I was told Hughes was going to be the best player on the squad

[OrangeDW]

Yeah I’m actually not that concerned about Hughes at all. He doesn’t seem that far off.

Our two “best” players have been worse.

I was kind of surprised we have had a thread this long about him considering how bad the others have been.

Yup. Right now I’m down on the returning guys who look worse than last year...Battle, Chukwu, and especially Brissett.

Marek and Sidibe - not really up or down on them at the moment.

Hughes has been ok. I think he can and will be better, but he’s at least playing close to expectations. Get that 3 point % into the mid 30s(he will), relax and take better shots(he will - he did in the early games), and step up the D and boards (I don’t know here).

Carey I’m high on as a player, but down on as a PG. Think it was Bees who said he’s not a PG. I believed him but still thought he’d at least look like a combo guard. He’s a pure scoring 2 at this point.

 

[Cusefan0307]

I'm actually not worried about his offense. It's not the shock the world I was under the impression we may see, but he'll be good. I just want more from him rebounding. Start with that and I'll be pleased. And not start any more controversial threads about him... Probably.

I didn’t think it was controversial at all. I did expect to come on the board and see people blasting Brissett, but that doesn’t really seem to be the case. Other players have played better than Oshae and been blasted worse by posters so that’s interesting.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

I didn’t think it was controversial at all. I did expect to come on the board and see people blasting Brissett, but that doesn’t really seem to be the case. Other players have played better than Oshae and been blasted worse by posters so that’s interesting.

Well, we've got two or three actives on OB now, so just consider mine an outside the box thread.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Yup. Right now I’m down on the returning guys who look worse than last year...Battle, Chukwu, and especially Brissett.

Marek and Sidibe - not really up or down on them at the moment.

Hughes has been ok. I think he can and will be better, but he’s at least playing close to expectations. Get that 3 point % into the mid 30s(he will), relax and take better shots(he will - he did in the early games), and step up the D and boards (I don’t know here).

Carey I’m high on as a player, but down on as a PG. Think it was Bees who said he’s not a PG. I believed him but still thought he’d at least look like a combo guard. He’s a pure scoring 2 at this point.

I think JB is going to have to play Frank and Carey a lot together this year which is going to lead to someone who is not happy with PT.

 

[OrangeDW]

I think JB is going to have to play Frank and Carey a lot together this year which is going to lead to someone who is not happy with PT.

Agreed. It is what it is. If Chukwu’s going to play like that, just go small. It’s not like we’ll get fewer rebounds because he’s not getting any, anyway. And the defense has been shaky anyway. At least we’ll be playing 5 on 5 on offense.

Battle might be more dynamic in a SF role anyway.

 

[OrangeDW]

Agreed. It is what it is. If Chukwu’s going to play like that, just go small. It’s not like we’ll get fewer rebounds because he’s not getting any, anyway. And the defense has been shaky anyway. At least we’ll be playing 5 on 5 on offense.

Battle might be more dynamic in a SF role anyway.

I feel like the next time we see a zone, an offense of Howard at PG, Carey and Battle on the wings, Marek in the high post, and Brissett running short corner to short corner, flashing to the block when it’s there and occasionally popping out to the corner for a 3, could be a decent way to attack it. We can’t just swing it around the perimeter and launch. We need something in the high post(Marek was great at times last year: Maryland and Duke stand out), and we need something on the blocks and behind the zone(OB is better there than hanging on the 3 point line).

Hughes can come in for either wing

 

[moqui]

I was told Hughes was going to be the best player on the squad

who told you that?

most people said battle, i personally say brissett

 

[CuseFaninVT]

So, got the chance to finally watch the UConn game last night. Maybe I jumped the gun a bit with this thread. Saw some overall good things from Hughes, and also saw him get called for fouls that I don't think were actual fouls. Still hope for better shooting from him, without the need for hero ball (ie. shoots off of a pass instead of dribbling around and then taking a long three), and he really, really needs to work better on his positioning for rebounding (something all of our bigs need).

 

[cuseinseattle]

So, got the chance to finally watch the UConn game last night. Maybe I jumped the gun a bit with this thread. Saw some overall good things from Hughes, and also saw him get called for fouls that I don't think were actual fouls. Still hope for better shooting from him, without the need for hero ball (ie. shoots off of a pass instead of dribbling around and then taking a long three), and he really, really needs to work better on his positioning for rebounding (something all of our bigs need).

I think he will always be a little bit of a liability on the boards based on his size but he should make up for it in steals that lead to transition baskets and offense ability. He was definitely recruited for offense.

