Enoch

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

4 points and 5 boards in 5 minutes last night, which is pretty efficient. Multiply that out to 25 minutes and it's 20 points and 25 boards.

I don't think Ollie completely trusts him to be a rotation player yet because he has shown a propensity for making bonehead plays (mainly with his poor positioning and understanding where he needs to be). However, in the limited action he has had lately, he continues to show potential, looks like he has more offensive skills than any of the other bigs on the team, and also looks like he is understanding how he needs to play defensively.

Against a team like East Carolina Sunday I would hope he merits more than 5 minutes. I would give him like 20 minutes of action and see what he does with it. This is the game- at home against a lower echelon AAC squad- that his progress should be tested. Just do it!!!!!!!!!

 

[UConnFamily]

Enoch has tremendous potential but he is bar none one of the worst defensive players on the UConn team. Has zero clue defensively. Its almost like he was never asked to play defense in his entire basketball career up until this point.

While he is the best offensive option for center it is a net negative when you factor in his defense. Thats why you never see him in crunch time or for extended periods. He has improved defensively since the beginning of the season but he is still putrid and cant be trusted to play for long stretches. Defense is the #1 priority and if you cant do that you wont play.

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

UConn Family,

I agree with everything you said but the only way that his "tremendous potential" gets realized is by playing minutes in actual games, preferably against teams where his cluelessness on defense doesn't substantially hurt the team. I thought he did okay with his minutes last night on the road against Memphis. Let's see what he has learned from the UConn staff.

I don't think Enoch had proper coaching on defensive fundamentals at the high school level but given his size and athleticism there is no reason he shouldn't be a competent or better defender once he is properly seasoned and coached.

 

[CaNOLEE]

Even his miss(lefty hook) last night was impressive. He's going to do Norwalk and my buddy(his cousin) proud.

 

[Dominicfrank]

Kid will be good for UCONN. Has more promise than Hilton as a freshman doesn't he ?

 

[CaNOLEE]

Definitely Dom. Much thicker. Hilton was a little better athlete and more versatile defensively, but Enoch was known as a mid range shooter(to 20 feet) going into his senior year. So he's just scratching the surface. Although, he has to learn that defense and rebounding will earn him minutes, his offense will be gravy.

 

[Ozzie3178]

NEEDS to learn Defensive schemes.... And power rebounding!!

Once he does he will be effective and important piece to a title run!!

We will always be a predominantly outside in team but will that inside O presence of nothing else to give the guards and wings some rest during games

 

[the Blades]

NEEDS to learn Defensive schemes.... And power rebounding!!
Once he does he will be effective and important piece to a title run!!

That'll be the biggest thing, he can get amazing lost real quick. But once he figures it out and how to use his body, sky could be the limit.

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

From what I see of him he has natural offensive moves and a smooth looking stroke and those talents will only be developed as he gets more minutes and builds his experience and confidence. On defense, most of his problems are not man to man defense (although he has a tendency to foul) but his positioning and allowing guys to go backdoor uncontested. I have seen more backdoor plays run successfully against UConn with him on the floor than have been run maybe in all the minutes combined with the other bigs out there. After getting beat a few times for backdoor lay ups you would think he would figure it out but it's like other teams have a playbook that says "run backdoor cuts when Enoch on the floor." But I didn't see it happen in his last few outings. Prior to that he was allowing some totally uncontested backdoors and it can't happen that someone gets a wide open lane for a layup. This is fundamental basketball and IMHO the major reason his minutes have been held back. But I really feel the team needs to play him more and Nolan less even though Nolan played exceptional D against Memphis and also converted a solid 3 point play off a nice Hamilton pass. Enoch offers more on the boards and more on offense and we have to see how his defense has progressed.

In the NCAA tournament UConn will face teams with monster bigs who can physically overpower Brimah, Nolan and Facey. This is why Enoch must be developed. We even saw this against Gonzaga which abused UConn inside and Enoch had to be played in that game due to size matchup issues.

An example is Poetl of Utah. You guys probably don't know who he is but one of the best bigs if not the best in the country and he fouled out 3 guys on Duke who tried to cover him. Enoch is needed to be able to play against guys like that.

 

[CaNOLEE]

Steve is going to bring a back board down at some point in his career. Hopefully it's snowing and Rafferty is calling the game.

 

[the Blades]

Steve is going to bring a back board down at some point in his career. Hopefully it's snowing and Rafferty is calling the game.

I guess they did show it on TV...the thing was still shaking even when both teams were down the other end !

 

[KhalidShockedTheWorld]

Enoch assaulted the rim! It was Dawkinsesque! As in Darryl Dawkins

 

[CaNOLEE]

It was great Blades and Khalid. I know a few kids older than Enoch that I coached at Norwalk high and a dad that has a 6-7 junior there now, and from their scouting reports I was expecting a wiry jump shooter a lot more like Facey actually. He and Brown are going to be a monsterous duo down the road. Add Adams and Gilbert controlling the ball, the big wing shooter from Cali, the vcu transfer and a healthy Dunham and Diara and the future is really bright.

 

[anon_65nwv98c2idwc]

Steve is going to bring a back board down at some point in his career. Hopefully it's snowing and Rafferty is calling the game.

Just nasty. Credit to TCF on the video