The Good the Bad and the Ugly-Monmouth

The Good
-Greene continues to feel confident and knock down shots. He has his feet set and is ready to catch and shoot. Stroke looked good. Maybe the wrist/hip was causing him issues? Maybe a bit and I think he comes back down to earth a bit just like he did after a hot start last season.
-Obkepa changes the game. Best rim protector in college basketball since Hasheem Thabeet.
-Some want to discredit Harrison but tonight he shot 50% from the floor and 50% from 3. I would gladly take that from him every game. 15 points in 16 minutes.
-Sanchez 6 assists. Obekpa 2 assists. While traditionally you'd like more assists from your guards, having your big men as capable passers out of the post is lethal. Think about that? 8 baskets were scored off passes from big men. That is minimum 16 points.
-Hooper got off 5 shots. Sure he only made 1 but the team is looking for him and he got open. If he made 1 more this wouldn't look so bad, he makes 2 more he's lethal. I also don't remember myself noticing him as a liability on the defensive end. This is positive.

The Bad
-Sampson going 3-7 from the free throw line. Simply has to do better.
-Sanchez and Obekpa combining for 5 turnovers nearly half of the team's total.
-Letting little Justin Robinson hoist 9 threes. Get a hand up!
-Letting Ty O'Garro grab 12 boards. He's a 6'5 SF playing PF for Monmouth. C'mon! (Also he is a good kid, flagrant wasn't dirty)
-Harrison 4 fouls. Stupid fouls plague him and hinder his ability to stay on the floor.

and the Ugly
-Rysheed Jordan becoming the next victim of minor infraction suspension. (I was blindsided by this. Have heard nothing but good in terms of his work, accountability, and respect)
-JaKarr Sampson making his 1st collegiate 3 pointer.
-Sanchez shooting 4 threes when he is being guarded by a guy half his size.
-Getting out rebounded by 9. Product of zone + shot blocking.
-Pointer, Sanchez, Hooper combine for 3-14 shooting
-GG 7 min and no rebounds. Unacceptable.
-8 of 16 from the free throw line. Thought they turned the corner on this issue. Welp!

Not sure if anyone else has picked up on the fact that Dave seems to have less patience with this regime then he had for the last one. I like angrier Dave!

Quote from: we are sju on November 23, 2013, 09:08:50 AM

Rebounding. People will blame Obepka and they would be partially correct. However by starting the Big lineup even if Obepka jumps to block everything, theoretically Sanchez and Sampson should still be in position to block out and rebound.

The problem isn't that Obekpa tries to block every shot, it's that Obekpa, Sanchez, Pointer and Sampson try and block every shot. That's four off balance guys out of position by the stanchion, leaving only the guy who got beat on the perimeter to rebound. And the zone doesn't help, because nobody puts a body on a body. But since the alternative is our man to man, there doesn't seem to be an elegant solution.

Bingo

Not impressed with 9 blocked shots? Lol

Kate Upton is a pig also.

I also wouldn't mind more of Hoopers minutes going to Bourgault next game. Last year he at least showed the ability to put the ball on the floor and (though not very adeptly) find his own shot. Hooper has had very limited time, but he doesn't really seem like he has that ability as much.

Hopefully one of them will step up.

The Good:

- The stellar play of the Phil Greene.  Best player on the team two straight now and 108 minutes without a turnover.  We might be approaching some sort of Johnny record here people.  Also a great defensive job by the Rhombus keeping himself between the diminutive point guard from Monmouth and the basket all night while only fouling once.

- Chris Obekpa and the Blockettes

- 3'lo's "ice in my veins" two threes late after sitting much of second half with stupid foul trouble.

- The "Scalabrine" chants when the red headed kid from Monmouth went to the line.

- The Monmouth defense.  They looked like a sound defensive squad and everything I've read about them says that they are.

- The "No, No, No...Yes" dumb three pointer by Mean Joe with 1 minute left to finish them off.

- 8 three-pointers in one game at a 38% clip.  That's a longe-range explosion for this group.

The Bad:

- Unable to penetrate and get to the basket.  Forced to play a perimeter game...by Monmouth.

- Rebounding

- Free throw shooting

- Attendance

- Didn't see Lou.

The Ugly:

- Second suspension and we're only 4 games in.  This one involving Jordan the young Messiah.

The Good:

Jakarr got his first assist of the season! Congratulations! Does anybody remember which play this momentous occasion came on?

1 assist in 130 minutes of floor time.

The Good:

Jakarr got his first assist of the season! Congratulations! Does anybody remember which play this momentous occasion came on?

1 assist in 130 minutes of floor time.

Even more momentous for n Deliliah last night was the very first made three pointer of his career.

The level of absurdity on fan boards is comical.  That's why I keep coming back.

I agree with that.  Some of the more comical posts and quotes of this seasons edition are.....

1.  Lavins Quote. " this is our toughest schedule ever". Lol,  are there any BE teams left in the top 30?

2.  Lavins quote. " Rysheed Jordan is a better player then Jayson Kidd or any other player he coached at this stage of his career" Lol, his stats don't quite bear that out.

3.  A delirious poster, " we have 6 NBA players on the team", true if NBA stands for Not much Better Again.

4.  A big Hooper fan. " Hooper is a dead eye shooter and a difference maker." you decide that one.

5.  More poster speak....." Recruiting is one thing Lavin does well". If Jordan does transfer, then Lavin will have officially brought in NO ONE to date in two consecutive classes.

6.  Many posters stating what a superior program we have to the Hall, Providence etc. Well to date, we are not even superior to low end mid majors.

But I do agree, the level of absurdity of these quotes and posts is more then comical, it's hilarious.

