Start McConnell!
- Thread starter soundcrib
- Start date
A
anon_0k9zlfz6lz9oy
Guest
Our best 5 in my opinion would be Mcconell-Geo-Mathis?-Eugene-Myles J imo.
Honestly though, I think weve found our best 3 with Geo, Caleb and Eugene. Im pretty confident in the 5 rotating the shaqs and myles but the 3 is where we really need someone to step up. MANNNNN if only Harpers shot was found hed be great there
Honestly though, I think weve found our best 3 with Geo, Caleb and Eugene. Im pretty confident in the 5 rotating the shaqs and myles but the 3 is where we really need someone to step up. MANNNNN if only Harpers shot was found hed be great there
A
anon_0k9zlfz6lz9oy
Guest
Good chemistry there. Kiss doesn’t seem comfortable handling. McConnell also an excellent rebounder for a guard.
A
anon_0k9zlfz6lz9oy
Guest
This was shown at the open practice Thursday but we will have a lot of learning curves with Caleb, Mathis, Harper etc.
McConnell has picked up his intensity and stopped looking over his shoulders when he makes a mistake. His game translates the closest to Baker and Mulcahy mixes in the same types of attributes....Caleb is a definite better shooter out of HS vs Paul, BUT Mulcahy has a full 9 months to implement his shooting stroke like he's shown early this HS season.
Want to give Matt Agnoli "Aggs" the credit for dropping McConnell as a name we were out to see around November last year and once I saw the mixed tapes and highlights, I was sold immediately that he could help this year. I just was hoping Pike could nab him late and he did.
Ironically, I think McConnell can play better than what's been shown so far, may have to wait another year for it, whatever rust from his foot injury this summer, has slowed him down a bit.
By the end of the year Harper will be our best player. Except or the star ranking I don't see what everyone else sees in Mathis - doesn't handle well and isn't a great three point shooter. He's got great high school and AAU skills.
Last edited:
These aren't the only skills a basketball player needs. He's improving day to day... getting to the hoop better and playing some good defense.
I think I kind of know that, and he will get better defensively under Young, but he is still out of control, and the offensive fundamentals that he needs to develop don't appear to be emphasized under this staff, at least from what I've seen so far.
Russ, as one infamous politician once testified, "what difference does it make?" :sunglasses:
it seems like every time i write i guy off as a freshman they end up turning things around. Who do you guys want me to write off next?
Next season try writing off the entire team and see how that works out. :) Please tip your bartenders and waitresses, they're working hard for you.
Seriously though, I don't think it's a matter of turning things around so much as it is that not all freshmen are ready to contribute at the same time. Especially point guards.
It is a very difficult position to play. On top of all of the responsibilities that come with the position it can be a shock to the senses when a freshman finds out that the moves he made in HS don't get him past his defender anymore. Or that when he does get past his man a help defender rotates over to cut him off. Or that defenders close out so much faster at this level that he can't get the open looks he's used to getting.
Not to mention all of this happening with 8k-10k people looking on, yelling and expecting you to execute flawlessly.
It has been all of 12 games. This time last year he was in high school and everyone he knew was telling him how underrated he was blah, blah, blah.
If that's the case, which I may agree with, my guess would be that Myles Johnson or Shaq Carter would also be factors to start. I watched the open practice and while they went through sets that they expected to see against Maine, Shaq Doorson is just better on the defensive end. Part is knowing where he should be and is a better communicator in sync which comes with reps and practice.
Caleb has done well on being in position on defense. He rebounds the ball and is capable of starting the offense which is good to have. The start of the 2nd half and end of 1st half possessions are keys where perhaps having an extra handle on the court, gets you better shots. In a potentially closer game, that matters.
I think we’ll know Caleb’s potential for this season after seeing him for extended minutes vs conference foes.
Are memories so short that we only remember what has happened in the last few games against weaker opponents, one who play almost all zone?
If Kiss goes 4-4 from 3 against Maryland are we going to post he should be 1st all conference in his senior year?
If Kiss goes 4-4 from 3 against Maryland are we going to post he should be 1st all conference in his senior year?
I agree with this, but he also looked decent against Michigan State and we need to try something to help out the offense.
He looked good relative expectations.
I am all for getting him more minutes at the expense of Baker. Is he a guy in B1G play that should get minutes over Mathis, Kiss, or Issa? It's possible. A lot will come down to his ability to knock down shots.
Finally Pike. Finally. You know I thought he would work out the line up combinations a little faster than this but when you think about it if he really begins to figure it out as we enter conference play it’s not all that bad. Once he does the team can start to grow towards next year.
Right. Just keep whispering advice in Pike’s ear, and sooner or later he’ll get it.
Yes,
Pikiell has already said McConnell/Baker will be a trend going forward.
I doubt Pikiell would play Issa if he was dog sick. Pikiell said last year on a good team Issa comes off the bench.
As for Kiss and Mathis, I could see them rotating at the third spot. Neither is good enough to lock down that position.
