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Post by Tom on Jan 25, 2021 12:46:43 GMT -5
A wise man from New Jersey once said "Whoa. We're half way there". Eight games into a 16 game season
Things have changed a lot in the last two weeks. HC was a middle of the pack team. They have now dropped to 9th place. With that HC has also dropped out of the current play off picture. This past weekend was tough. Consensus pre season #10 HC was going up against pre season #9. In theory, these should have been the two easiest games of the season to win. Hard to call anything "need" at the half way point, but I think HC needed at least a split this weekend. Not even earning a split has made the road to the play-offs a little harder
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Post by A Clock Tower Purple on Jan 25, 2021 12:55:29 GMT -5
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Post by Non Alum Dave on Jan 25, 2021 13:12:54 GMT -5
Was thinking about this myself.
Definitely an uphill climb now; 4 games against a BU team that may start taking off. I agree that a split (at least) was needed over the weekend.
If I look at my avatar and think of the first half performance, I would say that the guys were in 6 of the 8 games played.
On the other hand, 2 things surfaced that I wasn't thrilled with: 1) lackluster performances in all of the "first of two" games; would really like to see that turn around, and 2) did not fare well against both token full court pressure, and zone D, courtesy of the good Doctor. With the latter, hopefully it's just a matter of getting more experience against it.
When I look at the big picture, I do think there are things to be optimistic about. I think all 4 of the frosh who played have shown promise; Gates has shown he can be a top performer in the PL; Wade is evolving into that Greg Kinsey type player (for those who go back further, his game also reminds me of Derek Farkas). It's a little concerning that Louth and Rabs have not been able to play; puts them a bit behind their peers in terms of the development cycle. As has been discussed, where Coach heads in his progression is going to be key.
Will be very interesting to compare this snapshot with what transpires after the next 8 games.
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Post by possum on Jan 25, 2021 18:54:03 GMT -5
Very disappointing weekend never expected to get swept particularly after Lehigh lost both games to Bucknell last week. Observations on season to date: Gates: Don't know where we'd be without him. If he continues to show the ability to hit the baby jumper it will open up his drives to the hoop even more. Not much doubt he'll be an all league player this year and probably the next two. Faw: Plays really hard and has made himself a tough inside player. He's rebounding well and to date has been a consistent scorer. Still a liability on defense and picks up too many ticky tack fouls. All in all we're probably getting all we can from him. Butler: Obviously plays very hard and gives everything he has 100% of the time. Has had an interesting start to the season offensively, in the first three games he averaged about 20 points a game and shot an incredible 65% from both 2 and 3 point land, in the next five games he averaging about 10 points and is shooting just under 40% on twos and just under 30% from beyond the arc. Probably a combination of reverting to the mean shooting wise and opponents making adjustments to take away what he likes to do. I think he's better suited as a complimentary scorer than a first or second option where defenses are set up to stop him. His rebounding is off the charts for his size and leaping ability and he's a willing but limited defender. Johnson: Think he's going to be an excellent player. On this team he needs to continue to search out his offense as it looks like he's be doing the last couple of games. He and the other frosh are having some difficulty finishing inside as they are getting used to playing against bigger stronger players. He's made some nifty passes and some careless turnovers as is to be expected with a freshman PG. His on the ball defense has been pretty good. Montgomery: Seems to be coming on as he adjusts to the college game. He's long and athletic, handles the ball pretty well and likes to take it to the hoop. Think he will start finishing off the drives as he gets more comfortable. Outside shot does not appear to be a strength at this point. Given his size and athleticism he will get his share of rebounds and should develop into a good defender. Wade: I disagree with many posters on this player. While he's the teams best on ball defender I think his offensive limitations offset whatever benefit he may provide on defense. Some have compared him to Kinsey/Cruze from the Willard era. Those teams were built on defense and held teams to 50-60 points a game so you could carry a non scorer. This team gives up 75-80 points a game and can't afford to carry someone playing almost 25 minutes a game who is a hit or miss scorer at best. In half the games to date he's scored 3 points or less and was scoreless twice. Someone said about him yesterday that shooters have to shoot, in 40 games playing huge minutes he's shooting just over 30% on twos and under 30% on three's and these shots for the most part are uncontested. This is not a small sample size and at some point you have to concede that he is what he is. It might be different if he added rebounding or playmaking but his deficient in these areas as well. For some reason Nelson continues to run him out there game after game. I'd like to see some of those minutes go to Humphrey and Martindale as this team needs more consistent scoring as they're not going to win games on the defensive end. Martindale: He's having a tough time adjusting to the college game but seems to still have the confidence to put the ball up on the offensive end. Hopefully Nelson gave him a mental break by cutting his minutes this weekend and will get him back on the floor as I think he's capable of becoming a consistent scorer. Humphrey: Another long and athletic wing that I'd like to see more of. Townsell: Hasn't played enough to make any evaluation. Louth and Rabinovitch: Due to different circumstances haven't seen these two but we desperately need another big in the rotation. i will be a little concerned if Louth doesn't hit the floor soon given our dearth of post players.
