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So we are getting close, but not close enough. I needed a Shox Bball fix bad, so yesterday I watched 2 games from the epic undefeated regular season. The games I watched, in order, and due to limited options on full games, not in Spanish, on Youtube, were the early on road trip to a good St. Louis team, followed by the final dagger to the heart game vs. Kentucky in the rd. of 32. As I watched, I started summarizing team progressions from game 8 (I believe) and game 36, and noticed several things that left me feeling good about this years Shox.
At the time of the St. L game, the shox were ranked 12th due to their previous season final 4 finish, and just coming off the win in the finals of that K.C. tournament over a BYU team expected to be dancing at the end of the season.
The announcers were already starting the "not sure if they are elite" talk, but couldn't deny their potential. So I don't post a novel, here are my views, and how I see it pertinent to the current shocker youth movement.
1. Fred looked comfortable, but not 100 percent confident in everything he did. Be looked stronger and more mature, but not yet the best college point guard to ever lace up a pair. The announcer said he didn't look comfortable again the Bills press.
2. Ron was the man with all the hype and mojo coming in averaging around 20/game. He was still stroking 3's but had added some driving and midrange to complete his arsenal. His D was legit too.
3. Cle was largely invisible until the last 5 minutes of the game. When St.Ls big guy Loe fouled out at about the 4:20 mark, Cle, who he fouled, pointed to the score board and said something to Fred. I watched it several times, and I'm no expert lip reader, but after he smiled, i swear Fred nodded and said to Cle, "yeah, thats right, they are winning" Cle hit both FTs and followed with wing area 3 balls the next 2 possessions. I think thats the game he was born for that season.
4. Cotton was classic Cotton. He was still working on his FTs and outside range a bit, but no denying the presence of the biggest play X-Factor I've ever seen in college hoops.
5. The 3 headed monster were still a bit of a work in progress with Lufile showing a few moves, and Darius showing that he probably had the best skill set of the 3.
6. Evan hustled and grinded, Wiggins was off, but played good D, and that was who showed.
Fast forwarding to the confident, cohesive unit that played against Kentucky in one of the best tourney games EVER, I stood impressed by the progress. Cle was the leading scorer and the man coming in and throughout, Ron was fire, Fred had some whistle bad luck but dropped dimes and cherry picked Harrison all game, Cotton had a little trouble with the UK size, but was Cotton, and 2 of the 3 headed monster showed well, with Carter even undersized belonged against that UK giant future pro cast of bigs.
As it relates to this seasons youth movement...
JB won't be the next FVV, nobody ever will, but I expect his maturity and hard work to bring a huge leap this season. He'll have freshman help, much like Malcolm did with Fred, and those guys will be going by conference play.
Dex is receiving the Ron treatment right now, and I believe he will bring a new level with him back for this team.
I think ES will find his consistency and be that solid rotation dude that comes up big when they need him. His desire will make sure he is this to the team...and probably even more than that.
I would take our new 3 headed monster over that one every time. JE will be dominant at times, and our back up 7 footer will be continuing his ascension and breaking out big stats when JE is occasionally off. I also think PB will start figuring it out on a Shaq Morris type timeline, but is terrific backup bulk.
I think Wade surprises as a heavy minute taker at the 4, and Coach Marshall has a luxury of multiple winning lineups depending on the situation. I see his contributions as similar to Carters first year, but with a different skill set of course.
I think a couple of the newbies are high level dudes that will contribute early and often, if not completely consistently. I hope Fat Joe uses his court time to shine as an athletic mid range guy like Aaron Ellis instead of trying to go all Eric Hamilton from the second he sees the court. But his time will come.
I'm just stressing that these pieces are still a work in progress, but way closer to a champion than at this point last year. BTW the announcers big knock on the shox in St Louis was that Malcolm, Carl Hall, and Erupke were gone from the previous year....similar to all the McDuffy and SHJ scoring to replace that has been popping this preseason.
Just remember, the team that lost to La. Tech in the opener, wouldn't have won a game in the American this past season. I think we are back. Fo Sho
At the time of the St. L game, the shox were ranked 12th due to their previous season final 4 finish, and just coming off the win in the finals of that K.C. tournament over a BYU team expected to be dancing at the end of the season.
The announcers were already starting the "not sure if they are elite" talk, but couldn't deny their potential. So I don't post a novel, here are my views, and how I see it pertinent to the current shocker youth movement.
1. Fred looked comfortable, but not 100 percent confident in everything he did. Be looked stronger and more mature, but not yet the best college point guard to ever lace up a pair. The announcer said he didn't look comfortable again the Bills press.
2. Ron was the man with all the hype and mojo coming in averaging around 20/game. He was still stroking 3's but had added some driving and midrange to complete his arsenal. His D was legit too.
3. Cle was largely invisible until the last 5 minutes of the game. When St.Ls big guy Loe fouled out at about the 4:20 mark, Cle, who he fouled, pointed to the score board and said something to Fred. I watched it several times, and I'm no expert lip reader, but after he smiled, i swear Fred nodded and said to Cle, "yeah, thats right, they are winning" Cle hit both FTs and followed with wing area 3 balls the next 2 possessions. I think thats the game he was born for that season.
4. Cotton was classic Cotton. He was still working on his FTs and outside range a bit, but no denying the presence of the biggest play X-Factor I've ever seen in college hoops.
5. The 3 headed monster were still a bit of a work in progress with Lufile showing a few moves, and Darius showing that he probably had the best skill set of the 3.
6. Evan hustled and grinded, Wiggins was off, but played good D, and that was who showed.
Fast forwarding to the confident, cohesive unit that played against Kentucky in one of the best tourney games EVER, I stood impressed by the progress. Cle was the leading scorer and the man coming in and throughout, Ron was fire, Fred had some whistle bad luck but dropped dimes and cherry picked Harrison all game, Cotton had a little trouble with the UK size, but was Cotton, and 2 of the 3 headed monster showed well, with Carter even undersized belonged against that UK giant future pro cast of bigs.
As it relates to this seasons youth movement...
JB won't be the next FVV, nobody ever will, but I expect his maturity and hard work to bring a huge leap this season. He'll have freshman help, much like Malcolm did with Fred, and those guys will be going by conference play.
Dex is receiving the Ron treatment right now, and I believe he will bring a new level with him back for this team.
I think ES will find his consistency and be that solid rotation dude that comes up big when they need him. His desire will make sure he is this to the team...and probably even more than that.
I would take our new 3 headed monster over that one every time. JE will be dominant at times, and our back up 7 footer will be continuing his ascension and breaking out big stats when JE is occasionally off. I also think PB will start figuring it out on a Shaq Morris type timeline, but is terrific backup bulk.
I think Wade surprises as a heavy minute taker at the 4, and Coach Marshall has a luxury of multiple winning lineups depending on the situation. I see his contributions as similar to Carters first year, but with a different skill set of course.
I think a couple of the newbies are high level dudes that will contribute early and often, if not completely consistently. I hope Fat Joe uses his court time to shine as an athletic mid range guy like Aaron Ellis instead of trying to go all Eric Hamilton from the second he sees the court. But his time will come.
I'm just stressing that these pieces are still a work in progress, but way closer to a champion than at this point last year. BTW the announcers big knock on the shox in St Louis was that Malcolm, Carl Hall, and Erupke were gone from the previous year....similar to all the McDuffy and SHJ scoring to replace that has been popping this preseason.
Just remember, the team that lost to La. Tech in the opener, wouldn't have won a game in the American this past season. I think we are back. Fo Sho
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