Quick stuff (LIve Action scrimmage)...

[gary-7]

...with the full disclaimer that it was just an intrasquad scrimmage.

That being said, some obvservations:

- from the get-go, the most encouraging team aspect was that HALF of the total points scored by both teams came in TRANSITION. There's no overstating how much of an immediate improvement that is from last season's approach.

- BTW, given that there was mostly a running clock, and given the spotty perimater and FT shooting, the sheer number of points scored is remarkable, and all but a few came out of transition or Freelance. Me likey.

- Sooooo happy to see less reliance on speed-bump shortcuts like ball-screens, and more dedication to transition, motion and continuity.

- this team is already showing more willingness to get "physical".. especially in the paint.

- Really impressed by wiilingness and commitment to make entry passes --- something that was woefully lacking last year -- and not just Cadeau

- we are not an especially athletic team --- no sky-walking swing men, etc --- but we do have an intriguing mixture of body-types and experience that could amount to something IF we stay commited to Carolina basketball

As for some player notes:

- High's aggression and presence was a very pleasant surprise --- who knows?... he may push for minutes sooner than many thought.

- Ingram gives us a different "wide-body" dimension in the ability to iso/post in half-court situations.

- Washington quietly looked, well... healthy. That is a very good thing.

- Ryan was aggressive, as expected.

- Woj impressed with at least the confidence to go right at people.

- If it should become necessary, nice to know that we can put Lebo on the floor without disaster befalling us.

- Withers had a stronger second half than first, but... it;s important to remember that he is by nature a complementary type player, as opposed to an alpha. In other words, a valuable rotation piece.

- Disappointed we didn't get to see Seth tonight.

-- and finally..... Cadeau.... for any doubters, all I can say is: "Any questions?"
Seriously, I just rewatched and I'm still sporting a silly grin as I write this, because I was literally LOL-ing when I watched the first time, because I pretty much knew what he was gonna do in crunch time. And good Lord, what a basketball IQ... just wow....
And on that note, if we can relieve RJ of the unnatural burden of being on-ball, then mark my words, RJ will flat LIGHT IT UP.

Anyway... it may sound trite, but the other "team thing" I noticed was a general positive vibe --- something I frankly haven't felt here since Joel and Theo and those guys were doing their thing.... and just like then, the path forward is well.. straight-forward, i.e., Hand the keys to #2 and let's rock!...


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[alabamaheel]

It seemed like the ball just found High several times. Garbage man if you will. Not in a bad way, a great knack imo. And I have purposely not emotionally invested on Elliot being that good as a freshman. Well, he’s good lol. But now we need it in games. My hopes are up and expectations for sure. I’m excited for the possibilities of this team.

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

Anyone have a link to the box score?

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

As much as I love RJ, it was easy to see the difference between a guy who works really hard at being PG vs someone who is a natural.

I just hope RJ makes a smooth transition to SG.

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

Hard to believe they got to 46-44, even with 12-minute halves, given all the missed shots I saw.

I had to keep telling myself "early days" and to focus more on movement and energy, where there was plenty to like.

 

[DSouthr]

I have learned over the years to not put a lot of stock in the blue/white game but I will say this particular one did seem more contested that most. Hate that Seth didn't play, did want to see if his retooled stroke would show up. I did not see much great outside shooting, Ryan showed some as we expected, Paxon hit one that looked good. Jalen did not jump shoot like I would have hoped, Bacot hit a nice mid range.

Couple of big men that stood out for how hard they competed, was especially pleased with High but felt Jalen did compete hard, Withers may be a step behind missing some practice time. Back to Jalen, his work on the weight room is showing, he seems to have added both bulk and strength, that was very much needed and good to see. Bacot looks ready to roll, much more so than he did early last season.

For me, really would have liked to see Seth defending either RJ or Cadeau, to see how they would handle the type of pressure Seth puts on his defensive assignment, if they can handle Seth they can handle about any opposing teams guards defense. Cadeau had a nice second half, nice to see him hit a couple shots near the end, some had questioned his jump shooting.

 

[gary-7]

As much as I love RJ, it was easy to see the difference between a guy who works really hard at being PG vs someone who is a natural.

I just hope RJ makes a smooth transition to SG.

Spot on.

 

[DaveChapelle]

It seemed like the ball just found High several times. Garbage man if you will. Not in a bad way, a great knack imo. And I have purposely not emotionally invested on Elliot being that good as a freshman. Well, he’s good lol. But now we need it in games. My hopes are up and expectations for sure. I’m excited for the possibilities of this team.

High has been well coached. He made the right cuts to get himself open for the easy pass at the rim, and he has a nose for rebounds.

