Georgia loses to Florida by 12. They were up 17, I think, during the last couple of minutes.
The one time we put on a press, we got a turnover.
Why doesn't Fox at least try different defenses? What about a press? What about the 1-3-1? We're down 10 points late in the second half and we just let them walk the ball up the floor? I can coach better than that!
We're 13 and 11 overall. At 4 and 7 in the league, Georgia is in next to last place in the SEC.
Fox takes the credit for the 20 win seasons. He has to take the blame for this one. Sure, we've had some bad breaks, but if your team never wins close games, never beats higher ranked teams, then something is wrong with the recruiting and the in-game coaching.
I don't know what everybody else was expecting in year 8 of the Fox regime, but this wasn't it. No NCAA wins in 8 seasons? Lower reaches of the SEC? Sure his guys are graduating, but I can field an intramural team with grad students. Doesn't mean I'm a good coach.
Fox looked pretty good with Felton's players, Trey Thompkins, Travis Leslie, Dustin Ware and Jeremy Price. But with his own guys, Fox looks totally out-matched by some of the other good coaches.
We finally beat Tech. Other than that, I can't think of any highlights for the season.
Meanwhile, the other coaches are starting to recruit better. Alabama and Avery Johnson will be a great looking squad next year. Tennessee will be better. Florida and South Carolina are at the top of the league now.
Georgia seems to be heading in the opposite direction.
This game might have forced McGarity's hand.
Showing posts with label Trey Thompkins. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Trey Thompkins. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 7, 2017
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
Georgia is Close
The high water mark for Fox basketball was when he had the athletes. Doesn't get much better than this.
Fox could put on the floor a point guard who would protect the ball and shoot clutch free throws (Dustin Ware), a shooting guard who defended well and was reliable from deep (Ricky McPhee), a bulky guy with a big butt in the low post (Jeremy Price), a tall athlete at the high post (Trey Thompkins), and a sky-walking small forward (Travis Leslie).
UGA gobbled up rebounds with Thompkins, Price, and Leslie, and we could employ the match-up zone effectively with a long athletic guy at the top of the zone.
The problem is that all the athletes were Felton recruits. When they left, the cupboard wasn't exactly bare, but it definitely was not well stocked.
Dawg fans have been waiting for the glory days to come back. Meanwhile, we won the best we could. Lost games we should have won. Endured ugly basketball.
Well, guys. I think Georgia is close. Given the 2015 signing class and the 2016 commitments, we may be able to mix and match pieces and deploy some guys who will bring the excitement back.
Next year Fox can put on the floor two point guards who will give us some of the contributions that Dustin Ware made.
Charles Mann will be a senior. With better athletes around him and reduced minutes, he won't have to force the action. This will cut down on his turnovers and boost his assists. Mann is a career 69 percent free throw shooter. If he can improve those numbers to hit 75 to 80 percent, Georgia will close out some games with victories that we previously would have lost.
J.J. Frazier won't have to start, though he might. He'll man the point whenever Chuck doesn't. He is a clutch free throw shooter already, averaging 83 percent from the line. He shoots it well (40 percent) from behind the arc. He even gets more rebounds, four per game, than you would think. Don't know how much his wrist injury impacted his shooting late in the season, but if he heals in the off-season and gives us any part of what he delivered against Mississippi State, look out.
At shooting guard will be Kenny Gaines. Between being sick and the shoulder injury and the ankle injury (did I miss one?), it was amazing that we got as much this year out of Gaines as we did. A healthy senior class Kenny Gaines will continue to defend well and will find that the shots and drives to the basket come easier for him.
Behind Gaines will likely be combo guard Turtle Jackson. Jackson is perhaps not the shooter that McPhee was, but when he's on, Turtle can hit it from deep. Even better, McPhee was primarily a catch and shoot guy, while Jackson can shoot it, take the ball to the rim and finish, or dish it to teammates.
Derek Ogbeide is a more athletic Jeremy Price. Not as skilled offensively around the bucket, but he has all the tools. Yante Maten is more skilled, but not as physical as Ogbeide. Either way, Georgia has some pretty good options at low post.
As for the tall high post? Yante Maten and E'Torrion Wilridge are our best bets there for now. Wilridge is not as tall as Trey Thompkins and he doesn't have the range to step out and hit the three, but he will give Georgia good moments. If Fox seals the deal with Mike Edwards, he would be the perfect candidate to fill the Thompkins role.
