godanesgo99

Here is your list of nominees. They are all players that played on the team during the 17-18 season or earlier. Players in the last 2 years are too hard to judge at this moment. They might get screwed part of their career was in 2 different decades...

Guard:

• Jacob Iati
• Logan Aronhalt
• Mike Black
• Tim Ambrose
• Peter Hooley
• Gerardo Suero
• DJ Evans
• Evan Singletary
• Ray Sanders
• Joe Cremo
• David Nichols
• Cameron Healy
• Ahmad Clark

Forward/Center

• Blake Metcalf
• John Puk
• Sam Rowley
• Mike Rowley
• Dallas Ennema
• Greig Stire
• Travis Charles
• Devonte Campbell
• Adam Lulka

Healy now...

45 minutes ago, UAalum72 said:

Radio today: JoJo is coming around but will have surgery postseason because “he has no ACL” and will transplant a patellar tendon.

Shafer is about 7 to 10 days out to his return.

Didnt say specifically but it sounded like Clark and Healy were late for a bus, and “there’s nothing like the bench to wake” you up

Thanks for the update. I still really miss how 104.5 used to upload all of their interviews to youtube. So hard to listen to while at work, and I still have not found a reliable place to listen to the replays. If anyone knows how to get to them, please share. 

Foul shooting definitely cost the game, but that wouldn't have been the issue if the team didn't give up 14 offensive rebounds. That part was the hardest thing for me to see. So many second and third chances given up.

My 10 year old just looked at me after that bad pass turn over to Anderson in the corner and said: "I can't watch this anymore. Too many turnovers and missed free throws" then he walked out of the room.

Team moved away from pounding it inside and the turnovers came back and the shot selection deteriorated. 

Love how much the team is pounding the ball inside. It's what I've been asking for all season. Establish inside to make the opponents bigs have to pay attention down low, which will force the opponents guards to give ours some room to move as the bigs won't be able to help as effectively. More open shots and less turnovers will be the result.

Another thing to consider in the JUCO/transfer vs. 4 year thing...

How many 4 year players did we miss because we gave a ship to a JUCO/transfer kid? I don't think it's that many. Most were recruited late to fill roster spots. If you are going to take a risk on someone to be a practice player or to take a gamble on someone with talent, why not do it with someone that will only take a roster spot for a short time, instead of taking a kid that might not work out for 4?

I do wish the team was recruiting higher and getting more 4 year players, but I also don't want them taking 4 year kids that we don't see ever finding regular player time. Let Maine take those kids. 

2 hours ago, Clickclack said:

I understand people view players differently but Peter's isn't anywhere near a plus for me. Campbell as a sophomore yes... The rest was pretty painful. Clark, Ray, Evan and Travis no question. The rest is a matter of preference...I'll even give you Campbell... 5 in 5 years? Out of 20? 

 

Problem is I find jucos and transfers can take a year or more to sync up with program. By that point 50 to 75 percent of their UA career is over.

 

I'll try do something similar for 4 year kids. Just curious. 

It depends on what you call a success. Not everyone can start. Not everyone can be a star. You start 5 players and have a roster of 13. That's 38% of the players on the team. Players that come in and earn solid rotation time and perform in their role should be considered a success. If you have a 9 man rotation with 4 players getting garbage time, that's 31% of your roster that are really only practice players.

