@Rutgers, Fri. Nov. 16, 7pm, BTN / 970 WNYM

I like Simon’s overall game . Who doesn’t .. I second the opinions that he should only take blatantly open open 3’s and not too many at that . Despite his good percentage . Every game he plays , there are check marks in nearly every category . Positive ones . I do admit however that it is disappointing that more than a few of his shots at the Rim have a uncanny way of rolling off and not in .. Announcers usually say “ Great move by Simon but, he needs to finish .” As for the occasional wild dash to the hoop he exhibits , it must be his Bashir kinship , Most of the time he is under control . Like I said, there is a lot to like about Simon’s game . He battles underneath real well . So do Figuroa and Heron . Clark as well . And , Ponds always seems to get more rebounds than a 6’1” Guard should . Shocking surprise of the young Season ? Villanova 2 losses ! Go Redmen .
 
Best thing about our team this year is that we put out a starting 5 where not one guy out there can go unguarded. We also have a solid bench to boot. I bet nobody scouting us expected a guy like Figueroa to be able to drop 24/11/4 or whatever he dropped the other day.
 
[quote="MCNPA" post=302823]Best thing about our team this year is that we put out a starting 5 where not one guy out there can go unguarded. We also have a solid bench to boot. I bet nobody scouting us expected a guy like Figueroa to be able to drop 24/11/4 or whatever he dropped the other day.[/quote]

Sorry Marcus but our bench is completely unproven right now. We have 5 guys plus Keita but none has proven anything great yet. I love our starting five and we do have a bench , but until our bench can defend and collectively score 15-20 a game I can’t say we have a solid bench. Hopefully they will improve over the course of the season.
 
[quote="indyredmen97" post=302810]... Heron is a beast and a program changer, and the upgrade from Ahmed to Figueroa is staggering! ...[/quote]
Couldn't agree with you more, indy.
 
[quote="MCNPA" post=302823]Best thing about our team this year is that we put out a starting 5 where not one guy out there can go unguarded. We also have a solid bench to boot. I bet nobody scouting us expected a guy like Figueroa to be able to drop 24/11/4 or whatever he dropped the other day.[/quote]


I love our starting 5 but honestly at this point there is not one sub I trust. Trimble plays hard and will defend but there is going to be games this year where our bench dose not score a point.
 
[quote="we are sju" post=302834][quote="MCNPA" post=302823]Best thing about our team this year is that we put out a starting 5 where not one guy out there can go unguarded. We also have a solid bench to boot. I bet nobody scouting us expected a guy like Figueroa to be able to drop 24/11/4 or whatever he dropped the other day.[/quote]


I love our starting 5 but honestly at this point there is not one sub I trust. Trimble plays hard and will defend but there is going to be games this year where our bench dose not score a point.[/quote]

Dixon is seemingly playing a little 'fast' - just seems a bit nervous. Hopefully he gets his sea legs underneath him.
 
[quote="SJ_NYC" post=302838][quote="we are sju" post=302834][quote="MCNPA" post=302823]Best thing about our team this year is that we put out a starting 5 where not one guy out there can go unguarded. We also have a solid bench to boot. I bet nobody scouting us expected a guy like Figueroa to be able to drop 24/11/4 or whatever he dropped the other day.[/quote]


I love our starting 5 but honestly at this point there is not one sub I trust. Trimble plays hard and will defend but there is going to be games this year where our bench dose not score a point.[/quote]

Dixon is seemingly playing a little 'fast' - just seems a bit nervous. Hopefully he gets his sea legs underneath him.[/quote]

Hopefully. Personally not sure the jump up in comp he will be able to handle. Put in an honest effort on D last game so that is a start. Offensively just not sure he has the strength or athleticism.
 
[quote="we are sju" post=302840][quote="SJ_NYC" post=302838][quote="we are sju" post=302834][quote="MCNPA" post=302823]Best thing about our team this year is that we put out a starting 5 where not one guy out there can go unguarded. We also have a solid bench to boot. I bet nobody scouting us expected a guy like Figueroa to be able to drop 24/11/4 or whatever he dropped the other day.[/quote]


I love our starting 5 but honestly at this point there is not one sub I trust. Trimble plays hard and will defend but there is going to be games this year where our bench dose not score a point.[/quote]

Dixon is seemingly playing a little 'fast' - just seems a bit nervous. Hopefully he gets his sea legs underneath him.[/quote]

Hopefully. Personally not sure the jump up in comp he will be able to handle. Put in an honest effort on D last game so that is a start. Offensively just not sure he has the strength or athleticism.[/quote]

Sometimes you have to develop a bench. That’s why this season I wasn’t that upset about the light early OOC schedule. I thought it would allow the staff to get Roberts , Williams and Dixon some extended minutes and then when conference play started you would have developed a bench. But, it doesn’t seem like the staff is committed to that at this point
 
I agree that the bench must be developed. They need to see more playing time during the game, not just the last 2:30 minutes of a blowout.
 
we are 3 games into the season, so the starters need the work to learn to be effective as witnessed in the rutgers game, as opposed to Bowling Green. bench will get there chance, when the time comes.
 
