Hawaii Pacific game thread

[Kung Wu]

3G is an okay coach, but if he values stepping up his game he'll log onto Shockernet and get the critical post game analysis needed after playing lots of newcomers against a D2 squad.

[SHOXAAC]

3G is an okay coach, but if he values stepping up his game he'll log onto Shockernet and get the critical post game analysis needed after playing lots of newcomers against a D2 squad.

Better yet, he has my direct line. I will fill everyone in on a need to know basis. You're welcome.

That's all...for now!!!

[1972Shocker]

This year may require freshman to redshirt, but that isn't ideal IMO.

HCGM has found a way to bring in a wealth of talent via two transfers that are going to factor in and are basically immediately eligible (mid year transfers and graduate transfers have been unusual). The knock on effect may dictate freshman to redshirt because the minutes are so hard to find. In the future, and maybe even this year, I hope HCGM will only want to red shirt a "sure thing."

Ultimately, I want us to avoid the Holland scenario.

If you have a freshman who you think should redshirt then it is very likely that if you don't redshirt that freshman he will not be getting enough minutes during the season to make a good evaluation on that basis. Either way the player will be evaluated primarily based on how they perform and compete in practices which in most cases will involve a higher level of competition than what they would face in games anyway. No doubt 3G gives a lot of thought to which players redshirt and when and he has much more input at his disposal to make those decisions than any of us have.

[wufan]

I rewatched the game this morning and tried to watch the newcomers exclusively. Here's my takeaway:

Grady - even more impressive the second time around. He set up deep in the paint every single time and totally blocked his man out. He has great hands and post moves. He will be a fantastic interior feeder for our perimeter and we command some double teams. My understanding is that he knows what to do when that happens. Defensively he moves okay, but had a few struggles on the perimeter. He is better suited to play close to the basket, but will be adequate defensively as a 4 when the situation demands it and he will not give up more points than he gets. Missed a box out pretty badly. Emotionally stone-faced. I think he is here for a one year business contract. He wants to win a lot of games.

Shamet - he didn't make any mistakes. None in 24 minutes on the court. He was very good at trapping on the press. His off ball defense is better than his on-ball defense, but on-ball is okay. He lost his man pretty bad on a cross-over once, and tended to overplay his man towards the perimeter leaving a lane to the basket open. No one took advantage of it. Moved well without the ball. Seemed to have 100% understanding of the offense and defense. His handles are great. His shot is quick. He can get to the rack and split defenders. Moved exceptionally well without the ball. He looked like he's been doing this for three years already. If he doesn't win FOY, he might win 6th man.

McDuffie - His passing was really incredible. Two no looks for easy interior baskets, and would have had a third if the big hadn't been fouled. Really stellar passing! They utilized him as the outlet to break the press. He was quite capable of taking the ball down court under pressure, but was even better at passing over the trap to one of our guards. Handles the ball very well on the perimeter and showed ability to drive on his man. He got a little hurried a couple of times when he got help defense on drives, but adequately picked up the ball and hit the outlet guard for a reset. Moved well without the ball, though he wasn't rewarded by his team mates on a couple of plays when he set up in the corner. I think he's a bit of a ball-hawk. Defense was very good on the perimeter and he has quick, strong hands. He didn't look or play especially thin.

Hamilton - Big, strong, energetic, exuberant. Had a nice score from about 12 foot and did a great job of posting up his man, backing him down, and finishing. Plays without fear and has offensive skills. Set a couple of nice screens, set a couple of weak screens. Really struggled to close out his man on the perimeter resulting in some easy scores. He took some quick shots, but they were mostly open. Hamilton is a high ceiling guy that will compliment Shaq. Both are big, agile, skilled bodies. Shaq has a hard time getting his motor going; Hamilton has a hard time not red-lining.

Taylor - He has really quick hands and feet. Very athletic. A couple of good steals. Made a great attempt at an offensive rebound and dunk, but came up just short. Made an extremely difficult bounce pass from the top of the key to the corner block resulting in an easy two for Grady. Had a nice two step drive and hit an open wing for an open look. The 10 second call in the first half was not his fault. He ended up with the ball when time ran out. The ally-oop attempt to Shaq wasn't there and Taylor didn't recognize it. He has a quick release. His shot looked a little rushed. On his quick trigger, I think every time his defender went under the screen leaving him open. While I wasn't a fan of the shot as soon as we crossed half court, he should continue to take those until his defender stops going under screens. His drive to the hoop that resulted in a foul didn't seem like a great decision, but the camera angle wasn't the best. He lost control of the ball a couple of times while looking to drive. He was able to kick it out without turning it over. Taylor's defense was hit or miss. On some possessions his on-ball and off-ball play was very good. On others, he got burned on a quick step, or lost track of his man when the ball went to the paint. It was really easy for me to see the comparison to Ragland. I think his defense is better than Rags (which wasn't great), but his offense lacks maturity.

Barney - If I didn't know he was a walk-on, I wouldn't believe it. He was very good out there. He has skill, but his feet are slow and he has no muscle tone. He will have the opportunity to really help this team down the road if he works on his body.

[im4wsu]

Baker certainly looked better as a 2 last night. Some of his "inefficiency" at PG might well be the result of his surrounding players not being in synch so what Ron thought would be there did not materialize.

