Nathan Cayo: First points

[plydogg]

One thing I noticed was that Nathan was able to pass out of the double and triple team. Now it wasn’t always a beautiful pass to the open guy, but it wasn’t turnovers each time like we saw in previous years. He was sure as hell frustrated, but he did what he needed to do to to help us get the win and that is what I love about him. A totally selfless player

 

[spiderman]

with Sherod out, Gilyard and Francis not exactly shooting lights out, and Burton unproven, every defense should be helping on Cayo and Golden. and they'll continue to do that until the perimeter shooting picks up.

 

[Gallipoli]

Cayo had another solid game. He went 5-8 and made 4 of 6 FTs and a total of 14 points. If he scores 14 per game, we will be in very good shape. In fact he is leading the team with an average of 14.4 points per game and a FG% of 69% (excluding Crabtree).

 

[Gallipoli]

It is fantastic that Cayo has reached the 900 point threshold. Great things are in store for him. Cayo is the key to the Spiders success this year.

 

[RichmondNative]

Let’s go Cayo! Has a good chance to get to 1000 if the Spiders can get all the games in, which is probably the bigger of the two challenges.

 

[SpiderTrap]

There was possession against URI that summed up Cayo. 2nd Half - think it was Gilyard drove baseline and drew defender. Through to Cayo in the corner (cross court along baseline) - Cayo was wide open for 3 but passed to Francis who took a contested 3 (and made it - his first three of the game). If Cayo could shoot - he would be pretty close to Justin Harper skill set. Cause later in the 2nd half as UR pulled away - he drove to the hoop from left to right side of the lane and took a tough angle bank shot with one hand that he made look so easy, but was surely difficult. The kid is so athletic, but teams are laying off of him on offense that it is limiting his opportunity on that end. It will be amazing that he reaches 1000 with no jump shot to speak of and really he doesn't post up a whole lot. Just a lot of slashing and driving, and trying to rebound.

 

[KE Spider]

A latter day Scott Stapleton. Brings a similar game. Always enjoyed watching Stapleton slash to the basket.

For younger posters, he was on late 80s team under Tarrant - 2 CAA Championships, 2 CAA Tourney Championships, 2 NCAA Championship appearances. Good memories.

 

[spider23]

Good comparison in that they both very athletic, and neither really could shoot from range. Stapleton was more willing to take 10-15 footer, and actually could make those - but anything more than 12 or 15 was not his game. Stapleton was really a "point forward" , he got a lot of assists and could take ball handling pressure off Atkinson.

Stapleton had one of the best dunks in the Robins Center, in an NIT game I believe vs Temple maybe? One of the loudest games I ever attended there. Stapleton was a lefty, came flying in from left wing and had monster slam with right hand.

Stapleton was going to try an extra year at WR in football and I was really interested to see how that went, but never happened.

 

[urmite]

Good comparison in that they both very athletic, and neither really could shoot from range. Stapleton was more willing to take 10-15 footer, and actually could make those - but anything more than 12 or 15 was not his game. Stapleton was really a "point forward" , he got a lot of assists and could take ball handling pressure off Atkinson.

Stapleton had one of the best dunks in the Robins Center, in an NIT game I believe vs Temple maybe? One of the loudest games I ever attended there. Stapleton was a lefty, came flying in from left wing and had monster slam with right hand.

Stapleton was going to try an extra year at WR in football and I was really interested to see how that went, but never happened.

I wanted to see him at WR too. He had some wild stat in high school like 15 TD reception in 3 games...

Instead of the NIT game, I remember LaSalle earlier that year, with Lionel Simmons & Tim Legler.
Stapleton took a jumper from the free throw line, it hit the front of the rim and bounced back over his head.
It bounced once and was caught by NBA PG Doug Overton in the center court circle. I assumed it was a breakaway, but... Stapleton chased him down and was planted for his layup. Charge!

His speed was always what I noticed. I still remember his 1 on 4 fast breaks.
4 defenders setup at the corners of the paint, the rest of our guys not past half court. He would do a stutter step at the three point line and they would drop their heels. At that point he would launch from the free throw line for a dunk before they could leave the ground.

 

[Gallipoli]

Cayo has 986 total points. He is only 14 points away from making 1,000 career points. He deserves praise. He has worked hard and never given up!

 

[spiderman]

yeah pretty amazing that an inside only player at his size has been so successful. his ability to finish tough angle contested shots is rare. great touch around the basket.

