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Matt Grace - 2018 Commit

Well, to come to Ulla's defense - the guys were looking extremely good playing in pick up games last fall.






Of course, the guys guarding them were the same guys getting a 50 spot hung on them in a half by Delaware and Alabama State of Florida, or was it Jacksonville State of Alabama. Maybe we should try playing Roanoke College, located in Salem, VA next season????????????????????????????????????????????
 
keefusb said:
I hope I'm wrong, but I see another PF story in the making. Recall that we ended up with PF because we were all in with 6'11" György Golomán out of FL (same school as Joe Kirby), but he blew up his senior year of HS and got a late offer from UCLA.

He was a regular in UCLA's rotation and starter his last two seasons. Another recruiting miss who could have been a program changer for us.
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PF actually had a ton of offers though including Davidson, St. Bonaventure, and other A10 level schools. On paper he was a pretty decent get by Mooney standards, players don't always pan out though. Grace had only 2 offers, Richmond and IUPUI.
 
fan2011 said:
PF actually had a ton of offers though including Davidson, St. Bonaventure, and other A10 level schools. On paper he was a pretty decent get by Mooney standards, players don't always pan out though. Grace had only 2 offers, Richmond and IUPUI.
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Correct, PF didn't pan out, but at least he was highly sought after. I think he had 16 offers.
 
spiderman said:
a more recent video posted last month.
View embedded media


I think the whole point of a Matt Grace is to have him compete for backup minutes at the 5 with Cayo and Ford who are both forwards and non-shooters. so I don't think we plan to redshirt him. if he earns time, great. if not, oh well.

Grace lacks elite athleticism, but he's skilled. good looking shooter. he can stretch the floor which our other options behind Grant cannot do. he also has excellent footwork around the rim.
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Getting up to speed with the college speed of play I think will be his biggest challenge. He seems to have a good shot and passing skills.
 
VT_Spider said:
Remember guys, those videos are highlights. Anyone looks like a 5 start player in a highlight video. Sounds to me like ulla and some of the other pro Mooney people watch too many highlights. That would explain why they always think all of our guys are gonna be so good. Same goes for shootarounds in an empty gym. Ya I'm talking to you Ulla! Anyone looks good shooting around in an empty gym. Don't put too much stock into those kinds of things.
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I’ll admit that I do not look like a great shooter in an empty gym. Thankfully it’s empty and no one can see my misses.
 
Considering our coach and the time of year and the sad reality highlight films are a lot like my Match.com profile, I say what the heck. Grace has to have worked hard to have developed his pretty decent shooting and passing skills, and the internets reveal he made the All Academic Ontario Scholastic Basketball Association team so he's probably not going to get booted a year or two into his career as a Spider. I say we're more than due for a Mooney Hail Mary to work out and I say this is the one. Coach sent out an email to the Insiders' Club that he's working on a couple of other Canadian prospects, but I kind of have my doubts they're A-10 caliber.
 
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97spiderfan said:
Mooney is making Hardt's closing case to the Board easier with each passing day.
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Agree with this completely. The end of next season will be the end of Mooney's tenure.

It is crystal clear that next year's team will not win a lot of games. It is just not logical to take a 12-win team, subtract two major components, add redshirts, and add a couple of new players (who are not likely to be 1st year all stars), and expect to be better as a team. It defies common sense.

With last season's 12 wins added to next year's 10, 12, 15 or whatever they can manage, it will be easy for Hardt to finally pull the plug. We just have to endure the pain because 2 awful year's back-to-back makes the decision a no brainer.

If Hardt is a good AD, then he is already working on his list of potential replacements.
 
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Not-A-Homer said:
With last season's 12 wins added to next year's 10, 12, 15 or whatever they can manage, it will be easy for Hardt to finally pull the plug. We just have to endure the pain because 2 awful year's back-to-back makes the decision a no brainer.

If Hardt is a good AD, then he is already working on his list of potential replacements.
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Amen, not a Homey.

As a side note, I have been sending Mr. Hardt approximately 75 to 150 emails a day. Some are from aliases such as "VT4700.yournumber1fan@gmail.com" , "RollSpide@yahoo.com" and randomly made up names like that. Sometimes I propose a list of replacements:
1. Tony Bennett
2. Coach K
3. John Beilein
4. Patrick Beilein
5. Wes Miller
6. Tom Izzo
7. John Becker
8. Nathan Davis
9. Wes Miller
10. Coach K
11. Patrick Beilein

One time he replied, with nothing but Nathan Davis highlighted. This is how I know he is listening.
 
