Sa and Thiam tonight

[bac2therac]

Sa ... Just 16 minutes, 4-6 shooting, 2-2 from 3, 11 points, only negative was 1-4 at line but both he and Thiam hit some big 3s in the 2nd half that RU really desperately needed. Thiam was quiet in the first half and only finished with 6 points on the 2-4 from 3 both in the 2nd but logged 25 minutes and like Sa he was really needed in that 2nd half. RU was just 1-9 in the first half from 3 and I posted that they should never take another 3. In the 2nd half they were 5-7. Getting production from the perimeter from these guys is huge and them being able to hit on 50% tonight should do well for their confidence.

Tonight was a game that it wasnt like RU was playing badly, they just could not put away a pesky team for some reason. I just do think this team is good enough and has enough upside to be able to lower the boom in these games early..so that is a huge concern going forward in conference play because thats when the level of competition will make it harder for RU to hang around. The biggest plus tonight was two guys in Sa and Thiam found ways to contribute when maybe some of the other guys were not playing all that great...Sanders was good but then taken out because of sickness and Johnson was also off on his shooting tonight including his awful free throw shooting.

To me we know what we will get from a lot of guys...Freeman, Gettys, Williams but perhaps all guys who have ceilings of what they are capable of doing. Guys like Sa and Thiam improving can really change expectations in league play if they can consistently develop from game to game and I really like how Pikiell has brought both along and allowed them to play through the good and the bad. Of all the guys these are the two whose potential is just being tapped.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

I thought Sa had a poor defensive game...for the 1st time this year.

 

[S_Janowski]

Really like what I see out of Thiam so far this year but if he logs 25 + mins a game he needs to get off more than 5 shots. We're gonna need his stroke come conference play. He seems to be getting a little more comfortable so hopefully we see him take 7-10 shots a game soon.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

My favorite play of the night was Eugene's homerun pass toThaim who delivers a boring textbook bonce pass toWilliams.

I saw 3 seperate occassions where players went up for a layup with their right hand from the left side. I am going to guess Issa and Eugene when they get the opportunity will use their non dominant hand when taking a layup from the left side.

 

[RUKeystone]

Thiam has the cleanest three point shot on the team IMO. Agree that Pikiell is bringing him along excellently and I am excited to see him develop here.

 

[Scarlet Knut]

Really like what I see out of Thiam so far this year but if he logs 25 + mins a game he needs to get off more than 5 shots. We're gonna need his stroke come conference play. He seems to be getting a little more comfortable so hopefully we see him take 7-10 shots a game soon.

Thiam definitely needs to shoot more. Love his stroke and Sa really is surprising the heck out of me from 3.

 

[MadRU]

I thought Sa had a poor defensive game...for the 1st time this year.

I thought Laurent had his best defensive game while he was out there. He seemed to have more intensity on D last night.

 

[jellyman]

Thiam definitely needs to shoot more. Love his stroke and Sa really is surprising the heck out of me from 3.

On the other hand, Thiam rarely takes a bad shot.

Going way back, I always wanted players like Kevin Black and Rob Hodgson to take more shots, also, since their FG% was so efficient. But maybe there is a reason their FG% is efficient: They take fewer, but smarter, shots.

 

[RUJMM78]

By now fans should expect Rutgers will play hard and find a way to grind out wins against mediocre opponents.Sa and Thiam do have the most upside to their game because of size and the potential to expand their offensive shot making.

This game remained close because Rutgers had another poor foul shooting performance along with failing to finish on layups mostly by the front court players.Far too many shots were blocked .What remains exciting is that Pikiell finds a way through substitutions to keep the team in control of games as the opponent gets tired because their bench isn't as strong.

 

[RUBigFrank]

Seems our coach is going for a season long strategy using a deep bench to wear teams down. Notice that we slightly press other teams game long to tire them down. Our biggest strength after rebounding is little or no drop off in talent as we sub off the bench.

 

[jonS]

Sa ... Just 16 minutes, 4-6 shooting, 2-2 from 3, 11 points, only negative was 1-4 at line but both he and Thiam hit some big 3s in the 2nd half that RU really desperately needed. Thiam was quiet in the first half and only finished with 6 points on the 2-4 from 3 both in the 2nd but logged 25 minutes and like Sa he was really needed in that 2nd half. RU was just 1-9 in the first half from 3 and I posted that they should never take another 3. In the 2nd half they were 5-7. Getting production from the perimeter from these guys is huge and them being able to hit on 50% tonight should do well for their confidence.

