Game Thread

[RUChoppin]

That didn't happen....

Okay, it's changed now. Looks like they keyed the right player numbers (1 & 32) for a missed three and offensive rebound, but had the wrong team. So it showed at first as a foreman miss and diallo offensive board... But it was a Howard miss and Brooks offensive board.

That makes much more sense.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

Between Freeman and Williams- you have two players who give a lot of effort/toughness to this team. If that spreads, you have a team that will keep the scores close throughout the season.

Freeman took many defensive possessions off. The worst was when he did his best Sheridan imitation and watched as CA penetrator dribbled right passed him. Didn't move 1 step to take a charge. This was with 2 minutes to go.

Freeman had a lot of good plays, but a ton of low effort possessions. If Eddie can't get this fixed.....

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

Lets just say this team has ALOT to work on

A lot is not x and o or skills. We got out hearted again tonight. That could be a youth thing

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

Watching Illinois right now,,,,.no effort on defensive end.

 

[CaptainJersey1989]

I'm just watching the gamecast.... but why did DJ Foreman shoot a 3 pointer with the shot clock off and us up by 4?

It was Preston Foreman from UCA. Obviously, he missed. Rutgers took possession. DJ was fine.

 

[RutgHoops]

Freeman took many defensive possessions off. The worst was when he did his best Sheridan imitation and watched as CA penetrator dribbled right passed him. Didn't move 1 step to take a charge. This was with 2 minutes to go.

Freeman had a lot of good plays, but a ton of low effort possessions. If Eddie can't get this fixed.....

Yes.

 

[T2Kplus10]

A lot is not x and o or skills. We got out hearted again tonight. That could be a youth thing

Another year where heart and effort is a problem, that's on EJ as much as it's on the players.

 

[RUPete]

A lot is not x and o or skills. We got out hearted again tonight. That could be a youth thing

Yes we need to improve our defense and rebounding, but you can't say a team is "out hearted" when it matches the other team's runs and wins the game. That's just silly.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

Yes we need to improve our defense and rebounding, but you can't say a team is "out hearted" when it matches the other team's runs and wins the game. That's just silly.

It took a hot shooting night from Mike Williams to beat a 2-27 team from a lowly conference last year at home.

We have always said that this team was not to be judged by wins and losses. It works both ways. This was an effort rivaling any of the FHJ signature losses.

 

[JonathanAlan]

Lets just say this team has ALOT to work on

My take after three games is that lack of rebounding, interior defense , could shooting , and no go-to guy in crunch time are the most glaring weaknesses. On the other hand the overall athleticism is much improved, there's much more depth, Freeman and Foreman look really good, Sanders is the real deal, team defense is much better, Williams is much much better , Daniels is Daniels . When he plays under control and hits some outside shots he looks ok. But I don't like his handle and he can't shoot. Lewis and Diallo fill space is nothing more. Diablo looks to have potential.

 

[Rutgers25]

My take after three games is that lack of rebounding, interior defense , could shooting , and no go-to guy in crunch time are the most glaring weaknesses. On the other hand the overall athleticism is much improved, there's much more depth, Freeman and Foreman look really good, Sanders is the real deal, team defense is much better, Williams is much much better , Daniels is Daniels . When he plays under control and hits some outside shots he looks ok. But I don't like his handle and he can't shoot. Lewis and Diallo fill space is nothing more. Diablo looks to have potential.

Seriously, what has happened to Lewis? I thought he had some kind of presence last year in the paint. This year he is invisible. Losing Doorson hurts, because we are going to get crushed on the boards all year.

 

[higgins3]

Sanders!

Freeman took many defensive possessions off. The worst was when he did his best Sheridan imitation and watched as CA penetrator dribbled right passed him. Didn't move 1 step to take a charge. This was with 2 minutes to go.

Freeman had a lot of good plays, but a ton of low effort possessions. If Eddie can't get this fixed.....

If Ej can't get 23 point and 9 boards fixed..

 

[higgins3]

Sanders!


If Ej can't get 23 point and 9 boards fixed..

I agree a lot of the defense was lackluster, but he gave overall great effort. His stat line was great.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

I agree a lot of the defense was lackluster, but he gave overall great effort. His stat line was great.

Not about stats sometimes.

 

[higgins3]

Not about stats sometimes.

It's not, but when you look at his overall level of play today, it was positive. If he had two rebounds, I'd say he had a problem. He hit his free throws, did little things correctly. I would like to see the whole team force baseline and sideline. Still not seeing their feet at the right angles.

