Agreed and it makes it even worse. We have 80 minutes available at the 3/4 and only 3 guys to play there (4 if you count JBA). Yet our 5 star gets no time while the 2 upperclassmen who have frankly veen bad are getting all the time
You are presuming we have an offense.
Malachi was far and away better than most other freshmen we've had here, and he did it right from the start. He scored double figures in each of first six games, 15 of his first 18 games, and scored double figures in 31 of 37 games. Malachi's skill set was evident from the start. He was head and shoulders above Benny and nearly every other freshman we've had here. That's not even a knock on Benny. Malachi was just a star from the start.
Jesse was showing signs since the year before that. Last year, Jesse was really good in all the time he got early. JB was just a stubborn ass and wouldn’t cave to what everyone with eyes could see. It was only when he said Jesse was “ready” that he played him more. It was a bunch of crap.
Malachi was a STARTER from the start. That was the major difference. He didn’t have a coach messing with his head.
Revisionist history. He was not a star here from the start. He shot 27% from 3 in the Non Conference Including a game he went 0-11 against St. Johns. He was extremely hot and cold just like another lightning rod shooting guard we had on that team. It wasn’t until JB got back from his suspension that he really started to play well.
And the guy ranked right ahead of him is averaging 13.2 minutes (slightly less than Benny) and 2.8 points on an Arizona State team that we beat. It happens.
You missed the point altogether
Yep...and a better compare to Benny, Hak getting mins in 01-02 helped win in 03
Well considering the history of players coming here and improving from one year to the next (Jesse, Quincy, MCW, Jerami Grant, Dion, Fair, etc.), I'd say it happens. This coaching staff has shown the ability to develop guys over time. Sanctions and the transfer portal has hurt that, but this staff knows how to develop talent. But can they adjust to the current times? Maybe not.
Star might be taking it too far, but the point stands. A couple bad games happen, but look at his stats. You'd be hard pressed to find other freshmen for us that did what he did and looked the way he did. His skills were apparent to anyone that watched. Doesn't mean there weren't growing pains. But made no mistake about it, JB wasn't forced to play Malachi. He was more than good enough to start.
this was the exact phrase used about Jesse and another player last year.
Athleticism is our main weakness and he's our best athlete. He should play more. I don't know how anyone could not have this opinion.
You're exaggerating. He was about as efficient as Oshae Brissett and Trevor Cooney and this board killed those guys.
When you have less players coming in, you can't recruit the guys you plan on developing over multiple years. It's why this is the first time we have two competent centers. How many people have complained about that position this year? It takes time to develop. When you don't have the scholarships, you cant recruit those guys.
That's possible. Imagine JB decided to give NCAA the middle finger by saying ok, you want to limit my recruiting trips and scholarships? Fine, I'll show you I only need ten scholarships max, I will even play all my players totally out of position, and no subs, and still win with both hands tied behind my back!!!
Jesse shot 79% from the floor as a freshman (on basically all garbage time dunks). Benny is shooting 18.8% from the field in conference games and under 35% on the year. Jesse was at 14/10 per 40 minutes his freshman year. He was much more productive in his limited opportunities than Benny has been, and I say that as someone that doubted Jesse from the beginning.