Tonight was a game that it wasnt like RU was playing badly, they just could not put away a pesky team for some reason. I just do think this team is good enough and has enough upside to be able to lower the boom in these games early..so that is a huge concern going forward in conference play because thats when the level of competition will make it harder for RU to hang around. The biggest plus tonight was two guys in Sa and Thiam found ways to contribute when maybe some of the other guys were not playing all that great...Sanders was good but then taken out because of sickness and Johnson was also off on his shooting tonight including his awful free throw shooting.

To me we know what we will get from a lot of guys...Freeman, Gettys, Williams but perhaps all guys who have ceilings of what they are capable of doing. Guys like Sa and Thiam improving can really change expectations in league play if they can consistently develop from game to game and I really like how Pikiell has brought both along and allowed them to play through the good and the bad. Of all the guys these are the two whose potential is just being tapped.

I agree that Sa and Thiam have big upsides and can really help Rutgers once Big Ten play statrts. I thought Sa's play last night was the difference along with Getty's operating so well at the high post and finding open guys down low. Sa's 3-pointer was big and he's made more than a few this year. One disappointment was Rutgers bigs not challenging enough FDU players who were able to avoid their defender and get to the rim. There were many opportunities to alter or block shots that were missed.....

 

[mrslate]

It was great to see the recovery in 3-point shooting in the second half, but the first half was hard to watch. Can't blame bac for hoping they would not shoot another 3. If 3-point shooting does not improve, this team will struggle to win any more games this season. The same is probably true for free throw shooting. It was abysmal last night, and for the season. This could easily have been a 20-point win. These glaring deficiencies will get a lot more glaring if they continue next week.

 

[bac2therac]

I agree that Sa and Thiam have big upsides and can really help Rutgers once Big Ten play statrts. I thought Sa's play last night was the difference along with Getty's operating so well at the high post and finding open guys down low. Sa's 3-pointer was big and he's made more than a few this year. One disappointment was Rutgers bigs not challenging enough FDU players who were able to avoid their defender and get to the rim. There were many opportunities to alter or block shots that were missed.....

good point about the defense, there seemed to be times where our defense was poor in the interior. I dont know if it was a case of the style that FDU was playing with alot of motion and ball movement but we seemed a step too slow and they were making a lot of layups.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

Don't sleep On Eugene. Good things seem to happen when he is in the court.

I expect his minutes to increase as the season goes on.

 

[ScarletLongIsland]

Don't sleep On Eugene. Good things seem to happen when he is in the court.

I expect his minutes to increase as the season goes on.

I am really excited about Thiam and Omoruyi in that they each have 4 years and I already like what I see from them

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

The class of 2018-19 comes in and those guys as juniors are going to set a very good example of what a Rutgers basketball player does.

So fundamentally sound.

 

[ColonelRutgers]

On the other hand, Thiam rarely takes a bad shot.

Going way back, I always wanted players like Kevin Black and Rob Hodgson to take more shots, also, since their FG% was so efficient. But maybe there is a reason their FG% is efficient: They take fewer, but smarter, shots.

True and that's what drove me crazy about Hodgson at times. He seemed to pass up pretty good looks waiting for the perfect shot. But what would happen when Rob passed up a decent look would be a less talented player/shooter would end up shooting instead. I'd rather have a good shooter take a decent shot than a bad shooter take a good shot.

Omoruyi and Thiam haven't filled up the boxscore but they both appear under control and have found their teammates on some nice dishes. No panic in them.

 

[ColonelRutgers]

good point about the defense, there seemed to be times where our defense was poor in the interior. I dont know if it was a case of the style that FDU was playing with alot of motion and ball movement but we seemed a step too slow and they were making a lot of layups.

Think it was more about our back court allowing far too much penetration into the paint than a deficiency of the big men. I think Pikiell alluded to that in the postgame.

 

[ScarletLongIsland]

Omoruyi is "taking" Laurent's minutes and it is well-deserved. Omoruyi is great on the defensive end and now he is starting to assert himself on the offensive end.

 

[RUich]

Not much of a BB person and I have nowhere near the level of understanding that I see from many other posters. But, I think all athletes, in all sports, have their comfort zones. Trying to get players out of that zone can really be detrimental. Players that have their level of confidence in shooting a shot will probably be a lot more successful than forcing one that they are not comfortable with.
That said, I have never understood how any athlete playing D1 level can struggle with foul shots! Is this from too many years of pick up games where you didn't get to shoot them? I didn't even play BB, but I had a hoop and could make a lot more than half of my shots.

