Jamal Branch Analysis

http://www.rumbleinthegarden.com/2014/10/28/7028469/in-review-2014-jamal-branch-better-decision-making-as-senior
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Branch is one of the few guys on the team who I think could swing the direction of the seasons by a few games +/-. There is no one else on the team who can replace what he does and he is the only player sans jordan who can run the offense. The worst part about it is that much of this will lie in the hands of Lavin, who hasnt been Branch's biggest fan these past couple seasons.
 
http://www.rumbleinthegarden.com/2014/10/28/7028469/in-review-2014-jamal-branch-better-decision-making-as-senior
Click to expand...

Branch is one of the few guys on the team who I think could swing the direction of the seasons by a few games +/-. There is no one else on the team who can replace what he does and he is the only player sans jordan who can run the offense. The worst part about it is that much of this will lie in the hands of Lavin, who hasnt been Branch's biggest fan these past couple seasons.
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Coach has to look past his concerns with Branch's turnovers and focus on the upside in his play-making. Hopefully Branch will reduce the turnover numbers and increase the play-making further making this moot, but even if he's the same player he was last year he can provide a lot more production that he has been given the opportunity to. We aren't good enough not to get everything we can from everyone on the team, and I agree with you that Branch in particular has the ability to swing games positively for us.

This was a great write-up by Rumble - terrific analysis.
 
I really want to see Jamal do well. Really nice kid. I was excited to see him running the offense for the 2nd team during the practice but typical Jamal he made one or two spectacular plays, 2 or 3 bonehead mistakes, and otherwise forgettable out there. I know he didn't have the first teamers on his team but I still was expecting more.
 
I really want to see Jamal do well. Really nice kid. I was excited to see him running the offense for the 2nd team during the practice but typical Jamal he made one or two spectacular plays, 2 or 3 bonehead mistakes, and otherwise forgettable out there. I know he didn't have the first teamers on his team but I still was expecting more.
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Thanks for sharing that insight from the open practice, Moose. You raise an interesting point regarding who Jamal is out there with. I'm a fan of what he can do but am also realistic that he's not a guy that can be a #1 for a group. To that end I thought he played his best basketball last year when he was on the floor with both Jordan and Harrison. That's an easy thing to say that could apply to pretty much anybody, but I think it's particularly important in Jamal's case. Jamal's best attribute is his ability to get a piece of the paint on the bounce, and when you have not one but two defenders unable/unwilling to play help because they are glued to Harrison/Jordan, there is a lot of space for Jamal to operate and make good things happen.

This is definitely to be filed under "little things" as its not going to make or break the season on its own. But there were too many of these types of "little things" that we didn't take full advantage of last year and the inefficiencies add up. As Mase mentioned they can swing a few games and that matters when you're unlikely to put together a 28-7 type no-doubt NCAA resume.
 
I really want to see Jamal do well. Really nice kid. I was excited to see him running the offense for the 2nd team during the practice but typical Jamal he made one or two spectacular plays, 2 or 3 bonehead mistakes, and otherwise forgettable out there. I know he didn't have the first teamers on his team but I still was expecting more.
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Thanks for sharing that insight from the open practice, Moose. You raise an interesting point regarding who Jamal is out there with. I'm a fan of what he can do but am also realistic that he's not a guy that can be a #1 for a group. To that end I thought he played his best basketball last year when he was on the floor with both Jordan and Harrison. That's an easy thing to say that could apply to pretty much anybody, but I think it's particularly important in Jamal's case. Jamal's best attribute is his ability to get a piece of the paint on the bounce, and when you have not one but two defenders unable/unwilling to play help because they are glued to Harrison/Jordan, there is a lot of space for Jamal to operate and make good things happen.

This is definitely to be filed under "little things" as its not going to make or break the season on its own. But there were too many of these types of "little things" that we didn't take full advantage of last year and the inefficiencies add up. As Mase mentioned they can swing a few games and that matters when you're unlikely to put together a 28-7 type no-doubt NCAA resume.
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Two excellent posts on Jamal, realistic & fair.
 
Wonder if he has any interest in red shirting? Could be good for both him and the program.
 
Wonder if he has any interest in red shirting? Could be good for both him and the program.
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If I'm correct, he can't. He already sat out a year and, absent a medical redshirt and special waiver, he only has 5 years to do his 4 years of eligibility. I know he was a mid-year transfer but that wouldn't give him an extra year.
 
He couldn't Redshirt even if he was allowed to. We are so thin in the big dept, we are going to be playing at least 3 guards all year long.
 
Wonder if he has any interest in red shirting? Could be good for both him and the program.
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If I'm correct, he can't. He already sat out a year and, absent a medical redshirt and special waiver, he only has 5 years to do his 4 years of eligibility. I know he was a mid-year transfer but that wouldn't give him an extra year.
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He's only in his fourth year of eligibility. He sat out the second semester of his freshman year and the first semester of his sophomore year. He was in the same HS class as D'Lo and the rest of these guys, so he still has a fifth year if they wanted to go that route. Interesting thought, but I agree with the point that we'll need him this year.
 
Wonder if he has any interest in red shirting? Could be good for both him and the program.
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If I'm correct, he can't. He already sat out a year and, absent a medical redshirt and special waiver, he only has 5 years to do his 4 years of eligibility. I know he was a mid-year transfer but that wouldn't give him an extra year.
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He's only in his fourth year of eligibility. He sat out the second semester of his freshman year and the first semester of his sophomore year. He was in the same HS class as D'Lo and the rest of these guys, so he still has a fifth year if they wanted to go that route. Interesting thought, but I agree with the point that we'll need him this year.
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Again, I don't profess to be an expert but I don't think that the two half-years add up to one year. I think each counts as a whole year in the 5 to complete 4 scenario.
 
Wonder if he has any interest in red shirting? Could be good for both him and the program.
Click to expand...

If I'm correct, he can't. He already sat out a year and, absent a medical redshirt and special waiver, he only has 5 years to do his 4 years of eligibility. I know he was a mid-year transfer but that wouldn't give him an extra year.
Click to expand...

He's only in his fourth year of eligibility. He sat out the second semester of his freshman year and the first semester of his sophomore year. He was in the same HS class as D'Lo and the rest of these guys, so he still has a fifth year if they wanted to go that route. Interesting thought, but I agree with the point that we'll need him this year.
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Again, I don't profess to be an expert but I don't think that the two half-years add up to one year. I think each counts as a whole year in the 5 to complete 4 scenario.
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I guess it's a difference of opinion then. I can't see how they can charge him with five years of eligibility when he'll only be in school for four by the end of this year.
 
We are not going to redshirt Branch. Let's go out on a high note. The team will s..k next year regardless.
 
We are not going to redshirt Branch. Let's go out on a high note. The team will s..k next year regardless.
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Yep. If we are going to go down in flames at least lets go down fighting and try to win anything we can
 
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