Lots of interesting tidbits in Jerry's article. Here are some quotes from the article, and my comments immediately after the "--"
“We’ll talk to our guys about Kadary Richmond, but I don’t know how (Pitino) is going to utilize him, and quite honestly, I’m more concerned with our own guys in this scrimmage,” Pikiell said. “We’ll spend more time on our rotations and if guys are doing what they’re taught. We’re doing a lot of new stuff.”
-- I think people will like hearing that Pike is putting in a lot of "new stuff." I know I do.
“It’s very hard to (gauge) lineups in practice,” Pikiell said. “Say I put J-Mike (Davis) with Dylan Harper, and then I’ve got no point guard on the other team. You can’t do it as much as people think.”
-- This is the second time in the offseason that I've seen Pike make this sort of comment about who his "point guards" are. It's always Dylan and JMike, and he doesn't reference JWill as a PG. So if JWill does start alongside Dylan, that clearly means JWill will be playing off the ball a lot.
“Zach Martini, I’m going to play him at the five-spot a lot this year,” Pikiell said. “But if guys are out in my backcourt (in practice), he’s got to play the four-spot. To be able to experiment with different lineups is very important in these games, and to be able to get film on guys is very important.”
-- I think we've all acknowledged that Martini will play some 5 this year, and many of us have predicted perhaps 5 mpg there. But this comment suggests that it might actually end up being more than 5 mpg. Against some quicker teams that don't rely as much as "big" 5s, I wonder if Martini could be the PRIMARY 5.
"Once again freshman forward Dylan Grant made the most of his opportunities, swishing an open 3-pointer from the corner. That shot has been there throughout the preseason for Grant, and he’s hit it every time this reporter was on hand."
-- Could Dylan Grant lowkey work his way into the lineup as a "3 and D" wing forward?
"When the team split up into two units for half-court offense instruction, Pikiell worked with the six-man unit of Harper, Williams, Bailey, Martini, Hayes and Ogbole. Read into that what you wish, but it’s another sign of Hayes’ rise up the depth chart after he was the last player added to the roster in the spring."
-- Alert all of the Hayes doubters!