[quote="Ray Morgan" post=302686]Some posters are knocking Trimble. I give him credit for working hard when he is in, and not worrying about getting his on offense. He may not be quick, but he is hustling, and gets floor time because he is doing what he is asked to do. Sometimes Simon, who is adjusting to a different and redefined role on offense, just seems to feel he has to get some scoring chances, and makes one of those rushes to the hoop to get in the scoring column. Simon doesn't need to force things on offense to be a major factor, as he does a lot of other things well. I am sure he will adjust to his new role very soon . Trimble, OTOH, isn't looking to score, which tells me he understands how much firepower is out there, and has decided to do whatever he can to help the team. You have to give a guy credit for that.[/quote]
Ray, Im one of those that is critical of Trimble. I agree that he is doing a fine job of whats asked of him but, my issue is we shouldn't be asking him to fill that role. He hasn't taken wild shots-yes, but he has cost us baskets on defense. I don't want to be hard on him because its not him that is the issue, its the staff not using the other guys instead of him. Yes, Keita is hurt and Trimble's mins will lessen once he gets back, but I see giving more of those needed mins to maybe Williams or Roberts. Those two may be raw but Roberts can be a force underneath and give up fouls. Luckily the plan worked for Mully and staff but just my suggestion for the future. Go johnnies!!!
 
[quote="Knight" post=302870]I agree that the bench must be developed. They need to see more playing time during the game, not just the last 2:30 minutes of a blowout.[/quote]

I agree but other than the Rutgers game the starters never were able to put the opposing team away early. Mullin needs to start using Josh Roberts early when Clark collects his fouls and not Trimble. Trimble should be used to rest Heron and used for open 3 point shots and defense. I agree with North that our bench is not as deep as desired with K out but the starting 5 are the best in the league. Now way we should finish less than 3rd in the Big East this season.
 
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[quote="Class of 72" post=302899][quote="Knight" post=302870]I agree that the bench must be developed. They need to see more playing time during the game, not just the last 2:30 minutes of a blowout.[/quote]

I agree but other than the Rutgers game the starters never were able to put the opposing team away early. Mullin needs to start using Josh Roberts early when Clark collects his fouls and not Trimble. Trimble should be used to rest Heron and used for open 3 point shots and defense. I agree with North that our bench is not as deep as desired with Dixon out but the starting 5 are the best in the league. Now way we should finish less than 3rd in the Big East this season.[/quote]

Agreed 72, they need to get Roberts in earlier abs get him ready for the Big East season. Then we will go nine deep and that’s enough with Dixon, Trimble and Keita also off the bench. We should finish anywhere between 1-3 in conference
 
It's a long season. I will trust staff to determine how best to work frosh into the games. Trimble is getting minutes because staff trusts him to hold the fort while starters rest. I am hoping Cal game will give staff a chance to play bench a lot in second half.
 
[quote="cappy105" post=302886][quote="Ray Morgan" post=302686]Some posters are knocking Trimble. I give him credit for working hard when he is in, and not worrying about getting his on offense. He may not be quick, but he is hustling, and gets floor time because he is doing what he is asked to do. Sometimes Simon, who is adjusting to a different and redefined role on offense, just seems to feel he has to get some scoring chances, and makes one of those rushes to the hoop to get in the scoring column. Simon doesn't need to force things on offense to be a major factor, as he does a lot of other things well. I am sure he will adjust to his new role very soon . Trimble, OTOH, isn't looking to score, which tells me he understands how much firepower is out there, and has decided to do whatever he can to help the team. You have to give a guy credit for that.[/quote]
Ray, Im one of those that is critical of Trimble. I agree that he is doing a fine job of whats asked of him but, my issue is we shouldn't be asking him to fill that role. He hasn't taken wild shots-yes, but he has cost us baskets on defense. I don't want to be hard on him because its not him that is the issue, its the staff not using the other guys instead of him. Yes, Keita is hurt and Trimble's mins will lessen once he gets back, but I see giving more of those needed mins to maybe Williams or Roberts. Those two may be raw but Roberts can be a force underneath and give up fouls. Luckily the plan worked for Mully and staff but just my suggestion for the future. Go johnnies!!![/quote]

