Next Years Talent

[maineuconnfan]

I see a lot of people making comments about how we do not get big recruits and how our talent level has dropped, which is definitely a farce. Below is a list of our players this up coming year and their corresponding ranking in Rivals. not too bad

Boatright - 42
Daniels - 10
Calhoun -39
Nolan -119
Purvis - 12
Facey - 66
Samuel - 118
Cassel 146
Hamilton - 18

Then of course Brimah and Lubin are solid 3 star players.

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

I see a lot of people making comments about how we do not get big recruits and how our talent level has dropped, which is definitely a farce. Below is a list of our players this up coming year and their corresponding ranking in Rivals. not too bad

Boatright - 42
Daniels - 10
Calhoun -39
Nolan -119
Purvis - 12
Facey - 66
Samuel - 118
Cassel 146
Hamilton - 18

Then of course Brimah and Lubin are solid 3 star players.

With the growth and maturation of Brimah that roster is worthy of title contention. IF team chemistry clicks and Boat can lead look out...

Depends on the Daniels decision.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

We are going to have the deepest team in the country next year if Daniels comes back and steps up as #1 option. Probably the deepest team UConn has ever had. If Amida really develops some offensive game this team could really be scary good.

 

[NotADimeBack]

We are going to have the deepest team in the country next year if Daniels comes back and steps up as #1 option. Probably the deepest team UConn has ever had. If Amida really develops some offensive game this team could really be scary good.

UCONN 03-04, 05-06, & 08-09 teams say hello
14-15' could be top 5 all time deepest at the least if everyone is aboard imo

 

[tzznandrew]

UCONN 03-04, 05-06, & 08-09 teams say hello
14-15' could be top 5 all time deepest at the least if everyone is aboard imo

Our 1993-94 team brought Ray Allen off the bench.

That team:

Kevin Ollie
Doron Sheffer (1000 pt scorer)
Donny Marshall (1000 pt scorer)
Donyell Marshall (1st team AA)
Travis Knight (NBA player)
Eric Haywood
Ray Allen (second leading scorer--soon to be 1st team AA)
Brian Fair (1000 pt scorer)
Rudy Johnson
Kirk King

 

[dogpause]

One could argue the rank of our incoming talent, but a 3rd or 4th year player has knowledge and experience that generally trumps the potential of raw talent. IMO, we won the championship because of this knowledge and experience, something the pundits failed to credit when making their predictions.

 

[Sibeerian]

Our 1993-94 team brought Ray Allen off the bench.

That team:

Kevin Ollie
Doron Sheffer (1000 pt scorer)
Donny Marshall (1000 pt scorer)
Donyell Marshall (1st team AA)
Travis Knight (NBA player)
Eric Haywood
Ray Allen (second leading scorer--soon to be 1st team AA)
Brian Fair (1000 pt scorer)
Rudy Johnson
Kirk King

Sick talent. If you're too young to have been watching in the early 90s, you don't know how frustrating it was that we could not break through to the final four. We would be dominant, top five ranking, crush the regular season, and then struggle weirdly in the tournament. A guy like Doron Sheffer (speaking of glue guys) who was essential would struggle with injuries. We'd end up in a hostile arena. Or a guy who was clutch all year would miss two ****ing free throws at the end of regulation. Our reputation then was similar to Pitt in recent years: could not break through. You started to think the final four would never happen. And then came Rip and company... Life is good now folks.

 

[tzznandrew]

Sick talent. If you're too young to have been watching in the early 90s, you don't know how frustrating it was that we could not break through to the final four. We would be dominant, top five ranking, crush the regular season, and then struggle weirdly in the tournament. A guy like Doron Sheffer (speaking of glue guys) who was essential would struggle with injuries. We'd end up in a hostile arena. Or a guy who was clutch all year would miss two *ing free throws at the end of regulation. Our reputation then was similar to Pitt in recent years: could not break through. You started to think the final four would never happen. And then came Rip and company... Life is good now folks.

To be fair, Pitt has been to one Elite Eight. UConn had gone in 1990, 1995, and 1998 before they broke through, and made runs, like in 1991 to the Sweet 16 as an 11 seed, when we had no right being there. I can't remember Pitt going further than it should have.

That said, your general point is right on.

