Nader

[Thompsonclone]

Players make their biggest jump after their sophomore season in my opinion. Look at Naz. He went from averaging 1ppg to 7ppg to 13. Thomas is the whipping boy it seems like. Is it because he was ranked high? That isn't fair to Thomas. I think he'll slowly improve every year and by his senior year he'll be averaging 10+. Maybe it is just me but I still expect it to go in every time he shoots. Some people don't understand he wasn't a spot up shooter in HS. He caught it and attacked the rim and did a lot of pull up jumpers. He's still trying to adjust to being a spot up shooter.

 

[Frak]

You said in another thread that Naz and Monte are poor perimeter defenders and now you say you thought Matt was one of our best perimeter defenders at the end of last year? What games are you watching?

I don't know, the actual games? Thomas WAS playing pretty good defense at the end of last season. I would say better than Morris or Long. Morris was good at chasing around shooters like Forte, but not so much at stopping penetration.

This year? I'd say that Thomas took a step back, Morris took a step forward and Naz maybe took a half step forward. But I don't think that ISU has anyone who is a real perimeter stopper, someone like Babb. I mean, who is ISU's best perimeter defender? Morris? BDJ? Offensively, ISU has a ton of talent. Defensively, most of the guys are average to poor outside of McKay. That's OK, ISU is an offensive team and you're going to have to sacrifice something.

 

[Rural]

I don't know, the actual games? Thomas WAS playing pretty good defense at the end of last season. I would say better than Morris or Long. Morris was good at chasing around shooters like Forte, but not so much at stopping penetration.

This year? I'd say that Thomas took a step back, Morris took a step forward and Naz maybe took a half step forward. But I don't think that ISU has anyone who is a real perimeter stopper, someone like Babb. I mean, who is ISU's best perimeter defender? Morris? BDJ? Offensively, ISU has a ton of talent. Defensively, most of the guys are average to poor outside of McKay. That's OK, ISU is an offensive team and you're going to have to sacrifice something.

LOL, Fred is advocating for an 18 second shot clock, if the defense is bad you won't have to watch it for long.

 

[carvers4math]

I think BDJ is our best perimeter defender.

 

[swarthmoreCY]

I don't know, the actual games? Thomas WAS playing pretty good defense at the end of last season. I would say better than Morris or Long. Morris was good at chasing around shooters like Forte, but not so much at stopping penetration.

This year? I'd say that Thomas took a step back, Morris took a step forward and Naz maybe took a half step forward. But I don't think that ISU has anyone who is a real perimeter stopper, someone like Babb. I mean, who is ISU's best perimeter defender? Morris? BDJ? Offensively, ISU has a ton of talent. Defensively, most of the guys are average to poor outside of McKay. That's OK, ISU is an offensive team and you're going to have to sacrifice something.

Just curious, do you have poor enough eyesight to confuse Morris with Thomas?

 

[swarthmoreCY]

Players make their biggest jump after their sophomore season in my opinion. Look at Naz. He went from averaging 1ppg to 7ppg to 13. Thomas is the whipping boy it seems like. Is it because he was ranked high? That isn't fair to Thomas. I think he'll slowly improve every year and by his senior year he'll be averaging 10+. Maybe it is just me but I still expect it to go in every time he shoots. Some people don't understand he wasn't a spot up shooter in HS. He caught it and attacked the rim and did a lot of pull up jumpers. He's still trying to adjust to being a spot up shooter.

Naz made the jump after his freshman season.

 

[othercy]

This kid will be special before he's done. He has the skill set to be a similar style of player as Georges, maybe not as good but as a guy who can post up/drive/pass/shoot. He's also solid on the glass and d. Perfect fit for Fred

Agree. There are times when I see him make a move and it takes me a minute to realize it is him and not Georges.

 

[Wesley]

I like after he scores, the announcer yells:

NADER!

 

[Psiclone]

Not saying Matt Thomas is an all-american or anything, but he's had his games too. We don't beat Okie State without Matt Thomas.

Yup, him shooting more consistently will come. At this point, really the last piece in the puzzle. All of the other pieces are falling into place quite nicely.

 

[Cyclonesince78]

Nader = Mr. Clutch. Unfortunately, DogNuts doesn't agree. Speaking of which, where is that guy? And what are the chances we might see him the next time ISU loses?

 

[AMarner32]

Naz made the jump after his freshman season.

