DEN
Miners => Den => Topic started by: SisyphusMiner on September 12, 2019, 08:42:36 AM
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We are now exactly one month away from the exhibition game against Tech. To my mind, this is on paper the most talented group in quite a while.
BUT...
I think there are two glaring questions from last year, and it could make or break the team.
Who will be the point guard that will run the team? We need a much better A/TO ratio than any player had last year.
Who will be able to consistently knock down 3s > 40%?
If we have that, I think the rest of the athletes can take care of business.
I know we've beaten this dead horse many times, but it seemed time to whack it again and see if it twitches.
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I agree with your post Chans. Many time coaches erringly judge a players worth by how many points they make. Not in my book. The most important facet of a game is his percentage stats. If you judge a player by how many points they make it's not a fair assessment because if you're like my cousin when he played basketball he lobbed that baby to the hoop every chance he got the ball, with that he was always the high point man but I'll tell you this he missed more than he made.
Anything over 33% is okay as it would be great in baseball but at 40% or more it would be lights out.
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That was Sisy, Mojo. However, I agree as well. A team can have tons of talent, but if the team cant work together, they will lose no matter how good the players are. I remember when Floyd had Hunter & Washburn & was ranked before the start of the season. They didn't amount to shit in the end. That team took AZ to the wire, but they just couldn't mesh well.
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I believe it’s going to take CRT most of the pre-conference schedule to find a rotation that works best. Most of the players on this years team have practice together for a year, however not until they have some game experience will we see how good they really are. I hope it happens sooner than later and this team meets our expectations. I really miss the Haskins era and I thought Floyd was going to bring the program back. I was wrong and no disrespect to Gillispie or Barbee, but I hope CRT builds the program and decides to stay awhile.
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It seems that old age crankiness has its grip on me, but I am afraid that we are what is called a stepping stone(at best and graveyard at worst). Old coaches come for a soft landing into retirement land or a young coach trying to make a splash and cash in on it. Best of all, the administration doesn't count wins and losses anymore. Make sure they get to class and see how many El Paso kids you can put on the team that will graduate for sure. We are a Top Tier school. We are Harvard on the Border! Winning silly games played by knuckle-dragging bone-heads is for normal schools. We are Rice, Harvard, Yale, ivy covered walls and libraries is what we are. now. Hell, my mother always said a bad excuse is better than none at all. So, when we lose it is a good thing. Embrace the losing is a recognition of the academic heights we have reached. Instead of foam picks we need to wave foam magnifying glasses or foam calculators maybe diplomas!
As for the basketball team. CRT seems to have been assembling some talent. Unfortunately, I haven't seen it come together yet. I mean, God Almighty if we had had a kid who could drain threes the inside would have opened up and the beast would have been absolutely amazing to watch. Still bitching, I don't know why it is but damn it seems like the last time we had a kid who could drop bombs was all the way back to Barbee and Randy(?).
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I wasa going to say the most recent really good 3 pt shooter was Stefon Jackson but his percent wasn't all that great. is there someone more recent I am missing? Is there an all time list for 3 pt percentage? I looked but couldn't find. I'm guessing Chris Craig tops the all time list.
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The team is ready. Trust me. I will be shocked if one of two things don't happen this year.
1. An NCAA tournament bid
2. A deep run in the NIT
You might have to go back to the mid 80s to find a UTEP team as talented as this one.
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New player on the team? JULES WILLIAMSON
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We have a lot of players on the roster. What's up with that?
Don't forget the 3pt line is moving farther back this year.
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New player on the team? JULES WILLIAMSON
According to this article on the UTEP website, we have added two walk-ons. One of them is Jules Washington:
“Jules Williamson will be a freshman entering the 2019-20 school year. Williamson played at East Aurora High School in Aurora, Ill., and averaged 21 points per game during the 2018-19 season. The 6-foot-4 guard was named to the Upstate Eight Conference All-Conference team following his senior campaign, while earning a 2018-19 Beacon-News Boys Basketball All-Area team honorable mention. Williamson was named to the 2017-18 Beacon-News Boys Basketball All-Area second team after averaging 17.0 points per game his junior campaign.”
https://utepminers.com/news/2019/9/3/mens-basketball-utep-mens-hoops-adds-grad-transfer-daryl-edwards.aspx?path=mbball
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It's a little over 3wks until UTEP vs Tech. It cant come soon enough. Again, I'm not expecting a win, but I expect to see some competitiveness & effort from the Miners.
