Honest Assesment of this Year's Basketball Team

[AuburnNTexas 7,127]

Center - Broome solid paint defender and solid rebounder as he has recovered from injury is starting to show what we expected down low.

Center Cardwell - Lot's of energy and hustle solid defender and rebounder no real offensive game.

PF - Williams probably best player on team at this time but needs to be more consistent in playing at his best at all times good around basket and can also shoot the outside shot. PG's need to find a way to feed him and Broome.

PF - Traore  has length and athletic ability but does not know what he wants to be. Needs confidence and decide what type PF he wants to be.

SF- Flanigan may be best athlete on the team but lacks consistency has a decent shot, handle is not that strong needs to concentrate on his strengths and not try to do to much. Defend rebound, get easy points on the break and shoot  3 when he has a clean look. He can drive to basket but needs to do less often and in more control with head up to pass out when it isn't there.

SF - Moore best SF on the team works hard knows has limits and plays within them may be best 3 point shooter on the team. He never gets flustered.

SG - Zep is undersized and is not hitting the 3.

SG - KD undersized and very inconsistent at times does not have a high basketball IQ, great hands on defense and can be an asset or hurt us.

SG - Westry only SG that is not undersized has potential I think he needs a game that will build his confidence and may still have some lingering injury issues.

PG - Green our best PG normally has good turn-over to assist ration and can get hot and carry a team at times. At times would also like to see him as SG with Tre as PG for short stints as it could be our best offensive team at least till Westry comes on.

PG - Donaldson is developing quicker than I expected. Solid defender, strong can rebound and solid handle just needs experience. If he can become the PG that feeds Broome and Williams down low he will get more PT. Then could even see Green as  a SG with him as PG at times.

Weakside defense and rebounding is hurting this team along with turn overs. Of the 3 Freshman the one who is helping most is Tre which was unexpected. Westry and Traore seem to have a deer in headlight appearance but have talent.  We need Westry to step up the most and we need him as a 2. I think Tre has shown enough as a PG that we can rely on him and a healthy Green at PG.  Prior to his injury Westry was starting to look like the player I saw against Israel.  Since the injury he seems lost to an extent not sure if it is a lingering issue on his knee or if it is  overcoming the fear after an injury.  An injury can play games with your mind it may just take one great play where he reacts and doesn't think and he will be back and start to be the player we were hoping for. Traore may take more time but has the potential to help by end of year.

 

 

[CameronCrazy 1,058]

I’m really hoping that this year will be a reverse of last year. We struggled down the stretch last year after losing close games where we just couldn’t get over the hump offensively.

Thats how we’ve started this year. But if our freshman can develop - especially Traore and Westry, then maybe we can finish the year strong in time for the tournaments.

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,641]

Kinda how you mentioned, Traore is the slowest to develop but he’s also the least necessary (for this to be a good team; championship contention is out the window as currently constructed, for me). You just can’t afford to have Westry stink with how little self-creation you have amongst the 1-3, even with Tre’s emergence and Moore’s sharpshooting & junk points. 
 

Zep had his best stretch as a ball handler..EVER…since arriving here last night imo. If you can get that, plus Tre, plus a way better Westry, I think you can surviving having either KD or AF on the floor, no matter which version you get. But the horror last night of those two doing their worse in terms of security, Tre producing a foul every mini second (youth), and so forth…non-ideal 

[e808 3,020]

I am kind of confused as CBH said he is pleased at the progression of the team. The only young guns are Tre, Westry and Traore. The rest of these guys have played a lot of college basketball basketball. I expect better from them but yet here we are. I am not sure what the solution is but I know for sure it isn’t continuing to shoot logo 3s

[jj3jordan 2,039]

13 hours ago, e808 said:

I am kind of confused as CBH said he is pleased at the progression of the team. The only young guns are Tre, Westry and Traore. The rest of these guys have played a lot of college basketball basketball. I expect better from them but yet here we are. I am not sure what the solution is but I know for sure it isn’t continuing to shoot logo 3s

Harsin is back?

[GreenTiger 1,000]

I had higher hopes for this team coming into the season as compared to what I’m seeing. Bruce seems to be a loyal coach and maybe to loyal to players who are not performing at the level the program has come to expect. 

[WillMunny 1,375]

We have the same problems we had last year (hyper-aggressive, height-challenged guards who can't shoot well, but shoot too much anyway).

Plus we have a big problem we didn't have last year: no Jabari or Kessler to bail us out.

Gonna be a long year.

Edited December 27, 2022 by WillMunny

[Mikey 16,550]

13 hours ago, WillMunny said:

We have the same problems we had last year (hyper-aggressive, height-challenged guards who can't shoot well, but shoot too much anyway).

Plus we have a big problem we didn't have last year: no Jabari or Kessler to bail us out.

Gonna be a long year.

I don't think it will necessarily be a long year. Last year's team was slow to gel too. I'm hoping/expecting that this outfit will keep getting better as the season progresses.

[icanthearyou 4,462]

No consistent, reliable scorers.  

[TigerPAC 959]

Still need a shooter in the worst way

[tomcat 569]

One of UABs coaches is a neighbor. After the early year scrimmage he said Auburn has a good team…quick, aggressive on defense, but a bit weak shooting. Mid-pack SEC.

BP seems to cut players slack on offense if they are hard nosed defenders. Thus far there are too many defensive fouls to go with loose offensive play and poor shooting. I’m thinking if they become more disciplined on each end, this could be a really good team.

[zeroforwinger 442]

I get playing 10-11 guys now. Give young players a chance to develop and see what we have in them. However, if players don’t step up, Bruce needs to really tighten his rotation come tourney time. Right now, that should only include Broome, Cardwell, Jaylin, Morris, Wendell, Donaldson, KD

[AUnCullman 601]

We have a great shooter on the team. He just never sees the floor. Seems we should try to come up with a plan for him since he could shoot us back into a game even if his defense is not great one on one. Berman

[KansasTiger 3,242]

2 hours ago, AUnCullman said:

We have a great shooter on the team. He just never sees the floor. Seems we should try to come up with a plan for him since he could shoot us back into a game even if his defense is not great one on one. Berman

I feel like his presence on the perimeter can even help even if he isn't actively shooting all the time. It can open the lane since they have to guard him at all times.

[icanthearyou 4,462]

Got to mix up the rotations.  Can't weather the halves in which we score less than 25 points. 

Almost the whole team could use a lesson in how to get in the "zone". 

[AUDaddio 79]

Our offensive movement is abysmal at times. We stand around too much.  What happened to the pick and roll which was successful last year.  Our shooting confidence is really low.  I agree that I think Berman should give us an outside presence which we do not have at this time.

Keep waiting for Westry and Traore to have a breakout game.

[AuburnNTexas 7,127]

On 1/1/2023 at 1:20 AM, AUDaddio said:

Our offensive movement is abysmal at times. We stand around too much.  What happened to the pick and roll which was successful last year.  Our shooting confidence is really low.  I agree that I think Berman should give us an outside presence which we do not have at this time.

Keep waiting for Westry and Traore to have a breakout game.

I keep waiting for the same.  But of the two Westry is more important this year as SG is our weakest position.  If Westry does not break out as the year goes on I would like to see a few sets with Donaldson at PG and Green at SG.  We are not getting much O at SG and Green could provide that while Donaldson is a solid PG as far as handle, rebounding, defense, and passing for assists.  Can't do that for long stretches as Donaldson usually comes in at PG to allow Green to get some rest.