IthacaMatt
Old Timer / Unofficial Contributor for 25+ years
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- Aug 26, 2011
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Let's take a look at how the forwards are trending, see if there is anything telling in the stats and game splits.
Maliq Brown - He has played double digit minutes in 9 games, including 7 of the last 8. We are 7-2 when he plays at least 10 minutes. In those 7 recent double minute games, he averaged 23 minutes a game, providing 7.7 points and 6.7 rebounds per game, and has totaled 7 assists, 7 steals and 4 blocked shots in those games. He's also shooting 24 for 36 from the field!
Benny Williams has taken a step back these past couple games, but let's not forget, he had a stretch of six games in December when he played really well in five of them, averaging 11.3 points and 6.2 rebounds, even with a real bad game against Pitt factored into that stretch. That version of Benny was just a couple games ago. He can get back to that really quickly, if he keeps his head down and keeps working hard when he's out there.
Chris Bell has had 9 games out of 17 where he hit 2 or more threes. If you throw out his first 3 games of the season, when he was pretty much invisible, and he's averaging almost 8 points a game in only 15-20 minutes. That's not bad production for a 3rd forward (which probably suits him better ...).
Justin Taylor - He had that 25 point game in the loss to Lane Bryant back in November. Boeheim gave him 25 minutes for the next four games, but he could only manage 4 or 5 points, and went back to a reduced role for a while. He's gotten back to a 20 minute a game guy for these last 5 games, and he's producing pretty well. He's 5-12 from three over that stretch, averaging a little better than 6 points, and has chipped in with a handful of assists and rebounds (1 or 2 of each a game). He could do a little more of the little things, but he's coming off screens with more confidence, and is looking like he belongs out there again. His confidence is improving.
Quadir Copeland is a talented player, but commits too many turnovers. He's cutting down on them, but there's still at least one pretty much every game he plays. He gets a 10 minute run about once every 3 or 4 games, but only the Pitt game has he really shown us his best. He needs more consistency.
Jon Bol Ajak hasn't played as much lately, but he did really well in December, too. He had 13 assists (!!) in a five game stretch, but not enough offense or rebounding to warrant continued minutes. He was really useful, at a critical point in the season, at showing the young guys where to look for the steals, where to make the high-low passes. He was a great glue guy for that month or so. He's engaged, and he's a guy who can sometimes do something special, against expectations.
I like that a lot of guys have gotten quality time. They have almost all contributed in stretches, but none are ready to carry us from game to game, as a leader. But they're all getting better, don't you think?
Maliq Brown - He has played double digit minutes in 9 games, including 7 of the last 8. We are 7-2 when he plays at least 10 minutes. In those 7 recent double minute games, he averaged 23 minutes a game, providing 7.7 points and 6.7 rebounds per game, and has totaled 7 assists, 7 steals and 4 blocked shots in those games. He's also shooting 24 for 36 from the field!
Benny Williams has taken a step back these past couple games, but let's not forget, he had a stretch of six games in December when he played really well in five of them, averaging 11.3 points and 6.2 rebounds, even with a real bad game against Pitt factored into that stretch. That version of Benny was just a couple games ago. He can get back to that really quickly, if he keeps his head down and keeps working hard when he's out there.
Chris Bell has had 9 games out of 17 where he hit 2 or more threes. If you throw out his first 3 games of the season, when he was pretty much invisible, and he's averaging almost 8 points a game in only 15-20 minutes. That's not bad production for a 3rd forward (which probably suits him better ...).
Justin Taylor - He had that 25 point game in the loss to Lane Bryant back in November. Boeheim gave him 25 minutes for the next four games, but he could only manage 4 or 5 points, and went back to a reduced role for a while. He's gotten back to a 20 minute a game guy for these last 5 games, and he's producing pretty well. He's 5-12 from three over that stretch, averaging a little better than 6 points, and has chipped in with a handful of assists and rebounds (1 or 2 of each a game). He could do a little more of the little things, but he's coming off screens with more confidence, and is looking like he belongs out there again. His confidence is improving.
Quadir Copeland is a talented player, but commits too many turnovers. He's cutting down on them, but there's still at least one pretty much every game he plays. He gets a 10 minute run about once every 3 or 4 games, but only the Pitt game has he really shown us his best. He needs more consistency.
Jon Bol Ajak hasn't played as much lately, but he did really well in December, too. He had 13 assists (!!) in a five game stretch, but not enough offense or rebounding to warrant continued minutes. He was really useful, at a critical point in the season, at showing the young guys where to look for the steals, where to make the high-low passes. He was a great glue guy for that month or so. He's engaged, and he's a guy who can sometimes do something special, against expectations.
I like that a lot of guys have gotten quality time. They have almost all contributed in stretches, but none are ready to carry us from game to game, as a leader. But they're all getting better, don't you think?
