Not Sold on Simpson

[socaldave]

I think Simpson has incredible potential,
Someone like him needs to elevate their game as we approach the second half of the season to make this team a team that can do damage in the Tournament. And be a top 3 Big team.

 

[Lawboy12007]

so when i went back...shockingly Derek took 3 consecutive shots in crunch time when the game was 6-8 points, made the layup to cut it to 6, missed the next one and then took a 3

during this time. Paul was on the bench and after this series the game was effectively over. Why on earth he is the main option at a crucial moment is beyond me.

Hyatt has not scored in two games from the field and he is the primary other guard.

 

[JudgeSmails56]

I like him a lot. He’ll be a good obe.

 

[IL Lusciato]

Very weird flex MO

 

[Scangg]

Simpson has so many plus traits it'll be very hard for him not to succeed

 

[RutgersClassof2004]

so when i went back...shockingly Derek took 3 consecutive shots in crunch time when the game was 6-8 points, made the layup to cut it to 6, missed the next one and then took a 3

during this time. Paul was on the bench and after this series the game was effectively over. Why on earth he is the main option at a crucial moment is beyond me.

He

Simpson has so many plus traits it'll be very hard for him not to succeed

Yes. Obvious to any true fan.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

Simpson has so many plus traits it'll be very hard for him not to succeed

He has physical traits, but what about basketball traits

Can he shoot?
Does he have a good handle?
Does he make good decisions?

 

[RutgersClassof2004]

He has physical traits, but what about basketball traits

Can he shoot?
Does he have a good handle?
Does he make good decisions?

You serious Clark?

 

[RU84]

This team is not an offensive powerhouse. If we don’t find more scoring we’re going to continue to hope our D holds teams to under 65 points … not easy to do every game. We have 12 regular season games to develop more scoring. Who’s the most likely to provide that potential upside? Simpson. Let him play, grow and live with freshman mistakes.

 

[ru8081]

guys with his rating 3* usually take till the end of the sophomore or junior years to reach their potential.

 

[Luvscarletknights]

I think he makes a lot of frosh mistakes, including:

1. Shooting 3's and not converting... (not just this game: MSU)
2. Losing the handle (TO's)

But do like his speed and drive to the hoop - He's made some pretty shots with that move.

Hoping he bounces back and has a game like Indy.

MO

He is a freshman....

 

[Luvscarletknights]

He is something like 2 for his last 21 from 3.

Due to lack of minutes he is pushing himself too hard on the court to prove himself.

He will be fine. The entire team played bad against MSU.

 

[PSAL_Hoops]

Hyatt has not scored in two games from the field and he is the primary other guard.

We’re not even using Hyatt at guard because of his poor handle. Plays mostly 4. Miller is basically the only depth we have other than Simpson to spell 3 guards.

 

[zappaa]

He needs a year in the weight room

He obviously needs the standard weight training everyone needs, but it’s low on my list of what he needs to get better

 

[fluoxetine]

Well, he is a freshman after all

And he makes freshman mistakes like... missing 3s?

 

[koko2315]

He’s a freshman, making freshman mistakes at the time of the year frosh usually hit a wall physically….he will be more than fine

 

[RUNYGDVLSFAN]

he is gonna be a good player for us. Physically he needs to get stronger, like, Jacob Young... go to the hole with intensity and more confidence.

 

[RU84]

A lot of amusing comments about all the freshman “mistakes” from Simpson but totally ignoring the same mistakes from our upperclassmen.

 

[RUisB1Gtime]

He obviously needs the standard weight training everyone needs, but it’s low on my list of what he needs to get better

I have to disagree zap. He is very good going to the basket but needs more strength to shield off defenders. This will help him finish at the rim and draw fouls. That will open up his entire game.

 

[RUKen]

This team is not an offensive powerhouse. If we don’t find more scoring we’re going to continue to hope our D holds teams to under 65 points … not easy to do every game. We have 12 regular season games to develop more scoring. Who’s the most likely to provide that potential upside? Simpson. Let him play, grow and live with freshman mistakes.

We have the best shooter in the class of 23 coming next year. Should help

 

[mildone]

He's gonna be good

That's my position on him. I'm pretty sure he'll be good.

