Perfect complement to ace and Dykan …… 3 and D guy who cleans the glass and does rbe dirty work
Bright future …..and gonna be a big part of this years finish ….
Bright future …..and gonna be a big part of this years finish ….
Dylan Grant !!!!
- Thread starter Scarlet Shack
- Start date
7 of 8 from the field? Goodness.
Just don’t get why he wasn’t playing from the start!!
Because Pikell had to play his portal transfers even though he’s so much better
Man we could have used him big time in the beginning of the season. He's a true forward who can get boards!
@Scarlet Shack may be the fact that I sat next to you and Hawk at the UCLA game that we are going on a streak now!
He is a major reason for the season turnaround!
Even his misses on those corner 3's are typically right on
Some said he couldn't shoot 3's after a sample size of like 3
He’s doing some really fine work. Just keep in mind that he may not have been his ready before Christmas as he was afterward. He is still struggling on the pick and roll and he let his man score a layup on an inbound pass which was pretty bad.
That being said he’s still growing and he may have been improving by leaps and bounds playing this level competition and practice. It’s great where he is now and likely getting better.
That being said he’s still growing and he may have been improving by leaps and bounds playing this level competition and practice. It’s great where he is now and likely getting better.
Pike should be arrested for never playing Grant till like a week ago.
Plus he missed playing as a senior in high school. Now he’s helping us turn the season around, so you have to give Pike and coaches credit for recruiting him, closing the deal and getting him ready to contribute as a true freshman.
late in game when harper was resting but Ace was out there I wanted them to sit Ace and bring in Grant... get both Harper and Ace fresh at some time later... that's how good Grant was playing.
My take on that was that Lathan should have stuck with teh big man and he left Grant wondering why Lathan switched. No one really knows what was coached in that situation, but we have seen Sommerville out on the perimeter on D too often and not protecting the rim at all... at least that's how I see it.
I know Pike likes the big hedge by the big men.. but this lineup is not as capable of covering for teh big man as others he has had... at least not at this stage.
For the millionth time, he wasn't ready.
Did you see him practice regularly? Remember, the young man didn't play high school ball last season. He needed time to get back into game shape. Throwing him into the fire early on would have been a nightmare and, quite possibly, killed his confidence.
Somewhere Pike is fuming because instead of standing at the three-point line, dribbling until there is 2 seconds on the clock and firing-up a contested three ... Grant just puts the ball in the basket from two feet away. Clearly he doesn't understand our "offense."
People need to give props to NJH
@NewJerseyHawk
@NewJerseyHawk
I am not advocating or taking any credit, this is just a basketball observation. Players play OR how they play on tape is what I see and evaluate.
Let's take a step back and understand why Grant is effective in this lineup.
He has 33 points in the last 4 games at around 78 minutes of floor time.
If another RU player was on the court for those 78 minutes, the fanbase would be asking "why doesn't Pike run an offense"?? We don't run any sets designed to get players wide open shots!!
If PJ Hayea had to play 78 minutes, he is not a forward, but minutes played have to equate to productivity.....and if you have a Hayes on the floor, you have to run something for him to get open, which completely interrupts the flow of the other players on the floor. Otherwise, the likely situation is Hayes would allow more points than he scores in those 78 minutes.
To be completely fair, I am actually higher on Lathan Sommerville than I was on Dylan Grant......But Sommerville is a true 4/5 and he actually is more reliant on the team or offense to feed him on the post or allow him the freedom to take perimeter shots. I am actually more happy we have Sommerville because he has the ability to take a 3 from the Top of the Key.....because that shot attempt is within the flow of the other players on the floor. Why mention Sommerville??
If Sommerville scores 8 points, it's because the ball finds him and he goes to work to score, which is fine. It's almost an effort to do so.
If Dylan Grant scores 8 points, it's because its happens in the flow of the players around him....if he's open, pull the trigger.....if the lane presents itself, go try and score.
The difference is, Grant has scored 33 points in 4 games and how many plays were "run for him"??
ZERO.....nothing run for him, no sets required, no intricate details or double screens and stacks in hopes the opponent falls asleep. He creates his own offense.....on the glass, via a lob for a dunk or an open 3.
If we continue to start Grant next to Sommerville, it is the best case scenario.....one player needs the roster to provide him touches in the paint (Lathan) BUT Lathan is not just a big man inside.....Once Lathan takes and makes perimeter shots, is where RU really takes off.....theh his offense is not going to be forced or fed.....and Grant can clean up the missed shots by Lathan, Ace, Harper etc.
