Each of the F4 teams from last year breaking in new PGs

[pearl31]

Metcalf definitely makes it sound like Ennis is the least-regarded of the 4

Good. I'm quite confident he's the best of the 4.

 

[tee1222]

Agree. Walton of Michigan is pretty good though. Pass first, but can score. Has a very nice teardrop floater in the lane, and his scoring resembles Ennis'. Still, even ESPN rated Ennis much higher than Walton, Ennis has that extra size we like and nearly won the National Title. His three with hardly any time left pulled St. Benny's ahead, only to lose to a last second 3 from Montverde.

Oh, and another thing about Tyler. (Possibly since I think he's better than both) along with Kasey Hill and Williams-Goss, probably the only freshman point guard that looks like he's been playing D1 ball for four years.

I'll take our guy every single game.

 

[two3zone]

Metcalf definitely makes it sound like Ennis is the least-regarded of the 4

Good. I'm quite confident he's the best of the 4.

I think Ennis is up there but who really knows at this point, not willing to anoint him as the best right now. I hope he is and he is probably capable of it but I also thought DC2 was going to be a beast last year as well as Christmas a few years back.

 

[reedny]

Seems like, of those FF teams, Louisville has holes to fill inside and out. Dieng was the heart and sole of that defense ... the key guy that protected the lane while waterbugs like Smith and Siva hounded ball handlers the entire game. Mango (another sudanese center) and Harrell will be adequate, but nobody's going to be intimidated by them inside like they were against Dieng. That doesn't mean 'Ville won't be highly rated, however.

The other three have new PG's, but return their key inside players: SU (Rak/Keita/DC2), the Shockers (Coleby/Lufile) and Wolverines (McGary/GR3).

2013 Nightmare: Chess-club champion Spike Alrbrecht tweeting Kate Upton after his miracle performance from 25 feet.

 

[tee1222]

Seems like, of those FF teams, Louisville has holes to fill inside and out. Dieng was the heart and sole of that defense ... the key guy that protected the lane while waterbugs like Smith and Siva hounded ball handlers the entire game. Montrazel is a good rebounder, but nobody's going to be intimidated by him inside (at least not our guys). That doesn't mean 'Ville won't be highly rated, however.

The other three have new PG's, but return their key inside players: SU (Rak/Keita/DC2), the Shockers (Coleby/Lufile) and Wolverines (McGary/GR3).

2013 Nightmare: Chess-club champion Spike Alrbrecht tweeting Kate Upton after his miracle performance from 25 feet.

Agree about Ville. Russ better carry them, because they are missing something.
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/team/roster/_/id/97/louisville-cardinals
A ton of guards, but no Dieng.
Instead, they have Behanan, Blackshear and Hancock still. I won't discount their qualities, but their lack of size was not as much an issue with Deing defending the paint.

This year, they have a couple of young guys but weren't that highly touted as recruits, but we'll see.
Either way, they will need to rely on their speed and defense from their quick guards.

 

[reedny]

Agree about Ville. Russ better carry them, because they are missing something.
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/team/roster/_/id/97/louisville-cardinals
A ton of guards, but no Dieng.
Instead, they have Behanan, Blackshear and Hancock still. I won't discount their qualities, but their lack of size was not as much an issue with Deing defending the paint.

This year, they have a couple of young guys but weren't that highly touted as recruits, but we'll see.
Either way, they will need to rely on their speed and defense from their quick guards.

Just b/ you quoted me, I edited to add Mango in there. He's a new 6/10 Sudanese center. I don't expect him to be anything like Dieng was (at least not for the foreseeable future). Dieng was special. But as you point out, Behanan was one of the best OR's in the BE and Harrell is also tough on the glass off the bench. I don't see them as a FF team this year, but it would be stupid to count them out ... the way Pitino has them peaking every year at tourney time. Hancock was money in the title game, and he's back.

