Benny by the numbers

[IthacaMatt]

Season ending stats:

Played 29 out of 33 games, averaging 10.8 minutes per game. He played more than 300 minutes of basketball, which equates to starting in about 8 to 10 games for a normal team.

So he got minutes. Almost all of them were in the first half, and he seemed on a short leash, but as the futbol coaches in Europe say, "Ten minutes is enough time to make an impact in a game, to make something happen."

His production? 1.9 points, 1.4 rebounds per 1/4 of every game. That's not enough of an impact over the whole season, but he did have some strong games down the stretch.

His results this year didn't warrant a lot of second half minutes, to be honest. He got a lot better later in the year, until he got hurt. I hope that he wants to come back, because we will be a better team for it. He knows what he's supposed to do out there, and there is nobody who should beat him out of a starting job, if he's up to doing the job.

He would help cure the lack of athleticism of our back line. Frank's emergence, too, means we should be SO much better next year, like Top 25 / Top 4 of ACC better, if everyone is back. That's what I'm hoping for. I think Benny can play a lot better next year, knowing that he's not coming out at his first mistake. That changes a lot of players for the better.

 

[HyattsCuse]

I think Benny can play a lot better next year, knowing that he's not coming out at his first mistake. That changes a lot of players for the better.

To me, this statement sums it up. Hard to take stats seriously when a player's confidence has been beaten up. Did he struggle early on? Definitely. IMHO, looking at the average is misleading in this case. If he actually got ~11 minutes each game (like 5-6 minute runs each half), I suspect he could have worked some things out quicker. I hope he's here next year to show it.

In reality, he played 5 minutes or less in 11 games. 6-10 minutes in 6 games. Averaged about 8.5 minutes in conference play, ~7 if you take out the Duke blowout outlier. Also, I'm going to guess those 7 minutes were in maybe 2-4 minute chunk. Barely long enough to break a sweat let alone get into any rhythm and adjust to ACC basketball as a freshman. I'm focusing on conference play since he did relatively well against the mid-major teams in the beginning of the year (recording minutes played of 21, 16, 22, 17, 14 which will also help the average).

Really hope he comes back and it clicks next year.

 

[IthacaMatt]

To me, this statement sums it up. Hard to take stats seriously when a player's confidence has been beaten up. Did he struggle early on? Definitely. IMHO, looking at the average is misleading in this case. If he actually got ~11 minutes each game (like 5-6 minute runs each half)

Really hope he comes back and it clicks next year.

We saw it with Jesse and we saw it with Frank. When he finally had to play them, they were pretty good. We could be a hell of a team next year, if things break right, and he actually plays a couple extra guys again, and cuts it down to 25-32 minutes for his starters, and plays at least 1 center, 1 forward, and 1 or 2 other guards every game, at least early in the season. It can be done.

Go back and look at the 2010 team or the 2000 team.4 guards played real minutes, with yes, the 4th guy only getting about 10 minutes a game. But that's where you improve, playing games on national tv, not in the gym running drills.

I have one player to prove the proposition: "Greg Davis". Wasn't he the practice superstar who got the yips in the games, or maybe it was Ethan Cole. I'm getting too old to remember. LOL

 

[kcsu]

Jims way didn't work with Benny.

 

[br801]

Benny was given ample minutes in most games, but unfortunately played himself back to the bench on merit in nearly all of them. He was incredibly unproductive for most of the season by any standards, but especially so given his ranking as an incoming freshman. That said, we saw flashes of his potential at times, and an excellent performance in the second Duke game, and there's a good chance he will make a big jump as a sophomore.

For the sake of context, here is a list of how SU freshmen appearing in at least 10 games have performed in terms of PER since the 2009-10 season, the first year for which that metric is available:

Player Season Finder Query Results | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com

College Basketball @ Sports-Reference Player Season Finder

cbbref.com

 

[rrlbees]

To me, this statement sums it up. Hard to take stats seriously when a player's confidence has been beaten up. Did he struggle early on? Definitely. IMHO, looking at the average is misleading in this case. If he actually got ~11 minutes each game (like 5-6 minute runs each half), I suspect he could have worked some things out quicker. I hope he's here next year to show it.

In reality, he played 5 minutes or less in 11 games. 6-10 minutes in 6 games. Averaged about 8.5 minutes in conference play, ~7 if you take out the Duke blowout outlier. Also, I'm going to guess those 7 minutes were in maybe 2-4 minute chunk. Barely long enough to break a sweat let alone get into any rhythm and adjust to ACC basketball as a freshman. I'm focusing on conference play since he did relatively well against the mid-major teams in the beginning of the year (recording minutes played of 21, 16, 22, 17, 14 which will also help the average).

Really hope he comes back and it clicks next year.

He started so far behind. He averaged about 18mpg the first 7 games and produced 2 ppg and less than 2 rpg.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Benny sucked.

But if next season he starts and can settle in he'll be really good.

 

[hoopsupstate]

I only worry about Benny’s numbers next year. This year is over. He needs to get in the weight room and shoot 500 shots a day and work on his ball handling.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Benny sucked.

But if next season he starts and can settle in he'll be really good.