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Post by trimster on Jan 25, 2021 19:37:40 GMT -5
The good news is the men’s basketball stats are now current as in all 8 games included.
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Post by hcpride on Jan 25, 2021 19:49:38 GMT -5
Looking at possum 's assessment it is pretty much what I see. I'd like to think this year's team beats last year's team but it'd be very close, IMHO. (Lowder aside) I'm thinking Faw, Butler and Wade look about the same with Faw adding some offense this year. Pridgen/Gates are about a wash offensively. We definitely miss Niego this year but Johnson is a plus this year.
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Post by Sons of Vaval on Jan 25, 2021 19:53:44 GMT -5
Possum’s observations on Wade are right on the money.
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Post by sader1970 on Jan 25, 2021 20:32:03 GMT -5
Let's not forget that Matt has 15 blocked shots in 8 games, almost 2 a game. Unsurprisingly, 2nd on the team is Gates with 7.
RJ, 41 assists and 21 turnovers.
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Post by KY Crusader 75 on Jan 25, 2021 22:26:23 GMT -5
Let's not forget that Matt has 15 blocked shots in 8 games, almost 2 a game. Unsurprisingly, 2nd on the team is Gates with 7. RJ, 41 assists and 21 turnovers. Remember-Matt led the PL in blocks last year
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Post by timholycross on Jan 25, 2021 23:11:19 GMT -5
Looking at possum 's assessment it is pretty much what I see. I'd like to think this year's team beats last year's team but it'd be very close, IMHO. (Lowder aside) I'm thinking Faw, Butler and Wade look about the same with Faw adding some offense this year. Pridgen/Gates are about a wash offensively. We definitely miss Niego this year but Johnson is a plus this year. Depth of this year's team results in a win over last year's team most of the time. 8 versus 6.25 (the 7th man hardly played most games).
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Post by KY Crusader 75 on Jan 26, 2021 0:18:13 GMT -5
I'm going to revisit again my inexpert analysis of what we needed to do to improve. This was on the "how many wins" thread. The update is in bold type. I do know that we are comparing a full season to a partial season with different schedules.
"I project that we will win 5 games this coming season, all in the regular season
Last season was the worst since I've been following HC and likely the worst in program history. How did we lose so many games, including one to UMass-Boston?
Ineffective Defense Opponents made a high percentage of the threes-- 37.6% LY (#337) and 37.9% this year (#306)= no appreciable change Opponents made a high percentage of their twos-- 55.6% LY (#346) and 52.5% This year ((#259)= significant improvement We caused few turnovers-- 15.4% LY (#338) and 17.5% this year (#262)= good improvement and see further info later We were not a good rebounding team-- LY Opponents 29.3% offensive (#238) and this year 32.9% (#315)= has gotten worse So our opponents, get this, took 75 more FG attempts but made 150 more total baskets. In effect, we gave them extra shots and they made 200% of them.... This year our opponents have had 15 more field goal attempts and have made 19 more baskets= strong improvement
Ineffective offense We drew few fouls-- opponents took 140 more free throws and made 112 more than we did -This year opponents have taken 22 more FTA and have made 19 more= strong improvement We had a mediocre 3 point percentage----32.0% LY (#235) and this year 33.1% (#193) = modest improvement despite two bad games versus Lehigh We turned the ball over a lot--117 more turnovers than our opponents ---This year we have had 10 more turnovers than out opponents= strong improvement We did not rebound well on offense---25.3% LY (#262) and this year 26.4% (#214)= no appreciable change
So, this non-expert's quick statistical analysis turns up 8 areas needing improvement. Can we do better on 3 or 4 or 5 of those areas? If so we can win a higher percentage of this year's games."
