[MBB] Game #18: 1/16/19 - 7:00PM @ UMass Lowell

[DanesRGood]

2 minutes ago, Clickclack said:

You wouldn't be starting Rizzuto or Healey. Would have probably been Nichols, Clark and Cremo at the 3. Rizzuto and Healey would be getting 10+ minutes a game and allowed to come along in a traditional sense. Bench would be vastly improved. The balance of the roster would be much healthier. 

 

I really REALLY detest the strategy of JUCO recruiting. I wish we only had 1 or at most 2 JUCO kids on any roster to plug holes instead of expecting them to be significant contributors. Recruiting this way is a losing strategy. These kids take more then half their time in the program to adjust to D1. You look at what UVM and SBU are doing, neither builds this way. I wish Brown would go away from it...for every 1 decent JUCO kids another 5 or 6 are a waste. Then you get a roster of kids that either can't contribute ever OR you at best get 25-35%% of their time in the program where they are productive. If anyone leaves, I pray that Brown recruits a 4 year PG of the future to groom next year behind Clark as a top priority to go along with Hutchinson and Doherty. 

 

Core of the team if everyone stays (never guaranteed) would be Healey, Rizzuto, De Sousa, Lulka, Hans, Hutchinson, Doherty plus potentially a PG being groomed and now you have a makings of a nice core. As this core ages you bring in mostly more 4 year kids that can sit and learn for a year before stepping in and you develop a pipeline of talent that comes through the program. Throwing darts at a JUCO dart-board results in huge roster turnover usually for us. 

Agreed and that is the way the staff used to recruit. Had the core 4 year guys and filled holes with Jucos. I am hoping they will get back to that with the list of kids you mentioned in the last paragraph. Problem I see is that you have 5 of the 7 you mentioned that are all freshman at once with no one ahead of them to mentor them or let them slowly get into games and gain experience.  They are ALL being just throw in the fire at once.

I read your earlier post about how the roster needs a FULL overhaul.  Not sure if that was just post game anger or if you really believe that but I think the core is there with Healey, Rizzuto, Lulka, Hanks and hopefully De Sousa. Other than those 5 maybe we need that overhaul but I don't think it's as bad as we think going forward.  I don't see this team being top of the conference next year but I think year 3 and 4 with some good freshman additions and a good Juco or two (no more than that!) that these players can become a contender. I know sometimes it's hard to see the big picture, especially with how poorly this team is playing right now but we've seen them play well this year at times and think there is talent on the team.  Only time will tell though but it's fun to speculate.

 

 

 

[Clickclack]

19 minutes ago, DanesRGood said:

Agreed and that is the way the staff used to recruit. Had the core 4 year guys and filled holes with Jucos. I am hoping they will get back to that with the list of kids you mentioned in the last paragraph. Problem I see is that you have 5 of the 7 you mentioned that are all freshman at once with no one ahead of them to mentor them or let them slowly get into games and gain experience.  They are ALL being just throw in the fire at once.

I read your earlier post about how the roster needs a FULL overhaul.  Not sure if that was just post game anger or if you really believe that but I think the core is there with Healey, Rizzuto, Lulka, Hanks and hopefully De Sousa. Other than those 5 maybe we need that overhaul but I don't think it's as bad as we think going forward.  I don't see this team being top of the conference next year but I think year 3 and 4 with some good freshman additions and a good Juco or two (no more than that!) that these players can become a contender. I know sometimes it's hard to see the big picture, especially with how poorly this team is playing right now but we've seen them play well this year at times and think there is talent on the team.  Only time will tell though but it's fun to speculate.

 

 

 

Go back and re-read my update to my post for further clarification. I do believe of the 13 scholarship players on this roster EIGHT are complete or close to complete duds more then halfway through the year. Obviously you give a pass to the two struggling freshman and one freshman who doesn't play at all... but I see very little reason for why the other 5 were even recruited. They used to play and now aren't even in rotation having clearly lost the trust of the coaching staff. 

We talk this year and last year about lack of depth...why do you think that is? Let's be honest, there are a large number of kids on this roster that are not D1. You can see it in the rotations, they can't even get in, further proof will come in the early off-season. 