 

[Heels5150]

Seeing them in person was far different than watching it on tv. First off not only did this team play fast, they were equally as quick. Plus with the added bonus of high IQ BBall players that not only moved but they moved with a purpose as did the ball. Secondly, they were really going at each other physically and hard. Nothing was easy as you might think with an inner squad glorified scrimmage for the fans. Withers and High are very quick off the floor. Their hustle and speed was very enticing to see. Withers did have moments where he was out of control in the beginning but he then settled down. Every time Cormac shot I thought it was going in and while his shot was off somewhat this kid is a dog and very aggressive and still made a huge impact for his Team. Bacot has to get a better go to move and he was slow in his taking the defender down on the block at times. He was still very awkward and uncoordinated at times as he seemed to be thinking too much and not reacting as a fifth year graduate senior. Paxson needs to know game situations. Lol. RJ’s step back three as the clock was winding down to end the first half was the only time I was screaming no don’t do this crap from last year! Lol. But here is the main observation that I saw. Cadeau is the absolute real deal and man is he smooth. I kept envisioning him playing in the back court with RJ and how much RJ would benefit from Elliot setting him up as opposed to RJ trying to manufacture his shot off of one on one dribbling moves. If Cadeau becomes a consistent perimeter shooter it is going to open up the whole floor for everyone else and the possibilities and ceiling for this team are not only endless but extremely realistic as well. There of course is much that needs to be worked on but it was very encouraging to see the realistic potential that this Team could have for this season.

 

[tmatheny]

How did Okonkwo look?

 

[al would]

...with the full disclaimer that it was just an intrasquad scrimmage.

That being said, some obvservations:

- from the get-go, the most encouraging team aspect was that HALF of the total points scored by both teams came in TRANSITION. There's no overstating how much of an immediate improvement that is from last season's approach.

- BTW, given that there was mostly a running clock, and given the spotty perimater and FT shooting, the sheer number of points scored is remarkable, and all but a few came out of transition or Freelance. Me likey.

- Sooooo happy to see less reliance on speed-bump shortcuts like ball-screens, and more dedication to transition, motion and continuity.

- this team is already showing more willingness to get "physical".. especially in the paint.

- Really impressed by wiilingness and commitment to make entry passes --- something that was woefully lacking last year -- and not just Cadeau

- we are not an especially athletic team --- no sky-walking swing men, etc --- but we do have an intriguing mixture of body-types and experience that could amount to something IF we stay commited to Carolina basketball

As for some player notes:

- High's aggression and presence was a very pleasant surprise --- who knows?... he may push for minutes sooner than many thought.

- Ingram gives us a different "wide-body" dimension in the ability to iso/post in half-court situations.

- Washington quietly looked, well... healthy. That is a very good thing.

- Ryan was aggressive, as expected.

- Woj impressed with at least the confidence to go right at people.

- If it should become necessary, nice to know that we can put Lebo on the floor without disaster befalling us.

- Withers had a stronger second half than first, but... it;s important to remember that he is by nature a complementary type player, as opposed to an alpha. In other words, a valuable rotation piece.

- Disappointed we didn't get to see Seth tonight.

-- and finally..... Cadeau.... for any doubters, all I can say is: "Any questions?"
Seriously, I just rewatched and I'm still sporting a silly grin as I write this, because I was literally LOL-ing when I watched the first time, because I pretty much knew what he was gonna do in crunch time. And good Lord, what a basketball IQ... just wow....
And on that note, if we can relieve RJ of the unnatural burden of being on-ball, then mark my words, RJ will flat LIGHT IT UP.

Anyway... it may sound trite, but the other "team thing" I noticed was a general positive vibe --- something I frankly haven't felt here since Joel and Theo and those guys were doing their thing.... and just like then, the path forward is well.. straight-forward, i.e., Hand the keys to #2 and let's rock!...


-

-

Appreciate the early intel G. The thing that stood out to me the most was the curious lack of mention about the 5th yr. Sr. center/forward. But for whatever reason that didn't really surprise me. Can't wait to see Cadeau .. true talented pg's make UNC .. well UNC. Channeled aggression is surely a positive thing as well. GO HEELS !!

 

[DaveChapelle]

Appreciate the early intel G. The thing that stood out to me the most was the curious lack of mention about the 5th yr. Sr. center/forward. But for whatever reason that didn't really surprise me. Can't wait to see Cadeau .. true talented pg's make UNC .. well UNC. Channeled aggression is surely a positive thing as well. GO HEELS !!

Bacot was the leading scorer at halftime.

 

[gary-7]

Appreciate the early intel G. The thing that stood out to me the most was the curious lack of mention about the 5th yr. Sr. center/forward. But for whatever reason that didn't really surprise me. Can't wait to see Cadeau .. true talented pg's make UNC .. well UNC. Channeled aggression is surely a positive thing as well. GO HEELS !!

