What has Benny done to deserve...

[Willy75]

This thread just shows how much the fanbase is yearning for a great team.
We care. A portion of the fanbase thinks everything is fine and it is what is and others see the status quo as unacceptable.

Wrong. I see next to no comments arguing everything is fine and a lot of discussion about which modestly talented and/or underachieving players should be getting more minutes.
Ultimately we don’t have very good talent overall; I think 90% plus of folks here understand that.

 

[djcon57]

I'm kinda wondering what are the differences between Benny and Matthew Moyer.

Ooof...I was trying to think of ways to disagree...

I got nothin'.

At least comparing their play as a Frosh, but Moyer at least got some minutes.

 

[dollarbill44]

Watch the play back. It was a good idea to cut for Benny, but he was slow, took a bad angle, didn't seal the defender, and was weak going for the ball. Fixing any of those things leads to a catch and dunk.

We're either talking about a different play, or we see the same play very differently. I saw a bad pass that, at best, was difficult to handle.

 

[xc84]

We're either talking about a different play, or we see the same play very differently. I saw a bad pass that, at best, was difficult to handle.

Sometimes ya gotta catch imperfect pass. I don't thing it was a bad pass. Just not perfect. He seems to have a knack for being on the receiving end of "bad passes". When you get the opportunity, you take advantage.

As many have said. He's just not ready at the moment.

 

[AlaskaSU]

Of course, my argument would be that increased playing time would help Benny to position himself better. He looks scared out there. Scared of being pulled, because he knows as soon as he makes a mistake, even if it isn't his fault, he is getting pulled. If he knew he was getting a few minutes out there, and he felt the confidence of his teammates and his coaches, he would settle down and start doing the things that got him 5 stars.

He was not a concensus 5 star and his rankings were dropping. Expectations should be dampened.

 

[orangefog]

He was not a concensus 5 star and his rankings were dropping. Expectations should be dampened.

His ranking dropped a little because guys like Bates and Duren reclassed. The guy earned his ranking, he will prove that with more playing time.

 

[NorSyr66]

Buddy and Jimmy on the same side of the zone is comical.

I call that our dooms day defense!!!

 

[SUbear]

If he was slow, it was because nobody knows where to go when Buddy goes in to back down mode. It is the wild west out there when that happens. Do you clear out and let Buddy try to get to the basket? Do you cut? When Buddy gets the ball like that, he is in black hole mode for the most part. He passes out of it only when he has to. It's fine, because he does pretty well like that, but Benny didn't do anything wrong.

Buddy has a few warts too. No doubt about that, but I do not see this team winning sans Buddy. He sometimes drives me nuts with bad shots and not passing, but then he makes a great shot or a great pass. I just wish he would not take those heat checks early in the clock.

 

[orangefog]

Buddy has a few warts too. No doubt about that, but I do not see this team winning sans Buddy. He sometimes drives me nuts with bad shots and not passing, but then he makes a great shot or a great pass. I just wish he would not take those heat checks early in the clock.

I agree. I am not hating on Buddy. I think Buddy’s next step will be recognizing double and triple teams early and setting up open shots for his teammates.

 

[Cuse#1]

Because in my opinion you can't freaking develop on the bench and there are plenty of times that he could get in the game like garbage time even though we are 11 and 11 we he have could where he could have gotten in there!
I mean this could become a psychological thing if it's not already. I mean I don't know the kid personally from from nothing but something's going on. You don't come in that highly regarded with that athletic ability and just play like that... he's got to find a way to play out of it and the bench is not helping.
Even in losses where we have no chance there you go putt him in the freaking game, but nothing to lose, and everything to possibly gain and maybe we can see the real Benny

 

[Cuse#1]

Buddy has a few warts too. No doubt about that, but I do not see this team winning sans Buddy. He sometimes drives me nuts with bad shots and not passing, but then he makes a great shot or a great pass. I just wish he would not take those heat checks early in the clock.

Yeah sometimes he really thinks he's Jordan. I think he's gotten out of that thank God the last couple games that's why we have one.
still does it from time to time but you know he is not an isolation only player that's very obvious.
When the teen is moving the ball well and he makes them threes yes then that mid-range game isolation sometimes opens up for him just like last year he did very well with that because we had a lot of other threats on that team

 

[BillSU]

Absolutely valid points across the board. I think my only add on is that it’s being used as a reason for Jb to take him out of the game. That’s crap,imo.

It's amazing what two great games will do to re-evaluate Benny's value at this point in the season to the team.

Last night and against Wake Forest we needed five starters to shoot the lights out to win both games and that became reality. This team has, IMO, finally found out that they can play against anyone. And, hopefully they will.

For Benny fans and I am one of them, you tell me where Benny fits in this team last night? Against Wake, where he played 10 minutes, he was 0-1 FG, 1-2 FT, had 3 RB, 1 TO and 1 STL.