What UGA has been lacking is the Travis Leslie-type athlete. They don't come around every day. That's why we're close, rather than already there. Can Yasir Rosemond bring in Jaylen Brown? If so, then we're there. If not, then 2015 will have to wait until 2016. Jordan Harris is a skywalker and defender like Leslie, and a better shooter at the same point.
Georgia is close.
Fox could put on the floor a point guard who would protect the ball and shoot clutch free throws (Dustin Ware), a shooting guard who defended well and was reliable from deep (Ricky McPhee), a bulky guy with a big butt in the low post (Jeremy Price), a tall athlete at the high post (Trey Thompkins), and a sky-walking small forward (Travis Leslie).
UGA gobbled up rebounds with Thompkins, Price, and Leslie, and we could employ the match-up zone effectively with a long athletic guy at the top of the zone.
The problem is that all the athletes were Felton recruits. When they left, the cupboard wasn't exactly bare, but it definitely was not well stocked.
Dawg fans have been waiting for the glory days to come back. Meanwhile, we won the best we could. Lost games we should have won. Endured ugly basketball.
Well, guys. I think Georgia is close. Given the 2015 signing class and the 2016 commitments, we may be able to mix and match pieces and deploy some guys who will bring the excitement back.
Next year Fox can put on the floor two point guards who will give us some of the contributions that Dustin Ware made.
Charles Mann will be a senior. With better athletes around him and reduced minutes, he won't have to force the action. This will cut down on his turnovers and boost his assists. Mann is a career 69 percent free throw shooter. If he can improve those numbers to hit 75 to 80 percent, Georgia will close out some games with victories that we previously would have lost.
J.J. Frazier won't have to start, though he might. He'll man the point whenever Chuck doesn't. He is a clutch free throw shooter already, averaging 83 percent from the line. He shoots it well (40 percent) from behind the arc. He even gets more rebounds, four per game, than you would think. Don't know how much his wrist injury impacted his shooting late in the season, but if he heals in the off-season and gives us any part of what he delivered against Mississippi State, look out.
At shooting guard will be Kenny Gaines. Between being sick and the shoulder injury and the ankle injury (did I miss one?), it was amazing that we got as much this year out of Gaines as we did. A healthy senior class Kenny Gaines will continue to defend well and will find that the shots and drives to the basket come easier for him.
Behind Gaines will likely be combo guard Turtle Jackson. Jackson is perhaps not the shooter that McPhee was, but when he's on, Turtle can hit it from deep. Even better, McPhee was primarily a catch and shoot guy, while Jackson can shoot it, take the ball to the rim and finish, or dish it to teammates.
Derek Ogbeide is a more athletic Jeremy Price. Not as skilled offensively around the bucket, but he has all the tools. Yante Maten is more skilled, but not as physical as Ogbeide. Either way, Georgia has some pretty good options at low post.
As for the tall high post? Yante Maten and E'Torrion Wilridge are our best bets there for now. Wilridge is not as tall as Trey Thompkins and he doesn't have the range to step out and hit the three, but he will give Georgia good moments. If Fox seals the deal with Mike Edwards, he would be the perfect candidate to fill the Thompkins role.
What UGA has been lacking is the Travis Leslie-type athlete. They don't come around every day. That's why we're close, rather than already there. Can Yasir Rosemond bring in Jaylen Brown? If so, then we're there. If not, then 2015 will have to wait until 2016. Jordan Harris is a skywalker and defender like Leslie, and a better shooter at the same point.
Georgia is close.
Tuesday, March 24, 2015
Mike Edwards Visits
Jonas Hayes has a pretty good eye for talent.
Yante Maten is a guy that Coach Hayes targeted and successfully brought down to Georgia. Maten showed this year that he is and will be a very good player for UGA. He'll need to change his body during the off-season and gain more bounce off the floor, but look for him to make a big jump between his freshman and sophomore years.
Coach Hayes' target this year is Mike Edwards, another post prospect from Michigan.
As Blog readers know, I wasn't very high on Mike Edwards at first. I didn't get it, and I posted as much.
Was I right and Jonas wrong? Or was it the other way around?
After thinking about it, I'm glad that Hayes is the recruiter, and I'm the Blogger. Looking at the videos with a more critical eye, I get it now. I was thinking of Edwards' ceiling as being like Daniel Miller. That would be sufficient enough to help the Dawgs.
But thinking about Edwards differently, he has enough pick and pop in his game to fill the role that Trey Thompkins did. Tall high post, can shoot the 15 to 18-footer, and athletic enough to catch the back door lob to the rim.
His ceiling isn't Daniel Miller, It's Al Horford.
