Team News (current roster)

#2,176
#2,176
bleedingTNorange said:
JJJ moving back into the starting lineup will be interesting, does he take Plav’s spot (moving Nkahmoua to 5) or Phillips?
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There are two other options... JJJ could take the place of Olivier. I am not saying that is what will happen ... just making the observation that that is another option ... or another option is ... that JJJ becomes the 6th man.
My guess would be he takes the spot of Olivier or Julian.
JJJ said he is NOT in playing condition at this time .... so it will be at least a week or maybe two before we find out what Barnes opts to do.
 
#2,177
#2,177
Uros has improved, but he ...
1) ... is still too slow in footspeed
2) ... has to improve the physicality of his offensive and defensive play and move away from a finesse player
3) ... needs to improve his elevation from the floor.
 
#2,178
#2,178
SN-A-C Orange said:
There are two other options... JJJ could take the place of Olivier. I am not saying that is what will happen ... just making the observation that that is another option ... or another option is ... that JJJ becomes the 6th man.
My guess would be he takes the spot of Olivier or Julian.
JJJ said he is NOT in playing condition at this time .... so it will be at least a week or maybe two before we find out what Barnes opts to do.
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I think they would just move Phillips to the bench. They like starting Uros, but Uros isn't going to play more than 14-17 minutes a night. Last year he only played 14.1 per game despite starting half the year. I think it'll be more of the same on that front.

Whoever doesn't start of JJJ, Phillips, or Nkamhoua will still be playing 20+ minutes a night and also be in the closing lineup. I assume the closing lineup will be Zakai, Santi, Phillips, Jo, and Nkamhoua. It's hard to keep Key out of the lineup and I'm sure he might play occasionally in that lineup for Zakai or Santi depending on how each of them are playing.
 
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#2,179
#2,179
rdk4121 said:
I think they would just move Phillips to the bench. They like starting Uros, but Uros isn't going to play more than 14-17 minutes a night. Last year he only played 14.1 per game despite starting half the year. I think it'll be more of the same on that front.

Whoever doesn't start of JJJ, Phillips, or Nkamhoua will still be playing 20+ minutes a night and also be in the closing lineup. I assume the closing lineup will be Zakai, Santi, Phillips, Jo, and Nkamhoua. It's hard to keep Key out of the lineup and I'm sure he might play occasionally in that lineup for Zakai or Santi depending on how each of them are playing.
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I think it comes down to who does 'BETTER' coming off the bench. Takes a certain mindset to be able to come of the bench wound tight and ready to role.
 
#2,180
#2,180
SN-A-C Orange said:
I am not following your dismissal of Uros??? No minutes at all??? To me this seems way off the mark.
And nothing I have seen/heard suggests that ON is back to where he was before injury.
Sorry, but I just do not see ON playing 28 minutes. (He only averaged @21 last year)
Respectfully, I think you are off the mark on Ziegler's minutes ....
I think Barnes would ideally like to get great balance with all his 'starters' averaging no more than 25 mpg. (*This would mean they are "fresher" come tournament time.)
He got really close in 20-21, but ON, Uros, Pember and Anosike were slow to develop (or were a bust).
However, he has never had the depth to achieve it.

Zeigler 20 / Key 14 / Edwards 5 [39]
Santi 18 / Key 10 / Edwards 5 / Mashack 5 [38]
Phillips 9 /Santi 10 / JJJ 11 / Mashack 5 [35]
JJJ 17 / Phillips 8 / Nkahmoua 7 [32]
Uros 10 / Phillips 3 / Nkahmoua 7 / JJJ 3 / Aidoo 10 [33]

That leaves those who are under 10 minutes per game of playing time ....
With only @ 23 minutes for the rest of the team (8 players) to split up over the season...
The lion's share might be going to (in no order) .... Awaka, Kegler, Coyne, Jefferson
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Notes:
ONLY Phillips and Nkamhoua have played in every game!
Key's abilities have limited Edwards opportunity.
Phillips has been a bigger surprise ... he seems to growing leaps and bounds on the fly and on the floor.
The team is exceeding my expectations and I exuberantly predicted 27-4. I am still sticking with it! Hope springs eternal.
14-2 would be over the moon good in the remaining SEC schedule ... if we can find a consistent offensive rhythm it is achievable! (Not overlooking the Texas game at home, but since we owe them one .... I am thinking we get that one!)
When JJJ plays minutes - he allows more rest minutes for Mashack, Vescovi, and Nkamhoua based solely of the Ole Miss\Miss State games or maybe those guys just got more rest minutes because it was a blowout.
I will stick with my guns on Barnes trying to get players to play under 30 mpg; but also acknowledge that Barnes will play his playmakers however many minutes it takes to win the game.
Minutes appear to be doled out based on matchups OR who is having a good night: Awaka plays 6 or 16; Aidoo plays 29 or 13; Uros plays 12 or 15.
With Awaka's game increasingly getting better .... and James back (hopefully for the rest of the season) ... Looks like we are going to try to play 9/10 man rotation every game if everyone is available.
The biggest question is who goes to a backup role ... when James breaks back into the starting lineup? I am guessing @ 3 weeks before it happens.... enquiring minds are already pondering?
GBO!
 