Not-A-Homer said:
With last season's 12 wins added to next year's 10, 12, 15 or whatever they can manage, it will be easy for Hardt to finally pull the plug. We just have to endure the pain because 2 awful year's back-to-back makes the decision a no brainer.
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^This. The "silver lining" to our present quandary...
 
Always good to see a new recruit shoot 100%.

More importantly, why is UR media trying to give me a seizure with the flashing background?
 
I need a coach to tell me I'm all wet.
I watch Grace shoot and he stands flat footed watching his
shot.
It seems to me that he should be on his toes to either rebound his
miss, or be ready to head up the court to defend on the other end.
He reminds me of a baseball batter watching a home run, but the game is basketball,
not baseball.
 
Matt looks like a developmental player and that would be just fine and dandy if we had a deep roster and normal circumstances. The problem is the roster is not deep and the circumstances are that Chris needs to win now.
 
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97spiderfan said:
Quite possibly the least inspiring practice video ever. Poor camera guys had to be like, I hope this kid actually does something exciting to put on this tape and then "ah screw it, lets just film him in the lay-up line.
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Uncontested layups. Exactly my sentiment with regard to this video, though not suggesting anything negative about Matt.
On the other hand, who knows what a year of growth, practice, and development may bring. I had given up hope with regard to the players viz a viz the information spun by the basketball program, but, alas, I still find a modicum left within me. Some truth to "Hope springs eternal," I guess and I am a victim or beneficiary. Only time will tell which.
 
he fills a reserve big man role which we needed. he's got size and offensive skills shooting and passing the ball. I'm not worried about his offense or his highlight reel.

but he'll need to prove he can defend at the A10 level. even as a good shooter, he's not going to be a big plus offensive player like Grant. so he needs to really defend. I'm not sure he can at this level. and if he can't, he won't play.
 
spiderman said:
he fills a reserve big man role which we needed. he's got size and offensive skills shooting and passing the ball. I'm not worried about his offense or his highlight reel.

but he'll need to prove he can defend at the A10 level. even as a good shooter, he's not going to be a big plus offensive player like Grant. so he needs to really defend. I'm not sure he can at this level. and if he can't, he won't play.
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So did Paul, so did Phoenix, so did JMA, so did Kweisi. I was possibly not sure those guys could do it either, but the as the old saying goes, fool me once, shame on you, fool me 4 times, my god, why are you letting Mooney keep fooling you. Hoping Grace gets at least a good education out of this experience and doesn't get put out to the D-2 pasture like Phoenix, Jesse, Kovien, Chandler did.
 
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what did I say that leads you to believe I think Grace is some future star?
 
You said the same things about Paul, JMA, Kweisi, Phoenix and even they couldn't live up to the low standard of a "reserve" big man. Shoot all last year, you were saying Paul minutes were valuable because it gave Grant rest. Well, yes, but that is all his minutes did.

Our "reserve" big man should actually be a guy who can play competitively and contribute when they are on the court. Our standards for our reserves have got to be better.
 
you're correct that I'm never overly critical of any of our new players, particularly before they've had a chance to do anything. it's not important to me to be able to go back and say "I was right" that a kid wouldn't succeed here, before he even stepped foot in our weight room. sometimes I may not be impressed, but I'll give any kid we recruit a chance way before I post that opinion.

all I said about Matt is that I think his offensive skill set is fine, but I'm unsure if he can defend at this level. and if he can't, then he won't play. I don't care if his highlight reel is impressive or not. he's here to compete for the right to back up Grant. we really needed a backup 5 on this roster, and it can be hard to land one in the class behind a guy like Grant. nobody likes to sit for 3 years, and anyone better than Grant is going to have a heck of a lot of options.

as for "my god, why are you letting Mooney keep fooling you", nobody's fooling me. you just have very different opinions about what the back of our bench can look like. you expect 13 guys fighting for playing time. I know that's not how it usually works.

as for what I said about Paul, JMA, Kweisi, or Phoenix, I'm not going to go looking to try to prove you wrong. I'm reasonably confident I was never over the top about any of them, like I'm not about Matt. they were all going to be competing for reserve roles.
 