 

[T2Kplus10]

It took a hot shooting night from Mike Williams to beat a 2-27 team from a lowly conference last year at home.

We have always said that this team was not to be judged by wins and losses. It works both ways. This was an effort rivaling any of the FHJ signature losses.

This is the 3rd season where EJ's team is giving a below average effort. Don't know why, but until this changes, the program will not improve.

 

[nirrad]

Guys Guys! Calm down! This is a new team, they have to gell. At least wait til mid season before you guys go ballistic.

 

[RUChoppin]

This is the 3rd season where EJ's team is giving a below average effort. Don't know why, but until this changes, the program will not improve.

I think "effort" is in large part a culture thing. And culture comes from having experience and leadership within the team as much as it does from the coaching staff - incoming players need to look to guys who have "been there" and have grown within the culture to understand what is expected of them night in and night out.

It's not that we don't have leadership among our returners... it's that we really don't have that many returners. We're starting fresh with building culture... again.

Between Year 1 and Year 2, we lost about 50% of the minutes played through departures. Same between Year 2 and Year 3. We have just one guy going into his third season wtih EJ (Lewis). We have six who are in their second year with EJ (Lewis, Daniels, Williams, Foreman, Grier, Doorson) - one of which didn't see any time last year (Grier) and another isn't on the court yet this year (Doorson)... so, really, just 4 guys who are suiting up this year who have had even a season of court time with EJ.

It's hard to build culture with so much turnover.

Now, next year, we should only really be losing Bishop, Lewis, and Grier... the third of which hasn't really seen the court much. There should be much more continuity starting the season, and I'd hope more of a "culture" of effort/etc.

 

[T2Kplus10]

I think "effort" is in large part a culture thing. And culture comes from having experience and leadership within the team as much as it does from the coaching staff - incoming players need to look to guys who have "been there" and have grown within the culture to understand what is expected of them night in and night out.

It's not that we don't have leadership among our returners... it's that we really don't have that many returners. We're starting fresh with building culture... again.

Between Year 1 and Year 2, we lost about 50% of the minutes played through departures. Same between Year 2 and Year 3. We have just one guy going into his third season wtih EJ (Lewis). We have six who are in their second year with EJ (Lewis, Daniels, Williams, Foreman, Grier, Doorson) - one of which didn't see any time last year (Grier) and another isn't on the court yet this year (Doorson)... so, really, just 4 guys who are suiting up this year who have had even a season of court time with EJ.

It's hard to build culture with so much turnover.

Now, next year, we should only really be losing Bishop, Lewis, and Grier... the third of which hasn't really seen the court much. There should be much more continuity starting the season, and I'd hope more of a "culture" of effort/etc.

Playing hard, especially on defense is the minimum expectation of a quality program. I understand the talent issue, which takes time to correct, but the right coach can get any team to play hard in short order.

 

[RUChoppin]

Playing hard, especially on defense is the minimum expectation of a quality program. I understand the talent issue, which takes time to correct, but the right coach can get any team to play hard in short order.

Getting them to play hard consistently, night in and night out, and not take plays off, not go too hard early and have nothing in the tank at the end, etc... those are all things that come with experience, and come faster when you have experienced guys who have been around the block who can more quickly get the younger guys to get with the program.

Too early for me to go pointing fingers at coaches when these guys have played just 4 games together - with two of the biggest cogs in the wheel (Sanders and Freeman) being in their first season with the team, and two other big cogs (Williams and Foreman) stepping into much more prominent roles in their second season. If we're still seeing lack of defensive intensity come mid- or late-season, then I'll start wondering if they're not getting the appropriate coaching.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

Getting them to play hard consistently, night in and night out, and not take plays off, not go too hard early and have nothing in the tank at the end, etc... those are all things that come with experience, and come faster when you have experienced guys who have been around the block who can more quickly get the younger guys to get with the program.

Too early for me to go pointing fingers at coaches when these guys have played just 4 games together - with two of the biggest cogs in the wheel (Sanders and Freeman) being in their first season with the team, and two other big cogs (Williams and Foreman) stepping into much more prominent roles in their second season. If we're still seeing lack of defensive intensity come mid- or late-season, then I'll start wondering if they're not getting the appropriate coaching.

This is fair, especially since the 1st 3 games the D was pretty good. For the most part the defensive defeciencies have been off the ball. This can be fixed.