'Nova Game Thread
- Thread starter MJDinkins
- Start date
Absolutfan
Member
What a ridiculous post.
Mo and Dlo while not perfect are great as freshman.
PG had a very good game today running the team even though he is a combo guard.
Amir is improving constantly.
I think we have very good improvement from 4 of the 6 new players.[/quote]
Where do you see Improvement? We just played a Bad Nova team who themselves are under 500. We missed key foul shots at the end ( note Mo's 2 missed foul shots at the end), threw the ball away constantly, can't shhot for anything had several giveaways which cost us the game and squandered a 10 point lead with a few minutes in the game. Improvement? Where? This team looked better a month ago. I know that everyone here wants to remain as positive as possible but let's not get unrealistic now. This team is nowhere where they should be with the players that are advertised as top 100 kids. Surely, if anything, we should not be one of the worst shooting teams in the country.
redstorm89
Active member
just came back from the game. saw jamal branch on the subway for some reason. told him welcome and get rico gathers. crowd was 50 50 st john's nova fans
" This team is nowhere where they should be with the players that are advertised as top 100 kids"
You don't get it. We lost Lindsey who was supposed to be our starting PG. We have a few top 100 kids but we don't have a full team. Bad team? Look at where Nova's kids ranked out of hs...
Malik Wayns #26
Dominick cheek #30
Yarou #10
Pinkston #73
Yacoubou 126
Bell # 42
Their players were very highly ranked. Both their backcourt players ranked higher than ours. Their center was top 10...we don't even have a center! We're playing woefully short against teams that match our talent and have experience advantage and depth.
You don't get it. We lost Lindsey who was supposed to be our starting PG. We have a few top 100 kids but we don't have a full team. Bad team? Look at where Nova's kids ranked out of hs...
Malik Wayns #26
Dominick cheek #30
Yarou #10
Pinkston #73
Yacoubou 126
Bell # 42
Their players were very highly ranked. Both their backcourt players ranked higher than ours. Their center was top 10...we don't even have a center! We're playing woefully short against teams that match our talent and have experience advantage and depth.
Class of 72
Active member
Had a great time today even after a loss to Nova. In spite of having to endure my two negative brother-in-laws, the sky is falling remarks every time we turned the ball over or missed a free throw, I think we could have easily won this game against a more experienced Nova team.
After the projected attendance remarks here I thought there would be 7 or 8,000 fans tops but the crowd was larger than I expected and it is clear that with the students back the atmosphere was more dynamic behind the backboards.
If ever our team gets just 4 of the 6 new players to play a complete game we will beat a Louisville, Nova or Cincy or Pitt any day. Unfortunate that today we got a great game from Harrison and, to an extent, Phil but the play of Gift, Pointer and Moe had only sporadic positive impact.
Phil scored some needed points today at critical times but as usual could not direct the offense and, as the point guard, held the ball too long before passing.
Gift had his worst game at the worst time. He couldn't handle the 6'10 Yarou and Pinkston and that 6'9 bull gave him fits inside. He only took two shots but will get better with a Gather's type power forward next to him. Neither Pointer nor Harkless are physical enough to help him this year. Nova had about 15 more shots than us because they got about 15 more rebounds inside.
Moe's numbers are again deceiving. Although it was obvious at the game I did not realize how little he contributed until I read the stat sheet. He had a very strong first half. He, as is his custom, disappeared for long stretches in the second half. At one point I remember D'Angelo screaming at him after losing his man and going after a loose ball soft. I have yet to see him dive for a loose ball. In the second half he scored his last meaningful basket with around 16 minutes to play. In the final 16 and in 5 minutes of overtime he scored a field goal and one free throw in 19 minutes with 4 critical turnovers. He shot 44% on 4 of 9 from the FT line and Dunlap gave him "if looks could kill" stares when he called a couple of time outs.
Bottom line is if Phil was better able to handle and pass the ball and had Moe not become passive, we would have easily won this game.
After the projected attendance remarks here I thought there would be 7 or 8,000 fans tops but the crowd was larger than I expected and it is clear that with the students back the atmosphere was more dynamic behind the backboards.
If ever our team gets just 4 of the 6 new players to play a complete game we will beat a Louisville, Nova or Cincy or Pitt any day. Unfortunate that today we got a great game from Harrison and, to an extent, Phil but the play of Gift, Pointer and Moe had only sporadic positive impact.
Phil scored some needed points today at critical times but as usual could not direct the offense and, as the point guard, held the ball too long before passing.
