@Xavier, Wed. Jan. 17, 8:30pm, CBS SN/570AM
- Thread starter Knight
- Start date
Class of 72
Active member
I miss Bashir Ahmed and Kassoum Yakwe. Problem is that they are still on the team and have regressed under our complicated NBA offensive sets. BTW, both Freudenberg and Musso chose to return to their Euro clubs rather than play in this shit show. At least now they are getting a paycheck instead playing 5 minutes on Broadway before a penciled-in loss in the world's most famous arena.
Seriously though Justin Simon played one of the most complete games for a St. John's player in recent memory.
Ray Morgan
Well-known member
They do a number of things right. They block shots, force turnovers, and use their athleticism to have several 5-8 minute bursts of energy where they put themselves in games. They play hard.Then their tanks are empty, and order is restored by the deeper, better teams. Lovett loss and lack of depth is why we are 0 and 7. Lack of rebounding and a missing post game is why we had limitations even with Lovett playing every game.
If this team is more aggressive in defending the 3 point shooter they will be killed inside by the bigger teams inside. I think they are in a tough position. While it is tough to watch us constantly being torched from deep, those shots are a lower % shot then the dunk or 5 footer. I think it is lack of strength underneath that is contributing to the lack of 3 point defense.
Ray Morgan , you presented a very accurate analysis . Much better than the fan group looking to scapegoat Mullin for everything , except the Flu epidemic ! Only the most optimistic of the pre season Groupies thought this was going to be a NCAA season and that was with a healthy and 14ppg Lovett playing . We all lamented not getting the 1 year 5 th year Player at 6’10” that many of our BE competitors seem to restock every year . Is that on Matt or Chris ? Doesn’t matter . Yes, this year’s roster has flaws . Our guys have certain skills but, lack others . And , not because they aren’t being Coached . The Arm Chair Coaches posting here are ridiculous . Is Mullin responsible that Owens is 6’10” and barely 200 pounds . Or, that at 6’8” Clark gets 1 rebound a game being a Perimeter player and not suited to the inside game . He is contributing surely but, not what we need . We lack a true Power forward ! Ahmed isn’t it and last night Steve Lappas , Former Nova and Manhattan Coach , praised Mullin for benching him for defensive laziness . So , those blaming Mullin for benching Brashir , don’t know what they are talking about . He is a 1 trick Pony and interests only in his own points . After 2 seasons he isn’t changing and isn’t part of the rebuilding process . Simon played like a man possessed and had a Career game but, like all the other players wore out at the 30 minute mark , right after we took the lead . Ponds is missing his long range game , 6-18 or whatever his stats were , are not good but, in reality he is the only one able to put up consistent numbers . Trimble played well . Yakwe and Ali are limited contributors . Those complaining Yakwe needs more PT are kidding themselves . He was pulled and never got in again , after several defensive lapses , being schooled by Macura and Bluett . He also fumbled , walked , and turned it over in about 4 minutes of playing time . Anyone thinking he is the reason we lost is out of touch . Owens played ok , in his usual way but, was outplayed badly by Kanter in every way possible . By the way, Kanter a 5th year transfer from Wisconsin -GB is exactly the type of player we need badly and never get . Maybe Matt needs to rethink that . Or, Mullin . We didn’t get that type player when Lavin was here either . Usually , they are big, beefy , European born players with solid B.B. skills . Ali isn’t in that mold as he isn’t a back to the basket type . For his size , he plays very small and is weak defensively . Lost his shot this year too! So, we are where we are , at 0-7 and while competitive in most games , don’t have enough BE level players yet . Going forward , while Ponds and Lovett were great in tandem last year , having 2 barely 6’ guards in the BE isn’t the best formula either . In the final analysis , our record is absolutely attributable to losing the numbers Lovett would have put up and that’s final ! At best , with him playing , we might have been 9-9. Without him , we are 0-7 . We can beat DePaul, Split with Marquette and Butler beat G’Town , play better against PC and maybe steal 1 against SH , Creighton , Xavier or Nova .That is the reality this season . Blaming Mullin is the easy and Amateur’s way of dealing with another season of disappointment .
Fake news is alive at Redmen. Com .. I do not recall anyone saying Simon was not a BE Player . He played like a man on fire and just wore out as did all our guys . The only limit in his game , which was not evident last night is outside shooting . He hit at a high percentage but, even Lappas was saying the only thing holding him back from the NBA is the shooting . But, not last night . Remember Simon was a top 100 player , highly recruited by Arizona . Our getting him as a transfer was a God send .
Boo, you must have missed when Lappas praised Mullin for pulling Ahmed . That defensive lapse by him was like a mortal sin in Basketball . Ahmed will never play D, rebound or change his reckless charge to the basket for questionable and more often than not , poor shots . So, your critique of Mullin pulling him is more enlightened than a 2 time Head Coach at Manhattan and Villanova saying he would have yanked him too ! Lappas seemed surprised he even put him back in at all . Ahmed will play his way for as long as he plays B.B. . He is the type player that won’t or can’t take Coaching . This is his last season here . We won’t miss his game .
This team is so frustrating. They're close to being a pretty good BE team. Need depth, height (rebounding), 3-point O & D. Good side is that they usually play hard. Need depth so as to allow the guys to have something left in the tank in the 2nd half.