The 1994 team would destroy every team in the field for the last few years, probably back to the 2009 UNC team. And they'd probably beat them to.

 

[intlzncster]

With the growth and maturation of Brimah that roster is worthy of title contention. IF team chemistry clicks and Boat can lead look out...

Depends on the Daniels decision.

Boatright is the most important decision right now. If he doesn't come back, we'll struggle for a time (who knows how long). That leadership/PG skill would be missed. Kid is going to be key next year one way or the other.

 

[Gurleyman]

Our 1993-94 team brought Ray Allen off the bench.

That team:

Kevin Ollie
Doron Sheffer (1000 pt scorer)
Donny Marshall (1000 pt scorer)
Donyell Marshall (1st team AA)
Travis Knight (NBA player)
Eric Haywood
Ray Allen (second leading scorer--soon to be 1st team AA)
Brian Fair (1000 pt scorer)
Rudy Johnson
Kirk King

When you think about it, the bench on that team (Allen, Knight, King, Johnson) joined Sheffer in the starting lineup two years later and went 34-3. That's a pretty good bench.

Just lacked big game experience (one year removed from Jackson State loss in NIT), which probably hurt a bit in March. Florida started 4 seniors.

 

[Mots010]

Who was on that Florida team in 1994? I know we'd like to think that 1994 Uconn team would destroy anyone these days, but did UF have guys that went onto the NBA? I did a quick search, but none of the names ring a bell. It sounds like Uconn was immensely talented, but fell to a senior laden team who was tough and experienced. Sounds familiar!

Just wanted to play devils advocate.

 

[Deadrody]

Who was on that Florida team in 1994? I know we'd like to think that 1994 Uconn team would destroy anyone these days, but did UF have guys that went onto the NBA? I did a quick search, but none of the names ring a bell. It sounds like Uconn was immensely talented, but fell to a senior laden team who was tough and experienced. Sounds familiar!

Just wanted to play devils advocate.

Andrew DeClercq was the only guy on that team, that I know of, to play in the NBA. He was a reserve for 10 years. At his peak he averaged 10 pts and 6 reb in 25 minutes per game with Cleveland.

To be fair, in 1994, despite all the talent on paper, Allen, Sheffer, and Ollie were all freshmen. In researching the All-Husky team thread, Sheffer was the best player in that game for UConn, hands down. Donyell came up 9 points shy of his average for the season and Ray had just 2 points, which was 10 pts below his average.

 

[60'sfan]

Just my opinion but our winning the NC this year had very little to do with our scoring and everything to do with our defense. Almost every team we played had better offensive players but nobody could lock people down like we did. In fact everyone of our NC teams played great defense. Just take a look at Kevin Ollie and his coaches. Everyone of them were great defensive players.

 

[intlzncster]

Just my opinion but our winning the NC this year had very little to do with our scoring and everything to do with our defense. Almost every team we played had better offensive players but nobody could lock people down like we did. In fact everyone of our NC teams played great defense. Just take a look at Kevin Ollie and his coaches. Everyone of them were great defensive players.

Wel also had senior leadership and a kiss with balls the size of Texas who could make huge shots when we needed them.

 

[hungry husky]

UCONN 03-04, 05-06, & 08-09 teams say hello
14-15' could be top 5 all time deepest at the least if everyone is aboard imo

Agreed, and four of our guys are pretty much unproven commodities in UConn uniforms. To above poster, please refrain from calling our team the greatest, deepest, or whatever until some games have been played. A lot of people were saying similar things after the 2011 ship.

 

[dogfan96]

Just my opinion but our winning the NC this year had very little to do with our scoring and everything to do with our defense. Almost every team we played had better offensive players but nobody could lock people down like we did. In fact everyone of our NC teams played great defense. Just take a look at Kevin Ollie and his coaches. Everyone of them were great defensive players.

True.. but you still have to be able to put the ball in the basket.. ask Florida, Cincy, Syracuse, etc... Daniels' improved (and consistent) play on the offensive end was a HUGE factor in cutting down the nets.. Boat too. And Bazz just did Bazz stuff (OT against St. Joe's, 2nd halves against Nova and Mich St)

 

[Bonesbrigade]

Sick talent. If you're too young to have been watching in the early 90s, you don't know how frustrating it was that we could not break through to the final four. We would be dominant, top five ranking, crush the regular season, and then struggle weirdly in the tournament. A guy like Doron Sheffer (speaking of glue guys) who was essential would struggle with injuries. We'd end up in a hostile arena. Or a guy who was clutch all year would miss two *ing free throws at the end of regulation. Our reputation then was similar to Pitt in recent years: could not break through. You started to think the final four would never happen. And then came Rip and company... Life is good now folks.

