"Secret" scrimmage...

[DSouthr]

That sounds impressive, but look at our team last year. Almost everyone back and #1 to start.

I will answer this anyway, Don to explain why it actually isn't apples to apples. We have a head coach that prefers an offensive approach that is very reliant on jump shooting and from the season before we lost one of, maybe even for that season our best jump shooter (Manek). We simply did not bring in jump shooters that fit that style, we relied on poor jump shooters and hoped they would improve. Stats showed Nance as a good jump shooter but Nance just didn't seem to gel with the rest, it was more like 4 starters & Nance thrown in because you need 5 starters. Meaning, there was no all 5 on the court together chemistry. These are your APPLES...

This season we have brought in shooters, big men that can shoot, guards that can shoot, shooters in a shooting offense. AS well we brought in a HUGE HUGE need, an actual PG that looks to create for his mates as top of mind but one that at least for now looks to be a confident and effective scorer when he needs to be that, this is where Seth struggled last season, if he can ever get healthy this season I think we all want to see how his second season may have addressed his shooting issues. We bring in extremely experienced guys from other programs that are not just talented but EXTREMELY hungray for big time success that they were not in position to experience at their prior programs and a couple of really good freshmen to boot! Every one of our incoming transfers were either the #1 or #2 playrs on their teams last season and don't forget, we bring back our 2 most key guys ion Bacot and RJ. Point being, this time we have brought in guys that excel in the type of game Hubert wants us to play and last season we did not. There is your water melon, much bigger fruit to fit the need.

 

[gary-7]

I asked that you explain rather than just restate it. We did bring back 4 of our 5 starters last season, we were a VERY experienced team, everyone pointed to UNC as the #1 or 2 team in the country pre-season, we were touted to be on a quest to gain what we lost in that second half of the natty game the season prior, redemption was the word. We brought in key transfers, the whole Tar Heel nation was thrilled when we got Nance, a year ago this time it sure looked like apples to apples. I can explain it rather easily but I didn't post the apples to melons reply, you did so I asked that you explain it.

Can't imagine I'd need to explain the obvious. Redemption? Seriously?

That fluke trip to the natty game came from short-term smoke-and-mirrors scheming and Brady Manek. Once the former was exposed and scouted, and the latter was gone, last season's team had about as much chance to return there as a decent mid-major.

 

[DSouthr]

Can't imagine I'd need to explain the obvious. Redemption? Seriously?

That fluke trip to the natty game came from short-term smoke-and-mirrors scheming and Brady Manek. Once the former was exposed and scouted, and the latter was gone, last season's team had about as much chance to return there as a decent mid-major.

It isn't obvious as to why to everyone, it may be to you, it was to me as well but some folks may need a better explanation as to why we got what we got. Wasn't looking to make a thing out of my reply but felt the poster deserved a little more than a curt answer.

We can as well explain the redemption tour (touted in the summer prior to begin of last season) vs the redemption tour (our last natty) but the explain there may even be less obvious to many, that was not apples to apples either.

Even further, fans may have called last season, prior to its beginning a redemption tour, players threw lip service to it from time to time but with maybe the lone exception of RJ no other played like they were on a mission to get back from practice 1 to the last game they played, including Bacot actually because the off season intense work to get better was just not put in. If anything, this coming season looks way more like a redemption tour than we looked same stage last year. And make no mistake about this, this team has to be desperate to redeem itself from last season

 

[al would]

Bacot? Keep in mind, last season if RJ and Caleb were not scoring it had to be Bacot, with all the bad shots our back court was taking and all the good shots taken by the wrong guy (example Leaky taking treys) it really had to come down to pound the ball in to a Bacot defended by multiple defenders for at least as good a shot as we could get. For now, it does not look as if we need to rely as heavy on Bacot to score so not as much needs to go thru him as it has last couple seasons. But he gave us yet another double double vs St Augs, just need our double double machine to keep running thru every game we play this season as our steady rock that is there when we need it.

I'll take the high road and not comment further on his game until I see some live action .. and prolly won't comment much then. He is what he is and I have less than marginal expectations.

 

[TPFKAPFS]

Our current redemption tour will be fun to watch! Our current team loves each other and playing ball! Our current team is deep, talented, hard working, high character, and hungry! Our current coaching team has grown, reflected, and adjusted!

Let's celebrate our current team!

GDTBATH!

 

[DSouthr]

I'll take the high road and not comment further on his game until I see some live action .. and prolly won't comment much then. He is what he is and I have less than marginal expectations.

LOL, I kind of look at Bacot like vanilla ice cream, may not be as thrilling as some other flavors but is really really good and I am never disappointed because I always get the same great taste! Bacot is vanilla ice cream but he is the best vanilla ice cream you can find!

 

[gberry78]

I tend to think Bacot not being mentioned is a good thing, since it hopefully means there is better talent around him so he doesn’t have to bare the load or produce big numbers to win games

 

[DaveChapelle]

Also if the team is playing well and maintaining a lead, Hubert will be comfortable resting Bacot and giving more minutes to Washington, High, and Okonkwo.

 

[al would]

Bacot is vanilla ice cream but he is the best vanilla ice cream you can find!

I tend to think Bacot not being mentioned is a good thing, since it hopefully means there is better talent around him so he doesn’t have to bare the load or produce big numbers to win games

Like I said guys, I'll reserve comment for now but like gberry said the better talent around him may expose individual weaknesses even more since the excuses of multiple defenders will likely disappear. Mando needs to show some "go to" interior shots .. ie baby hooks and right /left hand dexterity, better footwork and smarter handles around the basket and certainly more aggression and finishing through contact around the rim. I realize he has zero explosiveness or hops. Would also like to see a consistent catch and shoot short baseline game along with the catch and shoot 10-15 footers in the slots outside the lane. A bonus would be a high post turn around or catch and shoot from the f/t line. There may be better 4/5's on the team now that should start. We'll see. GO HEELS !!!

 

[DaveChapelle]

Mando's free throws looked good in the exhibition game.

 

[FlaTarHeel]

Mando's free throws looked good in the exhibition game.

He can now face the basketball and shoot with confidence.
He will knock down mid-range shots this year and get drafted next summer.