Gift had his worst game at the worst time. He couldn't handle the 6'10 Yarou and Pinkston and that 6'9 bull gave him fits inside. He only took two shots but will get better with a Gather's type power forward next to him. Neither Pointer nor Harkless are physical enough to help him this year. Nova had about 15 more shots than us because they got about 15 more rebounds inside.
Moe's numbers are again deceiving. Although it was obvious at the game I did not realize how little he contributed until I read the stat sheet. He had a very strong first half. He, as is his custom, disappeared for long stretches in the second half. At one point I remember D'Angelo screaming at him after losing his man and going after a loose ball soft. I have yet to see him dive for a loose ball. In the second half he scored his last meaningful basket with around 16 minutes to play. In the final 16 and in 5 minutes of overtime he scored a field goal and one free throw in 19 minutes with 4 critical turnovers. He shot 44% on 4 of 9 from the FT line and Dunlap gave him "if looks could kill" stares when he called a couple of time outs.
Bottom line is if Phil was better able to handle and pass the ball and had Moe not become passive, we would have easily won this game.
Where do you see Improvement? We just played a Bad Nova team who themselves are under 500. We missed key foul shots at the end ( note Mo's 2 missed foul shots at the end), threw the ball away constantly, can't shhot for anything had several giveaways which cost us the game and squandered a 10 point lead with a few minutes in the game. Improvement? Where? This team looked better a month ago. I know that everyone here wants to remain as positive as possible but let's not get unrealistic now. This team is nowhere where they should be with the players that are advertised as top 100 kids. Surely, if anything, we should not be one of the worst shooting teams in the country.[/quote]
I think the problem is ignorance of what to expect from "top 100" kids especially with no upper classman leadership, no PG, no PF or C and a missing head coach. Change two or more of those problems and it might be okay to have any level of expectations. They're not top 25 kids but you guys want them to play like Kentucky's "top 10" kids.
Nova might not be a great team but they do have a great PG and a serviceable big man. Two things that are very important in college ball, two things that are missing from this team.
I think the problem is ignorance of what to expect from "top 100" kids especially with no upper classman leadership, no PG, no PF or C and a missing head coach. Change two or more of those problems and it might be okay to have any level of expectations. They're not top 25 kids but you guys want them to play like Kentucky's "top 10" kids.
Nova might not be a great team but they do have a great PG and a serviceable big man. Two things that are very important in college ball, two things that are missing from this team.[/quote]
And nova's big man was top 10 out of hs and their PG top 26..
guinness77
Well-known member
 Some of you are either straight up thick in the head or don't understand this sport at all. We have a 6 man rotation. 6!!! We have one guy on the bench. ONE! We have no height. No over 6-foot-8. Not one. Why the stupid comparison to Kentucky?
rawdognyc
Well-known member
simple question, does kentucky only use a 6 man rotation?? if not, you cant compare to stj...just like you cant compare any team to stj with what we have...what is sooooo hard to comprehend?? if we had a bench with even low to mid major players we would win a ton of these games...are people here really that stupid?? referring specifically to illwill, marco and usaguard?? like are you people really that ignorant to the toll it takes on these players all that time on the floor?? what im going to do now is abide by the saying "Never Argue With A Fool – They Will Drag You Down To Their Level, Then Beat You With Experience!" the 3 of you are fools. you cant comprehend logic.
redstorm89
Active member
I have no idea why jamal didn't take the bus. but during the game he was not on the bench. instead, he wore a st. john's hoodie and sat in the first row behind the basket and going to the locker room with the team.
guinness77
Well-known member
I said it earlier in this thread and I'll say it again, without starting a thread on this itself....Harkless has to do something about his on-court demeanor. He was clearly frustrated with his free throw shooting, which is understandable, but he was defeating himself before shooting the 2nd. He carried that "feeling sorry for himself" attitude most of the 2nd half and overtime. I know I saw Harrison say something to him, but someone on the CS has to get in his ear and tell him to forget about it. When he is pouting, it's pretty freakin' obvious. It hurts his game, big-time. He's a young kid, so this is a fixable problem, but someone on that CS has to make this a priority, because today was not the 1st time I've noticed it.
jrhoops1949
Active member
72, You unlike me bothered to go to the game today, and you deserved to have a good time. I can't say I did. Our best player goes 4 for 9 from the line, and looks to be on sedatives. DH plays every game in foul trouble because he keeps making the same mistakes. Our coach uses his last TO when we stink in the half court if we can get the ball in, but I might be out of line criticizing him. What was up with GG? If our guys fail to do what you might expect from kids at any level, it can't be fun for them either. I want them to be happy, so I'm hoping they can get another couple of wins. Eleven games left.