We know what we have with Mando. The guys on the white team were pretty physcal with him and he needs that.
Mostly, I love our new commitment to not just entry passes, but well-placed entries. Nothing motivates a Big to work hard more than knowing he'll get rewarded.
EC has already set a fresh tone in that regard and the other guys are following suit.
Personally, I want to see three things from Mando:
1. Go as hard as he can. We have actual depth to spell him this season.
2. Dedicate to shoot 70+% FTs. He will get the rock and will go to the line often.
3. Don't dribble from the damn foul line.

 

[gary-7]

How did Okonkwo look?

Very active, had like 5 boards off the bench, a block or two and a tip-in.

 

[39 Feet Above Sea Level]

Gotta love these reports from Live Action. It sounds like we have the tools and the talent and some solid depth.
Coach Davis, run⛹🏾‍♂️run⛹🏾‍♂️run⛹🏾‍♂️and run some more. Use your depth and keep coaching them up. GDTBATH

 

[gary-7]

Gotta love these reports from Live Action. It sounds like we have the tools and the talent and some solid depth.
Coach Davis, run⛹🏾‍♂️run⛹🏾‍♂️run⛹🏾‍♂️and run some more. Use your depth and keep coaching them up. GDTBATH

Amen.
The staff has been keeping things pretty close to the vest, but word is they've also been installing Scrambles in recent practices.
So, let us hope.......

 

[TPFKAPFS]

Want to talk about being a problem!!! Imagine a scramble with Seth hunting for you to turn your back, lol! We have the team to be really good at team D! I love how fast we are already playing and I am ecstatic that Hubs is making EC earn his way onto the starting team!

 

[gary-7]

Want to talk about being a problem!!! Imagine a scramble with Seth hunting for you to turn your back, lol! We have the team to be really good at team D! I love how fast we are already playing and I am ecstatic that Hubs is making EC earn his way onto the starting team!

And just as I projected, EC is taking to Scrambles like a duck to water.

 

[TPFKAPFS]

Put those two with Ryan or RJ and you have a headache waiting to happen for opponents!

 

[FlaTarHeel]

"That boy good" -- Cole Anthony

 

[al would]

Very active, had like 5 boards off the bench, a block or two and a tip-in.

I like the word "active" when referring to a big man. Generally good things come from it and I'm looking forward to seeing his game.

 

[Ozheelfan]

Thank you very much for the write-up Gary… it’s been a long off-season and this board has dwindled down to very few original offerings from board members…. So your post was a very welcome sight.

I was very negative on Hubert after last season, but I really like the quiet confidence vibes coming from this years camp…

 

[al would]

I was very negative on Hubert after last season,

I was guilty of that as well Oz, but IMHO he deserved the criticism he got because he did not reign in his "team", and I use that term loosely. Thinking the old term "the inmates were running the asylum" fits. Now that he is about to say adios to his inheritance he can start to have a team he can call his own and move forward but I still have unanswered questions about his real time in game coaching. Wish him and the program the best.

 

[ACokeForRoy]

The thing about EC is he makes it look effortless. Sometimes it doesn't look like he's working hard on offense but he is.. just makes it look easy. I said the same when watching his HS games. I also see he is mastering "tempo". When to speed up and when to slow it down. I can see teams coming at him because of the hype but I believe he has that dog in him to handle it.

 

[DaveChapelle]

Article pinned over on the other site says RJ and Elliot are pretty much always on opposite teams in practice. So as of right now, Hubert Davis isn't even having them practice playing together.

The secret scrimmage is tomorrow. Guess we can assume Cadeau will be coming off the bench.

 

[gary-7]

Article pinned over on the other site says RJ and Elliot are pretty much always on opposite teams in practice. So as of right now, Hubert Davis isn't even having them practice playing together.

The secret scrimmage is tomorrow. Guess we can assume Cadeau will be coming off the bench.

That's not exactly true. They have run on the same side in some practices already.

That may or may not happen tomorrow.

With 2 weeks to go, the question is whether the staff will have the good sense to stop with the mixing and matching and start getting real. There are myriad good things that are happening with this team --- the approach is exactly as it should be --- BUT... not starting Cadeau would be a self-inflicted mistake.

 

[DaveChapelle]

That's not exactly true. They have run on the same side in some practices already.

That may or may not happen tomorrow.

With 2 weeks to go, the question is whether the staff will have the good sense to stop with the mixing and matching and start getting real. There are myriad good things that are happening with this team --- the approach is exactly as it should be --- BUT... not starting Cadeau would be a self-inflicted mistake.

“One of my role models on the team is definitely RJ,” Cadeau said at UNC’s media day. “He leads by example, he does a lot of things that I’ve learned from. I’m usually not on the same team as him in practice, so I’m always guarding him and just learning how to do things the right way."

 

[gary-7]

“One of my role models on the team is definitely RJ,” Cadeau said at UNC’s media day. “He leads by example, he does a lot of things that I’ve learned from. I’m usually not on the same team as him in practice, so I’m always guarding him and just learning how to do things the right way."

But again, they have run together as well. It needs to start happening more.,