Crazy how Phil continues to get raked over the coals on the board. He was a vital component to the DePaul victory.
Greene has become the board's new Justin Burrell... oh joy.
Totally different!
Burrell was a good player. After his first season and based on how he looked, people's expectations were just too high. Burrell was good, people wanted him to be great. That is not the case with Phil.
Meant more in terms of numerous threads and posts on said players...
I think Phil is a good basketball player. Def not great. He wasn't brought in here as great. Most of his time here he has been forced to play out of position, and this season, hurt. I like the role he is in now, 3rd guard. His game is what it is. The fact that he doesn't turn the ball over is tremendous. Branch ball handling and decision making under pressure scares me.
I guess it depends on your definition of "getting raked over the coals", but I dont think the commentary re PG4 is unfair or excessive. Only one person that i can think of has said they dont think he belongs here. I think a good many people think his minutes - second on the team to DLo- arent justified by his play. Unfortunately anyone who points that out is labeled a "hater", and whenever he plays well the contrarians feel the need to prove the "haters", who arent haters, wrong. Round and round we go.
I thought Desco summed it up perfectly. I like Phil a lot as a kid. Seems like a great guy, hard worker, definitely came in as a the lowest rated recruit and has been a big part of the success. I want him to do well and if he does, I'm not going to spin it like its no big deal because I've been critical of him in the past. I felt the same way about Dom when he was struggling...his play was frustrating to watch but he seemed like a class A individual. Now that he's playing well, I'm happy to say so, and it doesnt mean any critique of him was wrong at the time. He's playing better.
I thought any criticism of Phil last year was unfair because he was a frosh, playing out of position. "Best thing about a freshman is they become a sophomore" and all that. But with all the PT he got last year and he's gotten this year, his basketball IQ, understanding of his role, understanding of spacing and shot clock management should really have progressed by now and it hasnt. He actually showed some flashes in the second half of last year but seems to have regressed a little. All that stuff about not turning the ball over is great but do you know how hard it is to be on the floor for 43 minutes with the ball in your hand as much as he had it and have only two assists? They dont even to be real assists, in 43 minutes you should have at least 4 or 5 of the "last guy to touch the ball before the scorer" kind. Branch may turn it over sometimes, but he's trying to make things happen. An off balance, contested jumper with the shot clock expiring is pretty much the same as a turnover. Hopefully he'll learn to create a little and improve his shooting ( and shot selection) and he'll be a big part of two or three tournament teams. If he does I'll be the first one to say so.