Mike Edwards is coming to visit this week. Although he's an unranked guy, Edwards would be a good get for the Dawgs. Here's wishing Coach Hayes, Fox and crew well.
Yante Maten is a guy that Coach Hayes targeted and successfully brought down to Georgia. Maten showed this year that he is and will be a very good player for UGA. He'll need to change his body during the off-season and gain more bounce off the floor, but look for him to make a big jump between his freshman and sophomore years.
Coach Hayes' target this year is Mike Edwards, another post prospect from Michigan.
As Blog readers know, I wasn't very high on Mike Edwards at first. I didn't get it, and I posted as much.
Was I right and Jonas wrong? Or was it the other way around?
After thinking about it, I'm glad that Hayes is the recruiter, and I'm the Blogger. Looking at the videos with a more critical eye, I get it now. I was thinking of Edwards' ceiling as being like Daniel Miller. That would be sufficient enough to help the Dawgs.
But thinking about Edwards differently, he has enough pick and pop in his game to fill the role that Trey Thompkins did. Tall high post, can shoot the 15 to 18-footer, and athletic enough to catch the back door lob to the rim.
His ceiling isn't Daniel Miller, It's Al Horford.
Mike Edwards is coming to visit this week. Although he's an unranked guy, Edwards would be a good get for the Dawgs. Here's wishing Coach Hayes, Fox and crew well.
Friday, November 22, 2013
No more Kool-Aid, please
I know when I'm at my limit.
Approaching the UGA hoops season I saw Wofford at Stegeman, Georgia Tech at Stegeman, and a mid-major on a neutral court. That early schedule said to me a UGA record of 3 and 0. Maybe 2 and 1 if we started the season slow.
Mark Fox pronounced to the world that Georgia was a Top 25 team. I attributed Fox's comments to salesmanship, a coach trying to buoy his players. Although I couldn't see Top 25, I willingly went along with the implied notion that we would be pretty good this year. Solid in the fundamentals. Competitive, beating the teams we should.
Last night a winless Davidson squad took it to us. Beat us by double digits. Now in the cold light of reality, we are 1 and 2.
In that same light, I scan our roster. We don't have pure shooters, elite defenders or dominant post players. No Jeremy Price, Ajax, Chris Barnes, Ricky McPhee, Travis Leslie or Trey Thompkins. We got a fat zero on the fall recruiting trail. No obvious help on the horizon.
My hope is that UGA will get better. That Brandon Morris is the missing link. That we will beat Temple tonight.
I'm a homer, but even the most ardent hoops supporters have to face facts. We're not a top 25 team. We're not a pretty good team. We're in last place in the SEC, on the brink of yet another losing season.
We need to turn things around tonight. I have hope, but that's about all. I want Fox to show us he can coach, that he can win on the court and on the recruiting trail. I'm done with Kool-Aid.
Approaching the UGA hoops season I saw Wofford at Stegeman, Georgia Tech at Stegeman, and a mid-major on a neutral court. That early schedule said to me a UGA record of 3 and 0. Maybe 2 and 1 if we started the season slow.
Mark Fox pronounced to the world that Georgia was a Top 25 team. I attributed Fox's comments to salesmanship, a coach trying to buoy his players. Although I couldn't see Top 25, I willingly went along with the implied notion that we would be pretty good this year. Solid in the fundamentals. Competitive, beating the teams we should.
Last night a winless Davidson squad took it to us. Beat us by double digits. Now in the cold light of reality, we are 1 and 2.
In that same light, I scan our roster. We don't have pure shooters, elite defenders or dominant post players. No Jeremy Price, Ajax, Chris Barnes, Ricky McPhee, Travis Leslie or Trey Thompkins. We got a fat zero on the fall recruiting trail. No obvious help on the horizon.
My hope is that UGA will get better. That Brandon Morris is the missing link. That we will beat Temple tonight.
I'm a homer, but even the most ardent hoops supporters have to face facts. We're not a top 25 team. We're not a pretty good team. We're in last place in the SEC, on the brink of yet another losing season.
We need to turn things around tonight. I have hope, but that's about all. I want Fox to show us he can coach, that he can win on the court and on the recruiting trail. I'm done with Kool-Aid.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Leslie Cut by Clippers
The Clippers never were a good fit for Travis. Leslie was a high-flyer on a team that didn't need his skills. They already have Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan to catch lobs, plus a slew of other guards to throw 'em.
I suppose that the question is whether any NBA team is a fit for Leslie. Does Travis Leslie have NBA talent?
Leslie is a guy with pretty good speed straight ahead and excellent athleticism up and down. What he has lacked is the side to side quickness and the handle to get around guys.
