2017-2018 Season

[waterhead]

I may be off on Keith Williams that we will find out but all three recruits this year played against top competition in practice and in games so I think their will be less of an adjustment than say a Tre Scott who came from a small town and was by far the biggest and best player on his team.

There should be plenty of minutes for this kid if he's the real deal backing up Evans and Cumberland. He could also be inserted for a small lineup with one big as others have said. The only thing I am wondering about is whether or not Broome will see time backing up the 2 if Cronin wants to get Jenifer minutes.

I think we should run small when Clark is out. Just play with Washington or Brooks. When Clark is in I think we will run with two bigs unless there is foul trouble. It's going to be hard to keep Moore and Scott happy...not that we will be too concerned with Moore. I hope Scott works very hard on beefing up and working on post up skills because I don't see much time for him during his career on the perimeter with the skills we have out there. After next year Scott has a chance as a PF if he can gain muscle weight and work on facing up or low block moves.

 

[waterhead]

I hope they all are decent and not the kelvin gains/shaq Thomas project type. I'm kinda over that type of player. I hope our coaching staff is also.

I don't see any comparison between Gaines and Thomas. Gaines was a full on project with almost no skill set. Thomas had some skills and great athleticism but his BB IQ was not too good so he couldn't take full advantage of his ability.

 

[waterhead]

Don't sleep on the idea of going Cumberland, Evans, Williams when Clark is out. If Williams gives us more punch than Scott, and is a good defender, no reason we can't use that group together. So he might sneak in some minutes that way. *Not saying Williams will average double digits*

Absolutely! I think we could see quite a bit of this

 

[WAITE HOYT 2]

Without Kyle Washington, we wouldn't even have sniffed 30 wins. I can't believe it is even a suggestion to bench him. He was one of only two of our players who earned 2nd team all league. He will be an absolute stud next year and will be a strong leader of this team.

Couldn't agree more. He will be a big part of our success next year as he was this year. if he gets a bit more polished he could play professionally somewhere.

 

[waterhead]

I'd be completely surprised if the pace picks up dramatically next year. Sure JJ and Broome probably wont walk the ball up the court, but we're still going to run the same offense. Mick isn't going to just abandon the way he coaches and he isn't going to accept an up and down game allowing his defense to give up lots of points.

I would disagree to a certain extent here. If you are right I will be pretty upset if we have a so so year and we stick with the same old same old.

I think Broome and JJ push the pace so we don't have to run as many half court sets. When we are in half court I think we will try to dribble penetrate more and also still focus on getting the ball down low. When we can't make these two things happen early in the clock, or if we haven't run a fast break, I think we will have plenty of quality ISO options with 10 seconds left. Including Cumberland, Broome, and Evans.

I don't think Cronin will use the same strategy he used with Caupain. With him he let him dribble to a point where the defense had to use two guys and switch...Caupain would pass over the top to the open guy. We won't have that same luxury (or problem depending on how you look at it) next year. Broome is smaller and so is JJ...we can't run the same sets. They will have to break defenders down off the dribble because the can't pass over the top.

 

[jacobkdoyle]

Couldn't agree more. He will be a big part of our success next year as he was this year. if he gets a bit more polished he could play professionally somewhere.

Washington is already going to play pro somewhere.

 

[waterhead]

A few things I am hoping we improve on next year. Dribble penetration by our guards. KJ and TC were really weak in this area. Our best wing getting to the hoop was Cumberland and he didn't do it off the dribble he used a very nice pump fake. To be the player we want Evans to be he really needs to get to the rim off the bounce much more often.

Also want to see our interior defense pick up. Washington needs to take a step forward. He also needs to work on going to his left with his back to the basket.

JJ and Broome will push the ball but they really need to minimize tournovers.

Sounds good to me Waite!

 

[waterhead]

I'd like Evans to be better at going to the hoop too, but not at the cost of his overall shotmaking ability. He has to find a balance. Can't shoot 11 out of 12 shots as 3s like @ SMU, but also can't only shoot 7 times vs UCLA bc he's too worried about trying to get to the right. not forcing jumpshots. He just needs to take what the defense gives him.

These things (along with what Waite said about Evans drawing more fouls) can be accomplished by Evans not "over dribbling" ala Thomas. Just make a damn move and go to the rack or pull up J. Stop with the dribbling around for a few seconds only to pass the ball back to someone else.

Cumberland is awesome at this. He also can see when there is a man standing wide open in the corner and deliver the assist. If Evans can copy Cumberland on just this one thing...he will be extremely hard to stop.

Even when we run an ISO with Evans he still dribbles too much. There are 5 or 6 basic moves when you ISO. Dribble once or twice and fake aggression towards the bucket but pull up beyond 3. Dribble once or twice and go hard to the rack. Dribble once or twice and make a move to the rack and pull up J inside the arc. Dribble once or twice and make a move and do the step back jumper. Dribble once or twice and go hard to the rack and kick it back out. Pump fake and make your move. Cumberland KNOWS how to do all of these.

Stop all the fancy dribbling and go!!

 

[GarradJ21]

I think Washington brings our team to a new level. I know he's going to take some bad shots and even be a ball hot at times, but at least he's aggressive on offense. I like that he has some range too. You see Maye from UNC hitting jumpers the way he did as a center, that's huge. Washington gives us that. He really needs to figure out the defensive side though.