Overall it looks like we have done better in a number of these areas I looked at. Rebounding remains a real concern
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Post by Non Alum Dave on Jan 26, 2021 6:37:18 GMT -5
I too would like to see some more of Bubba and Bo together out there; maybe in time we will. It's understandable to think that perhaps Coach Nelson wanted more experience out there early, and I do think RWade helped out quiet a bit in the 2 wins. To possum's point about the comparison to Kinsey (and that his team was a D first team) - I think that's fair. I think the comparison to Derek Farkas is better; those Blaney teams were more offensive minded; Derek would come in to slow a hot opponent down, and did most of the time (and he was a fan favorite because of that). He carved out an important supporting role on those (good) teams, and I can see Ryan doing the same.
From what we are reading, Caleb Kenney seems to be cut from the same cloth as Bo and Bubba. Looking forward to maybe seeing them out there together; if they are never going to be a great rebounding team I'm thinking they are going to have to become a team that can turn teams over and create extra scoring opportunities that way.
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Post by possum on Jan 26, 2021 7:19:31 GMT -5
Agree there's definitely a role for Wade just not sure it should be 24 minutes a game. As a comparison, Farkas played 12 minutes a game in his senior season.
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Post by trimster on Jan 26, 2021 9:16:13 GMT -5
Agree there's definitely a role for Wade just not sure it should be 24 minutes a game. As a comparison, Farkas played 12 minutes a game in his senior season. There are plenty of stories in HC hoops history of guys who weren’t stars until their junior year. Tom Seaman and Chris Logan come to mind. Wade has a good looking stroke. I think more shots will start dropping for him. He also seems to be getting to the hoop occasionally.
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Post by WorcesterGray on Jan 26, 2021 9:45:52 GMT -5
Agree there's definitely a role for Wade just not sure it should be 24 minutes a game. As a comparison, Farkas played 12 minutes a game in his senior season. There are plenty of stories in HC hoops history of guys who weren’t stars until their junior year. Rob Champion had a very poor freshman year, shooting just 32% overall and 27% from deep (taking 5x as many threes as twos). In the first eighteen games of his sophomore year, he was just 7-30 beyond the arc, and multiple posters were wondering what he was doing on the team. Then something clicked.
Whatever Wade's limitations, his form on the jumper looks good to me as well, and he isn't missing by much. Meanwhile, at the defensive end, he has been a key guy in triggering second-half comebacks, especially against Army (came in when we were down 10, five minutes later we were up 1) and in the first Lehigh game. I think a little more patience with Ryan is in order.
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Post by Sons of Vaval on Jan 26, 2021 9:51:04 GMT -5
There are plenty of stories in HC hoops history of guys who weren’t stars until their junior year.
Whatever Wade's limitations, his form on the jumper looks good to me as well, and he isn't missing by much.
Not to pick nits, but what does this mean? He isn't air-balling three point attempts? To take your larger point one step further (and I am no way insinuating that Wade will be the kind of player Malcolm Miller turned out to be), MM didn't really get going until midway through his junior season. There are countless examples of PL guys who didn't emerge until they become upperclassmen. I can be patient, but am hoping Wade begins to make some more strides on the offensive end soon. Unlike Champion and Miller, Wade had the benefit of logging a ton of minutes as a freshman.
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Post by Tom on Jan 26, 2021 9:56:53 GMT -5
Insincere apology for derailing this thread (insincere because I'm not really sorry), but I think there should be a board rule that this needs to be brought up anytime someone mentions Rob Champion's 3 point shooting
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Post by possum on Jan 26, 2021 10:29:22 GMT -5
Trimster hope your right Wade appears to be a nice kid who works his tail off and didn't bail out. Agree he looks like a shooter but the ball's got to start going in more often. He has attempted to go to the hoop some this year but he is not a confident ball handler and is not comfortable doing it. It's too bad because the one thing he does do real well is shoot free throws but he's not going to get fouled when 75% of his shots are from beyond the arc. It's not only the shooting, he doesn't create offense for others and is a weak rebounder. Over the weekend in 46 minutes he had no assists or rebounds that is hard to do. I don't even know if the other players will be better but I think it's time to give them some of these minutes.
