And then took his brother because ā¦ well just because. LOL
BB Practice updates
- Thread starter Anon668007
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I think Hawthorne has the highest ceiling on the team but,(yes there is always a but), we have Hawthorne, MM, Milan, Kepnang, McBride, Ouzy, and Kam Williams for the front line. That's 7 guys for 3 positions and that doesn't even include Noah and Potter so at least one of those seven players isn't going to get significant playing time even if they are good. Of course somebody will likely have at least a minor injury and with this team's depth players will probably sit out over a hangnail.
I am just commenting on the recent practice reports. Hawthorne has been a no show. We really needed him to break out, and early reports indicate otherwise. I am hopeful, and it is just practice reports, but we may now more to why Pope didn't schedule a summer set of games. He has lots of work to do, lots of work.
Trent Noah still has time to transfer to NKU and be a decent contributor.
Just a video but Hawthorne's slow release gives me pause.
Just a video but Hawthorne's slow release gives me pause.
Goose said he thought Hawthorne should have played last year given the way he was practicing. Reports were that Pope was ready to pull the RS when Hawthorne got dinged, so they scrapped the idea. I hope the team is deeper and better this year. So, time will tell whether he gets significant minutes. He claims he can play the 2-4. We shall see. No one here has a clue one way or the other.
I wasn't trying to disagree with you; I was just pointing out that somebody will have to get the short stick on playing time and if it's not Hawthorne it will be somebody else. Also, when I said Hawthorne had the highest ceiling I was thinking long term, not for next year.
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Remember to temper expectations and don't read too much into summer practice sessions. They only get like 8 hours of actual organized practice a week currently.
Things to remember, be cautious of over analyzing, and remind yourself it's summer.
Kam is not practicing (injury)
Big Frank is not practicing (injury)
Potter has missed time with minor injury
McBride has been having to practice as a Center because Moreno is the only healthy Center currently but is proving to be high motor, and the hardest worker.
Noah looks like Steph Curry in drills, again. Actual games remain to be seen.
Hawthorne looks like prime Kevin Durant half the time and a baby deer on ice skates the other half
Mason Williams looks like a legit backup PG to spell minutes and not just break glass in case of emergency
Jerone Morton is selling out on being a defense spark plug and embracing the role
N'Daiye is an athletic freak and a true stretch four with high offensive upside but looks lost on defense and slow to read/react.
A summer trip would have been nice, but down 2-3 players already to injury 3 weeks in with no backup Center would have been a recipe for disappointment and failure. Just breathe fans, we have a long summer to go.
Things to remember, be cautious of over analyzing, and remind yourself it's summer.
Kam is not practicing (injury)
Big Frank is not practicing (injury)
Potter has missed time with minor injury
McBride has been having to practice as a Center because Moreno is the only healthy Center currently but is proving to be high motor, and the hardest worker.
Noah looks like Steph Curry in drills, again. Actual games remain to be seen.
Hawthorne looks like prime Kevin Durant half the time and a baby deer on ice skates the other half
Mason Williams looks like a legit backup PG to spell minutes and not just break glass in case of emergency
Jerone Morton is selling out on being a defense spark plug and embracing the role
N'Daiye is an athletic freak and a true stretch four with high offensive upside but looks lost on defense and slow to read/react.
A summer trip would have been nice, but down 2-3 players already to injury 3 weeks in with no backup Center would have been a recipe for disappointment and failure. Just breathe fans, we have a long summer to go.
Zoom and Wilkins start. It sounds like Williams is playing very well at the point, and Morton is a combo, so I think Morton gets his minutes backing up Wilkins. Plus, you can get away with Kam or Momcilovic for stretches at the two before you would have to play Noah, what exactly could Noah offer there that they couldn't?
Now...is it possible that Noah loses some weight, adds a little quickness, takes a jump in his Jr year and starts hitting all those wide open 3's he was clanking last year? Sure, and I would be fine seeing him out there if he could. Noah has always hustled and rebounded pretty well, the problem is, the only thing he is supposed to be able to ADD to the team is outside shooting, and last year it was brick city. If he shoots 40-45% from 3 he could play 12-15 minutes and not hurt us
I am just currently unsure if he could stay in front of an SEC 1 or 2. I think he would try hard, just don't know how it would look on the defensive end.