 

[712_VT]

He has been a very pleasant surprise. I can remember saying on here that we was just another low level recruit Mooney signed that really should have been playing division 3 ball. Glad to be proven wrong but man would I love to see Cayo get to play in the NCAA’s.

 

[mojo-spider]

Cayo is a great story out of the Tarrant mold...coming in very raw and getting better every year in the program...

the improvement in his FT's between his sophomore and junior seasons was startlingly good...I never read, or heard, to what the improvement was attributed, but I'm sure it required hard work...his improvement demonstrates a player can go from very poor to excellent...

congrats to Cayo...

Go Spiders!

 

[SFspidur]

He went from very bad to solid in one offseason like someone flipped a switch...pretty incredible. I still don't like the mechanics on his shots (free throw and jump), but it's clearly working for him from the line.

Frosh: 59.3%
Soph: 57.7%
Junior: 79.8%
Senior: 75.4%

 

[Gallipoli]

He has very nice moves towards the basket. It is amazing when he goes around taller players.

 

[kneepadmckinney]

He has been a very pleasant surprise. I can remember saying on here that we was just another low level recruit Mooney signed that really should have been playing division 3 ball. Glad to be proven wrong but man would I love to see Cayo get to play in the NCAA’s.

Wait, you were wrong about something?

 

[kneepadmckinney]

He went from very bad to solid in one offseason like someone flipped a switch...pretty incredible. I still don't like the mechanics on his shots (free throw and jump), but it's clearly working for him from the line.

Frosh: 59.3%
Soph: 57.7%
Junior: 79.8%
Senior: 75.4%

Pretty sure it was documented that it wasn't flipping a switch, but rather him and Rob Jones working tirelessly at it.

 

[SpiderRick]

Cayo is the one senior (other than Sherod) that I hope returns next year. As Mojo said, he's improving every year. Cayo and Burton make nice bookends.

 

[plydogg]

Wait, you were wrong about something?

There’s a first for everything! LOL

 

[SFspidur]

Pretty sure it was documented that it wasn't flipping a switch, but rather him and Rob Jones working tirelessly at it.

No doubt...I just meant from our perspective it seemed like it.

It does beg the question, why did it take until his career was half over for that to happen? It should have been a focus after his freshman year at the latest...we knew he was going to be a big piece for us the following year.

 

[Eight Legger]

No doubt...I just meant from our perspective it seemed like it.

It does beg the question, why did it take until his career was half over for that to happen? It should have been a focus after his freshman year at the latest...we knew he was going to be a big piece for us the following year.

Maybe it took Jones two years to learn how to teach free throw shooting?

 

[spiderman]

I don't know how it changed so dramatically. clearly a lot of work, but a lot of bad FT shooters put in a lot of work without this kind of improvement. very impressive.

as SF pointed out, he still has work to do on the jump shoot. that one looks easier to fix to me than the FT shooting. it's all timing with his jumper. his release is late ... on the way down.

 

[712_VT]

Wait, you were wrong about something?

I call it like it is. If I’m ever wrong I always admit it.

 

[kneepadmckinney]

I call it like it is. If I’m ever wrong I always admit it.

You definitely call it. Forgive me if I'm not exactly convinced that you call it "like it is." Incidentally, in order for us to go 12-15 this year, we'll need to go -1 and 10 from here on out.

 

[712_VT]

You definitely call it. Forgive me if I'm not exactly convinced that you call it "like it is." Incidentally, in order for us to go 12-15 this year, we'll need to go -1 and 10 from here on out.

Ya I was off about that too. I was not off on the fact that this would be a disappointing season though.

 

[ChoppinBroccoli]

You definitely call it. Forgive me if I'm not exactly convinced that you call it "like it is." Incidentally, in order for us to go 12-15 this year, we'll need to go -1 and 10 from here on out.

 

[Gallipoli]

Nathan Cayo is known as the team's best cutter; he certainly benefits from assists from Gilyard and Golden.

 

[Gallipoli]

Good publicity for Nate.

In testament to development, Nathan Cayo reaches doorstep of UR's 1,000-point club

Nathan Cayo didn’t look like a future member of the University of Richmond’s 1,000-point club as a freshman. The 6-foot-7 forward from Montreal had a hitch in his jump shot

richmond.com

 

[KE Spider]

The coaching staff have done an exemplary job in developing Cayo which would not have been possible without his dedication. Kudos to both. Fun player to watch.