• - Clark - No matter what anyone says, as the only ball handler on the team, and someone who can take over a game, I call him a net +
• - Hansen - Too early to tell, but so far not looking good at all
• - Lauderdale - One of my favorite players on the team. May not be all-conference, but I call him a net +
• - Campbell - Regressed after an amazing sophomore year, but made 3 all-defensive teams. He was a net +
• - Miller - No idea what he did in the locker room, but didn't play his way into the line-up. I met him and he seemed like a good kid, but I'll go net -
• - French - We needed size, and he provides it, but so far he hasn't earned PT or has been injured net - as of today, but too early to tell with 1.5 years left.
• - Brooks - Net -
• - Flory - Never got healthy then left - Net -
• - Travis Charles - Sir Buckets! - Major +
• - Alex Foster - Never learned the system. One of the best athletes I have seen in purple and gold, but didn't earn enough time on the court net-
• - Costa Anderson - Hit some big shots for us, but didn't play much - net -
• - Matt Conway - Seemed talented, but never earned his way onto the floor - net -
• - Xavier Cohrain - Highly touted athlete. Never earned his way onto the floor. 
• - Marquees Grayson - Started for a bit, but fell out of favor Net -
• - Jaraan Lands - Injured after a decent start. Transferred to D2 for more playing time with hopes to go pro - Net -
• - Martin-Garcia - Never played outside of garbage time. Net -
• - Jamir Andrews - I forgot he was on the team - Net -
• - Richard Peters - Didn't score much, but was a huge body and strong presence. He definitely helped the team on and off the court. One of my favorite players. It is too bad his injury never fully healed. Then again, if he was healthy he probably would have played higher. Net +
• - Ray Sanders - Dude could ball - Net +
• - Evan Singletary  - Dude could ball - Net +

You named 20 players. I didn't take the time to check to see if you missed anyone.

• 7 for 20 are pluses, including 2 of the better players to wear purple and gold in Ray and Evan
• 2 are too early to tell as Hansen has shown flashes, but if the season were to end today would be a negative. Need to see him in AE play before a determination is made. French has 1.5 years left could still end up a +, but he is tentatively marked as a negative. He has been here long enough to say he is a net - so far, but he could change my mind
• 11 are pretty clearly net negatives

Not sure how the success % of 4 year players working out is, but this doesn't seem as bad as you imply:

• 35% success for strong contributors
• 55% fail rate for players that did not visually help the team
• 10% is TBD

Go back and do the same analysis on the 4 year players brought in over the same period and see what the % looks like. 

At the start of the season, I said that based on the schedule this team should win 20+ games this year, and the bare minimum they should win to have the season no be considered a failure would be 18-19 wins.

After 12 games, with 3 OOC games left, I'm not sure if they can get to what I expected. 

Assuming they go 1-2 in the last 3 OOC games, they would have to go 10-6 in league and win the first round playoff game to finish the year at 18-15. 

Definitely possible to get to 20, but seeming less and less likely. Do we need to adjust expectations?

That was going to be the rest of my comment. We do look utterly lost against the zone though. I only saw the ball thrown into the high post 3 times. Lauderdale was 1-2 and deSousa missed a shot from sir buckets land. Not sure the ball passed through there another time.

Half wasn't as terrible as the score looks. Niagara is draining contested threes right and left. Just can't miss. 

6 hours ago, godanesgo99 said:

We need bigs that are a threat down low, make layups, and can catch passes. Without them, opposing teams are able to gamble to steal passes and play ultra tight D on the guards. Right now the opposition isn't afraid of getting beat off the dribble because they know they have help from their bigs since they aren't worried about a dish down low.

As for the bigs, I've been impressed with Hank since he has worked his way back into the lineup. If he improved his hands a little and got more aggressive he could be a force.

Lulka has been injured and we haven't seen what he can do yet. Hansen was really good in Canada, but seems to have fallen out of favor. I always thought French looked good, but he hasn't been able to get into the lineup. Doherty was highly touted.

The answer could be on the team now. Just need one or two of them to play well and assert themselves for a few games and it would open a lot up.

1 minute ago, Oldtimer said:

We need another guard??  We started 4 guards the last two games and had 42 turnovers.  We just need someone who values the ball and realizes there are four team mates on the court.

We need bigs that are a threat down low, make layups, and can catch passes. Without them, opposing teams are able to gamble to steal passes and play ultra tight D on the guards. Right now the opposition isn't afraid of getting beat off the dribble because they know they have help from their bigs since they aren't worried about a dish down low.

Anyone know if David Nichols is playing professionally anywhere this season? I haven't seen anything about him. I know his dad was on the board the other night.

Now that we are half a season after both finished their grad transfer season, I'm curious what everyone on the board thinks...

