Basketball Practice

[BirdZip]

I completely disagree with your top nine. McNees, Roberts, McKnight, Cvetinovic and Marshall will certainly be in there. They are established players and guys we are going to have to rely on. That is five. Abreu almost has to play due to our lack of depth at the guard spots. That makes six. McClanahan has been named the starter at SF and had a pretty nice night in the exhibition game. That makes seven. Bardo is a senior (we all know KD likes his veterans) and gives us some size at C when Zeke isn't in there. KD is going to play him. That makes eight. Now ask yourself, who should that ninth (and tenth I suppose) spot go to? Your options are A.) Quincy Diggs - The athletic wing who can handle the ball and break guys down off the dribble that we've been clamoring for for years. B.) Dakotah Euton - A big guy who has 3 point range, is a strong rebounder, sets good screens and is fundamentally sound. C.) Josh Egner - An athletic freak who is better at the defensive end than on offense and according to KD needs some work on fundamentals. or D.) Michael Green - A strong player with diverse offensive talents who is lacking in confidence and looks unsure of himself.

Personally, if it is me and I want to fill out my ninth and tenth positions I'm going with A and B. If you asked me in the offseason I absolutely felt that Josh deserved some playing time this year, but with his ankle injury he is behind the rest of the guys. He won't be able to get by on pure athleticism all season long, he is going to have to know our sets and be able to play the brand of team ball that KD likes to play and I don't think he is going to be able to just pick that up on the fly. Giving him a year to practice and watch how it is done seems like the best idea for him right now.

McClanahan was named the starter last year too--that didn't work out so well. And, as for the exhibition, let me just say that I coach 3rd grade basketball and when I throw myself into a little one-on-one with them, I DOMINATE!

McClanahan to me is like my childhood tricycle. Man, it was pretty, and it went pretty fast for a trike, but when Mommy brought out that shiny new two-wheeler, the trike hit the curb.

[Dave in Green]

Some of the comments about McClanahan prior to the start of this season are similar to what some people were saying about Conyers at the beginning of last season. Nitro has to prove himself the same way Conyers did.

I'm not smart enough to predict things like that, so I'm just going to wait and see how Nitro performs as the season goes on. All I can say from watching him play in the exhibition game is that he was busting his butt on defense, and showed a smoother, more relaxed stroke than last year while canning four consecutive treys.

[hafner4430]

Nitro his 4 3 pointers in a row against John Carroll

[Captain Kangaroo]

Nitro his 4 3 pointers in a row against John Carroll

You can only shoot them againt the competition that's on your floor on a given night. I'm sure he would have rather shot them against Duke...but Duke's afraid of the JAR. Not Nitro's fault.

[johnnyzip84]

Beacon Article on Zeke etc.

Includes a Chris Kaman reference!

[Zip Watcher]

Beacon Article on Zeke etc.

Includes a Chris Kaman reference!

We can only hope that Zeke gets the liberty with the rules of the game that Kaman got when he was @ CMU. If that happens, then it's POY time.

[Dr Z]

Beacon Article on Zeke etc.

Alex Abreu could emerge as the starting point guard as a freshman.

If Alex is PG and Zeke and Steve can work an inside out game, Steve should get great looks at open threes. I think we go as far as Zeke and Steve working together takes us. I'm hoping (getting excited) to see a different style of game from last year.

I don't like the "slow as molasses" comment by KD. I'll have to evaluate that myself on Friday. A better evaluation will come on Tuesday, but I'll still be able to tell by Saturday morning.

Nice article BTW

[Quickzips]

Beacon Article on Zeke etc.

Alex Abreu could emerge as the starting point guard as a freshman.

If Alex is PG and Zeke and Steve can work an inside out game, Steve should get great looks at open threes. I think we go as far as Zeke and Steve working together takes us. I'm hoping (getting excited) to see a different style of game from last year.

I don't like the "slow as molasses" comment by KD. I'll have to evaluate that myself on Friday. A better evaluation will come on Tuesday, but I'll still be able to tell by Saturday morning.

Nice article BTW

I really liked the Abreu/McNees combination in the exhibition game. Gave us two guys on the floor who can handle the ball and it really seemed to open some space up for guys. Like I've said all off-season, McNees looked like he could be even more effective playing some minutes off the ball. Once Alex settled down a little bit, it looked like they had the offense clicking pretty well. Again, it is just an exhibition game, but the early returns were positive. To me it really looks like we've got three guys on this team that are capable of bringing the ball up the court and initiating the offense. Abreu, McNees and Diggs. If I'm KD I want to have at least 2 of those guys on the floor at all times just to put some more pressure on the defense

[Hilltopper]

Beacon Article on Zeke etc.

