Wessler rips the Braves

[wily coyote]

Using terms like "Bad", "Ugly", "flat", "miserable", "total collapse", "embarrassment", and "bad" seem like harsher words than my assessment- those are Kirk's words, not mine.

And I thought Bradley played very well in the second half, but Kirk couldn't find one nice thing to say even about the second half.

Let's agree that nowhere in his column did he use the term "Tremendous".

I must be mistaken,somehow I didn't think you were reading any articles written by KW. Silly me wrong again.

[Da Coach]

I never said that. Where did you get that from. I read whatever I can read about Bradley and college basketball.
I no longer subscribe to the PJ Star. Maybe that is what you recall.

[Chico]

My point is, to score....you need the ball and need it it a way that you can score...Prosser took two shots and made a tip in off an offensive board...

In the games I have seen he has trouble scoring no matter how he gets the ball. Not a knock on JP, just expected more after his heavy recruiting. Hope he can turn it around in his remaining time on the hilltop.

[Bravesfan]

If Pickett insists on taking fadeaways and Egolf insist on missing running layups, I don't have a problem with our two best scorers (and Eastman, if you factored him in) taking 66% of the shots.

When our guards took over in the second half, thats when we scored points. Walt and DSE are so much better than our big men that if we had balanced shot attempts it would not be playing to our strength.

That will work for this year as Geno has done a great job coaching up to what we have to work with. But if we are going to take that next step up, we need lot's of shooters and fast! You can't win championships even with two great players when you have nothing aroiund them, though our wins have occurred when at least a couple of other players have stepped up to contribute. We just don't have enough good shooters to do this consistenly enough, but we have played better than I thought we would by this time of the season.

[Bravesfan]

I must be mistaken,somehow I didn't think you were reading any articles written by KW. Silly me wrong again.

It was a good article by KW, but obviously he is giving Geno the benefit of the doubt as he is only in his second season as he did not put any of the blame on him (not that he should have). Obviously a game like this in year 6 or 7, however will warrant a different response from him.

[LittleBrave]

It was a good article by KW, but obviously he is giving Geno the benefit of the doubt as he is only in his second season as he did not put any of the blame on him (not that he should have). Obviously a game like this in year 6 or 7, however will warrant a different response from him.

or year 3 or 4...

unacceptable 1st half, and considering there was so much on the line.
With a win, we are just 2 games out of 1st place in mid-February. Chew on that!

[Future Walk-On]

Warning: This post is 100% negative..

IMO none of our bigs can create their own shot inside. As in none can play with their back to the basket. None can do a simple Jump hook or any post move.

WE has tried some jump hooks and made a few, but Prosser rarely comes close in his attempts (ball spinning wildly and line driving at the rim) and hasn't tried one lately..

we can barely establish post position (9 feet from the basket isn't posting up)

We can't just expect our bigs to wait around until Walt or DSE get into the paint and feed them for an easy lay up (in which I can bet they wouldn't go up strong AT ALL and barely make it or get blocked)

At this point. I think feeding JP on the "block" is an absolute waste

If TP gets the ball on the block he is more likely to step back and shoot (which is fine as he is 6' 6")

This is why we need BIGS.... like most other teams have...

Tuttle, Mockevicius, Clarke, Van Deest, Orupke, Echenique, Carmichael, Gant, Hall

I think that's someone from every team but us MoState and Southern

[tornado]

...
Tuttle, Mockevicius, Clarke, Van Deest, Orupke, Echenique, Carmichael, Gant, Hall
..

Well - no denying Echenique, Hall, & Carmichael are the league's best three big men - and everyone else in the league would take them in a heartbeat...

but I strongly suspect if we had any of those others, we'd be hearing the EXACT same complaints from the fan base...

Tuttle's having a little of a disappointing year - and how do his numbers from yesterday (4 pt, 7 rebs, but 4 turnovers) differ at all from Tyshon Pickett's (4 pts, 6 rebs, NO turnovers) or WE's (5 pts, 4 rebs, a couple blocks & a couple assists)

Mockevicius - averaging 5.4/4.7 - worse than all three of our bigs

Clarke, Van Deest - really, Drake is behind us in the standings & we beat them!

Orukpe - the guy's been around since he was first signed by WSU in 2007!
...seems like he's been on the team for like a decade and is 25 or 26 years old - and even then is only giving them 3 ppg & 5 rpg - hitting just 36% of FT's...and you'd seriously rather have him?

Gant - as noted elsewhere - good upside but inconsistent and his stats are virtually no different than Prosser's

[LittleBrave]

I am relatively pleased with our frontcourt, though they've had their ups and downs. Yeah, I expected a little more contribution from all of them at season's start.

