New Orleans, Fri. Nov. 10, 7p, Fox College Sports, WMCA 570
- Thread starter Knight
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delgado last year had 20/20 on us...this year will be 30/30 inside. Honestly I blame the staff with this one. We ALL knew last year what our deficiencies were then and what they were going to be now. We lost bodies, gained two red shirts that don't help inside. What is going on?!!!!! We are an injury and a foul out from a complete mess. If Yakwe transfers or doesn't improve we have another huge hole. I would convert Ahmed to a 4 until Yakwe shows signs of improvement. As far as Amar...if the staff is telling him to bang inside, rebound, box, screen and he is not doing it- Bench him the whole game until he does. If they LET him blast bricks from behind the arc THEY are to blame. Get it together guys, the real season is about to start!!
Seems like some people are surprised we are gonna struggle on the boards? Wasn’t a secret coming in we are small. Yes it’s frustrating. For this team to be successful we need share the basketball and limit turnovers. Rutgers game we had more TO’s than assists 11/13 and shot 58% FT line. In this win we had 18A/11TO shot 78% FT line. ( we were even on the boards in a loss vs Rutgers). Probably be a few long Nights getting pulverized on the boards but play to our strengths we should be ok.
The best dart player on the blind dart team is the blind guy who gets the most bulls eyes. How many bulls eyes the sighted team gets is irrelevant to that determination.
Yes, this is a bad rebounding team. However, if everyone averaged 5.5 rebounds per game, it'd be a good rebounding team.
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Some guys know there limitations and I am guessing Simon knows his. He will take a jumper if he has to otherwise his scoring will be on drives to the hoop and transitions.
AliB is what he is. He is a good teammate with a big body who on occasion might hit a three and throw down a once a while weak side jam off a rebound. Telling him to stay down low or pull him on offense iis useless because he can’t anything down there.
They announced Willie Glass and Ron Stewart who were both st the game but did not announce Kevin Williams, Anthony Mason (who is there a lot) or Orlando Sanchez.
Some guys know there limitations and I am guessing Simon knows his. He will take a jumper if he has to otherwise his scoring will be on drives to the hoop and transitions.
AliB is what he is. He is a good teammate with a big body who on occasion might hit a three and throw down a once a while weak side jam off a rebound. Telling him to stay down low or pull him on offense iis useless because he can’t anything down there.
They announced Willie Glass and Ron Stewart who were both st the game but did not announce Kevin Williams, Anthony Mason (who is there a lot) or Orlando Sanchez.
beast of the east
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I feel Simon could be a huge addition to this team. Before he even touches the ball, he knows where his teammates are on the court, and made several very efficient, thread the needle passes that didn't attempt to have mustard on them. His ahead of the field slam if anything showed his length, which is a legit 6'5". Once Ponds and Lovett are totally convinced that if they give up the ball, someone will get it back with an even better look, watch out.
Marvin Clarke is a legitimate solid basketball player. Don't expect him to average 8-10 rebounds a game - it's just not going to happen unless there is some sort of radical transformation. He will score more points than he has before, and be an integral part of this team.
Amar is Amar, and we can't expect a single thing more than he has shown the previous 3 years. Same for Yakwe.
Owens doesn't appear to have improved at all. The good is still the good, and the rough spots are all still there also.
Pretty much same for Ahmed, who did lead the team in rebounds last season. If you like him as a player, you will continue to like him, and if you didn't, will likely still find his play troubling.
Although we lost a couple of guys who could have provided depth on the bench with the addition of better players, if all goes well, we may pick up a game or two in conference play. If that happens and our OOC results are better than last season, we may find ourselves on the bubble.
Marvin Clarke is a legitimate solid basketball player. Don't expect him to average 8-10 rebounds a game - it's just not going to happen unless there is some sort of radical transformation. He will score more points than he has before, and be an integral part of this team.
Amar is Amar, and we can't expect a single thing more than he has shown the previous 3 years. Same for Yakwe.
Owens doesn't appear to have improved at all. The good is still the good, and the rough spots are all still there also.
