Thoughts after 9 hours of practice

[Sam]

3 days in and here is what I've noticed about the Sooner basketball team.

We're just talking practice and we still have 4 weeks till the season starts but I'm really liking how Pledger is playing and carrying himself. Right now of the returning players he appears to have benefited the most from the offseason.

He looks a little slimmer but overall he's playing with some confidence right now. Knocking down some shots, aggressive on defense, reminiscent of the outburst vs Iowa St. Gotta think that the new coaching staff has to have some hand in the "new look" Pledger. Its only October so it will be fun to see if this continues and carries into the season.

On the note of returning players improvement, Blair is probably next after Pledger. I too think the new staff has to be one factor in this. Blair's handle looks stronger and he just seems more in control. He's got the D-1 experience and I'll never discredit experience especially at the D-1 level. Grooms is more athletic and I continue to be impressed by the leadership he has shown in practice but Blair won't give up the job without a fight. I think the competition for the point guard spot will be good for both of them and the team overall.

On Grooms, I think his build compares very favorable to Quannas as asked before. Wide shoulders, etc. Well put together dude and a solid 6'0. He sees the court well in transition, as mentioned before, great potential. I do think it has showed some, especially in the half court, but the difference in juco vs D-1 speed will be a learning curve.

Arent shows simliar signs of not being used to the pace or the strength (noticed this on both of them when it comes to finishing through contact) of their teammates when compared to the juco level. The more time they spend practicing and playing and the learning curve should disappear but for now its there.

Newell might be the best "just throw the ball to him and tell him to go score guy" that is eligible to play. It showed today in some of the 5 on 5 they did before the scrimmage and showed during the scrimmage itself. He's got a nice first step, can create some separation on his J and when he doesn't need to worry about anything else, he's an effective scorer. On the AAU circuit its called the "Do Him" offense and if the Sooners ever need someone "did", Newell looks like the best bet.

Arent, very aggressive on the glass, great motor, energetic, enthusiastic, etc. Needs to learn to finish better, has some Courtney Paris moments where he gets 3 or 4 offensive rebounds to finish the play. That works vs his smaller teammates for now, but later on I'm not so sure. He also has good end to end speed, when it comes to running the floor and filling the lane he excels. I worry about the lateral part, his feet look heavy, could come into play when trying to cover quicker posts.

Clark looks similar to last year. Still at his best catching and shooting at various levels. Occasionally slashes to the hoop and has some breathtaking finish. If the Sooners do run more he will be a benefactor of it.

Osby has been quiet so far, in some ways he reminds me of Ace McGhee. Looks the part, has potential but is quiet for now. He's likely the strongest on the team and could be a really good rebounder with the right motor.

I will say one of the best things about open practices will be watching M'baye work. The guy is just impressive in so many ways. He looks like he could be a NBA small forward, especially when he steps out and covers Cam Clark well. Its so often that he grabs the board and pushes it up the court himself and its completely natural looking. The other thing that has stuck out for me is his willingness to mix it up down low. He fights on the block for rebounds and he's winning a lot of those fights. Given the European stereotypes, I wasn't expecting that.

I think Fran Fraschilla says it best on him.

Sooner fans will love Amath M'Baye, the 6-8 Wyoming transfer who could All- Big 12 in time.

Thats all I have. Not sure if I'm making practice tomorrow, its at 2 PM if anyone else is interested in attending.

 

[WTSooner]

Thanks for the info.

 

[Tony]

Tell me how Tyler Neal has played.

 

[j2d2]

Appreciate it, Sam.

 

[OUHoops]

Good stuff Sam. Thanks.

 

[AdaSooner]

Terrific job, Sam! I have enjoyed your practice reports, and look forward to more in the future if you have the time to be our eyes and ears.

I'm especially pleased that Steven Pledger has demonstrated the shooting touch that caused me to stick my neck out before he even arrived on campus, by declaring that he would "break OU's three point shooting record."

Okay, so maybe I was a wee bit overly-optimistic in my prediction. But I continue to believe that Steven can fill it up from beyond the arc, if he finds (and keeps) the shooting touch he showed throughout his high school career. Could this be the season when he proves me right? Stay tuned.

 

[garyeb2]

Oh, I finally get it. You guys got on the Pledger bandwagon back when he was a recruit. And you are still affected by a confirmation bias.

