about Ponds would be like Adam complaining to God that he didn't give Eve big enough breasts.[/quote]
Especially if Adam was gay.
 
[quote="Class of 72" post=303926]We continue to play positionless Mullin ball but it is starting to look like a bunch of guys picking and choosing their position as the game unfolds.  Once the ball is tossed up by the ref any resemblance to traditional college basketball goes out of the window.
Case in point were our first two shot attempts tonight.  Both were missed 3's by Clark.  Of course not one St Johns's player was ready for a rebound since they all were playing from the 3 point line.
Shamorie Ponds won the MVP but if we look at his game from a position viewpoint he did not do the job of a future NBA point guard is expected to do. On a half dozen possessions he took the ball 1 on 1 and took long range shots without another redmen player touching the ball.
We again allowed 3 after open 3 shot attempts.  One would think after 3 years Mullin, St. Jean and our make believe assistant coach Richmond would have read "Coaching Defense for Dummies". 
I'm sorry but 5-0 or 8-0 this team is not clicking and what we thought would be depth was Mullin double talk.  When players like Simon, Clark and Trimble are stinking up the court with bone head plays fans expect the products of our recruiting to help a few minutes here and there. 
Our guys looked completely winded tonight while VCU, who deserved the win, went 10 deep.  Something stinks on our bench and it may not just be inexperienced freshmen.[/quote]

Tell us how you really feel.
 
[quote="usguard" post=303928]That is why I like the new recruit Cameron Mack he really distributes the ball will be a great pg for us with the right approach by coach ,discipline and start getting some plays in place and not just playing schoolyard ball good thing can take place. But we are heading in the right direction.i would prefer the games not being so close needed some caffeine after the game[/quote]

I hope Mack is a good player for us, but to be honest, I can’t even think of next year. This year is our shot, to really do something. We have the chance to win the big east and make the tournament and maybe do something while there. It’s now or never
 
Those 2 wins dropped us 3-4 places in the Ken Pom algorithm. That says everything about our games. It was , however, fun watching. since we won. We will improve. as time goes on. Trust me, I don't know what I am talking about, but, I don't watch the NBA because it is predictable and routine. I see the same thing in StJ. No zone, no press, no box and one, no double teaming, just offence. It's not much fun but, if it makes us whole once more, so be it. It's just not as interesting. .We were going to win this game from the start, just like the '85 team always did, but they made the results more interesting getting there. tonight, I will thank God for Shamorie. He is the most valuable player we have ever had.
 
I just returned from the Barclay's Center after the thrilling SJU victory. Shamorie Ponds carried the team down the stretch and especially in OT. If not for his unbelievably clutch performance St. John's would have definitely lost the game. The starting five played most of the game and the OT and except for a really good game by Mikey Dixon the bench contributions were essentially non-existent.

Heron and Clark had subpar evenings, Simon made some big plays but was hampered by fouls and commited some costly turnovers, Figueroa was extremly solid, did not comit a foul or a turnover, led the team in rebounding and made a putback plus one down the stretch of overtime that was the biggest play of the game made by someone not named Ponds.

VCU created some matchup problems for us and the refs were mostly just awful and could have easily cost us the game.

That said the drama and tension in the arena made for a thrilling evening of hoops especially when we prevailed in the end.

While there may be things to be critical of here, I think the team is finding ways to win games that in other seasons we would have lost.
When you can overcome bad refs, bad bounces, defensive flaws, getting dominated on the boards, two of your five starters fouling out with two others hampered by foul problems and still find a way to prevail in the end that says something to me. The team has a bit of a refuse to lose personna and that is something to be excited about as they grow and find there way.
 
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[quote="ghostzapper" post=303938]I just returned from the Barclay's Center after the thrilling SJU victory. Shamorie Ponds carried the team down the stretch and especially in OT. If not for his unbelievably clutch performance St. John's would have definitely lost the game. The starting five played most of the game and the OT and except for a really good game by Mikey Dixon the bench contributions were essentially non-existent.

Heron and Clark had subpar evenings, Simon made some big plays but was hampered by fouls and commited some costly turnovers. Figueroa was extremly solid, did not comit a foul or a turnover, led the team in rebounding and made a putback plus one down the stretch of overtime that was the biggest play of the game made by someone not named Ponds.

VCU created some matchup problems for us and the refs were mostly just awful and could have easily cost us the game.

That said the drama and tension in the arena made for a thrilling evening of hoops especially when we prevailed in the end.

While there may be things to be critical of here, I think the team is finding ways to win games that in other seasons we would have lost.
When you can overcome bad refs, bad bounces, defensive flaws, getting dominated on the boards, two of your five starters fouling out with two others hampered by foul problems and still find a way to prevail in the end that says something to me. The team has a bit of a refuse to lose personna and that is something to be excited about as they grow and find there way.[/quote]

Fabulous post, Ghost!
You must write for the NY Post’s back pages.
Thanks!
 
