SWC75
Bored Historian
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This was an exhibition game so I'm just going to make some observations.
- Pathetic to go most of the first half with no score graphic on the screen. And Matt Park, a radio guy, should be used to announcing the score after each basket, which he didn't do. Steve Evans, the LeMoyne AD who as coach beat us in the famous exhibition game back in '09, did a good job, made some relevant observations, including that we should push the ball more when we get possession. Don't just hand it off to the guards to dribble it up - look for the pass to get the break going.
- Also pathetic - Me. At halftime, I listened to the discussion where they said , (I thought) that the Pace 'centers' were taking long threes. I wondered why their centers were taking threes.
- Overall, the game was kind of painful to watch, except for bursts of competence where we shoot ahead. The shooting was great in those spurts. Our size and hustle on defense makes us much more intimidating on that end, especially to a team like Pace which has good players but short good players, (better than Paddy Casey). The press was good and we went right to it out of a time-out with the lead, although Evans said that JB was just using this game to practice it for when he falls behind and he's likely right. Our rebounding was poor, particularly against a shorter opponent. We had too many turnovers and allowed open three pointers out front to a team that proved they could make them. Finally, our free throw shooting was horrendous, 8 for 21. We are no where near ready for Atlantis, the Big Ten challenge or the ACC. I just hope we're ready for LeMoyne and Lafayette. But then what college basketball team is ready for anything on October 27th?
Individual players:
- I was most impressed by Jesse Edwards, who scored 12 points, (on 6 for 7 shooting), pulled down 5 rebounds, blocked 4 shots, made two steals and drew two charges. He knew exactly what he was doing out there on both ends. He didn't set up any post-up shots with a dribble, (who does that any more?), but he showed a wonderful ability to catch the ball, even at difficult angles and either dunk it or lay it in, even if he caught the ball several feet from the basket. Very, very smooth. He's going to be our first scoring center since Rakeem Christmas and Joe Girard, between feeding Jesse and hitting the open shooters on the outside, is going get a ton of assists this year. Jesse will get some, to, as his first instinct when he gets an offensive rebound is to look to the arc to see who's open.
- Frank Anselem is athletic and had a nice trap and bounce the ball off the guy sequence early in the game. other than that, it seems like he's still early in the learning process. He seems to lack offensive skills. there's a clear #1 and #2 at the center spot. But we'll see a lot of both of them as #3, John Bol Ajak has an ankle injury and Bourama Sidibe is now the team's chief cheerleader and none of the forwards were playing the middle before garbage time. Jesse and Frank totaled 38 minutes: 21/17. I think that's what we can expect from them.
- After a slow start, Cole Swider took over the game when things were lagging in in the first half. He started throwing down threes like he a was a 6-9 Buddy Boeheim, then mixed in some drives and pull-ups to wind up the game's leading scorer with 21 points on 8 for 10 shooting. he also had 6 rebounds and 3 assists. He looked much as he did in his highlight film, (see my preview on the forwards). He looks like an NBA player playing college ball - on offense, anyway.
- Jimmy Boeheim also looked like his highlight film - good motor, smart player, can score from the top of the key and hit an occasional three pointer. Good motor. He had 19 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals, including one for his first points when he stole a pass and went the length of the court to flip it in in traffic. Just 3 for 7 from the foul line, though. He'll be a popular player, an Energizer Bunny type.
- Benny Williams has the most talent and the biggest hops on the team. He looked strong from the waist up. He's going to be a very good one. But he's also the youngest guy on a team of veterans and his shot looks bad. Be patient. And don't advocate - all three forwards will play a lot. There's nothing to debate here.
- Buddy Boeheim was in low gear, at least compared to the way he finished last year. He scored 9 points on 3 for 7 shooting, (all threes), before he accidently stepped on a guy and turned his ankle. he didn't seem seriously hurt but spent the rest of the game on the bench. Even when he was on the court, he was just one of many options. We're hitting the open man this year. Nobody has to be Superman. maybe he likes it that way.
- Joe Girard had 6 assists. He's got the lob to Frank down pat. He had three turnovers, all as spectacular in their own way as the assists. he was 2 for 6 from the field and scored 7 points. There will be better days.
- Symir Torrence was determined to make an impression. The biggest one he left was that he should never shoot the ball. he was 0 for 4 from the field and 2 for 5 from the foul line. But he pushed the pace and hustled. He had a couple of assists. He's going to inevitably compared to Kadary and he isn't Kadary. He's a back-up guard. The only one we have.
- Pathetic to go most of the first half with no score graphic on the screen. And Matt Park, a radio guy, should be used to announcing the score after each basket, which he didn't do. Steve Evans, the LeMoyne AD who as coach beat us in the famous exhibition game back in '09, did a good job, made some relevant observations, including that we should push the ball more when we get possession. Don't just hand it off to the guards to dribble it up - look for the pass to get the break going.
- Also pathetic - Me. At halftime, I listened to the discussion where they said , (I thought) that the Pace 'centers' were taking long threes. I wondered why their centers were taking threes.
- Overall, the game was kind of painful to watch, except for bursts of competence where we shoot ahead. The shooting was great in those spurts. Our size and hustle on defense makes us much more intimidating on that end, especially to a team like Pace which has good players but short good players, (better than Paddy Casey). The press was good and we went right to it out of a time-out with the lead, although Evans said that JB was just using this game to practice it for when he falls behind and he's likely right. Our rebounding was poor, particularly against a shorter opponent. We had too many turnovers and allowed open three pointers out front to a team that proved they could make them. Finally, our free throw shooting was horrendous, 8 for 21. We are no where near ready for Atlantis, the Big Ten challenge or the ACC. I just hope we're ready for LeMoyne and Lafayette. But then what college basketball team is ready for anything on October 27th?
Individual players:
- I was most impressed by Jesse Edwards, who scored 12 points, (on 6 for 7 shooting), pulled down 5 rebounds, blocked 4 shots, made two steals and drew two charges. He knew exactly what he was doing out there on both ends. He didn't set up any post-up shots with a dribble, (who does that any more?), but he showed a wonderful ability to catch the ball, even at difficult angles and either dunk it or lay it in, even if he caught the ball several feet from the basket. Very, very smooth. He's going to be our first scoring center since Rakeem Christmas and Joe Girard, between feeding Jesse and hitting the open shooters on the outside, is going get a ton of assists this year. Jesse will get some, to, as his first instinct when he gets an offensive rebound is to look to the arc to see who's open.
- Frank Anselem is athletic and had a nice trap and bounce the ball off the guy sequence early in the game. other than that, it seems like he's still early in the learning process. He seems to lack offensive skills. there's a clear #1 and #2 at the center spot. But we'll see a lot of both of them as #3, John Bol Ajak has an ankle injury and Bourama Sidibe is now the team's chief cheerleader and none of the forwards were playing the middle before garbage time. Jesse and Frank totaled 38 minutes: 21/17. I think that's what we can expect from them.
- After a slow start, Cole Swider took over the game when things were lagging in in the first half. He started throwing down threes like he a was a 6-9 Buddy Boeheim, then mixed in some drives and pull-ups to wind up the game's leading scorer with 21 points on 8 for 10 shooting. he also had 6 rebounds and 3 assists. He looked much as he did in his highlight film, (see my preview on the forwards). He looks like an NBA player playing college ball - on offense, anyway.
- Jimmy Boeheim also looked like his highlight film - good motor, smart player, can score from the top of the key and hit an occasional three pointer. Good motor. He had 19 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals, including one for his first points when he stole a pass and went the length of the court to flip it in in traffic. Just 3 for 7 from the foul line, though. He'll be a popular player, an Energizer Bunny type.
- Benny Williams has the most talent and the biggest hops on the team. He looked strong from the waist up. He's going to be a very good one. But he's also the youngest guy on a team of veterans and his shot looks bad. Be patient. And don't advocate - all three forwards will play a lot. There's nothing to debate here.
- Buddy Boeheim was in low gear, at least compared to the way he finished last year. He scored 9 points on 3 for 7 shooting, (all threes), before he accidently stepped on a guy and turned his ankle. he didn't seem seriously hurt but spent the rest of the game on the bench. Even when he was on the court, he was just one of many options. We're hitting the open man this year. Nobody has to be Superman. maybe he likes it that way.
- Joe Girard had 6 assists. He's got the lob to Frank down pat. He had three turnovers, all as spectacular in their own way as the assists. he was 2 for 6 from the field and scored 7 points. There will be better days.
- Symir Torrence was determined to make an impression. The biggest one he left was that he should never shoot the ball. he was 0 for 4 from the field and 2 for 5 from the foul line. But he pushed the pace and hustled. He had a couple of assists. He's going to inevitably compared to Kadary and he isn't Kadary. He's a back-up guard. The only one we have.
