Preliminary thoughts: this is going to be a fun team to watch. They are built to play up tempo basketball and run, run, and run some more. In halfcourt sets, Gilbert and Adams can drive and get into the lane whenever they want. The team is not yet playing with total cohesion, but I believe that will come. Numerous players on this team have a lot of talent and potential.
STRENGTHS: Transition offense, dribble penetration by the guards, overall roster depth and versatility, and team length, especially inside. Offensive talent with a number of weapons. Defense looked good in stretches, especially today.
WEAKNESSES: Rebounding was not great the first two games (although I understand there are not a lot of rebounds to grab when the team is shooting close to 70% as they were most of the game today) and perimeter defense, at times. Three point shooting was not anywhere near as good as what I was expecting, except for the second half Vance Jackson explosion against UNH. The team had a lot of turnovers (19 today- totally unacceptable ball security playing against a team that did not really pressure them).
Team Grade: B+
Individual Grades:
A Terry Larrier. In my mind, Larrier was the clear best player on the team taking into account both games. He played very well both games, and I believe this kid is better than what we were told. We were told that he makes bad decisions, takes bad shots, is erratic shooting the 3, and is defense oriented. That did not match the guy I watched the first two games. He looked like a total stud out there. Not only did he make numerous athletic dunks, but he threw down a tomahawk that most college players would not have even attempted, let alone made, due to the bad angle he had to the hoop vs. the defender. He had numerous athletic, explosive drives to the hole, including a finger roll move that Dr. J, Julius Erving, used to make. I saw a guy who looked very smooth and explosive and I really like his shooting stroke. He also played unselfish ball and passed for several easy baskets to teammates. With his outstanding tools, I will be shocked if he does not average well into double figures and he potentially could lead the team in scoring, if not this year, then next. Clearly the most ready of the new guys.
A- Kentan Facey- played very well on offense and defense, and quite noticeably, he hustled and did not give up on plays, which one time resulted in a game changing blocked shot on a player streaking for a breakaway layup, a la what LeBron James did to the Warriors in the end of game 7 last year. Showed solid inside post moves for a guy who has mostly been invisible on offense for 3 years.
B+ Alterique Gilbert- he wasn't good the first half against UNH, and was playing way too fast, but then calmed down and over the next 1.5 games looked like a very good pure up tempo point guard. This guy promotes good ball movement and he did a superb job in today's game of managing the team as a floor general. Today he had 6 assists and 2 TOs and 5 boards. However, he did not make a single outside shot in the two games and wasn't looking for it. Jury is out on how well he can shoot when called upon to against the Syracuse zone defense. The shots he took didn't look good and I would not expect him to score much. He could average like 5 points a game and help this team.
B+ Amida Brimah- 17 points in 11 minutes today, including a personal 14-0 run to start the second half when Ollie told the guards to feed him against smaller, overmatched interior defenders. All dunks and layups. Was a no show the first game partly due to UNH playing a 5 guard offense which saw Brimah removed for the final 18 minutes, so I give him a mild pass on that performance ,which was not good.
B+ Rodney Purvis- Was an absolute terror in transition and ballhawking against Southern. He and Larrier are scary good transition players. However Rodney didn't make any 3s and his halfcourt drives were jittery and produced a few TOs, showing flashes of the old Rodney.
B Juwan Durham- didn't get heavy minutes and looked tentative at times, but also flashed tremendous skills, a nice shooting touch and very good man to man defense. I am glad they didn't redshirt him because Enoch, Facey and Brimah have all looked foul prone in the past and another body is needed up front.
B Jalen Adams- he didn't play well the first game but was better today and was very aggressive going to the hole. Did not shoot well from outside. Also had some TOs, which were unnecessary.
B Vance Jackson- gets an A for his first game and a C- for today. In the first game he looked like the reincarnation of Rashad Anderson at his best. Today, Southern noticeably played up on him and invited him to drive, and when he did, he was uncomfortable and committed TOs. He will need to adjust to this, as the word is out on his shooting. As a pure shooter when open, he is a major, major marksman, in the category of Rashad Anderson and Kaleena Mosqueda Lewis on the women's side. Pure form.
B- Christian Vital - this kid is going to be a very good 4th guard off the bench because he is a ratty player. Had 5 boards today and doesn't seem to mind mixing it up a little. Hustles.
C+ Steve Enoch - For me he was the biggest disappointment and this has to be reflected in his grade. He continues to show flashes of beasthood, but frequent early foul trouble is getting in the way of his development. I did not like his body language after the fouls today. He seems to pick up fouls on plays where it doesn't look like any foul should be called. Enoch is drawing whistles and I think it's because he constantly puts himself in bad positions where he invites a whistle. The coaches need to work with him on his positioning and footwork so he can stay on the floor. He has shown nice post moves and it's fairly clear he is the best low post offensive player on the team.
