This team is fun. Enjoy the ride.

[R1766U]

Sat first row during the scrimmage….

1. This team is incredibly fun to watch.
2. Minus the inside D, lack of a traditional B10 level center and our lack of B1G experience, we finally have a team that is an absolute total package.
3. Martiny plays like a bull. The kid is BIG and incredibly tough, aggressive and hustles!!
4. Dylan talks a LOT of trash. Constantly. I can see it leading to some touchy situations.
5. This team is only going to get better because they lost. I honestly think losing this game will be better for us.
6. This team is so, so fun to watch. We finally look the part of a big time team. Buckle up.


After watching these guys up close. I am even more excited to see them play. This is a special group and a very deep, tough, offensive first team.

Win, or lose… if these guys play like they did last week, this is going to be fun.

 

[lion1983]

Almost all fair comments ... but point well-made, IMO.

 

[Scangg]

Glad Dylan talks trash. Rutgers has their swag back!

 

[RUGiddy777]

Glad Dylan talks trash. Rutgers has their swag back!

His brother is the greatest troll in RU history. This makes me happy.

 

[Degaz-RU]

His brother is the greatest troll in RU history. This makes me happy.

 

[BillyC80]

On these boards we tend to over-analyze every aspect of every game — players , coaches, refs — you name it.

This year, I hope we all appreciate how extraordinary it is that we have not one but two potential lottery picks playing together.

Win or lose we will have exciting games and yes, it will be a fun year of RU hoops, especially at the RAC.

 

[Randal7]

imagine ron harper jr on this team too :D

 

[RRRRUUUU]

Just need Dylan to learn how to play defense. Watching him in HS, he never really was interested in defense. That seems to be the case so far in the scrimmage. But I’m sure Pike will get him up to speed.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

Glad Dylan talks trash. Rutgers has their swag back!

Needs to back it up with winning and making plays on BOTH ends. If he is trash talking and at the same time not going after loose balls I have a major problem (like at the exhibition game) with it.

 

[RUJMM78]

It will be a fun year if Rutgers gets a NCAA bid and wins at least two tournament games.Anything less will be viewed as a disappointment with two elite players on the squad.An opportunity season with such outstanding talent rarely happens at Rutgers.There will be tremendous pressure on the players and coaching staff to show all the excitement and media attention was warranted,

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

It will be a fun year if Rutgers gets a NCAA bid and wins at least two tournament games.Anything less will be viewed as a disappointment with two elite players on the squad.An opportunity season with such outstanding talent rarely happens at Rutgers.There will be tremendous pressure on the players and coaching staff to show all the excitement and media attention was warranted,

Get us to the NCAAs....I am not going to take 1 loss in 1 game and say a season was a disappointment. Anything can happen in 1 game.

 

[AntiG]

His brother is the greatest troll in RU history. This makes me happy.

anymore Harpers left? lol

Just give RHS an honorary doctorate already.

 

[RUGiddy777]

After the IU game winner, I think those Hoosier daddy t-shirts might have gone sale before the plane landed in Newark.

 

[RUGiddy777]

anymore Harpers left? lol

Just give RHS an honorary doctorate already.

I think María Harper needs to be in the conversation for the AD vacancy.

 

[RUfan1977]

It goes without saying that Ace and Dylan will be fun to watch, but I also came away from the scrimmage impressed by the supporting cast. Hayes won’t shoot 100% from the field and foul line every game, but he should be very good! If he comes close to Cam Spencer good, this offense will be unbelievably difficult to defend. Derkack was as tough a defender as advertised and I expect he will shoot closer to the 47% from the field he shot previously than the 14% he shot during the scrimmage. Jeremiah did not have a great game, but based on what he showed last year, he also should be a valuable player. Zach played well in the second half and may see quite a bit of time at center. As for the rebounding, St. Johns consistently got themselves in better rebounding position than Rutgers. Part of it was their athleticism, especially at the center position, but part of it was correctable with better effort and positioning. Hope they take team rebounding to heart.

