Herndon
All-Conference
So, I said this was a year in which wins and losses didn't matter, and that what I was looking for was progress, and to see a team with an identity. What are your thoughts through 18 games?
Here's what I see (and, admittedly, see is somewhat of an overstatement, given how few games have been on TV).
1) SEVERE growing pains. For a guy like Paulsen, who came in with a reputation for valuing taking care of the ball, this team has been EXTREMELY loose with the ball. Now, we're playing a bunch of freshmen, along with Shevon Thompson, who simply cannot handle a post to post double, but STILL. The team is averaging over 13 turnovers a game, good for 205th nationally. Not good.
Additionally, the team is almost dead last in the country in assist to turnover ratio (seriously 324 out of 351). It's baaaaaaaad. This is while starting 2 point guards. Especially not good.
Now, upside. Two of the worst offenders on the squad are Thompson and Jalen Jenkins, who are both seniors. I GUESS that's a positive, as we can largely write that off to the impact of the Virus, but I'll be curious to see how it progresses over the rest of the season. It's been pretty constant over the year (assists actually cratered about halfway through the season, but that probably corresponds to when Paulsen asked Moore to basically be the offense, so I can live with that).
2) Enticing looks from the youngsters. My man Otis, Grayer, and Abram have all looked like world beaters one day, and bums the next. Such is the life of freshmen. I'm sold on Livingston and Grayer. Those are 4 year starters, and they're going to be darn good. Otis has taken a HUGE amount on his plate, and has largely handled it like a veteran. Clearly a heady, crafty player who understands the game beyond his years. We're in very good hands with him. May never be a superstar just because he's not a prime athlete but is going to be ROCK solid over the course of his career. I have a strong feeling he's going to be looked back upon very fondly, in the same way we look back on Will Thomas.
Grayer looks the part. Long, athletic wing. Should probably get to the line more than he does, but he's a freshman, and that will come. I have very little doubt that he'll be a 15 ppg guy and a rugged wing defender.
Abram....I'd bet he'll be a success, but it's less solid than the other two. A small forward (not a wing, an old school small forward) who can get hot from the outside is valuable, but I'll have to see it sustained a little bit better and see him flash a little bit more of a well rounded game before I'm completely sold.
3) Marquise Moore being the player Marquise Moore should be. I love what Paulsen is doing with him. I have little to add other than that I think he's being developed/used perfectly, and the results speak for themselves.
Overall, I give guarded approval. Teams that play a ton of freshmen and turnover prone bigs will look sloppy, but this team is REALLY sloppy. There needs to be significant improvement in year two (and hopefully in the second half of year one). That said, you can see what he's trying to do (well rounded players that play as a unit, and distribute the ball handling, scoring, and rebounding), and it looks like he's got some pieces in place.
Thoughts?
Here's what I see (and, admittedly, see is somewhat of an overstatement, given how few games have been on TV).
1) SEVERE growing pains. For a guy like Paulsen, who came in with a reputation for valuing taking care of the ball, this team has been EXTREMELY loose with the ball. Now, we're playing a bunch of freshmen, along with Shevon Thompson, who simply cannot handle a post to post double, but STILL. The team is averaging over 13 turnovers a game, good for 205th nationally. Not good.
Additionally, the team is almost dead last in the country in assist to turnover ratio (seriously 324 out of 351). It's baaaaaaaad. This is while starting 2 point guards. Especially not good.
Now, upside. Two of the worst offenders on the squad are Thompson and Jalen Jenkins, who are both seniors. I GUESS that's a positive, as we can largely write that off to the impact of the Virus, but I'll be curious to see how it progresses over the rest of the season. It's been pretty constant over the year (assists actually cratered about halfway through the season, but that probably corresponds to when Paulsen asked Moore to basically be the offense, so I can live with that).
2) Enticing looks from the youngsters. My man Otis, Grayer, and Abram have all looked like world beaters one day, and bums the next. Such is the life of freshmen. I'm sold on Livingston and Grayer. Those are 4 year starters, and they're going to be darn good. Otis has taken a HUGE amount on his plate, and has largely handled it like a veteran. Clearly a heady, crafty player who understands the game beyond his years. We're in very good hands with him. May never be a superstar just because he's not a prime athlete but is going to be ROCK solid over the course of his career. I have a strong feeling he's going to be looked back upon very fondly, in the same way we look back on Will Thomas.
Grayer looks the part. Long, athletic wing. Should probably get to the line more than he does, but he's a freshman, and that will come. I have very little doubt that he'll be a 15 ppg guy and a rugged wing defender.
Abram....I'd bet he'll be a success, but it's less solid than the other two. A small forward (not a wing, an old school small forward) who can get hot from the outside is valuable, but I'll have to see it sustained a little bit better and see him flash a little bit more of a well rounded game before I'm completely sold.
3) Marquise Moore being the player Marquise Moore should be. I love what Paulsen is doing with him. I have little to add other than that I think he's being developed/used perfectly, and the results speak for themselves.
Overall, I give guarded approval. Teams that play a ton of freshmen and turnover prone bigs will look sloppy, but this team is REALLY sloppy. There needs to be significant improvement in year two (and hopefully in the second half of year one). That said, you can see what he's trying to do (well rounded players that play as a unit, and distribute the ball handling, scoring, and rebounding), and it looks like he's got some pieces in place.
Thoughts?