Naz didn't become starter quality until this year. His January-early February last season was incredibly inconsistent. Kinda like Matt's right now... Matt was great against Okie State but has had little impact in the last two games. And that's okay. People don't seem to realize this... WE DON'T NEED MATT THOMAS TO AVERAGE 15 POINTS PER GAME. Rarely will we even need him to reach double digits. That's just not something we need on this team. He's contributing in other ways and by all accounts is a hard worker and a great teammate. Give him some time. I don't remember everyone calling for Naz's head after his freshman year.

We were so spoiled by Monte that I think some fans assumed Matt should be progressing as fast as MM. That's just unfair. By his senior year, Matt will be one of the best (if not THE best) players on this team. Not every recruit is a Georges Niang or a Monte Morris.

 

[Thompsonclone]

Naz made the jump after his freshman season.

He made a jump. I wouldn't say he made "the jump." He was a non factor in a lot of games last year. He just had more impact moments.

Just looking at his game log on ESPN he had a stretch from 1/4 to 2/8 where his highest scoring total was 9 points. (11 games) In those 11, he went scoreless in 4 games. Once he broke out he scored 14 vs Texas Tech and after that he followed with scoring 0 in 3 of his next 4 games. Naz had some great games last year. Better than what Thomas has had. Not denying that. The point is that he also had a lot of games where he didn't do anything. Thomas will continue to improve. Thomas will average double digits in his senior season.

 

[carvers4math]

Nader = Mr. Clutch. Unfortunately, DogNuts doesn't agree. Speaking of which, where is that guy? And what are the chances we might see him the next time ISU loses?

Consoling himself over his team's big win over the Hawks?

 

[Guetterdone1]

I think some people are looking at it wrong right now. Thomas hasn't done anything wrong on the court. The problem is that he hasn't added anything to the court lately and I stress lately. He's playing on a top 10 team in the nation and you had better bring something to the table that proves your worth over someone else. If the man can't shoot we have better athletes, drivers, and defenders that will take his place for minutes. It's that simple. Same thing is happening to Edozie and Custer.

 

[CyFan61]

Some people will jump down your throat if you suggest that Thomas is anything other than an 8th option on a very good team, which is precisely what he is.

One thing that is concerning about Thomas is that Fred has really cut his minutes in the last three games. He's only played 7, 8, and 8 in the last three games. That's barely a rotation player. And in those three games, Thomas is 0-6 from the field including 0-4 from three. He did have a nice dime last night to set up a Naz three.

So if you think he deserves more respect than that, you should take it up with Fred and not the posters who have noticed it.

 

[Thomasrickj]

I like how he takes over if the rest of the team gets sluggish, but I feel like when everyone else on the team is hitting their stride and he's in, he doesn't play as aggressively. If he would keep up the intensity he shows during crunch time all game, he would probably be our leading scorer.

 

[Cyclonepride]

I think BDJ is our best perimeter defender.

I agree. It doesn't get noticed a lot because his guy doesn't tend to get many shots off. For being tagged as a selfish player, he's really been a guy who does a little bit of everything that it takes to come out with a win.

 

[CyTwins]

I don't know, the actual games? Thomas WAS playing pretty good defense at the end of last season. I would say better than Morris or Long. Morris was good at chasing around shooters like Forte, but not so much at stopping penetration.

This year? I'd say that Thomas took a step back, Morris took a step forward and Naz maybe took a half step forward. But I don't think that ISU has anyone who is a real perimeter stopper, someone like Babb. I mean, who is ISU's best perimeter defender? Morris? BDJ? Offensively, ISU has a ton of talent. Defensively, most of the guys are average to poor outside of McKay. That's OK, ISU is an offensive team and you're going to have to sacrifice something.

Thomas was hardly playing at the end of last year and Fred continually would say he needed Monte out there for his defense. I never said he was Babb but you said him and Naz were poor defenders and I disagree with that

 

[sn95gt50]

There was a point in the second half last night where the Clones were taking some pretty low percentage shots, and they were not going in. That is when Nader stepped up and scored some buckets that all came off very high percentage shots. It was exactly whet the team needed at that point.

 

[keepngoal]

I don't know, the actual games? Thomas WAS playing pretty good defense at the end of last season. I would say better than Morris or Long. Morris was good at chasing around shooters like Forte, but not so much at stopping penetration.

This year? I'd say that Thomas took a step back, Morris took a step forward and Naz maybe took a half step forward. But I don't think that ISU has anyone who is a real perimeter stopper, someone like Babb. I mean, who is ISU's best perimeter defender? Morris? BDJ? Offensively, ISU has a ton of talent. Defensively, most of the guys are average to poor outside of McKay. That's OK, ISU is an offensive team and you're going to have to sacrifice something.

lol. Average to Poor? #9 team in the nation ... and we can barely hold on.