UConn Practice Today

[UConnCountry]

Kahari Beaufort was invited to watch practice today and he wanted me to go along with him so I got to go watch for a few hours.

Few Notes:
Samuel is a GREAT defender still needs work in other facets of game Also wrist seems to be hurting him
No Shabazz, Tyler, or Omar (obviously)
Niels showing improvement, jump shot is near automatic
Facey, and Brimah both looks solid down low
Purvis was not as good as when I last saw him (was not a lack of effort) (he's taking year off seriously)
coaching staff is very optimistic and energetic

 

[Peacefrog]

Thanks for the update. Why would Calhoun not be practicing? I thought he was fully cleared.

Just curious, why would Beaufort be invited to practice? He's not really being recruited is he?

 

[upstater]

Hmmmm Samuel, Purvis and potentially Cassell on D. I feel sorry for future opposing point guards (not really).

 

[caw]

Thanks for the update. Why would Calhoun not be practicing? I thought he was fully cleared.

Just curious, why would Beaufort be invited to practice? He's not really being recruited is he?

He is close friends with the Ollie's son.

 

[mauconnfan]

Kahari Beaufort was invited to watch practice today and he wanted me to go along with him so I got to go watch for a few hours.

Few Notes:
Samuel is a GREAT defender still needs work in other facets of game Also wrist seems to be hurting him
No Shabazz, Tyler, or Omar (obviously)
Niels showing improvement, jump shot is near automatic
Facey, and Brimah both looks solid down low
Purvis was not as good as when I last saw him (was not a lack of effort) (he's taking year off seriously)
coaching staff is very optimistic and energetic

Thanks UC Country!

 

[Dogbreath2U]

Kahari Beaufort was invited to watch practice today and he wanted me to go along with him so I got to go watch for a few hours.

Few Notes:
Samuel is a GREAT defender still needs work in other facets of game Also wrist seems to be hurting him
No Shabazz, Tyler, or Omar (obviously)
Niels showing improvement, jump shot is near automatic
Facey, and Brimah both looks solid down low
Purvis was not as good as when I last saw him (was not a lack of effort) (he's taking year off seriously)
coaching staff is very optimistic and energetic

How did Rodney look defending? Anything about Nolan?

 

[UConnCountry]

How did Rodney look defending? Anything about Nolan?

phil looked alright...bounce is through the roof.

rodney was getting into it on D, played well!

 

[mauconnfan]

When you say solid down low for Brimah let me ask.....good footwork? rebounding? hands? ......anything stand out that may be better than you expected?

Thanks

 

[Chin Diesel]

phil looked alright...bounce is through the roof.

rodney was getting into it on D, played well!

If Phil can be Rod Sellers good, this team is dangerous. Run the floor, hustle, rebound and crash the glass. Be active on the offensive glass and make the defense account for him on every shot.

 

[OkaForPrez]

If T-Sam really is a D1 lockdown defender from go, holy hook we gotta bring back the press. 4 Guards to rotate at the top with T-Sam, Kromah, Boat and Bazz. 5 guys in the middle of the 2-2-1 with Omar, Giff, Tyler, Deandre and Facey (god willing). Brimah and Phil sharing time in center field. I really feel like we could bring back some old schools press and mask our size/rebounding deficiencies in the process.

 

[champs99and04]

Reading about Samuel's defense, I'm wondering if he can make an '11 Bazz type impact on next years team in terms of his ability to hassle the ever-living * out of opposing guards. Really looking forward to watching him play.

Also, when people say press, it doesn't necessarily mean it has to be a gimmicky, trap-oriented type design. Many times, Louisville would simply play a man press and have Smith and Siva hound the opposing teams primary ball-handler full-court for 40 minutes. We did not have that luxury last year - despite arguably having the personnel with two quick guards - because we were so thin in the back court. This season, if we can limit Shabazz and Boatright to 30-32 minutes a night, it's something I definitely think we should consider employing. One guy OK4 forgot to mention in his post is Kromah. That kid is built for the press. Facey, Brimah, and Nolan - while maybe not particularly polished offensively - are big men capable of making up ground in a short period of time and recovering back to the ball.

It doesn't have to be our identity, ala VCU, or even Louisville to a lesser extent, but our roster composition is very much conducive to pressing effectively. If we throw bodies at opposing guards for 40 minutes, they're going to be hunched at the waist come crunch-time while our guards will be making plays. Louisville dominated teams in the second half last year because of the work they put in in the first half. If practices are as intense as we're led to believe, there is no reason not to take two of your biggest assets (depth and conditioning) and turn them into wins.

 

[James]

Reading about Samuel's defense, I'm wondering if he can make an '11 Bazz type impact on next years team in terms of his ability to hassle the ever-living out of opposing guards. Really looking forward to watching him play.

Too bad he can't shoot. Our spacing would be abhorrent with him on the floor late in games. Beverly is a more apt comp.

 

[joober jones]

Anything on Tolksdorf?

 

[UConnCountry]

I don't want for people to get to high on Samuel, but I do think overall people are underestimating him a little bit...he will improve over time

 

[joober jones]

Too bad he can't shoot. Our spacing would be abhorrent with him on the floor late in games. Beverly is a more apt comp.

Beverly was actually a pretty decent shooter, just didn't take many shots. His career 3-pt percentage was 45.1 and his overall FG% was 40.4%, not horrible for a guard.

 

[UConnCountry]

Anything on Tolksdorf?

mid range game looked solid

needs to improve defense quickness, was slowest in a lot of running agility (change of direction drills)

 

[OkaForPrez]

I mentioned Kromah

 

[champs99and04]

I mentioned Kromah

Well you should have mentioned him twice.

 

[Goat]

No Shabazz, Tyler and Omar. Why?

 

[Gurleyman]

Too bad he can't shoot. Our spacing would be abhorrent with him on the floor late in games. Beverly is a more apt comp.

As long as you have shooters around him, no problem. You can get away with one suspect shooter from among your three perimeter players easy enough (Ricky, Taliek, Austrie/Kemba in 2009, Ollie when he played). They just have to bring something else to the table - passing, defense, leadership, tenacity, etc.

 

[selles]

No Shabazz, Tyler and Omar. Why?

Yeah, I second this - apologize if I'm missing something that's been reported, but why?

 

[aceboon]

I don't want for people to get to high on Samuel, but I do think overall people are underestimating him a little bit...he will improve over time

Was the vision and passing ability on display?

 

[Dove]

Any chance Ray Kasongo was on the outside looking in?

Damn, I am a bad person.

 

[CL82]

Reading about Samuel's defense, I'm wondering if he can make an '11 Bazz type impact on next years team in terms of his ability to hassle the ever-living out of opposing guards. Really looking forward to watching him play.

So you are saying he could be another reach around bandit? Interesting. You might not want to say it to his face.

 

[SeattleHoop]

Yeah, I second this - apologize if I'm missing something that's been reported, but why?

Olander= off the court issues so ollie probably not letting him practice yet
Calhoun= hip surgery probably resting still
Napier= I don't know, maybe foot/ankle?