I still go with my comment after the last game. Hubert has lost this team and when that happens a coach is screwed. They seem to quit and lay down real easy. No fight!!
Very little stuff (Pitt game)...
- Thread starter gary-7
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Saturday will be an interesting test. Has there ever been a UNC team that didn't get charged up for the rivalry game?
If they don't show exemplary fire against Duke, then the problem is pretty bad.
If they do, maybe there's still hope for this team and maybe for Hubert, as well.
Not saying we have to win. But we need to see superior effort and commitment.
Let’s stop blaming the refs…This team is poorly coached and the Roster was poorly constructed…The refs are not the reason we will miss the NCAA tournament for the 2nd time in 4 years…
I think they fight plenty hard in my opinion, they just don't execute, and have a hard time finding scorers or any easy buckets, especially in the lane. Losing games by 1, 2, or 3 possessions, to me isn't laying down and just taking an "L" in a blowout, easy night for the opponent. With the undersized lineup "laying down" would get ugly really quick in these games.
Saturday, fighting hard may not be enough to keep it competitive, they better execute along with the playing hard.
Dude, YOU BETTER STOP COPING OFF MY PAPER! LOL
I was about to reply to the same post and see you beat me to it, spot on BTW. It is one of the primary jobs of a PG, to know his team mates, that doesn't mean knowing what their favorite video game is or their favorite cookie! It means knowing your team mates strengths and weakness, it absolutely includes knowing their sweet spot for catching a pass and not having to fumble it.
Nate referred to a pass from Cadeau to Lubin, I recall that pass and screamed when I saw it. You pass the ball to a big man, on the run, deep under the basket with multiple defenders around him and you expect him to successfully complete the play? I think they even called it a TO for Lubin, that was a Cadeau TO absolutely. Cadeau is an amazing talent, gifted from the man above with great ability. But his decision making is so far why he isn't mentioned in the same breathe as Ty, Phil, Raymond, Kendal, Jet, Joel, or Eddy.
I hate blaming the refs, especially after a loss because it just feels cheap. How do you take it when the dukies or the Raleigh flea infested do pound crowd cry about the refs after we beat them? Man, you just have to adjust the how the refs call a game, all I ever ask is the refs call it down the middle and call it the same way 1 half to another.
Execution is a coaching thing .. you do it over and over and over until it's natural. This team does very few good things well. They do a lot of bad things instinctively. jmo
If Roberto Duran Lubin doesn't muff that pass with his hands of stone, it bounces right to his belt line.
A PERFECT BOUNCE PASS.
EC is supposed to make that split second decision with less than 3 minutes to go in the game that I can't pass to the guy out in front of everyone because he is a freaking buffoon?
You need to rewatch that play. I did a half dozen times. Belt high pass if he doesn't muff it all up.
This problem will likely not be eliminated next year u less a very difficult decision is made.
Let's say EC, Trimble and Drake all return to play with Caleb Wilson.
The 5 spot aside, who in the world makes jump shots of the 4 players I just listed?
The 5 spot is the most pressing need, but a stud wing shooter that can start, or play starter minutes is need 1a at the very least.
Right now our two best projected shooters in 2025-26 are Dixon and Denis.
We gotta add more shooting.
Also execute what? It’s pretty hard to tell what they’re even trying to do in the half court and particularly down the stretch.
You're right. It was a really good pass.
I still don't like the decision to make that pass, to that player, at that time and score. But it certainly was a dime.
An EC/Trimble backcourt cannot co-exist next season if you want to be a good team IMO. Both players are unwilling shooters. I can't say for sure whether they'll be good or bad shooters next season, but I'm pretty sure they'll be unwilling shooters because that's what they've been throughout their careers. If you want EC as the PG, you need to upgrade the offensive skill plus get bigger around him.
I would have Seth be the odd man out if I'm being honest. Cadeau is limited, but at least in theory he can be really good if he's surrounded by the right skill around him. You'll need a bigger 2-guard who can score. Drake Powell IMO doesn't project to be a big time scorer at the college level. You absolutely cannot run this back with Cadeau/Trimble/Powell. That's 3 players who have limited offensive skills in major parts of their offensive arsenal right now. You have a limited 4 offensively in Wilson who will probably make most of his college offensive production on the offensive glass and in transition. But honestly, if you told me Cadeau and Trimble aren't going to be here... Depending who comes in for them, I would be more than open to it. It's just a really weird fit with that backcourt.
I really don't get the interest in running this thing back. Are all these extremely limited players going to suddenly become unlimited offensive skilled players over an offseason? I'm still waiting for the "unrecognizable" Cadeau that Hubert promised this season.
Get bigger and more skilled everywhere.