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I see on Twitter that 2020 prospect Quincy McGriff 2☆ 6'6" PG is in town this weekend.
I was looking at some YouTube clips on him & I'd have to say the kid grew on me. He cant jump, he's not quick, & he's a bit heavy, however, he has fantastic ball skills, he commands the court very well, & he can shoot. Plus, his passing is high IQ. If Terry can get him lean & quick, he could be a 3-4☆ recruit.
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Before the season starts, I want to pick 113-63 us in every BB OPT. Life is busy, so i may not make it all the time.
Z
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Just got a verbal from a 6-6 combo guard in California. Not real highly regarded by scouting services, but appears to me to have a nice touch and confident in his ballhandling. The elite camp highlights look like the game there is slow for him, so that's also a good sign. As always with freshmen, the questions are: can he adapt to the speed of the game? Can he play defense?
6-6 is a nice size for a shooting guard
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He's actually a PG.
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He's actually a PG.
Understood that he is a PG at his high school. I am making an assumption based solely on a couple videos that he is not a PG in college and is not being brought in for that purpose.
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It's a little over 3wks until UTEP vs Tech. It cant come soon enough. Again, I'm not expecting a win, but I expect to see some competitiveness & effort from the Miners.
This is UTEP basketball, the bar was, has been and should remain high. Doke, Tech, Virginia, Wichita State, no le hace, I expect a win.
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On Sept 21st on this thread, I mentioned that a 6'6"PG out of Cali named McGriff was in town. He was a 2☆ & I said he could be a 3 or 4☆ recruit. He ended up committing to UTEP during his visit.
Well, it looks like ESPN agreed with me & changes him from a 2☆ to a 4☆ yesterday.
I have never seen us sign a kid & he jumps 2☆s up & has not played a game his Sr year of high school.
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Last season, I thought that Kaosi Ezeagu had tremendous potential but seemed to have to split time with Efe and so he got less time as Efe progressed and brought his fouling under control. I could be wrong about all of that, but my point is about Ezeagu. He was raw, but has had the off season to practice and play with and against his teammates and the experience has to be invaluable. Or has the team changed with additions that he won't play a big role? Also, it seems to me that Grad Student Transfers can be a hit or miss affair. Sometimes they are quite a boon, but at times they can be selfish and looking for a last chance to show their wares. I think some exhibitions are different from others. The Miners playing the Globetrotters when they played was no fooling around basketball. The UTEP v Tech game is an exhibition game between two friends-almost family- to support El Paso. The intensity for this one may not be the same from/for the coaches, especially with nothing really riding on it officially. But, I sure did enjoy with great anticipation last year's team.
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I dont care if the TT game didnt count. My heart & soul needed that game really bad.
Both sides showed a ton of mistakes. As a matter of a fact, we had way more mistakes, but our defense bailed us out. Williams, Edwards, & Lathon were big stand outs, especially when the Miners needed to put the game away. Closing has not been a staple here for a while. The kids I saw that need to concentrate on eliminating mistakes were Tarke, Hawkins, & Stroud.
The X factor IMO, was Vila. He didnt score much & couldn't hit a 3, but played great defense, had key rebounds, & was quick to defend shooters to throw them off. His length & speed remind me of Moultry, however he needs to drive to the hoop more.
I know we wont see this team for another 3wks, but this Miner fan is finally happy.