Alex Abreu could emerge as the starting point guard as a freshman.

If Alex is PG and Zeke and Steve can work an inside out game, Steve should get great looks at open threes. I think we go as far as Zeke and Steve working together takes us. I'm hoping (getting excited) to see a different style of game from last year.

I don't like the "slow as molasses" comment by KD. I'll have to evaluate that myself on Friday. A better evaluation will come on Tuesday, but I'll still be able to tell by Saturday morning.

Nice article BTW

I think its a bit of hyperbole. Abreau is pretty "Thick" for a 5'9"point guard. He has a barrel chest and a thick neck which is uncommon for a guy his size. I think KD mentioned elsewhere that he could use to loose about 7-8 pounds to improve his conditioning. He looked plenty quick to me last Friday.

[Dave in Green]

..... I don't like the "slow as molasses" comment by KD. I'll have to evaluate that myself on Friday. A better evaluation will come on Tuesday, but I'll still be able to tell by Saturday morning. .....

KD's direct quote is: ''He is deceptive. He looks like he's slow as molasses, but he's always getting by guys."

He's not slow as molasses. He just looks that way. The deceptive part is that defensive players have a problem staying with him even though he doesn't appear to be moving that fast.

I always marvel when I watch Chris Paul play the point because he doesn't look as fast as some other NBA guards, but he calmly dribbles right into the lane, weaving in and out of defensive players like they aren't even there. Now obviously I'm not saying that Alex Abreu is equivalent to Chris Paul. But my initial look at Abreu playing last week reminded me of the way Paul can keep defenders on their heels despite not appearing to move fast in a straight line.

As I try to analyze it, I think it has to do with making many sudden, unpredictable changes in direction and speed instead of moving consistently fast in a single direction. This requires great peripheral vision to know where all the other players are on the court, and it requires being extremely comfortable dribbling the ball close to defenders without fear that it's going to be picked so that the total focus can be on finding the open player to hit with the pass.

I was thinking as I watched Abreu weave around defenders as if they were statues that this is one of the most important qualities of a really good PG. I can't recall having seen a converted shooting guard or combo guard make those kinds of moves, and most PGs aren't really that good at doing it.

Over the years we've complained that the Zips are a little too predictable, which makes them easier to defend against. Abreu appears to have that rare combination of being both unpredictable and in control. Keep your eyes on him every moment he's on the floor. He's fun to watch.

[Captain Kangaroo]

..... I don't like the "slow as molasses" comment by KD. I'll have to evaluate that myself on Friday. A better evaluation will come on Tuesday, but I'll still be able to tell by Saturday morning. .....

KD's direct quote is: ''He is deceptive. He looks like he's slow as molasses, but he's always getting by guys."

He's not slow as molasses. He just looks that way. The deceptive part is that defensive players have a problem staying with him even though he doesn't appear to be moving that fast.

I always marvel when I watch Chris Paul play the point because he doesn't look as fast as some other NBA guards, but he calmly dribbles right into the lane, weaving in and out of defensive players like they aren't even there. Now obviously I'm not saying that Alex Abreu is equivalent to Chris Paul. But my initial look at Abreu playing last week reminded me of the way Paul can keep defenders on their heels despite not appearing to move fast in a straight line.

As I try to analyze it, I think it has to do with making many sudden, unpredictable changes in direction and speed instead of moving consistently fast in a single direction. This requires great peripheral vision to know where all the other players are on the court, and it requires being extremely comfortable dribbling the ball close to defenders without fear that it's going to be picked so that the total focus can be on finding the open player to hit with the pass.

I was thinking as I watched Abreu weave around defenders as if they were statues that this is one of the most important qualities of a really good PG. I can't recall having seen a converted shooting guard or combo guard make those kinds of moves, and most PGs aren't really that good at doing it.

Over the years we've complained that the Zips are a little too predictable, which makes them easier to defend against. Abreu appears to have that rare combination of being both unpredictable and in control. Keep your eyes on him every moment he's on the floor. He's fun to watch.

Having never seen him play, I'm guessing he's a Pearl Washington/Mark Jackson sort-of-player? That would be cool.

