Posted by The Ross-Man! 3/05/2024 10:40 am | #41 |
Long Suffering Fan wrote:
This team has sucked the joy and optimism I had for this season and beyond. Going forward, there is Buchanan, Johnson, Hutchinson and a couple of guards that I have never seen play. Maybe Max if he can get his act together. I have seen so little development in anyone on the team other than Hutch and Buchanan. And of the 3 or 4 “good” players, who knows if all of them will stay. Further, the conference season has severely shaken my confidence in the coaching staffs ability to fix things. So yes, I still go to the games and watch, but it has t been much fun in a while.
What LSF said, combined with fear that the few good players we have who aren't graduating will transfer out after this dumpster fire
Posted by Gwmayhem 3/05/2024 11:07 am | #42 |
Am sure I am in the minority on this but I have a feeling that we're not going to lose anyone of major consequence this off season. Guys like Max and Jun have experienced life as small fishes in big ponds before, and I have to think they prefer the roles they have now. Down the road, as they are finishing their college careers, it's certainly not out of the question that they would join programs with better chances of reaching the Dance than GW, but my sense is they are safe for now.
Trey simply has not done enough to warrant interest from high-majors, though a certain NY school would likely welcome him at any time. Am not convinced that he even wants Syracuse. Jacoi is the biggest of the wildcards because he has yet to play for a high-major and there will undoubtedly be interest. Still, I think he would benefit from another season at GW where he truly gets to run the offense, and I think he realizes this as well. If I had to guess, I would think he departs after next season. Zam? Benny? Hard to know how they fit, big picture? The hope is that they really enjoy Washington, DC and want to stay. I do see some potential in both players though the preseason Benny buildup contributed to a disappointing season as perceived by many. Not sure about Stretch's status but he's the one guy who probably should leave if he has another season of eligibility. His game could really benefit from a coach who specializes in working with big men, and I just don't know that we have that guy sitting on the bench.
Posted by GW0509 3/05/2024 11:29 am | #43 |
Gwmayhem wrote:
Am sure I am in the minority on this but I have a feeling that we're not going to lose anyone of major consequence this off season. Guys like Max and Jun have experienced life as small fishes in big ponds before, and I have to think they prefer the roles they have now. Down the road, as they are finishing their college careers, it's certainly not out of the question that they would join programs with better chances of reaching the Dance than GW, but my sense is they are safe for now.
I wrote it in another post but my only worry with Max is he gets Jair Bolden-itis and jumps at whatever P6 offer comes calling this summer. I think we were all a bit surprised when Jair ended up at South Carolina. Max is averaging slightly better than what Jair did in 17-18. Would he choose to play closer to CT if say Seton Hall comes calling?
On the flipside, Max will be the player with the most time spent at GW on next year's team. If he sees himself as a leader, what's a better place to demonstrate that than here?
Posted by GWRising 3/05/2024 12:12 pm | #44 |
Handicapping the transfer portal is a dangerous game. What should happen and what often does happen are likely two very different things. Too many voices in these kids ears - some of them without the best motives. As a result, you should assume that absolutely no one is a lock to stay or leave. After that, just sit back and let the process play out. That's all you can do.
Posted by H&R..71 3/05/2024 12:57 pm | #45 |
Agree with Rising that portal handicapping is a bad idea.
Just surprise me with a gift from the portal fairy as in TyCav or Z Armwood. If we can get an impactful power forward/center or both, it would hugely help to turn the page on this season.
As a fan of GW and the game of basketball, I want to embrace a team that gives maximum effort regardless of whether the 3’s are falling or not. There is more to the game than inventing new ways to celebrate a made 3.
We’ve been living and mostly dying by the 3 along with turnovers, horrible D, and weakness on the boards. This is not a quality product to easily rally behind. My eyes are wide open for what is to come next. It only takes a couple of key pieces to bring back the optimism we so sorely need.
Posted by GW73 3/05/2024 1:46 pm | #46 |
GWRising wrote:
Handicapping the transfer portal is a dangerous game. What should happen and what often does happen are likely two very different things. Too many voices in these kids ears - some of them without the best motives. As a result, you should assume that absolutely no one is a lock to stay or leave. After that, just sit back and let the process play out. That's all you can do.
Absolutely. It's all on CC. Coaches earn their huge salaries now by ususally recruiting one year at a time. CC tried looking to the future with his recruits for this season, which at the time seemed smart. Well, that's over. So now there is no choice -- recruit for each season. That means recruiting the players he wants to stay and recruiting quality players to turn the progtram around.
Great to have a winning record last season in conference play, but who would have predicted before this season or even after our 3-1 start that we would be headed for last place in the A-10.