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Post by trimster on Jan 26, 2021 10:38:25 GMT -5
Trimster hope your right Wade appears to be a nice kid who works his tail off and didn't bail out. Agree he looks like a shooter but the ball's got to start going in more often. He has attempted to go to the hoop some this year but he is not a confident ball handler and is not comfortable doing it. It's too bad because the one thing he does do real well is shoot free throws but he's not going to get fouled when 75% of his shots are from beyond the arc. It's not only the shooting, he doesn't create offense for others and is a weak rebounder. Over the weekend in 46 minutes he had no assists or rebounds that is hard to do. I don't even know if the other players will be better but I think it's time to give them some of these minutes. Couldn’t agree more with your opening comment. I have never met him but he seems like a really good kid who works hard. Seems like the kind of kid it is easy to root for.
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Post by hc17 on Jan 26, 2021 11:13:08 GMT -5
As a program, are we where we would like to be? Of course, not. As many predicted, this season was always going to be a struggle on the court. This is very clearly a "developmental" year and it may not be the last. The bottom line is that Nelson inherited one of the worst situations in D1 Basketball. In year 1, he was not placed in a position to succeed. He inherited D2/D3 talent and was tasked with competing in a legitimate D1 conference. The roster became a revolving door, but this also presented a unique opportunity for him - tailor the roster with recruits that suit the style of play he seeks to implement in Worcester. While it was frustrating to see a lot of players leave the program, I think it will expedite the "re-build". Was there collateral damage along the way (ie. Pridgen)? Absolutely. Perhaps I am wearing my purple tinted glasses, but I feel that at the very least Nelson has elevated the standards of the program. Arriving to Worcester as former Associate HC at a Big East Program and playing in the SEC for 4 years for a legendary coach, is a different perspective than perhaps some of Nelson's predecessors. Does that mean he's a great Xs and Os coach? No, it just means he's seen D1 Basketball at its highest level as a coach and player. When you marry Nelson's pedigree, HC's new facilities, and overall investment into the program relative to it's opposition, it's a recipe for success in the long-run. At the very least, Nelson has a vested interest in the HC experiment working if he has any ambition of moving up in the coaching world in future years. Has any of this translated to the Win/Loss column? Not yet, but as I alluded to earlier, this was never going to be a quick "re-build".
Where has Nelson succeeded? I think he has built a competent staff and recruited well. We've seen him recruit the backyard, in the South, Midwest, and Canada. We've seen him pursue JUCOs and transfers to bolster the roster. In the past year, we have gotten longer/bigger, more athletic, and I'd argue much more skillful. Unlike the Power-6 schools, a 4 or 5 star freshman isn't walking through the door to transform your team's fortunes in year 1. The very best teams in the PL are often filled with Upper Classmen. What does that mean for HC going forward? Development.
Are we on a path to effective and competent backcourt play?
Personally, I am looking forward to what RJ will accomplish over the course of his career. It's nice to have a PG that can play in the pick and roll, shoot and make others around him better. In the past, Nelson has mentioned that PG play is the hallmark of good a college basketball team. With Luc on his way next year and Bo Montgomery deputizing, I am confident we're on the right path.
Are we on a path to effective and competent wing play?
While there is overlap between the guards and the wing, I think Bo has displayed solid defense and an ability to take the ball to the basket utilizing his length and athleticism. If he continues to improve his shot, there is a great potential for him. Judson, a favorite of many on this board, will need time. He has had glimpses of being an effective shooter, but his athleticism on the defensive end of the floor is something to monitor. Don't think he'll ever be a stalwart on the defensive end, but he strikes me as a player that "knows how to play" and if given the opportunity to play in the metaphorical sandbox within Nelson's system, I think he'll have a solid career at HC. I'd love to see Bubba get more of a run with the team. It's a positive that he's cracked the rotation, but he fits the mold of the "Nelson" player. He adds to the depth of this team. I know Wade has been a recent topic of conversation, but barring any seismic "leap" in his development, I believe we have a solid on-ball defender and good shooter. While the percentages may suggest otherwise, his teammates are looking for him to hit those 3pt shots and it's not by accident. Worst case scenario Wade is hitting that corner 3 with increased regularity, playing solid defense, and creating space for some of the better shot creators in the offense to go to work. He has a place in this team. Kenney is on his way and appears to be another great recruit that will not only help us on the wing, but in the frontcourt (see below)
Are we on a path to effective and competent frontcourt play?
Perhaps this is the great unknown. There is no doubt we need to improve in the frontcourt (specifically on the glass). Gates has been tremendous. He plays the game much bigger than his measurables. Without question, he's been the biggest success story for this program in the 2021 season. I'm still a little unclear on how many years he'll play for HC, but look forward to enjoying his contributions. As for Mike R. and Louth, it's clear they are not ready halfway through year one. That's also pretty normal. As both mature their games and crack the rotation, we'll be able to play "bigger", which should complement the "smaller" line-ups we will be able to roll out. With Lewis on his way, the talent pool gets deeper.
