Early Season Thoughts

[SoonerJK12]

Thoughts on various players in no particular order:

1. Reaves -- much better all-around player than I anticipated. He can really do it all and is more athletic than I expected. I like his aggressiveness but he needs to be a bit more cautious with shot selection. I really like that we can move him to point when needed, and he has done a great job so far.
2. Doolittle -- the Oregon State game was huge for him. In season's past, he seemed to take a long time to assert himself both in games and throughout the season. It only took 15 minutes into game 2 this year for him to do that. That's a great sign.
3. Williams -- in a game where pure athleticism can be an asset regardless of your basketball ability or IQ, this guy deserves a scholarship, holy cow. However, he is more than just an athletic guy, and is capable of knocking down an open jump shot. Really like what he can bring to the team.
4. Harmon -- obviously the talent is there. Tries to do too much at times, but with time, he will find the right balance. I really like how he probes the defense early in the possession before setting up the offense-- he will catch teams off-guard early in the possession this year and it will lead to easy buckets.
5. Bienemy -- can't say enough about him. He seems to be taking another step this year. He is an absolute stud defensively and is so smooth on the other end. He could turn out to be really special if he makes incremental improvements to his game like Buddy did over four years.
6. Iwuakor -- Really like his upside. He seems capable of defending every position on the floor. And his jump shot isn't bad. It will be fun watching him develop.
7. Kuath -- Has great instincts when it comes to shot blocking. Instead of chasing down the defender, he allows the offensive player to drive in and commit, jumping at the right time to allow his length to alter or change the shot. Our previous shot blockers did not seem to have this patience on the defensive end.

Overall, we seem to have several different guys that not only can create a bucket for themselves but also create for other players as well. And our length on defensive end this year is going to bother some people, especially this line-up: Reaves, Bienemy, Manek, Kuath, Doolittle.

This year is going to be a lot of fun.

 

[vbdad]

This is a fun group to watch play. I’m still hoping Kur begins to assert himself. He has ability.

 

[BoulderSooner]

This is a fun group to watch play. I’m still hoping Kur begins to assert himself. He has ability.

he has given good min off the bench to start the year ..

i think he is looking like the starter next season at the 5

 

[skyvue]

This is a fun group to watch play. I’m still hoping Kur begins to assert himself. He has ability.

It was admittedly a small sample, but I'd say he definitely began to assert himself last night. It was great fun watching him for even those few minutes.

 

[AdaSooner]

This is a fun group to watch play. I’m still hoping Kur begins to assert himself. He has ability.

Kur did that last night, albeit in limited minutes when our defense needed a spark. I was hoping to see more of Kur and Victor in the second half. I’m sure their time will come.

Spot on breakdown on players, JK12! Not much I can add to your assessment.

 

[Stikboy]

How did Hill look, coming off the injury? Saw in the box he got 10 mins.

 

[tmeyer3307]

Kuath has been really good in limited minutes this season.. Why is he only getting 5 min a game is my question.. Hopefully both of our back up bigs can get 10-12min a game this season. My only worry is Manek/Doolittle wearing down by big 12 play.

 

[Sooner Season]

Hill missed the Minnesota game because of a slight concussion suffered in the UTSA game. He was back and he looks like a freshman trying to find his way sometimes and then also like a freshman with the ability to offer great energy and athleticism at other times. I expect him to become more and more effective off of the bench as the season progresses.

 

[skyvue]

How did Hill look, coming off the injury? Saw in the box he got 10 mins.

In the game thread, some were calling for him to be benched and Kuath brought in, but he played well enough in a short stint: 3 points on 1-2 shooting, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 1 block and good hustle on defense.

 

[WichitaSooner]

Kuath has been really good in limited minutes this season.. Why is he only getting 5 min a game is my question.. Hopefully both of our back up bigs can get 10-12min a game this season. My only worry is Manek/Doolittle wearing down by big 12 play.

A lot of people seem to be questioning why Kur and Vic didn't get more run, and while I don't completely disagree, it kind of makes me chuckle because I can recall dozens of game threads where people complain about Lon subbing while the starters are on a run. In the second half, Doo was dominant, and the team went on a massive run to open a 20-point lead. I think Lon just rode the hot hands and stuck with the group that was on the floor. The fact that we have six days off probably allayed any concerns about fatigue. Plus, I never buy into the idea that college kids playing two, 40-minute games a week will get overly fatigued. In the NBA, with teams playing three or four, 48-minute games a week, that is a much bigger concern. I think we will see plenty of the reserves in the next couple games if we play well.

 

[oketex]

I like the way the played defense last night, they still need some time to come together as a team but overall this is going to be a fun team to watch, now I'm not saying they will win the Big 12 but they have a shot at being better than the #8 pre-season prediction.

 

[sheepdogs1]

A lot of people seem to be questioning why Kur and Vic didn't get more run, and while I don't completely disagree, it kind of makes me chuckle because I can recall dozens of game threads where people complain about Lon subbing while the starters are on a run. In the second half, Doo was dominant, and the team went on a massive run to open a 20-point lead. I think Lon just rode the hot hands and stuck with the group that was on the floor. The fact that we have six days off probably allayed any concerns about fatigue. Plus, I never buy into the idea that college kids playing two, 40-minute games a week will get overly fatigued. In the NBA, with teams playing three or four, 48-minute games a week, that is a much bigger concern. I think we will see plenty of the reserves in the next couple games if we play well.

It is night and day when substitutions can hold there own as opposed to looking like they are subversive molls working for the other team. Secondly, regardless of how good the starters are they need to rest their legs.