Clark can hit the jumpers too but maybe not as well as Washington, outside of that none of post players can, well besides Quad. I really hope we get a transfer that can sit out next year and possibly be a starter in 2018.

 

[waterhead]

Considering they've been in the bottom 50 of adjusted tempo since Mick has been here I doubt the pace will pick up too much. But if Mick can't pick up the pace next year it aint ever going to happen.

Definitely agree here. It is this year or never in terms of tempo.

 

[waterhead]

Cane Broome's strength is dribble penetration. With him and Cumberland, this will go from being a weakness, to a strength.

Agree here!

 

[waterhead]

I'd actually like to see

Broome
Evans
Cumberland
Clark
Brooks

with Washington coming off the bench in spurts, shooting a bunch and going back to the bench. His defense is beyond repair because his feet and change of direction are terrible.

I am also really high Williams. From the few clips I've seen of him, he seems to be further along than Cumberland or Evans at this point in their careers/development.

Not sure I agree on Washington but if Williams is that good I will be a happy camper!

 

[cincyguy13]

I don't see any comparison between Gaines and Thomas. Gaines was a full on project with almost no skill set. Thomas had some skills and great athleticism but his BB IQ was not too good so he couldn't take full advantage of his ability.

I hope we are past just recruiting athletes. Would rather a less athletic player with a skill. Like the moore signing this year. Don't know if he will be good or not but he has a useful skill. That's my main point.

 

[waterhead]

I feel like he needs to work more on his right hand. His left hand is already deadly at this point. Every good defender forces him to his right hand and can shut him dow. If he developed even just a decent right hand shot it would make him way more lethal.

I don't know too many ambidextrous players out there. I think Kyle is just fine with his go to moves. I would rather work on his D and fouling and maybe some shot selection. All players are going to be stronger on their dominant side.

If anything I would like to see him bully his way to the bucket more than settle for all the baby hooks...but he's pretty damn good at them.

 

[jacobkdoyle]

Not sure I agree on Washington but if Williams is that good I will be a happy camper!

I agree with you. Washington isn't coming off the bench. No point in even discussing that as a possibility.

 

[cincyguy13]

I don't know too many ambidextrous players out there. I think Kyle is just fine with his go to moves. I would rather work on his D and fouling and maybe some shot selection. All players are going to be stronger on their dominant side.

If anything I would like to see him bully his way to the bucket more than settle for all the baby hooks...but he's pretty damn good at them.

I don't think Washington will grow much. Think he is what he is at this point. He's there to score and he's pretty good at it most of the time. I would like to see him not shot a 3 when we desperately need points or the game will get away from us. Seems like he did that in every game we lost. Also wouldn't mind him passing out of the double team. I think both those things can be fix

 

[WAITE HOYT 2]

Washington is already going to play pro somewhere.

Think so to Jake. He really needs to expand his offensive game and get stronger Physically.

 

[waterhead]

I think Washington brings our team to a new level. I know he's going to take some bad shots and even be a ball hot at times, but at least he's aggressive on offense. I like that he has some range too. You see Maye from UNC hitting jumpers the way he did as a center, that's huge. Washington gives us that. He really needs to figure out the defensive side though.

Clark can hit the jumpers too but maybe not as well as Washington, outside of that none of post players can, well besides Quad. I really hope we get a transfer that can sit out next year and possibly be a starter in 2018.

Washington made a few poor decisions by shooting 3's when he shouldn't have but there came a point in time late in the season when it looked as if he was banned from shooting them. I didn't get this strategy since Kyle was knocking down 40%+ on the year. I don't care if there are other guards in practice knocking down a higher % than Kyle...if he makes them in games...let him shoot when he's open. All of our guards/wings are allowed to shoot when open. Kyle had a better % than most of them. If he's wide freaking open...let him shoot the 3!

 

[WAITE HOYT 2]

Washington made a few poor decisions by shooting 3's when he shouldn't have but there came a point in time late in the season when it looked as if he was banned from shooting them. I didn't get this strategy since Kyle was knocking down 40%+ on the year. I don't care if there are other guards in practice knocking down a higher % than Kyle...if he makes them in games...let him shoot when he's open. All of our guards/wings are allowed to shoot when open. Kyle had a better % than most of them. If he's wide freaking open...let him shoot the 3!

Are you making a assumption here or do you have info saying he was told not to shoot. I really think like most of the players was probably told not to shoot them so early in the clock and it was probably mentioned that we need him on the offensive glass but I have a hard time believing he was told not to shoot them if he is open.

 

[GarradJ21]

Washington made a few poor decisions by shooting 3's when he shouldn't have but there came a point in time late in the season when it looked as if he was banned from shooting them. I didn't get this strategy since Kyle was knocking down 40%+ on the year. I don't care if there are other guards in practice knocking down a higher % than Kyle...if he makes them in games...let him shoot when he's open. All of our guards/wings are allowed to shoot when open. Kyle had a better % than most of them. If he's wide freaking open...let him shoot the 3!

Yeah, I don't think Cronin would have told him not to shoot. Just make better shot selection and don't take the shot so early in the shot clock.