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Post by resumeman on Nov 24, 2013 0:01:20 GMT -5
Great input Iona05!
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Post by java on Nov 24, 2013 1:12:42 GMT -5
I have been called a pessimist on this board but Java really I am just an emotional wreck! High one day and down the next. I feel great about this team today but maybe not so much next Sunday. However I will say the rational part of me sees the potential of this being Cluess's best team. A lot of year left, a down MAAC won't help but this could be a special year, " MARCH TO THE GARDEN!" Iona05, Very observant post. Not sure why Grant Ellis seems disinterested. I believe it was mentioned (by Gary or Kevin on the telecast) that TC said if Grant had 2 good practice sessions between the KU game and today he would earn extra playing time. Guess he did not come through. Personally, I view Ellis and Britton Williams as two guys who need to really "bring it". With the talent on this team these guys will be fighting for those ancillary minutes of playing time. Joebird I'm just as much a fanatic / lunatic as you! I guess part of of me is stoked that your stance seems to be positive so far this season. I respect your hoop knowledge and recall in years past your being "spot on" in observations when things were going the wrong way with our program. With only 4 games under our belt, I prefer to be cautiously optimistic understanding that when Sledge, DG, and Shaquille are available, we may have something really special this season with this group. Time will tell.
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Post by GuyF on Nov 24, 2013 8:29:13 GMT -5
Had to miss the game in person due to family obligations, but I did have the tablet hooked up to the 50-inch TV and watched the game that way. Very strong wire to wire effort, and given Iona's penchant for blowing leads I was thrilled to see us step on their throats yesterday.
I really like the defense. I said during the off-season that any offensive dropoff we MIGHT endure would be countered by improved rebounding and D, which I felt would be the case because of our length. On O, sometimes I think we get a bit too 3-happy and we don't attack the basket enough, but really I have no true gripes at this point. The staff has done an excellent job gelling this team, and with the MAAC looking so poor I feel like we may be better prepared to avoid those bad losses than in past years. Still, the team is a work in progress, even the staff would admit that. But they are certainly on their way!
Sent from my HTC6435LVW using proboards
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Post by IONA86 on Nov 24, 2013 9:02:45 GMT -5
I was hoping Grant Ellis would see some time in this game but I was shocked that he was talking to one of the players at the end of the Iona bench, with his back turned away from the basket, when Iona was freezing the ball at the end of the game. I went from pulling for him to get some time to just shaking my head. I think Armand needs to have a chat with him. I am sure he is discouraged but you owe it to your teammates to play 100% when you get out on the court. If I was Britton Williams would have thrown a pass off of his head. All I have heard was how improved Ellis was and how he can shoot the three well.... he needs to hustle 100% if he is going to play on this team. He needs to capitalize on every opportunity no matter how small.
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Post by ic59 on Nov 24, 2013 9:04:10 GMT -5
05 and Java, thanks for your take. I disagree with a couple of things: 1. I'd continue with IW as a starter over Mike Poole. He's the future and is a better offensive player. MP has the experience and I think his versatility makes him a better bench option. If MP stays away from the three and concentrates on his 15-18 ft. jumper, he'll, imo, contribute offensively. 2. I'll be very surprised if we see Shack this year, unless we have another frontcourt injury. That opinion is based on the assumption that he's not 'healed' until mid to late January. 3. Looks to me that Ryden is ahead of Daniel at this time, though DR probably has more upside. 4. I sit on the chairback side and to me the student side looked like that they had more people than last Saturday. Can't compare the side I sit on, but last week's attendance was 2K+, and yesterday, 1738. Does anyone else think there were 300 fewer fans at yesterday's game? I don't. 5. Right now we have six players I feel comfortable with. Sledge will make it seven, and as Ryden Hines gets more experience, he should round out a solid eight man rotation. 6. I can understand Grant Ellis being frustrated. If you're not getting any PT (to speak of) in a blowout win or loss, when will you? And coaches can always say, "He needs to practice better". No way to argue with that. And after seeing him at MTG, I would like to see more. Remember while he's a freshman, he's redshirt freshman, and he knows that SA and Tre and MP will be graduating, but we have Kelvin Amayo and a recruit or two waiting in the wings. So Grant knows the clock is ticking. 7. A long time fan told me at yesterday's game that, in his opinion, we played very well because we were coming off a game against a VG team. He hopes we can schedule as many Bigs as possible as it will only make us better. Naturally, we have to consider wins and losses, but two or three or four would be a step in that direction. That's why a tournament is great. Right now we do schedule top tier mid-majors. 8. Our next game is very important. I know that we can play great at home, but can we play as well away from the HAC? 9. I'll close by discussing the refs. Yesterday's crew is typical of what, in all probability, we can expect on a Saturday, a below average crew. And we still have Bonnies (H), No. Iowa(A) and Niagara (H), before we get to February. And b/t/w, if you think that the officiating was poor, you should see what the Women have to put up with.
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Post by ic59 on Nov 24, 2013 9:34:39 GMT -5
Forgot to mention, the Serbian kid,on George Mason, Marko G.(#40) is very good. Only a soph, and he has size and an outside shooting touch.
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Post by iona05 on Nov 24, 2013 9:44:36 GMT -5
59...good post. Agreed with you completely re: needing to prove that we can win consistently on the road. If that happens then it should show everyone a major step up from last year.
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Post by St. Louis Gael on Nov 25, 2013 16:24:29 GMT -5
Listened to Coach Cluess' postgame interview on Northavenuenation.com "The one key I look at is how many assists did we have . . ." soundcloud.com/#wicr-gaels-radio HMMMMM??? Now why would he go stirring this stuff up all over again?
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Post by Super on Nov 25, 2013 16:53:25 GMT -5
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Post by observer2 on Nov 25, 2013 19:36:58 GMT -5
This was one of the very few games over the years in which there was absolutely no stress. Everyone contributed, played hard and smart and it appears to me at this early juncture they will be a very tough team to beat.
Let's kick some ass in Florida.
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Post by gregcrow on Nov 25, 2013 20:47:09 GMT -5
This was one of the very few games over the years in which there was absolutely no stress. Everyone contributed, played hard and smart and it appears to me at this early juncture they will be a very tough team to beat. Let's kick some ass in Florida. Still, I was stressed.
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