Some will attribute Leslie being cut to his decision to leave school early. But the fact is that another year with Coach Fox was not going to help his game. Although Fox has a reputation for developing players, in reality our guards played worse last year than the year before. Dustin Ware went from 44 percent in field goal percentage in 2010 to 34 percent in 2011. Gerald Robinson fell off from 44 percent to 43. Brantley managed to go from a paltry 31 percent shooting to 25. Similar story for three-point shooting and assists.
Shucks, Leslie could have injured himself a la Marcus Lattimore. Besides, chances are that Leslie had more of a chance to showcase his skills playing with Trey Thompkins than he would have had running with Marcus Thornton or Donte Williams at the power forward for last year's 15 and 17 squad. I don't begrudge Leslie for bolting to the pro's when he had the chance. Would have loved to see him in the red and black one more year, but after all, it is his career.
The issue going forward for Leslie is how to move that career forward now that he has been cut at the last possible second prior to the season. Other teams have pared their roster down. They're likely not looking to add a player at this point.
Couple of options: Leslie could go play internationally, or he could look for a good D-League team, one on which he can play every night and get better. Although international teams are paying a lot of money these days and Leslie is young enough to enjoy time overseas, I'd probably pick the D-League route, at least for now.
Several NBA guards will not stick this year, either through injury or bad decisions or something else. Leslie has to keep his head in the game, get good counsel from family and other advisors, and be ready.
Good luck, Travis.
DM
Thursday, November 25, 2010
South Bend Tribune Article on Leslie and Game
against UGA.
Should be a good one in just a few. Hope the Dawgs can pull it out.
Go Dawgs!
Should be a good one in just a few. Hope the Dawgs can pull it out.
Go Dawgs!
ND Tries for Good Shots Each Time Down
Means that every player for the Dawgs will have to D up.
They have good size across the front line and start three guys at 6' 8". Travis Leslie should fare well, nonetheless, since one of their big guys is more of a guard/forward, and Travis makes up for any height disadvantage with his leaping ability.
Jeremy Price probably has an advantage over his man. Price has the wide body, good hands and has added the nice free-throw stroke.
It's that third match-up that is the big unknown. If Nolte is hobbled with his new face-mask, or if Trey comes out and is not quite ready to play, then I guess you would have to give them the edge in the post.
It's probably a tie out on the perimeter. Hansbrough has a little craftiness to his game. Can get hot from deep, too. The season's still young, but he is shooting right at 60 percent from behind the arc and averaging 18 points per game.
Eric Atkins is a point guard who sounds a lot like Dustin Ware. Mostly a distributor with a high assist to turnover ratio. Even though Atkins doesn't shoot that much, he makes over half of his attempts.
Gerald and Dustin should be able to hold their own against the Irish back-court. We need a fast start, plus some good contributions from our bench.
Look of the Irish
They have good size across the front line and start three guys at 6' 8". Travis Leslie should fare well, nonetheless, since one of their big guys is more of a guard/forward, and Travis makes up for any height disadvantage with his leaping ability.
Jeremy Price probably has an advantage over his man. Price has the wide body, good hands and has added the nice free-throw stroke.
It's that third match-up that is the big unknown. If Nolte is hobbled with his new face-mask, or if Trey comes out and is not quite ready to play, then I guess you would have to give them the edge in the post.
It's probably a tie out on the perimeter. Hansbrough has a little craftiness to his game. Can get hot from deep, too. The season's still young, but he is shooting right at 60 percent from behind the arc and averaging 18 points per game.
Eric Atkins is a point guard who sounds a lot like Dustin Ware. Mostly a distributor with a high assist to turnover ratio. Even though Atkins doesn't shoot that much, he makes over half of his attempts.
Gerald and Dustin should be able to hold their own against the Irish back-court. We need a fast start, plus some good contributions from our bench.
Look of the Irish
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
If we play tomorrow like we did
against St. Louis and MVSU, Notre Dame will punish us.
I'm not optimistic about the game. We really do need more production from our bench. Will Trey be back? Even if he is, it still doesn't mean that he will be ready to play. Most players are very rusty after coming off of an injury.
As readers likely know, I'm a homer. However, with my predictions, I challenge myself to state what I think will be the outcome without any reference to my feelings. My prediction? 69 to 65, ND.
I'm not optimistic about the game. We really do need more production from our bench. Will Trey be back? Even if he is, it still doesn't mean that he will be ready to play. Most players are very rusty after coming off of an injury.