 

I'll repeat...I don't want any more JUCO kids....the juice on them isn't worth the squeeze. Even if we bring in more 4 year kids in addition to Hutch and Doherty, I'm OK with watching those kids grow even if they struggle. What I'm not OK with is 30-40% of the roster changing EVERY year us complaining about lack of depth, the new incoming recruits don't play because they can't contribute due to not knowing system, adjusting to D1 and then leave frustrated. There is a reason Albany leads the AE in transfers out.

 

Tell me this doesn't read like a nightmare, here are all the kids that should be in the program. 2 we know, the grad transfers but there are another EIGHT kids that left prematurely. So how can we expect any roster continuity, development, people slotting in etc? I know individually this can all be explained away but in an aggregate, it's not good enough. I know every staff misses on a kid here or there but this? These are all kids that SHOULD have been leading this program right now and TEN of them and 10 of them aren't. I know some left for grad transfer one career ending injury but that still 7 upper classman scholarships that were "wasted".

 

And I find myself upset with lots of first year kids struggling. It's not their fault! There is a skill to roster management and player development. We lack it as a program right now. 

 

Edited January 17, 2019 by Clickclack

[UAlbany09]

https://youtu.be/qi1LMIUOOAI

[UA_MA_2000]

I think our defense struggles because of lack of strength and athleticism. Even if we gave 110% effort on each play, it would not matter much. Effort is a part of it, but there is a larger issue at hand.

And, although I joked about our trainer(s) in a post above, maybe our strength and conditioning program is something that needs to be looked at and assessed. 

Edited January 17, 2019 by UA_MA_2000

[nysteve661]

1 hour ago, UA_MA_2000 said:

I think our defense struggles because of lack of strength and athleticism. Even if we gave 110% effort on each play, it would not matter much. Effort is a part of it, but there is a larger issue at hand.

And, although I joked about our trainer(s) in a post above, maybe our strength and conditioning program is something that needs to be looked at and assessed. 

The effort and concentration was totally missing in 2nd half last night.  That is on the players and the coaching staff.  CB has been relatively calm during this stretch and might need to light a fire.

Perfect example for those watching the game.  With roughly 5 min to go, UML had like 2 sec on shot clock and an inbounds under their hoop.  One of their guys strolled down from top of key, caught the ball in the lane and shot from 5 ft away for the hoop.  There wasn't a single Dane anywhere in the lane to be found.  Simple inbound defense with 2 sec on clock you learn in HS.  It's the only play the offense can get off and we were oblivious to it.  Effort and concentration.   That can't continue with these guys.

[UA'08]

1 minute ago, nysteve661 said:

The effort and concentration was totally missing in 2nd half last night.  That is on the players and the coaching staff.  CB has been relatively calm during this stretch and might need to light a fire.

Perfect example for those watching the game.  With roughly 5 min to go, UML had like 2 sec on shot clock and an inbounds under their hoop.  One of their guys strolled down from top of key, caught the ball in the lane and shot from 5 ft away for the hoop.  There wasn't a single Dane anywhere in the lane to be found.  Simple inbound defense with 2 sec on clock you learn in HS.  It's the only play the offense can get off and we were oblivious to it.  Effort and concentration.   That can't continue with these guys.

It was 1 second 

[nysteve661]

10 minutes ago, UA'08 said:

It was 1 second 

Makes it worse.  No excuse.  I wanted to throw a shoe at the TV.

[UA_MA_2000]

1 hour ago, nysteve661 said:

The effort and concentration was totally missing in 2nd half last night.  That is on the players and the coaching staff.  CB has been relatively calm during this stretch and might need to light a fire.

Perfect example for those watching the game.  With roughly 5 min to go, UML had like 2 sec on shot clock and an inbounds under their hoop.  One of their guys strolled down from top of key, caught the ball in the lane and shot from 5 ft away for the hoop.  There wasn't a single Dane anywhere in the lane to be found.  Simple inbound defense with 2 sec on clock you learn in HS.  It's the only play the offense can get off and we were oblivious to it.  Effort and concentration.   That can't continue with these guys.

