I was pleasantly surprised to see what this team can do. The usual suspects were impressive and then a few kids looked to step up.
I have to admit that I didn't catch the 1st half of the game, but watching these kids push through being tired was great to watch.
I'll start from the Center on down.
Willms- He didn't play much, but I heard he was super dominant in the 1st half. He looked like he was working on defense more. His size is much improved. I'm thinking we will see a much better version of last year. I anticipate he will be the best center in the conference.
Smith- The kid is big, strong, and out of shape. But, he got much better as the evening went on. He had some monster jams and got them with a surprising quick step. I liked what I saw and he will need to keep working hard since he will be seeing tons of playing time with Jones gone.
Thomas- The kid was a stud. He is much quicker and drove a lot more. He will shock bigger defenders with his speed. I bet he wins best player in CUSA.
Rhyanes- The kid looked to work hard, but didn't look D1 ready. His long body will be needed much to cover for Willms and Smith. I hope the kid picks it up sooner than later.
Flaggert- It looked like he concentrated more on defense than anything else, but he hit a key 3 to win the game for the orange. I think he was used more to get others involved than anything else. He will be fine.
Wade- This kid is something else. He is fantastic. He has a knack for scoring and his defense has been much improved. This kid will get tons of paying time for scoring and defense on bigger kids.
Frazier- I didn't see the kid do much in the 2nd half, but was told he was fantastic the 1st half. The kid isn't quick, but he is calculated and can flat out shoot and pass like a boss. He also has ball skills. He will help a lot.
Osborne- I like this kid a lot. He hustles, has tons of energy, likes to drive and is a shooter. He missed a couple of simple shots, but that should improve after 5 games. The kid can also defend.
Omega- He didn't do much in the 2nd half, but could have driven to the hoop anytime he wanted. I think he was supposed to get others involved more like Flaggert. I still think this is the best player on the team.
Highler- I also like this kids game. He is not a starter, but plays safe and has ball skills. I'd like to see him shoot more. He
Touchet- He looked the same as last year. He still can't find his shot. He played more PG and I think that is right for him, especially since he can't find his shot.
Magee- The kid is getting better and better. He moves well and is constantly looking for his other players. He doesn't look dominant, but he looks like a good back up.
Gilyard- This kid looks fantastic. He is not afraid to drive and sees the floor quicker and better than any PG on the floor. I still question his defense, but he did have a few steals that looked impressive.
Stephens- I hope I spelled the kids name right, but this was another pleasant surprise. The kid had balls skills, hops, and moved well. I didn't see the kid shoot, but I heard he had a great dunk in the 1st half.
I am not sure how the defense will look against other teams, but I sure hope our perimeter defense has advanced.
Willms, Thomas, Omega, Frazier, & Wade look absolutely fantastic. Osborne, Smith, & Gilyard were pleasant surprises and should contribute right away.
The let downs so far were Touchet & Flaggert. I didn't see improvement with these guys, but I hope they come through.
I'm on the fence with Highler and Magee.
This is our team and I like what I see. I still haven't gotten over Jones leaving, but I'll be OK after a few good games.
I'm hoping someone else will chime in on what they saw.