As readers likely know, I'm a homer. However, with my predictions, I challenge myself to state what I think will be the outcome without any reference to my feelings. My prediction? 69 to 65, ND.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Dawgs Play Augusta State
The 2010/2011 version of the Dawgs basketball team will officially be revealed tonight at 7:00 p.m. The exhibition against Augusta State will take place in a newly renovated Stegeman Coliseum.
Should be a good experience for the fans.
Augusta State comes into the game having had a lot of recent success. The Jaguars went 29 and 4 last season, and 110 and 23 over the last 4 years. Coach Dip Metress has a challenge in 2010, however, since he lost all five of his starters and just about all of his scoring from last year.
Georgia will be looking to see how the roster can adjust to the injury loss of Trey Thompkins. Thompkins' ankle sprain is a significant blow to the team. There is a bright side, however, as I posted recently.
Trey's injury occurred almost a full two weeks before the official opener against Mississippi Valley State on Friday, November 12. So with the way the schedule is looking, I doubt Thompkins can play in the first game, and I suppose he'll miss the contests on the 16th and the 20th against Colorado and St. Louis. I'm hoping that Thompkins will definitely be back in time for the Old Spice classic on November 25.
Given Georgia's depth at the power forward position, we should be all right. Fans will get to see more of Chris Barnes and Marcus Thornton.
Let's lace 'em up and tip the ball off!
R&B Article
Should be a good experience for the fans.
Augusta State comes into the game having had a lot of recent success. The Jaguars went 29 and 4 last season, and 110 and 23 over the last 4 years. Coach Dip Metress has a challenge in 2010, however, since he lost all five of his starters and just about all of his scoring from last year.
Georgia will be looking to see how the roster can adjust to the injury loss of Trey Thompkins. Thompkins' ankle sprain is a significant blow to the team. There is a bright side, however, as I posted recently.
Trey's injury occurred almost a full two weeks before the official opener against Mississippi Valley State on Friday, November 12. So with the way the schedule is looking, I doubt Thompkins can play in the first game, and I suppose he'll miss the contests on the 16th and the 20th against Colorado and St. Louis. I'm hoping that Thompkins will definitely be back in time for the Old Spice classic on November 25.
Given Georgia's depth at the power forward position, we should be all right. Fans will get to see more of Chris Barnes and Marcus Thornton.
Let's lace 'em up and tip the ball off!
R&B Article
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Trey Thompkins Injures Ankle
Just when the season was about to start, too. Since it's a high ankle sprain, no one knows when Thompkins will be back and ready to play. Bad luck for the Dawgs?
Or just what we needed.
We needed to get some more minutes for our other bigs. Chris Barnes has to be ready to play. Marcus Thornton must learn the offense and be prepared. Donte Williams and has to get some experience. Someone else has to learn the high post. We figured that Jeremy Price would start. Without Thompkins, he'll have to play more. Fewer breathers.
And it's not just playing time. It's productivity. Who will put up the 18 points a game that the Dawgs will be missing? Who will snare the 8 rebounds that Thompkins averaged? We'll see now if Gerald Robinson can be that third scorer, because he might have to be the first one-- register the majority of the points some days. Dustin Ware may have to shoot more efficiently.
Of course, we may just decide to ride Travis Leslie. See how far he can take us. He might have to score 25 points a night instead of 15. I've said before on the Blog that Marcus Thornton can get it done. Fox just about has to play him now.
Hate to see Thompkins go down with a bad wheel, but if it had to happen at any point in the season, better for it to happen now than in the SEC portion of the schedule. With any luck, the end result will be that Fox knows more about what he's got, and UGA will field a more balanced team at the end of the season.
Thompkins
Or just what we needed.
We needed to get some more minutes for our other bigs. Chris Barnes has to be ready to play. Marcus Thornton must learn the offense and be prepared. Donte Williams and has to get some experience. Someone else has to learn the high post. We figured that Jeremy Price would start. Without Thompkins, he'll have to play more. Fewer breathers.
And it's not just playing time. It's productivity. Who will put up the 18 points a game that the Dawgs will be missing? Who will snare the 8 rebounds that Thompkins averaged? We'll see now if Gerald Robinson can be that third scorer, because he might have to be the first one-- register the majority of the points some days. Dustin Ware may have to shoot more efficiently.
Of course, we may just decide to ride Travis Leslie. See how far he can take us. He might have to score 25 points a night instead of 15. I've said before on the Blog that Marcus Thornton can get it done. Fox just about has to play him now.
Hate to see Thompkins go down with a bad wheel, but if it had to happen at any point in the season, better for it to happen now than in the SEC portion of the schedule. With any luck, the end result will be that Fox knows more about what he's got, and UGA will field a more balanced team at the end of the season.