I just got back from Brooklyn. I must say after reading some comments here I want to go back to the game. I would guess the other people who were at the game enjoyed a thrilling win. Its been a long time with even a hint of hope. Enjoy it for what it is. A winning start. Let's learn to enjoy the ride a bit. The kids on SJU gave everything tonight. No matter how blemished. I bet the VCU folks wished they had won tonight.
Yes, this team is far from perfect and has many problems that need to be fixed. However, for tonight, we are 5-0 and maybe and hopefully this team is learning to play together and has not come close to the level it needs to be to accomplish something. No idea how this is going to finish but the start is 5-0.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving! and let's celebrate zero losses before the turkey is cold.
 
What a heart-stopping win!
We play down to our competition, but that may be typical for a team still gelling as a unit, with 3 key guys new to the mix.
As Ghost says they ‘refuse to lose’ and are finding ways to plow through the sloppiness to win.
That’s a very good thing to see happening and bodes very well for St. John’s deep into the season and into the NCAAs.
 
Yes, there are things we need to work on. Hopefully, we are learning those lessons, while also getting wins.

However, some of the negativity by our fans re: our players, really stinks. It's almost like some people on this board (and in the stands at Barclays tonight) want to find one single fault in all of our players, then kill Mullin for not taking him out for the rest of the game because of that fault. I have news for all of you: we have, and will always have, flawed players. I mean, Heron had his first bad game tonight, and a select few are making it out like we never should have recruited him. Clark had a rough two games. But you know what? He proved last year that he can make 3's consistently, so my guess is he will come out of it sooner or later. Really tough to see our fans harp on every little mistake these guys make. Also, now that he's not here, Owens seems to have become the most popular player on this board (along with the not playing Williams and Roberts), after many of these same people ripped him here for the last two years. My advice to you guys is to just enjoy the ride while you can. We are not a perfect team, but I do think we can and will be very, very good this season. As ugly as these two games were at times, the fact that we won them can only help us down the road, IMO.

Now to some good stuff:

We won the turnover battle 22-9 against that suffocating defense. Did Ponds dribble too long a few times tonight? Yes, but he seemed to be the most comfortable guy handling the ball vs. the havoc defense, so I'll take the tradeoff.

The biggest play that no one is talking about tonight, was that putback basket (plus the foul) on the 3rd attempt by LJ Figueroa (not his thrid attempt, but the third attempt by the team on that possession). When we missed the first two, it appeared as if VCU was about to take the momentum back. LJ came through, and snatched it from them, right then and there.

I do genuinely wish everyone on here a Happy Thanksgiving. I know that, for me, the turkey will taste a lot better at 5-0!
 
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See I don't think the Rutgers game was an aberration. The last two nights, our other guys struggled and Ponds went for the kill because he had to, which results in a lot of one-on-one stuff. Chris got annoyed at him in the first half when the ball was sticking, so I do think movement is a point of emphasis. But with Heron playing terribly tonight Ponds decided to take over to get the W. I have no issue with that for a particular game, but for the next few I want to see the Ponds of Rutgers where he is getting guys involved and where the ball is whipping around the perimeter with good spacing.



[quote="mjmaherjr" post=303890][quote="Dan V" post=303875][quote="SJUhoopNUT" post=303852]I thought we played a little selfishly tonight. Guys were not making the extra pass and trying to do it all alone. Ponds included. I know he's our guy down the stretch but throughout the game he needs better shot selection. A lot of guys were forcing the issue tonight and that doesn't make me feel very confident long term.[/quote]
Not what i saw, Ponds the only guy that played selfish. Again can't say much because he won us the game. He is one of those guys who makes a good play and then a bad one right after, until crunch time of course. Much rather play like we did against Rutgers than these last two games. Notice when its the Ponds show we struggle. Hopefully it doesnt affect our team chemistry, obviously if we win it wont, but if we lose it could.[/quote] Part of the problem is so many times we have the ball at the top and everyone just stands around[/quote]
 
[quote="mkras99" post=303897]Just imagine how much bitching and moaning there would have been if we had lost. This board is barely readable after a win as it is.[/quote]

Yeah we won, but are you happy with how we played?
 
[quote="oldschool Redmen" post=303945][quote="mkras99" post=303897]Just imagine how much bitching and moaning there would have been if we had lost. This board is barely readable after a win as it is.[/quote]

Yeah we won, but are you happy with how we played?[/quote]

The win is all of it. No matter how ugly or how lucky, it looks the same in the record books.
Let’s go Redmen!
 
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