Early Season Thoughts

4,352 Views | 11 Replies | Last: 5 yr ago by SFAJack_76
MasterAxe
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9:09a, 11/30/18
Let me preface this by saying "ALL THAT MATTERS IS SLC PLAY!"

However, a few thoughts after 6 games.

(1) Still searching for a defensive identity, looks like we know what we want to do, just are not doing it.
(2) Missing a 3rd scorer. Shannon and Kevon, that's it so far, and even they haven't been great.
(3) Young guy issues. Look totally lost at times.
(4) Rotation issues. Still searching for the right combo of players.
(5) Shooting woes. Can't score from outside.
(6) Size woes. Can't do anything about this, but, we are small.
(7) (Positive) We never quit. Ever.
(8) (Positive) Now we see what "playing up" in competition looks like.
(9) Minutes. Not a huge fan of Shannon and Kevon having to play entire games.
(10) (Potential negative) I fear some of our guys losing confidence in themselves. Young guys used to being top dogs are not playing like it, and our older guys not playing like they're accustomed to.

Again, long season ahead and SLC play is what matters, but the rest of the preseason could get ugly.

Based on our 6 game sample, here is what I think happens before SLC play:

Milwaukee - Loss
La Tech - Loss
La Monroe - Loss
Baylor - Loss
Arl. Baptist - Win
Alabama - Loss

Would not surprise me if we are 5-7 heading into SLC play.

Still believe we are team to beat, but we have a long way to go.
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nacluth
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9:40a, 11/30/18
Agree with everything except the small part. For the most part this is the tallest SFA team of the last 20 years, but we play small. Some lineups we have are so tall (Mitch, Fitz, Karl, Harris, with Bogues at 6' 3" the smallest).

Could be a rough nonconference. Hopefully it will toughen us up. SELA, HBU look like the prime competition for now.
Ryan
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BigJack85
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In reply to MasterAxe • 9:46a, 11/30/18
Largely agree. I think there's more than one win in the next few. I have us going into conference 6-6 or 7-5. Bogues is a natural 2 IMO. Kevon a 2/3 combo. This the rub.... no true 4 unless Fitzgerald or Nicholas really get the system.... I'd like to see Oddyst get more time on the floor.
Axe 'Em Jacks - Class of 85'
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MasterAxe
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10:04a, 11/30/18
I would love to agree with you about more wins, I just don't know where it comes from.

We have not yet played up to what I feel is our best. In fact, we have not played a game, in full, at 80% our best.

Good stretches, sure, but good games? Not so much...yet.
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CertifiedAxeman98
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10:09a, 11/30/18
My biggest issue so far this year is defense. Leaving wide open 3s and easy backdoor cuts will never work, you get behind quickly that way. Too much help defense leaving other guys wide open, now that you have Augustin back you don't need to help as much as you did before. If you were getting a lot of steals that would be fine but your not. It is relatively easy for the other team to drive and kick out or run backdoor cuts all day and get uncontested shots inside and out. It is almost like you play them like you play a team in a zone you overload a side or shoot 3s and pass a lot to get open men. If you are only going to score 50-60 points a game you must play better D.

Really missing TJ on the court this year.

Rebounding has improved some.

New guys are inconsistent from game to game.

The non-con is tough from here on out so not sure that things get turned around until conference play.
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MasterAxe
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In reply to nacluth • 10:12a, 11/30/18
nacluth said:
Agree with everything except the small part. For the most part this is the tallest SFA team of the last 20 years, but we play small. Some lineups we have are so tall (Mitch, Fitz, Karl, Harris, with Bogues at 6' 3" the smallest).

Could be a rough nonconference. Hopefully it will toughen us up. SELA, HBU look like the prime competition for now.
You nailed it. Perhaps I should have said "We are tall but we seem to play small."
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ljax1979
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10:37a, 11/30/18
I haven't been able to watch a lot of games this year (mostly just listen). Can anyone give me some insight as to why Jock Hughes isn't getting more time? Seems like he could be a shot in the arm offensively and give Bogues/Harris a rest.
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MasterAxe
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In reply to ljax1979 • 10:54a, 11/30/18
ljax1979 said:
I haven't been able to watch a lot of games this year (mostly just listen). Can anyone give me some insight as to why Jock Hughes isn't getting more time? Seems like he could be a shot in the arm offensively and give Bogues/Harris a rest.
I think the player rotations/minutes is still something that is being worked out. It's clear we have not found the right mix of players to play together. That being said, it's would seem difficult to find the right mix of players when not all the players are playing.

We really have no idea what Oddyst Walker, Jock Hughes or any others outside the top-7 can bring to table, as it seems like they never really get any extended run.

It could be that they just don't practice well enough and Keller is sending some sort of message that youre not going to play if you don't perform in practice, but that's just speculation on my part.

Eventually, I think we will find the right starting 5 rotation and a solid rotation off the bench. We just havent found it...yet.
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nacluth
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In reply to ljax1979 • 10:59a, 11/30/18
Unclear completely why Jock isn't seeing more of the court. Early rumblings were attitude related, but after his good performance in the Marist game, you would expect more. Maybe under the weather?
Ryan
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SFAJack_76
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11:24a, 11/30/18
I was just thinking how cool it would be if we had someone that could interview Keller to get his thoughts on the team at this point of the season.
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TallTexan
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In reply to SFAJack_76 • 11:30a, 11/30/18
SFAJack_76 said:
I was just thinking how cool it would be if we had someone that could interview Keller to get his thoughts on the team at this point of the season.
Matt happens to be in Ireland. Maybe he'll get us some deets.
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migata33
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In reply to MasterAxe • 1:57p, 11/30/18
I had high hopes for this group this year but without TJ on the floor there is no real leader on this team. AA seems to have the temperament to do it but I don't see it from Shannon or Kevon as they are great players but need a strong presence to help them create their game. it is no coincidence our greatest success of the last 20 years came with Walkup and Parker and their ability to coach on the floor and step up when it was need most. To me the team is so mentally unorganized and confused on the court. Yes there are some advantages to playing multiple players in multiple combinations and SFA only needs to find themselves during conference play but we look bad right now and something needs to click.

Conference is no walk in the park honestly as I have seen a good majority of our brothers this pre season show some really solid efforts far superior to what we have shown. I don't mean to be a downer here but right now we look middle of the Southland Pack.

Hope for the best but I am expecting the worst.
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SFAJack_76
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2:52p, 11/30/18
Trey Pinkney was the floor leader his last two years. Desmond Haymon before that.
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