End of the year analysis: Player by Player

**becrisgreg** · 03-12-2009, 12:32 PM

Originally Posted by Clone5

Who played worse compared to expectations? In my opinion Eik was the biggest disappointment of the year .

First initial D
Last initial G

**isucyfan** · 03-12-2009, 12:33 PM

Originally Posted by Ficklone02

Although Homan was a much better athlete than JH is.

I'm not completely disagreeing with you, but Ham has spectacularly athletic genes, and we just don't know what he's capable of yet.

**Clone5** · 03-12-2009, 12:36 PM

Originally Posted by becrisgreg

First initial D
Last initial G

Diante did struggle a lot this year but to be honest I expected him to. He'll be better next year when he doesn't have to carry the entire ball handling load.

**Ficklone02** · 03-12-2009, 12:36 PM

Something I want to see next year....is all of our guards to develop some ball-handling skills. (ahem, Booze/Lucca) We cannot ever put our point guards in a position ever again like we did this year. One guy on the court at a time that is able to handle the ball is unacceptable, will not cut it. If these guys can do that, our rotation will be a lot more interchangable.

I feel like DG got the shaft from some fans in lack of support due to the fact that we asked him to handle the ball all the time every possession, since none of our other guards were good enough ballhandlers. Many thanks to DG for sticking with it.

**BryceC** · 03-12-2009, 12:36 PM

Originally Posted by isucyfan

I'm not completely disagreeing with you, but Ham has spectacularly athletic genes, and we just don't know what he's capable of yet.

I don't think Homan is any better of an athlete than Hamilton.

**Ficklone02** · 03-12-2009, 12:38 PM

Originally Posted by Clone5

Diante did struggle a lot this year but to be honest I expected him to. He'll be better next year when he doesn't have to carry the entire ball handling load.

Exactly, it is really not fair to judge him based on the fact that we asked him to almost completely take care of ball-hadnling responsibilities. What other team does that? I've never, ever seen a team do that to a player.

**Clone5** · 03-12-2009, 12:41 PM

Originally Posted by Ficklone02

Exactly, it is really not fair to judge him based on the fact that we asked him to almost completely take care of ball-hadnling responsibilities. What other team does that? I've never, ever seen a team do that to a player.

Our offense makes it hard for a point guard also. All the standing around puts a lot of pressure on a point guard to make plays, something Diante really doesn't do too well.

**kingcy** · 03-12-2009, 12:46 PM

Originally Posted by Clone5

Dominique Buckley- Kind of an awkward freshman year. I had pretty high expectations after watching him at Cap City (I know I'm an idiot) but he really struggled. I realize he's decent at going to the basket but he has to cut down on his turnovers. I think we'll see a big jump from Buckley next year.
.

He had the natural abality he just needs to grasp the game at this level and the speed. He got some much better from day 1 of Big 12 play to last night. He can make huge strides before next year. I dont know if anyone else noticed but when he and DG are in the game Buck is the one playing point. I really think Buck has more upside than DG at this point. DG is a nice player but I feel he maybe as good as he can get.

Someone was saying in another thread that this was Mac worse freshman class. I dont agree. We saw the raw talent of Ham and DG. Give them a few years to develop and they will be good players. Add in Elk who will be abit of a project but he can become a good players as well, if he stays healthy. Plus we have not idea what LAP can do. I guess the odd man out at this point is Mann. This freshan class has a lot of upside, IMO. Add in a few good sophmores and a good class coming in and brighter days maybe on their way. Now we just have to wait and see who leaves the program.

**mwitt** · 03-12-2009, 12:55 PM

Originally Posted by BigBake

Remove the first sentence of the Eik summary and I'm okay with it.

Are you okay with Mann's summary? He is considered a bust by almost everyone on this board.

**cyclonenum1** · 03-12-2009, 12:56 PM

Originally Posted by jahfg

I don't think Eik was a bust unless you were judging after a few games.

The expectations on this board were held in check for the most part. There were a few that thought he could average 8-10 points, but for the most part, I think we expected him to give us a spark off the bench. He didn't do that, but some people act like this board thought he would come in and start. That just isn't true.

Like Lucca, he only slightly played below what I would say were the majority's expectations (at least on this board). Maybe more than slightly, but it is hard to be a bust when I think the expectations were pretty low to begin with for his freshman season.

Please excuse this poorly written post.

This post is an attempt to try and revise history. Both Wes and Lucca were built up on this site last year far more than either of them deserved to be. It is a shame (especially for these two kids) that this happened last year...but it seems to happen every year...including this year again.

**Clone5** · 03-12-2009, 12:57 PM

Originally Posted by kingcy

He had the natural abality he just needs to grasp the game at this level and the speed. He got some much better from day 1 of Big 12 play to last night. He can make huge strides before next year. I dont know if anyone else noticed but when he and DG are in the game Buck is the one playing point. I really think Buck has more upside than DG at this point. DG is a nice player but I feel he maybe as good as he can get.

Someone was saying in another thread that this was Mac worse freshman class. I dont agree. We saw the raw talent of Ham and DG. Give them a few years to develop and they will be good players. Add in Elk who will be abit of a project but he can become a good players as well, if he stays healthy. Plus we have not idea what LAP can do. I guess the odd man out at this point is Mann. This freshan class has a lot of upside, IMO. Add in a few good sophmores and a good class coming in and brighter days maybe on their way. Now we just have to wait and see who leaves the program.

Look at McDermott's classes so far and you will realize it's his worst class. I'm not saying the guys won't develop but as of right now none of the 5 players we signed will be impact guys. We can count on them to be solid roleplayers but we really needed at least one to be a big time player for us.

**Ficklone02** · 03-12-2009, 01:04 PM

Originally Posted by cyclonenum1

This post is an attempt to try and revise history. Both Wes and Lucca were built up on this site last year far more than either of them deserved to be. It is a shame (especially for these two kids) that this happened last year...but it seems to happen every year...including this year again.

Seems like a cycle on this board.....new recruits sign, and everybody has huge expectations for them.....the next year they don't perform up to their mythical billing....and then everybody lowers their expectations for the coaches based on what they actually see.......then the next signing day everybody congratulates the coaches on the next batch of recruits that will save the program....Have I left anything out here?

**abcguyks** · 03-12-2009, 01:04 PM

Originally Posted by Clone5

Look at McDermott's classes so far and you will realize it's his worst class. I'm not saying the guys won't develop but as of right now none of the 5 players we signed will be impact guys. We can count on them to be solid roleplayers but we really needed at least one to be a big time player for us.

So am I to understand that you would have considerd Jared Homan as a washout destined to be nothing more than a solid role player after his freshman year?

I agree that none of these guys in the last class lit the Big 12 on fire, but I'd rather see them have the benefit of having the off-season to work on their weaknesses that were exposed during the season before I pass judgment on any of them.

**no2cyclones** · 03-12-2009, 01:05 PM

Originally Posted by BigBake

In the context of our season...average for a mid level talent wise Freshmen.

I saw a few glimpses of things I like but they were few and far between due to injury/illness. I think the Big 12 hit him like a brick wall and he'll either overcome or fade out and we won't see him again. Personally I think he has a good chance at getting over it and becoming a decent role player for us.

My idea of a "bust" is that larger than life center Morgan brought in that never ever saw the court. I'll be darned if I can remember his name but he was compareable in size to Tractor Traylor for Michigan.

Aaron Agnew

That being said....chill the heck out, man. For real.