Great to be bac@therac for what potential could be the most exciting season at the Banks since the days of Phil the Thrill in 76. Usually a team will bring back some familiar faces but this years Rutgers is truly a new beginning. Cliff and Aundre are gone and any of the link to the Geo/Ron glory years are extinguished. That chapter has been written, published and well read. Pikiell begins to write a new book...well give the one year stays this year, let us call this one a short story.
This is likely to be one of my shortest recaps of the season. All in all, it was a very solid performance and what you would like to see from a home opener. Yes it sucked that Ace was out because the anticipation of seeing Ace and Dylan in a real game together is one that Rutgers fans and NBA scouts have been waiting for. That will have to wait hopefully only til next game. Still it was actually a good test without Ace to see if the team could come together and make up for his absence. They clearly did even as Wagner who was picked to win the Northeast Conference really seemed week and not really up to the challenge to make the game competitive beyond the first 5 minutes.
First of all I have not seen an effortless talent like Dylan Harper ever in my 35 plus years of Rutgers fandom. There is no need to worry about a freshmen to get his feet wet when he is already NBA level talent at 18. Harper was smooth and his first bucket which was a 3 was a memorable swoosh to begin his Rutgers chapter. Such great court vision and awareness and confidence beyond his years. Not sure we are taking the time to appreciate and realize how good he is. 9-14 fg with 4 assist and 3 boards for 20 points. Only knock was the funky 1-6 ft shooting but not worried about that. I like how he really didnt force much and got others involved. My highlights would have to be his steal for a bucket nearing halftime and his dunk assisted by J Will in the 2nd half to balloon the lead to 22.
As I mentioned Rutgers had some trouble settling in early and were down 10-5. Much of it to me is just having to start Ogobole and I mean I just have to say right now he is not really up to the level even playing a NEC team. RU couldnt get untracked in the first few minutes in both halves with Ogobole starting. Something to watch going forward but its almost like he has to start to ease Lathan in. After Lathan came in, RU start to unfurl and assert themselves. Much of this was buoyed by Lathan who ran off 9 point and grabbed a few boards as part of a throttling 20-0 run over the course of 11 minutes to push the lead to 25-10 which effectively put the game away. The highlight for Lathan was a sweet assist from J Mike for a lay in plus an ugly looking but fortituous 3 point bounce in. Clearly, Rutgers is a better team with Lathan in the game. Yet forcing a freshmen to play starting minutes and 30 minutes a game may not be the best thing. So coming off the bench at least for now may be the best approach to effectively get the most out of him and take the least out his reserve before the tougher games arrive. Yes its only Wagner who didnt have much size but 11 points in 27 minutes on 4-7 fg and 2-2 ft with 8 boards is a pretty solid beginning. Didnt get many offensive rebounds if I want to nitpick but neither did the team as a whole with just 4 to Wagner's 12. Obviously this center position and rebounding look like the early choice for the achilles heel for this season. It will be up to Pike to work his magic like a talisman to hide these weaknesses once league play begins.
Did not attend the St John's game so I was very pleasantly surprised from the play of PJ Hayes. He isnt a player that is going to overwhelm you with his talent but I think "Babyface" is going to be as consistent and tough as they come. You can really see why Pikiell recruited him. Workhouse player and finally a guy that can drain an open 3. Ended up playing the 2nd most minutes at 28, 11 points, 4-6 fg, 2-4 from 3 and 2-2 ft, just in one game you can see the upgrade over the much ballyhooed and much maligned Gavin Griffiths. Not even close. Can he be as good vs Big 10 schools as he was tonight against Wagner. I think so and if he can geez Rutgers has a lot of potent options on offense.
