This team is so talented. We can be really special if things start clicking. Getting ty back will be important and don't forget nathan bains
Photo by USA Today Sports
Stephen F. Austin Basketball
What we learned from SFA's 73-84 loss to UAB
Well, that hurt.1. I have a man-crush on Leon Gilmore
Oh, and how about this inbound play after a media timeout?
I'm one more game like this away from a new "Leon GIF of the Week" segment.
No doubt Gilmore needed some time to adjust to DI basketball and, sure, there have been a few rough moments along the way. But last night, his 17-point outing was a good sign he's getting close to being the dominant player SFA thinks he will be.
2. The Lumberjacks have won the turnover margin now two-straight games
This one is actually pretty huge. After a beat down of DIII Centenary College this last weekend it was easy to attribute the Lumberjacks positive turnover differential to being a byproduct of weak competition.
Doing the same thing against an athletic press team like UAB makes it no longer a fluke. Against Centenary, the Jacks did still turn the ball over an alarming number of times. Versus UAB? Just a respectable 12.
If you're in the dumps about the result last night, just know this: SFA is getting better every time they step foot on the court. The talent has been there since day one, the chemistry and offensive flow has not. Fixing the latter will go a long way toward the Lumberjacks returning to their dominant ways. Last night, despite the L, was a step in the right direction.
3. UAB won by roughly the same margin a year ago
It was the final game the Lumberjacks lost until a Round of 32 heartbreaker against Notre Dame. UAB was a year less experienced with almost all the same pieces when they won by ten over SFA in 2015. Yes, the Blazers are missing their leader and point guard Nick Norton this time around. Guess what? The Jacks are missing their best returning scorer, Ty Charles. These things cancel out.
A veteran UAB team played a far more youthful SFA team last night and the result was roughly the same as when these squads faced each other last season. We know how good that SFA team ended up being.
It's time to stop freaking out. Be patient and trust that the coaching staff know what they're doing. If we're still losing by double figures to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi or Sam Houston State next month, maybe there will be some cause for concern. There is no shame in losing to UAB.
4. The Jacks will (fortunately) not face a team this long and athletic in conference play
On their way to the ludicrous shooting percentage, UAB was able to take advantage of numerous back door cuts for layups. Even when the Jacks were in the right position to defend, the size disadvantage inside was a major problem.
The small SFA lineup with Holyfield in foul trouble was a matchup nightmare for Kyle Keller's squad. Credit UAB for taking advantage. It's actually not far from what they did during the 2015 game between these teams. SFA's man-to-man half court press exposes itself to that kind of result when playing a team as large and athletic as the Blazers.
The good news is, what worked for UAB last night is not likely to work in conference play for future opponents. There are some special guards in the Southland but aside from Rashawn Thomas at TAMU-CC, the superbly athletic interior players seem to elude most of the Lumberjacks' peers.
5. Kevon Harris is a superstar in the making
The stats haven't always been there for Kevon this season but he's passing the eye-test with flying colors. In easily his best work of the season last night, Harris was (at times) the best player on the floor. He's the kind of special hybrid competitor that has potential to become a more athletic version of Thomas Walkup for the Lumberjacks.
He's a guard or a forward depending on the lineup and his level of versatility will make him a star for the Jacks if his development continues the way it has thus far. The fact that he has three more seasons after this should terrify conference opponents.
Losing is never fun. Losing at home is worse. For the first time in 32 games, the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks and their fans were forced to experience what that's like.
Alabama-Birmingham's Hakeem Baxter flexed his muscle at the student section, Thomas Smallwood pointed to the scoreboard, and the official Blazers Twitter account briefly posted this:
No, the team from #Blockingham may not get an A for sportsmanship but they did put on quite the shooting show. The ridiculous 72.1% from the floor was a school record and helped snap Stephen F. Austin's 31-game home court winning streak.
It wasn't all bad for the Jacks though. On this otherwise gloomy day, let's focus on a few positives:
1. I have a man-crush on Leon Gilmore
If you've been reading my post-game write-ups the last couple weeks you
already knew this. But man, what an exciting player. I'm not sure SFA
has had a pure athlete like Leon in my memory and his
steal-and-run-unopposed-for-a-dunk move is starting to become a
trademark.
Last night's game versus UAB is now the third straight that this (or a small variation of it) has happened:
Oh, and how about this inbound play after a media timeout?
I'm one more game like this away from a new "Leon GIF of the Week" segment.
No doubt Gilmore needed some time to adjust to DI basketball and, sure, there have been a few rough moments along the way. But last night, his 17-point outing was a good sign he's getting close to being the dominant player SFA thinks he will be.
2. The Lumberjacks have won the turnover margin now two-straight games
This one is actually pretty huge. After a beat down of DIII Centenary College this last weekend it was easy to attribute the Lumberjacks positive turnover differential to being a byproduct of weak competition.
Doing the same thing against an athletic press team like UAB makes it no longer a fluke. Against Centenary, the Jacks did still turn the ball over an alarming number of times. Versus UAB? Just a respectable 12.
If you're in the dumps about the result last night, just know this: SFA is getting better every time they step foot on the court. The talent has been there since day one, the chemistry and offensive flow has not. Fixing the latter will go a long way toward the Lumberjacks returning to their dominant ways. Last night, despite the L, was a step in the right direction.
3. UAB won by roughly the same margin a year ago
It was the final game the Lumberjacks lost until a Round of 32 heartbreaker against Notre Dame. UAB was a year less experienced with almost all the same pieces when they won by ten over SFA in 2015. Yes, the Blazers are missing their leader and point guard Nick Norton this time around. Guess what? The Jacks are missing their best returning scorer, Ty Charles. These things cancel out.
A veteran UAB team played a far more youthful SFA team last night and the result was roughly the same as when these squads faced each other last season. We know how good that SFA team ended up being.
It's time to stop freaking out. Be patient and trust that the coaching staff know what they're doing. If we're still losing by double figures to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi or Sam Houston State next month, maybe there will be some cause for concern. There is no shame in losing to UAB.
4. The Jacks will (fortunately) not face a team this long and athletic in conference play
On their way to the ludicrous shooting percentage, UAB was able to take advantage of numerous back door cuts for layups. Even when the Jacks were in the right position to defend, the size disadvantage inside was a major problem.
The small SFA lineup with Holyfield in foul trouble was a matchup nightmare for Kyle Keller's squad. Credit UAB for taking advantage. It's actually not far from what they did during the 2015 game between these teams. SFA's man-to-man half court press exposes itself to that kind of result when playing a team as large and athletic as the Blazers.
The good news is, what worked for UAB last night is not likely to work in conference play for future opponents. There are some special guards in the Southland but aside from Rashawn Thomas at TAMU-CC, the superbly athletic interior players seem to elude most of the Lumberjacks' peers.
5. Kevon Harris is a superstar in the making
The stats haven't always been there for Kevon this season but he's passing the eye-test with flying colors. In easily his best work of the season last night, Harris was (at times) the best player on the floor. He's the kind of special hybrid competitor that has potential to become a more athletic version of Thomas Walkup for the Lumberjacks.
He's a guard or a forward depending on the lineup and his level of versatility will make him a star for the Jacks if his development continues the way it has thus far. The fact that he has three more seasons after this should terrify conference opponents.
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