|
|
Post by bennyskid on Feb 22, 2017 13:31:04 GMT -8
Rewatched the last quarter of the game on ESPN3 last night. Obviously Stevie deserves a huge amount of credit for the victory and Drew had some monstrous blocks - that boy gets a look in his eyes that's a little scary. I want to call out Big G for playing some really good fundamental defense - all game, really, but especially down the stretch, even with four fouls.
But I really want to call out Kendal Manuel and his timely defense. He had a couple sweet plays - none sweeter than his poking the ball out of Bonam's dribble with five seconds to go. It won't be credited as a steal but it created the traveling call that sealed the win.
Three months ago I had the sense that starting Kendal was just a stop-gap measure - a sign of just how thin this team was. But based on what he's done the last few games, there is no doubt in my mind that he's a legit Pac-12 player. That makes four - or four-and-a-half, as Big G would probably get significant minutes on at least some of the teams in the conference. Next year we might have seven or eight - and katie-bar-the-door when that happens!
|
|
|
|
Post by baseba1111 on Feb 22, 2017 13:50:36 GMT -8
Rewatched the last quarter of the game on ESPN3 last night. Obviously Stevie deserves a huge amount of credit for the victory and Drew had some monstrous blocks - that boy gets a look in his eyes that's a little scary. I want to call out Big G for playing some really good fundamental defense - all game, really, but especially down the stretch, even with four fouls. But I really want to call out Kendal Manuel and his timely defense. He had a couple sweet plays - none sweeter than his poking the ball out of Bonam's dribble with five seconds to go. It won't be credited as a steal but it created the traveling call that sealed the win. Three months ago I had the sense that starting Kendal was just a stop-gap measure - a sign of just how thin this team was. But based on what he's done the last few games, there is no doubt in my mind that he's a legit Pac-12 player. That makes four - or four-and-a-half, as Big G would probably get significant minutes on at least some of the teams in the conference. Next year we might have seven or eight - and katie-bar-the-door when that happens! Mmmmmm... borderline at best. Problem is... he's a starter for us!! He might not be on, maybe, 1 or 2 other Pac12 teams' ROSTER. I like him, but if he's the level of "legit" we're going to get/depend on, there will be more of these seasons than not. I though he might turn out to be a better "Danny Evans"... but, great kid, but as of now the "poor man's version" of Danny. The Utah win was terrific and we had some guys make very key plays down the stretch. But, it does not change anything other than a "1" in the Pac 12 win column, "5" overall. This team has the 11th or 12th worst roster in the Pac12. And, even with departures that could happen on other teams, our recruiting will keep us right about that level, Some sites have 6-7 Pac12 teams in the top 40 of the team rankings. There is going to have to be some LARGE leaps in player development and basketball IQ/buying into what the coaches are preaching to make this roster competitive. |
|
|
|
Post by bennyskid on Feb 22, 2017 18:46:57 GMT -8
This is basketball. All it takes to make the NCAAs - with good coaching - is one Star, two Threats, and five or six Solids. (We had less than that last year.) You need the Threats to keep the defenses honest, and you need the Solids to give the main players a blow. Right now we have one near-Star in Drew, but only one Threat in Stevie and only two barely-Solids in Jaquori and Kendel.
It's not hard to imagine Drew as a Star next year - look at what he's done this year while being double-teamed constantly. Tres and Stevie are definitely Threats - and might be Stars eventually. I'm ready to say that Jaquori and Kendel will be Solids next year. If Big G continues to develop like he has in the last month, he might become a Solid, and I think Ben has that potential, too.
I'm not predicting a tournament berth next year. I'm just saying that Kendel's play makes the idea a little less outrageous.
|
|
|
|
Post by ag87 on Feb 23, 2017 9:52:47 GMT -8
Speaking of solids: I saw Malcolm Div yesterday when I was on Monroe Street. He's head and shoulders our best ball handler and a physical defender.
|
|
|
|
Post by bennyskid on Feb 23, 2017 10:47:43 GMT -8
We definitely could use a true point guard.
And after last night, I think we can just about elevate Big G to a "Solid". He played some good, old-school, big-man offense last night. He scored some much-needed points and forced Stanford to rethink how they were playing Drew.
|
|