And Hubert needs to clearly re-think the type of player he needs to bring in to fill out his depth on his roster. Wojcik = flop. Withers = flop. Tyson = flop. Whatever his concept is when it comes to depth pieces might be his biggest weakness in terms of his talent evaluation. That will obviously be a key going forward.
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Fair enough.
Asking EC to run all the what ifs through his head in a nanosecond before choosing to pass or not pass to an open streaking player seems a lot to ask.
We can all agree Zeller or Henson on receiving end and it is a dunk and EC is a hero.
I am right there with you in this opinion.
I think Drake will continue to evolve as an offensive player with his shooting and ability to attack. Also Drake playing the 3 should give Next years team an obvious strength getting offensive rebounds and a 3rd guy protecting the rim.
I agree that Trimble is probably the odd man out because that starting 2 guy must be a high level scorer. Trimble will never be a knock down shooter, and most of his buckets come in transition or broken plays it seems.
That wing scorer becomes a huge hole to fill once Davis and Jackson move on.
As for Wilson, I again agree with you in that he will not be a great offensive player in year one. If he is the best frontcourt option next year, we should expect much of what we are seeing this year.
Carolina needs a dawg or two up front so that Wilson can just be a piece like Marvin Williams was in 2005.
Caleb Wilson is not Dybansta, in my mind he is closer to Jarin Stephenson in year one.
Really good post, but I'm going to quibble a little about part of it.
To my eye, both EC and ST started the year much improved over the previous season. But when I look at them now, neither of them looks much improved over last season. And while ST's injury may be a factor, his fade probably began before the injury.
What does that signify? It might mean that what they focused on and learned during the off-season worked well; whereas what they've been coached to do during the season has added little if anything to their development.
I'm not saying this is necessarily Hubert's fault. Even great coaches aren't usually good at everything. But if player and team development is a weakness of this program - and I think that's becoming more obvious with every game - then in-season development is a hole in our coaching staff that needs to be filled. If Hubert can't do it, he needs to bring in someone who can.
Even a great developer may not be able to right the ship this late. But if we don't have one next season, we're never going to be as good as we look on paper.
I don't really care what it signifies, lol. Seth will be a senior next season so he has one year of eligibility left (I think? I can't keep track of eligibility rules today). I can't see Elliot Cadeau being a college player for 4 years. He's already a 20 year old sophomore.
I'm guessing those 2 guys will play in their last year at UNC if they do return next season. So I would probably rather have already a proven shooter at the 2-guard over Seth so I don't have to play the waiting game with him.
Also, Cadeau has improved by 10 percentage points from 3 this season. He's gotten better so good for him. Just relative to expectations, we were told that Cadeau would at least be a neutral perimeter shooter this season. And Seth is shooting 30% from 3 in his first season with any volume attempts from 3. A lot of us would've probably taken that seeing him as a freshmen. So they're progressing and that's fine. I would just rather have proven shotmakers next year over maybe both of them. (Depending on the roster)
And since I know Seth's rebounding will be brought up. Hopefully with a competent 5 and Caleb Wilson, UNC won't need a 6'3" wing to get them 10 rebounds per game. If they upgrade at the 5 in the offseason, honestly Seth will have less importance on this roster IMO. If they get a competent 5 plus Wilson as their starting 4-5, they need to get bigger and better shooters at the 1 and 2.
All of this is subject to who they get at the 5, what his skillset is, etc. I guess my bigger point is I'm confused why people want to bring back the guys that will be eligible to come back.
Not sure the reason for the LOL. I'm not talking about lack of leadership. I'm talking about kids not getting along or liking each other for some reason: personality, NIL, whatever. I also don't buy the idea that they love him but don't respect him. Perhaps the like him but ignore him, but then, that is on the players.
Al, one of the problems is that coaches don't get as much coaching time as they used to, it is very restricted now days, not as much time to work on execution as many may think. That is why you have seen a lot of programs simplify. Not like the old days where when practice was longer and more frequent and you brought in a freshman and knew you had him for 4 years to work on learning your systems.
OK D .. I've seen some teams that execute their O&D very well and I've watched a couple teams this season tag UNC with a L on our court, their court and neutral courts that "on paper" have/had less talent. This team does nothing consistently other than folding like a beach chair and totally losing direction and focus at least once a game often for extended periods of time. Has UNC been penalized practice time?
You might want to peddle that manure somewhere else cause I don't buy it for a second. Fact is we are an undersized, undisciplined, poorly motivated, poorly coached mediocre (on a good night) team that lacks anything resembling focus or direction and that points to the head coach and as much as I hate K, dook and face as a player and coach unless UNC shows up with "bubble gum" horse shoes up their arse's then dooks gonna make an example of our shortcomings and it won't be pretty or close. It's tough to defend the indefensible hoss but you gonna have to come up with something better than that lame ass practice time excuse to be credible. Sad but true brother. jmo