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As my OPT reflected I didn't hold any chance that UTEP would win. I had them as 14 or so point losers but man was I surprised. I never thought we had that quality of players this year. I am very, very pleasantly surprised and elated. As soon as the players start jelling with each other and know their quirks they will get better still. We have so much ammunition that if a player is off we have other qualified players that can substitute, unlike last year. I am thrilled for UTEP, coach, and fans and I hope we bring a conference and conference tourney banner to the Don. Let me jump the gun and include a Sweet 16 also. I know TT didn't have all the players from last year but with a coach like Beard I'm sure they're still good and that win against them was very gratifying. It's gonna be a long 3 weeks waiting for the real games. Football for me is in the rear view mirror but I'm a UTEP fan first and I'll still keep listening to their games...and continuing being disappointed, alas.
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Does anyone remember that I said this years team was capable of a sweet 16 run and at the very least the finals of the NIT?
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Does anyone remember that I said this years team was capable of a sweet 16 run and at the very least the finals of the NIT?
I do. Even Kaplowitz a while back said that this was the most talented team he's seen since 2010. He even said he thinks this team is better. We had talked about Freshmen coming in and that it would be a problem keeping them because the team was so talented and deep.
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I was thinking after reading a few Miner websites. I read we would have destroyed Tech if we hadn't committed so many turn overs. I dont think that's fair to say because if Beard's defense was defending the 3 like they normally, it would have been closer. I still think the Miners would have won, but that team we played normally plays the defensive perimeter superbly. Just look at last years film. They forced teams to drive & then they would take charges or get stuck. All these what if hanging around out there gets you thinking on the crazy potential of this team. Like if Hawk, Vila, & Tarke hit at least 1/4 of those shots cut turn overs in half, or Boum or Lathon passed better.
What we did well: Defended, rebounded, hit free throws, & hit 3s. Holy crap, that was Floyd's issue his whole time here.
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I went to the Tech game, my first Men's BB game in probably five years.
I was impressed by the team. I was impressed by CRT.
I was underwhelmed by the atmosphere (i.e. UTEP's marketing during the game). But, I know they hired a new Marketing guy, who used to work here a few years ago, and who did some good things at SMU, two months ago. I will give them this season before calling for their heads.
As an aside, I did go to the first UTEP FB game this year, breaking my seven season stretch of saying fuck you to athletics for putting me through the constant losing. I was not impressed at all. I could call the plays from the stands, and that's not a good sign. Canales has got to go.
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Nice post. To the point.
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I went to the game, my first UTEP home game since 1988. Plus first time having floor seats.
I knew people were underestimating the impact a healthy grad-transfer Edwards could be. It's nice to have a guy who can shoot from distance when needed and bring some experience to the back court. Lathon was clutch in the 2nd half, especially with free throws which wasn't his strong suit last year. And although I don't think Vila played his best game, I think he'll be a consistent contributor and he likely hits more of the shots he missed Saturday. Williams is as advertised. The team looked a little rusty which was to be expected.
So much talent on this team, it wouldn't surprise me if we had a lot of different guys step up and score more on any given night. Odigie, Tarke, Boum and Hawkins will have their big nights. Stroud does look like an athletic freak and could have some great moments too.
This could be a momentum building year. We've just got to win some early big games to get the crowds back. But this should be a really fun team to watch.
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Someone on the other site posted game film.
1. Edwards and Williams played with defensive intensity as well as offensive. The other players picked up on that. Edwards brings fire and the other players feed off it.
2. Tech was not in full command of their game, but was still one of the best teams we will face this year.
3. We may be the top rebounding team in the conference. Williams, Vila, and Efe all block out and rebound.
4. Vila looked a bit out of sync offensively but I think he has offensive game in him. Solid all around, no head mistakes. Defends well, blocks out well, does a lot of things well. Not flashy, but solid.
5. Lathon will be OK.
6. The rest of the guys will need to figure out their roles and embrace them.
7. The addition of Archie should make us formidable.
7. Every game will be winnable.
8. If we play with the same fire and intensity all season, this could be special.
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Team report card:
Just so all are aware, TT has played 3 other closed games before playing UTEP. They played the Bahamas national team & lost by about 3pts. They also played another nati ok nal team I cant recall & split wins. Both teams are still jittery & trying to put things together.
Williams- A+. Was a general & great on both sides of the court.
