Shox Vs UNCC Game Thread

[CBB_Fan]

If you want a player to be thrown into the fire vs. VCU it should be Early not EO This will not be a good match up for EO...period. I will like EO in many other match ups in the future. As I said earlier, 3G is playing this game to win (overstatement I know). He actually believes in a strategy to get the win. VCU will speed this game up like non other we will see this year. It does not set up well for EO because he still needs significantly more time than most other players for his basketball brain to see whats happening. That is not going to change in the next 4+ months...sorry. For that reason throwing him in to this fire is suicide and 3G will not do it. Thank God 3G is coaching and not you and me. lol

Personally, I feel Early would be worse than EO in this game. You make the case that he is more suited to playing against a small-ball team like VCU, but I think his experience is even less than EO's, and he'd be more likely to make mistakes. And EO is actually athletic enough to play against a smaller team. Look at the way he defended screens on the perimeter. He was able to put pressure on the ball carrier and defend his man, which is something most footers would not be able to do.

[Ricardo del Rio]

It does not set up well for EO because he still needs significantly more time than most other players for his basketball brain to see whats happening.

+1.

I am not sure that EO is ready for max helter skelter basketball.

A lot of folks will be surrounding, pushing, slapping and grabbing him, when he has the ball. I think that a flurry of frenetic pressure will confuse and confound him.

I hope that I am dead wrong.

[moshock]

+1.

I am not sure that EO is ready for max helter skelter basketball.

A lot of folks will be surrounding, pushing, slapping and grabbing him, when he has the ball. I think that a flurry of frenetic pressure will confuse and confound him.

I hope that I am dead wrong.

I think you could make this statement about many of our players. Wessel had something running down his leg last nite when NCC trapped him.

[Aargh]

SHOXMVC, have you actually watched EO play this year? What you're describing isn't what I've seen in two games and Shocker Madness. He still basically throws the ball at the hoop instead of shooting it, but the rest of his game looks solid. He moves well on offense. His passing is greatly improved. His getting to and establishing positions is excellent. His screening is possibly the best of anyone on the team.

[SHOXAAC]

SHOXMVC, have you actually watched EO play this year? What you're describing isn't what I've seen in two games and Shocker Madness. He still basically throws the ball at the hoop instead of shooting it, but the rest of his game looks solid. He moves well on offense. His passing is greatly improved. His getting to and establishing positions is excellent. His screening is possibly the best of anyone on the team.

Of course I have seen him play...3 times just like you and many others. I won't disagree with you he has improved in many areas. But let's face it...he has been terrible in most all areas, so improvement is relative. Remember, arguable the single greatest physical specimen in Shocker basketball history has played 5 and 7 minutes per game the past two years. There is a reason. As physically gifted as he is, the important basketball skills have been very slow to develop...and they were extremely low level skills to begin with. So just because he has improved his skills doesn't mean he is ready for prime time.

He has virtually no offensive game, as you have stated. However, I am encouraged by last nights game with his ability to hit the offensive glass. He had 5 offensive rebounds. Do you know what his offensive rebound production was last year? He recorded 13% of his total rebounds on the offensive end. Hell, Joe Ragland beat him with 16%...as our point guard. I think Hall was at around 40% or more. EO has obviously improved his anticipation ability to know where the ball is coming off the rim. Early positioning is part of that improvement as well. He is a good screener and has a better understanding of the offense, which allows him to let the game come to him. To say his passing is greatly improved is an overstatement. Did you see a couple of passes last night that resulted in disaster? You might have missed those. He is the worst post passer we have had in recent memory...period.

I have total confidence EO will go down as the single season greatest shot blocker in Shocker history. I love to watch that part of his game. Having said that...most fans are so used to the customary language thrown around for shot blockers and how they also "alter" shots. Yes, EO alters shots. In the exhibition game 4 "altered" shots went in. Last night three "altered" shots went in. EO also thinks he can block every shot within Koch Arena. He goes after everything. Last night in the first half alone he went after and whiffed three times in the first half. He was so out of position NCC got all three offensive rebounds. They got two baskets on those three reloads. So when you look at the total picture on defense, don't look at what is easy to track, which is blocks.

Sorry you don't see what I and others have seen. I do like to watch him play though and will continue to do so.

[wsushockerdude]

Absolutely. Anyone that doesn't think Cle' is going to be a huge factor this season isn't paying attention.