Good to see Jeremiah out there. Rumors of an injury but looked solid today after taking a bit to get untracked. 4-6 fg, 10 points in 24 minutes. He is going to be counted on for his leadership as really one of only 2 players from last year to play significant minutes. The other J Mike was solid tonight. He dished out 5 assists and nailed 3-4 ft which has been a bugaboo for him. Also 2 unlikely blocks. So yeah the shots didnt fall at 0-4 but thats okay, he is not being counted on for that. There will be games this year where these two are pressed on by Pikiell to execute and settle this team down
Derkack is such a tough scrappy little player much like PJ. 5 boards and 2 steals showed some tenacity under the rim and had a nice putback in traffic. 3-5 fg on 8 points getting the start but playing 21 minutes. Brings that intangible to games that goes beyond someones recruiting ranking.
There is a third of the trio of blue collar kids in Zach Martini who looked good out there...3-5 fg including a couple of trey for 10 points and added 5 boards. Do not think he can play the center spot beyond a spot minute but is another nice option at the 4 and he and PJ got more minutes tonight with Ace out.
Acuff trying to come back from injury looks a step behind right now...just 1-5 fg and that was a 3 late in 14 minutes. Have to see how quickly he can catch up but the minutes are going to be competitive
Just 3 minutes for Dylan Grant and that will happen with a freshman on a deep team.
For me the defense was better than I heard for St Johns. Obviously when you shut your opponent out for 11 minutes, you are doing something right so its a pleasant surprise for me. Also tough for Pike to get these to committ to playing a full game against a team that just did not have the fortitude or physicality to ever make this a game. So good job by Pike to keep them interested. Team played hard throughout and right to the end so like the eagerness to get better. Offensively this team can score and its refreshing not to worry about the team running the shot clock down and trying to force ugly shots. Solid ball movement. There were a few times where they were a bit too eager to shoot rather than make that one extra pass but cannot argue too much. Even the misses they had in the first half were all good looks especially from 3 they just did not go in. Everything changes with Ace and yes it will be important to have as many games as possible with Ace integrated with the teams normal rotation before Vegas. Yet as I said it also benefits the team to get a game or two without him to fall back on.
Crowd was decent especially for a 6PM game, not the full sellout they claim but still upwards over 6500 and got to love wearing shorts to the RAC and walking out and its still 70 plus after the game.
St Peters up next and they gave Seton Hall a tussle losing only 57-53 so careful with this game but know that this Rutgers team is already an upgraded of what we were subjected to early last season
This is likely to be one of my shortest recaps of the season. All in all, it was a very solid performance and what you would like to see from a home opener. Yes it sucked that Ace was out because the anticipation of seeing Ace and Dylan in a real game together is one that Rutgers fans and NBA scouts have been waiting for. That will have to wait hopefully only til next game. Still it was actually a good test without Ace to see if the team could come together and make up for his absence. They clearly did even as Wagner who was picked to win the Northeast Conference really seemed week and not really up to the challenge to make the game competitive beyond the first 5 minutes.
First of all I have not seen an effortless talent like Dylan Harper ever in my 35 plus years of Rutgers fandom. There is no need to worry about a freshmen to get his feet wet when he is already NBA level talent at 18. Harper was smooth and his first bucket which was a 3 was a memorable swoosh to begin his Rutgers chapter. Such great court vision and awareness and confidence beyond his years. Not sure we are taking the time to appreciate and realize how good he is. 9-14 fg with 4 assist and 3 boards for 20 points. Only knock was the funky 1-6 ft shooting but not worried about that. I like how he really didnt force much and got others involved. My highlights would have to be his steal for a bucket nearing halftime and his dunk assisted by J Will in the 2nd half to balloon the lead to 22.