Vila- B+. Couldn't hit jumpers but did everything else.
Verhoeven- C-. Was active & aggressive, but couldn't figure it out.
Odigie- B. Didnt play much, but rebounded, blocked out, & did OK on D.
Tarke- C-. Was active & played OK D, but lost the ball & missed a fast break lay up.
Hawk- D+. Defended OK, but couldnt get his feet under him.
Edwards A+. 3s, defense, & driving to the hoop. Oh my.
Boum C. Controlled the ball but couldnt find a way to feed or score.
Lathon A-. Kid wants the ball & was clutch when needed, however he lost the ball multiple times.
Stroud- D-. He gave hard effort, but looked like a toddler in a China shop. You would have thought the ball had oil with his turn overs.
Overall- A-. They would get an A if they can protect the ball, but rebounds, free throws, defense & clutch play against the Championship runner up team is solid.
GO MINERS
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I would just say that we are very fired up after 1 charity exhibition game, and we need it for our emotional well-being. But, it was a game, unlike regular season games and I am going to pump the brakes just a bit. Very excited about what may be, but waiting a little bit to see just how excited I should be.
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Smart
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This is the way I see it Ky. I know that it was a charity affair and people are saying that TT wasn't playing to win. I don't agree with that assessment as no team likes to lose (especially since they went so far in the tourney last year) even if the game doesn't count. We're also saying that TT wasn't ready but I can only claim that that could be us too. It's TT first game atmosphere but it was ours too. What I'm trying to say is that both teams are green for this season and neither team wanted to lose so if we won it's because our team was able to go toe to toe with them and come out ahead.
They'll get better as the season progresses I'm sure but we will too.
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This is the way I see it Ky. I know that it was a charity affair and people are saying that TT wasn't playing to win. I don't agree with that assessment as no team likes to lose (especially since they went so far in the tourney last year) even if the game doesn't count. We're also saying that TT wasn't ready but I can only claim that that could be us too. It's TT first game atmosphere but it was ours too. What I'm trying to say is that both teams are green for this season and neither team wanted to lose so if we won it's because our team was able to go toe to toe with them and come out ahead.
They'll get better as the season progresses I'm sure but we will too.
I grew up a Raiders fan. They always lost all of their preseason games. They were in reality exhibitions of the game of football played by players the team could afford to play in a meaningless game. Have you seen and all star game lately? No one is playing for real. It is WWE promotional play. Now, I'm not saying the TT game was exactly the same, but there is a degree of "this doesn't really count" in players minds to varying degrees. I don't know just how much.
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Did you watch any of the footage? This was not AAU ball matador defense, and not work on the same play over and over again. Could they have challenged the 3 more? yes. Could they have challenged the rebounds more, yes. But, whether or not Tech was playing at Big12 intensity, they were playing substantially above anything we will see in conference short of maybe Western Kentucky and one or two others. At worst, you can say that we went toe to toe with an elite team playing at 80%, and that's still something. We would have been happy if we lost by less than 20.
Besides, I demand to be unrealistically optimistic about UTEP basketball. Sit down, you're rocking the boat.
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I think its smart to have reservations. When Floyd had Wash & Hunter & was ranked in top 25, I totally bought into it. We lost 1st game in NIT to CRT here at home. I was pissed we didnt make NCAA.
Like a dummy, I'm buying into this year & next year. Why?
1) Last years kids said some crazy talent was coming in.
2) Kaplowitz & other media said the talent at each position was like something they haven't seen in a while.
3) The play against a last years Champ runner ups was eye opening.
4) Chris Beard ('18 Elite 8 & "19 Championship game) said we will be at the top of CUSA after beating his club.
5) Our best player in Archie has yet to play.
From the evidence & the play I saw Saturday night, worst case scenario is we just miss NCAA. For Terry's 2nd year that is ahead of pace than Gillespie's 2nd year. Which is better than any coach post Haskins. Sadler doesnt count because he was part of the Gillespie build.
If KY wants to hold reservations, then leave the old fart alone. A heart can only take so much let down. But if the Miners can go deep in the season, then it's a win/win for us all.