Thompkins
Monday, November 1, 2010
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Georgia Picked to Finish Fifth in the SEC East
Well, there are a couple of compliments thrown Georgia's way in the attached Rivals article (Team on the Rise and all that), but the writer still predicts that Georgia will finish the year near the bottom of the SEC East.
What say you? How will Georgia do in the Division?
What say you? How will Georgia do in the Division?
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
"I'll Tell You Who I Love-- Georgia"
I'll say it again. Calipari gives great interviews.
He sounded like Vince Dooley at the beginning, the way he was talking down his team. Of interest to me is that in every interview that I've seen recently, Calipari has something positive to say about the Dawgs.
Man, I hope we can live up to it.
ESPN's coverage of SEC Media Day has the Calipari video, a rather dull interview with Jeff Taylor of Vanderbilt, and the article on Trey Thompkins.
ESPN, Calipari, and SEC Hoops
He sounded like Vince Dooley at the beginning, the way he was talking down his team. Of interest to me is that in every interview that I've seen recently, Calipari has something positive to say about the Dawgs.
Man, I hope we can live up to it.
ESPN's coverage of SEC Media Day has the Calipari video, a rather dull interview with Jeff Taylor of Vanderbilt, and the article on Trey Thompkins.
ESPN, Calipari, and SEC Hoops
Basketball Notebook
The attached Red and Black article is full of good news.
1) Fox expects Ware, Robinson and Price to Score
Trey Thompkins and Travis Leslie are Georgia's two big returning scorers. Thompkins averaged right at 18 points last season. Leslie, a shade under 15.
Winning teams have balance. Who will give Georgia that crucial third scorer in 2010/2011? Fox thinks that it could be Price, Ware or Robinson.
Most fans who follow the hoops squad have high expectations of Robinson, in part because Coach Fox talks about him so much. To have Price and Ware mentioned, along with Robinson, as expected scorers is fantastic. These guys are obviously showing something in practice.
2) Marcus Thornton
Okay. He has a lot to learn. But Fox indicates, and I heartily agree, that once Thornton gets down the details he will be able to put up points in a hurry.
The good news is that Thornton is playing on the wing. He can help at either the power forward or the wing position, but he is most needed this year on the perimeter. The fact that he is out there and "doing a nice job" bodes well for the future.
3) More Efficient Practices and Better Locker Room Attitude
The team has already had a year under the Fox system, so there's less to learn. The transition between high school and college ball represents a huge leap, so it's good that the upperclassmen aren't having to pick up a new system at the same time that the freshmen are doing so.
4) Travis Leslie Summer Experience
He got a chance to "D up" Kevin Durant during the summer camp run by Paul Pierce. There was lots of information out there on Thompkins' summer experience, so I appreciated the quote from Leslie on his activities during the break.
Here's the article:
Notebook
1) Fox expects Ware, Robinson and Price to Score
Trey Thompkins and Travis Leslie are Georgia's two big returning scorers. Thompkins averaged right at 18 points last season. Leslie, a shade under 15.
Winning teams have balance. Who will give Georgia that crucial third scorer in 2010/2011? Fox thinks that it could be Price, Ware or Robinson.
Most fans who follow the hoops squad have high expectations of Robinson, in part because Coach Fox talks about him so much. To have Price and Ware mentioned, along with Robinson, as expected scorers is fantastic. These guys are obviously showing something in practice.
2) Marcus Thornton
Okay. He has a lot to learn. But Fox indicates, and I heartily agree, that once Thornton gets down the details he will be able to put up points in a hurry.
The good news is that Thornton is playing on the wing. He can help at either the power forward or the wing position, but he is most needed this year on the perimeter. The fact that he is out there and "doing a nice job" bodes well for the future.
3) More Efficient Practices and Better Locker Room Attitude
The team has already had a year under the Fox system, so there's less to learn. The transition between high school and college ball represents a huge leap, so it's good that the upperclassmen aren't having to pick up a new system at the same time that the freshmen are doing so.
4) Travis Leslie Summer Experience
He got a chance to "D up" Kevin Durant during the summer camp run by Paul Pierce. There was lots of information out there on Thompkins' summer experience, so I appreciated the quote from Leslie on his activities during the break.
Here's the article:
Notebook
Monday, October 18, 2010
Thompkins and Leslie Recognized
as one of the top twelve inside-outside duos in college basketball.
