What Went Right, What Went Wrong: A Season In Review

[quote="Ray Morgan" post=333274][quote="Monte" post=333235]Nothing went wrong.[/quote]

Something always goes wrong. Some may go back to spring/summer when Mullin failed to be in NYC to greet Femi at the airport. We go 3 and 0 or 2 and 1 at worst against Depaul if Femi plays for us instead of them, and probably win a few more conference games. Something changed starting with the Depaul loss at home. The team that seemed to be figuring things out at the end of the OOC schedule stopped playing together. The same players that manhandled Marquette wire to wire, and were double digits ahead of Hall and Nova for 30-35 minutes, lost focus and stopped trusting each other around the time of the Depaul loss By season's end, they were playing their worst basketball. Something had to go wrong for that to happen.

If you want, you can go back over 4 years, when an inexperienced university president showed a complete disdain for what it takes to build a college basketball program and disdain for the skill-sets and dedication college coaching requires by hiring a coach with no coaching experience, and allowed him to surround himself with familiar and comfortable faces instead of assistants with a track record of winning. It seems that if one wanted to restore a failing business to profitability, they would hire an executive that has turned companies around before. Not taking a position on who should go and stay, but at best it was a risky move with a limited chance of working out.[/quote]

I see your point, but I was specifically talking about this season. IMO we finished about where we should have, when you take in to account our talent level, roster deficiencies and lack of coaching. So nothing actually went wrong this season. We were who we were.
 
Last edited:
[quote="fordham96" post=333020][quote="Boo Harvey" post=333014]Heron would be out of his mind batshit crazy to leave after the crap year he had.[/quote]

Right.

Coming off of screens set by Steere will be significantly better for him...[/quote]

I also think that Heron will return.
Mustapha had a 'good' season but not one that raised his prospects for the NBA.
Obviously, he can opt for the G League or International ball, but that would surprise me.
He's a smart kid and should realize he'd be 1 of the main guys next year, if not THE guy.
Plus, it's been rumored that he wants his degree.
Who knows, but I'd be surprised if he opts out, given what he has invested.
 
[quote="Chicago Days" post=333360][quote="fordham96" post=333020][quote="Boo Harvey" post=333014]Heron would be out of his mind batshit crazy to leave after the crap year he had.[/quote]

Right.

Coming off of screens set by Steere will be significantly better for him...[/quote]

I also think that Heron will return.
Mustapha had a 'good' season but not one that raised his prospects for the NBA.
Obviously, he can opt for the G League or International ball, but that would surprise me.
He's a smart kid and should realize he'd be 1 of the main guys next year, if not THE guy.
Plus, it's been rumored that he wants his degree.
Who knows, but I'd be surprised if he opts out, given what he has invested.[/quote]

If he actually does opt out, it could be for other reasons than you suspect.
 
[quote="MJDinkins" post=333361][quote="Chicago Days" post=333360][quote="fordham96" post=333020][quote="Boo Harvey" post=333014]Heron would be out of his mind batshit crazy to leave after the crap year he had.[/quote]

Right.

Coming off of screens set by Steere will be significantly better for him...[/quote]

I also think that Heron will return.
Mustapha had a 'good' season but not one that raised his prospects for the NBA.
Obviously, he can opt for the G League or International ball, but that would surprise me.
He's a smart kid and should realize he'd be 1 of the main guys next year, if not THE guy.
Plus, it's been rumored that he wants his degree.
Who knows, but I'd be surprised if he opts out, given what he has invested.[/quote]

If he actually does opt out, it could be for other reasons than you suspect.[/quote]

K Dink, you seem to be privy to something I'm not.
Well, whatever, I wish the kid the best.
And we are what we are...never boring!
 
Not convinced Heron was happy here. Hence the probable decommit of Taber. Tough on Heron having to guard opposing bigs.
 
[quote="richard A Steinfeld" post=333371]Not convinced Heron was happy here. Hence the probable decommit of Taber. Tough on Heron having to guard opposing bigs.[/quote]

Be interested some year to ask Heron about his take on Pearl vs. Mullin. Not advocating for Pearl just interested in the differences in philosophies and approaches. Bet Mullin thinks Pearl is a clown.
 
I haven't read all of the comments on this topic, but everyone I read was negative. So I will offer some positives.

1) Attendance was good, OK - decent. Student body seemed to support the team.

2) SJU has some big men for next year.

3) SJU made the tournament which was acceptable to most at the beginning of the year.

4) SJU got some favorable media coverage in December and January.

That's all I got...
 
[quote="Monte" post=333355][quote="Ray Morgan" post=333274][quote="Monte" post=333235]Nothing went wrong.[/quote]

Something always goes wrong. Some may go back to spring/summer when Mullin failed to be in NYC to greet Femi at the airport. We go 3 and 0 or 2 and 1 at worst against Depaul if Femi plays for us instead of them, and probably win a few more conference games. Something changed starting with the Depaul loss at home. The team that seemed to be figuring things out at the end of the OOC schedule stopped playing together. The same players that manhandled Marquette wire to wire, and were double digits ahead of Hall and Nova for 30-35 minutes, lost focus and stopped trusting each other around the time of the Depaul loss By season's end, they were playing their worst basketball. Something had to go wrong for that to happen.

If you want, you can go back over 4 years, when an inexperienced university president showed a complete disdain for what it takes to build a college basketball program and disdain for the skill-sets and dedication college coaching requires by hiring a coach with no coaching experience, and allowed him to surround himself with familiar and comfortable faces instead of assistants with a track record of winning. It seems that if one wanted to restore a failing business to profitability, they would hire an executive that has turned companies around before. Not taking a position on who should go and stay, but at best it was a risky move with a limited chance of working out.[/quote]

I see your point, but I was specifically talking about this season. IMO we finished about where we should have, when you take in to account our talent level, roster deficiencies and lack of coaching. So nothing actually went wrong this season. We were who we were.[/quote]

There were warning signs from the start. Closer than expected wins over mid majors. Obvious issues with the lack of size and lack of fight under the boards. But before the season started, the majority here and in the press were high on the team finishing anywhere from second to 4th in conference. And that's where we were after the Nova win. Then 3 bad losses where the team was over-matched nearly the entire game. There was more resolve in this team early on. Disappearing acts by several in the starting 5 almost every game.

I don't think we had an over reliance on the 3 point shot. A number of teams had more attempts I believe. We just took too many contested or out of range threes. One thing that went wrong was Simon's poor outside shooting, leading to teams playing him for the drive only. Then Clark, a reliable shooter last season, lost his touch. Heron's tendonitis, Keita's knee. Some things happened, but good coaches have backup plans. We didn't.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top