To stay out of the bottom of the A-10 next season, CC, obviously, needs to do some bigtime recruiting in the portal.
Posted by jf 3/05/2024 2:26 pm | #47 |
Bigtime and literally recruiting of bigs.
Posted by Long Suffering Fan Online! 3/05/2024 5:28 pm | #48 |
First and foremost, it is crucial to bring kids into the program who can defend. This team had demonstrated an inability to play defense throughout the entire season. In 17 conference games, we gave up over 80 points 12 times, 3 times of which were over 90. (Twice we gave up 79) We were able to score based upon the pace we play on offense, but from the very first games of the season (when we were just barely getting by against some pretty weak teams) to the last game against Lasalle, we just couldn't defend anyone at any level, and the thing that really kinda bothers me was the lack of improvement in the defense as the season progressed. Some of it I am sure was our lack of size, strength and even quickness, but defensive fundamentals such s boxing out, not constantly finding ourselves in unfavorablbe mismatches to the sheer volume of open 3 point shots we game up to our inability at times to get back on defense after we had possession should have been improved on and I just didn't see it. We never met a ball fake we didn't go for. We couldn't even play a basic 3-2 zone. Was the coaching staff simply unable to teach defense; were the kids unteachable; or were the kids not really A-10 quality players...at least not on defense? There are certainly other aspects of the game that we need to pick up, but it must start with defense.
Last edited by Long Suffering Fan (3/05/2024 5:30 pm)
Posted by GW0509 3/05/2024 5:44 pm | #49 |
Long Suffering Fan wrote:
First and foremost, it is crucial to bring kids into the program who can defend. This team had demonstrated an inability to play defense throughout the entire season. In 17 conference games, we gave up over 80 points 12 times, 3 times of which were over 90. (Twice we gave up 79) We were able to score based upon the pace we play on offense, but from the very first games of the season (when we were just barely getting by against some pretty weak teams) to the last game against Lasalle, we just couldn't defend anyone at any level, and the thing that really kinda bothers me was the lack of improvement in the defense as the season progressed. Some of it I am sure was our lack of size, strength and even quickness, but defensive fundamentals such s boxing out, not constantly finding ourselves in unfavorablbe mismatches to the sheer volume of open 3 point shots we game up to our inability at times to get back on defense after we had possession should have been improved on and I just didn't see it. We never met a ball fake we didn't go for. We couldn't even play a basic 3-2 zone. Was the coaching staff simply unable to teach defense; were the kids unteachable; or were the kids not really A-10 quality players...at least not on defense? There are certainly other aspects of the game that we need to pick up, but it must start with defense.
Agree wholeheartedly with this post. Sounds like something McCombs said once that defense determines who wins the game and offense determines by how much.
Then again, this year’s women’s team has proven to be the exception to that rule so maybe never mind 😂
Posted by Joel Joseph 3/05/2024 7:48 pm | #50 |
ML was a master at getting transfers back when it was challenging - kids had to sit out a year, meet academic standards, etc.
Good coaches adapt to changes. If CC wants to be successful, he needs to get good players who fit specific needs here. If he doesn’t, we are just adding years to our misery as a program that can’t compete in the A-10.
Posted by GWRising 3/06/2024 11:51 am | #51 |
Joel Joseph wrote:
ML was a master at getting transfers back when it was challenging - kids had to sit out a year, meet academic standards, etc.
Good coaches adapt to changes. If CC wants to be successful, he needs to get good players who fit specific needs here. If he doesn’t, we are just adding years to our misery as a program that can’t compete in the A-10.
In fairness, ML didn't operate in the NIL world or with unlimited and immediate transfers. Huge difference now.
Posted by Mike K 3/06/2024 4:03 pm | #52 |
Ditto. Such optimism went down the toilet.
The Ross-Man! wrote:
Long Suffering Fan wrote:
This team has sucked the joy and optimism I had for this season and beyond. Going forward, there is Buchanan, Johnson, Hutchinson and a couple of guards that I have never seen play. Maybe Max if he can get his act together. I have seen so little development in anyone on the team other than Hutch and Buchanan. And of the 3 or 4 “good” players, who knows if all of them will stay. Further, the conference season has severely shaken my confidence in the coaching staffs ability to fix things. So yes, I still go to the games and watch, but it has t been much fun in a while.
What LSF said, combined with fear that the few good players we have who aren't graduating will transfer out after this dumpster fire
Posted by Tennessee Colonial 3/06/2024 5:38 pm | #53 |
Totally agree with LSF. Zero improvement over the season. Coach, players or both. Effort? Pride? Emotion? Wish we could see what goes on in the locker room. Sad.