I kind of feel like between Moreno, N'Diaye and Kepnang, we might have more rim protection this season if he is beaten off the dribble. It's all contingent on Noah shooting somewhere near a Momcilovic or what Koby Brea used to do. That's a tall ask, but it's what he was supposed to bring to the table when we brought him in. I think we have guards that can beat their man, and we have guys like Momcilovic, Kam and McBride who will demand attention, so in theory, Noah should get more wide open looks on 3 balls. If he is knocking them down at a high clip, I can stand him getting beat off the dribble some. But on this team, I think we are talking like 10 minutes max either way
Everyone can shoot lights out when thereās no pressure at this level.
I asked this weeks ago, but with the length of this team, could Pope play more zone defense?
Probably not as a constant set defense, but more of a mix up looks weapon to toss in occasionally like the past two seasons.
Edit: If I had to guess they will run a gap/ help style defense with the wings switching screens and the weak side rover ball hawking the passing lane gaps (like Oweh did a lot). Lengthy teams succeed well with the pack it in, switch under screens because the length means they can contest and get out and disrupt the curl threes easier while clogging the passing lanes. It's one of Florida's strengths, Illinois and Michigan's last year as well, and I expect it to be one of ours this year.
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Did K. Williams and Kepnang have new injuries or were they just being held out for precautionary reasons due to their past injuries? I was thinking it was the latter, but if that's wrong I'm disappointed find that out.
Pope continues to recruit players with a history of nagging injuries that sabotage the depth of the team. He doesn't seem to learn from his mistakes and repeats the same scenario.We haven't played a single game and players already been held out of practice.If this year mirrors last year Iam ready for him to be gone immediately.
Pope is doing a good job putting together his team for year three IMO
Do you think Pope should pivot to get another backup C instead of a wing or guard? Or can Potter give us a few minutes?
Iād actually love for him to go get another center, just like with the Freeman injury, idk if Kepnang can stay healthy enough all season and Iām not sold on Potter just yet. Think the insurance of another big would be really nice
Lmao this just isnāt true at all. Aaron Torres said he knew for a fact that there were many elite level programs wanting Hawthorne to enter the portal.
EDIT: Iāve heard him mention this about 3/4 times already.
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Kam is doing "some" of the workouts, shooting drills, light impact stuff, conditioning on the bike verses running. Completely precautionary on his end. He could go tomorrow if it was gameday. He'd be slightly slowed down progression wise but otherwise good to go. I haven't heard anything that indicates his injury is bothering him other than some soreness when he overdoes it.
Big Franc has a history of knee injuries which everyone knows, but he also suffers from stress fractures in his fibula and tibia from his size and compensation for the weekend knee. Again, his is precautionary, and more of a build up strength and flexibility around the knee to prevent the tiny stress fractures from occurring. He's much more of a question mark than Kam for season health and I think the staff is taking the summer to get him as healthy (read that as preventatively healthy taking stress off certain areas) so that his injury chances are smaller once the season gets here. Franc is more of a glass cannon I suppose, huge upside defensively and makes us way better in the paint, but might explode at any time. This remains why I hope Potter is at least serviceable because he might be forced to see minutes. Or that Pope fills that last roster spot with a foreign (or reclass) big.
This kind of crap is truly unnecessary.
Every bit the efficient sniper he was expected to be. A surprisingly much more willing passer and hunts "great" shots rather than just letting it fly on "good" looks. Pope and staff have apparently been on him hard about not only taking the "great" looks but to trust his game and shoot more of the "good" looks and he's trying. It seems to conflict currently with his desire to make plays for his teammates. It's a good problem to have. Definitely not ball dominant or a give him the ball and he's going to shoot it no matte what type player. Looks engaged, a willing effort defender even though that isn't his strong suit, and looks intelligent and makes quick reads/decisions. Between what my buddy tells me and what videos leak out, he's the real deal. I urge people to temper their expectations as not a whole lot can be garnered from early summer practice. Super "happy" and humble personality, quiet swagger and confidence, talks a lot of humorous trash apparently and is very competitive. Also the best ping pong player on the team according to several reports. lol
I think regardless, Potter is going to end up having to show us what he's made of because I don't think we see a year where Franc is healthy the entire time. I think Moreno is too important to our success to burn him into the ground (like we did last year) and let him fade down the stretch because he is too beat up and worn out to be effective when we need him the most. Either the staff has confidence in Potter, has confidence they can small ball 5 with McBride some to spell Moreno, N'Daiye finds a mean streak and can play some 5, or we use that last roster spot for a foreign (or reclass) 5 who can help right away.
I think we would all love to land Kusturica, and if you are Pope you make the kid say no and sign elsewhere. But if you miss on him, a minutes sponge non-liability center should be priority 1 after that.