Is Obekpa Next? No! He's staying!
- Thread starter tom in salem
- Start date
Just like that we are back to being one of the favorites to win the conference (I'd expect us to be 2nd to Nova). We should clearly be an NCAA team now with room for improvement depending upon additional recruits and Rysheed's development.
Hopefully we play up to potential and are not the most "talented," underachieving team in the conference once again. No more excuses. Unfinished business!
Hopefully we play up to potential and are not the most "talented," underachieving team in the conference once again. No more excuses. Unfinished business!
The "unfinished business" line is tiring.
Unfinished business = there were no transfer opportunities out there for Greene and Obekpa and the dire outlook of having to sit out a year.
If they want to talk about unfinished business, they need to lock themselves into a gym and improve their games.
Unfinished business = there were no transfer opportunities out there for Greene and Obekpa and the dire outlook of having to sit out a year.
If they want to talk about unfinished business, they need to lock themselves into a gym and improve their games.
I am not sure we will be expected 2nd in the BE by any of the writers/analysts. Most of them (rightfully so) will discount our talent, due to coaching deficiencies.
For me, this team (with Lavin) is in the bottom half of the league. We could move up if he lands another two serviceable forwards.
Obekpa had interest. And like I said, weighing them vs sitting out a year more than likely sealed the deal.
Phil, no one cares. As a senior, he would have to sit out a year to go to some mid major and possibly get less minutes than his overuse in MSG?
What business is unfinished? Losing in the first round of the NIT?
This is not a team that made a run in the NCAA tourney and got close to the prize.
This is a team that has underachieved and not accomplished anything in 3 years.
I'm just tired of all the talk. They read too many of their press clippings.
Hopefully with one or 2 more signings, this will be a more well rounded and balanced team.
The point is that our expectations should be high. I don't want to hear we lost Sampson, Sanchez, Gift, etc as excuses for not being a contender for the big east title and a deep run in the NCAAs. I don't want to hear we'll be good by February since we have 4 seniors.
We return a lot more than most of the conference and it's reasonable to expect Rysheed to be one of the best point guards in the league (if not the country) from day 1 next year. No way we start 0-5 in conference and lose every big game if that is true. There are no excuses or reasons to believe this roster can not compete with anyone. Guards win in college (see UConn).
I personally feel we will have a solid team this year if we land Thomas. With the BE being down, there is no reason not to be in the top three or four of the league. Lavin should be judged next year on whether or not he achieves that. (and of course securing an outstanding 15 class). On the sidelines he must step up and deliver. Underachieving with this veteran, guard rich squad is unacceptable. Of course all bets are off if we don't get a solid rebounder like Thomas.
There goal this year should be to win the League. And I have no doubt Lavin has the same goal.
Remember when they lost that game in Philly to Nova Coach said that he told the team he expected to meet them again in NY and beat them in the BE Championship.
Villanova deserves to be the pre-season no.1 but after Nova I can't see why anyone doesn't think SJU is right there with a Georgetown or maybe an Xavier and quite frankly better.
Now again Lavin has to coach them up (no doubt) but again let's not act like SJU was 5-13 last year either. They are returning most of their rotation players including potentially the best backcourt in the League from a team that went 10-8 and tied for 3rd and went 10-3 over their least 13 league games that included two losses on the road to Creighton on a last second 3 and Nova on a banked 3 Hail Mary by Ryan A.
Remember when they lost that game in Philly to Nova Coach said that he told the team he expected to meet them again in NY and beat them in the BE Championship.
Villanova deserves to be the pre-season no.1 but after Nova I can't see why anyone doesn't think SJU is right there with a Georgetown or maybe an Xavier and quite frankly better.
Now again Lavin has to coach them up (no doubt) but again let's not act like SJU was 5-13 last year either. They are returning most of their rotation players including potentially the best backcourt in the League from a team that went 10-8 and tied for 3rd and went 10-3 over their least 13 league games that included two losses on the road to Creighton on a last second 3 and Nova on a banked 3 Hail Mary by Ryan A.
westchesterjoe
Active member
CO will continue to be a limited offensive player.He needs to improve his free throw shooting, if he puts in the work necessary. His defense also needs work, other than shot blocking and he can't foul so often.
Greene can be a serviceable Reserve as a spot up shooter.. Hopefully LAVINBALL will not use him as a reserve PG OR, CONTINUE TO GIVE HIM STARTER MINUTES.
i think the majority of this site now knows not to expect much from Steve on the bench during games. I would say he ranks in the bottom tier of Coaches in the BE,ability wise.That prevents whatever talent we have to develop at a pace necessary to challenge the league leaders.. We could very easily be only top half in the Conference again and shaky to make the dance.
4 years not qualifying for the NCAA means to me the end of this era.
Greene can be a serviceable Reserve as a spot up shooter.. Hopefully LAVINBALL will not use him as a reserve PG OR, CONTINUE TO GIVE HIM STARTER MINUTES.
i think the majority of this site now knows not to expect much from Steve on the bench during games. I would say he ranks in the bottom tier of Coaches in the BE,ability wise.That prevents whatever talent we have to develop at a pace necessary to challenge the league leaders.. We could very easily be only top half in the Conference again and shaky to make the dance.
4 years not qualifying for the NCAA means to me the end of this era.
Agree on many points. The problem is that we have the worst basketball coach in the Big East. There is absolutely no reason to believe that he has learned anything. He didn't learn after UCLA and he never showed any signs of "getting it" during last season. Get ready to scratch your head again (line-ups, time-outs, no offensive strategy, no inbound plays, etc, etc, etc.) .
Unless you have reason to believe that he has seen the light and, after all these years, he will begin doing these things better........???
I agree however there is a reason for this. In my opinion the reason is that guards are an extension of the coach in the college game much more than in the NBA and it is not just having talented guards but using those guards to execute a smart strategy. Good guards score but more importantly in my opinion they pass. This breeds chemistry. It is where players can realize their roles being a part of the whole. Chemistry is what makes a team more than the sum of its parts. It is where the joy and fun of the game is at its best.
Game prep, strategy, tempo, chemistry etc. All begin with your guards. So smart guards are where the execution of all of the hard work put into practice begins. In a business, when roles are nebulous, people get frustrated, chemistry dies and the business flounders. On a team same thing. Coach defines the roles, players understand and buy in, execution starts with the guards and good execution like a good business or even a good country, starts with a good CEO/President ...Floor General. Poor leadership does not respect roles. It's like a business where there is an assumption that anyone can be a salesman just because they are a good talker or they are highly skilled at something else. Countries run by committee, business run by committee, any enterprise run by committee rather than by strong leadership, are mediocre at best. Strong leaders (even tyrants) make effective teams. Nebulous, wishy washy leadership and roles make things suck.