I also think he'd appear to be better now, but it's harder than perhaps some folks here realize to come off the bench and immediately be at one's best. I understand that that's the job for all bench players. But most, not all, players will play better when they have had more time to adapt to the game's unique rhythms. I think probably Simpson is one of those who just get better as the game progresses - more time equals better play.

The type of freshmen mistakes he's making will iron out. The talent and drive and intensity will all still be there.

 

[mildone]

He needs a year in the weight room

Most of us do. Maybe more than a year, even. 😀

 

[BellyFullOfWhiteDogCrap]

He certainly doesn't lack confidence.
Does the shot selection and decision making improve? I think it will.

 

[RUisB1Gtime]

I have to disagree zap. He is very good going to the basket but needs more strength to shield off defenders. This will help him finish at the rim and draw fouls. That will open up his entire game.

Zap, I'm sure you notice alot of players flex when they get and an 1 for a 3pt play after the foul....I'm not advocating the flexing aspect lol but Simpson needs the muscle to withstand the contact. I think he has tremendous potential if/when he adds muscle.

 

[ancienthooper]

This board. Between this thread and the guy that wants Pikes to use his notes. Lordy, lordy.

 

[mildone]

so when i went back...shockingly Derek took 3 consecutive shots in crunch time when the game was 6-8 points, made the layup to cut it to 6, missed the next one and then took a 3

during this time. Paul was on the bench and after this series the game was effectively over. Why on earth he is the main option at a crucial moment is beyond me.

I think opposing team Ds are now working very hard to (a) force us to take 3s and (b) prevent Cam from being the one taking them or at least be all over him when he does. For sure, that was the defensive theme of the night for Izzo and MSU last night and they did a pretty good job of it, IMO.

I've said this before, I know, but I think it's really important. This team needs to get better at rejecting what the other team's D is giving us and instead find more ways to do what we want to be doing. If we don't, I think we're going to find the rest of the season more of a struggle than we expected.

We are trying and sometimes succeeding in that. But we go through these long stretches, even in games we win, where we let the the other team dictate how we play offense. And that's just gonna get worse unless we're having a really good shooting night.

When a team's a really good shooting team, it has the luxury of going with whatever the D gives them. It makes sense, in that scenario, to take the easy route to scoring. But we're not exactly a really good shooting team. We're not awful, either. But Cam is the only pure shooter type. So when he goes cold, as they all do, then we're in trouble, as we were last night.

Teams were focusing more on stopping Cliff earlier in the season. Now they seem to be more focused on stopping Cam. So we need Cliff to up his game on O, and the team needs to be better at getting him the ball lower in the paint where he's better.

When teams help so often up high on Cam, Cliff will be open more and Cam needs to find him. And we need to run more and/or better sets to free up Cam more often - the guy was running his ass off all game but barely finding any space to shoot all night.

It's not a two-man game, so the others need to up their games, making more shots from in the paint and around the rim. We miss way too many of those and it's because of typically great defending and rebounding that it hasn't hurt us more.

 

[kcg88]

Simpson has, dare I say, a lot of Montez Mathis to his game. There's pieces there to be a good player but there's a lot of rough edges that needed to be sanded down.

 

[Good-Knight]

I'm going to have to side with Mo. He's not a good passer and makes some bad choices. I know we need him but I have him only a hair ahead of Miller who is even more challenged on offense. I thought he'd be a bigger part of transition buckets. Simpson, I'm told, is a fantastic athlete but outside of his baseline drive, I don't see where he has dependable shooting spots or plays. Most guys, even as freshman, have a spot they like to shoot from. If Simpson has a spot, it's mid January and I don't know what it is. Baseline is pretty easy to take away once you know it's coming.

 

[bac2therac]

I think opposing team Ds are now working very hard to (a) force us to take 3s and (b) prevent Cam from being the one taking them or at least be all over him when he does. For sure, that was the defensive theme of the night for Izzo and MSU last night and they did a pretty good job of it, IMO.

I've said this before, I know, but I think it's really important. This team needs to get better at rejecting what the other team's D is giving us and instead find more ways to do what we want to be doing. If we don't, I think we're going to find the rest of the season more of a struggle than we expected.