This whole thread is a bunch of negative BS as usual. Wait until he has a chance to prove himself. CM said at the recruit intro gathering he purposely recruited shooters and will be upping the total 3’s taken.
 
spiderman said:
I'll give any kid we recruit a chance way before I post that opinion. he's here to compete for the right to back up Grant. we really needed a backup 5 on this roster, and it can be hard to land one in the class behind a guy like Grant.
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Agree that Grace looks like he has a long way to go. How far he progresses is up to him, ala T.J. Cline. Like you, I am not writing him off yet. Doesn't appear to be ready right now, the next 4-years, who knows.

An observation from this highlight tape that might be of interest to some: at least twice on the tape Grace was shown shooting wide open shots - long after the shot was released Golden came flying out at him, way LATE defensively (flying Dutchman).

Each is free to decipher what that metaphor means regarding the upcoming season. Concerns me that defensive issues may play a large role again this season.
 
Not-A-Homer said:
Agree that Grace looks like he has a long way to go. How far he progresses is up to him, ala T.J. Cline. Like you, I am not writing him off yet. Doesn't appear to be ready right now, the next 4-years, who knows.

An observation from this highlight tape that might be of interest to some: at least twice on the tape Grace was shown shooting wide open shots - long after the shot was released Golden came flying out at him, way LATE defensively (flying Dutchman).

Each is free to decipher what that metaphor means regarding the upcoming season. Concerns me that defensive issues may play a large role again this season.
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I talked to my son about the dutchman this past Sunday! he's the big guy on his AAU team forced to help on drives. if the driver kicks to his man, he's been dutchmanning to the shooter but barely getting his hand to the guy's chin upon release much less blocking or even affecting the shot. so by the time he gathers himself after the fly-by, he's at the 3 point line when the ball hits the rim. not where you want your 6'8" guy.

I told him if you can't get there, you're better off just hoping he misses and getting the rebound. or don't help as much so you can recover. but he should ask coach what he wants him to do.
 
73CPA said:
This whole thread is a bunch of negative BS as usual. Wait until he has a chance to prove himself. CM said at the recruit intro gathering he purposely recruited shooters and will be upping the total 3’s taken.
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Most of the guys who profile like Grace never have a chance to prove themselves because they never step foot on the court for us. (Phoenix, Kovien, JMA) etc... Shoot each year, we had to listen to the same junk from the same people about Paul. Now that he is healthy, now that he is a junior, he has really worked hard to improve his game.

Anyone who was remotely paying attention to our team could see from the early on, that Paul just didn't have the ability to play A-10 ball. He was too slow and lacked instincts. And at least with Paul, 16 other schools saw the potential in him to offer. Grace had one other offer a long time ago from IUPUI and then nothing until we swooped in late in his senior year to offer him. So, you can wait to make your Monday Morning QB analysis on a player, if you'd like.

I throw this out there just like I threw out my observations on Phoenix, Kovien, JMA, Diekvoss and others. I didn't need to "wait and see" because all of these guys were so widely under-recruited (most of them big men too and if your 6'9 and only have one offer that says a lot more than 6'0 guard with one offer) and looking at their tapes, it is pretty easy to discern, they aren't going to play well or much for an A-10 program.

And if I'm wrong I'm sure this thread will be thrown back in my face and I will eat crow gladly. I have a pretty high degree of confidence it won't though.
 
The 13th guy on our roster is never going to wow you. It is easy to predict failure for them and be correct. But I like him as a #13, even knowing he may never play a meaningful minute here. If he had been a premier or even average recruit for us this year, then yes we would have a big problem.

Other #13s we have had recently had bigger flaws than him -- proven bad players at Division I level, wrong skill set, shorter. He is a 6'9" player with some passing and shooting skills. If he puts the work in the gym and is able to transform his body, he could be a solid player for us in a couple years.

So if you want to look smart, bashing him may be the safe bet. I would rather be happy that we seem to have found a better fit for our #13 spot than in the last couple years. He is a better prospect than some of our recent #11/12 guys imo.
 
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You know success many times depends on work ethic and heart vs pure athleticism and ability. I think about Dan Geriot
and I was not impressed with his athleticism, quickness or ability to jump out of the gym. Look at what Dan accomplished.
Matt to get on the court will have to have those first two attributes to stand a chance of making it on the court. But there
is always a chance and I don't think he should be buried at the end of the bench in the DII section till he has a chance to
prove himself.

