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Message: [QUOTE="sususpicious, post: 2033559, member: 2324"] Not saying I'm an expert by any means, but watching Ayala today in Springfield, here's what I took away. He has nice size (listed at 6-5) and is gritty, willing to go hard to the rim without reservation - which is something we have lacked this year except for Battle the past few games. He had the upper body strength and a reasonably tight handle that allowed him to plow into the lane time and again when Putnam needed to make something happen against a talented Vermont Academy team. While the shots didn't always fall, there was often a lot of contact. But the officials were very consistent throughout in allowing the physical stuff to occur. What I most liked about Ayala - and this was much different from what I saw in years past at the Hoop Hall Classic with Lydon and Howard - is that he wanted to be "the guy." He was fearless and aggressive to a fault, which might explain why he was only 7-18 from the floor. He was also a tough defender, at times drawing the assignment of playing the 6-10 Simi Shittu (This kid is a talent!). At the free-throw line, Ayala made 6 of 9, including a big one in the final seconds, although he did miss the second shot that would have put his team up 3. As for his outside shot (again, a minuscule sample size), to be blunt, it looked ugly. He was 0-3 and not even close. With regard to him playing the point - as has been suggested - he did have 5 assists or so, but he seemed more at ease attacking from the wings with the intention of slashing for the layup rather than the dish. (Actually, teammate Jaheim Cornwall was more effective and smoother running the point. But I'm not sure he has the size - he's listed at 6-1 but looked smaller - nor the speed that our coaches seem to demand.) Bottom line, if Ayala does reclassify and come our way in the fall (it did trouble me that I think UConn had 3 coaches there, and we only had Hop), he would instantly inject us with a tough competitor who would give us another much-needed weapon at the rim. [/QUOTE]

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