What a great year and what a great group of kids! The disappointment and hurt from losing quickly turns into the peace of no longer feeling the pressure and then to just an appreciation of what an amazing journey this was. Unfortunately, the world never stops turning and it's time for the future. Such is the world of coaching.
Let's start with what we lacked this year:
1. Lack of creation from the pg spot. Rarely did our guards draw help and kick the ball to shooters. Occasionally we'd dump or lob the ball to the bigs. I'd like an elite facilitator. Tahaad can be this at times and so can Chad, but they're both scorers first. Would have loved to get the Cadeau kid from UNC.
2. Coach K always had a goal of making more ft's than the other team shoots. We played the whole year in a ft deficit. Nobody in this group really took ball hard to the rim and initiated contact. Transfer should help. I think we'll have him setting the flex screen and getting the ball on the switch. Jahki could also help if he stays. We need at least two slashers.
3. More depth with the bigs. We really only had two this year and one of those was a non-threat on offense. Four is the number we need. This will be the hardest thing for us to address I think. We needed to get one of Yaxel or Flory. Hoping someone is in the pipeline.
Tahaad, CBM, and Hall is a great foundation. If we could somehow hold on to Denver and Chaney, I'd feel great about how we look, but who knows. Jahki has immense potential, but will he stay. I don't see it. We need functional bigs in a bad way. Maybe we go the international route as a lot of our top options are off the board. Will be fun to follow.
Let's start with what we lacked this year:
1. Lack of creation from the pg spot. Rarely did our guards draw help and kick the ball to shooters. Occasionally we'd dump or lob the ball to the bigs. I'd like an elite facilitator. Tahaad can be this at times and so can Chad, but they're both scorers first. Would have loved to get the Cadeau kid from UNC.
2. Coach K always had a goal of making more ft's than the other team shoots. We played the whole year in a ft deficit. Nobody in this group really took ball hard to the rim and initiated contact. Transfer should help. I think we'll have him setting the flex screen and getting the ball on the switch. Jahki could also help if he stays. We need at least two slashers.
3. More depth with the bigs. We really only had two this year and one of those was a non-threat on offense. Four is the number we need. This will be the hardest thing for us to address I think. We needed to get one of Yaxel or Flory. Hoping someone is in the pipeline.
Tahaad, CBM, and Hall is a great foundation. If we could somehow hold on to Denver and Chaney, I'd feel great about how we look, but who knows. Jahki has immense potential, but will he stay. I don't see it. We need functional bigs in a bad way. Maybe we go the international route as a lot of our top options are off the board. Will be fun to follow.