Kwesi was the only one I ever watched on film and immediately felt Mooney's desperation plea.
 
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CarolinaSpider said:
You know success many times depends on work ethic and heart vs pure athleticism and ability. I think about Dan Geriot
and I was not impressed with his athleticism, quickness or ability to jump out of the gym. Look at what Dan accomplished.
Matt to get on the court will have to have those first two attributes to stand a chance of making it on the court. But there
is always a chance and I don't think he should be buried at the end of the bench in the DII section till he has a chance to
prove himself.

Kwesi was the only one I ever watched on film and immediately felt Mooney's desperation plea.
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Agree with you and Spiderman that many in the recent past have been buried on the bench. Said it before, but if you never get to play in a game you have no chance of developing to the point of being a major contributor. Big men need to be developed. It is my opinion that Friendshue was a victim of being buried on the bench. He did have challenges regarding his athletic ability (as 97 points out), but he was NEVER given a chance by the Richmond coach.

I understand chicken vs egg discussion about earning your way onto the floor, BUT, it is unlikely that nearly 20 schools (some pretty good programs) were so horribly wrong about his potential. His offers (not just interest) make a pretty strong argument that he was most likely misused (underdeveloped) during his career, rather than "he just isn't any good."

I think (and 16 other colleges did as well) that Friendshue could have been a decent contributor if he had been better managed. Reminds me somewhat of Dunkier also. Think that he also would have had more success had he been better managed. Likely best if I stop the name dropping right there because this list could get quite lengthy. o_O
 
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these guys are seen a thousand times by the coaches. they have tons of opportunities in practices to show they deserve time. no way do I give real game time to a guy who hasn't earned it in practice. best players play. and the best players are the ones who are the best in practice.
 
spiderman said:
best players play. and the best players are the ones who are the best in practice.
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so while I wholeheartedly agree with this sentiment, I think it actually doesn’t reflect our coaching management at times. It’s a paper thin argument to tell me that Paul was worse than either JMA last year or Kwesi the year before. So all things being roughly equal, I would’ve played Paul more. Our staff by their own admission is rather poor at utilizing their bench.
 
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oh, darn it. I'll say this knowing full well it sets me up for ridicule from 97.

but I like him!

he'll get stronger. he's not really a 5, but reminds me of Steve Novak. there's a role for guys who can knock down shots. he'll run the offense fine. the question is whether he can defend inside and he's likely not ready to do that yet ... but not all freshman big men can.

he's not going to push for starter minutes, and I know we want recruits to do that. he's a role player. but I'm good with that. nobody's taking Grant's job. I think Matt will be ok behind him.
 
spiderman said:
oh, darn it. I'll say this knowing full well it sets me up for ridicule from 97.

but I like him!

he'll get stronger. he's not really a 5, but reminds me of Steve Novak. there's a role for guys who can knock down shots. he'll run the offense fine. the question is whether he can defend inside and he's likely not ready to do that yet ... but not all freshman big men can.

he's not going to push for starter minutes, and I know we want recruits to do that. he's a role player. but I'm good with that. nobody's taking Grant's job. I think Matt will be ok behind him.
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spiderman, I agree. However, one should point out that Matt has very good shooter with a quick release and solid form. For those who have not attended every practice, I can tell you that Matt is much quicker than Paul had been and at the final practice yesterday he stole the ball a couple of times from Grant. Is he Grant? Of course not. Grant is huge, agile, highly skilled and smart. But I believe that Matt is an able backup and may even end playing quite a bit at the 4 position before it is all said and done.
 
Lol, he finally has a good game shooting from the outside, vs a D3 team. Probably the level he belongs playing.

He has been a liability for most of the season, just like in past seasons. At least Mooney has recognized this and played Sal more throughout the year.
 
URWilk110 said:
Lol, he finally has a good game shooting from the outside, vs a D3 team. Probably the level he belongs playing.

He has been a liability for most of the season, just like in past seasons. At least Mooney has recognized this and played Sal more throughout the year.
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This is not his first "good game" of the season. His last time out before this game he set a career high in points, and has had noticeable improvement as the season has gone on. The past 5-6 games the improvement on a game-to-game basis has been stellar. I've ragged on him his entire time here, including the beginning of the season. But give the guy credit where it's due, he has vastly improved his game.
 
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