Shamorie Ponds

It would be a good night for HEron to find himself. My first impression of him is that he is a superior athlete and player. I think he is the type to be able to carry a team. I think they should run a few plays designed to get him the ball early to get him untracked.
 
Game-time decision, sensing strongly he plays, but we’ll see
 
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[quote="Paultzman" post=315182]Game-time decision, sensing strongly he plays, but we’ll see[/quote]

Well on bright side Heron seemingly playing himself into another year here?
 
[quote="we are sju" post=315183][quote="Paultzman" post=315182]Game-time decision, sensing strongly he plays, but we’ll see[/quote]

Well on bright side Heron seemingly playing himself into another year here?[/quote]

Always heard otherwise, but starting to think that is possible.
 
[quote="Paultzman" post=315185][quote="we are sju" post=315183][quote="Paultzman" post=315182]Game-time decision, sensing strongly he plays, but we’ll see[/quote]

Well on bright side Heron seemingly playing himself into another year here?[/quote]

Always heard otherwise, but starting to think that is possible.[/quote]

I doubt they thought he would struggle like he has.
Despite couple of the reasons for his struggles that have been brought up still pretty weird considering he didn't have to sit out a year.
 
[quote="we are sju" post=315187][quote="Paultzman" post=315185][quote="we are sju" post=315183][quote="Paultzman" post=315182]Game-time decision, sensing strongly he plays, but we’ll see[/quote]
Well on bright side Heron seemingly playing himself into another year here?[/quote]

Always heard otherwise, but starting to think that is possible.[/quote]

I doubt they thought he would struggle like he has.
Despite couple of the reasons for his struggles that have been brought up still pretty weird considering he didn't have to sit out a year.[/quote]

Getting him untracked is vital imo. This relative funk is something he is not used to, has been a star since grade school. He’s a hard worker, so I think he will come around.
 
I really am mystified regarding Heron falling off. I was at the first game at CA and I remember thinking "he's easily the best player on the court". He was very under control, finished at rim, and his shots were very crisp. Seems like when he goes for layups he goes right at defenders instead of doing what Ponds does i.e. adjusting at the last second to go around a defender's arm or reverse. Clark, LJ, and Ponds can do this. Because he goes right at defenders, his layups are sometimes blocked easily or clank off the rim. Just my observations but maybe I'm seeing things. It's weird...Simon and Heron attempt floaters and layups that I assume should go in but often don't, and with LJ I never think they're going in since they're line drives but somehow they go in usually. Bottom line, if we are to make the tourney we need way more from Heron on a consistent basis. Great kid and great player hopefully just in a funk of sorts.
 
[quote="Paultzman" post=315190][quote="we are sju" post=315187][quote="Paultzman" post=315185][quote="we are sju" post=315183][quote="Paultzman" post=315182]Game-time decision, sensing strongly he plays, but we’ll see[/quote]
Well on bright side Heron seemingly playing himself into another year here?[/quote]

Always heard otherwise, but starting to think that is possible.[/quote]

I doubt they thought he would struggle like he has.
Despite couple of the reasons for his struggles that have been brought up still pretty weird considering he didn't have to sit out a year.[/quote]

Getting him untracked is vital imo. This relative funk is something he is not used to, has been a star since grade school. He’s a hard worker, so I think he will come around.[/quote]

Or Ponds back thing or whatever lingers, Heron continues to struggle we tank and Ponds and Heron come back next year. Maybe that was Mullin's master plan all along.........
 
[quote="we are sju" post=315194][quote="Paultzman" post=315190][quote="we are sju" post=315187][quote="Paultzman" post=315185][quote="we are sju" post=315183][quote="Paultzman" post=315182]Game-time decision, sensing strongly he plays, but we’ll see[/quote]
Well on bright side Heron seemingly playing himself into another year here?[/quote]

Always heard otherwise, but starting to think that is possible.[/quote]

I doubt they thought he would struggle like he has.
Despite couple of the reasons for his struggles that have been brought up still pretty weird considering he didn't have to sit out a year.[/quote]

Getting him untracked is vital imo. This relative funk is something he is not used to, has been a star since grade school. He’s a hard worker, so I think he will come around.[/quote]

Or Ponds back thing or whatever lingers, Heron continues to struggle we tank and Ponds and Heron come back next year. Maybe that was Mullin's master plan all along.........[/quote]

To quote Yogi Berra, 90% of this game is mental, the other half is physical.
 
[quote="we are sju" post=315187][quote="Paultzman" post=315185][quote="we are sju" post=315183][quote="Paultzman" post=315182]Game-time decision, sensing strongly he plays, but we’ll see[/quote]

Well on bright side Heron seemingly playing himself into another year here?[/quote]

Always heard otherwise, but starting to think that is possible.[/quote]

I doubt they thought he would struggle like he has.
Despite couple of the reasons for his struggles that have been brought up still pretty weird considering he didn't have to sit out a year.[/quote]

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/player/_/id/4066250/mustapha-heron

That's struggling?
Sure looks like the %'s are up from previous years?
Maybe one of these days they can run a play for him instead of just hoisting 3's or driving left.
 