Joe didn't get much of a sniff in draft conversations and he hasn't caught on with a D team yet (yes he just got called back, but no games yet). 

Did the time at Villanova with limited action at the end of the season help or hurt his professional aspirations? 4ppg at Nova and a role on the bench in the NCAA tournament vs. starring in the AE with a shot at POY. 

I am thinking the it helped David as it proved he could contribute in the ACC against that level of player. As a PG you need to show that speed and agility against the fastest players.

Seeing the hype Lamb has gotten from NBA scouts in the AE tells me that Joe may have been better off basketball wise staying home. Nova didn't use Joe to his strengths. He became a spot up shooter and the 4th or 5th option in their offense. In the AE he would have continued to show off crafty moves and been the focus of the offense. I am not thinking the level of play matters as much at the 2.

Outside of basketball and in the business world it was obviously the best move for both of them from a resume perspective for life after basketball. All Academic team in the AE while playing basketball, graduating early, then going to another school for grad work playing there as well is impressive on a resume.

It seemed that the ACC was using their ACC speed and length to swarm our guards. Our bigs being down low are a clear weakness so far with this team, so they were able to apply max effort to pestering the guards, and if for some reason they got beat off the dribble (only Clark could) their bigs were able to step in and stop them without much worry of our bigs getting the ball. Our guys didn't handle the pressure well.

As for the foul shooting, part of the problem is that the majority of our foul shots were taken by the bigs:

Looking at the box, the 3/4/5 players were 8-16, and I think that is a mistake. Hank is listed as 2-4, but my memory has him at 0-4. (Lulka 5-10, Hutch 1-2)

The guards were 3-5. Only 60% there, but that's still a very small sample size. 

Circus shots (to me) means driving to through the lane into multiple defenders then tossing it at the hoop assuming you will draw contact and get to the line, with a prayer of it falling and getting an and 1. When no foul is called it looks silly. I don't have access to all the film, but it happened a lot. Going back to the tape might make it look better than it was live as you mentioned in an earlier post, but perception is reality.

24 minutes ago, Coach Nichols said:

We love the Danes.  Still follow the games, watch when I can.  Have nothing but respect for Coach Brown and the staff and it goes beyond basketball.  And BTW David was a much better basketball player his junior year than his sophomore year.  Only difference was he missed more shots during the first half of the season. But man, Coach Brown had him doing so many little things better it was astonishing.  David played in the ACC not because of the points he scored his sophomore year but because of the improvement of his defensive footwork, his MUCH improved decision making, the practical elimination of free throw line to free throw line turnovers (not all TOs are the same).  Hell, David’s biggest disappointment JR year was not making all defensive team.   The mere fact that he started the year with that being his biggest goal was all Coach Brown. When he sent me that text I thought it was from one of my other players:). 

He may have very well been twice as good his junior year as his sophomore year, but the expectations were set higher (potentially unrealistically) so any of the perceived negatives of forcing or bad decisions were received worse by the fans. It's all about how high the bar was set.

The same thing goes with Clark. I think the fanbase expected more improvement. It's still early though. Conference play is almost here.

18 minutes ago, Clickclack said:

Have you see or visited other fan boards? We are far from unique in our negativity. 

This is very true. That's part of what makes sports fun. I think that because UA still has a relatively small fan base it amplifies the sound and tone of any negativity.

2 minutes ago, Coach Nichols said:

I don’t think the kids read the message board,  but enough people around them do that I am sure they were aware.   Now if you said Twitter or Instagram, they definitely see it.   I have seen some of the Clark/Nichols comparisons and they are really not good comps.  But it would take such a detailed basketball conversation to explain the differences it’s not worth it.  Don’t get me wrong. David was/is and forever will be a shoot first PG.  Trust me, I am a 30 year coach and we would battle and argue so no one knows better than me.  But David is also one of the smartest players I ever coached. And EVERY coach he has played for would talk about his knowledge of the game.   Often too smart for his own good to be honest. When David played for me, I would scream at him about what I though was a bonehead or selfish play, then we would watch the tape and damn it he always saw something I missed.  You all don’t see that not should you.   Fans should be fans and judge by what you see.   I never have or will have a problem with any criticism of his or any kids game.  Just not my cup of tea, even as a fan,  but have at it.  My only problem I ever have is questions of character, etc.  Too many personal biases seep in when people try to explain why someone does something.   We can disagree to our hearts content about the “What”, I get really protective over the why. 

