Rothstein Quote
- Thread starter fan5577
- Start date
We certainly have pieces. We have great athletes, that's for sure. However, we are a poor free throw shooting team and poor from the three point line as well. We all know we aren't maximizing our talent, especially in the half court offense. We are a still a work in progress - we all know it - on both offense and defense. Hopefully the team continues to improve.
One of my fellow alumni(ae?) General Mac Arthur said "there is no substitute for victory" and of course there is also no substitute for patience - odds are very strong in our favor that this YOUNG team will continue to grow = as will the program under Coach Lavin and staff.
Also I feel fortunate that we have players likely to remain beyond the "one and done" routine.
This is such an enjoyable time to be an SJU fan. Especially after those Jarvis-Roberts years.
all the best
Talented is such a broad word.
Pray4change
Member
So much albert einstein in rothstein.
beast of the east
Active member
Nothing sweetens things so much as victory, or sours them as much as loss.
jrhoops1949
Active member
Only believable if you take into account the talent is still green. Do we really know what CO and JS gonna be down the road?
beast of the east
Active member
Obepka leads all division 1 players in blocks. Not bad for a freshman. His blocks will go down as he learns to play better defense, and doesn't gamble so much. His rebounds will go up. Offensively, I'm not sure how he will improve, but if can score 8 or 9 points per game it will be a plus.
Sampson is a whole different story. He is already shoudlering an offensive load, and I believe he will actually improve offensively as he gets stronger physically. I don't think he is a two or three and done, and certainly not a one and done, but he perhaps has the highest upside of any of our current players, and maybe the best pro potential because of his size and ability.
I agree with all your points, except CO's blocks going down. In listening to his interviews, he blocked his first shot at the age of 15, so he's only been doing this for a few years, which makes the results even more baffling. While he'll improve his defensive positioning, I think his shot blocking will also improve as he understands the game more (i.e., he can get them while still take less chances). He still rotates out on top too much and pulls himself away from the basket. We don't need him out there. I think a 5 per game average is doable for his career if he stays down low and we continue to improve at funneling other teams into him.
westchesterjoe
Active member
Well the Circus has great acrobats but, it doesn't mean they could win the Olympics. The Gonzaga-Butler game last night showed how well Basketball players who can shoot, rebound, play defense and understand the concept of the game do when they are well coached.Those 2 teams don't have the best athletes but, they play excellent strategic BB that rewards good execution. And, those 2 teams right now would beat our guys handily They are very smart players who know what the cerebral part of the game is all about. We don't just yet!
Having players who can sprint the court under 5 seconds or jump 13 feet doesn't necessarily equate to being a good or great BB player. I think there are Coaches, not necessarily Lavin, who believe athleticism trumps all other skills in BB..
I don't buy that theory..Many players don't possess lightning speed or jump the highest but, are better BB players because they get the theory of the game and the fundamentals.. Bobby Knight, Coack K didn't always get the best Athletes but, their teams played smart. Harrison , for example, isn't a lightning bolt with a crossover dribble
but, at times, he's pretty smart. He's learning.
Having players who can sprint the court under 5 seconds or jump 13 feet doesn't necessarily equate to being a good or great BB player. I think there are Coaches, not necessarily Lavin, who believe athleticism trumps all other skills in BB..
I don't buy that theory..Many players don't possess lightning speed or jump the highest but, are better BB players because they get the theory of the game and the fundamentals.. Bobby Knight, Coack K didn't always get the best Athletes but, their teams played smart. Harrison , for example, isn't a lightning bolt with a crossover dribble
but, at times, he's pretty smart. He's learning.
MarkRedman
Well-known member
The fact that Few and Stevens are two of the best tacticians in the country has something to do with it
They don't get lots of McDonald's All Americans
They get hard working, coachable 4 year kids and get as much mileage out of them as possible
These teams play hard nosed old school basketball
Very refreshing to see!!!
They don't get lots of McDonald's All Americans
They get hard working, coachable 4 year kids and get as much mileage out of them as possible
These teams play hard nosed old school basketball
Very refreshing to see!!!
beast of the east
Active member
Charles Barkley said it best in his book in response to complaints by other NBA players that the Europeans don't possess the physical talent that many American players do. "Basketball is a game that rewards many abilities." While basketball is very unforgiving when it comes to height, it also rewards great shooters, passers, guys who understand the team concept of game, etc. The Europeans who are successful in the NBA without the ability to jump through the roof generally shoot better, pass better, play a team game, and bust their butts on defense. Even for NBA players, some of these attributes are lost in an era where showtime is paramount, where a windmill slam in traffic gets a crowd off their feet, etc.
Having physical ability doesn't exclude knowing how to play this game. I'm confident Lavin& co. are trying to teach our superior athletes how to play the game.