Garrett the Monster

[ShockerKhan]

GS seems to be learning to decide quickly what to do with the ball when he receives it on the block.
If the double team happens kick it out. If no double team then go ahead and deal.
JT could learn a thing or two when it comes to kicking the ball back out when the double or triple team happens. :wsu_posters:

[ShockerKhan]

My only concern about next year is who steps up to replace Clevin Hanna.
I hope KM and DW get enough seasoning this year to handle the job.

TM is just soooo much more comfortable at the 2/3.

[MTXE]

GS seems to be learning to decide quickly what to do with the ball when he receives it on the block.
If the double team happens kick it out. If no double team then go ahead and deal.
JT could learn a thing or two when it comes to kicking the ball back out when the double or triple team happens. :wsu_posters:

"Kicking the ball out" is the first thing they taught GS because it is the first thing a big should look to do when he has no answers in the post. GS had few answers in the post early in his career. It appears now his "solution manual" is growing.

JT is a post player with a bevy of skills and weapons. It is only natural that he will be more inclined to attack the basket than kick the ball out. He has been an integral part of our scoring attack for some time now. With two competent bigs on both strings, our opposition is not going to have the luxury of too many heavily committed double teams. Forget about triple teams.

[Jeffrey Korchek]

GS seems to be learning to decide quickly what to do with the ball when he receives it on the block.
If the double team happens kick it out. If no double team then go ahead and deal.
JT could learn a thing or two when it comes to kicking the ball back out when the double or triple team happens. :wsu_posters:

"Kicking the ball out" is the first thing they taught GS because it is the first thing a big should look to do when he has no answers in the post. GS had few answers in the post early in his career. It appears now his "solution manual" is growing.

JT is a post player with a bevy of skills and weapons. It is only natural that he will be more inclined to attack the basket than kick the ball out. He has been an integral part of our scoring attack for some time now. With two competent bigs on both strings, our opposition is not going to have the luxury of too many heavily committed double teams. Forget about triple teams.

JT's also 6'7". It's not as easy for him to see over the top of double teams as it is for Stutz. Often, you'll see JT dribble out of double teams before passing it off. I remember seeing this a lot right after JT said on the radio that he was starting to understand what he needs to do with double teams. It's just that what JT does with them and what GS does with them are two different things, maybe by necessity.

[Aargh]

Stutz has struggled to play the D1 game until recently.

If we can't be happy for a 19-year-old player who looks like he's figured it out by putting together 3 consecutive solid performances, then what on earth does it take for us to give a player some credit?

It's not like WSU's players are 25 years old and getting paid millions of dollars. They're college students who sacrifice most of the social aspects of going to college in order to entertain us.

[shockar25]

My only concern about next year is who steps up to replace Clevin Hanna.
I hope KM and DW get enough seasoning this year to handle the job.

TM is just soooo much more comfortable at the 2/3.

Me too. This is the #1 priority I would think with the coaching staff. Getting a point guard ready to take the reins.

[SubGod22]

My only concern about next year is who steps up to replace Clevin Hanna.
I hope KM and DW get enough seasoning this year to handle the job.

TM is just soooo much more comfortable at the 2/3.

Me too. This is the #1 priority I would think with the coaching staff. Getting a point guard ready to take the reins.

They'll be ready to run the team. What we need is for someone to take the lead on the floor though. Who's going to take on that role? Who will be the calming influence?

[shockerfan]

It is amazing the transformation we are witnessing in GS. In the Pittsburgh game, he was just plain awful. Whatever happened between the Pittsburgh game & Iowa game (family, coaching) made him a changed man. I hope it lasts.

It's called playing three of the worst teams in college basketball. Granted Cleveland has some potential but they didn't defend (as HCGM alluded to) and couldn't throw it in the ocean all day. Friends University could have beaten them on that day.

As I predicted, moving through this cupcake portion of our schedule people would be calling for a Final Four. It has just started and we are already tossing superlatives like Monster, Big-Time, in the direction of a player that many were starting to write off after a year and a half of careful observation.

I want Stutz to be a monster as much as anybody but I have been disappointed for a long time regarding his body and his softness. I am very suspect that his "awakening" has come against teams that played about as hard as a limp noodle.

Signed,

Hopeful yet cautious

The comparisons are made to last year when he was unable to dunk with authority, get his own rebound and make the shot, get rebounds without the ball getting stripped--even against cupcakes. Compared to then, he looks much better.

In an exhibition game within the last four weeks ( I think Newman?) he missed two point blank dunks. Strength doesn't "appear" that fast. Most likely his attitude and perhaps a bit of a timing adjustment has been the reason for more success above the rim. At 7 feet you would think that it wouldn't take a whole lot of energy/muscle to get the ball over the rim.

I will agree he does look a lot better against cupcakes and that is encouraging but it shows how far we still must go. Even bad players look good against cupcakes. GS wasn't even looking good then. I still see weaknesses that will be tough to overcome against stiffer competition, but attitude and CONFIDENCE is where it all starts. Hopefully the confidence Garrett is obtaining from the recent Shocker Dessert Tour will stay with him when we start playing teams that care.