I'm more paying attention to the negative comments I hear about his sportsmanship and attitude. I'll take those stats any day, but it seemed like at Shocker Madness he was going to be a complete stand out, and I haven't seen that yet.

[CBB_Fan]

I have total confidence EO will go down as the single season greatest shot blocker in Shocker history. I love to watch that part of his game. Having said that...most fans are so used to the customary language thrown around for shot blockers and how they also "alter" shots. Yes, EO alters shots. In the exhibition game 4 "altered" shots went in. Last night three "altered" shots went in. EO also thinks he can block every shot within Koch Arena. He goes after everything. Last night in the first half alone he went after and whiffed three times in the first half. He was so out of position NCC got all three offensive rebounds. They got two baskets on those three reloads. So when you look at the total picture on defense, don't look at what is easy to track, which is blocks.

I think his total contribution on defense is overwhelmingly positive. He makes mistakes, but so does every player on our team. However, having him, Hall, and Early out gives us three shot blockers and makes it very hard to score in the paint against us. If you focus on just his mistakes, you can say that he does badly, but look what he helped do for our total defensive effort. We held a true D1 team to 18 points in a half on a very poor FG% despite having a lot of players that haven't adjusted to our team yet.

I think it is reasonable to think that Orukpe will break the single season blocks record, and that the Shockers will break the team record. Hopefully that translates to an even better defense than last year.

[C0|dB|00ded]

He (EO) has virtually no offensive game, as you have stated.

OUCH!!! (I just touched your crack pipe)

EO was the fourth leading scorer on our team last night.......


T


...:cool:

[wufan]

I'm more paying attention to the negative comments I hear about his sportsmanship and attitude. I'll take those stats any day, but it seemed like at Shocker Madness he was going to be a complete stand out, and I haven't seen that yet.

What on Earth are you talking about? He has a fantastic attitude. One that every coach dreams of having on his team.

[SHOXAAC]

OUCH!!! (I just touched your crack pipe)

EO was the fourth leading scorer on our team last night.......


T


...:cool:

Unlike yours, there is nothing in my pipe. Let's throw a parade that EO was the fourth leading scorer last night. Two baskets and two free throws (I believe I praised the area of his game in which he scored his two field goals didn't I). How many times do you think he will be the fourth leading scorer in a game (care to take a guess)? It's about time you take another hit!!!

[WuDrWu]

What on Earth are you talking about? He has a fantastic attitude. One that every coach dreams of having on his team.

I also am not familiar with these comments on his negative attitude, or any negative attitude. Cle' has been fantastic and supportive and remained positive when the coaches have gotten on him hard. And he's been as nice as anyone I've been around that wasn't named Stutz. I am not sure what more anyone could ask of the young man.

[COS Shocker]

D Will will not replace Baker in the starting line-up. However, I believe if he is 100% and ready to go he will replace Evan on Tue, with either Baker or DWill playing the 3. I also don't think we will see Early play 3 at soonest until the conference games start as 3G will allow him plenty of time to get comfortable w/ the 4 before adding the 3.

[shockmonster]

D Will will not replace Baker in the starting line-up. However, I believe if he is 100% and ready to go he will replace Evan on Tue, with either Baker or DWill playing the 3. I also don't think we will see Early play 3 at soonest until the conference games start as 3G will allow him plenty of time to get comfortable w/ the 4 before adding the 3.

DWill won't play the 3. That's where Cotton is playing. Baker and DWill will play the 2 and DWill may see some time at PG in some situations.

[Dave Stalwart]

The fact we haven't seen much of DWill yet is encouraging to me a little since it is because of the surgery. When he is back to full strength we get pretty deep now that baker has shown he is taking that spot at the 2. If DWill and cotton can be our backup 1 and 2, I feel pretty good. Im not ready to annoint fvv our backup pg yet. Now if wiggins would just start pushing Wessel... Everything looks pretty good to me. We only struggled in this game when we took experience off the floor. I am confident that we are a very strong 7 or 8 deep. The last 4 or 5 need a lot still but teams can survive on 8 deep and we very much will while we wait for the others to come around. I am not putting too much stock in the weaknesses I saw just yet because coach was experimenting and he won't be experimenting on Tuesday.

[shockmonster]

No one is annointing anyone. At the game last night, Cotton played almost all if not all of his 15 min. at the 3. DWill played most of his 12 min. at the 2 but played a little PG. FVV played all of his 9 min. at PG. We'll see how 3G sees it next Tuesday when I think he'll shorten the bench.