#2,181
#2,181
Reviving this thread because it’s that time of year again.

As for the current team, we’re don’t want to go to overboard, but we’ve heard a lot of positives concerning summer workouts. Yes, that’s typical, no one ever has a ‘bad summer.’

However, specifically, a few things we’re hearing. The three transfers, according to some we’ve spoken to, have been better than expected. In particular someone told us that the ‘skill set’ of all three was a pleasant surprise and that they had no problem meeting the program’s standards for effort and work ethic.

Another thing that was described to us as a big positive was the impact that Josiah James and Santiago Vescovi have had on workouts with their attitude and maturity. Everyone in the program assumed that those two guys would take on big leadership roles for this team, but early signs are that both veterans have really leaned into their roles as elder statesmen on the team and are doing their part to speed up the integration of a lot of new parts that need to be integrated into the roster.
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- VQ
 
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#2,183
#2,183
johnfnkelly said:
Feels like we do this every summer with the basketball team.
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We do. Last summer Julian Phillips was getting glowing praise. Take everything said with a grain of salt, but I at least found the info about JJJ and Santi being more vocal leaders on the court was a nice bit of info. We need that. We need them to be louder.
 
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#2,184
#2,184
TheMookieMonster said:
We do. Last summer Julian Phillips was getting glowing praise. Take everything said with a grain of salt, but I at least found the info about JJJ and Santi being more vocal leaders on the court was a nice bit of info. We need that. We need them to be louder.
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Bit surprising this would be mentioned as something new as I thought they were the on court leaders last year
 
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#2,185
#2,185
TheMookieMonster said:
We do. Last summer Julian Phillips was getting glowing praise. Take everything said with a grain of salt, but I at least found the info about JJJ and Santi being more vocal leaders on the court was a nice bit of info. We need that. We need them to be louder.
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Well to be fair, Julian looked every bit as advertised early on especially against USC. I think injuries and lack of confidence severely limited what we saw from JP in his only year here.
 
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#2,188
#2,188
TheMookieMonster said:
Reviving this thread because it’s that time of year again.



- VQ
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Always look forward to this thread every year. Even if some players seem to be over hyped every year in the summer, it at least gives us something to talk about here. Which I think is a nice change of pace during the offseason. Looking forward to hearing more practice reports so keep em coming.
 
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#2,191
#2,191
I saw the video of Santi, Knecht and Mashack shooting ... can we get some news, video and info on ZZ, JJ, Ledlum, etc???
Barnes said ZZ was working with Chad and Garrett, but that was over two months ago.
Frankly, I am like a thirsty man in search of an oasis, I am starving here for news ... I'll even take fake news! (Just kidding. Making a humorous reference to a larger than life individual who has a propensity for extreme, excessive hyperbole. I recognize it because my step parent used it extensively for 40 years and my ears are highly attuned to recognizing 'big fish stories.') ;)
 
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#2,197
#2,197
Takeaways from today's basketball practice:

First time seeing this group on the floor together (Jahmai Mashack wasn't there, he's with VolLeaders in the Philippines). Chris Ledlum was out and Cade Phillips didn't practice.

But man this group is athletic. And they're deep. Down four players today (when you dd Zakai Zeigler) and they still had a lot of bodies on the floor.

Jordan Gainey had a great drive to the rim and two-hand dunk in traffic. Very tough play. Cameron Carr drove baseline and basically reached around the backboard to dunk it. Looked like his head was on the other side of the glass from the rim. And DJ Jefferson had a huge dunk driving the center of the lane. DJ also continues to shoot it very well.

And the talk about Chris Ledlum continues to be good. A lot of talk about his ability to drive the ball.

Dalton Knecht definitely knows how to score it. Freddie Dilione seems to be as advertised. Santi and Josiah seem to be their normal selves.
Click to expand...

- VQ
 
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