 

[WichitaSooner]

It is night and day when substitutions can hold there own as opposed to looking like they are subversive molls working for the other team. Secondly, regardless of how good the starters are they need to rest their legs.

Like I said, I wouldn't have minded seeing Kur and Vic, I just think the criticism is a bit ironic. Let's put it this way -- if those two guys came in and OSU went on a quick 8-2 run after we had the lead up to, say, 12, do you have any doubt that people would have been posting something along the lines of, "what is Lon doing, we were playing great till he subbed"?

 

[sheepdogs1]

Like I said, I wouldn't have minded seeing Kur and Vic, I just think the criticism is a bit ironic. Let's put it this way -- if those two guys came in and OSU went on a quick 8-2 run after we had the lead up to, say, 12, do you have any doubt that people would have been posting something along the lines of, "what is Lon doing, we were playing great till he subbed"?

Of course they would, but you are relying on a "what if" scenario, which did not materialize, so as to make your point. It was stated why some posters, would in the past, cringe at the substitutions protocol utilized last season. Hopefully, this season leads to a smoother transition when the bench players are thrown into the fire.

 

[daqman]

Loved watching the group of Harmon/Williams/Hill/Vic/Kur.
I'm no expert but it looked like their defense was flat out amazing. These guys have some much deserved confidence. Especially Hill. That guy does NOT play like a freshman.

 

[BoulderSooner]

Loved watching the group of Harmon/Williams/Hill/Vic/Kur.
I'm no expert but it looked like their defense was flat out amazing. These guys have some much deserved confidence. Especially Hill. That guy does NOT play like a freshman.

i am very impressed by the D of the newcomers

 

[WichitaSooner]

Of course they would, but you are relying on a "what if" scenario, which did not materialize, so as to make your point. It was stated why some posters, would in the past, cringe at the substitutions protocol utilized last season. Hopefully, this season leads to a smoother transition when the bench players are thrown into the fire.

Oh trust me, I agree completely with the latter point. The great thing is, even on nights when they don't play quite as well, we can at least be confident that our subs won't be in over their heads from a talent standpoint -- these guys are athletes! My only observation is that people will always second-guess substitutions based on hindsight. It's much tougher for a coach to have to make that decision in real time, without knowing in advance how the subs will play on a given night.

 

[MJSooner]

Thoughts on various players in no particular order:

1. Reaves -- much better all-around player than I anticipated. He can really do it all and is more athletic than I expected. I like his aggressiveness but he needs to be a bit more cautious with shot selection. I really like that we can move him to point when needed, and he has done a great job so far.
2. Doolittle -- the Oregon State game was huge for him. In season's past, he seemed to take a long time to assert himself both in games and throughout the season. It only took 15 minutes into game 2 this year for him to do that. That's a great sign.
3. Williams -- in a game where pure athleticism can be an asset regardless of your basketball ability or IQ, this guy deserves a scholarship, holy cow. However, he is more than just an athletic guy, and is capable of knocking down an open jump shot. Really like what he can bring to the team.
4. Harmon -- obviously the talent is there. Tries to do too much at times, but with time, he will find the right balance. I really like how he probes the defense early in the possession before setting up the offense-- he will catch teams off-guard early in the possession this year and it will lead to easy buckets.
5. Bienemy -- can't say enough about him. He seems to be taking another step this year. He is an absolute stud defensively and is so smooth on the other end. He could turn out to be really special if he makes incremental improvements to his game like Buddy did over four years.
6. Iwuakor -- Really like his upside. He seems capable of defending every position on the floor. And his jump shot isn't bad. It will be fun watching him develop.
7. Kuath -- Has great instincts when it comes to shot blocking. Instead of chasing down the defender, he allows the offensive player to drive in and commit, jumping at the right time to allow his length to alter or change the shot. Our previous shot blockers did not seem to have this patience on the defensive end.

Overall, we seem to have several different guys that not only can create a bucket for themselves but also create for other players as well. And our length on defensive end this year is going to bother some people, especially this line-up: Reaves, Bienemy, Manek, Kuath, Doolittle.

This year is going to be a lot of fun.

Great assessment. This team will be a lot of fun. Inexperience may lead to some moments like the last 5 minutes, but love the intensity on both ends of the floor. We haven't seen this level of aggressiveness maybe since the Kelvin days or maybe 2016.

Harmon will get there. He just needs to be a little more patient and read the defense better as I feel he forces it to the basket a little too often. He will learn as the season goes.

I love JB's game. He has stepped it up. He does remind me a lot of Buddy and hope his development continues. He could be the best all-around player on both ends we have had in a while.

 

[atlantasooner]

Admittedly it's still early but here are 4 things I noticed.

1. Like everyone has noted, the overall athleticism of the entire roster has been really upgraded. The length upgrade is also noticeable in the overall defensive pressure. Lots of
long arms in passing lanes and bothering shots.
2. It looks like the most complete roster that OU has had in a while. The last couple of years we've seemed a ball handler short, or a shooter short, or a scorer shot, or a big short. This year going 9 deep with the possibility of Merritt adding another big if need be.
3. This complete roster also seems ready to give Lon's his most flexible/adaptable roster in awhile. He can go small ball with 5 shooters or he can bigger while still keeping 3- 4 scorers on the court.
4. The ceiling on the 3 freshman who played is very high.

 

[tmeyer3307]

I mean, the subs have played pretty well. I would just like to see Manek and Doolittle both avg around 30min a game compared to 34-38min. Two games a week against big freak athletes, plus practices will wear on them.. I think Manek especially has shown the last two seasons that he can't hold up or will at least wear down.

I think Lon is still working with lineups and won't know for another month. I just hope Kur and Victor get multiple shots at playing each game, not just one 5 min stretch.