As I mentioned Rutgers had some trouble settling in early and were down 10-5. Much of it to me is just having to start Ogobole and I mean I just have to say right now he is not really up to the level even playing a NEC team. RU couldnt get untracked in the first few minutes in both halves with Ogobole starting. Something to watch going forward but its almost like he has to start to ease Lathan in. After Lathan came in, RU start to unfurl and assert themselves. Much of this was buoyed by Lathan who ran off 9 point and grabbed a few boards as part of a throttling 20-0 run over the course of 11 minutes to push the lead to 25-10 which effectively put the game away. The highlight for Lathan was a sweet assist from J Mike for a lay in plus an ugly looking but fortituous 3 point bounce in. Clearly, Rutgers is a better team with Lathan in the game. Yet forcing a freshmen to play starting minutes and 30 minutes a game may not be the best thing. So coming off the bench at least for now may be the best approach to effectively get the most out of him and take the least out his reserve before the tougher games arrive. Yes its only Wagner who didnt have much size but 11 points in 27 minutes on 4-7 fg and 2-2 ft with 8 boards is a pretty solid beginning. Didnt get many offensive rebounds if I want to nitpick but neither did the team as a whole with just 4 to Wagner's 12. Obviously this center position and rebounding look like the early choice for the achilles heel for this season. It will be up to Pike to work his magic like a talisman to hide these weaknesses once league play begins.
Did not attend the St John's game so I was very pleasantly surprised from the play of PJ Hayes. He isnt a player that is going to overwhelm you with his talent but I think "Babyface" is going to be as consistent and tough as they come. You can really see why Pikiell recruited him. Workhouse player and finally a guy that can drain an open 3. Ended up playing the 2nd most minutes at 28, 11 points, 4-6 fg, 2-4 from 3 and 2-2 ft, just in one game you can see the upgrade over the much ballyhooed and much maligned Gavin Griffiths. Not even close. Can he be as good vs Big 10 schools as he was tonight against Wagner. I think so and if he can geez Rutgers has a lot of potent options on offense.
Good to see Jeremiah out there. Rumors of an injury but looked solid today after taking a bit to get untracked. 4-6 fg, 10 points in 24 minutes. He is going to be counted on for his leadership as really one of only 2 players from last year to play significant minutes. The other J Mike was solid tonight. He dished out 5 assists and nailed 3-4 ft which has been a bugaboo for him. Also 2 unlikely blocks. So yeah the shots didnt fall at 0-4 but thats okay, he is not being counted on for that. There will be games this year where these two are pressed on by Pikiell to execute and settle this team down
Derkack is such a tough scrappy little player much like PJ. 5 boards and 2 steals showed some tenacity under the rim and had a nice putback in traffic. 3-5 fg on 8 points getting the start but playing 21 minutes. Brings that intangible to games that goes beyond someones recruiting ranking.
There is a third of the trio of blue collar kids in Zach Martini who looked good out there...3-5 fg including a couple of trey for 10 points and added 5 boards. Do not think he can play the center spot beyond a spot minute but is another nice option at the 4 and he and PJ got more minutes tonight with Ace out.
Acuff trying to come back from injury looks a step behind right now...just 1-5 fg and that was a 3 late in 14 minutes. Have to see how quickly he can catch up but the minutes are going to be competitive
Just 3 minutes for Dylan Grant and that will happen with a freshman on a deep team.
For me the defense was better than I heard for St Johns. Obviously when you shut your opponent out for 11 minutes, you are doing something right so its a pleasant surprise for me. Also tough for Pike to get these to committ to playing a full game against a team that just did not have the fortitude or physicality to ever make this a game. So good job by Pike to keep them interested. Team played hard throughout and right to the end so like the eagerness to get better. Offensively this team can score and its refreshing not to worry about the team running the shot clock down and trying to force ugly shots. Solid ball movement. There were a few times where they were a bit too eager to shoot rather than make that one extra pass but cannot argue too much. Even the misses they had in the first half were all good looks especially from 3 they just did not go in. Everything changes with Ace and yes it will be important to have as many games as possible with Ace integrated with the teams normal rotation before Vegas. Yet as I said it also benefits the team to get a game or two without him to fall back on.
Crowd was decent especially for a 6PM game, not the full sellout they claim but still upwards over 6500 and got to love wearing shorts to the RAC and walking out and its still 70 plus after the game.
St Peters up next and they gave Seton Hall a tussle losing only 57-53 so careful with this game but know that this Rutgers team is already an upgraded of what we were subjected to early last season
Last edited:
