Quick stuff (Memphis exhibition)...

[gary-7]

...and Hoo Boy, did we need that!

Folks, this was EXACTLY the sort of team we needed to go up against --- experienced, athletic and physical to the edge of dirty --- and it exposed pretty much everything we need to tighten up.

So... let's start with those cringe-worthy things:
- REBOUNDING!!! We know it needs to be a TEAM effort and we need to BLOCK OUT and SNATCH the rock like we mean it and hold onto it thru grabbing hands.

- In general, tonight showed we need to be STRONG with the ball. We ain't always gonna get the calls.

- NERVES: The newcomers were running on butterflies. Ian and Drake looked like they were on skates, and Cade was rushing everything.

- And oh Dear Lord --- the missed FTs! That needs to get corrected ASAP. Can't be relying on RJ's 90% to cover our butts.

- Team defense --- all five guys moving and seeing man-and-ball --- spotty as hell in the first half.

OK... now the encouraging stuff:
- Hubert must've ripped the guys at halftime with the same things I was saying out loud to the TV We came out and forced a shot-clock violation which set the tone for better all-around effort --- did better cleaning the glass --- much better at help with more active feet and hands.

- GET THE DAMN BALL TO JWASH!!! We made a better effort at that in the 2nd half, with Hubert calling plays to get him looks and it paid off. Big fella was efficient and love that 3-ball stroke. He also more than held his own on the defensive end vs a physical opponent.

- Cade finally got one to drop, but it's getting to be time to bring that deadly practice stroke to game conditions. BTW, I LOVE that Hubert was giving him hell for passing up looks.

- Hello Seth Trimble! No more of that tentative hanging in the air. Young fella is using that freaky athleticism now. Too bad this wasn't a real game with that scoring outburst --- 33 by my count and MADE ALL OF HIS FTs!

- And once again, welcome to the Cadeau Show! Our elite PG made a couple of loose passes late and missed some FTs, but Lordy, he is an absolute pleasure to watch for this ol' coach and PG. I mean, he just ain't right with what he sees and the no-looks from anywhere. I kept stats and did so after recording the game so I could double-check, and counted properly, EC had 15 dimes (not 13), plus 8 blown, 5 coach's assists leading to FTs --- vs 4 TOs --- then throw in 5 boards, 4 steals and 3 caused TOs. He was also 2/3 from deep, but was still passing up some looks. Interestingly, Hubert called a play for him to take his first one. Another good coaching move.

- Speaking of coaching, I liked the balance of set plays vs Freelance along side our improved transition emphasis

- Finally, the rotations (sans RJ and Claude) were as expected with various combiinations, "big" and "small", and I love how we moved and shared the rock. That needs to continue when RJ comes back.

Anyway, that was just what the doctor ordered with myriad teaching points for coming practices --- especially the urgency of rebounding as a team and being strong with the ball. Plus, it was nice to get the "win"...

 

[Ozheelfan]

Thanks Gary, I have been looking forward to you take on things….
I only watched a short clip of highlights so I’ll take your word for it on the “areas to work on”
Very glad to see a confident and aggressive Seth, and yes, the highlights made EX look like a savant.
Looking forward to tuning in to watch entire games!

 

[39 Feet Above Sea Level]

Thanks, G7. Coaches (😉 and ex-coaches) love to scramble up a win over a quality opponent
while leaving coachable pointers on game film. Hubert and staff have PLENTY to share with
these guys over the next few weeks before the real deal begins, and as my old buddy
All-State SC PG point guard DCM, aka Cool Breeze, always told me: You play like you practice!
Coach ‘em up, Staff! GDTBATH ⛹🏾‍♂️🏀👍🏾👏🏾

 

[HoopsCoach42]

As I recall, I got blasted for saying that Cade was going to struggle guarding guys on the perimeter. "He's not going to guard guys on the perimeter. He's a 4!" Well look who started at the 3 tonight! Was it because RJ was out? Maybe. But regardless where Cade plays, basketball has evolved. There's more 5 out basketball than ever before. So he's going to have to guard guys on the perimeter, and he struggled with that. He'll get better, but defensively, he does concern me.

 

[thomdrix]

TRIMBLE!
Wow, I don’t know if starting him is the move, but he definitely deserves starter minutes.
Cadeau, RJ and Trimble lineups will be fun to watch.

 

[tmatheny]

How did Lubin play?

 

[alabamaheel]

How did Lubin play?

I thought he did ok. He moves well without the ball and finished strong a few times. Missed a couple slick passes from EC but that’s understandable considering he’s a new guy who hasn’t played with him.

 

[DSouthr]

I am really glad we were able to play this game without RJ, what better time to baptize the freshmen (and Cade) than a game that does not count for anything but team development.

I got gigs from a few last season when I touted Jalen's jump shooting, I got the ole yeah but "sample size" retort, still chewing on those sample size retorts jung? LOL I have been preaching since well before he committed to anyone that would listen about how special Seth is when he can get the chance, he showed us last night good on him! Cadeau was just the magic man, 13 official assists and several more than should have been had they been finished. Guys, 13 assists just does not happen all the time but it is over shadowed by Seth 33 freakin points! Those 33pts, it isn't as much of the total as it was how he got them, all 3 levels and playing in control, did he take a single bad shot, a single rushed shot, if he did I missed it but will re-watch. Gary mentions that shot clock violation we forced early second half, watch Seth close out on multiple shooters, unless I am mistaken, I counted at least 3 long hard close outs from Seth on that defensive stand. I felt Lubin played just really solid, didn't try to rush things, just played within himself, hit a nice trey, just put in good work.

Ian, Cade, Drake, welcome to big time college basketball! What those fellas got last night was a crash course education in how it takes more than raw talent at this level. Ian started to remind me of bad Caleb with those bad shots, start going to the basket and then take it outside. Cade, rushed his shots, he did get really hard close outs all night but shot prep got to be a bit quicker, be ready on the catch. Kid did however bring in 9 boards, he as well showed suspect ball handles, I did like his pump and drive action but like JWit, don't want to see him putting the ball on the floor a ton. Drake, while he still struggled at times, looked to me more like a starter than Tyson last night. The difference in quickness stuck out for me between Tyson and Drake and defensively, it is Drake by a mile, not as much bad on Tyson as it is good on Drake.

Loved how we pushed tempo but do think it can get even hotter, especially as guys like Ian and Drake adjust to this level of play as defenders, both are really long armed active defenders. Maybe Ian's shots were not dropping but the kid put n good work defensively, even with being out of position a lot (you expect that from a freshman in his first exhibition game). Interior defense is going to be an on going concern, as is rebounding, both have to be more of a collective effort rather than having that big man deep in the paint that challenges anything at the rim. That looked much better most of the second half, felt a bit like we took our foot off the gas with a lil over 5mins left, that needs to be addressed.

For where we are on the calendar today, really solid effort, we are not ready for Kansas yet in my view, they may take us early but late season we may have something really special for them. Guys, this team may take a while to really gel but I like the floor spacing and those missed jumpers should start dropping, when they do biscuits' will be handed out! Now the question is how does this look when RJ comes back, can't let this be to RJ focused, the wealth has to be spread around.

 

[DSouthr]

How did Lubin play?

He is a blue collar role player and he was solid in his role last night considering it was his first UNC vs another opponent game. I would give him a B+, makes nice cuts to the basket and Cadeau will find him. Looks to me like a version of Harrison Brooks.

 

[berens007]

He is a blue collar role player and he was solid in his role last night considering it was his first UNC vs another opponent game. I would give him a B+, makes nice cuts to the basket and Cadeau will find him. Looks to me like a version of Harrison Brooks.

Or is it Garrison Barnes? 😂

Thanks all for sharing your takes on the game - good to see some insight on this year's squad in live action v. a good opponent on the road.

 

[gary-7]

How did Lubin play?

He is what we knew he was. Solid "old-man" game and will always fight to try to cope with disadvantages in length and athleticism. I think what we saw here was a solid backup at the 5/4 positions. And as others mentioned, needs to ALWAY anticipate a Cadeau pass.

 

[gary-7]

TRIMBLE!
Wow, I don’t know if starting him is the move, but he definitely deserves starter minutes.
Cadeau, RJ and Trimble lineups will be fun to watch.

Seth is making it awfully hard to keep him out of the starting lineup, but either way, he'll get 20+ minutes.

 

[DSouthr]

Seth is making it awfully hard to keep him out of the starting lineup, but either way, he'll get 20+ minutes.

As I have shared before, for me the "starter" tag is way over blown, what should matter more is minutes a player gets rather than who begins the game. Who ends the game is more important than who begins it in a tight game, that is who I depend on when our need is greater. What I watched last night and not all are there just yet, saw 9 guys that looked to me like they will be starter level guys by jan 1st (one of them was in street cloths at the end of the bench).

I was extremely happy to see Hubert use his bench as deep and as frequent as he did, that is a real key in keeping the tempo amped up. Next step is to really work on team block out assignments and reading where the rebound will go. We were not consistently strong with the ball, way to many careless TOs which should be expected right now.

JWit, man come on, what will it take for you to learn to grab the board and kick it to a guard rather than you trying to start a break with your own suspect dribble and decision making? Board it, kick it to a guard, run the court, and play the trailer role for the secondary break dive to the rim. JWit's sweet spot is setting a screen and making a hard cut to the rim, a 2 man game with Cadeau or RJ as JWash pulls the defending big man out of the paint. I am going to be harder on JWit now because I see the ability, I think he is both our most athletic as well as strongest big man, I think he could be a better version of Issiah Hicks potentially but his decision making holds him back.