New player assessments

RU_fan435

Sophomore
Dec 6, 2017
98
103
0
didn’t get to go to the game, so it’s frustrating not being able to see the new guys in action.

My two questions are-

Who stood out the most?

Who needs the most development?
 

RU_fan435

Sophomore
Dec 6, 2017
98
103
0
Kiss was awesome. Harper is a player. Mathis not the best game but he will be fine. Myles with some great D. New guys look great overall. We have team.

Can’t wait to see these guys play based off your assessment. Based off the stats it seems like we have a balanced team and we’re not too reliant on one guy
 

sct1111

All-American
Nov 30, 2014
6,115
8,402
113
Kiss, Myles and Harper look like future stars. Mathis needs some development but is obviously very talented. McConnell looked pretty shaky at point. Carter looks long and athletic but needs some work, but hard to tell for how little he played.
 

Roy_Faulker

All-Conference
Feb 7, 2002
4,867
2,617
0
They will certainly score. Defense was a little slow to adjust but they started to click - though FDU had foul trouble early.

I know small sample size but Harper has picked up where he left off over the summer. Think that kid has a chance to be special.

I liked how the kids were slapping five when the game was close or they were down at the beginning. Good chemistry - that will be important when the season starts to grind.
 

koleszar

Heisman
Jan 1, 2010
37,353
58,686
113
McConnell looked like he was asking his 1st girlfriend ever out on their 1st date. Johnson is our future big man and Harper looks like a real good get. Mathis you saw spurts but also a bunch of freshman moments. Kiss is better than advertised.
 
Last edited:

Scangg

Heisman
Mar 19, 2016
25,448
49,369
113
Kiss Harper and Myles all looked great. Mathis and McConnell need to be stronger with the ball and play more decisively on offense. Shaq only played at the very very end in mop up but looks extremely athletic
 
  • Like
Reactions: Scarlet83

RutHut_rivals

All-Conference
Aug 11, 2017
4,483
4,903
0
Based on what I saw tonight, I rank the newcomers as follows

Kiss
Johnson
Harper

Most impressed with Johnson. He's probably our best big. Doorson also played well. Mathis was a negative player tonight and needs to settle into a role.
 
  • Like
Reactions: KnightTerrors
A

anon_xekqhstck0ygt

Guest
One thing to keep in mind is Kiss and Johnson have been with the team for an extra year...we shouldn't criticize Mathis based on his first game (not you I just mean in general)

Based on what I saw tonight, I rank the newcomers as follows

Kiss
Johnson
Harper

Most impressed with Johnson. He's probably our best big. Doorson also played well. Mathis was a negative player tonight and needs to settle into a role.
 

Scangg

Heisman
Mar 19, 2016
25,448
49,369
113
Based on what I saw tonight, I rank the newcomers as follows

Kiss
Johnson
Harper

Most impressed with Johnson. He's probably our best big. Doorson also played well. Mathis was a negative player tonight and needs to settle into a role.
I was expecting Mathis to play more minutes than Harper but I would say those minutes should be reversed now. The "he needs to get into shape" constant posts were nonsense. He can play in spurts he's not playing 30 mins as a freshman
 

RUFogey

Heisman
Apr 8, 2015
12,360
12,383
61
Kiss looked like a really capable scorer and a guy that will play a huge role the next three years. Johnson was very impressive and Harper looked great too. McConnell and Mathis struggled but their athleticism and potential is very obvious.
 
Dec 4, 2010
5,866
5,256
0
Kiss, Johnson, Harper were all impressive in their RU ddebuts.

Johnson will be our starting 5 very soon. Love that we have a low post scoring presence. Was very active defensively also.

Kiss has a very high bball IQ. Extremely efficient stat line. Has to improve his on the ball defense, but he can score.

Harper is going to be good. Looks a bit doughy, and, like Kiss, had to improve defensively, but has a great feel for the game.

Mathis was ok. Game was moving too fast for him at times, he was over thinking, and hesitant at times. A few bad TOs. He going to be fine though. A year in the weight room is going to do wonders for him.

McConnell did fine. Didn't hurt us. Definitely some jitters. The potential to create off the dribble is there.

Carter. Surprised we didn't see him earlier, but I think that's telling. Looked a bit stiff in the limited minutes he was out there. Hopefully, he can be an affective banger soon.
 

sct1111

All-American
Nov 30, 2014
6,115
8,402
113
Kiss could probably run the point if needed it looks like. He's a pretty good passer.
 

zebnatto

All-Conference
May 7, 2008
5,071
3,818
0
For me, Myles stood out the most—very polished game. Next was Harper. Kiss was good but I was less impressed than others, esp defensively. (Have to see how Ron and Peter perform when shots aren’t falling.) MM will have to figure out how to best use his skills. MConnell was really tentative, too early to judge. Shaquille C very limited minutes.
 

