Butler Game - Player of the Game

Sampson had it all working in the second half.   He gets my vote

Sampson had it all working in the second half.   He gets my vote

It has to be him.

Also, isn't it about time to change your avi? Moose and Paultz finally did.

Obvious choice but Branch played great as well

Obvious choice but Branch played great as well

We will have to see what Needstogo has to say first. Lol

Sampson but I gave my vote to Branch.  He was key before it got out of hand

Quote from: desco80 on February 18, 2014, 11:23:10 PM

Sampson had it all working in the second half.   He gets my vote

It has to be him.

Also, isn't it about time to change your avi? Moose and Paultz finally did.

Haha, at this point I'm not changing it purely due to superstition.   Why ruin a good thing right?


And I whole-heartedly agree with everyone giving props to Branch.   He played a hell of a game.   He's a key cog for us.  And I think our most potent offensive lineup is when he plays alongside Dangelo Rysheed and Jakarr. 

Sampson. He couldnt miss and he did a good job on the boards. Branch played a very good game too!

Gotta give it to Sampson. Career game for him. He needs to carry it over to the Nova game.

Sampson destroyed them.  He's shaping up to be a heckuva overall player.  How many guys in college can make the mid-range shot?  He can also sky for dunks and rebounds but seems to be improving his defense a ton as well as using both hands..  Sampson has become almost an unstoppable player..

Sampson destroyed them.  He's shaping up to be a heckuva overall player.  How many guys in college can make the mid-range shot?  He can also sky for dunks and rebounds but seems to be improving his defense a ton as well as using both hands..  Sampson has become almost an unstoppable player..

He is so much better now that Jordan is playing well. He gets Sampson the ball consistently at the right spots. Nice two player combo.

Sampson was awesome, but I like that Branch hit the open 3 with the extra pass.
The team can keep opponent honest now with our 3pt shooting and the team has been awesome at free throws, especially in the clutch.

Sampson was great.  Spin moves in both directions today...lethal.  I love that they are establishing the post during this streak.  It makes us exponentially more difficult to defend.  Our guys have gotten pretty good with entry passes.  Those are such high % shots and the misses are fare more likely to result in second chance opportunities.

Branch was terrific.  So smooth.  He made like a dozen perfect decisions in a row.  I feel like every shot he does miss off the drive is rebounded by us anyway.  It's easy to overstate things when the team is playing so well, but we really are a different team with him in the game. He understand working with his bigs--whether with screens or getting them touches-better than anyone we've had in years.  To me it looks like they work a little harder down low when he's in the game because they know they will see the ball if they do.  He is so fast to receive a pass and make the next pass. 

I have to add that Jordan is a mutant.  He had two Butler players trailing him timing it perfectly to block him as a defender stepped up in front to take away the lane, and the kid somehow was fast enough to pass the ball for an open layup as the Butler guys swung and missed.  He has impossibly fast hands.  I cant believe they didn't get to that pass.

We were primed for a letdown.  We started a tad slow in the first half.  In the second half, we really turned it on and destroyed them.  This is not the same SJU team we have seen in past years.  We were short Obekpa, yet Branch played brilliantly in his stead. 

I watched the fox sports broadcast prior to the game with Croshere, who said that regardless of where we are at now we are a bonafide NCAA team and I agree with him.  We were good with the DJ Kennedy team, but this team has a ton more and can go a few rounds.

This SJU team deserves to dance, yet they still have to earn it ala the Kemba Uconn team.  Crazy at it is, our team might be better, and Jordan has more talent than Kemba but we need the confidence to drive us forward,

This SJU team deserves to dance, yet they still have to earn it ala the Kemba Uconn team.  Crazy at it is, our team might be better, and Jordan has more talent than Kemba but we need the confidence to drive us forward,

Whoa whoa....not so fast.  Kemba was one of the most dominant players in the history of college basketball at the end of his junior year.  That Uconn team also had a first round draft pick the following year and one of the more polished freshman pg's you're going to find to go with an a McDonald's All-American big man.

Kemba was a lottery pick from day one.  He scored 23.5 points per game...was a higher recruit...was a McDonald's All-American.  That is in no way a fair comparison to a kid average single digits as a frosh.

Sampson. Probably his best game yet

Quote from: desco80 on February 18, 2014, 11:23:10 PM

Sampson had it all working in the second half.   He gets my vote

It has to be him.

Also, isn't it about time to change your avi? Moose and Paultz finally did.

I didn't want to change mine either during the streak.
But I had to so I could tweak a certain poster.

Quote from: MCNPA on February 19, 2014, 12:11:53 AM

This SJU team deserves to dance, yet they still have to earn it ala the Kemba Uconn team.  Crazy at it is, our team might be better, and Jordan has more talent than Kemba but we need the confidence to drive us forward,

Whoa whoa....not so fast.  Kemba was one of the most dominant players in the history of college basketball at the end of his junior year.  That Uconn team also had a first round draft pick the following year and one of the more polished freshman pg's you're going to find to go with an a McDonald's All-American big man.

Kemba was a lottery pick from day one.  He scored 23.5 points per game...was a higher recruit...was a McDonald's All-American.  That is in no way a fair comparison to a kid average single digits as a frosh.

Not fair, I agree. But I think Rysheed is an will be better than Kemba. Rysheed is only scratching the surface.   I doubt he will stick around as long in college, but I think he has five fold more upside than Kemba, who was a small but fantastic

Quote from: Marillac on February 19, 2014, 12:33:10 AM

Quote from: MCNPA on February 19, 2014, 12:11:53 AM

This SJU team deserves to dance, yet they still have to earn it ala the Kemba Uconn team.  Crazy at it is, our team might be better, and Jordan has more talent than Kemba but we need the confidence to drive us forward,

Whoa whoa....not so fast.  Kemba was one of the most dominant players in the history of college basketball at the end of his junior year.  That Uconn team also had a first round draft pick the following year and one of the more polished freshman pg's you're going to find to go with an a McDonald's All-American big man.

Kemba was a lottery pick from day one.  He scored 23.5 points per game...was a higher recruit...was a McDonald's All-American.  That is in no way a fair comparison to a kid average single digits as a frosh.

Not fair, I agree. But I think Rysheed is an will be better than Kemba. Rysheed is only scratching the surface.   I doubt he will stick around as long in college, but I think he has five fold more upside than Kemba, who was a small but fantastic

I think the kid is great, but we can't forget how good Kemba was at every stage...ranked higher, McDonald's All-Ameican, always considered a lottery pick.  Kemba could not be stopped .  He was unreal.  I have never seen a player be more dominant.  Jordan doesn't have the jumper to be that kind of player this year, but that doesn't mean he can't be damn good.

I really liked how Branch got in the lane and made things happen. He is a very talented player, and I think tonight reminded us that he can play at this level. He can shoot better than he has been shooting, and he can defend. He entered the game and instantly caused a turnover.

Good for you Jamal, you were a work of art tonight.