Here’s why UConn men’s basketball team may look different this upcoming season

[HuskyHawk]

Ugh, this "people living 20 years ago" comment is just not necessary. Andre Jackson will be a facilitator, he will not be the point guard. Otherwise, agree with everything you said.

I don't disagree, merely pointing out that increasingly teams don't have "point guards". They have a few facilitators and they have scorers (and the best players do both). The old point guard is just as dead as the old center. At the very least, a team no longer needs to have a traditional "point guard" on the floor.

 

[uconngb]

If AJ is our primary bill handler we will be in big trouble. He could very well avg a triple double, not in a good way.

 

[BlueMAB]

The primary ball handler will change depending on the opponent, the defense, and the matchups available. AJ will (and should) be the primary facilitator.

 

[Tenspro2002]

And he will never be. Unless he learns to shoot and be able to take it all the way to the hole. Doubtful

You're right that he needs to be able to create for himself and be willing to attack defenders off the dribble and finish layups, but there's no reason to believe that he won't learn.

 

[Tenspro2002]

If AJ is our primary bill handler we will be in big trouble. He could very well avg a triple double, not in a good way.

This would imply he's averaging a double-double in good stats, which would be tremendous improvement in scoring and either rebounding or assists.

 

[Inyatkin]

It will look different because there's about eight players gone from last year's team

 

[Son of Robert]

“Dre will be on the ball a lot,” Hurley promised. “He’ll be facilitating around an outstanding 5-man (Adama Sanogo) and three other guys who can shoot and score. It’s going to create driving lanes for him, and passing options.”

Let that debate continue.....

Here’s why UConn men may look different this season

Andre Jackson at point? Adama Sanogo shooting 3s? Dan Hurley's Huskies may have a very different look when this season gets underway.

www.nhregister.com

Alternate free link:
Here’s why UConn men’s basketball team may look different this upcoming season

@HooperScooper , thanks for keeping these coming! Very much appreciated.

 

[Chief00]

Newton- primary ball handler, PG, secondary scorer
Hawkins- go to scorer playmaker
Andre- secondary ball handler, facilitator/creator
Other starter- someone who can stretch the floor (my hope is SJ can win this here)
Sanogo- post presence

That’s kind of how I see the roles playing out for this season. Andre just needs to be able to finish scoring plays and everything is gravy. Because we have more than enough scoring options to where he will have easy scoring lanes and shots to get.

If SJ is starting that’s going to be a defense that is long as hell and athletic too btw.

I think we are both seeing Andre as an old school point forward. I am not convinced Danny sees him that way. It will be interesting how that plays out.

 

[Chief00]

You're right that he needs to be able to create for himself and be willing to attack defenders off the dribble and finish layups, but there's no reason to believe that he won't learn.

That’s easy to do in practice when guys are trying to earn playing time minutes being on the ball defenders. But, will he be able to do it when the opposing team plays off him? I think it all comes down to shooting and a tighter handle.

 

[auror]

If AJ is our primary bill handler we will be in big trouble. He could very well avg a triple double, not in a good way.

If you split the 21 Big East games into 7 game sections, his turnovers and assists...

First 8 - 15 TOs - 21 AST
Middle 7 - 18 TOs - 19 AST
Last 7 - 7 TOs - 28 AST. Last 7 had 5/7 games against postseason tournament teams.

 

[Chief00]

If you split the 21 Big East games into 7 game sections, his turnovers and assists...

First 8 - 15 TOs - 21 AST
Middle 7 - 18 TOs - 19 AST
Last 7 - 7 TOs - 28 AST. Last 7 had 5/7 games against postseason tournament teams.

That’s a fair point that he cut down turnovers and increased assists late last season. He badically cut his turnovers in half from a high level and went from 3 to 4 assists per game.

 

[JustbrewitMan]

If you split the 21 Big East games into 7 game sections, his turnovers and assists...

First 8 - 15 TOs - 21 AST
Middle 7 - 18 TOs - 19 AST
Last 7 - 7 TOs - 28 AST. Last 7 had 5/7 games against postseason tournament teams.

These #'s are obviously fabricated, as it's a well-known irrefutable fact (constantly spewed by the usual band of doofus chuckleheads here) that our players don't ever develop/improve throughout their time here at UConn.

