I didn't read his post that way. I thought he explained his reasoning very well.
Quality and Depth of players
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I didn't read his post that way. I thought he explained his reasoning very well.
Look my opinion from previous post was best option for max minutes for Jacob and GG was slowing the pace down like UVA. In theory if best 5 players could give their all for 40 m there wouldn't be a need for subs other than foul trouble. Here's a stat to think about.
Percentage of possessions used (%Poss): A measure of personal possessions used while the player is on the court. Simply assigns credit or blame to a player when his actions end a possession, either by making a shot, missing a shot that isn’t rebounded by the offense, or committing a turnover.
More of less how much player is involved in offensive possessions. GG was ranked 29th national for the above stat. GG will not get not in shape criticism from me. Quick research says 7 centers and 2 forwards part of the top 29. Of course pg/sg would most likely be high on the list. Coach Mooney, the ball is in your court in getting the best max minutes out of GG.
Percentage of possessions used (%Poss): A measure of personal possessions used while the player is on the court. Simply assigns credit or blame to a player when his actions end a possession, either by making a shot, missing a shot that isn’t rebounded by the offense, or committing a turnover.
More of less how much player is involved in offensive possessions. GG was ranked 29th national for the above stat. GG will not get not in shape criticism from me. Quick research says 7 centers and 2 forwards part of the top 29. Of course pg/sg would most likely be high on the list. Coach Mooney, the ball is in your court in getting the best max minutes out of GG.
Off topic, but I was having the conversation on another thread awhile back - my claim being a DIII coach I used to converse with some was talking about top DIII programs having some legit D1 talent now - and I provided a few examples just in lil ol Connecticut alone. Here is another one, unfortunately my guy is losing one to D1: https://www.cbssports.com/college-b...ves-of-his-games-to-land-with-a-big-ten-team/.
I know another DIII talent that played in a small ball conference, that would have been a top 300 D1 recruit if he played for a big AAU program.
I will say Kudos to Mooney for going out and getting Francis - there are a lot of guys that develop later - we need to keep mining those types of situations. Something for Gipe, and Jones, and the new kid to do wiht their spare time.
I know another DIII talent that played in a small ball conference, that would have been a top 300 D1 recruit if he played for a big AAU program.
I will say Kudos to Mooney for going out and getting Francis - there are a lot of guys that develop later - we need to keep mining those types of situations. Something for Gipe, and Jones, and the new kid to do wiht their spare time.
Here is a short interview on Cayo:
I like his attitude. Sounds like he has been working hard on his game. I am excited to see him play next year.
Both Frances and Cayo said the biggest surprise for them in pre-season has been Burton. Sounds like the guy is a stud and going to get a lot of minutes. Based on their comments, I would be surprised if he does not get 15 minutes a game.
I like his attitude. Sounds like he has been working hard on his game. I am excited to see him play next year.
Both Frances and Cayo said the biggest surprise for them in pre-season has been Burton. Sounds like the guy is a stud and going to get a lot of minutes. Based on their comments, I would be surprised if he does not get 15 minutes a game.
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I’m sure some of the surprise with Burton is deserved, and some of it is that he’s perhaps the shiny new object. They sort of know what to expect from everybody else who’s been around for awhile.
But it’s good he’s not a disappointment. So
Good news.
But it’s good he’s not a disappointment. So
Good news.
I think if all is true with Burton then he should get some minutes. I think this is one area Mooney and staff need improvement on and that is developing young players over time. This year we have a lot of returning players so time is limited. But sometimes I think you have to make minutes in certain situations to get a young guy minutes and keep his progression going. Because in the back of your mind you always have to plan for the future when kids transfer or graduate.
So even if it’s just 5-8 minutes a game, for a young kid you know will be a central part in years to come - you got to find those minutes and make it happen and it sounds like Burton might be it
So even if it’s just 5-8 minutes a game, for a young kid you know will be a central part in years to come - you got to find those minutes and make it happen and it sounds like Burton might be it
too many UR freshmen have played a ton of minutes under Mooney for me to agree with this.
best kids play. you aren't given time. you earn it.
best kids play. you aren't given time. you earn it.
Gilyard and Buckingham were starters right out of the gate.
I don't remember if Sherod was starting right away, but he got significant playing time his freshman year and started several games.
Golden was getting quality minutes before his health scare, even with Cline on the team.
Fore was playing before his injury. Cayo got 12.7/game his freshman year.
Of course Woj, Andre, and Grace got plenty of minutes out of necessity. You may be disappointed that Sal, who was more hyped than those three, got fewer.
There are plenty of things to get on Mooney about. Not playing freshmen who earn the time isn't one of them.
I don't remember if Sherod was starting right away, but he got significant playing time his freshman year and started several games.
Golden was getting quality minutes before his health scare, even with Cline on the team.
Fore was playing before his injury. Cayo got 12.7/game his freshman year.
Of course Woj, Andre, and Grace got plenty of minutes out of necessity. You may be disappointed that Sal, who was more hyped than those three, got fewer.