Pretty much same for Ahmed, who did lead the team in rebounds last season. If you like him as a player, you will continue to like him, and if you didn't, will likely still find his play troubling.
Although we lost a couple of guys who could have provided depth on the bench with the addition of better players, if all goes well, we may pick up a game or two in conference play. If that happens and our OOC results are better than last season, we may find ourselves on the bubble.
we are sju
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My takes:
Clark-Exactly what this team has needed. Lamont Middleton, Anthony Glover type. Ideally would be a 4 paired with Owens. Going to struggle defensively and on the boards at the 5. Clark, Ahmed and Simon are the only proof that ST John's has a weight room.
Ahmed-Same guy. 50/50 player. If he does 5 things right in a game will do 5 things poorly. Best fit would be for him to come off the bench as an energy / scorer. My remote controls will continue to be in danger.
Simon- going to be a really good player for us. Basically everything we hoped Ellison and before him Reggie Jessie could be.
Lovett- apologies to Marillac but our best player and shooter. Not that it should be a competition but if we need a basket he would be my #1 choice.
Ponds- Fun to watch. By time he is done will be our all time leading scorer. He is not really a one or a two but who cares. Should be here for 4 years.
Owens-I would love to see him start paired with Clark. Best rebounder and shot blocker plus doesn't have bad touch. I think he lost weight from last year. He should write a diet book for super models on how to keep the weight off.
Yakwe- I am pretty sure he is our first case of an upcoming zombie apocalypse. Do we know if he randomly tries to bite his teammates? I mean this can't be the same guy from 2 years ago, right? This guy stinks. Has to be a zombie no? If Vegas was laying odds on our annual in season transfer trend continuing, Yakwe would be odds on favorite.
Alibegovic- If Robin Williams were still alive he would constantly be telling him "it's not your fault." It is not your fault." It is not his fault that 2 different coaches have recruited so poorly that Amar constantly finds himself a part of a major conference team's rotation. Fret not 15 and 8 performance will come out of nowhere at some point against a good team.
Trimble- I am really going to enjoy the Trimble experience. Weirdest body type for a guard that we have ever had. Not a bad looking jumper combined with the Super Freak do will make him a WASJU favorite.
Mullin- I love Chris Mullin and I am in the camp that no matter what happens he coaches as long as he wishes too. So with that being said, you couldn't grab a 6-8 guy who has eaten a cheeseburger within the last year that could help out down low and give you 5-10 mins a game somewhere? Anywhere?
Season prediction- Going to be fun to watch, but will get frustrating watching teams play volley ball off the boards with us. Lack of rebounding leaves too little room for error. Going to have to come down from my original prediction and go with 17 or 18 wins and NIT berth.
Clark-Exactly what this team has needed. Lamont Middleton, Anthony Glover type. Ideally would be a 4 paired with Owens. Going to struggle defensively and on the boards at the 5. Clark, Ahmed and Simon are the only proof that ST John's has a weight room.
Ahmed-Same guy. 50/50 player. If he does 5 things right in a game will do 5 things poorly. Best fit would be for him to come off the bench as an energy / scorer. My remote controls will continue to be in danger.
Simon- going to be a really good player for us. Basically everything we hoped Ellison and before him Reggie Jessie could be.
Lovett- apologies to Marillac but our best player and shooter. Not that it should be a competition but if we need a basket he would be my #1 choice.
Ponds- Fun to watch. By time he is done will be our all time leading scorer. He is not really a one or a two but who cares. Should be here for 4 years.
Owens-I would love to see him start paired with Clark. Best rebounder and shot blocker plus doesn't have bad touch. I think he lost weight from last year. He should write a diet book for super models on how to keep the weight off.
Yakwe- I am pretty sure he is our first case of an upcoming zombie apocalypse. Do we know if he randomly tries to bite his teammates? I mean this can't be the same guy from 2 years ago, right? This guy stinks. Has to be a zombie no? If Vegas was laying odds on our annual in season transfer trend continuing, Yakwe would be odds on favorite.
