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Media day press conference with Head Coach Steve Pikiell and Player Comments

Hopefully we get another one soon too after National letter of intent day. November 8 - 15 is the early signing period.
 
I can't stop smiling and being over run with joy.

Think about how bad RU basketball was two and three years ago under Eddie's last two seasons. It was a joke. Fundamentals were not even present and I haven't coached or played a day of college level basketball and I would see it everywhere. Games were nearly unwatchable.

Last season, I took my wife to the games vs Seton Hall and vs Wisconsin and she actually thoroughly enjoyed both games. Also took her to Iowa game which was not so great or entertaining - and I told her every game was like this two years ago. And she replied "how can anyone watch games like this"
 
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I guess I'm going to have to revise my predictions for the distribution of minutes. I previously had Baker at around 12-14 minutes, but based on the comments by Pike, and Jerry's prediction that Baker will likely start, I think I have to increase Baker's minutes to at least 20, and perhaps drop minutes for Williams and Thiam. I still think Souf is going to see about 12-14 mpg at the PG spot.
 
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“Steve Pikiell compares freshman center Myles Johnson's skillset to last year's fan favorite C.J. Gettys.”

Based on this quote I would think Johnson either starts at center or at least spells Doucoure often. Educated guess by Jerry C surprisingly doesn’t even mention Johnson in the rotation. I also like a healthy Doorson in the rotation. Very excited about the bigs here, not to mention the back court! GO RRRR UUUU!
 
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Good Article ( link below) - FOUR OBSERVATIONS from Jerry Carino

1. Geo Baker continues to look the part of a quality combo guard. The savvy freshman seems destined to start alongside playmaker Corey Sanders. “One of our leading scorers in every practice and scrimmage we’ve had,” Pikiell said.

2. Rutgers grinded past Ivy League co-favorite Yale in a scrimmage last weekend. Sanders said he would grade the foul-plagued performance as a C. Baker and sophomore wing Issa Thiam stood out for the Scarlet Knights.

3. Redshirt junior center Shaq Doorson is back to full-contact play after spending the offseason recovering from foot surgery. “I’m finally feeling great,” said Doorson, the program’s biggest guy at 7-0 and 275 pounds.

4. The offense should look much different this season. Pikiell is emphasizing spacing the floor and attacking off the dribble in the first 10 seconds of the shot clock. That fits with the team’s noticeable upgrade in athleticism.



http://www.app.com/story/sports/col...coure-freeman-anchoring-frontcourt/813252001/
 
Man you can feel Pike's enthusiasm about this team. He's totally stoked and anxious for the season to start, and to have his guys tested.

His highest praise is for Geo Baker, who Pike says at 6'5 can play the 1, 2 or 3. Have we ever had a 6'5 point guard?

And center Myles Johnson, wow, I had no idea Pike would compare his contribution to Gettys. That's huge!

When you add in Souf and Mamadou with the returning players -- Corey, DeShawn, Mike, Issa, Eugene, Candido, and Shack, all who have been battle tested in th B1G -- you gotta love the possibilities.

Plus Pike says everyone has improved their game and gotten bigger and stronger.

Looking forward to Sunday and the season!
 
His quotes are music my ears, and my prediction from last October for this year ...
 
I love the attacking approach mentioned in the Carino article.....last year, quite frankly, the offense was boring and predictable.........Easy to defend.
 
Myles will help us, but he's not at the savvy level of CJ Getty's as a 5th year experienced senior.....he can be that big bodied 5 that has nice touch, but he's not going to find minutes ahead of Sa, Doucoure or Doorson if he can stay healthy....Myles adds a different dimension vs the other bigs with his passing etc....

Saturday vs MD in football and Sunday at the RAC makes this a fun weekend for RU fans....
 
Myles Johnson is a terrific and intelligent kid but to compare him to Gettys at this time is unfair to Myles. Johnson has the potential to be a better player in the long term but from what I saw at practice - he is raw; needs conditioning etc at this juncture. Hope I'm wrong which I'm sure I am...:)
 
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Still going to be a process--we have several newcomers that will play a lot, with more to come next year. But sounds like this team is more in the mold Pikiell likes. We don't want to see people get too excited about this team just yet--when B1G reality set in after our OOC sked raised some posters' expectations about the 2016-17 team to unrealistic heights, the grinding B1G schedule brought them down. We saw some unwarranted negative posts that attacked individual players for not being able to do what they were athletically unable to do. Even saw some shots at Gettys, who gave us so much heart and energy, but was not very athletic or that much of a leaper. They wanted him to do what he was incapable of doing, and wouldn't hear different. The B1G has some awfully talented teams and players; going to be a while until we even can compete with the upper echelons. But it will come.
TL
 
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Nice write-up here by friend and legendary RU fan Cal Schwartz...

http://www.njdiscover.com/2017/11/0...perspectives-calvin-schwartz-november-1-2017/

Interesting quotes from his questions to each of the kids ... a deeper, more personal, look than other reports we have seen. He asked each player their goals, and role models - but not all players had quotes.

Not as interesting responses on role models - these are kids after all, and kids who love to play basketball. But there were some interesting thoughts: Mike Williams and Omoruyi had parents as role models. Sanders had Drake (musician - not too surprising given he likes to rap) and Denzel Washington. Myles Johnson had Obama - and Malcolm X - each for different reasons. Mensah had Billy Beane from Moneyball ... as a stats geek I LOVE it.

But ... the responses on their individual goals: Mike Williams and Freeman were ALL and ONLY about team. MOSTLY about the team: Myles Johnson, Mensah, Kiss, Dadika, Baker and Sa. Half personal - but also half team: Sanders. NONE were unreasonable responses, all were solid to EXACTLY what you would want to hear.
 
Can't wait to see this team in action. Pikiell was so giddy the first minute of that interview.

You can tell he's excited about the strides the team had made and the work put in the offseason along with his new pieces.
 
Great to hear that first comment in describing his players for this year....."great kids"!!!!! Also, the improvement in practicing hard and spending extra hours in the gym. Coach has established the culture and expectations and the kids are developing personal accountability and ownership. Nice!!
 
This was all so wonderful to hear. I am really looking forward to seeing us against the Johnnies on Sunday, the Court Club meeting on Monday night and the first real game on Friday the 10th. I really enjoyed Cal's coverage as well. I hope he can do more in the future.
 
Jake Dadika chooses dinner with Jayson Williams???
Shouldn't Corey know better to say his goal is to improve his stats?

I love all the other answers, especially mike Williams.
 
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