[Quickzips]

..... I don't like the "slow as molasses" comment by KD. I'll have to evaluate that myself on Friday. A better evaluation will come on Tuesday, but I'll still be able to tell by Saturday morning. .....

KD's direct quote is: ''He is deceptive. He looks like he's slow as molasses, but he's always getting by guys."

He's not slow as molasses. He just looks that way. The deceptive part is that defensive players have a problem staying with him even though he doesn't appear to be moving that fast.

I always marvel when I watch Chris Paul play the point because he doesn't look as fast as some other NBA guards, but he calmly dribbles right into the lane, weaving in and out of defensive players like they aren't even there. Now obviously I'm not saying that Alex Abreu is equivalent to Chris Paul. But my initial look at Abreu playing last week reminded me of the way Paul can keep defenders on their heels despite not appearing to move fast in a straight line.

As I try to analyze it, I think it has to do with making many sudden, unpredictable changes in direction and speed instead of moving consistently fast in a single direction. This requires great peripheral vision to know where all the other players are on the court, and it requires being extremely comfortable dribbling the ball close to defenders without fear that it's going to be picked so that the total focus can be on finding the open player to hit with the pass.

I was thinking as I watched Abreu weave around defenders as if they were statues that this is one of the most important qualities of a really good PG. I can't recall having seen a converted shooting guard or combo guard make those kinds of moves, and most PGs aren't really that good at doing it.

Over the years we've complained that the Zips are a little too predictable, which makes them easier to defend against. Abreu appears to have that rare combination of being both unpredictable and in control. Keep your eyes on him every moment he's on the floor. He's fun to watch.

+1

It's hard not to make comparisons between Abreu and the man he is replacing in the lineup, Humpty. Humpty was the exact opposite of what you just described. Lightning quick in a straight line, but often out of control and not much moving horizontally. He got himself in trouble far to often by just going flat out, top-gear into the teeth of the defense and then having no where to go with the ball once he got there. I didn't see that out of Alex. Alex looks like the kind of PG I've been wanting to see run this team. Shifty enough to keep defenses on their toes without dribbling himself into trouble.

[Dr Z]

KD's direct quote is: ''He is deceptive. He looks like he's slow as molasses, but he's always getting by guys." He's not slow as molasses. He just looks that way. The deceptive part is that defensive players have a problem staying with him even though he doesn't appear to be moving that fast.

Thanks for the observation on AA D.I.G. I don't think we need a lightning quick guy at PG to be effective. I don't even think we need a scorer at that position on this team right now. What we do need is somebody that can get the ball down low, set up plays, get penetration to create space and move the ball. Hopefully your CP3 analogy is a good one. I think this team is better if AA can give effective minutes at the PG position. (insert horse beating emoticon here)

What I did not like about the comment, was that it was derogatory toward a freshman. I am guessing by what Hilltopper wrote that KD is trying to motivate AA to lose some weight. KD knows how "quick" he is, and knows he will read a comment like that. I just hope it motivates AA, and doesn't have an adverse effect on the young kid. I'm probably reading too much into it, but that's the first thing that came to my mind when I read that statement. KD is pretty honest when he answers questions or makes comments about the team. I really like that as a fan, but often wonder how it effects the team/players.

[Hilltopper]

Having never seen him play, I'm guessing he's a Pearl Washington/Mark Jackson sort-of-player? That would be cool.

We can wish can't we!

[yazan07]

*Spoiler Alert*

Here I just settled the debate for guys. I'm sitting next to Nik in class and I just asked him who is red-shirting this year. He said that because two of the spots on the roster are occupied by guys who can't play, no one is red shirting this year. In a sense, those guys take away spots normally reserved for red shirts, and so it makes sense to have more players available. MAYBE he is mistaken, but it just makes sense to me that a player on the team is a reliable source.

Well it appears as though my buddy Nik has made a liar out of me and that Euton and Green will be redshirting this year. I just wanted to be the one to admit I was wrong before someone else does it for me. I'm a little surprised by this since it seemed like last week Euton was getting more minutes than Egner, but tonight I thought Egner was good (except for his two missed dunks...yikes). Anyway that is the last time I post info I hear that isn't certain, even when it seems like the source is one that couldn't be mistaken.

[Dave in Green]

It's awfully tempting to consider players as reliable sources. But in reality players are not always in the loop on all coaching decisions. I suspect that Nik told you what he believed to be true as opposed to him having heard it directly from the coaches' mouths. Nothing wrong with posting a player's thoughts as long as we all take it with a grain of salt.