 

[Nycrusupporter]

Needs to back it up with winning and making plays on BOTH ends. If he is trash talking and at the same time not going after loose balls I have a major problem (like at the exhibition game) with it.

Yes, we should have our star player a couple months removed from knee surgery diving on the floor during an exhibition game that doesn’t mean anything. Great idea.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

Yes, we should have our star player a couple months removed from knee surgery diving on the floor during an exhibition game that doesn’t mean anything. Great idea.

There is a happy medium. He can still go after a defensive rebound instead of watching and waiting for a teammate to get it. This happened quite a few times. I think this will be fixed and he has to be programmed to go harder on the defensive end.

 

[Nycrusupporter]

There is a happy medium. He can still go after a defensive rebound instead of watching and waiting for a teammate to get it. This happened quite a few times. I think this will be fixed and he has to be programmed to go harder on the defensive end.

He is just rounding back into basketball shape. When the season starts he will be a major problem for any team we play, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up leading our team in rebounds this year.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

Yes, we should have our star player a couple months removed from knee surgery diving on the floor during an exhibition game that doesn’t mean anything. Great idea.

Please do me a favor and watch. In 1 minute and 3 seconds (youtube time) you will see 5 bad effort plays that led to us losing.
13:54 losses man back door
14:10 makes bad pass and doesn't hustle back
14:27 loses man back door on an in bound play
14:42 his man outworks him and gets the offensive rebound and scores
14:57 make a nice pass to ogobole who doesn't finish and Harper doesnt hustle back

If this doesn't get fixed we have NO chance of a successful season.

 

[lion1983]

Please do me a favor and watch. In 1 minute and 3 seconds (youtube time) you will see 5 bad effort plays that led to us losing.
13:54 losses man back door
14:10 makes bad pass and doesn't hustle back
14:27 loses man back door on an in bound play
14:42 his man outworks him and gets the offensive rebound and scores
14:57 make a nice pass to ogobole who doesn't finish and Harper doesnt hustle back

If this doesn't get fixed we have NO chance of a successful season.

View embedded media

Ah, Greene ... You went back and saw some of the same things I saw. Just curious whether that was 1st half or 2nd half, because I saw similar plays (if not that particular stretch) from Harper in both halves.

But my interpretation was that it was less an EFFORT thing and more of an AWARENESS thing.

I did not think Harper lacked effort, but that OFF BALL he seemed to "drift" a bit ... lose eye contact with the man he was defending, stand around and watch his teammates too much (on defense). Both of those led to both back-door plays, failure to box out leading to offensive rebounds, and failure to be in the correct position for help defense. I also would say that ON-BALL, I thought Harper was diligent and made a willing and solid defender.

And these things ARE coachable - in part by the coaches using the exhibition film to demonstrate the results of those failures ... if the player listens.

I would add, that though I though Derkack was absolutely terrific defensively, both on ball and off ball ... really, really disruptive ... AND several times his hustle in transition led to excellent defensive plays ... Even so, in the 2nd half in particular, Derkack was very slow, almost lazy (used not as an aspersion, but to describing a leisurely pace down the court), in trailing transition (i.e. he was not the lead transition defender, nor could have been, but was slow to get back several times) - with those particular times costing his ability to help in secondary transition defense or rebounding, St. John's secondary transition players getting to the offensive boards.

What you are describing, plus other examples by other players, also supports my analysis that Ogbole was NOT the issue with offensive rebounds - other players need to box out their opposing players to help players like Derkack, Bailey and the centers to grab the defensive rebounds. I am not saying Ogbole was not beaten to the offensive rebound on occasion anyway - just that much of the issue lay in other fundamentals misses by other players.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

2nd half. It was mostly effort. Not getting back on D or your man outworking you for a rebound is effort. Not being aware of where your man is…..you can assign a tag for that.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

He was fine on ball. Impressive use of BOLD

 

[Knight Owl]

Ceiling looks like Sweet Sixteen (unless they get good matchups beyond the first weekend) unless D and rebounding improve. Ogbole is still early in his learning curve so he might improve dramatically if the light goes on so to speak.

 

[RutgersBall]

Sat first row during the scrimmage….

