First off, I want to say that I have actually watched every minute of every game so far. As much as I hated doing it last year, I was finding myself more and more disinterested in last year's team. It's not because I'm a fair weather fan. I have lived and died Hoyas since 1984 when I received my acceptance letter to the class of 1989. I just couldn't stomach what was happening last year.
I'd also like to add that the Richmond struggle to a win brought my newfound expectations back to earth a bit which is fine.
1) Fitness -- to me this is the most eye-opening change. We get after it for 40 minutes. A lot of it is misguided with turnovers on offense and defensive positioning (especially on the weak side). But it is obvious that Ewing has the entire team in better shape than last year.
2) Offensively -- well it's not quite the sweet science yet but you can definitely see the NBA offensive system effects. The ball moves around better. There is a lot more effective sharing of the ball as opposed to playing catch outside of the 3 pt line for 90% of the shot clock. And we are getting more open looks -- a lot more. Also from a purely aesthetic point of view, it is a much more pleasing form of basketball. Turnovers are a plenty but that seems to be a smaller hole to dig out of rather than the inability to score.
3) Defensively -- yikes. Weak side defense is atrocious. I don't even think last year's team gave up this many dunks and layups. However, I feel like Ewing is very aware and knows how to fix it. I never felt the same confidence with JT3 last year in being able to address the offensive shortcomings. And rebounding needs a lot of work but I think we'll get there.
4) Coaching -- anybody that thinks Ewing wasn't ready for this job just doesn't understand his road traveled. This is my opinion, but I think everybody has made an improvement from last year. And Mulmore and Kaleb Johnson are downright shocking to this point. And Ewing seems to nail the post-game and pre-game pressers with what needs to be addressed. I was hoping for a younger DMV-related coach but I think I was wrong. I think Ewing has the better chance to get us all to where we want to be (which for me realistically is the second weekend of the tourney for the time being).
5) Recruiting -- really really optimistic here. Getting Pickett was so very good on so many levels. Ron was absolutely correct about where he is now but damn if he doesn't have skills that make you drool. All you had to do was see his finish in the beginning of the Richmond stream to have your eyes pop out of your head. I'm not saying he's the next Durant like some were -- but that finish was very Durant-like (massive wingspan and soft finish at 3000 mph). I also have very high hopes for the 2018 class. Ewing is putting in the work after a rocky start. And I think the fact that he is Patrick Ewing is only helping.
6) Outlook --- listen I think we are all prepared for what might happen in BE play. Our defensive shortcomings could very well be massively exploited by the league. But I like where we are. This team is about where I thought it would be defensively but on a whole other level of where I thought they'd be offensively. Hopes are high for me. Expectations for this year are still tempered. But I think next year the slow rise begins.
I'd also like to add that the Richmond struggle to a win brought my newfound expectations back to earth a bit which is fine.
1) Fitness -- to me this is the most eye-opening change. We get after it for 40 minutes. A lot of it is misguided with turnovers on offense and defensive positioning (especially on the weak side). But it is obvious that Ewing has the entire team in better shape than last year.
2) Offensively -- well it's not quite the sweet science yet but you can definitely see the NBA offensive system effects. The ball moves around better. There is a lot more effective sharing of the ball as opposed to playing catch outside of the 3 pt line for 90% of the shot clock. And we are getting more open looks -- a lot more. Also from a purely aesthetic point of view, it is a much more pleasing form of basketball. Turnovers are a plenty but that seems to be a smaller hole to dig out of rather than the inability to score.
3) Defensively -- yikes. Weak side defense is atrocious. I don't even think last year's team gave up this many dunks and layups. However, I feel like Ewing is very aware and knows how to fix it. I never felt the same confidence with JT3 last year in being able to address the offensive shortcomings. And rebounding needs a lot of work but I think we'll get there.
4) Coaching -- anybody that thinks Ewing wasn't ready for this job just doesn't understand his road traveled. This is my opinion, but I think everybody has made an improvement from last year. And Mulmore and Kaleb Johnson are downright shocking to this point. And Ewing seems to nail the post-game and pre-game pressers with what needs to be addressed. I was hoping for a younger DMV-related coach but I think I was wrong. I think Ewing has the better chance to get us all to where we want to be (which for me realistically is the second weekend of the tourney for the time being).
5) Recruiting -- really really optimistic here. Getting Pickett was so very good on so many levels. Ron was absolutely correct about where he is now but damn if he doesn't have skills that make you drool. All you had to do was see his finish in the beginning of the Richmond stream to have your eyes pop out of your head. I'm not saying he's the next Durant like some were -- but that finish was very Durant-like (massive wingspan and soft finish at 3000 mph). I also have very high hopes for the 2018 class. Ewing is putting in the work after a rocky start. And I think the fact that he is Patrick Ewing is only helping.
6) Outlook --- listen I think we are all prepared for what might happen in BE play. Our defensive shortcomings could very well be massively exploited by the league. But I like where we are. This team is about where I thought it would be defensively but on a whole other level of where I thought they'd be offensively. Hopes are high for me. Expectations for this year are still tempered. But I think next year the slow rise begins.
