StarkVegasSteve
12-22-2024, 11:29 AM
Well folks yesterday was an incredible day inside of FedEx Forum, and I've had some fun ones with the Grizzlies over the years. We were dominant from the tip and it was great to shut their fans up from almost start to finish.
1. We played well yesterday and still played sloppy at times. I thought for the most part we were locked in but there were definitely stretches where you could see we lost focus. I thought our shot selection AT TIMES was really puzzling. That is the scary thing with this team. We had bad stretches and BLEW OUT a top 20 team on their home court in front of the biggest crowd they've had in years.
2. We have to get Kanye Clary back. I don't know when that will happen but for this team to take that next step, he needs to return and return to the point. Hubbard is good, but he is still more of a 2 guard than a true 1. And just to quell any rumors, because I've seen them, THIS IS NOT AN ANDREW TAYLOR SITUATION. Clary is legitimately hurt and is still with the team.
3. Defensively we were locked in yesterday. I loved our D against Pitt, but it seemed like we turned it up even a notch yesterday. Memphis is so damn athletic and we shut them down. They could not run, we were jumping passing lanes, and we bothered Hagerty all day.
4. Hubbard is good, but we need to get him to great again. I thought Memphis bothered him with their length yesterday, evidenced by his 5 TOs(he'd had 3 all season coming into the game). He's still Hubbard and is still good but he seems to just be a little off right now.
5. Riley Kugel. It's plainly obvious what Ben Howland saw in this kid when he recruited him 4 years ago. If he's on, you can see the lottery pick potential. The good news for us is, that he doesn't have to be on every night. We have so many pieces that him being on is an added bonus.
6. Claudell Harris has started to really win me over. He just makes winning plays and hustle plays. I was worried he was going to be Trey Fort 2.0 after he lit it up the first game and then disappered but it's been great to see him lock in and start to really help us on the defensive end.
7. This portal class was undervalued. We brought in the 43rd ranked portal class in America accd. to 247. About 30 of the teams in front of us would kill to have the tandem of Melendez, Harris, and Kugel. This was a top 15 class disguised as an average class becuase we haven't even mentioned Michael Nwoko who, although he got in foul trouble yesterday, has really started to come along.
8. I don't know what Jans said to Murphy to get him to come back, but whatever he said worked. He's been locked in from the jump this year and it's really paid off. The talent has always been there, but it's just been can he stay locked in. He has and he's a big reason that we're 11-1.
9. This is Jans most talented team, and our most talented team since 2003-2004. He told people privately in June and July that he thought this team had the ability to be the best team he has ever coached. That has come into fruition. We are long at every position except Hubbard, we are extremely athletic at EVERY POSITION. And something we haven't been in a LONG TIME, we're deep. We're 8-9 deep and we haven't been that in a long time. Not saying we haven't played that many players, but the difference now is the guys we bring in can play at the same level as the guys they are replacing.
10. We have the ability and talent to be playing basketball in San Antonio the first weekend in April.
1. We played well yesterday and still played sloppy at times. I thought for the most part we were locked in but there were definitely stretches where you could see we lost focus. I thought our shot selection AT TIMES was really puzzling. That is the scary thing with this team. We had bad stretches and BLEW OUT a top 20 team on their home court in front of the biggest crowd they've had in years.
2. We have to get Kanye Clary back. I don't know when that will happen but for this team to take that next step, he needs to return and return to the point. Hubbard is good, but he is still more of a 2 guard than a true 1. And just to quell any rumors, because I've seen them, THIS IS NOT AN ANDREW TAYLOR SITUATION. Clary is legitimately hurt and is still with the team.
3. Defensively we were locked in yesterday. I loved our D against Pitt, but it seemed like we turned it up even a notch yesterday. Memphis is so damn athletic and we shut them down. They could not run, we were jumping passing lanes, and we bothered Hagerty all day.
4. Hubbard is good, but we need to get him to great again. I thought Memphis bothered him with their length yesterday, evidenced by his 5 TOs(he'd had 3 all season coming into the game). He's still Hubbard and is still good but he seems to just be a little off right now.
5. Riley Kugel. It's plainly obvious what Ben Howland saw in this kid when he recruited him 4 years ago. If he's on, you can see the lottery pick potential. The good news for us is, that he doesn't have to be on every night. We have so many pieces that him being on is an added bonus.
6. Claudell Harris has started to really win me over. He just makes winning plays and hustle plays. I was worried he was going to be Trey Fort 2.0 after he lit it up the first game and then disappered but it's been great to see him lock in and start to really help us on the defensive end.
7. This portal class was undervalued. We brought in the 43rd ranked portal class in America accd. to 247. About 30 of the teams in front of us would kill to have the tandem of Melendez, Harris, and Kugel. This was a top 15 class disguised as an average class becuase we haven't even mentioned Michael Nwoko who, although he got in foul trouble yesterday, has really started to come along.
8. I don't know what Jans said to Murphy to get him to come back, but whatever he said worked. He's been locked in from the jump this year and it's really paid off. The talent has always been there, but it's just been can he stay locked in. He has and he's a big reason that we're 11-1.
9. This is Jans most talented team, and our most talented team since 2003-2004. He told people privately in June and July that he thought this team had the ability to be the best team he has ever coached. That has come into fruition. We are long at every position except Hubbard, we are extremely athletic at EVERY POSITION. And something we haven't been in a LONG TIME, we're deep. We're 8-9 deep and we haven't been that in a long time. Not saying we haven't played that many players, but the difference now is the guys we bring in can play at the same level as the guys they are replacing.
10. We have the ability and talent to be playing basketball in San Antonio the first weekend in April.