I'm not sure anyone (definitely not me) ever accused David or Clark of being selfish. I been one of the biggest supporters of Clark on this board, and my post history will show that. I honestly don't remember ever saying anything bad about either, beyond what looked like forced plays and what appeared to be a lack of trust in their teammates causing them to try to do to much.

Beyond that, I love that you are on the board and following the team 2 seasons after David took his last shot in purple and gold. It shows the respect Brown has gained the program.

Hope David is doing well.

Also hope that this team figures out whatever it is they need. Only a few games left until the real season begins.

It could be worse. At UA we build our teams up and when they don't live up to our oversized expectations we get depressed. We could be UVM fans though...  they had dreams of getting an at large if they somehow got upset in the conference tourney. After these last few weeks they now have to deal with being disappointed when they get a 15 seed or nothing. We are going to be excited when we land a 16 or a PIG after beating them in the AE championship game. 

Everything comes down to expectations and if they are met.

39 minutes ago, Coach Nichols said:

I assume some of you won’t engage with me because based on the way I see you talk about the kids you probably slammed my son.  LOL.  But as it relates to Brown he is as solid as it gets as a coach.  Do I agree with everything he does? Of course not, but he can coach.  

There are some fans here that get overly negative on everything. That is what being a sports fan is all about. When I complain about it and how it might affect a players mindset when/if they read it, I'm told that they are adults and can handle it, and that complaining is all part of being a fan on a message board. It wouldn't surprise me if the negativity here helped push your son and Cremo to transfer. I've been told directly from people that it had affected some of the other players in the past. It's sad, but it is what it is.

People on the board loved your son his sophomore year, but got on him hard his junior year. Clark exhibits many of the same things people got on David for. There are times when it seems forced and bad decisions are made. Both kids are/were immense talents. Some of the best we have ever seen at UA, but both had frustrating performances at times. Both can/could carry the team and look like the best players on the floor against an ACC team one game, then drive to rim against 3 defenders and throw a circus shot with no foul called on three straight possessions the next game.

Both were 1st team all AE talents. Both would be significantly better with another ball handling threat on the floor with them that UA just hasn't had.

If JoJo is as good as advertised, a guard rotation of Clark/JoJo/Healy/Rizzuto could be hard to beat. 

My biggest frustration with this team is the amount of 1 on 1 play and deep three point shots. The bigs haven't shown they are an inside threat or that they can handle passes. This allows the other team to focus on guarding the perimeter, which forces so much pressure on the guards that they turn the ball over. When the shots are falling, this team can play with every team they have faced so far. When they aren't, the team will see a 5 minute slump of 0 points scored. It's been the same MO since the 16-17 season.

To me, the top priority for the coaching staff right now would be to develop confidence in Lulka, Hank, Lauderdale, and French. Convince Hansen to use his length down low instead of the perimeter. Get Doherty minutes to develop for next year, and focus all recruiting effort on a talented 4 year big.

https://watchstadium.com/live/albany-at-bucknell/

Anyone know where this is streaming?

LMAO. From the bobcatnation forum....

Quote

I like U Albany. I really do. I respect their journey from being picked last to a 6-2 record and a 2nd round game. Their coach seems like a stand up guy, and their poster who's over here has done a great job even in the face of casual smack talk. That why I'm conflicted in suggesting the following:

More that just a student, I think we need a small army of blow up T Rex suits. I think the dance team needs T Rex's doing choreography during the timeouts. I think the band needs T Rex's marching with them at the tailgates and in the half time show. I think we need T Rex's running the endzone under the student section. As many as we can get our hands on in this amount of time need to be deployed.

I'd give them props for doing that. I love this kind of stuff!