2. Minus the inside D, lack of a traditional B10 level center and our lack of B1G experience, we finally have a team that is an absolute total package.

That's kind of a lot, but I agree that the team will be very fun to watch and that we should just enjoy it. Just everyone chill on the Final Four talk and be a bit more realistic. Sweet 16 would be an incredible accomplishment for this program and I think is a bit more realistic.

 

[Nycrusupporter]

Please do me a favor and watch. In 1 minute and 3 seconds (youtube time) you will see 5 bad effort plays that led to us losing.
13:54 losses man back door
14:10 makes bad pass and doesn't hustle back
14:27 loses man back door on an in bound play
14:42 his man outworks him and gets the offensive rebound and scores
14:57 make a nice pass to ogobole who doesn't finish and Harper doesnt hustle back

If this doesn't get fixed we have NO chance of a successful season.

View embedded media

Ok, let me repeat this one more time. He is has just been on the court for a few weeks getting into shape, learning the system, and getting to know the tendencies of his teammates. Once the season starts, he will be ready.

 

[Rhuarc]

My only concern for the season besides injuries is the fact that Lathan's power play led us to potentially have below average center production. He better grow up real fast and be a solid contributor.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

Ok, let me repeat this one more time. He is has just been on the court for a few weeks getting into shape, learning the system, and getting to know the tendencies of his teammates. Once the season starts, he will be ready.

The getting in shape is the only arguement relevant here.

 

[lion1983]

Ok, let me repeat this one more time. He is has just been on the court for a few weeks getting into shape, learning the system, and getting to know the tendencies of his teammates. Once the season starts, he will be ready.

While I 100% agree that Harper (and his teammates, also) have plenty of time with 3 additional weeks of practice (now 2 weeks), plus 3 weeks of 5 easier games and additional practice to improve their understanding of the defensive schemes and positioning, etc., Harper was fully recovered and fully practicing with the team in the last week of Summer practice (late July or early August), and from the beginning of practice starting in September ... so that is no excuse. Acuff, now ... that is another thing. HE needs more time to get in game shape and get used to his teammates.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

Getting used to teammates have zero to do with the 5 lapses on the defensive end in that 3 or so minute stretch.

 

[RutgersDom]

Just need Dylan to learn how to play defense. Watching him in HS, he never really was interested in defense. That seems to be the case so far in the scrimmage. But I’m sure Pike will get him up to speed.

I would disagree about his ad in the scrimmage. A couple of ticky tac fouls and then once he had 4 you can see him telling pike I won’t foul and played hands up d the rest of the game so was minutes. I think with pike his d will be fine

 

[Scangg]

Dylan is going to be fine. I have 0 concern about his defense or rebounding

He just needs to learn that he can't lose focus. This isn't some crazy problem. He is big enough, strong enough, smart enough, coachable enough, competitive enough to play defense and rebound

Stop clutching pearls and enjoy the amazing player that he js

 

[RRRRUUUU]

Dylan is going to be fine. I have 0 concern about his defense or rebounding

He just needs to learn that he can't lose focus. This isn't some crazy problem. He is big enough, strong enough, smart enough, coachable enough, competitive enough to play defense and rebound

Stop clutching pearls and enjoy the amazing player that he js

I’m not talking about the 2nd half when he was in foul trouble. That is understandable. No doubt at all he has the ability/size/intelligence. Just need to see it. I’ll loosen the grip a little :)

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

Dylan is going to be fine. I have 0 concern about his defense or rebounding

He just needs to learn that he can't lose focus. This isn't some crazy problem. He is big enough, strong enough, smart enough, coachable enough, competitive enough to play defense and rebound

Stop clutching pearls and enjoy the amazing player that he js

I have said he needs to be programmed away from the AAU game.

He and Ace will make great plays and get their numbers. Their will (or lack of) to win games is going to say a lot of where we end up going. It is more than just making clutch shots.

 

[RUInsanity]

I have said he needs to be programmed away from the AAU game.

He and Ace will make great plays and get their numbers. Their will (or lack of) to win games is going to say a lot of where we end up going. It is more than just making clutch shots.