As someone said earlier maybe he'll make a big jump as others have done from their freshman and sophomore year. We're going to find out.

 

[djcon57]

You tell me where Benny fits in this team last night? Against Wake, where he played 10 minutes, he was 0-1 FG, 1-2 FT, had 3 RB, 1 TO and 1 STL.

easy, the second half when we got up by 10 at the 11 mins mark.

Gives Jimmy and/or Cole a rest for the final mins, play some D...get a block or a steal, maybe gain some confidence knocking down a shot.

you’ve been fed the propaganda lines for so many years now that you don’t even see it, someone the level of Jimmy playing 40 mins is completely abnormal. It simply doesn’t happen in college basketball.

 

[Willy75]

A ten point lead can, and often does, evaporate in a minute and a half. More importantly, our team just isn’t good enough to automatically turn the offense back on once a lead is gone. That’s happened this season.
Until Benny proves otherwise, his defender doesn’t have to play much defense. That means he is available to help on our other shooters. I’ll give some deference to a strategy that wins a game.
Maybe the Duke game gives you a better argument.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I just want to know, is it impossible for us to get Benny a dunk or something?

We can't get the dude a fast break slam, or a baseline cut and stuff?

 

[djcon57]

A ten point lead can, and often does, evaporate in a minute and a half.

yeah, it happened yesterday. Without Benny in the game.

is your argument that it would happen faster?

 

[phil77]

There are two sides of the court. Benny was a net positive (+1) in his 5 minutes also so the remarks about the lead just going away is false. When he played his 5 minutes the team played well enough.

 

[Willy75]

yeah, it happened yesterday. Without Benny in the game.

is your argument that it would happen faster?

My argument is that winning is the goal, not building Benny’s confidence. And we won both the Wake game and last night. Conversely we weren’t beating Duke, so play him the whole second half. I don’t think he’ll produce any differently, but who knows.

 

[phil77]

My argument is that winning is the goal, not building Benny’s confidence.

I know this is going to sound crazy but why can't you do both? I mean that would probably be unheard of right?

 

[Cuse181]

I have said this on different occasions and maybe in this thread. If the roles were reversed this year and Benny was allowed to play through his Freshman mistakes there is no doubt in my mind he would outproduce Jimmy on both ends of the court outside of three-point shooting. But he wasn't so we will never find out if that was the case or not but it is a hill I am ready to die on.

I’m not sure he’d average 6 points a game, let alone produce more than Jimmy. His offensive game is just non-existent and I’m not sure 30 minutes a game changes his flat shot and slow first step. He’s much better defensively but net-net, I don’t think he does enough to make up for JG, buddy and Cole if he doesn’t produce on offense

 

[Willy75]

I know this is going to sound crazy but why can't you do both? I mean that would probably be unheard of right?

Because our margin of error is so small even on a good night. And because he hadn’t demonstrated anything to suggest he’d be a plus in a close game. Unlike Frank.

 

[Cuse181]

A ten point lead can, and often does, evaporate in a minute and a half. More importantly, our team just isn’t good enough to automatically turn the offense back on once a lead is gone. That’s happened this season.
Until Benny proves otherwise, his defender doesn’t have to play much defense. That means he is available to help on our other shooters. I’ll give some deference to a strategy that wins a game.
Maybe the Duke game gives you a better argument.

I’ve seen a 16 point lead evaporate in two minutes, 10 is JV

 

[orangefog]

I’m not sure he’d average 6 points a game, let alone produce more than Jimmy. His offensive game is just non-existent and I’m not sure 30 minutes a game changes his flat shot and slow first step. He’s much better defensively but net-net, I don’t think he does enough to make up for JG, buddy and Cole if he doesn’t produce on offense

Benny’s shot wasn’t flat last year. It is a sign that he is thinking way too much. Coke has been doing the same for most of the year. Benny has a decent shot. As he gets more comfortable, his shot will come around. He is thinking too much because he knows he will get the hook if he misses.

 

[Cuse181]

Benny’s shot wasn’t flat last year. It is a sign that he is thinking way too much. Coke has been doing the same for most of the year. Benny has a decent shot. As he gets more comfortable, his shot will come around. He is thinking too much because he knows he will get the hook if he misses.

I feel like that means it’s time to start taking it inside, right? If you’re not confident in your shot start using your athleticism to get it inside and get fouled.

 

[orangefog]

I feel like that means it’s time to start taking it inside, right? If you’re not confident in your shot start using your athleticism to get it inside and get fouled.

Yes, I think that is a good idea. Especially because he is such a good athlete and should be able to score around the basket. He needs to see the ball go through the hoop and start to feel confident, I think then he will show us what he can do.