Fine. He has had good practices and I hope he has a good season. The team will be better if he does.

 

[MsProudSooner]

Oh, I finally get it. You guys got on the Pledger bandwagon back when he was a recruit. And you are still affected by a confirmation bias.

Fine. He has had good practices and I hope he has a good season. The team will be better if he does.

I think people are on Pledger's 'bandwagon' because he's an OU player and they want him to be the best he can be, which is the same thing they want for any player who is on the team.

 

[skyvue]

I think people are on Pledger's 'bandwagon' because he's an OU player and they want him to be the best he can be, which is the same thing they want for any player who is on the team.

Bingo. Stow the snark, please.

 

[garyeb2]

I think people are on Pledger's 'bandwagon' because he's an OU player and they want him to be the best he can be, which is the same thing they want for any player who is on the team.

I'm just saying. I don't follow recruiting. It does not interest me. The coaches are paid to bring in good players. Until they prove otherwise. I trust that they will. I'll form my own personal opinion after I've seen them.

Others that do follow recruting, may form opinions or create expectations before the players arrive. I don't understand that. But, it is fine with me.

And just to refresh your memory on a point. A couple of months back when I was cheerleading for a couple of Kruger recruits (Grooms and Arent), many posters talked about and jumped me for talking them up as if they were a couple of escapees from a leper colony coming to invade the real Sooner community.

I too, would like the to see all the Sooners play as well as they can. Sam obviously pays attention and communicates his opinions in a well written manner. And I certainly have an appreciation for that.

 

[boksooner]

I'm just saying. I don't follow recruiting. It does not interest me. The coaches are paid to bring in good players. Until they prove otherwise. I trust that they will. I'll form my own personal opinion after I've seen them.

Others that do follow recruting, may form opinions or create expectations before the players arrive. I don't understand that. But, it is fine with me.

And just to refresh your memory on a point. A couple of months back when I was cheerleading for a couple of Kruger recruits (Grooms and Arent), many posters talked about and jumped me for talking them up as if they were a couple of escapees from a leper colony coming to invade the real Sooner community.

I too, would like the to see all the Sooners play as well as they can. Sam obviously pays attention and communicates his opinions in a well written manner. And I certainly have an appreciation for that.

To be fair, you weren't just talking them up. You were denigrating the returning players at their position at the same time. People are going to have more of an affinity for players that have been around for a couple years, than they are for a new player that they know little or nothing about. So, if you insult existing players, while talking up new players, you are going to get a strong reaction. I am sure that is what you were going for.

 

[AdaSooner]

I'm just saying. I don't follow recruiting. It does not interest me. The coaches are paid to bring in good players. Until they prove otherwise. I trust that they will. I'll form my own personal opinion after I've seen them.

Others that do follow recruting, may form opinions or create expectations before the players arrive. I don't understand that. But, it is fine with me.

And just to refresh your memory on a point. A couple of months back when I was cheerleading for a couple of Kruger recruits (Grooms and Arent), many posters talked about and jumped me for talking them up as if they were a couple of escapees from a leper colony coming to invade the real Sooner community.

I too, would like the to see all the Sooners play as well as they can. Sam obviously pays attention and communicates his opinions in a well written manner. And I certainly have an appreciation for that.

You don't follow recruiting, yet you're complaining because someone criticized you for expressing your thoughts about Groom and Arent a few months back. Interesting contradiction.

So what if I formed an opinion about Pledger during the recruiting process? Give me credit for being man enough to admit (unsolicited, I might add) that I could have been wrong. I'm still trying to figure out how that revelation triggered a response that makes you look like a class rate jerk? Care to explain yourself?

 

[MsProudSooner]

I'm just saying. I don't follow recruiting. It does not interest me. The coaches are paid to bring in good players. Until they prove otherwise. I trust that they will. I'll form my own personal opinion after I've seen them.

Others that do follow recruting, may form opinions or create expectations before the players arrive. I don't understand that. But, it is fine with me.

And just to refresh your memory on a point. A couple of months back when I was cheerleading for a couple of Kruger recruits (Grooms and Arent), many posters talked about and jumped me for talking them up as if they were a couple of escapees from a leper colony coming to invade the real Sooner community.