Fan, you are 100 percent correct . We are lacking interior rebounding and defense . You can’t cut off the 3 that nearly every BE team possesses if you try and defend the inside . Kanter killed us inside in the second half , when we tightened up on the perimeter . Many here don’t understand that , sitting in the Armchair drinking beer . Plus , no one here has commented that nearly all the BE teams are led by star players who are 4 year Seniors ! We have 2 Seniors , Bashir and Ali, not exactly Stars . Plus , Simon and Clark have played 1 year with this group of Ponds , Owens and Ahmed . It takes time for chemistry to develop . Here’s a question .. if you took Bluett or Machura from Xavier,what is their Record? Both are Seniors . We lost a pretty much guaranteed 14 points a game from Lovett , how many teams , without impact Senior players can take that kind of hit ?
boo haarvey
Active member
I didn't miss Lappas' comments and understand and agree with Mullin pulling Ahmed. But as another poster commented, with eight scholarship players, we can't afford to sit Ahmed the whole second half as part of a teaching moment. I'm not suggesting we would have won the game had he me played more but I do believe that he and Yakwe needed to play more minutes in the second half (I'm not sure Yakwe played at all in the second half) to give our other guys a breather.
It’s old news but, not fake that our demise started with Father Harry and him firing both , Fran and Jarvis and then , hiring Norm !
boo haarvey
Active member
You clearly weren't reading the posts after the Villanova game. Several posters lamented that both Simon and Clark were disappointing and that Ponds was the only Big East player on the team. One poster suggested that Simon has really struggled in Big East play, notwithstanding the fact that he has scored in double figures in nearly every game, had a near triple double against Seton Hall, and is top ten in the conference in rebounds, assists, and steals.
Boo, respectfully disagree . Ahmed is and has shown he is not Coachable . He is half way thru his senior year . Why play a player if he consistently disregards his assignments , throws up God awful shots at any time , doesn’t rebound or play D, when everyone else is breaking their Ass ? Mullin puts him out there a lot , when most Coaches, certainly Lappas would have tossed him a Anchor for the rest of the season . You must be kidding about Yakwe . He was out there for 4 minutes , he missed his man for 5 quick points , fumbled , walked , threw up a Brick and you wanted him back out there in crunch time ? Once in a great while he gets a put back , makes a block or actually throws down a dunk . Most of the time he is out there, nothing good happens . But, if you want him out there ... suffer the consequences , same as Ali .
Ray Morgan
Well-known member
You say "we" can't afford to sit Ahmed...as part of a teaching moment? Who is "we"-the posters? Mullin has bigger worries than if you enjoyed the outcome of last night's game. Ahmed has not played well since having the flu. I will take the teaching moment and deal with the loss that: 1. Had no impact on where we end up at year's end. 2. Would probably have been a loss anyway. Part of coaching is having those teaching moments. We weren't playing for the national title. I would like to have seen Mullin try more teaching moments the past few seasons. Maybe the team would be a little more disciplined, and rested.
I agree SlyFox with most of your post. But, Ali NEVER had an outside shot (at least at game time) as has been oft stated. He did not lose it this year; he never had it. Maybe in practice. The fact that we thought he did (and he thinks he does) IS fake news. One criticism of the staff that I think is valid is that they permit Ali and Owens to continue to shoot from outside. I know Owens' new found love of the 3 has worked some, but that's not where he's needed. I understand his reluctance to go low, since he will get pushed around, but he's our best (only really) option down there. We need him to rebound more than we need him to shoot 3s. Ali should not be on the floor, Period. But, if the staff needs to put him out there for some number of minutes, it should be made clear to him what his limited role is: rebound and defend to the extent he's capable. The fact that these 2 still take those shots maddens me, and points to a blind spot on their and the staff's part. (There is nothing more pathetic and oddly humorous than to see Ali actually calling for the ball out on the 3 point line).
redfan259999888
Active member
Next year to me is the most important season in the last 20yrs, if Mullin can't succeed with a full roster, then he probably isn't the coach to turn it around. It will be his freaking 4th season, you absolutely gotta show something in his freaking 4th season. We haven't won a ncaa game since 01, we're close to being like all the other former great nyc schools, who are nothing now in basketball.
Year 1 we knew would suck (8 wins.), last year 15 so we improved, this year i was thinking nit, but back to year 1.
Being a sju fan is torture.
RedmanWest, Ali goes back to the Lavin era and was put on Waivers every year since . He tried to transfer and found no takers or, else something happened like Obepka smoking Pot and getting thrown out of school and we had to take him back . Please research further if you must BUT, in his 4 Years and through his various Hair styles , he did have 2 or possibly 3 games , where he actually reached double figures and might have made a couple of 3’s . So, he was able to make a long shot in his youth but, has he made 1 3 this year ? He never was Quick but, it seems like he has really slowed down this year . He should enter games to foul only and once one of the starters catches their breath , he should take his seat next to Yakwe . As for Yakwe, it amazes me that many still think he contributes anything . Last night he was bad, very bad . He was a disaster for the 4 minutes out there . Had to be pulled . Contributed 10 points. To Xavier ! His man scored 5 , he fumbled a pass , walked and threw up a brick uncontested . Enough .
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