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A young bull and an old bull are standing at the top of a hill looking down upon a heard of cows. The young bull says, "Let's run down there a get us a cow. The old bull says,"Let's walk down there and get them all."
I am old and just have learned to slow down and conserve my energy for when it counts. I have everything crossed and am burning sage and incense, and hoping as much as everyone else. I just want to save my energy for actual wins. This is my school. My heart will always be with her, even the football team, but I am not the same person I was 40 years ago thinking we will somehow win them all because I want us to. Nowadays, I am a little slower to shoot, but my aim is better and I never flinch. :)
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I’m with you, Ky. Glad we beat Tech, but I’ll wait for wins that count before I’ll get excited. But I haven’t shot a gun in years, so I have no idea what my aim is like.
lieb
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Should I recite the poem from Basic Training? This is my rifle
This is my gun
This one's for shooting
This one's for fun
Sound off! One two,
Sound off! Three, four
Bring it on down!
One, two, three, four
One, two, three, four!
Your left!
To your left!
To your left, right, left!
;D
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Should I recite the poem from Basic Training? This is my rifle
This is my gun
This one's for shooting
This one's for fun
Sound off! One two,
Sound off! Three, four
Bring it on down!
One, two, three, four
One, two, three, four!
Your left!
To your left!
To your left, right, left!
;D
I feel uncomfortable with the innuendo in this post and I think I am being made fun of. Hence, I will register a complaint with the site admin forthwith.
lieb
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That is a great idea! I find some merit in your complaint, but it is only if you are the one with the thoughts that take you to that place and with that the whole inappropriateness is back on you. Therefor I blame you for inappropriate thinking and direct you to the half used bar of soap with the bite marks and hope that you have learned something after you have spent some time in your room thinking about your nasty thinking.
Having said that, I am all about the social justice and redemption, so I am issuing a pardon and release you from your room and will expunge your record. I am benevolent, right?
Fall in. Fall out!
Watch your thoughts on these orders, troop. I know you have proclivities!
;D
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Ky is NOT an old fart. He is just old and farty.
Big difference.
;D
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Ky is NOT an old fart. He is just old and farty.
Big difference.
;D
Indeed!
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What time does UTEP play that private exhibition game vs gcu tomorrow?
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What time does UTEP play that private exhibition game vs gcu tomorrow?
This question is like the "if a tree falls in the forest and no one..." I wonder if they play and no fans are present was there really a game.
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On the gcu web site UTEP 76 gcu 10 halftime 🤙⛏
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On the gcu web site UTEP 76 gcu 10 halftime 🤙⛏
WTF? Are you kidding?
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Either Miners1 is off his rocker or the GCU website is full of sh!t.
The game is over & the Miners won 70-69. I read the game was back & forth and Williams has a game winning drive to win the game.
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Got a little more info on Grand Canyon U. Marvin Menzies is Asst coach there & he brought some kids from UNLV last year. GCU is supposed to be really good this year & is said to take NMSU down this year and give a good show in the dance.
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Wow, we were able to escape with a one point win. At least we won, that's what counts. I'm hoping GFCU ;) wins the WAC this year instead of Enemas U.
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What is with the spuratic game days for. I see Tuesday, Thursdays, & Saturdays. That's a load of shit. Is it because of TV or just stupidity?
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I think stupidity. And speaking of stupidity. CBS sports has UTEP ranked at 198 😐
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I'm good with ranking them 350. I saw them play TT and I like what I saw. Being the sleeper is a good place to be. Especially since our best player wont touch the floor until December.
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Kaden Archie?
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Si señor. Players & media say the kid drives strong to the hoop & when lanes start to collapse, he passes out. No one talks about his defense though, so we shall see.
I'm also going to that Miner Athletic Club 1hr open gym practice on Monday. I'll take notes & report. I think Archie can practice but cant play.
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In the GCU game did anyone other than Williams and Edwards impress with their defensive play?