Alibegovic- If Robin Williams were still alive he would constantly be telling him "it's not your fault." It is not your fault." It is not his fault that 2 different coaches have recruited so poorly that Amar constantly finds himself a part of a major conference team's rotation. Fret not 15 and 8 performance will come out of nowhere at some point against a good team.
Trimble- I am really going to enjoy the Trimble experience. Weirdest body type for a guard that we have ever had. Not a bad looking jumper combined with the Super Freak do will make him a WASJU favorite.
Mullin- I love Chris Mullin and I am in the camp that no matter what happens he coaches as long as he wishes too. So with that being said, you couldn't grab a 6-8 guy who has eaten a cheeseburger within the last year that could help out down low and give you 5-10 mins a game somewhere? Anywhere?
Season prediction- Going to be fun to watch, but will get frustrating watching teams play volley ball off the boards with us. Lack of rebounding leaves too little room for error. Going to have to come down from my original prediction and go with 17 or 18 wins and NIT berth.
beast of the east
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Biggest complaint I'd have was that as soon as the outcome wasn't in doubt, a few guys were all about padding their stat sheets
Class of 72
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Excellent evaluation. However Shamorie Ponds is THE man on this team. Without him we would easily have a losing season. No one else comes close to his skill level with Marcus a couple of inches and a few notches below. Simon is a nice player but the rest of the team leaves much to be desired. Mullin is using Marvin Clark to both Clark and the team's detriment. He is collecting fouls at a record pace playing out of position. The rest of the team has either underperformed or not played well at all. Bashir has underperformed against lesser competition. Owens is identical to last season and is in his 3rd year of college ball yet has not gained strength. Amar and Yakwe appear lost in Mullin's offensive scheme.
The big black hole in the middle got exposed again against a rail thin CC front line that included Mustafa Jones, a 6-8 string bean from Cardinal Hayes who got his points while our Jr. Kassoum Yakwe was collecting 1 rebound and zero points in 18 minutes. Devion Bute a 6-9 toothpick for CC can be now added to a weekly list of opposing front court players that bitch slap our players. A substitute head coach (the cc asst. coach) knew how to get the most out of his front line while Mullin's front court appears to be an afterthought with no set plays designed for them as they were for Central Connecticut.
If this trend carries over into the Nebraska game I expect another loss by the Big East against the bigger Big Ten.
BTW, if your prediction of a mid year Yakwe transfer comes to fruition, God forbid, this staff will regret not offering NIKOLA SCEKIC! They could have used a 7'2 back up center. Also, do not count Shamorie as a 4 year player.
I agree. But w our personnel we have to use Clark at the 4 and 5. He’s stronger than many of our successful centers. IE brownlee. We are moving the ball well and making perimeter shots. But we are lacking an inside game w our bigs Even Owens is shooting from the outside. We need some sort of inside game from our bigs. Nevertheless not a bad game. But, the Nebraska bigs and BE bigs are a different story than today and we are going to have see improvement from the 4 and 5 positions.. Freeman from Rutgers manhandled our bigs.
we are sju
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I like Ponds. Clearly both will have to play really well every game for us to win games. My point was basically to counter what another poster was saying on another board. If I could choose who had to take a last second shot for us I would take Lovett over Ponds. Not a slight.
I would play Clark and Owens together. Ahmed off bench.
Class of 72
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Bute is generously listed at 6'9, 220 lbs. He scored 19 points and grabbed 9 rebounds. We allowed him what may be his high numbers for his season. Omari Spellman is 6'9 and is over 260 lbs and is a much better player. We are in for a rude awakening when we play bigger and better teams because Mullin's teams have been deficient at the 4 and 5 for 3 years now. We will be much stronger next season but the damage is already done for this season. Creative coaching could mitigate that deficiency but my personal opinion is that Mullin lacks both the creativity in preparation and in-game coaching skills to overcome his team's interior softness. Guys like Freeman, Bute and Mustafa Jones have had no problem getting their points and shit will get real soon.