[quote="Beast of the East" post=315196][quote="we are sju" post=315194][quote="Paultzman" post=315190][quote="we are sju" post=315187][quote="Paultzman" post=315185][quote="we are sju" post=315183][quote="Paultzman" post=315182]Game-time decision, sensing strongly he plays, but we’ll see[/quote]
Well on bright side Heron seemingly playing himself into another year here?[/quote]

Always heard otherwise, but starting to think that is possible.[/quote]

I doubt they thought he would struggle like he has.
Despite couple of the reasons for his struggles that have been brought up still pretty weird considering he didn't have to sit out a year.[/quote]

Getting him untracked is vital imo. This relative funk is something he is not used to, has been a star since grade school. He’s a hard worker, so I think he will come around.[/quote]

Or Ponds back thing or whatever lingers, Heron continues to struggle we tank and Ponds and Heron come back next year. Maybe that was Mullin's master plan all along.........[/quote]

To quote Yogi Berra, 90% of this game is mental, the other half is physical.[/quote]

If this is his master plan it is just more wait until next year. As far as I am concerned, next year is here!
 
After looking at his stats, he is better in some areas from last year although PPG is a few points under. I think the thought was that with Ponds here, he would attract most of the defensive attention and Heron would be the main beneficiary leading to a huge season. Though it may not show in the stats, if you watch every game, he misses an awful lot of gimme type shots and his touch seems to have diminished. Could partially be the increase in competition level from OOC to Big East, but as good as he is, he has a decent amount more to grow if he can start knocking these layups down and adjusting when going to the rim. When Ponds was out he did not takeover as many assumed he would. That's the other part. Was looking through his game logs and I'd be surprised if he didn't have a bounce back game tonight. Looks due. Shooting 29% from 3 last 4 games and getting to line less than he did at Auburn FYI. He will get his tonight.
 
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1.5 is a few. MZ in a nutshell. LMAO
And FWIW in your defensive attention scenario Ponds is Bryce Brown and Jared Harper combined. IOW Auburn had 3 guys you needed to pay attention to so you couldn't focus on Heron there either.
 
Heron has been great as a shooter. His decision making and creative offensive ability leave a lot to be desired. He works his ass off on defense but it seems there as well his decision making leads to some awful fouls.
 
It's so hard to tell since they switch on everyone, but it seems Heron has the fun of guarding the other team's power forward. Ponds and Simon get the guards, Figgy the SF, and Heron the 6'9, 230 lb PF. After the game, his body must feel like the running back that had to pick up Lawrence Taylor on the blitz.
 
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I'm not looking at his stats, but from watching Heron this year, he's been a turnover machine. He recklessly bulls his way to the basket like Ahmed did last year and frequently turns it over. I didn't watch him at Auburn, but I can't believe this is a new development. It's one thing for a good shooter to go cold, but it's another thing for a stud athlete to suddenly forget how to drive the ball to the hoop and make plays.
 
[quote="Amaseinyourface" post=315217]Heron has been great as a shooter. His decision making and creative offensive ability leave a lot to be desired. He works his ass off on defense but it seems there as well his decision making leads to some awful fouls.[/quote]

Bingo. He's a really bright kid, I'm surprised at some of the decisions he has made on the court. Seems like he's trying to much, once he gets into the flow of the offense he should be deadly.
 
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[quote="Boo Harvey" post=315224]I'm not looking at his stats, but from watching Heron this year, he's been a turnover machine. He recklessly bulls his way to the basket like Ahmed did last year and frequently turns it over. I didn't watch him at Auburn, but I can't believe this is a new development. It's one thing for a good shooter to go cold, but it's another thing for a stud athlete to suddenly forget how to drive the ball to the hoop and make plays.[/quote]

Maybe you should look at his stats.
2.4, 2.1, 2.5
Those are his TPG over the 3 years.

The Big East is a physical conference. More so than SEC. Less FT's per game is likely him not getting calls he use to get in SEC. Bottom line is he's the same player he was in 2 years at Auburn. He had 2 regular games to start BE and 3 bad since.
 
[quote="Boo Harvey" post=315224]I'm not looking at his stats, but from watching Heron this year, he's been a turnover machine. He recklessly bulls his way to the basket like Ahmed did last year and frequently turns it over. I didn't watch him at Auburn, but I can't believe this is a new development. It's one thing for a good shooter to go cold, but it's another thing for a stud athlete to suddenly forget how to drive the ball to the hoop and make plays.[/quote]

First, looking at stats when you are quoting a statistically measured thing is usually a good thing. That said you are correct that Heron is averaging about 2.5 per game while Ponds, Simon and Clark are all averaging around 2. Take into account the amount of time each possesses the ball and he might even look a bit less efficient than that.

However, his TO's per minute are only marginally worse than his soph year at Auburn and a little bit better than his frosh year. So that probably means it is what is, he's the player we all should have thought he would be, Maybe a little flawed (aren't we all) but I shudder to think where the team would be without him.

Suggest for some true comps someone could visit the Auburn board and ask if you care enough to do so.
 
Anyone who has seen Heron play, especially in person, can see he is not playing well. Early in the season we believed Ponds and Heron to be options #1 and #1A, and that hasn't been the case. Heron's stats are somewhat bloated by the weak OOC schedule and two 30+ point games.

We really need Heron to be the guy we expected. There will be nights where even a healthy Ponds won't be superman, and Heron can provide efficient offensive production. Against weaker competition other guys can step it up, but if we are to play toe to toe against top 15 competition, we need Heron at his best. He is STILL the most likely guy other than Ponds to count on for 15-20 points in a big game, and if we are to go deep in the BET, or survive the 1st weekend of the NCAA tournament, we will need Heron playing at a level he is capable of.

Still plenty of time for him to put it together. I think he has to begin to trust that when he gives the ball up, he will get it back when open.
 
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