Georgia's duo is indeed rare in that although Leslie is considered as the "outside" part of the duo, he gets a ton of baskets at the rim. Thompkins, the "inside" threat is a legitimate threat from outside, shooting almost 40 percent from behind the arc.
Dynamic Duo
Georgia's duo is indeed rare in that although Leslie is considered as the "outside" part of the duo, he gets a ton of baskets at the rim. Thompkins, the "inside" threat is a legitimate threat from outside, shooting almost 40 percent from behind the arc.
Dynamic Duo
Mark Fox Interview
From the official site.
Gerald Robinson has picked up some muscle. Looks really good.
Donte Williams looks bigger. Don't think he'll ever be huge, but a lean guy coming into a Division 1 strength and conditioning program can put on 20 pounds in one year.
Would love to see Chris Barnes get back to being "Bam-Bam." In my opinion, he is playing at less weight than she should have. He'd be more accurate in free throw shooting if he learns to lock in his elbow.
Marcus Thornton is a real key to the season. If he plays hard and to his potential, Georgia will be much improved.
Travis looks ready. Last year he missed some of the buckets around the hoop that he used to hit in high school. If he mixes in a ball fake, up and under move, and learns when to go strong vs. acrobatic, then with his natural leaping ability, he will have more than one 30-point game this year.
Video
Gerald Robinson has picked up some muscle. Looks really good.
Donte Williams looks bigger. Don't think he'll ever be huge, but a lean guy coming into a Division 1 strength and conditioning program can put on 20 pounds in one year.
Would love to see Chris Barnes get back to being "Bam-Bam." In my opinion, he is playing at less weight than she should have. He'd be more accurate in free throw shooting if he learns to lock in his elbow.
Marcus Thornton is a real key to the season. If he plays hard and to his potential, Georgia will be much improved.
Travis looks ready. Last year he missed some of the buckets around the hoop that he used to hit in high school. If he mixes in a ball fake, up and under move, and learns when to go strong vs. acrobatic, then with his natural leaping ability, he will have more than one 30-point game this year.
Video
Sunday, October 17, 2010
"You Guys Are Missing the Boat on Georgia"
Great, great interview. I'm not a particular fan of John Calipari, but his interview was fantastic. Funny, thoughtful, and had just the right tone.
Calipari was very complimentary on the Dawgs, Coach Fox, and the Thompkins/Leslie duo. He even pounded the table when he spoke about UGA.
Speaking of pounding, we'd better pound the ball into the post when we play against Calipari. Kentucky will really miss Patrick Patterson, Perry Stevenson, Daniel Orton and Demarcus Cousins. They had the size and talent advantage last year, and by the end of the game they were able to exploit it.
If they don't get Enes Kanter eligible, then they will be vulnerable. We should play the zone against the dribble drive and make them shoot over the top.
Interesting to hear Calipari's take on the information age and social media.
I wish we had the coverage in the media that Kentucky takes for granted. We'll get there. If we win an early tourney and beat Kentucky in our first SEC game, our following will go through the roof.
Calipari
Calipari was very complimentary on the Dawgs, Coach Fox, and the Thompkins/Leslie duo. He even pounded the table when he spoke about UGA.
Speaking of pounding, we'd better pound the ball into the post when we play against Calipari. Kentucky will really miss Patrick Patterson, Perry Stevenson, Daniel Orton and Demarcus Cousins. They had the size and talent advantage last year, and by the end of the game they were able to exploit it.
If they don't get Enes Kanter eligible, then they will be vulnerable. We should play the zone against the dribble drive and make them shoot over the top.
Interesting to hear Calipari's take on the information age and social media.
I wish we had the coverage in the media that Kentucky takes for granted. We'll get there. If we win an early tourney and beat Kentucky in our first SEC game, our following will go through the roof.
Calipari
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Dawgs Ranked #25
in the ESPN College Basketball Pre-season Top 25 rankings.
Andy Katz updated the rankings on Friday, October 15th.
It's interesting that he has 4 SEC East teams in the rankings. No SEC West teams. That's quite a showing for the SEC East, especially since Katz says that Vanderbilt was one of the teams that just missed the cut.
To put the Division's rankings in perspective, consider that the SEC East's 6 teams had 4 ranked in the top 25, while the ACC's 12 squads only got 2 teams in.
There are of course no guarantees that the final rankings will be anything like the pre-season's, but the list by Katz does give some indication of how tough the SEC East will be this year.
Hope the guys are working hard.
Andy Katz updated the rankings on Friday, October 15th.
It's interesting that he has 4 SEC East teams in the rankings. No SEC West teams. That's quite a showing for the SEC East, especially since Katz says that Vanderbilt was one of the teams that just missed the cut.