 

[rubaseball78]

I thought Laurent had his best defensive game while he was out there. He seemed to have more intensity on D last night.

Not starting will sometimes do that.

 

[rubaseball78]

Not much of a BB person and I have nowhere near the level of understanding that I see from many other posters. But, I think all athletes, in all sports, have their comfort zones. Trying to get players out of that zone can really be detrimental. Players that have their level of confidence in shooting a shot will probably be a lot more successful than forcing one that they are not comfortable with.
That said, I have never understood how any athlete playing D1 level can struggle with foul shots! Is this from too many years of pick up games where you didn't get to shoot them? I didn't even play BB, but I had a hoop and could make a lot more than half of my shots.

I'm one who believes shooters are born, not made or taught. Yes, you can get better, particularly with foul shots. I haven't played hoops in at least 15 years. Two weeks ago I was in a gym and hit 7 out of 10 free throws with minimal warm up. Don't understand why players can't at least hit 70% of their foul shots. When I played used to shoot 100 each day in practice. No reason players can't improve their foul shooting.

 

[higgins3]

I am with you,Bac. You do expect things from certain players, but it is good to have some kids who are growing game to game.

Green, watch Sanders drive to the basket. He is so right dominant. I am sure teams have that in his scouting report.

 

[higgins3]

I'm one who believes shooters are born, not made or taught. Yes, you can get better, particularly with foul shots. I haven't played hoops in at least 15 years. Two weeks ago I was in a gym and hit 7 out of 10 free throws with minimal warm up. Don't understand why players can't at least hit 70% of their foul shots. When I played used to shoot 100 each day in practice. No reason players can't improve their foul shooting.

Shooters are born? Interesting topic. You will see some guys shot really well with awful,awful form. So you might have a point. Seeing the basket is important. If you follow fundamental shooting form, you can hit a lot of shots. I have been shooting in my backyard a lot, working on my arc. Most shots go in, but with low arc. My elbow is tucked in, I follow through, and my guide hand does not have that much of a responsibility.

 

[BillyC80]

Sa needs to shoot his foul shots from the 3-point line.

 

[BillyC80]

Regarding our interior defense, it appears our bigs are being coached not to foul a player that has already attained an advantageous position down low.

 

[higgins3]

Regarding our interior defense, it appears our bigs are being coached not to foul a player that has already attained an advantageous position down low.

For sure. Which is how they should be coached in most situations.

We are not deep after Gettys. If he is in foul trouble, we have a slight problem. Straight up defense is the best defense.

 

[linzalonic]

Omoruyi is "taking" Laurent's minutes and it is well-deserved. Omoruyi is great on the defensive end and now he is starting to assert himself on the offensive end.

And he always gets his hands on loose balls and rebounds. Love his potential to become a baby-Draymond Green for us.

 

[PaKnight]

On the other hand, Thiam rarely takes a bad shot.

Going way back, I always wanted players like Kevin Black and Rob Hodgson to take more shots, also, since their FG% was so efficient. But maybe there is a reason their FG% is efficient: They take fewer, but smarter, shots.

Going old school with Kevin Black, he was a real solid player.

 

[OntheBanks]

It was great to see the recovery in 3-point shooting in the second half, but the first half was hard to watch. Can't blame bac for hoping they would not shoot another 3. If 3-point shooting does not improve, this team will struggle to win any more games this season. The same is probably true for free throw shooting. It was abysmal last night, and for the season. This could easily have been a 20-point win. These glaring deficiencies will get a lot more glaring if they continue next week.

And even with all these 'glaring deficiencies' we still scored 82 points.

 

[RUChoppin]

And even with all these 'glaring deficiencies' we still scored 82 points.

Towson, Iona, and Army all put up 90+ on FDU. If we could have hit our free throws, we would have too.

 

[rubaseball78]

Shooters are born? Interesting topic. You will see some guys shot really well with awful,awful form. So you might have a point. Seeing the basket is important. If you follow fundamental shooting form, you can hit a lot of shots. I have been shooting in my backyard a lot, working on my arc. Most shots go in, but with low arc. My elbow is tucked in, I follow through, and my guide hand does not have that much of a responsibility.

Definitely people can improve with practice and proper instruction. Some are just good shooters from the day they walk on the court.