 

[RF2044]

So, got the chance to finally watch the UConn game last night. Maybe I jumped the gun a bit with this thread. Saw some overall good things from Hughes, and also saw him get called for fouls that I don't think were actual fouls. Still hope for better shooting from him, without the need for hero ball (ie. shoots off of a pass instead of dribbling around and then taking a long three), and he really, really needs to work better on his positioning for rebounding (something all of our bigs need).

Good post.

I avoided the board over the weekend due to the expected meltdown, but I was surprised to see you start this thread. He's been far from perfect, but on the list of things to wring our hands about thus far with our team's performance, how Hughes has played would be pretty far down on the list for me.

I'm not absolving him, but I didn't view it as hero ball as much as our team's inability to create their own shots outside of Carey / Hughes, so somebody has to make something happen.

Again, good post.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

So, need to bring up my shame again after this performance by Hughes tonight. He's been straight up killing it lately, all over the place, and I have to publicly state I was wrong. I was clearly premature, and for that I apologize again.

On a team with a bunch of really likable players, he's currently my favorite. Silky smooth, but has a mean streak on defense that I just love.

 

[rrlbees]

So, need to bring up my shame again after this performance by Hughes tonight. He's been straight up killing it lately, all over the place, and I have to publicly state I was wrong. I was clearly premature, and for that I apologize again.

On a team with a bunch of really likable players, he's currently my favorite. Silky smooth, but has a mean streak on defense that I just love.

He is so much like Wes with the weak side blocks.

 

[albanycuse]

So, need to bring up my shame again after this performance by Hughes tonight. He's been straight up killing it lately, all over the place, and I have to publicly state I was wrong. I was clearly premature, and for that I apologize again.

On a team with a bunch of really likable players, he's currently my favorite. Silky smooth, but has a mean streak on defense that I just love.

There is no shame. He’s playing totally opposite of what he was earlier in the season. And thankfully so lol. We need this every game.

 

[moqui]

He is so much like Wes with the weak side blocks.

he looked so much like wes tonight

i'm starting to think we should be worried about losing eli to early entry more than oshae

 

[4evaOrange]

He’s got some very good athleticism very impressed. Some of his blocks and rebounds are high up there, must be a shortness of oxygen up where he is.

 

[rrlbees]

he looked so much like wes tonight

i'm starting to think we should be worried about losing eli to early entry more than oshae

Hope Hughes stays all 3 years. I think he’ll be an nba player. But I think he could leave after next year.

 

[CuseTroop]

His block made espn top 10. Loved the "Syracuse, Coach Wildhack's team"

 

[Zelda Zonk]

I asked, after the exhibitions, if he might be 'as good as Battle,' and people LOL'd.
I think he's got the prettiest shot—sweeter looking that buddy's even. I just wonder what his ceiling is. He seems to play within himself, but i wonder what he would be if he had to be the alpha. I'd love to see him work on handle with both hands, so he could be a more proficient driver, but maybe he's just going to be a shooter. I haven't seen Bradley Beal play in a while. Are they similar?

 

[Lucid]

he looked so much like wes tonight

i'm starting to think we should be worried about losing eli to early entry more than oshae

I posted this at the beginning of the season and got shamed.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

I asked, after the exhibitions, if he might be 'as good as Battle,' and people LOL'd.
I think he's got the prettiest shot—sweeter looking that buddy's even. I just wonder what his ceiling is. He seems to play within himself, but i wonder what he would be if he had to be the alpha. I'd love to see him work on handle with both hands, so he could be a more proficient driver, but maybe he's just going to be a shooter. I haven't seen Bradley Beal play in a while. Are they similar?

He's got way more range than anyone else on the team as well.

Man, I do love those lefty drives he takes and either makes or that get goaltended. I make my kid watch those so he can emulate that.

 

[690West]

Yup you’re correct. I won’t name names though.

Can we name names now? Because they’re sages

 

[albanycuse]

Can we name names now? Because they’re sages

He’s finally started playing well. . You should of asked me earlier when he was doing nothing and not making shots.

 

[Orangebrova]

Can we name names now? Because they’re sages

 

[Cusefan0307]

I don't get where people thought he was playing bad. He's been in double figures in every game, but 3 and scored at least 14 points 15 times. He's been great and he's clearly at worst our 2nd best player.

 

[721Comstock]

So, need to bring up my shame again after this performance by Hughes tonight. He's been straight up killing it lately, all over the place, and I have to publicly state I was wrong. I was clearly premature, and for that I apologize again.

On a team with a bunch of really likable players, he's currently my favorite. Silky smooth, but has a mean streak on defense that I just love.

Premature anything is bad.
- James Arthur Boeheim