The season officially starts tomorrow night!
As others have already stated, I’m a bit skeptical that the depth of this year’s team is significantly improved over last year. It appears the only freshman who will contribute this season will be Washington III, and his defense is a weak spot right now. Vernon is still trying to figure out how to utilize his skills as an undersized power forward. He is no longer the most physical, strongest player on the floor at the college level and has struggled with that adjustment. Herndon isn’t ready from a physical maturity level. He literally is a boy amongst men at this point.
Granberry is still a bit of a mystery to me. From everything I’ve heard and seen, he does not lack the confidence to let the 3 ball fly from any spot on the floor. However, in the exhibition game, he seemed hesitant and passive with the ball. Shyatt isn’t usually one to get upset with players taking open 3’s, so I was a little puzzled with his lack of productivity, especially given that he was on the floor with non-starters for most of the 2nd half. Of course, nobody knows what’s going on with Hankerson. To me, the play of Hankerson will determine whether this team ends up in the upper half or lower half of the MWC. It sounds like he will at least be available for tomorrow’s game, so hopefully we get a clearer picture on his role.
Larry Nance looked like he has taken another step forward in his development as a basketball player. He’s bigger, more physical on the block, and has refined his offensive game. It’s always difficult to tell just how good he is when playing against far inferior talent, but I’m cautiously optimistic Larry Nance can be a top 10 player in the MWC this year.
Here’s a little information about the Pokes opponent, UT – Martin:
Player to Watch: Myles Taylor (6’7, 250 lbs, Junior)
Taylor was one of 10 players named to the preseason All-OVC team this year. He was honored as the OVC Freshman of the year and named to the All-Newcomers team in 2011-12. This guy is a load in the paint. He has remarkably good footwork and hands for his size, which makes him a legitimate offensive threat. He uses his physical style of play and strength to dominate the glass. He is a double-double threat every time he steps on the floor. It should be interesting to see how Nance’s increased weight and strength translates to his defensive game against physical players like Taylor. That will be a key match-up I’ll be keeping an eye on. I expect the Skyhawks to go to Taylor on the block early and often.
UT – Martin was picked to finish 4th out of the 6 team West Division of the OVC. They struggled to a 9-21 mark last season, with defense being their biggest weakness. The Pokes should be able to good looks at the basket whenever they want. A poor offensive showing by the Cowboys could be cause for concern, as this is likely one of the more porous defenses they will face this season. Looking forward to getting the season underway!
As others have already stated, I’m a bit skeptical that the depth of this year’s team is significantly improved over last year. It appears the only freshman who will contribute this season will be Washington III, and his defense is a weak spot right now. Vernon is still trying to figure out how to utilize his skills as an undersized power forward. He is no longer the most physical, strongest player on the floor at the college level and has struggled with that adjustment. Herndon isn’t ready from a physical maturity level. He literally is a boy amongst men at this point.
Granberry is still a bit of a mystery to me. From everything I’ve heard and seen, he does not lack the confidence to let the 3 ball fly from any spot on the floor. However, in the exhibition game, he seemed hesitant and passive with the ball. Shyatt isn’t usually one to get upset with players taking open 3’s, so I was a little puzzled with his lack of productivity, especially given that he was on the floor with non-starters for most of the 2nd half. Of course, nobody knows what’s going on with Hankerson. To me, the play of Hankerson will determine whether this team ends up in the upper half or lower half of the MWC. It sounds like he will at least be available for tomorrow’s game, so hopefully we get a clearer picture on his role.
Larry Nance looked like he has taken another step forward in his development as a basketball player. He’s bigger, more physical on the block, and has refined his offensive game. It’s always difficult to tell just how good he is when playing against far inferior talent, but I’m cautiously optimistic Larry Nance can be a top 10 player in the MWC this year.
Here’s a little information about the Pokes opponent, UT – Martin:
Player to Watch: Myles Taylor (6’7, 250 lbs, Junior)
Taylor was one of 10 players named to the preseason All-OVC team this year. He was honored as the OVC Freshman of the year and named to the All-Newcomers team in 2011-12. This guy is a load in the paint. He has remarkably good footwork and hands for his size, which makes him a legitimate offensive threat. He uses his physical style of play and strength to dominate the glass. He is a double-double threat every time he steps on the floor. It should be interesting to see how Nance’s increased weight and strength translates to his defensive game against physical players like Taylor. That will be a key match-up I’ll be keeping an eye on. I expect the Skyhawks to go to Taylor on the block early and often.
UT – Martin was picked to finish 4th out of the 6 team West Division of the OVC. They struggled to a 9-21 mark last season, with defense being their biggest weakness. The Pokes should be able to good looks at the basket whenever they want. A poor offensive showing by the Cowboys could be cause for concern, as this is likely one of the more porous defenses they will face this season. Looking forward to getting the season underway!