Not guaranteed, but a good chance. I would expect at least 10 points and 5 or 6 rebounds and a block or two, maybe more, but that would be reasonable after the poor first year he had. That would be great, but achievable progress.

 

[Newhouser]

Benny's minutes are half the debate. The other half is many times this year the forwards playing weren't earning minutes either. Playing poorly needs to have the same consequences across the board, and I think part of the frustration of the play Benny crowd is that, recency bias aside, Jimmy and Cole had some horrible stretches.

 

[br801]

Benny's minutes are half the debate. The other half is many times this year the forwards playing weren't earning minutes either. Playing poorly needs to have the same consequences across the board, and I think part of the frustration of the play Benny crowd is that, recency bias aside, Jimmy and Cole had some horrible stretches.

Playing poorly has never had the same consequences across the board. More established players, and players who have earned the trust of their coaches, are almost always handled differently when they perform poorly, in this program or any other.

 

[Goin' Deep]

Benny has loads of talent/athleticism.
JB requires players to think/learn assignments/rotations in the 2-3 zone.
Benny plays on instincts and hadn't played a 2-3 zone, much less at the hi D1 level.
Remember Melo?? He went out to win the opening tap and JB couldn't wait for the first
dead ball to get him out of the game(as a freshman).
As a result Benny's play was timid/ afraid of making a mistake. Took away from
developing any offensive confidence as well.

Hope he grasps the "system" in year 2,

 

[dollarbill44]

I only worry about Benny’s numbers next year. This year is over. He needs to get in the weight room and shoot 500 shots a day and work on his ball handling.

Shooting hoops in the weight room sounds dangerous.

 

[dollarbill44]

But that's where you improve, playing games on national tv, not in the gym running drills.

You really should be improving during both activities. Drills aren't just to fill practice time-they have great value. (Just think if we had spent more time working on inbounds plays in practice.)
The difference is, you learn different things in each. Practice is for working on your skills. Games allow you to learn the nuances of how best to use what you work on in practice in an environment that isn't controlled. Your opponents have different skills and offer different looks than your teammates. That's why 3rd and 4th year players can be so valuable. They have a lot of different experiences they can draw on to handle different looks and scenarios.
Jimmy is a perfect example of this. He didn't have the skillset/athleticism coming out of high school to play at SU, but against Duke on Thursday, he put everything he had accumulated into use and had a great game, despite his shortcomings.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I think it really hurt Benny that he was in a one man class.

If he came in with another freshman, he would have been with someone experiencing the same highs and lows.

 

[Orangezoo]

I think it really hurt Benny that he was in a one man class.

If he came in with another freshman, he would have been with someone experiencing the same highs and lows.

This is a good point. He had a bunch of older guys around him that were determined to prove their own mettle. Then losses piled up and instead of 5 mentors he had 6 guys worrying mostly about their own games. That is a pretty lonely island.

 

[stuckinbig11]

I pulled for Benny, just like I do for all SU players, but when he was in the game, I kept saying, "Please don't shoot the ball." If he works on his shot, he could be good.

 

[Bayside44]

I hope he's not a forward version of Jalen Carey.

Thing is kid comes from a hoops hotbed (so did JC) so you'd think he can play.

 

[tbonezone]

buddy started out as a frosh like 1 for 100 and still got fed minutes. (hyperbole)
first 12 games buddy took 68 shot at 25 %. benny took 28 shots at 48 %
buddy would finish the season playing around 550 minutes. benny 320. ( roughly).
you don't get better sitting on the pines. one guy got to play thru mistakes. second didn't.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

Playing poorly has never had the same consequences across the board. More established players, and players who have earned the trust of their coaches, are almost always handled differently when they perform poorly, in this program or any other.

But especially in this program

 

[br801]

buddy started out as a frosh like 1 for 100 and still got fed minutes. (hyperbole)
first 12 games buddy took 68 shot at 25 %. benny took 28 shots at 48 %
buddy would finish the season playing around 550 minutes. benny 320. ( roughly).
you don't get better sitting on the pines. one guy got to play thru mistakes. second didn't.

Two very different players, with very different skill sets, with very different roles and expectations. Benny had opportunities to play himself into more minutes this season, but couldn’t do so. It happens.

 

[br801]

But especially in this program

I won't argue with that.

 

[OrangeDW]

Benny has loads of talent/athleticism.
JB requires players to think/learn assignments/rotations in the 2-3 zone.
Benny plays on instincts and hadn't played a 2-3 zone, much less at the hi D1 level.
Remember Melo?? He went out to win the opening tap and JB couldn't wait for the first
dead ball to get him out of the game(as a freshman).
As a result Benny's play was timid/ afraid of making a mistake. Took away from
developing any offensive confidence as well.

Hope he grasps the "system" in year 2,

Maybe adapt the defensive system then? Since everybody else stunk at it too.

 

[tbonezone]

Two very different players, with very different skill sets, with very different roles and expectations. Benny had opportunities to play himself into more minutes this season, but couldn’t do so. It happens.

explain how you improve at 2, 3 , 4 minutes a game ? (16 games under 10mpg)
on a sub 500 team no less ! showed his chops against duke.

 

[CapitalO]

I hope Benny has a Jesse type of leap.