To summarize, I believe we are on a path to building a complete roster.
With respect to our play this year, the defense needs to improve. Last year, it was a depth problem (little to no players by season's end) and I would still characterize it as such today. Yes, we have more bodies, but we're not going to have real depth until our roster matures and player's develop. Is Nelson an excellent Xs and Os coach? Frankly, I'm not sure, but I don't think he is a bad one based on what I have observed the past 2 seasons. Regardless, I'd hope we agree that there is an identity that Nelson has built with this group. The high pressure, up-tempo style is one that would put a smile on Tommy Heinsohn's face.
A few other random thoughts...
Credit to these seniors for sticking with the program and improving. Butler got off to a nice start, but has come back down to reality. At his best in my opinion, he's a spot-up shooter, but he's not a player you'd want to run your offense through if we're competing for a PL championship. With that said, we're not at that stage and you can't put a price on his leadership and commitment to the program. While Faw led the league in blocks last year and appears to be putting up good block numbers yet again, it doesn't meet the eye-test. He's managed to develop that nice little hook shot, but I am always uncomfortable when the ball finds Faw in the post and he's backing down the opposing player. At his best, I viewed Faw as a "stretch 4". Perhaps, he's another victim of circumstance. Once Nelson is able to fortify and protect the paint with a new frontcourt, I think we'll reap the rewards and we'll see considerable improvement in the win/loss column.
A lot has been made recently on Langel's success with Colgate. Without question, they've become the darlings of the PL and he deserves a ton of credit. With that said, let's not forget how many years it took Langel to stabilize that program. Was Colgate setting the world on fire his first few seasons? I don't believe so.
Take all of this for what you will, but above all else patience is required...particularly when we sat through the Milan Brown era that seemingly could not break down a 2-3 zone defense and the Bill Carmody era that was seemingly flat albeit for a couple of buzzer beaters in year one.
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Post by rgs318 on Jan 26, 2021 11:23:41 GMT -5
hc17, Thank you for that analysis. Reading through it does make me feel better about this team, its players and its coaches. I feel you are realistic in what you see and say. I hope your contributions and insights continue. Be well and stay safe.
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Post by Non Alum Dave on Jan 26, 2021 12:07:43 GMT -5
Under normal circumstances I would say this summer would be a great year for the team to take a European trip......
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Post by hchoops on Jan 26, 2021 12:23:42 GMT -5
Covid may prevent planning and/or the trip
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Post by rgs318 on Jan 26, 2021 12:32:22 GMT -5
I agree a trip would be great, but in this pandemic, it is - to say the least - most unlikely. With one more year, it can still be helpful.
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Post by bringbackcaro on Jan 26, 2021 12:45:47 GMT -5
As a program, are we where we would like to be? Of course, not. As many predicted, this season was always going to be a struggle on the court. This is very clearly a "developmental" year and it may not be the last. The bottom line is that Nelson inherited one of the worst situations in D1 Basketball. In year 1, he was not placed in a position to succeed. He inherited D2/D3 talent and was tasked with competing in a legitimate D1 conference. The roster became a revolving door, but this also presented a unique opportunity for him - tailor the roster with recruits that suit the style of play he seeks to implement in Worcester. While it was frustrating to see a lot of players leave the program, I think it will expedite the "re-build". Was there collateral damage along the way (ie. Pridgen)? Absolutely. Perhaps I am wearing my purple tinted glasses, but I feel that at the very least Nelson has elevated the standards of the program. Arriving to Worcester as former Associate HC at a Big East Program and playing in the SEC for 4 years for a legendary coach, is a different perspective than perhaps some of Nelson's predecessors. Does that mean he's a great Xs and Os coach? No, it just means he's seen D1 Basketball at its highest level as a coach and player. When you marry Nelson's pedigree, HC's new facilities, and overall investment into the program relative to it's opposition, it's a recipe for success in the long-run. At the very least, Nelson has a vested interest in the HC experiment working if he has any ambition of moving up in the coaching world in future years. Has any of this translated to the Win/Loss column? Not yet, but as I alluded to earlier, this was never going to be a quick "re-build". Where has Nelson succeeded? I think he has built a competent staff and recruited well. We've seen him recruit the backyard, in the South, Midwest, and Canada. We've seen him pursue JUCOs and transfers to bolster the roster. In the past year, we have gotten longer/bigger, more athletic, and I'd argue much more skillful. Unlike