Hamilton certainly gets very wide when asking for the ball in the post.

As for redshirting or not redshirting freshmen, one think I've noticed over the last 15-20 years of watching Shocker basketball is that many freshmen start the season well and then hit a wall about January. Perhaps because of the competition, but I think more the rigors of the D-1 conditioning demands, the longer practices, and the longer schedule. After a year of acclimation (redshirt) I think they are generally better equipped to get through the tough times. There can and should be exceptions (injury, sickness, family circumstances, etc.) that would favor redshirting as a sophomore, but then it seems to me you've redshirted during a time that the body would be better able to perform, so you get little out of the freshman year and nothing out of year two.

[KC Shox]

Shaq could do so much for this team, but I'm very disappointed. Yes, it's just one exhibition game and it may be premature, but this dude has been around guys his entire Shocker career that play like their hair is on fire and have the mentality of Chuck Norris. When in Rome right? Evidently not for Shaq. I will say, by all appearances while on the bench at game time, he's a fabulous cheerleader and supporter of his teammates, but damn son apply that same energy and exert your dominance on the court. I just don't get it, what better role models does a player need?

[WuDrWu]

I want a national championship.

This.

Was there something else you were trying to say?

[shockmonster]

Shamet is very versatile and a very good player already. He is going to be a star probably sooner than any of the other freshmen. But the player who impressed me with his ceiling is McDuffie. He has a higher ceiling than any other Shocker player for several decades and maybe another Dave Stallworth type of player. When he reaches 215-220 lbs. with his 6'8-9" height, quickness, tight handles, rebounding skills, ability to see the court and make assists, perimeter shooting skills, and ability to drive to the rim he will be our next All American and star above all other stars in my opinion. He is seriously impressive.

[forevershockerfan]

Better yet, he has my direct line. I will fill everyone in on a need to know basis. You're welcome.

That's all...for now!!!

Greetings SHOXMVC--just for kicks, if 3G has your direct line for strategy advice, maybe you should also also give him the direct-line to "Dial-A-ShockerNet-Prayer Hotline" to give that some balance? Me keed!!!

[another shocker]

Shamet is very versatile and a very good player already. He is going to be a star probably sooner than any of the other freshmen. But the player who impressed me with his ceiling is McDuffie. He has a higher ceiling than any other Shocker player for several decades and maybe another Dave Stallworth type of player. When he reaches 215-220 lbs. with his 6'8-9" height, quickness, tight handles, rebounding skills, ability to see the court and make assists, perimeter shooting skills, and ability to drive to the rim he will be our next All American and star above all other stars in my opinion. He is seriously impressive.

gotta go with shamet. his body control while leaping/soaring is uncanny (even baker has some trouble with that). but it will be nice to see wichita state in the top-10 again next year.

[wusphlash]

Just finished watching the replay. Our seniors and juniors would win the Valley. Our sophomores and freshmen could win the Valley.

I have seen the present. I have seen the future. All hail Gregg Marshall.

[SHOXAAC]

Greetings SHOXMVC--just for kicks, if 3G has your direct line for strategy advice, maybe you should also also give him the direct-line to "Dial-A-ShockerNet-Prayer Hotline" to give that some balance? Me keed!!!

Alright FSF...to timeout you go!!!
:-)

[_kai_]

Taylor is a faster version of Ragland. He will equal Ragland's senior stats as a junior. He will be stronger. He will have a better, stronger, and deeper supporting cast around him than Ragland had. Our future is bright.

I personally think he's more Clevin than Joe.

[Dan]

I personally think he's more Clevin than Joe.

Waaaaaaayyyyyy more athletic than Clevin Hannah. More athletic than Joe, more athletic than Fred. He's a natural scorer and will learn to play point under the greatest mentor available at the college level.

[Aargh]

After all the criticism of Taylor I've seen, I decided to watch the game again. This time - watch the players - not the game.

I've been told that he shoots out of control and out of the flow of the game. His shot's too flat. He did nothing to run the offense. His guy kept blowing by him. And on and on. I've never seen a Fr get critiqued quite as hard as Taylor in his very first Shocker game.

Of taylor's 4 3-point shots, 4 were taken early in the shot clock. One was ill-advised. He dribbled down court, was uncovered at the arc and put it up. The other 3 were set plays where a screen was set for him. Maybe it's a new play, but the first thing was a screen for the PG. Taylor's defender went under the screen. Taylor shot the ball. He made 2 of 3 of those. Why set a shooting screen, if the guy with the ball isn't supposed to shoot the ball? I think those 3 shots, although early in the shot clock, were designed plays.

As to running the offense. He doesn't know the offense yet. 2 or 3 guys on the floor with him don't know the offense yet. How's he expected to run an offense when he and half the rest of the guys he's playing with don't know the offense.

I didn't see Taylor's guy blow by him. In fact, I saw Taylor work around screens so fast that his guy never really had an open look. He's so quick that he can make a minor mistake and recover before any damage is done. His footwork really looked good and his lateral movement was better than I'd expect of a Fr.

PG is the most difficult position for a Fr to learn. Marshall's system is one of the most difficult to learn. I think the criticism of Taylor is more than a little undeserved. Maybe he's really a combo guard. Maybe he's a shoot-first PG. Taylor is talented, athletic, and a knock it down shooter.