I preached patience, but our lack of talent is so evident that even with mulcahy and young next year I worry we peak at a 500 team. Recruiting needs to tick up.
Just a game ago..
- Thread starter Rutgers25
- Start date
You know kids on the team can be coached up and become better
All these freshman mistakes turn into better play as sophomores
All these freshman mistakes turn into better play as sophomores
I disagree. We have the talent. We don't have the experience right now. And the kids, and they are super young, can score. They just need the game to slow down for them and come to them. They're shot selection right now isn't good. And that's not just coaching. When they're out there playing, I notice they get a bit rattled in the moment and take some questionable shots. The shots we see now that are not going in, should start falling as the season progresses and by next season, I see a few of these kids emerging as consistent scorers.
this...talent is there, just too young and Pike is cautious unleashing them to try and do too much...the way Mathis is being brought along is impressive to see. Harper today I think too many shots..not ready for that yet. Eugene and Geo are under much pressure to do everything but if the freshmen are not quite ready you just have to be patient
Just don’t see what being young has to do with missing wide open 3s, chip layups, pull ups.
Mathis is progressing terrifically and is a Pike favorite and rightfully so. Harper takes too many shots especially 3s and misses too much. Coaching staff needs to reel him in and have him settle for drives and 12-15 footers. Myles needs to be more aggressive around basket. Get ball and shoot.
I think you got a live with Harper right now. He’s gonna be a force if he works hard. He’s just missing not taking bad shots. It will come imo.
Seemed to be missing quite badly today although there were a lot of awful shots by many guys today. His stat line must have been pretty bad shooting wise.
I would probably ask him to fake and drive more when they aren’t falling He’s a great passer. But I believe you gotta kind of live with some struggles right now. He’s still. Maturing and he’s your future.
mikemarc have you ever played the game? If so re-read my original post. The kids have the talent. We saw them make these kinds of shots on their videos and there was a reason they were 4 star recruits. They're hurrying their shots and they're not letting the game come to them. They were rushing their shots and looked rattled at times. Let's see how they do by season's end. If they're still missing wide open shots, then yes, Pikiell did not bring in any consistent shooters. I don't buy that yet.
I disagree
We do have basketball athletes. Let them learn and their feet wet first. Are you so predisposed that you can judge their careers after 10 games?
Yes I did. I was horrible and very little talent. But I’d go on scoring streaks and get hot (this is in middle school)
I disagree our struggling has much to do with experience.
They’re either good shooters or not. They either finish strong or not. Right now it doesn’t look like we are talented shooters.
Can they get better? Sure.
Just can’t stand the “youth” excuses.
Kentucky, Duke’s youth, for example, don’t have the issues we do. They’re much more talented..which is why I say it’s talent we lack right now.
We make up for this talent with hard work. Which makes this team fun to watch and root for.
I’m just saying this level of talent may plateau at 16-18 wins, which is an improvement but not necessarily the promised land.
We are *never* going to recruit at a Duke/Kentucky level. Never. We are going to recruit at a level where we get four stars and three stars that need to develop. This is how this program is going to be built. Unfortunately that means things are going to take longer.
What I see after 10 games is that we are certainly athletic. What we are missing is a true point guard that we may have 2 four * point guards next year. Way-in next year whether we are meeting your W-L goals.
Myles Johnson, Montez Mathis, Caleb McConnell and Ron Harper Jr.....10 games into their careers....max amount of minutes you could have played is 40 minutes per game. Most have played about half that amount of minutes over these 10 games....which is the equivalent of maybe 5 total games. You can play 5 total games in 2 weeks time.
McConnell specifically is probably played the equivalent of 3 full games with limited minutes. A couple of turnovers each game, but he made a couple of baskets today, under pressure down 2 to 3 possessions late in the 1st half.
I would gauge things after 45 to 50 games around January/February of 2020.....right now Geo Baker plays like a junior but he's about at the stage of game 45 in his career as a sophomore....I think most fans kinda understand what his strengths are but he's also learning 10 games in, how to lead a team without a focal point like Sanders next to him and without a tough minded Mike Williams doing the dirty work.....