the Power-6 schools, a 4 or 5 star freshman isn't walking through the door to transform your team's fortunes in year 1. The very best teams in the PL are often filled with Upper Classmen. What does that mean for HC going forward? Development. Are we on a path to effective and competent backcourt play? Personally, I am looking forward to what RJ will accomplish over the course of his career. It's nice to have a PG that can play in the pick and roll, shoot and make others around him better. In the past, Nelson has mentioned that PG play is the hallmark of good a college basketball team. With Luc on his way next year and Bo Montgomery deputizing, I am confident we're on the right path. Are we on a path to effective and competent wing play? While there is overlap between the guards and the wing, I think Bo has displayed solid defense and an ability to take the ball to the basket utilizing his length and athleticism. If he continues to improve his shot, there is a great potential for him. Judson, a favorite of many on this board, will need time. He has had glimpses of being an effective shooter, but his athleticism on the defensive end of the floor is something to monitor. Don't think he'll ever be a stalwart on the defensive end, but he strikes me as a player that "knows how to play" and if given the opportunity to play in the metaphorical sandbox within Nelson's system, I think he'll have a solid career at HC. I'd love to see Bubba get more of a run with the team. It's a positive that he's cracked the rotation, but he fits the mold of the "Nelson" player. He adds to the depth of this team. I know Wade has been a recent topic of conversation, but barring any seismic "leap" in his development, I believe we have a solid on-ball defender and good shooter. While the percentages may suggest otherwise, his teammates are looking for him to hit those 3pt shots and it's not by accident. Worst case scenario Wade is hitting that corner 3 with increased regularity, playing solid defense, and creating space for some of the better shot creators in the offense to go to work. He has a place in this team. Kenney is on his way and appears to be another great recruit that will not only help us on the wing, but in the frontcourt (see below) Are we on a path to effective and competent frontcourt play? Perhaps this is the great unknown. There is no doubt we need to improve in the frontcourt (specifically on the glass). Gates has been tremendous. He plays the game much bigger than his measurables. Without question, he's been the biggest success story for this program in the 2021 season. I'm still a little unclear on how many years he'll play for HC, but look forward to enjoying his contributions. As for Mike R. and Louth, it's clear they are not ready halfway through year one. That's also pretty normal. As both mature their games and crack the rotation, we'll be able to play "bigger", which should complement the "smaller" line-ups we will be able to roll out. With Lewis on his way, the talent pool gets deeper. To summarize, I believe we are on a path to building a complete roster. With respect to our play this year, the defense needs to improve. Last year, it was a depth problem (little to no players by season's end) and I would still characterize it as such today. Yes, we have more bodies, but we're not going to have real depth until our roster matures and player's develop. Is Nelson an excellent Xs and Os coach? Frankly, I'm not sure, but I don't think he is a bad one based on what I have observed the past 2 seasons. Regardless, I'd hope we agree that there is an identity that Nelson has built with this group. The high pressure, up-tempo style is one that would put a smile on Tommy Heinsohn's face. A few other random thoughts... Credit to these seniors for sticking with the program and improving. Butler got off to a nice start, but has come back down to reality. At his best in my opinion, he's a spot-up shooter, but he's not a player you'd want to run your offense through if we're competing for a PL championship. With that said, we're not at that stage and you can't put a price on his leadership and commitment to the program. While Faw led the league in blocks last year and appears to be putting up good block numbers yet again, it doesn't meet the eye-test. He's managed to develop that nice little hook shot, but I am always uncomfortable when the ball finds Faw in the post and he's backing down the opposing player. At his best, I viewed Faw as a "stretch 4". Perhaps, he's another victim of circumstance. Once Nelson is able to fortify and protect the paint with a new frontcourt, I think we'll reap the rewards and we'll see considerable improvement in the win/loss column. A lot has been made recently on Langel's success with Colgate. Without question, they've become the darlings of the PL and he deserves a ton of credit. With that said, let's not forget how many years it took Langel to stabilize that program. Was Colgate setting the world on fire his first few seasons? I don't believe so. Take all of this for what you will, but above all else patience is required...particularly when we sat through the Milan Brown era that seemingly could not break down a 2-3 zone defense and the Bill Carmody era that was seemingly flat albeit for a couple of buzzer beaters in year one. +1 nails it
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