 

[tee1222]

Just b/ you quoted me, I edited to add Mango in there. He's a new 6/10 Sudanese center. I don't expect him to be anything like Dieng was (at least not for the foreseeable future). Dieng was special. But as you point out, Behanan was one of the best OR's in the BE and Harrell is also tough on the glass off the bench. I don't see them as a FF team this year, but it would be stupid to count them out ... the way Pitino has them peaking every year at tourney time. Hancock was money in the title game.

I hate those guys. Respect the heck out of them. But damn. We were good enough to settle the score with them. Still, great run by the boys.

 

[realorange]

I think Ennis is up there but who really knows at this point, not willing to anoint him as the best right now. I hope he is and he is probably capable of it but I also thought DC2 was going to be a beast last year as well as Christmas a few years back.

Let's put it this way; DC2 and Christmas have had a year and Ennis is in his first year. That said, Ennis looked like he was a 2nd or 3rd year guard in the system in Canada while the other two looked like they had hardly progressed from last year.

 

[Jeremy L.]

Man, it's so strange that we were in the F4. Completely slipped my mind.


Michigan

 

[reedny]

Man, it's so strange that we were in the F4. Completely slipped my mind.


Michigan

Michigan was a good team with good balance. When you put Burke outside and McGary inside, with GR3, Hardaway and company adding depth and athleticism, you're going to score points. They played a tough schedule in the B1G. So I don't have a problem with them playing well in the tourney (but not at our expense).

What left a sour taste in my mouth was:

- BT getting called for a "charge" near the end of the game. We we're 2 points down ... and the defender clearly moved under him as he was going up. His layup would have tied the game and prevented UM from stalling and forcing us to foul. That was a gutless call at the worst possible time. The rule's changed now so it's more idiot-proof for the officials (duh), but the damage was done. The call was especially frustrating because BT had suffered the same indignity against OSU the year before.

- Spike Albrecht. Seriously? Here's a chess-club member who goes off for 9 of 10 from deep in the post season. 9 of 10!! The kid was on meth -- and missed ONE 3-pt shot in 6 NCAA games -- including 2 for 2 against us, both from 25-28 feet (far enough from a defender to jack something up). No one saw that coming. He was the BJ Sorentine of last year's NCAA, maybe not as good, but definitely more irritating. Tweeting Kate Upton topped it off ... but his whole 'miracle' performance makes me want to barf.

 

[HarrisonJBounel]

Michigan was a good team with good balance. When you put Burke outside and McGary inside, with GR3, Hardaway and company adding depth and athleticism, you're going to score points. They played a tough schedule in the B1G. So I don't have a problem with them playing well in the tourney (but not at our expense).

What left a sour taste in my mouth was:

- BT getting called for a "charge" near the end of the game. We we're 2 points down ... and the defender clearly moved under him as he was going up. His layup would have tied the game and prevented UM from stalling and forcing us to foul. That was a gutless call at the worst possible time. The rule's changed now so it's more idiot-proof for the officials (duh), but the damage was done. The call was especially frustrating because BT had suffered the same indignity against OSU the year before.

- Spike Albrecht. Seriously? Here's a chess-club member who goes off for 9 of 10 from deep in the post season. 9 of 10!! The kid was on meth -- and missed ONE 3-pt shot in 6 NCAA games -- including 2 for 2 against us, both from 25-28 feet (far enough from a defender to jack something up). No one saw that coming. He was the BJ Sorentine of last year's NCAA, maybe not as good, but definitely more irritating. Tweeting Kate Upton topped it off ... but his whole 'miracle' performance makes me want to barf.

This. And add that Mitch McGary must have committed 12 fouls against us.

 

[HarrisonJBounel]

Metcalf definitely makes it sound like Ennis is the least-regarded of the 4

Good. I'm quite confident he's the best of the 4.

He may be in terms of what each will mean to their respective teams.

But as a side note after reading the article, Louisville is going to be beastly good.