Mathis is developing into that tougher role Mike filled but it will take time. I don't see any downside to him, he can build on his game with more minutes....the drives he made to the basket were all made, but they were decisive instead of passive.
The other moving part is how far Eugene has come along....less than 1 years ago, no jump shot, junkyard dog, just a rebounder and scrapper....evolved to a reliable and capable interior threat with an added, self made jump/set shot. Not something that was there last year.
It's very choppy but I am very confident that if Mathis, Johnson and Harper Jr can continue to get 28 to 30 minutes in the remaining 20 games, I'll live with the bumps and bruises. Gotta find 15 to 18 minutes for Caleb too.
The one item that just stands out is the stark difference in how fearless and at times a little overconfident our freshmen are....it's exciting to see.
On the other hand, we are going into games 75 to 95 in the evolving career of Issa Thiam. The staff has a very unique player that just stands out without any overall strength of his game.
Thiam probably had 17 minutes of play and I'm not quite sure what he did today. He didn't impact Powell which is fine or unfair to ask, he's not a plus athlete...but didn't rebound and just appeared to be there.
I know Caleb McConnell looks a little uncertain when he has the ball but i definitely know he understands how to play. I can't see how more McConnell and less Issa Thiam impacts the overall roster on either end of the court. Let McConnell play more and be a threat off the dribble or as a shooter.
McConnell specifically is probably played the equivalent of 3 full games with limited minutes. A couple of turnovers each game, but he made a couple of baskets today, under pressure down 2 to 3 possessions late in the 1st half.
I would gauge things after 45 to 50 games around January/February of 2020.....right now Geo Baker plays like a junior but he's about at the stage of game 45 in his career as a sophomore....I think most fans kinda understand what his strengths are but he's also learning 10 games in, how to lead a team without a focal point like Sanders next to him and without a tough minded Mike Williams doing the dirty work.....
Mathis is developing into that tougher role Mike filled but it will take time. I don't see any downside to him, he can build on his game with more minutes....the drives he made to the basket were all made, but they were decisive instead of passive.
The other moving part is how far Eugene has come along....less than 1 years ago, no jump shot, junkyard dog, just a rebounder and scrapper....evolved to a reliable and capable interior threat with an added, self made jump/set shot. Not something that was there last year.
It's very choppy but I am very confident that if Mathis, Johnson and Harper Jr can continue to get 28 to 30 minutes in the remaining 20 games, I'll live with the bumps and bruises. Gotta find 15 to 18 minutes for Caleb too.
The one item that just stands out is the stark difference in how fearless and at times a little overconfident our freshmen are....it's exciting to see.
On the other hand, we are going into games 75 to 95 in the evolving career of Issa Thiam. The staff has a very unique player that just stands out without any overall strength of his game.
Thiam probably had 17 minutes of play and I'm not quite sure what he did today. He didn't impact Powell which is fine or unfair to ask, he's not a plus athlete...but didn't rebound and just appeared to be there.
I know Caleb McConnell looks a little uncertain when he has the ball but i definitely know he understands how to play. I can't see how more McConnell and less Issa Thiam impacts the overall roster on either end of the court. Let McConnell play more and be a threat off the dribble or as a shooter.
Agree with this. Only used those two programs because they’ve been successful with young players.
So to me, YOUTH should never be a reason anyone struggles. If it were...all youth would struggle. And they don’t.
I agree, our team has to develop. But thet don’t have to develop cause they’re young, they have to develop cause they aren’t as talented as we need them to be.
Gio has to develop more..does that mean all sophomores in ncaa have to develop? Of course not. Eugene has to continue to develop..and he’s an upperclassman. While it’s encouraging we are young and have more time to develop, it’s discouraging that we continue to struggle on offense.
Mathis is a great glue guy and defensive player. A great piece, but if he is expected to fix scoring woes, don’t hold your breath. You don’t all of a sudden develop into a great shooter.
This team needs a major influx of talent. Specifically talent that can shoot the ball.
This team needs a major influx of talent. Specifically talent that can shoot the ball.
only because of their name, in reality their young talent isnt a top 25 team, they have beat nobody