We are trying and sometimes succeeding in that. But we go through these long stretches, even in games we win, where we let the the other team dictate how we play offense. And that's just gonna get worse unless we're having a really good shooting night.

When a team's a really good shooting team, it has the luxury of going with whatever the D gives them. It makes sense, in that scenario, to take the easy route to scoring. But we're not exactly a really good shooting team. We're not awful, either. But Cam is the only pure shooter type. So when he goes cold, as they all do, then we're in trouble, as we were last night.

Teams were focusing more on stopping Cliff earlier in the season. Now they seem to be more focused on stopping Cam. So we need Cliff to up his game on O, and the team needs to be better at getting him the ball lower in the paint where he's better.

When teams help so often up high on Cam, Cliff will be open more and Cam needs to find him. And we need to run more and/or better sets to free up Cam more often - the guy was running his ass off all game but barely finding any space to shoot all night.

It's not a two-man game, so the others need to up their games, making more shots from in the paint and around the rim. We miss way too many of those and it's because of typically great defending and rebounding that it hasn't hurt us more.

good thoughts

I will add that Caleb and Hyatts decision making are hurting this team. Instead of making the better decision they are looking to score when the ball is in their hands and the defense is more than welcome to let them do it

 

[Knight Ed]

The kid reminds me of Corey Sanders. Quick but a poor shooter.

 

[mildone]

good thoughts

I will add that Caleb and Hyatts decision making are hurting this team. Instead of making the better decision they are looking to score when the ball is in their hands and the defense is more than welcome to let them do it

Agree about that. Both of them are taking the wrong shots and at the wrong times a bit too often.

OTOH, all this stuff we're talking about is waaaaaay easier said than done. These guys are competitors and want to help the team win and sometimes it just feels like you need to step up and make a shot to help the team, especially when nobody's hitting their shots.

I think the solution is finding ways for the team to use more movement (ball and player) to find better shot opportunities. You want the team on the floor, at any given time, to have as foolproof a system as possible to help them create the easiest possible shots.

Making the shots is hard and can be streaky with any team. Creating a system that encourages choosing high-percentage shots or layups/dunks is the solution. Still, way easier said than done. I couldn't do it. Hopefully Pike & crew can.

 

[Scangg]

Simpson has, dare I say, a lot of Montez Mathis to his game. There's pieces there to be a good player but there's a lot of rough edges that needed to be sanded down.

Difference is they have very different mindset and demeanor

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

He’s a freshman, making freshman mistakes at the time of the year frosh usually hit a wall physically….he will be more than fine

I am a huge believer in “the wall” and THIS being the time. It is as much mental fatigue as physical.

I am not saying this is the reason, but the “Wall” is real. I have seen it with my own eyes in my house.

 

[fluoxetine]

I am a huge believer in “the wall” and THIS being the time. It is as much mental fatigue as physical.

I am not saying this is the reason, but the “Wall” is real. I have seen it with my own eyes in my house.

Weird, there are walls in my house too.

 

[RU84]

"The Wall" was one of Pink Floyd's biggest albums.

 

[mildone]

"The Wall" was one of Pink Floyd's biggest albums.

Which goes to show how lame most people’s musical taste is. The Wall didn’t suck, but sure wasn’t an example of their best work.

 

[seels2662]

LOL people jumping off the Simpson bandwagon already. I guess its good we have a bunch of 4 and 5 star guards coming

 

[IMARUFAN]

I've noticed freshmen have a tendency to play like, well ... freshmen.

 

[essexknight]

He is a freshman. Give him time.

 

[hiwater]

Alot of frosh mistakes? Simpson had 1 turnover but seniors Paul and Caleb each had 4. The team shot under 35% but Simpson was 50%. Simpson wasn't the issue tonight.

I love his quickness and ability to handle the ball, but I wish he would learn from his mistakes a lot faster than waiting for next year.
The blocked shot was like a turnover too. He is good for driving into the trees a t least once a game and getting his shot blocked. A few games a go it was 3 times. These types of drives and shots worked for him in HS.