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So, I was at the 1hr open gym practice last night & I like what I saw. 1st half was 5v5 and Terry was loud and vocal with the players on positioning & limiting mistakes. The 2nd half was executing play calls back and forth on the court. After practice all the athletes came up and shook all of our hands. There were about 80 people who showed up to watch.
The kids who looked to be leaders were Williams & Lathon. Much improved players were Stroud, Boum, & Vila. The one kid who didnt play was Tarke. He said later he tweaked his knee and had to lay off a bit. The players that stood out because of hustle were Hawkins, Ezeagu, & Verhoeven. The kid that looks like he is just figuring it out was Odigie. He looks to be in way better shape than last year, but missed some assignments & Terry laid into his ass.
All in all, we have a very good team this year with some very good depth.
Coach Terry talked to us for 20min after practice & said we are gonna win some games this year. He also said the big team with all the hype on CUSA is W.Kentucky because returning players. He also said that our team last year played toe to toe with them last year, but they inched forward in the last 5min. He said we will give them & all teams in the conference a run for sure.
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Great report! Thank you for the information and keeping the burner hot. A strong basketball campain would make this year a whole lot more enjoyable for Miners fans.
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Nice! Thank you!
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I wanted to talk about what I saw at practice in regards to talent & production. Let's start from the 1 to 5.
Lathon- he is a leader both by example & verbally. He pushes others to pick it up & is always 1st to finish with exercises. His shot now has better arc & is the fastest kid on the floor.
Boum- is super quick with the ball & hits shots with a quick release. He is a good (not a natural) PG that brings up the court with good control, but is a SG when setting up.
Edwards- kid can flat out shoot & play defense. He also drives to the hoop with control. Reminds me of Gary Payton.
Stroud- the kid is a silent killer. He has an OK jumper and can drive well. Is working on ball control & defense. He's really fast & has major hops. I see production come conf play.
Hawkins- works hard & is a good defender. Jumper is OK. Not starting at this time, but he is a great back up. Looks like working on confidence especially with current talent.
Kennedy- very strong & athletic. For his size he is quick & likes to run. Didnt see much shooting or drives just cuz he is figuring out the play calling. He will be great next year.
Archie- exact skills & build as Kennedy. In practice he hits all assignments efficiantly. He good at defending. Didnt see much offense cuz CRT working with eligible kids right now.
Tarke- didnt practice but is a strong driver & can defend. He lost the ball a few times against TT, & saw little playing time.
Odigie- seemed lost at times in practice especially with D. I think it's more of a maturity issue & he should be fine.
Verhoeven- is athletic & has decent post moves. The lid practiced hard. Can see the talent & I cant wait until it comes out. Reminds me of a smoother Ced Lang that jumps.
Vila- 7 footer that moves like a wing. Because of his speed he is really good at defending, is a good reb'r, & has a nice jumper. Very smooth shot & will be a prob for defenders.
Ezeagu- is strong in the middle & has developed some post moves. Needs to work on footwork. I hope he redshirts cuz he would benefit on 1yr of maturing.
Williams- an all around bad ass. He is Caracter & Hunter all in one with a jump shot. Kid protects the paint well & has great post moves. We haven't seen a post player like him since the Haskins days.
We really have some talent this year. I think the only reason we are turning the ball over a lot is because the team is still getting used to each other. As soon as they figure out limitations, we should see that part cleaned up. Also, CRT said we were outrebounded v GCU by dbl digits. So if you cut the 20 turnovers & rebounds in half, UTEP dominates. He said we stayed in the game & won because of defense. I really loved hearing that.
I hope this helps.
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Great info! Thank you.
I wanted to talk about what I saw at practice in regards to talent & production. Let's start from the 1 to 5.
Lathon- he is a leader both by example & verbally. He pushes others to pick it up & is always 1st to finish with exercises. His shot now has better arc & is the fastest kid on the floor.
Boum- is super quick with the ball & hits shots with a quick release. He is a good (not a natural) PG that brings up the court with good control, but is a SG when setting up.
Edwards- kid can flat out shoot & play defense. He also drives to the hoop with control. Reminds me of Gary Payton.
