Ima need to fess up and take a little bit a crow. Earlier in the season I felt KR not ready to get minutes in the conference. Not only was I wrong about him getting in the games, he's starting. Good job KR and I'm sorry I was wrong.
I've been in that spot before but it's the kind of wrong that you're actually glad about. Or at least that's the way I feel about it. It's a lot better to see a player get better than anticipated than worse.
You weren't wrong. He WASN'T ready early in the season, and it was obvious. He's looking much better now, and ahead of schedule. Most true freshmen really don't deserve extended minutes until late February.
Tough call here. McKissic is a great defender, but his offense is not nearly at that same level. Maybe he'll grow into an efficient point guard.
Best play of the day were his quotes... “I put more pressure on myself defensively and rebounding because, if you engage rebounding and defensively, it’s just inevitable that you’re going to make shots because that’s just how the game works,” he said. “It’s just how the game’s played; it rewards doing the right thing and making the right plays. So, all of us together, we played defense, and shots went in. “I’m lost for words, honestly, because a lot of the guys on the team told me something similar to this was going to happen. Like, [Anthony] Duruji and Colin [Castleton], they were comparing their freshmen years and telling me how things were just up and down and bumpy for them at first, but they just encouraged me to just keep pushing on, keep working, paying attention to every little detail and just being engaged on defense. That was going to keep me on floor. So, once I did get those things, it started to come together.”
This is just completely wrong, and it’s one of Mike White’s biggest weaknesses as a coach. Should Reeves have started from day one? Maybe not. Should he have been in the rotation from day one? Absolutely. There is no chance that after 5 months or more all of a sudden a light bulb went off in Reeves’ head, and he went from a guy who shouldn’t be playing to a guy who should be starting and might be one of the best players on the team. That does not happen. White is so risk averse that it affects who he plays and what style of play the team plays. Throw in Jitoboh. Did it take him 3 years before he was ready to get some meaningful playing time? Not likely at all. Ruzhnetsev? Nope, but he is playing well on a good European pro team a season later. Watching Reeves yesterday only strengthens my belief that White needs to be replaced.
I agree with you in principle, but doesn't it seem like CMW is doing better in this regard this season? We went 10 deep yesterday and have been playing Reeves & Jitoboh for meaningful stretches. Kennedy had a good showing yesterday too. Jitoboh was not ready the past couple years, but is showing substantial development now, as is Reeves. Did you not see what a mess (sorry for the lack of a better term) Reeves was early in the season?
So wrong. JJ would have had a heart attack if he played more than a min last few years. Why does KR say he was not ready early in year. Ruzh would be playing this year if he did not leave. Sorry they were not ready. I watch plenty of basketball, plenty of good high school players sit guess 90% of coaches don't know what they are doing.
The QB couldn’t get them the ball consistently, which is the problem with calling those plays. Even though the result of the play design is an open player, if the open player(s) doesn’t have enough confidence to make the play, it is a wasted play. If the players on the court can’t hit those open shots, then that is on the coach for keeping those players on the court. The common thread here is the coaching staffs calling the same plays with the same players, where those players have not shown the ability to consistently execute those plays, and wondering why they don’t work. When White lengthened the bench and gave other players more playing time, the results were better.
I’m no traditionalist when it comes to hair, but that’s one style I can’t get jiggy wit. Trying too hard.
I'm happy for KR and EK, but the real test for Mike White is if he continues to start them, or second guesses himself and goes back to them on the bench. Time will tell.
I doubt Kennedy will start just yet, but he is coming on. South Carolina he showed he has a good all round game and is aggressive. He just needs more minutes now to build his coming together with the team and give us another good scoring option. Kowacie is a talented growing kid who gives us a better team in his size and skills. I would say our best outside three point shooter, and over time may be our best FT option. CMW, I agree needs to play them every game and keep developing their games. these two guys were their teams best scoring option in high school and they can definitely help this team be more consistent in scoring.
It is pretty cool. It's also within his range of vision when he's shooting, so unless it's some sort of range-finding/targeting device, it needs to be pulled back.