To put the Division's rankings in perspective, consider that the SEC East's 6 teams had 4 ranked in the top 25, while the ACC's 12 squads only got 2 teams in.
There are of course no guarantees that the final rankings will be anything like the pre-season's, but the list by Katz does give some indication of how tough the SEC East will be this year.
Hope the guys are working hard.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Practice Starts Today
Dawgpost has an article up today. I'm looking forward to seeing how things shape up over the next month or so.
Get fired up!
Get fired up!
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Mark Fox Previews the Dawgs
Appreciated the video. Good to have information about the team.
Ten thoughts and impressions:
1. Expectations are high.
Fox and the team are embracing them.
2. Gerald Robinson will be fun to watch
It seems that every chance Fox gets, he says something good about Robinson.
3. The Stegeman Coliseum will be much improved.
I don't need fancy glass, just make sure the bathrooms are fixed.
4. There's competition for playing time.
Wish we had more height on the perimeter, but I feel comfortable that we've got guys who can bring the ball up the floor. Great to have options for post players. With Thompkins, Price, Barnes, Williams and Thornton, we should be able to take advantage of the smaller teams.
5. Fox will start and play the guys that are working the hardest.
6. The team is healthy as practice starts.
I keep waiting for a key injury to occur. Somebody to jump up and come down on a teammate's foot. Always seems to happen to derail the program's potential. So far, so good, though. No hits, no runs, no errors.
7. The SEC East will be tough
No one is talking about South Carolina. Could be a mistake. They're no "gimme."
There is so much parity in the Division that all predictions are suspect. For example, if Enes Kanter is not eligible, Kentucky will be height-challenged. They have enough athletes to play everybody tough, but a team with a talented front-line like Florida or Mississippi State might blow them out.
8. Fox will employ a lot more man-to-man on the defensive side
I like man-to-man if UGA turns out to be a really good defensive team. Otherwise, it's smart to use zone defenses to keep the other teams off-balance. Hopefully, Fox will not rigidly adhere to a particular defense, but mix and match depending on the situation.
9. Repeat the question
It seemed that Mark Fox was having trouble hearing the questions. For the sake of the video, he either should repeat the question after it is asked, or even better, have an assistant pass the mike to each reporter so that he can hear clearly and that the video's volume will be more consistent (the questions will have the same volume as the responses from Coach Fox).
10. Don't repeat the question
Our reporters need to ask more creative, more focused questions. By doing so, fans will get better insight into the team's progress and Coach Fox will be forced to abandon some of the cliches.
Preview
Ten thoughts and impressions:
1. Expectations are high.
Fox and the team are embracing them.
2. Gerald Robinson will be fun to watch
It seems that every chance Fox gets, he says something good about Robinson.
3. The Stegeman Coliseum will be much improved.
I don't need fancy glass, just make sure the bathrooms are fixed.
4. There's competition for playing time.
Wish we had more height on the perimeter, but I feel comfortable that we've got guys who can bring the ball up the floor. Great to have options for post players. With Thompkins, Price, Barnes, Williams and Thornton, we should be able to take advantage of the smaller teams.
5. Fox will start and play the guys that are working the hardest.
6. The team is healthy as practice starts.
I keep waiting for a key injury to occur. Somebody to jump up and come down on a teammate's foot. Always seems to happen to derail the program's potential. So far, so good, though. No hits, no runs, no errors.
7. The SEC East will be tough
No one is talking about South Carolina. Could be a mistake. They're no "gimme."
There is so much parity in the Division that all predictions are suspect. For example, if Enes Kanter is not eligible, Kentucky will be height-challenged. They have enough athletes to play everybody tough, but a team with a talented front-line like Florida or Mississippi State might blow them out.
8. Fox will employ a lot more man-to-man on the defensive side
I like man-to-man if UGA turns out to be a really good defensive team. Otherwise, it's smart to use zone defenses to keep the other teams off-balance. Hopefully, Fox will not rigidly adhere to a particular defense, but mix and match depending on the situation.
9. Repeat the question
It seemed that Mark Fox was having trouble hearing the questions. For the sake of the video, he either should repeat the question after it is asked, or even better, have an assistant pass the mike to each reporter so that he can hear clearly and that the video's volume will be more consistent (the questions will have the same volume as the responses from Coach Fox).
10. Don't repeat the question
Our reporters need to ask more creative, more focused questions. By doing so, fans will get better insight into the team's progress and Coach Fox will be forced to abandon some of the cliches.
Preview
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