I too, would like the to see all the Sooners play as well as they can. Sam obviously pays attention and communicates his opinions in a well written manner. And I certainly have an appreciation for that.

I don't follow recruiting either. Once they are on campus, I have no vested interest in player A starting or getting more playing time than player B. I just want the best team on the floor that can accomplish their goals.

Once they are on campus, I do have a tendency to pull for the underdog - the player who has to fight through injuries, the player who works hard to get himself or herself out of the proverbial doghouse or the player who somehow turns into the team whipping boy.

 

[garyeb2]

You don't follow recruiting, yet you're complaining because someone criticized you for expressing your thoughts about Groom and Arent a few months back. Interesting contradiction.

So what if I formed an opinion about Pledger during the recruiting process? Give me credit for being man enough to admit (unsolicited, I might add) that I could have been wrong. I'm still trying to figure out how that revelation triggered a response that makes you look like a first class jerk? Care to explain yourself?

Are your feelings tender today? And Sam, please don't send me a private message scolding me for hijacking a feel good thread. Your partner solicited a response.

Firstly,does first class jerk fit your definition of name calling? If so, check your rule #1.

Secondly, after Grooms and Arent were signed, they were discounted and the consensus was that they were picked to be nothing other than backups for the current players. To me, that was insulting to Coach Kruger and his staff. And insulting to Grooms and Arent. In addition to relying on the coaches expertise, there was plenty of material available to know that was just not the case. The are both good kids and they will both make the team better.

Thirdly, the previous poster suggested that I trashed the current players and that I did it with the intention of soliciting a strong response. That is simly not the case. I am amazed at the response and I was being truthfull when I said that a confirmation bias is the only explanation that could explain it. There is certainly scant evidence to support the theory that Capel's left over recruits will win a bunch of ball games.

Is that enough explanation? Or, do you want more?

 

[Tony]

Haha!

 

[Tony]

I think I speak for everyone else when I say we definitely want more explanation!

 

[campbest]

I think I speak for everyone else when I say we definitely want more explanation!

This.

 

[WTSooner]

Secondly, after Grooms and Arent were signed, they were discounted and the consensus was that they were picked to be nothing other than backups for the current players.

There is a big difference in saying Grooms and Arent were signed to be backup players, and saying Grooms and Arent were signed to compete, but will likely be backups. BIG difference.

I think a lot of us tend to be reserved when it comes to JUCO's, b/c a lot of them a) take a year to adjust to D1 basketball, and b) simply don't have the talent to be definitive starters on decent/good D1 teams. I know that may sound harsh, but it's what a lot of us have seen play out in recent years.

Take Arent for example. I like the kid. I liked signing him. But Sam is already reporting that he has a ways to go in terms of adjusting to the speed and physicality of D1 and the Big 12. That probably means, at least to start the year, that he comes off the bench. AND THAT IS FINE. Somebody has to come off the bench. Next season, we'll likely have 3 or so top 100 type kids coming off the bench. That is a good thing.

 

[One More Rebound]

If the arguments are this heated after 9 hours of practice, imagine what they'll be like when we've actually played a game...

 

[AdaSooner]

Are your feelings tender today? And Sam, please don't send me a private message scolding me for hijacking a feel good thread. Your partner solicited a response.

Firstly,does first class jerk fit your definition of name calling? If so, check your rule #1.

Secondly, after Grooms and Arent were signed, they were discounted and the consensus was that they were picked to be nothing other than backups for the current players. To me, that was insulting to Coach Kruger and his staff. And insulting to Grooms and Arent. In addition to relying on the coaches expertise, there was plenty of material available to know that was just not the case. The are both good kids and they will both make the team better.

Thirdly, the previous poster suggested that I trashed the current players and that I did it with the intention of soliciting a strong response. That is simly not the case. I am amazed at the response and I was being truthfull when I said that a confirmation bias is the only explanation that could explain it. There is certainly scant evidence to support the theory that Capel's left over recruits will win a bunch of ball games.

Is that enough explanation? Or, do you want more?

You accomplished very little, except confirm what I implied in my initial response. I never called you a jerk, I said that your actions made you look like one. But if the jerk moniker fits, wear it!

I admitted that I could have been wrong about Pledger. If he blisters the nets this season, will you be man enough to fess up, too? Judging by your track record of criticizing our players instead of looking for the positives they bring to the court, I doubt it.