Well if even bad players look good against cupcakes then JT must be the worst player to ever put on a Shocker uniform with his performances the last 3 games. That is probably the weakest statement you have ever made...and you've made some horrible ones.

[The Mad Hatter]

My only concern about next year is who steps up to replace Clevin Hanna.
I hope KM and DW get enough seasoning this year to handle the job.

TM is just soooo much more comfortable at the 2/3.

Me too. This is the #1 priority I would think with the coaching staff. Getting a point guard ready to take the reins.

I think this is why the coaches are seriously looking at several Juco point guards for 2010. I don't think that it is a reflection on how they feel about Kenny and Demetric, rather, given all the other pieces we will have in place next year, you don't want to waste it because your young point guards are not ready yet. Hopefully they will be, but I can understand thinking about getting an insurance policy in the form of a Juco point guard.

[shockerfan]

Stutz has struggled to play the D1 game until recently.

If we can't be happy for a 19-year-old player who looks like he's figured it out by putting together 3 consecutive solid performances, then what on earth does it take for us to give a player some credit?

It's not like WSU's players are 25 years old and getting paid millions of dollars. They're college students who sacrifice most of the social aspects of going to college in order to entertain us.

It's just easier for people to pile on the insults when GS was a FREAKING FRESHMAN and leading into this year than it is to give the guy some credit for making some improvements. At least thats the only thing I can figure. People can bash on him every game he doesn't play well regardless of the competition. However, the minute he puts some good minutes together (better than JT I might add) if you give the guy some credit people tell you its only cause of the level of competition...

[MTXE]

It is amazing the transformation we are witnessing in GS. In the Pittsburgh game, he was just plain awful. Whatever happened between the Pittsburgh game & Iowa game (family, coaching) made him a changed man. I hope it lasts.

It's called playing three of the worst teams in college basketball. Granted Cleveland has some potential but they didn't defend (as HCGM alluded to) and couldn't throw it in the ocean all day. Friends University could have beaten them on that day.

As I predicted, moving through this cupcake portion of our schedule people would be calling for a Final Four. It has just started and we are already tossing superlatives like Monster, Big-Time, in the direction of a player that many were starting to write off after a year and a half of careful observation.

I want Stutz to be a monster as much as anybody but I have been disappointed for a long time regarding his body and his softness. I am very suspect that his "awakening" has come against teams that played about as hard as a limp noodle.

Signed,

Hopeful yet cautious

The comparisons are made to last year when he was unable to dunk with authority, get his own rebound and make the shot, get rebounds without the ball getting stripped--even against cupcakes. Compared to then, he looks much better.

In an exhibition game within the last four weeks ( I think Newman?) he missed two point blank dunks. Strength doesn't "appear" that fast. Most likely his attitude and perhaps a bit of a timing adjustment has been the reason for more success above the rim. At 7 feet you would think that it wouldn't take a whole lot of energy/muscle to get the ball over the rim.

I will agree he does look a lot better against cupcakes and that is encouraging but it shows how far we still must go. Even bad players look good against cupcakes. GS wasn't even looking good then. I still see weaknesses that will be tough to overcome against stiffer competition, but attitude and CONFIDENCE is where it all starts. Hopefully the confidence Garrett is obtaining from the recent Shocker Dessert Tour will stay with him when we start playing teams that care.

Well if even bad players look good against cupcakes then JT must be the worst player to ever put on a Shocker uniform with his performances the last 3 games. That is probably the weakest statement you have ever made...and you've made some horrible ones.

Your premise is invalid as JT has already proven his mettle. Stutz has yet to do so beyond the 2009 Shocker Cupcake Race.

Jt's problem is finding his identity on a team that has changed vastly from last year. I think he is also in a state of malaise due to inferior competition. Anybody remember what J.T. put on Pitt? Fifteen points, that's right.. Gabe Blair is redefining what it means to play hard to Durley and that should be a good thing. Plenty of solid playas all throughout this team that, when fully gelled, should be a lot of fun to watch. J.T. isn't our only hope anymore.

[Zardoz]

Stutz is going to be fine. It's early in his sophomore year and he is showing more development than I expected at this point regardless of the level of the competition.

He's stronger, he's not getting pushed out of position as easy this year. While he isn't fast he does have a bit of quickness and he's not over-thinking everything he does. He's starting to learn how to use his 7' frame. His outside shooting is going to give opposing defenses big problems. Their post is going to have to come out on him or he'll just shoot over the defender. With the post opened up he can feed the other post or a guard flashing to the basket.

He's early in his second year of D-1 ball. We'll see him have bad flashes and bad games, but we see those from our junior and seniors at times. If he continues to progress and I see no reason he won't, he'll dominate in the Valley. It may be next year, it may take until his senior year but all you haters are going to eat your words.

[aircap]

Does anyone know if GS has been to big man camp?

[MTXE]

Does anyone know if GS has been to big man camp?

That would be a great place for him to go at the end of the year. If my memory serves, Paul went there in the middle of his career at WSU.

[proshox]

This board is funny - Defense kept GS from seeing significant minutes last year. He may not have been a monster last year on the offensive end, but he was good enough to be effective. The last three games have been his best defensive efforts and I think that has allowed him to see enough minutes to get into the flow offensively...