Stroud- the kid is a silent killer. He has an OK jumper and can drive well. Is working on ball control & defense. He's really fast & has major hops. I see production come conf play.
Hawkins- works hard & is a good defender. Jumper is OK. Not starting at this time, but he is a great back up. Looks like working on confidence especially with current talent.
Kennedy- very strong & athletic. For his size he is quick & likes to run. Didnt see much shooting or drives just cuz he is figuring out the play calling. He will be great next year.
Archie- exact skills & build as Kennedy. In practice he hits all assignments efficiantly. He good at defending. Didnt see much offense cuz CRT working with eligible kids right now.
Tarke- didnt practice but is a strong driver & can defend. He lost the ball a few times against TT, & saw little playing time.
Odigie- seemed lost at times in practice especially with D. I think it's more of a maturity issue & he should be fine.
Verhoeven- is athletic & has decent post moves. The lid practiced hard. Can see the talent & I cant wait until it comes out. Reminds me of a smoother Ced Lang that jumps.
Vila- 7 footer that moves like a wing. Because of his speed he is really good at defending, is a good reb'r, & has a nice jumper. Very smooth shot & will be a prob for defenders.
Ezeagu- is strong in the middle & has developed some post moves. Needs to work on footwork. I hope he redshirts cuz he would benefit on 1yr of maturing.
Williams- an all around bad ass. He is Caracter & Hunter all in one with a jump shot. Kid protects the paint well & has great post moves. We haven't seen a post player like him since the Haskins days.
We really have some talent this year. I think the only reason we are turning the ball over a lot is because the team is still getting used to each other. As soon as they figure out limitations, we should see that part cleaned up. Also, CRT said we were outrebounded v GCU by dbl digits. So if you cut the 20 turnovers & rebounds in half, UTEP dominates. He said we stayed in the game & won because of defense. I really loved hearing that.
I hope this helps.
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You are the Man, Chanson! Like having a program!
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Great job, Chans. It seems that we don't have any drags on the team. I hope that they learn to play together very soon.
I can't wait for that first tournament that we're not given props on, can't remember the name.
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Diamond Classic in Hawaii. CRT said it was great for exposure because it's the only basketball on during Christmas around all the football games. Kaden Archie should be available for that.
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Thought Archie wasn't available til Jan 1? Or is he eligible as soon as fall semester ends?
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I believe when semester is over.
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Diamond Classic in Hawaii. CRT said it was great for exposure because it's the only basketball on during Christmas around all the football games. Kaden Archie should be available for that.
Do you think the games will be televised?
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Yes they will. I saw last Diamond Classic we were in. I had lunch @ Cabo Joe's & they had the game every time.
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From my understanding the games will be shown on ESPN2 and ESPNU, the championship on ESPN.
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It's time for basketball folks. Everyone has a broken heart because Miner football incompetence. Well, basketball usually gets us out of that funk. CRT made it OK last year because even though we had a bad year, we understood he was working with newbies & he worked his tail off to bring fantastic transfers. This is CRT's year to finally taste the fruit of his labors.
On Tuesday the boys will work on different line ups against NM Highland out of Las Vegas NM. It is a division II school that we have all seen before. With the quick offense CRT lokes to run, I see the Miners scoring quickly and playing tons of perimeter defense.
What to expect from CRT? While I dont see him putting 3-4 big men @ the same time, I see him working more on guard play and trying to pick up the confidence level in kids like Stroud, Hawkins, Verhoeven, & Tarke. We already know Boum, Edwards, Williams, & Lathon can ball. What will Odigie, Vila, & Hawkins do when they are given the opportunity to lead?I think we shall find out on Tuesday.
I've thought of this team & we really have fantastic Sr's playing that are classified as Jr's because of the break they took last year. (Williams, Tarke, & Vila).
Bring on the round ball. We really need it.
GO MINERS!!
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Ze'Rik Onyema 6'6" wing 2☆ player just signed for 2020 season. Other sights have video on the kid out of San Antonio. The only good video I have seen is him driving to the hoop with no opposition or against shorter players. I really dont see great movement, shooting, or ball skills. In Terry I trust, but this looks to be a roll player.
