A team is usually more than the sum of its parts. With SJU, it seems that we have parts and pieces, but the whole seems to be less than those parts. In looking at our team, it seems to me that we have some very good, key pieces that could more than make up a good team. Consider:
Point Guard. Between the combo of Jordan backed up by Branch, that should be a very good combo that could be competitive with most points in the league. I think Branch's main problem is that the coaches have not set a defined role for him with regular minutes and rotation expectations. He has more talent than he has been able to show. I think Jordan will be fine, and hopefully it will be here.
Shooting Guard. Harrison is one of the premier shooting guards in the conference iof not the nation, and backed by Phil Greene and, yes spotted by Hooper, should be more than enough to make a good SG rotation. Here, Harrison needs to know when he has it or when he's off. He has shown me enough to know that he can be effective going to the hoop etc. and does not need to rely on long bombs if he is cold.
Power forward/Center. The rotation of Obepka, Sanchez and GG is probably where the team is most deficient talent-wise. CO will, I think develop over the next few seasons to be very good defensively and rebounding -wise, but will probably always be a more limited offensive presence. But for now, he is pretty one dimensional. Sanchez is I would say, over rated. While talented and able to a lot of things fairly well, he really does not seem able to put it together on a consistent basis. GG is in my mind someone who should play sparingly and when foul trouble afflicts the other bigs.
Small Forwards. The duo of Sampson and Pointer should be adequate. I put Sampson here because while he should play bigger, and rebound better and more, he is more suited, despite his mediocre shooting, as a SF. He really does not have the muscle nor shown the consistent inclination to play with the other big PFs in the conference on defense. Pointer can bring in a new dimension, or more defensive force, to spell Sampson.
On paper, this group should be better than most, but they have not gelled. I can only attribute that to a certain degree of over-expectation, and more so to lack of adequate development and coaching.
It is hard to rationalize that these guys don't perform better, but there is a definite lack of cohesiveness, and regular or rational sub patterns. I think to some extent the guys are not really sure what their roles are, and in some respects are put in scenarios that they are not well suited. I have to believe that as the season progresses, not to mention next season, that these players can't have some success, but that might be as a result of the fact that they will be seniors for the most part, and like Lavin's first team (Norm's guys) are able to be successful just because they have experience. It should not have taken this group that long to show what they are caable of, but that seems like what we are destined to.
Point Guard. Between the combo of Jordan backed up by Branch, that should be a very good combo that could be competitive with most points in the league. I think Branch's main problem is that the coaches have not set a defined role for him with regular minutes and rotation expectations. He has more talent than he has been able to show. I think Jordan will be fine, and hopefully it will be here.
Shooting Guard. Harrison is one of the premier shooting guards in the conference iof not the nation, and backed by Phil Greene and, yes spotted by Hooper, should be more than enough to make a good SG rotation. Here, Harrison needs to know when he has it or when he's off. He has shown me enough to know that he can be effective going to the hoop etc. and does not need to rely on long bombs if he is cold.
Power forward/Center. The rotation of Obepka, Sanchez and GG is probably where the team is most deficient talent-wise. CO will, I think develop over the next few seasons to be very good defensively and rebounding -wise, but will probably always be a more limited offensive presence. But for now, he is pretty one dimensional. Sanchez is I would say, over rated. While talented and able to a lot of things fairly well, he really does not seem able to put it together on a consistent basis. GG is in my mind someone who should play sparingly and when foul trouble afflicts the other bigs.
Small Forwards. The duo of Sampson and Pointer should be adequate. I put Sampson here because while he should play bigger, and rebound better and more, he is more suited, despite his mediocre shooting, as a SF. He really does not have the muscle nor shown the consistent inclination to play with the other big PFs in the conference on defense. Pointer can bring in a new dimension, or more defensive force, to spell Sampson.
On paper, this group should be better than most, but they have not gelled. I can only attribute that to a certain degree of over-expectation, and more so to lack of adequate development and coaching.
It is hard to rationalize that these guys don't perform better, but there is a definite lack of cohesiveness, and regular or rational sub patterns. I think to some extent the guys are not really sure what their roles are, and in some respects are put in scenarios that they are not well suited. I have to believe that as the season progresses, not to mention next season, that these players can't have some success, but that might be as a result of the fact that they will be seniors for the most part, and like Lavin's first team (Norm's guys) are able to be successful just because they have experience. It should not have taken this group that long to show what they are caable of, but that seems like what we are destined to.
