Roster

[kyyote]

I am glad you said that because I also felt like Terry had them playing pretty good defense at times, too.  But it seemed more a matter of who had turned up the heat than team defense. I firmly believe that Williams got his move by practicing them like dance steps and that is the kind of defensive teaching and practice he needs to develop. His quickness of movement on offense is what stuns defenders. He needs to build his defensive foot speed to equal it.
I got the impression that Terry brought in talent and tried to get it to mesh. Golding brings in players and teaches them the efficiency and power of a finely tuned machine. Golding teaches that if you scored twenty but your man scored twenty one it isn?t the same as scoring fifteen but holding your man to six is cool.

[Chanson]

KY,
I'm with you, dude. I saw the TX v ACU twice & that defense was relentless. Everything was challenged. They made TX look average.

[Chanson]

It looks like 6'7" Luke Turner combo forward committed to Wofford U. The kid is from Cali & he's going to a school that is in the SC sticks with a population of 1700 students. How did we not win this guy? I'm thinking Golding may have something else up his sleeves. We really could have used him. I guess we need to be a little more patient.

[SisyphusMiner]

Yeah, coach may have his sights set a little higher.

[SisyphusMiner]

BTW, I would love to see Onyema as the trailer on a fast break, or a set play alley oop.  He is so athletic and strong to the hoop.

[kyyote]

One of the biggest complaints I had was the revolving door of players. I may be wrong again but I am hoping that it is a good sign that stability has become a strong impression I am getting already. I recall Coach Golding talking about this in his introduction and I love that he obviously wasn?t just blowing smoke up our ass. More important to me is that he has obviously made it clear to his players. He is building a team-not assembling talent. Cohesiveness was probably the missing key to success for last year?s team. Agnew and Kennedy played with hair on fire energy but it was just the going off on their own. Just watch what happens to them when they are doing it for the team they love!  He has already pulled his team together. A team that might have scattered like roaches when the light switch comes on but instead it is gelling. I already think the team has been upgraded without changing the players. If Williams realizes what his teammates have already realized I think this team could destroy cusa teams. I will stop but I will say that the more Williams witnesses what Golding is doing the more I think he will want to stay but in a completely different role that Terry used him for. I think Williams knows it. I think Coach Golding has made it clear that Williams could be part of much better and better himself too. Oh, and by the way El Paso has a way of winning people?s hearts.

[Chanson]

Not to mention, he can be a legend in El Paso, while wherever else he goes, they won't bat an eye after that year. He'll get the same NBA attention if he kills it here.
However, I must digress. If winning an NCAA championship is on his mind, he needs to go to a basketball power school. I will be shocked & impressed with Golding if he stays.

[SisyphusMiner]

If BW buys in 100% and puts out full effort every night like against Kansas and AZ St, I would love to have him back.  Otherwise, I'd just as soon move on.

Last year's team with CRT was as good as any team in conference when BW was playing well.  If he came back and played all-out I like us to challenge for conference title.   As things stand with no BW, no Sjolund, and no backup PG, I will be happy with upper half of conference and just looking like we know what the hell we are trying to do.  I may update this when/if additional pieces fall in place.

But as it stands, we have returning one PG, one SG, two SF that haven't proven they can shoot from the outside, and a starting center that doesn't score much.  All are pretty decent defensively.  Plus some unproven backups / transfers.  I like Onyema's potential, and I think Bonke shows potential but right now we just don't have much proven scoring talent or proven reliable backups.

[kyyote]

Starting lineup;

Verhoeven f 6? 9?
Maring f 6? 10?
Boum g
Kennedy g
Bienemy g

With lots of players getting lots of playing time because the defense pressure will need to be kept fresh. Agnew coming off the bench to set the tone for some of the young guns who will be getting their chance will be amazing. If Williams stays insert him for Kennedy.

[SisyphusMiner]

Saterfield signs.  This looks like a good piece of the puzzle

[Chanson]

Very nice. The Las Cruces kid can shoot & drive. All we need are 2 more back ups. A big man & a ball handler.
1- Bieniemy
2- Boum
3- Kennedy
4- Maring
5- Verhoeven
If Williams pulls a miracle & stays, insert him for Maring.
We have a pretty good team. Think about it. 4 starters are coming back & they have multiple years of eligibility.
If Golding gets his kids bought in, we can be in top 4 of conference. I also would love to see another close one against Kansas.

[Chanson]

Read 'em and weep, fellas. Not bad statistics. I'd like to see better free throws, but look at scoring & 3's.

[kyyote]

Am I the only one that wonders why we haven?t heard anything about Bryson Williams?  We haven?t heard of him choosing to transfer to one of the big programs. You would have thought that he and they would like to get that done. And yet here he is practicing with his team. Is he actually having trouble picking the team to transfer to?  Waiting to see who is where first?  Or is it that he is liking what he sees. If there was such a thing as investigative journalism we might get clues and that would be like local sports news.

[Minermojo]

When you retired from reporting UTEP sports everything went to hell in a handbasket, Ky. Firstly, the local media sucks as far as reporting UTEP sports and if they do say something it's usually a one minute segment. Secondly, UTEP does a piss poor job of it too. I guess they don't want anyone to care about UTEP sports.

[Chanson]

It is a great story for sport journalism, but try not to dwell on it with orange goggles. I am looking at the solid components and what we can potentially do with it. Williams is playing the system.