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I was waiting until someone else posted about this to see what they thought. I agree completely. Obviously he still has his senior year to play. And sometimes you get a Cedric Lang that just blooms in college, but as of today I sure hope Terry has more up his sleeve than this.
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Ze'Rik Onyema 6'6" wing 2☆ player just signed for 2020 season. Other sights have video on the kid out of San Antonio. The only good video I have seen is him driving to the hoop with no opposition or against shorter players. I really dont see great movement, shooting, or ball skills. In Terry I trust, but this looks to be a roll player.
I saw that video of him and even though he's only 6'6" he is a big guy ala Cedric Lang. He's still growing by what he tells us so I'd say let's redshirt him and let him practice and develop his skills. If anything he can act like the wall in front of the basket. He'll be alright you just watch. He is after all what we've been getting all these years as far as stars and many have proven to be good. I think he'll be alright after a year of redshirting.
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Yes. He'll be OK and can be a great roll player, but the 4☆ kids playing now (Lathon, Edwards) along with the 4☆ coming (McGriff, Kennedy, & Archie), he will not be a starter. I'm assuming he's OK with that and what's learn & not lead. Who knows, we may be wrong & hes the next Barnes.
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Do we have confirmation that McGriff has signed?
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No confirmation that McGriff signed. In other news, the last day of fall semester classes is Dec 5th, which means Archie will miss the game @NMSU on Dec 3rd. I'm guessing he good for 2 games in Don before we travel to Houston. Those should help get the rust out. Anyway, I really am not sure exactly when he is available, but he would be of use against Houston.
I did some research on UNM. In all of there games, they have scored nothing less than 90 points per game. The Eastern NM was 92-71. UTEP v ENM was 71-57. That means the Lobos jack up shots. Will our defense be able to guard this quick long team from the perimeter? What we do know is UNM is not very good on defense, no matter who they are playing. What they can do well is score & rebound. This will be our biggest test yet.
Update- I also saw that Dec 19 is when grades are posted. Does anyone know when exactly Archie can play?
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So I wanted to mention a few things about the team.
1st it is the beginning of the season & we are sloppy. Williams cant stay out of early foul, trouble, Edwards can't pass, Lathon doesnt get good until late, and Boum & Vila cant hit shots with a descent frequency.
There, got that off my chest & I know CRT is addressing that. 2nd, the team has not figured out how to gel. I know it takes time, but most scores are from assignments & individual play. These kids need to get it together if they want to make any noise come holiday tournament time.
We are playing a fluff team next week & then go to NMSU o. Dec 3rd? Anyway, they are going to want a win back & that game will be closer. I actually don't see us losing a game until late Dec. I think it will be to Houston. I hope by then we race to the hoop during the press & force them to foul.
Here is what I really like. CRT plays the right people at the right time, free throws are finally OK, we are deep, and we have 2-3 kids who want the ball to close. Floyd couldnt do any of that during his time here excluding his 1st year with Barbee's kids.
What I like more than what I mentioned was we have a kick ass defense. This is why Tech, GCU, & the NM teams couldn't play their game.
I think we all are happy with the individuals athleticism and abilities. It is the overall cohesion and ability to anticipate each others next move is what this team needs to work on. This team from OK as well as the other fluff teams are what is needed to work on that. Because our schedule is weak, UTEP will only get in if we go undefeated or win the CUSA tourney.
PS- Archie will slow the gelling process down a bit, because he has not played a game with these kids. As a matter of a fact I dont anticipate him doing well until conference play.
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Honestly I don’t think our schedule is that weak... we have potentially Houston twice, potentially Uc Irvine who won 31 games last year, Washington, nmsu twice , New Mexico which is a team that was getting top 25 votes.... not a great schedule but not half bad either!
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Watching Tech v Creighton & Kelvin Jones is playing for Creighton. How many schools did this kid go to. UTEP, Odessa JC, Iowa, & Creighton. Talk about whoring around. I totally get why he left UTEP (Floyd). Anyway, it looks like Tech is going down.