There are plenty of things to get on Mooney about. Not playing freshmen who earn the time isn't one of them.
I don't worry about Mooney playing freshman or the best players finding playing time. It's when we don't see a freshman play all year that I worry about a recruiting miss that we've had too many of over the last 8 years. It does sound like we have elevated the level of recruits recently so that's a big positive moving forward.
I've seen Burton in and around the Robins Center. I have no idea how he will perform in a live D-1 game, but certainly he comes more physically ready to play that any freshman I can recall in recent memory (and that would include Buck, who I think was probably one of the more physically ready freshman Mooney has recruited),
Good stuff 97, I am picturing not quite Kevin Smith athlete, with much higher ceiling in the skill dept? As noted, let's see how he performs against A10 level, but everything sounds encouraging, save for losing the game of PIG.
So, I think we all can agree (not that that ever happens) that there will be more quality minutes available from this roster overall than we had available overall from last years. Not sure last year we could really say that we had 200 quality minutes even available. As a result, some folks got minutes just cause they had to. This year, we figure to have more than 200 and maybe a good bit more.
What I'd like to see us do to take advantage of this is several fold but with one common theme First, I'd think about playing a more aggressive defense - - - one that maybe we couldn't last year because it would be more demanding and we didn't have the depth. Second, I'd look to give out minutes based much more on defensive ability and effort. Last year we had few options about who to have on the court and for how long. Thus, when we sucked defensively, there was nothing that realistically could be done. This year, we can look to play a more effort intense defense and to simply play people who can defend and send messages to folks about the need to improve their defense if they want to play! We are going to be a good offensive team almost no matter what group we play and how much we play them. The key is going to be figuring out a way to be a LOT better defensively. Using all the extra minutes available to help that is what we need CM to do!!
What I'd like to see us do to take advantage of this is several fold but with one common theme First, I'd think about playing a more aggressive defense - - - one that maybe we couldn't last year because it would be more demanding and we didn't have the depth. Second, I'd look to give out minutes based much more on defensive ability and effort. Last year we had few options about who to have on the court and for how long. Thus, when we sucked defensively, there was nothing that realistically could be done. This year, we can look to play a more effort intense defense and to simply play people who can defend and send messages to folks about the need to improve their defense if they want to play! We are going to be a good offensive team almost no matter what group we play and how much we play them. The key is going to be figuring out a way to be a LOT better defensively. Using all the extra minutes available to help that is what we need CM to do!!
We all see how much the defense must improve. What specifically do you see could that "more aggressive defense" be that would be successful?
Good stuff Philly, Buckingham. The defense has been average to putrid the last five years. I am not sure if the biggest cause is lack of athleticism (and interior depth), poor coaching technique, or just lack of emphasis on defense. I know sman is buying the company line that defense is a big focus this off season, however A) Rebounding has been mentioned as a big focus forever and B) not sure if Mooney has ability to rachet up the intensity and emphasis. The few games I get to are away. A couple years ago at UMass, and I could not believe how easy they were driving down the lane and getting easy put backs. Same thing at Fordham one year, bailed out by Marshall Wood's career game.
It does seem our guys are lacking when you line them up mano a mano against a URI or VCU roster physically. Burton may get some minutes if Moon is really putting an emphasis on D. Will be very interesting to track Burton's minutes vs Sherod.
It does seem our guys are lacking when you line them up mano a mano against a URI or VCU roster physically. Burton may get some minutes if Moon is really putting an emphasis on D. Will be very interesting to track Burton's minutes vs Sherod.
Burton vs Sherod could be an interesting dynamic as the year progresses. They should present a very contrasting style of play that we should be able to use to our advantage in certain match-up situations.
If we need scoring/shooting, Sherod is our answer. Likewise if we need to match up with a bigger scoring forward defensively, I could see Sherod being shown the bench.
Again, haven't see Burton in competitive action but we do not have another physical body like his on our roster.
seems like we never have a true SF ... 6'6" athletic shooters/defenders.
looks like we've added two of them this year in Burton and Crabtree.
D is about effort and playing together which means lots of communication to help each other contain the ball. Coach Mooney has recently been quoted as saying that improving defense is a priority so they are working on it as a team.
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There was a nice tweet by A10Talk about Gilyard. His shooting percentage in A10 play was very impressive.
"Kind of incredible how good of a season Jacob Gilyard had last year: Best steal % in the conference, 41.3% from three and 60.2% from two in A-10 play, top 5 in the league in points, steals, and assists per game. This is all while playing 96.5% of available minutes in league play"
"Kind of incredible how good of a season Jacob Gilyard had last year: Best steal % in the conference, 41.3% from three and 60.2% from two in A-10 play, top 5 in the league in points, steals, and assists per game. This is all while playing 96.5% of available minutes in league play"
Here is a link to the A10talk top 100 players. They had Gilyard as 4th, Golden as 9th, Sherod as 15th, Cayo 25th Frances at 28th, Wojcik at 67th and Gustavson at 100th.
https://www.a10talk.com/ranking-the-top-100-atlantic-10-basketball-players-for-the-2019-20-season/
https://www.a10talk.com/ranking-the-top-100-atlantic-10-basketball-players-for-the-2019-20-season/
fun link, thanks. They have UR as the only team to put 5 in the top 30. I didn’t look through the whole list but if 14 teams place five starters each in the list that’s still only 70 players. I wonder which teams (if any) didn’t get five on the list.