Now I'm confused. I was extremely hopeful by the OP....but does this mean the team is not fun and I shouldn't enjoy the ride? 😎

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

It is just a different type of car. I have really enjoyed the last 6 or 7 seasons of Rutgers Basketball. I suppose every fan is different in what makes them excited. If watching ultra talented players perform is your thing it will be a great ride and you will enjoy it.

Actually the car is a 5 month lease. I hope there isn't a mileage restriction.

 

[NickRU714]

Please do me a favor and watch. In 1 minute and 3 seconds (youtube time) you will see 5 bad effort plays that led to us losing.
13:54 losses man back door
14:10 makes bad pass and doesn't hustle back
14:27 loses man back door on an in bound play
14:42 his man outworks him and gets the offensive rebound and scores
14:57 make a nice pass to ogobole who doesn't finish and Harper doesnt hustle back

If this doesn't get fixed we have NO chance of a successful season.

View embedded media

Can I stir the pot a bit??
Note: I'm not the least concerned about Harper. But I can't read anymore about the insane Rutgers/USC viewing situation tonight.


Go rewatch Rutgers-Princeton from last year.
GG didn't have a single play where he lost his man on a back door or got best for a rebound.
And that was the worse defensive performance in all of basketball history according some.

 

[GRU23]

Jesus Christ can we stop talking about Gavin lol, could not be less relevant to our team this year. Just cause he was technically our historically highest rated recruit doesn’t mean he’s in the same ball park as the talents we have this year. Just completely different skill sets, different years. Gavin even if he tried was completely lost multiple times that season on D, had zero hands, and couldn’t guard anyone on ball due to being slow and skinny. There hasn’t been a lot of hype out of Nebraska and he’s projected the third guy off the bench there.

Dylans a competitor. He also played an absurd amount of minutes and it was a SCRIMMAGE. I’m sure he’ll have defensive lapses at times but so does every player. It’s not cause he’s a “freshman”.

Remember our senior laden team that continually lost or underperformed against inferior opponents and was the worst defensive team we’ve had since Pike took over? Was it cause they still had AAU in their blood?

We’ve got two immense talents that care about winning and are playing for things beyond Rutgers which will be good for us. They’ll have their “freshmen” moments, but I’ve seen plenty of seniors have “freshmen” moments. It’s just college basketball, if everyone was perfect they wouldn’t be in college. The exciting thing about these guys is the thing keeping them off one currently may mostly just be an age restriction.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

Can I stir the pot a bit?? YES, PLEASE DO
Note: I'm not the least concerned about Harper. But I can't read anymore about the insane Rutgers/USC viewing situation tonight.


Go rewatch Rutgers-Princeton from last year. NO WAY
GG didn't have a single play where he lost his man on a back door or got best for a rebound.
And that was the worse defensive performance in all of basketball history according some. DID YOU NOT WATCH LOUISVILLE BET GAME

Not exactly sure of your point. Gavin didn't know how to play defense and he was afraid of contact. Dylan knows how to play defense. He knows what a triangle is. I expect him to be at worse a passable on ball defender.

With all that being said those 5 plays in a 3 minute span (1 minute and 3 seconds on youtube) were a bit alarming to me. It did turn the game from Rutgers with a comfortable lead to the game essentially being tied.

 

[Rokodesh]

We'll have a good season if the players focus on three things only. Their family, their religion, and the Green Bay Packers.

 

[mildone]

It will be a fun year if Rutgers gets a NCAA bid and wins at least two tournament games.Anything less will be viewed as a disappointment with two elite players on the squad.An opportunity season with such outstanding talent rarely happens at Rutgers.There will be tremendous pressure on the players and coaching staff to show all the excitement and media attention was warranted,

As a fan, I’ll have fun just watching this team play, win or lose. It’s more fun to win, and more fun to get into the tournament. But this team seems like it will be entertaining to watch no matter what.

No doubt some fans will obsess over losses or bad games, and let that ruin their fan experience. Each to their own. I’d rather just have fun and let the players and coaches obsess about that stuff.