Left the RAC last night thinking about what a changed player Issa has become. He is so much more active in the paint where last year he seemed allergic to the paint. He's added some bulk and seems to be getting more confident. He is a major threat from 3 and his (4) 3pointers really got the crowd buzzing.... and 7 boards. Watching his emergence is fun and he just looks like a completely different player this year....so much more cofidence!!!
The growth of Issa
- Thread starter 4theknights
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I do see improvement. I am going to hold off final judgement until after a few games against the real teams on our schedule.
Reserving judgment sucks.
Him driving the ball a few times for mid range shots was good to see as well. That wasn’t part of his game last year.
He can be the X factor for this team, you saw it last night but will have to keep improving and becoming more consistent from game to game. Last night really has to have helped his confidence with his shot
Besides the improved contested 3 Pt shooting, what I really liked was when he put the ball on the floor, pulled up, and shot over his defender around the foul line. He's basically a 6'10" wing player, and with continued added bulk, will be close to a 4/5 rebounder. Once he improves on his ability to create a shot off the dribble, he will be a very tough player to guard/matchup with. I think we saw some glimpses of that last night.
Who I'm equally high on is Doucoure. He is going to play a big part with this team moving forward. Rebounder, strong, quick, can post up, create a shot and finish around the rim.
Who I'm equally high on is Doucoure. He is going to play a big part with this team moving forward. Rebounder, strong, quick, can post up, create a shot and finish around the rim.
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so...with the improvement of Thiam.....and to a lesser extent Omoruyi......
with the addition of Baker & Doucoure
I see us a shade better than last year
Thiam + Doucoure =Gettys but more athletic
Baker= Nigel with a better attitude
Omoruyi also looks improved
I also base it on the fact that Mike Williams looks improved as well
We were "in" almost every game last year
My hope is we pull out maybe 3-4 more tight ending games...
Anyone agree we might be a tad BETTER than last year?
with the addition of Baker & Doucoure
I see us a shade better than last year
Thiam + Doucoure =Gettys but more athletic
Baker= Nigel with a better attitude
Omoruyi also looks improved
I also base it on the fact that Mike Williams looks improved as well
We were "in" almost every game last year
My hope is we pull out maybe 3-4 more tight ending games...
Anyone agree we might be a tad BETTER than last year?
Thiam right now is a streak 3 point shooter who can hit successive shots and then quickly loses his stroke.With his size Thiam should be able to post up against smaller defenders and or dribble drive to the basket.His potential is there to be a significant offensive contributor in the future.
I think we are much improved from last year. I think the main thing is depth. The addition of Baker and Doucoure is huge. Sanders, Williams, and Freeman are steady. Thiam and Omoruyi are impressive from last year. Doorson and Sa will improve game by game and If someone isn’t playing well, Coach has the luxury of sitting him for a few series and coach them up. I like this team a lot.
I think we will end up being better than last year. Our record might not show it though.
Ability will be judged by this for sure. Mindset is fundamentally different though. Last year I can count on hand the times he did anything but pass or shoot when he got the ball or did much of anything to attempt to hit the glass.
Even if he's not wildly improved, I'm very happy to see the cultural change impacting him.
I do think we will be better. But I disagree on the "Baker= Nigel with a better attitude". I would say "Baker>Nigel" even with the limited amount of time that I have seen Baker. Baker is one of the most intelligent players on the court, if not the most intelligent player on the court.
But he is showing more against the non real teams this year compared to last.
3 things I saw last night from Issa: comfortable, decisive, confident.
Basketball is such a quick, reactive game, that these 3 qualities are essential to a player's success. Last year he lacked all 3.
I'm reserving judgement until we play some of the big boys, but last night was definitely a step in the right direction.
A lot of posters were hyper-focused on his release point last year. That wasn't the reason for his struggles. See the above 3
Basketball is such a quick, reactive game, that these 3 qualities are essential to a player's success. Last year he lacked all 3.
I'm reserving judgement until we play some of the big boys, but last night was definitely a step in the right direction.
A lot of posters were hyper-focused on his release point last year. That wasn't the reason for his struggles. See the above 3
I'd be a bit surprised if our record doesn't show it. I truly think this team is better than last year by a decent margin.
Agree with everything you said, but i think the low release had a lot to do with his issues last year. He needed to be wide open to get his shot off, which hurts his confidence when the defender is tight. He can get his shot off quickly and easily now. Huge difference IMO. If he can stay confident in his shot like he did last night he's going to really light it up in some games.
I am GLAD you disagree Scarlet LI ! !!!!!
I agree with you on Baker 100%
He is a better team mate, works hard daily and is a 6'4'' point guard !!
and
[banana]I think he is just getting started![banana]
Baker is oozing with potential!! I hope to look back 3 years from now, and say what a steal Baker was
I could be overrating our conference. we play 2 vs. ohio state, nebraska, and illinois. The top 9 schools in the B1G are going to be much better than they were last year
Issa is going to be a great one, give him time, he has shown a much more diverse game on offense, is playing great defense and has become a presence on the boards. The sky is the limit for this kid. And Baker's shots will begin to fall and when they do you'll be talking about one of the great ones because his skills in all other areas are excellent.
Noticed two things:
1. Physical Improvement - he has worked hard in the offseason and for my eyes that translated to better lateral quickness on defense.
2. Release - His release looks much better than last year and I think when you add that change and his physical improvement he will get off his shot much cleaner.
1. Physical Improvement - he has worked hard in the offseason and for my eyes that translated to better lateral quickness on defense.
2. Release - His release looks much better than last year and I think when you add that change and his physical improvement he will get off his shot much cleaner.
It's early but already think Baker was a steal. I think he'll be 4-year B1G starter. Those players (especially under-the-radar ones) don't come along that often.
The team will be significantly better than last year.
Our defensive improvement is the major reason.
The players are buying into the defensive philosophy.
Calhoun demanded it at UConn and now Pikiel is demanding it at RU.
I understand our offense is hit or miss, but defense will keep us in
games that we would have gotten blown out in last year
Our defensive improvement is the major reason.
The players are buying into the defensive philosophy.
Calhoun demanded it at UConn and now Pikiel is demanding it at RU.
I understand our offense is hit or miss, but defense will keep us in
games that we would have gotten blown out in last year
Love seeing Thiam improve year to year, and also Omoruyi. I know there was a lot of talk over the summer/fall over whether these guys would be able to step up and become bigger contributors - been a great start so far.
Median tempo number sits at 72.7 possessions per game. Last year it was 68.3, not sure if there were rule changes?
We had 66.2 last year and are averaging 71.3 this year.
Conference only average was 1.05 points per possession. 71.3 * 1.05 = 75 points
If tempo goes back to last year the number is 68.3 * 1.05 = 71.7 points
Thiam's difficulty scoring from three last year was not due to him having difficulty getting his shot off. Shooting from in front and above his forehead now allows for less arm movement in the shot and consequently more touch.
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I truly believe the difference with Thiam is confidence. Last year he was extremely reluctant to shoot and almost never went to the rim. IMO, he still could take a few more shots. Passed up a few open looks each game, though once he hit a few last game he did start to look more for his shot.
I would agree. And it looks to me as if Issa has altered his jump shot in a good way where a defender can't easily block his shot like they did last year.
It's really too bad that the cupboard was so bare that Pike had to play him last year. Issa's body last year screamed out; "redshirt me!". We now see what just one year of S&C is doing for Thiam's production and confidence. The raw talent and frame that he possesses can't be taught. It will be fun to watch Thiam over the next 3+ years as he continues to develop physically.
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