Scarlet Blind_rivals

All-Conference
Aug 5, 2001
4,614
4,670
62
One Word--- CHEMISTRY

You see it on IG, these players are all tight. Doesn't matter who looks good who looks bad they all want to win for each other. It's a foreign concept on a Rutgers team but if 1 or 2 or 3 people are off the rest of the team will pick up the slack. So what Mathis and McConnell had a rough first game. Mathis will have a night where he scores 20+ on 9-12 shooting, he will be fine. McConnell will be fine too for a 2/3 playing back up point his fr year. Kiss averaged 13 ppg @Quinn his fr year, I don't know why anyone would think he wouldn't average at least that or more this year. RHJ won the 3 pt competition at MM for a reason, heard he can spot duty point forward, and he has NBA pedigree. Glad Myles Johnson did so well he was such an unknown but he could turn out to be steal, if he continues to develop. This team could be really good for 2 straight years, esp losing only Doorson, add Mulcahy, JY and one other recruit.
 

MV9000

All-Conference
Jan 6, 2016
2,949
4,058
46
Was very impressed with Harper and Myles.

I knew Kiss was gonna be a force, was impressed as well. Wondering about D. Not worried.

Caleb & Mathis were nervous. Couldnt be less worried about our young guns. We have an amazing core to grow with and were adding Mulcahy next year. Sit back and enjoy.
 

Mr. Magoo1

Heisman
Nov 15, 2001
15,468
16,313
113
Kiss, Johnson, Harper were all impressive in their RU ddebuts.

Johnson will be our starting 5 very soon. Love that we have a low post scoring presence. Was very active defensively also.

Kiss has a very high bball IQ. Extremely efficient stat line. Has to improve his on the ball defense, but he can score.

Harper is going to be good. Looks a bit doughy, and, like Kiss, had to improve defensively, but has a great feel for the game.

Mathis was ok. Game was moving too fast for him at times, he was over thinking, and hesitant at times. A few bad TOs. He going to be fine though. A year in the weight room is going to do wonders for him.

McConnell did fine. Didn't hurt us. Definitely some jitters. The potential to create off the dribble is there.

Carter. Surprised we didn't see him earlier, but I think that's telling. Looked a bit stiff in the limited minutes he was out there. Hopefully, he can be an affective banger soon.

I agree with all of this...and will add that Johnson and Harper also have very high b-ball IQs. Baker is already way up there and Eugene never stops hustling.. It’s a very easy team to root for.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JQRU91

Big East Beast

All-Conference
Jul 26, 2001
7,499
3,633
72
For me, Myles stood out the most—very polished game. Next was Harper. Kiss was good but I was less impressed than others, esp defensively. (Have to see how Ron and Peter perform when shots aren’t falling.) MM will have to figure out how to best use his skills. MConnell was really tentative, too early to judge. Shaquille C very limited minutes.

This group reminds me of Bannon’s first class - Dahntay Jones, Rashod Kent, Jeff Greer and Billy Collins. The kids could all play.

There were dunks and energy/chemistry that has been missing. The RAC is coming back!
 

bac2therac

Hall of Famer
Jul 30, 2001
247,637
177,345
113
Kiss and Harper stood out the most

Shaq Carter buried to mop up time would seem to need the most development

biggest surprise of the night was 6 players in double figures
 
  • Like
Reactions: Roy_Faulker

RU-ROCS

All-American
Feb 5, 2003
12,430
7,632
113
I agree that Kiss and Harper stood out the most, but the real revelation was Johnson. We’ve had great guards in the past few years, but it’s been more like decades since we’ve had a freshmen center debut with great hands, touch around the hoop and passing ability in the low post that Johnson showed tonight.
 
  • Like
Reactions: dkostus

Knights 1212

All-American
Sep 9, 2003
27,555
8,489
113
All the guys looked very good. Where are the guys who said we wasted a scholarship on Harper and said he would hardly play. He was 7-8 on fg's and scored 15 points.
 

[email protected]

All-American
Jun 24, 2001
28,586
6,762
113
Was very impressed with Harper and Myles.

I knew Kiss was gonna be a force, was impressed as well. Wondering about D. Not worried.

Caleb & Mathis were nervous. Couldnt be less worried about our young guns. We have an amazing core to grow with and were adding Mulcahy next year. Sit back and enjoy.


If we SCORE more than the opponent...WE WIN.

Period!

MO
 
  • Like
Reactions: BillyC80 and MV9000

Arizona Knight

All-American
Jun 25, 2001
16,678
9,937
56
We haven’t had first year players (at RU) show this much offensive skill early since...

I know it’s FDU but stIll Kiss, Harper, and Johnson looked great. Mathis will be fine just based on reputation which in hoops is so much more predictable than football.

I’m highly encouraged.
 

dkostus

All-Conference
Feb 10, 2002
6,144
1,552
0
How players were used tells me more than how they played today. Let's not get sucked in to a 1 game sample size. I want to at least get through the St. John's game before making any preliminary conclusions.
He says, prior to making 30 preliminary conclusions before the next two games complete...