I'm going to take a shot at this, my wish list for each scholarship spot for the off-season. All are my opinion only and are not the opinion of my wife or the rest of my family who have written me off as abrasive and eccentric many moons ago. If you agree, great. If you want to laugh, I'm glad I could entertain you. Better yet, if you want to tweak and add your own thoughts lets get this discussion started. Also, I know none of us are on staff and this probably falls on deaf ears, but we're all in this together so have fun with it:
Simpson - my first wish, don't ever change your attitude. This kid cares, and hustles. As for an on-the-court wish, work with the staff on drive-dribble-DISH more and keep improving your rebounding because its been spectacular at times this year. Shoot less, be your part of the puzzle.
Davis - learn to play under control. You've out played your recruiting stars, you have B1G talent, don't try to do too much. Work your butt off and become a key, rotational player (possible starter) veteran
Fernandes - spot becomes HARPER'S
Mag - my wish, do more training and PT, get your confidence and swagger back and put your health concerns behind you
Hyatt - spot becomes BAILEY'S
Palmquist - its part of D1 basketball, needs THE talk, again. He's a great kid, high character, but enough time has passed to know he's not a B1G player. Sadly we all found out just over a year ago (Mag's injury and the resulting NCAA snub) that a high major team has no room on its roster for just "program" kids. He would do well at a lower level.
Griffiths - Hit the weight room and shoot, shoot, shoot. Just don't work on shooting right after lifting, LOL, might further erode your confidence and that's what we have to get back.
Omoruyi - I know, here comes the laughs, shoot more treys. Shooting is a learned skill. Would I rather have a player with God-given talent to shoot, a real sniper? Sure. Would I want one of those at the 4 or 5, wow, even better. But it can be learned and will take time. I'm not sure what Cliff was told to work on last year offensively but it didn't pay off. I imagine it was more back to the basket stuff, footwork, etc. It didn't take. He still posts up 12' from the hole. He looks lost in space. But nothing better to add to his pick and roll game than a pop. His % might not be great, but the roof would blow off the RAC when he hits a trey. Even if he could get to the mid 20%s, that's what some of our sharpshooters shoot now. Even a natural shooter can go off the rails without confidence. There's many facets to being a good shooter, and at this point if Cliff can become a semi-decent learned shooter I'll take the pop. You know he'll have open looks.
Woolfolk - needs the TALK. He didn't improve from last year, and at this level that's required. He's not really a 5, not really a forward, could do well at a lower level. Need his scholarship for SOMMERVILLE
Ogbole - my wish, skill training to improve his hands. Not joking, another skill that can be improved. He hasn't been in the system as long as Wolf so I think he has more upside. And granted, we want to become more up tempo. Maybe Wolf can run better but every once in a while you need a banger. Toughness. He and Sommerville can man the C for a couple years after Cliff.
A. Williams - spot for GRANT
J. Williams - SEIZE THE LEADERSHIP ROLE! That's my wish. Work on your game but be THE captain.
Chol - I would have liked to see what he has but the fact that we haven't, even through this awful season, tells me he's not a high major player and needs THE talk. This would give us one one scholarship opening for the portal and I say we get a shooter, period. If Cliff doesn't return use his spot for a portal C, but for this open spot get someone who can hit the three. The game is built around shooting and the bonus from the arc.
Of course, I wish the team could become an 85% FT shooting team, so there's that wish.
And I hope Pike and the staff do a little self-reflection and change some (not all) of their ways.
Many thanks for reading, be kind. Go Knights!
Simpson - my first wish, don't ever change your attitude. This kid cares, and hustles. As for an on-the-court wish, work with the staff on drive-dribble-DISH more and keep improving your rebounding because its been spectacular at times this year. Shoot less, be your part of the puzzle.
Davis - learn to play under control. You've out played your recruiting stars, you have B1G talent, don't try to do too much. Work your butt off and become a key, rotational player (possible starter) veteran
Fernandes - spot becomes HARPER'S
Mag - my wish, do more training and PT, get your confidence and swagger back and put your health concerns behind you
Hyatt - spot becomes BAILEY'S
Palmquist - its part of D1 basketball, needs THE talk, again. He's a great kid, high character, but enough time has passed to know he's not a B1G player. Sadly we all found out just over a year ago (Mag's injury and the resulting NCAA snub) that a high major team has no room on its roster for just "program" kids. He would do well at a lower level.
Griffiths - Hit the weight room and shoot, shoot, shoot. Just don't work on shooting right after lifting, LOL, might further erode your confidence and that's what we have to get back.
Omoruyi - I know, here comes the laughs, shoot more treys. Shooting is a learned skill. Would I rather have a player with God-given talent to shoot, a real sniper? Sure. Would I want one of those at the 4 or 5, wow, even better. But it can be learned and will take time. I'm not sure what Cliff was told to work on last year offensively but it didn't pay off. I imagine it was more back to the basket stuff, footwork, etc. It didn't take. He still posts up 12' from the hole. He looks lost in space. But nothing better to add to his pick and roll game than a pop. His % might not be great, but the roof would blow off the RAC when he hits a trey. Even if he could get to the mid 20%s, that's what some of our sharpshooters shoot now. Even a natural shooter can go off the rails without confidence. There's many facets to being a good shooter, and at this point if Cliff can become a semi-decent learned shooter I'll take the pop. You know he'll have open looks.
Woolfolk - needs the TALK. He didn't improve from last year, and at this level that's required. He's not really a 5, not really a forward, could do well at a lower level. Need his scholarship for SOMMERVILLE
Ogbole - my wish, skill training to improve his hands. Not joking, another skill that can be improved. He hasn't been in the system as long as Wolf so I think he has more upside. And granted, we want to become more up tempo. Maybe Wolf can run better but every once in a while you need a banger. Toughness. He and Sommerville can man the C for a couple years after Cliff.
A. Williams - spot for GRANT
J. Williams - SEIZE THE LEADERSHIP ROLE! That's my wish. Work on your game but be THE captain.
Chol - I would have liked to see what he has but the fact that we haven't, even through this awful season, tells me he's not a high major player and needs THE talk. This would give us one one scholarship opening for the portal and I say we get a shooter, period. If Cliff doesn't return use his spot for a portal C, but for this open spot get someone who can hit the three. The game is built around shooting and the bonus from the arc.
Of course, I wish the team could become an 85% FT shooting team, so there's that wish.
And I hope Pike and the staff do a little self-reflection and change some (not all) of their ways.
Many thanks for reading, be kind. Go Knights!
