LJ Figueroa

[quote="Paultzman" post=325416]Expect a nice piece on LJ shortly.[/quote]

The kid has simply been great. He’s been incredibly efficient for a first year D1 player and only a sophomore with 1 year in juco. One almost can’t believe his efficiency because at times he’s a bit wild and isn’t always making the “smoothest” decisions, whether they be jumpers etc.

With that said, he’s absolutely the most consistent player effort-wise and doesn’t need any coaxing to get up for a game. He almost always makes multiple clutch plays and is always there for those positive swings we have, whether it be making a big steal.

If the rest of the team came out every game with figueroa’s consistency, we wouldn’t have lost some of these games...
 
Nice article on Figgy. We've got a team full of good kids - makes them so easy to root for.
 
LJ is such a fun player to watch. You can tell he was just made to be a star...he has the physical gifts but also the most crucial piece: the killer instinct and the warrior mentality. Also came over for a pic with Mullin's Maniacs after the Nova win while most of the team went straight to the bus. LJ, Simon, and Clark stayed to sign and meet fans. Jay Wright also came over and I said "Good game, coach". I think he thought I was being sarcastic until I said "no really, good game" and he laughed haha. The guy is such a good sport in wins and losses.
 
Paultzman wrote: Figgy piece referenced earlier will be on Friday.

Would be perfect timing if it follows a big game from Figgy on Thursday.
 
[quote="MCNPA" post=325422][quote="Paultzman" post=325416]Expect a nice piece on LJ shortly.[/quote]

The kid has simply been great. He’s been incredibly efficient for a first year D1 player and only a sophomore with 1 year in juco.
[/quote]

One important detail with LJ is that he did spend a full spring semester enrolled and practicing with a very talented 28-6 New Mexico State team that won the WAC tournament and made the NCAA tournament (losing to Baylor). He practiced against a SF that was one of the best rebounders and defenders in the country.

Getting the experience with a four-year college environment and with a very good basketball team undoubtedly helped him come here and make an immediate impact.

I don’t think it’s fair to expect the same immediate contributions from other JUCOs. Side note here: Mack has a semester of D-1 experience as well, albeit the fall semester and with a less talented program.
 
[quote="Marillac" post=325822][quote="MCNPA" post=325422][quote="Paultzman" post=325416]Expect a nice piece on LJ shortly.[/quote]

The kid has simply been great. He’s been incredibly efficient for a first year D1 player and only a sophomore with 1 year in juco.
[/quote]

One important detail with LJ is that he did spend a full spring semester enrolled and practicing with a very talented 28-6 New Mexico State team that won the WAC tournament and made the NCAA tournament (losing to Baylor). He practiced against a SF that was one of the best rebounders and defenders in the country.

Getting the experience with a four-year college environment and with a very good basketball team undoubtedly helped him come here and make an immediate impact.

I don’t think it’s fair to expect the same immediate contributions from other JUCOs. Side note here: Mack has a semester of D-1 experience as well, albeit the fall semester and with a less talented program.[/quote]

While I absolutely love LJ's raw ability and instincts, his overall game does need refinement. He has a tendency to make bad decisions at critical junctures of the game, such as pulling up from 23 feet on a 2 on 4 break and hoisting a 3 with 25 seconds on the clock and us down by one or two possessions.

His raw athleticism and nose for the ball and positioning is at time breathtaking, and there will be moments where he can shine over and above the very best and most heralded players in the country. In short, he's our main hope to go deep in the tourney, because with everything else (Ponds, Heron, Clark) producing at given levels, he can be the X factor in turning a game around.

Bottom line, I love him, but he needs the same type of discipline and refinement that we've seen from Ponds for most of this year for his game to go to the next level.
 
[quote="Paultzman" post=325841]http://www.bigeast.com/news/2019/2/27/mens-basketball-st-johns-figueroa-shining-in-the-bright-lights.aspx?path=[/quote]

Great piece. Fab quotes from Figgy. Thanks Paultz.
 
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