I think they all did their part last night in the 2nd half.
The main concern I have is JC, SS and their progress. These 2 guys should be getting 10+ ppg between them at this point.
JC seem like he could break out any time, but then he makes a bad turnover or mental mistake and then sees pine. I like his ability to hit the 3, and has the most natural looking outside shot of anyone on the team and can make tough fade-aways.

Of course next season, we'll need to find a replacement for WE, as he brings so much to the team on both ends.

[Chico]

or year 3 or 4...

unacceptable 1st half, and considering there was so much on the line.
With a win, we are just 2 games out of 1st place in mid-February. Chew on that!

Right, we knew what was meant by 6 or 7.

[Future Walk-On]

Well - no denying Echenique, Hall, & Carmichael are the league's best three big men - and everyone else in the league would take them in a heartbeat...

but I strongly suspect if we had any of those others, we'd be hearing the EXACT same complaints from the fan base...

Tuttle's having a little of a disappointing year - and how do his numbers from yesterday (4 pt, 7 rebs, but 4 turnovers) differ at all from Tyshon Pickett's (4 pts, 6 rebs, NO turnovers) or WE's (5 pts, 4 rebs, a couple blocks & a couple assists)

Mockevicius - averaging 5.4/4.7 - worse than all three of our bigs

Clarke, Van Deest - really, Drake is behind us in the standings & we beat them!

Orukpe - the guy's been around since he was first signed by WSU in 2007!
...seems like he's been on the team for like a decade and is 25 or 26 years old - and even then is only giving them 3 ppg & 5 rpg - hitting just 36% of FT's...and you'd seriously rather have him?

Gant - as noted elsewhere - good upside but inconsistent and his stats are virtually no different than Prosser's

1. Mockevicius is a freshman. Prosser is a 4th year Junior. In conference Mockevicius is out performing Prosser in points and rebounds. Mockevicius is already more skilled inside than Prosser.

And Mockevicius is more of a projection anyways, because his Junior year I would bet he is averaging more than 3 and 3 in conference.

2. Gant is vastly outperforming Prosser in conference play and slighty over the whole season. (I believe conference play is the fairest span of games to compare) over 9 points a game to prossers 3 + 1 more rebound per game.. and he is a sophomore on a better team.

3. There is no way statistically you would rather have Prosser over Clarke or Van Deest. You reasoning is "really, Drake is behind us in the standings and we beat them?" So then why would you want Carmichael?

4. Tuttle is averaging 10 and 6 on the year and in conference...you bring up 1 game...what about when he had 24 and 10 against Indiana State?

5. Ok I'll give you a tie with Orupke...


FTR: Just because I would prefer other bigs than Prosser, doesn't mean I don't want him to do well.

[Bravesfan]

Warning: This post is 100% negative..

IMO none of our bigs can create their own shot inside. As in none can play with their back to the basket. None can do a simple Jump hook or any post move.

WE has tried some jump hooks and made a few, but Prosser rarely comes close in his attempts (ball spinning wildly and line driving at the rim) and hasn't tried one lately..

we can barely establish post position (9 feet from the basket isn't posting up)

We can't just expect our bigs to wait around until Walt or DSE get into the paint and feed them for an easy lay up (in which I can bet they wouldn't go up strong AT ALL and barely make it or get blocked)

At this point. I think feeding JP on the "block" is an absolute waste

If TP gets the ball on the block he is more likely to step back and shoot (which is fine as he is 6' 6")

This is why we need BIGS.... like most other teams have...

Tuttle, Mockevicius, Clarke, Van Deest, Orupke, Echenique, Carmichael, Gant, Hall

I think that's someone from every team but us MoState and Southern

Nothing new here that we don't already know. But the fact that we have 14 wins with this bunch (and hopefully a few more wins between now and St. Louis) is a testiment as to how well a coaching job Geno has done this year. Imagine how good this team will be with better shooters and another year of experience!

[Chico]

Nothing new here that we don't already know. But the fact that we have 14 wins with this bunch (and hopefully a few more wins between now and St. Louis) is a testiment as to how well a coaching job Geno has done this year. Imagine how good this team will be with better shooters and another year of experience!

True, Geno has done a good job.

[Future Walk-On]

Nothing new here that we don't already know. But the fact that we have 14 wins with this bunch (and hopefully a few more wins between now and St. Louis) is a testiment as to how well a coaching job Geno has done this year. Imagine how good this team will be with better shooters and another year of experience!

and a BIG!!!!!!!!!!!

Preferably one like Dwight Howard and one like Tim Duncan.

[Braves2011]

and a BIG!!!!!!!!!!!

Preferably one like Dwight Howard and one like Tim Duncan.

Preferably no Dwight, since he's got an attitude problem. All I ask is for 2 bigs and delaney at this point.