 

[auror]

If Andre does play a lot of 4 for us, we'll expect his man to sag in the lane. He's going to have to hit the occasional wide open 3 like he did last year, but also Alleyne is an excellent shooter off screens, even better than Polley. Making them pay for dropping by having him set the screens for a pull-up or off-ball action will be important.

 

[uconngb]

This would imply he's averaging a double-double in good stats, which would be tremendous improvement in scoring and either rebounding or assists.

I do think he has the potential to put up big rebounding numbers. And think it’s possible he could/should avg double figures scoring. But no way I want him as our primary ball handler. His TOs would be astronomical.

 

[Billy Bob]

The primary ball handler will change depending on the opponent, the defense, and the matchups available. AJ will (and should) be the primary facilitator.

How many times have you seen him bring the ball up the court or do anything but stand at the top of the key and pass the ball? That is not a primary ball handler. If I were the opposition, I would back off him and dare him to shoot.

 

[HuskyHawk]

How many times have you seen him bring the ball up the court or do anything but stand at the top of the key and pass the ball? That is not a primary ball handler. If I were the opposition, I would back off him and dare him to shoot.

He brought the ball up the court quite regularly last year. So did Martin actually. The idea of a PG that dribbles through a press is simply not how a well coached team approaches it. You move the ball through the air against a press. Hell, we taught that to 6th grade girls. Andre is a superb press breaker because he's so good at long passes up the court and it's hard to trap him with his length and hops.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

If I were the opposition, I would back off him and dare him to shoot.

This is some master strategy right here. This is on par with the guy who said that Hurley needs to re-watch the games this summer to figure out how to improve.

 

[Chief00]

I do think he has the potential to put up big rebounding numbers. And think it’s possible he could/should avg double figures scoring. But no way I want him as our primary ball handler. His TOs would be astronomical.

Chief agrees, rebounding is perhaps his best natural skill.

 

[Chief00]

Confirms some of what I have believed all off season "Dre will be on the ball a lot". Jackson, on the offensive end, is a facilitator. People living 20 years ago can say he's not a point guard, and that's fine. He will have the ball up top and look to attack, create or distribute. That means he won't generally be a wing on the offensive end.

Love the Al Horford comparison for Sanogo. Becoming a switchable defender who can play in space. It's the same comparison I made in the Sanogo thread. Al didn't take 3s at Florida and became a good shooter and more mobile defender. Sanogo can do that. He has the work ethic.

I don't buy the notion of Clingan playing with Sanogo. The homer CT papers are unwilling to be realistic about Clingan's defensive limitations.

I definitely see Donovan struggling with Hurley’s high hedge defense, however I also see his passing, receiving and touch scoring to be pretty elite and a little amazing for a guy guy his age and size. But, definitely his sheer size makes an impression.

 

[UCPharma11]

Andre has a WAYYY better 3 point shot last season than Draymond. With that being said says still the limit for AJAX.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

I think we are both seeing Andre as an old school point forward. I am not convinced Danny sees him that way. It will be interesting how that plays out.

We’ll see how he decides to use him. I don’t think making him a PG is good for his career because he just won’t be able to do that at the next level. It’s best for him to be a playmaking scorer if he wants to succeed in the league. He has to get aggressive.

 

[mauconnfan]

He brought the ball up the court quite regularly last year. So did Martin actually. The idea of a PG that dribbles through a press is simply not how a well coached team approaches it. You move the ball through the air against a press. Hell, we taught that to 6th grade girls. Andre is a superb press breaker because he's so good at long passes up the court and it's hard to trap him with his length and hops.

He made a ton of bad decisions as well he really needs to tone down. Needs to slow it down on occasion and not always speed up the game. He’s proven he has great vision now he needs to prove he can make better decisions in order to have the ball in his hands more. I can see it though with maturity.

 

[BlueMAB]

How many times have you seen him bring the ball up the court or do anything but stand at the top of the key and pass the ball? That is not a primary ball handler. If I were the opposition, I would back off him and dare him to shoot.

I'm convinced you don't watch UConn men's basketball.

 

[LIuconn]

Will be nice to be 6’5” and up across the lineup and cause matchup problems

 

[TheChamps990411]

If AJ is our primary bill handler we will be in big trouble. He could very well avg a triple double, not in a good way.

i have to be honest i dont think this years team will be as good as last year and we all saw how that went. Im betting the "fire Hurley" talk will be in full swing by January.