INC. - Mamadou Diarra - Did not play today due to swollen knee, and played very little in the first game. Looks very raw but has a nice body and may be needed for rebounding, against certain teams.
STRENGTHS: Transition offense, dribble penetration by the guards, overall roster depth and versatility, and team length, especially inside. Offensive talent with a number of weapons. Defense looked good in stretches, especially today.
WEAKNESSES: Rebounding was not great the first two games (although I understand there are not a lot of rebounds to grab when the team is shooting close to 70% as they were most of the game today) and perimeter defense, at times. Three point shooting was not anywhere near as good as what I was expecting, except for the second half Vance Jackson explosion against UNH. The team had a lot of turnovers (19 today- totally unacceptable ball security playing against a team that did not really pressure them).
Team Grade: B+
Individual Grades:
A Terry Larrier. In my mind, Larrier was the clear best player on the team taking into account both games. He played very well both games, and I believe this kid is better than what we were told. We were told that he makes bad decisions, takes bad shots, is erratic shooting the 3, and is defense oriented. That did not match the guy I watched the first two games. He looked like a total stud out there. Not only did he make numerous athletic dunks, but he threw down a tomahawk that most college players would not have even attempted, let alone made, due to the bad angle he had to the hoop vs. the defender. He had numerous athletic, explosive drives to the hole, including a finger roll move that Dr. J, Julius Erving, used to make. I saw a guy who looked very smooth and explosive and I really like his shooting stroke. He also played unselfish ball and passed for several easy baskets to teammates. With his outstanding tools, I will be shocked if he does not average well into double figures and he potentially could lead the team in scoring, if not this year, then next. Clearly the most ready of the new guys.
A- Kentan Facey- played very well on offense and defense, and quite noticeably, he hustled and did not give up on plays, which one time resulted in a game changing blocked shot on a player streaking for a breakaway layup, a la what LeBron James did to the Warriors in the end of game 7 last year. Showed solid inside post moves for a guy who has mostly been invisible on offense for 3 years.
B+ Alterique Gilbert- he wasn't good the first half against UNH, and was playing way too fast, but then calmed down and over the next 1.5 games looked like a very good pure up tempo point guard. This guy promotes good ball movement and he did a superb job in today's game of managing the team as a floor general. Today he had 6 assists and 2 TOs and 5 boards. However, he did not make a single outside shot in the two games and wasn't looking for it. Jury is out on how well he can shoot when called upon to against the Syracuse zone defense. The shots he took didn't look good and I would not expect him to score much. He could average like 5 points a game and help this team.
B+ Amida Brimah- 17 points in 11 minutes today, including a personal 14-0 run to start the second half when Ollie told the guards to feed him against smaller, overmatched interior defenders. All dunks and layups. Was a no show the first game partly due to UNH playing a 5 guard offense which saw Brimah removed for the final 18 minutes, so I give him a mild pass on that performance ,which was not good.
B+ Rodney Purvis- Was an absolute terror in transition and ballhawking against Southern. He and Larrier are scary good transition players. However Rodney didn't make any 3s and his halfcourt drives were jittery and produced a few TOs, showing flashes of the old Rodney.
B Juwan Durham- didn't get heavy minutes and looked tentative at times, but also flashed tremendous skills, a nice shooting touch and very good man to man defense. I am glad they didn't redshirt him because Enoch, Facey and Brimah have all looked foul prone in the past and another body is needed up front.
B Jalen Adams- he didn't play well the first game but was better today and was very aggressive going to the hole. Did not shoot well from outside. Also had some TOs, which were unnecessary.
B Vance Jackson- gets an A for his first game and a C- for today. In the first game he looked like the reincarnation of Rashad Anderson at his best. Today, Southern noticeably played up on him and invited him to drive, and when he did, he was uncomfortable and committed TOs. He will need to adjust to this, as the word is out on his shooting. As a pure shooter when open, he is a major, major marksman, in the category of Rashad Anderson and Kaleena Mosqueda Lewis on the women's side. Pure form.
B- Christian Vital - this kid is going to be a very good 4th guard off the bench because he is a ratty player. Had 5 boards today and doesn't seem to mind mixing it up a little. Hustles.
C+ Steve Enoch - For me he was the biggest disappointment and this has to be reflected in his grade. He continues to show flashes of beasthood, but frequent early foul trouble is getting in the way of his development. I did not like his body language after the fouls today. He seems to pick up fouls on plays where it doesn't look like any foul should be called. Enoch is drawing whistles and I think it's because he constantly puts himself in bad positions where he invites a whistle. The coaches need to work with him on his positioning and footwork so he can stay on the floor. He has shown nice post moves and it's fairly clear he is the best low post offensive player on the team.
INC. - Mamadou Diarra - Did not play today due to swollen knee, and played very little in the first game. Looks very raw but has a nice body and may be needed for rebounding, against certain teams.
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