Coach does not have the luxury of enduring some losses and building for the future. There is no doubt that this is the most critical season for St. John's basketball in a long time. It is also important for the future of this coach. A top 3 or 4 Big East finish and a win or 2 in the tourney, and maybe we land Achiuwa and one other excellent recruit. Not meeting expectations and the roster is thin next season. The thing about freshman is they make mistakes. Lots of them.Trimble does not turn the ball over, and can hit a 3 pointer every so often. Mullin sees these guys daily in practice. He knows what they can do, and what they can't. I'm like you and most posters here. Roberts looks intriguing to me. Probably offers little on offense, but is athletic, long, and aggressive. And he knows what he is in there to do.I think he will turn out to be a nice recruit in a year or 2. But Mullin wants to wait. My guess is that fouls or injury will require more minutes for Roberts. Point is that the coach knows best, unless the coach is Looie and you have Bob Kelly starting over Kevin Williams.
 
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I'm sure there's not much to say that hasn't already been said, but this might have been the best coached game of the Chris Mullin era. Right there with @Nova last year and despite the gap in competition in those two games in a lot of ways this felt even cleaner than that technically. Consistently made extra pass and sometimes multiple extra passes, 19 assists on 28 hoops. Completely deterred Rutgers from getting in any sort of rhythm offensively outside of one first half run, mixing that 3 quarter court pressure with man. That's difficult to do to a team in their gym.

Pikell is regarded as a strong coach and I share that view. Mullin and company ran circles around him Friday night. That was a clinic that made a big game look like layup lines for 30 or so of the 40.

On a different note, where and how exactly did this staff find LJ Figueroa? Kid is an absolute star and I'm not sure the last time that we had someone as good as he is as the #3 offensively. You're probably going back to Barkley/Thorton/Postell. In addition to everything he brings this year - and he brings a lot, including being relentless on both backboards - he potentially changes the landscape for what next year might look like. That's a conversation for another day, but it's worth highlighting that component as well to emphasize what an incredible find and get this was by the staff. Just wow.
 
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[quote="Mean Gene" post=302900][quote="Class of 72" post=302899][quote="Knight" post=302870]I agree that the bench must be developed. They need to see more playing time during the game, not just the last 2:30 minutes of a blowout.[/quote]

I agree but other than the Rutgers game the starters never were able to put the opposing team away early. Mullin needs to start using Josh Roberts early when Clark collects his fouls and not Trimble. Trimble should be used to rest Heron and used for open 3 point shots and defense. I agree with North that our bench is not as deep as desired with Dixon out but the starting 5 are the best in the league. Now way we should finish less than 3rd in the Big East this season.[/quote]

Agreed 72, they need to get Roberts in earlier abs get him ready for the Big East season. Then we will go nine deep and that’s enough with Dixon, Trimble and Keita also off the bench. We should finish anywhere between 1-3 in conference[/quote]

Yeah because the patient folks on here would be so understanding when Roberts and Williams turn a 7 point lead into a 3 point deficit. No one will come on here and blame Mullin for playing those guys
 
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[quote="SJU1512" post=302955]I'm sure there's not much to say that hasn't already been said, but this might have been the best coached game of the Chris Mullin era. Right there with @Nova last year and despite the gap in competition in those two games in a lot of ways this felt even cleaner than that technically. Consistently made extra pass and sometimes multiple extra passes, 19 assists on 28 hoops. Completely deterred Rutgers from getting in any sort of rhythm offensively outside of one first half run, mixing that 3 quarter court pressure with man. That's difficult to do to a team in their gym.

Pikell is regarded as a strong coach and I share that view. Mullin and company ran circles around him Friday night. That was a clinic that made a big game look like layup lines for 30 or so of the 40.

On a different note, where and how exactly did this staff find LJ Figueroa? Kid is an absolute star and I'm not sure the last time that we had someone as good as he is as the #3 offensively. You're probably going back to Barkley/Thorton/Postell. In addition to everything he brings this year - and he brings a lot, including being relentless on both backboards - he potentially changes the landscape for what next year might look like. That's a conversation for another day, but it's worth highlighting that component as well to emphasize what an incredible find and get this was by the staff. Just wow.[/quote]

Great post. Except for maybe 5-6 stretch in the first where I thought we settled to quickly on shots, we played close to perfect on that side.

And to your point on LJ, how bout when was the last time we had a 4th scoring option like Clark? Both those guys could average close to 15 a game if they were 1st/2nd options on different BE teams.
 
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