If you then plug in Ogbole with a more likely shooting threat like Martini and Grant, we then don't have to force feed Ogbole to get productivity from him......let Ogbole crash the glass for a putback....and let Martini or Grant provide spacing. If Ogbole adds a possession with a rebound, that's a win.
Ogbole and Grant don't need ANYTHING run for them to be productive. Both are more productive just staying around the paint or basket and being physically stronger than Hayes or asking Derkack to be a rebounding guard at 6'4.
He was right on Grant for sure... but he wasn't the only one calling for him to play
Too bad he didn't get more time from the start. He's definitely given the team a shot in the arm.
Looking back, perhaps some more credit should be given to Pike on his handling of Grant. When he played in Vegas, many of us saw the "raw" talent, with raw being the operative word.
Some could say he is still raw, however, perhaps by sitting him and "teaching" him what he needs to focus and work on his progress and efficiency has been accelerated.
Some could say he is still raw, however, perhaps by sitting him and "teaching" him what he needs to focus and work on his progress and efficiency has been accelerated.
Literally 0 people were saying this - we were losing because one of those freshmen were sick (and supposedly lost 13 pounds), and the supporting cast of non freshman were not up to snuff.
Is CBS sports 0 people? Maybe 1 person-the high major assistant who spoke to CBS Sports? Not being argumentative, but someone said that, or CBS Sports made up the quote.
While Grants awesome, some of his value is simply just cause he fills a role we needed all season, a floor spacing wing. If we had someone competent for that role his value wouldn’t be so dramatic. But he’s doing well, even if he could stand to improve on D. He’s learning. Also, looks like his hands are starting to improve, which is a sign of someone when the game starts to slow down for them.
Overall agree with your post but differ on Lathan role on this team. An interior scoring presence not as important with Dylan and Ace as the focus of 80% of the team needed scoring. Lathan has more advanced scoring skills than other big men but this team needs the same from him that it needs from Grant and Ogbole: rebound like a man possessed, keep hands up and body up post players and try to get put backs plus screen and roll. Lathan has severely lacked in those effort categories.
Lathan is really light on his feet when creating offense but rarely looks to pass out. He needs to wait until next year [if here] for him to be center of the offense and have plays run for him. Another thing he needs to stop doing is pouting. Take your foul like an adult and keep balling.
GO RU
the guy made it seem like this was the narrative around this team and “tons” of people were saying which just wasn’t true, except on anonymous mid major assistant coach. Just a silly tweet.
Dylan Grant's first 3 games, 20 min, first 14 games
FG 0-8, 3pt 0-5, 3 reb, 1ast, 1 stl
Last 4 games, 77 min, 33 pts, 1 3pt made all 4
FG 14-23 60.9%, 3pt 4-8 50%, FT 1-4, 11 reb, 2 ast, 3 TO, 1 stl, 5 blk
FG 0-8, 3pt 0-5, 3 reb, 1ast, 1 stl
Last 4 games, 77 min, 33 pts, 1 3pt made all 4
FG 14-23 60.9%, 3pt 4-8 50%, FT 1-4, 11 reb, 2 ast, 3 TO, 1 stl, 5 blk
Yes, thank goodness. Too many here and in society don’t have basic intelligence. This troubles and triggers Shelby.
Grant is a "3 and D guy"... but the "D" stands for Determination, Dedication, and Drive.
He's night and day better than he was in the early months of this season, and that's a testament to his Desire (another D!) to improve. Most freshmen aren't immediate impact guys and need some time to bake... he's definitely improved in a lot of areas, and I'm hoping that learning curve continues to progress as he gets more minutes against top level opposition.
Big upside if he can continue to improve defense and rebounding.
Sommerville also has a big upside, and also needs to improve his defense and rebounding.
The team is starting to gel as guys are getting more used to playing with/for each other - and that should help make both of these guys better as all boats rise.
He's night and day better than he was in the early months of this season, and that's a testament to his Desire (another D!) to improve. Most freshmen aren't immediate impact guys and need some time to bake... he's definitely improved in a lot of areas, and I'm hoping that learning curve continues to progress as he gets more minutes against top level opposition.
Big upside if he can continue to improve defense and rebounding.
Sommerville also has a big upside, and also needs to improve his defense and rebounding.
The team is starting to gel as guys are getting more used to playing with/for each other - and that should help make both of these guys better as all boats rise.
Richie said it on a podcast: Grant starting with Lathan also means Ace can match up with a 3 on defense and not get banged around as much on D, which hopefully keeps him fresher to attack on O as well as causing trouble for that 3 because of Ace's added length. It's a ripple effect.