McConnell on the floor gives you the ability to run in transition off his rebound, lessen the pressure on Baker to perform all team operations, and may be more of a three point threat than what we have seen out of Mathis.
I like the move. Baker has exhausted himself from having too much pressure, and the leash since the start of the season was too short on McConnell. Let the kid play.
I’m a Bama fan and I see a star in Mathis. Kid got that Russell Westbrook DAWG in him. Good young player.
I'd be surprised if McConnell plays more minutes, especially closing out games, than either Issa or Kiss.
Memories are real short of how shaky McConnell was against better teams. Even against Michigan State he had a terrible turnover.
Do we want to write some of it off to nerves? OK. To me, he has a lot to show me before I conclude he can help a team more than some of the other guys that some are writing off.
Memories are real short of how shaky McConnell was against better teams. Even against Michigan State he had a terrible turnover.
Do we want to write some of it off to nerves? OK. To me, he has a lot to show me before I conclude he can help a team more than some of the other guys that some are writing off.
@dontestrond I agree. I think Mathis is a star in the making. U can see it in spurts and he’s always intense on D. He will put it all together and be a stud.
Glad McConell is going to get reps. Beginning of the year I was terrified of him going in. Now I want him in way more. He’s centered himself and began to find his game. This will also as noted let Geo play his true position. People give geo a lot of flack but he is responsible for everything, he needs to reprieve on the court.
Also coach needs to work on cracking zones. It’s infuriating watching us swing it around. When we started to work inside w Myles we found success. This should be an emphasis in practices this week bc everyone will be playing it against us
Glad McConell is going to get reps. Beginning of the year I was terrified of him going in. Now I want him in way more. He’s centered himself and began to find his game. This will also as noted let Geo play his true position. People give geo a lot of flack but he is responsible for everything, he needs to reprieve on the court.
Also coach needs to work on cracking zones. It’s infuriating watching us swing it around. When we started to work inside w Myles we found success. This should be an emphasis in practices this week bc everyone will be playing it against us
I am not seeing it that he has to play more minutes than either. He has to play more than he was at the start of the year.
I remember it. All kids have terrible turnovers. Nerves were probably part on Pikiell about not giving him enough of a leash, and playing him three minutes in those early games. No player is going to make an impact with those types of minutes.
It seems like teams still hesitate to play zones. It would be my guess that man to man is easier to pick up.
What’s with devaluing McConnell’s performance against lesser teams? What’s he supposed to do, suck in those games?
Geo is da man, but he’s had some mediocre games against lesser teams. Compare his performance at home against Columbia to Caleb’s performance at home versus Maine (in fewer minutes), for example.
I wish now that McConnell had played more than 3 minutes against Fordham (which most of us consider a lesser team) when Baker was 5-16 (2-9 from 3) in 37 minutes. If Baker had played better in that game and we won, would anybody be poo-pooing his performance because “it was only Fordham” who incidentally lost to Maine?
Considering CMac is a true frosh who has had limited floortime until very recently, you have to see his value as a net positive to this team, and growing. In some stretches of games he has saved our ass.
Give credit where credit is due.
Geo is da man, but he’s had some mediocre games against lesser teams. Compare his performance at home against Columbia to Caleb’s performance at home versus Maine (in fewer minutes), for example.
I wish now that McConnell had played more than 3 minutes against Fordham (which most of us consider a lesser team) when Baker was 5-16 (2-9 from 3) in 37 minutes. If Baker had played better in that game and we won, would anybody be poo-pooing his performance because “it was only Fordham” who incidentally lost to Maine?
Considering CMac is a true frosh who has had limited floortime until very recently, you have to see his value as a net positive to this team, and growing. In some stretches of games he has saved our ass.
Give credit where credit is due.
Agree. Congrats to CM for stepping up. My point is how much he can contribute in conference is TBD..
They have got to change up the starting lineup.
First TV timeout
1st. 2nd
FDU 7-7 7-4
Drexel .14-7. 11-7
SJU . 4-11 . 6-6
EMU. 11-0. 4-8
BU 12-4 . 4-12
UM 4-8 . 4-2
MSU. 13-8. 3-8
UW. 9-6. 4-11
Ford . 8-6. 6-10
SHU 2-7. 6-12
Colum 1-10. 7-8
Maine. 4-8 . 13-9
Total 89-82 .75-97
There are a few good starts sprinkled in but more bad than good.
First TV timeout
1st. 2nd
FDU 7-7 7-4
Drexel .14-7. 11-7
SJU . 4-11 . 6-6
EMU. 11-0. 4-8
BU 12-4 . 4-12
UM 4-8 . 4-2
MSU. 13-8. 3-8
UW. 9-6. 4-11
Ford . 8-6. 6-10
SHU 2-7. 6-12
Colum 1-10. 7-8
Maine. 4-8 . 13-9
Total 89-82 .75-97
There are a few good starts sprinkled in but more bad than good.
Is this the same McConnell who people considered a bust after the 1st game of his college career?