True, and a good illustrative example; however, that was also the most athletic player on the court that made that play and basket. I think that play highlights what we are both saying. In any event, that just can't happen! ☹

Edited January 17, 2019 by UA_MA_2000

[UAalum72]

Actually there were two defenders inside the charge circle, two outside the lane, #3 comes across with what we've had moving picks called against us all year,  #11 moves behind the block from the right wing, catches it in midair about ten feet out, and hits a fadeaway.

Play is at about 1:35 on the Lowell highlight clip (which does show some of our highlights as well)

 

Edited January 17, 2019 by UAalum72

[dslyank]

16 hours ago, Clickclack said:

Lulka Clark and Healey are the only ones worth anything on this team. Rest of roster absolute trash. Including highly touted rizzuto and de Sousa. This is by far worse then expected this isn't a rebuild... This is an absolute dumpster fire. 

 

While I pretty much agree with you; I would give Rizzuto and deSousa another year. Both pretty highly rated and recruited in high school. deSousa just too athletic to give up on and Rizzuto pretty much broke every Iati high school record, & both Iatis' turned out pretty damn good. So IMHO I would exempt Rizzuto & d Sousa from your house cleaning {even though I am most disappointed in those two.}

[dslyank]

6 hours ago, UA'08 said:

Might as well free French too. Both guys have enough length to make a difference on the defensive end.

I agree 100%. Malachi and French would be upgrades defensively. Both are raw offensively and perhaps down right inept on the offensive end. But they both have looked good and hustle like hell on the defensive end. Sure they make mistakes defensively, but NO worse than pretty much everyone else. They both rebound the hell out of the ball and even though they may be lost offensively they are very active on the defensive side when given a chance.

[Clickclack]

13 minutes ago, dslyank said:

While I pretty much agree with you; I would give Rizzuto and deSousa another year. Both pretty highly rated and recruited in high school. deSousa just too athletic to give up on and Rizzuto pretty much broke every Iati high school record, & both Iatis' turned out pretty damn good. So IMHO I would exempt Rizzuto & d Sousa from your house cleaning {even though I am most disappointed in those two.}

I'm not running either off, that statement was a reflection of my feelings at this present moment. I think long term Rizzuto is gonna turn into a heck of a player. 

[Clickclack]

Just now, dslyank said:

I agree 100%. Malachi and French would be upgrades defensively. Both are raw offensively and perhaps down right inept on the offensive end. But they both have looked good and hustle like hell on the defensive end. Sure they make mistakes defensively, but NO worse than pretty much everyone else. They both rebound the hell out of the ball and even though they may be lost offensively they are very active on the defensive side when given a chance.

I think Malachi's greatest asset right now is his length at the top of the press or zone...I'd play him more, go much heavier zone and go from there. I don't know what happened to French that he can't even get in. 

[UA'08]

6 minutes ago, Clickclack said:

I think Malachi's greatest asset right now is his length at the top of the press or zone...I'd play him more, go much heavier zone and go from there. I don't know what happened to French that he can't even get in. 

Call me crazy, but I liked Miller last night. Would like to see him get increased minutes. 

[Dane Pound]

7 hours ago, Clickclack said:

I really REALLY detest the strategy of JUCO recruiting. I wish we only had 1 or at most 2 JUCO kids on any roster to plug holes instead of expecting them to be significant contributors. Recruiting this way is a losing strategy. These kids take more then half their time in the program to adjust to D1. You look at what UVM and SBU are doing, neither builds this way. I wish Brown would go away from it...for every 1 decent JUCO kids another 5 or 6 are a waste. Then you get a roster of kids that either can't contribute ever OR you at best get 25-35%% of their time in the program where they are productive. If anyone leaves, I pray that Brown recruits a 4 year PG of the future to groom next year behind Clark as a top priority to go along with Hutchinson and Doherty. 

 

I understand your frustration but not your solution.

I like four year guys also but during our three straight NCAA years we had one or two JUCO starters on those team. When Singletary and Sanders were here, they started from game one and we were 48-18 over their careers.