It’s among the biggest benefits of us having been so young the last two years.
Seriously, only team with all starting 5 in the top 30. Of course, these individual player rankings don't take much of a players defensive abilities into account.
But, with this talent, if we don't finish top 3 in the league, what does that say about the coaching?
We're not finishing top 3 in the conference. Dayton, Davidson and VCU are way better than we are.
And yet the high watermark expectation for us is a fourth or fifth-place finish. That's sad.
Makes a strong case that the coach is the problem, which of course is what we have known all along.
Just saying, if you put this crop of players with whoever people generally consider to be the best coach in the league, it would probably be picked to compete for a league title. Here, it's picked fifth or sixth.
I don't think it would be. especially coming off a 20 loss season. teams can jump that far, but are rarely projected to.
we have some top 30 A10 guys but we know those are offensive rankings. I think we agree we don't have top 30 defensive players ... Gilyard's steals aside. our best defensive players are probably Burton and Wilson who isn't available for another year.
S-man. For a Mooney defender, you sure just threw his defensive coaching abilities under the bus, annoiting the 2 kids on the team that haven't suited up for us yet as our second and third best defenders.
Just wait until Rob Jones starts teaching these young lads.
lol. I think I threw his defensive recruiting abilities under the bus.
a coach can certainly teach defense, but a great defender has something on that side of the floor before he walks in the door. we don't have many plus defenders. Nate and Goose deserve some praise I guess.
Goose is our top perimeter defender, better than Gilyard who seems to regarded widely as very good. Mooney expects Nate to be elite defender. Burton and Francis have been hyped as good plus defenders. That's 5 which is plenty. We'll see quickly by playing man if they can keep their defender in front of them. I expect a big jump on defense, if not I think you can reasonably say that is coaching.
I think it hinges on whether Golden can become passable on defense. And Gilyard not getting a groin injury.
I don't see Golden or Sherrod making any significant progress as defenders, it's just not who they are. Gilyard, while a steal-making machine, is still susceptible to being posted by a larger player.
Unless we get a lot better defensively, we are probably a .500 ballclub at best.
#NoMoreMooneyTruthing
Unless we get a lot better defensively, we are probably a .500 ballclub at best.
#NoMoreMooneyTruthing
When asked about what he wanted to improve upon during the offseason, Golden said he wanted to improve his 3 point game. So, I'm not holding my breath on his defense being dramatically better because I don't think it is what he wants to work on.
I think we must also be careful as well when we speak of all A10 award players - like Golden and Gilyard. Yes - they have put up good numbers, but I good numbers on bad teams are a little bit easier to come by. Especially when you know there is no one behind you who can take your spot and outside of injury or foul trouble, your likely to play 30+ minutes a game if the game is within 20 points. Example - Golden only played under 25 minutes twice last year, and that was against Coppin St. (UR won by 40) and at Davidson (UR loss by 13).
Compare that to Justin Harper - who I think will all agree is a better all around player than Golden, and in his senior year he played under 25 minutes 7 times.
So while I think Golden and Gilyard are very good players, their numbers, which help put them on all A10 teams - are a little skewed in my mind because of how bad UR has been in their 2 years so far. They have had freedom and minutes to basically do whatever they like and likely will this year as well, but hopefully with some help that will produce more wins.
But I agree with 97 and keef - our defense is the key and was the key in Mooney's best years. We just can't stop anyone from scoring. Yes - we will win more games this year because we have more depth and scorers on offense, but we are not good enough to try and outscore people and think that is the recipe for the NCAA tourney. That recipe maybe gets us on the NIT bubble. But if this team commits and gets good on defense, and maybe the coaches try something different schemes when needed - that is the X factor that will decide if this team really is an NCAA team or not.
Compare that to Justin Harper - who I think will all agree is a better all around player than Golden, and in his senior year he played under 25 minutes 7 times.
So while I think Golden and Gilyard are very good players, their numbers, which help put them on all A10 teams - are a little skewed in my mind because of how bad UR has been in their 2 years so far. They have had freedom and minutes to basically do whatever they like and likely will this year as well, but hopefully with some help that will produce more wins.
But I agree with 97 and keef - our defense is the key and was the key in Mooney's best years. We just can't stop anyone from scoring. Yes - we will win more games this year because we have more depth and scorers on offense, but we are not good enough to try and outscore people and think that is the recipe for the NCAA tourney. That recipe maybe gets us on the NIT bubble. But if this team commits and gets good on defense, and maybe the coaches try something different schemes when needed - that is the X factor that will decide if this team really is an NCAA team or not.