I hear ya...that's why these last two titles have been so special in my opinion. Maybe not the best team overall talent wise but when the tourney came thy turned it on and stepped up big time! That's what a PROGRAM does. And that is what we is....life is good.

 

[NotADimeBack]

To be fair, Pitt has been to one Elite Eight. UConn had gone in 1990, 1995, and 1998 before they broke through, and made runs, like in 1991 to the Sweet 16 as an 11 seed, when we had no right being there. I can't remember Pitt going further than it should have.

That said, your general point is right on.

The 1994 team would destroy every team in the field for the last few years, probably back to the 2009 UNC team. And they'd probably beat them to.

Deep.

 

[tzznandrew]

When you think about it, the bench on that team (Allen, Knight, King, Johnson) joined Sheffer in the starting lineup two years later and went 34-3. That's a pretty good bench.

Just lacked big game experience (one year removed from Jackson State loss in NIT), which probably hurt a bit in March. Florida started 4 seniors.

My dad used to always talk about an injury to Donny Marshall or something, but I just can't find it. Perhaps he was rationalizing that loss away. Wouldn't be the first time...

 

[nelsonmuntz]

My dad used to always talk about an injury to Donny Marshall or something, but I just can't find it. Perhaps he was rationalizing that loss away. Wouldn't be the first time...

Calhoun wouldn't play Fair against Florida no matter how desperate we were for scoring in that game until Fair finally came on with a few seconds left when it was much too late. I think that was one of Calhoun's worst coaching moves in his career. Fair wouldn't play defense, but defense wasn't the problem in that game. We needed scoring.

 

[Sibeerian]

To be fair, Pitt has been to one Elite Eight. UConn had gone in 1990, 1995, and 1998 before they broke through, and made runs, like in 1991 to the Sweet 16 as an 11 seed, when we had no right being there. I can't remember Pitt going further than it should have.

That said, your general point is right on.

The 1994 team would destroy every team in the field for the last few years, probably back to the 2009 UNC team. And they'd probably beat them to.

You are right. Pitt was the closest analogy I could come up with. I can't really think of any other team that got so close to the final four and fell short that many times without breaking through. Losing in the final eight is absolutely brutal.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

We are going to have a very good team next year. I expect a preseason rank around 20, but the potential to crack the Top 10 if Brimah makes the jump I expect, Purvis is as advertised, Hamilton is an immediate contributor, and Facey or Nolan develop enough to play significant minutes at the 4.

 

[tzznandrew]

You are right. Pitt was the closest analogy I could come up with. I can't really think of any other team that got so close to the final four and fell short that many times without breaking through. Losing in the final eight is absolutely brutal.

pre-1999, UConn was 0-4 in the E8. Starting in 1999, the team is 5-2, and has won 3 in a row.

Quite the turnaround.

 

[tzznandrew]

We are going to have a very good team next year. I expect a preseason rank around 20, but the potential to crack the Top 10 if Brimah makes the jump I expect, Purvis is as advertised, Hamilton is an immediate contributor, and Facey or Nolan develop enough to play significant minutes at the 4.

If Daniels stays, the team will be very good pretty quickly. If he goes, though, they can still be very good. I think Boatright is the key. If he's there, I think this team will be dynamite by the NCAAs.

If he's not, I think they're be some growing pains.

PG is hard to learn: people pointing to TSam forget that he didn't get many minutes until later in the year, and, even with those minutes, it's sometimes really hard to learn. Shabazz wasn't terribly good his sophomore year; neither was Kemba his sophomore year. Boatright sticking around would allow Purvis, TSam, and Cassell to further develop their ball-handling, play-making ability with a little less stress; him taking off would force them into a crucible.

 

[PacificStorm]

Does anyone know if Boat is attending the CP3 PG camp this summer? Kemba and Bazz had monstrous years following the camp they both attended. Is it by invitation only?