If Jordan does transfer, then Lavin will have officially brought in NO ONE to date in two consecutive classes.

Explain how this works please. Jordan is here (or at least was). He was eligible and played in some games. How does that qualify as no one?

Quote from: simplyred on November 23, 2013, 01:32:21 PM

The level of absurdity on fan boards is comical.  That's why I keep coming back.

I agree with that.  Some of the more comical posts and quotes of this seasons edition are.....

1.  Lavins Quote. " this is our toughest schedule ever". Lol,  are there any BE teams left in the top 30?

2.  Lavins quote. " Rysheed Jordan is a better player then Jayson Kidd or any other player he coached at this stage of his career" Lol, his stats don't quite bear that out.

3.  A delirious poster, " we have 6 NBA players on the team", true if NBA stands for Not much Better Again.

4.  A big Hooper fan. " Hooper is a dead eye shooter and a difference maker." you decide that one.

5.  More poster speak....." Recruiting is one thing Lavin does well". If Jordan does transfer, then Lavin will have officially brought in NO ONE to date in two consecutive classes.

6.  Many posters stating what a superior program we have to the Hall, Providence etc. Well to date, we are not even superior to low end mid majors.

But I do agree, the level of absurdity of these quotes and posts is more then comical, it's hilarious.

Thank you for being the voice of reason, Linda.

Quote from: simplyred on November 23, 2013, 01:32:21 PM

The level of absurdity on fan boards is comical.  That's why I keep coming back.

I agree with that.  Some of the more comical posts and quotes of this seasons edition are.....

1.  Lavins Quote. " this is our toughest schedule ever". Lol,  are there any BE teams left in the top 30?

2.  Lavins quote. " Rysheed Jordan is a better player then Jayson Kidd or any other player he coached at this stage of his career" Lol, his stats don't quite bear that out.

3.  A delirious poster, " we have 6 NBA players on the team", true if NBA stands for Not much Better Again.

4.  A big Hooper fan. " Hooper is a dead eye shooter and a difference maker." you decide that one.

5.  More poster speak....." Recruiting is one thing Lavin does well". If Jordan does transfer, then Lavin will have officially brought in NO ONE to date in two consecutive classes.

6.  Many posters stating what a superior program we have to the Hall, Providence etc. Well to date, we are not even superior to low end mid majors.

But I do agree, the level of absurdity of these quotes and posts is more then comical, it's hilarious.

Who is Jayson Kidd and when did Lavin ever coach him?

  There are many fair questions to be asked at this point in time of a 4 games in schedule.. ..Despite the addition of Sanchez, Jordan for 3 games, the return of DLO, is this team showing much improvement on Defense, Offense, rebounding, shooting?

Have we finally seen the individual talents of this team are not complimentary to a team success?  Pre-Season hype by the media made the case we were , maybe, the most talented team in the new BE CONFERENCE..  i haven't heard that comment in the last  few games, maybe because no one believes it anymore?

Why hasn't the post been fed with Sanchez distributing or taking it to the basket?  Has Greene's 2 game shooting success contributed to a breakdown in team chemistry?  Has that contributed to Jordan not playing in the 2nd half vs Bucknell?

Do we think Lavin will get this group of players to forgo individual stats for team success?  When Greene is in the game with DLO, who controls the ball? Will there be enough ball movement so that everyone gets a touch or, does Greenie continue to be the band leader? We saw how well that worked last year.

Questions that will need to be answered in the games ahead.

"2.  Lavins quote. " Rysheed Jordan is a better player then Jayson Kidd or any other player he coached at this stage of his career" Lol, his stats don't quite bear that out."

Lavin never said he was a better player than Jason Kidd.  He was commenting about his explosiveness I believe.  Jordan is definitely an explosive athlete.  Id like to see him back on the court though, and improving.

Lavin never said he was a better player than Jason Kidd.  He was commenting about his explosiveness I believe.  Jordan is definitely an explosive athlete.  Id like to see him back on the court though, and improving.

“Rysheed is as good a passer as I’ve seen in my career in broadcasting and coaching at this stage,” Lavin said. “We’ve got to see how it develops, but at this point he’s the best. Jason Kidd would be the next one. I’d put those two in the passing part for this stage.”

I don't remember it being about Jordan's passing ability, but I guess I was mistaken.  It's silly to use that type of comparison if that was the case.  Kidd was and is tremendous.

Jason Kidd as a sophomore in high school was better than Jordan might be as a college senior, assuming he gets that far. And that's certainly no criticism of Jordan, just of Lavin's ridiculous exaggerations. I like Lavin, but take player compliments from him with a grain of salt.

Speaking of ugly the best player on the floor was a 5'7" freshman PG on Monmouth.  Not the first time this pattern has emerged.  We had nobody who could handle that kid.  Branch was probably the best bet to do it but Lavin wanted his company on the bench and Greene was lighting it up. Our head of the key defense is only semi-respectable when Sir Dom is there.  I believe we have enough talent to win and Lavin will be totally responsible for the outcome this year regardless of the Jordan situation. Next year is a total question mark and the Jordan situation will be watched carefully by all available recruits.  I also don't think the Harrison debacle helped us either. We need the bounce of an NCAA appearance to get some wind in our sails and everything will ride on who stays and goes with a cupboard so bare.

I thought the game was a small step in the right direction.  They were clearly working on some stuff they wouldn't have been able to against better opponents.  I saw more skip passes in one game than I did all of last season. They built up more comfort with the different defenses, and they continued to iron out roles.  It sucks that Jordan wasn't available, as how he fits in is arguably the biggest thing that everyone has to adjust to on the court.

I thought they would have tried to establish the post more and possibly play inside-out at least a little bit.  I'd like to see Sanchez spend less time on the perimeter.