Back from the Red - White Scrimmage

[shaunguth]

I would have been worried myself if I was out of town and reading some of the reviews last night. However, I do feel there has been a healthy mix of people that have not rushed to judgement as well.

Would just like to add that I'll be in such a position Thursday night as I won't be able to make the game. I will be looking forward to seeing the reports after everyone's first look at the team in a game situation and I will most definitely be at the game next Sunday!

[amckillip]

Rumors from a couple of my sources (ok, my ONLY sources) are that TCS will not start because he simply cannot play D. I have heard that its almost as if he doesn't want to. I admit I was very impressed with his speed and ability to penetrate, but if he won't/can't play D I don't want him starting... I think the starting lineup will be the three that are locks, and two of the following three, Collins, Wilson, and Warren. I hope SamM is in there, but I just don't see it happening. Although I still say it's great to have this discussion where it seems there are 5 people legitimately fighting for 2 of our starting spots.

BTW I also thought Ryan Thornton looked liked he could be a definite contributor in years to come. He had height, a shot and seemed to place himself well. I liked it...

[BradleyBrave]

Rumors from a couple of my sources (ok, my ONLY sources) are that TCS will not start because he simply cannot play D. I have heard that its almost as if he doesn't want to. I admit I was very impressed with his speed and ability to penetrate, but if he won't/can't play D I don't want him starting... I think the starting lineup will be the three that are locks, and two of the following three, Collins, Wilson, and Warren. I hope SamM is in there, but I just don't see it happening. Although I still say it's great to have this discussion where it seems there are 5 people legitimately fighting for 2 of our starting spots.

BTW I also thought Ryan Thornton looked liked he could be a definite contributor in years to come. He had height, a shot and seemed to place himself well. I liked it...

If that is indeed true, then TCS will find a lot more of the bench than he wants to. I hope this isn't another David Selby situation, where we have a tremendously gifted offensive player who can't stay on the court because he refuses to play the defensive end of the floor. It's simple - you defend or you don't play.

I would lean against Wilson at this point because he seems to be limited offensively. Starting Salley and Collins limits us offensively and ballhandling-wise, starting Wilson wouldn't necessarily help in that regard IMO.

[shaunguth]

Rumors from a couple of my sources (ok, my ONLY sources) are that TCS will not start because he simply cannot play D. I have heard that its almost as if he doesn't want to. I admit I was very impressed with his speed and ability to penetrate, but if he won't/can't play D I don't want him starting.

If only he'd be willing to play like this all the time:

[thefish7]

TCS seemed to be playing decent defense friday night...

[Big Mike]

I agree fish.............TCS really looked good on both O and D Friday night! To me he was the most atheletic player on the court....at least for the red/white...........much quicker than advertised! There was nothing wrong with his D!

[tornado]

Here's an idea of how false the impressions can be from such a scrimmage....
from one of the opponents that Bradley will face this year........

Butler held their intrasquad scrimmage Saturday night as well......(about 800-1000 in attendance)

they played two squads against each other, "Blue" vs. "White".

One squad the "White", had pre-season All American & Preseason Horizon League POY AJ Graves, Will Veasley, Zach Hahn, Drew Streicher, Elliot Englemann, Avery Jukes, and Alex Anglin (all experienced and returning players.)
the "Blue" had Mike Green, Matt Howard (freshman) , Shawn Vanzant (freshman), Julian Betco, Pete Campbell, Grant Leinendecker, Nick Rodgers, and Ben Slaton (all the freshmen, new players, most of the current inexperienced players - including the two-Rodgers & Slaton-who played in the fewest games, and one starting guard - Green.)

The two teams went at it full tilt for 30 minutes (two 15-minute halves).
The shooting was atrocious, even AJ Graves was only 3-12 from long range, and and the cumulative 3-pt shooting for both teams was 7-32, and overall shooting pct. was in the 30's.
The fans on the Butler board were mostly unimpressed and said so in their discussion just like our people did.
In the end, Blue won 48-36, with AJ Graves getting only 13 points on 5-for-19 shooting overall, and his more experienced team losing by 12, and scoring only 36 points in 30 minutes.
Every player who played was a scholarship player, there were no walk-ons, and the main players like Graves and Green went most of the full way.

so same thing as we saw...it wasn't always pretty....but the explanation seen in the next morning's newpaper account was...
"the defense is a little ahead of the offense at this point".
(sound familiar?)



Todd Lickliter's new team, Iowa, also had their scrimmage last night, their Black - Gold game....way less than 2000 in attendance!
Again...shooting was bad....Black was 4-14 from 3-pt, and Gold was 6-20 (a combined 10-34, 30%)
and they played a full 40 minutes, final score 51-49!!...and the box score shows that the starters went
almost the full way on both squads...as they played the thing for real, as a real preseason competetive game....
they had been told by the coach that playing time "was at stake"...
(highly touted transfer Cyrus Tate had only 3 pts in 40 minutes, highly touted incoming freshman Jake Kelly had 4 pts on 1-8 in 40 minutes)


Here's how empty the place was:

[SFP]

JL preaches D and as much as we shoot the 3 he loves fast break easy points. The players hopefully will buy into JL's system. The D not the O will dictate how good we are. So tell me overalll did we play decent D in the scrimmage because D is alll about desire.

[ph]

JL preaches D and as much as we shoot the 3 he loves fast break easy points. The players hopefully will buy into JL's system. The D not the O will dictate how good we are. So tell me overalll did we play decent D in the scrimmage because D is alll about desire.

I'm no expert, but it did not seem that an offence could run wherever they wanted. (Still a lot of the perimeter guard weave trying to find an opening)
In last year's Red-white there were a bunch of little guards throwing up junk in the lanes. They did not do that this year (the differene a 7 footer makes..)
The JC shot attempts I remember were well guarded. JC was running into position and had a split second to catch set and shoot..
D certainly contributed to O problems

[shaunguth]

I'm no expert, but it did not seem that an offence could run wherever they wanted. (Still a lot of the perimeter guard weave trying to find an opening)
In last year's Red-white there were a bunch of little guards throwing up junk in the lanes. They did not do that this year (the differene a 7 footer makes..)
The JC shot attempts I remember were well guarded. JC was running into position and had a split second to catch set and shoot..
D certainly contributed to O problems

The defense seemed to be very much in-your-face. Hopefully, that holds true all season long!

[audacious_aficionado]

very good point da coach about butler's scrimmage. it is very hard to make an accurate judgement based off of those games. i'm not too worried because i know what we have coming back and i trust JL to put together the best team for offense and defense.

[ph]

The defense seemed to be very much in-your-face. Hopefully, that holds true all season long!

Leaving the game, that was my hope. Best case scnerio that played out, That we still have a good offense, but even Bradley's 2nd string defense was still that good...

Of course, leaving last year's red-white, I certainly never thought, "now this will be the best 3 point team in the nation"

[shaunguth]

Also, I've yet to hear why Coach Brooks wasn't at the Red-White game. Was he on a recruiting mission in Texas?

[amckillip]

Also, I've yet to hear why Coach Brooks wasn't at the Red-White game. Was he on a recruiting mission in Texas?

Shoot, let 'em recruit, so far I love coach brooks just for the 'Texas Connection.' I love the guys he's helping us get.

[shaunguth]

Shoot, let 'em recruit, so far I love coach brooks just for the 'Texas Connection.' I love the guys he's helping us get.

Oh....I completely agree! Just wondering if that was the reason for him not being there.