after the 2nd week of kenner, some things relative to hoyas have jumped out at me.
brandon murray - pros: scores at all three levels. love his back to fade away midranger. plays fairly hard. willing to defend including tracking down breakaways. is tracking to be the #1 scoring option this year. once gets going to rim, is moving with force.
cons: not a lot of change of direction. needs to probably get in a little better shape as he does take plays off, particularly defensively; since he will have MUCH on his plate and team will need him to generate big minutes, he has to prepare for that. not a dual hand dribbling guy per se, though he's not horrible with it. Being team's presumptive best player, need more vocal leadership out of him.
amir spears - pros: quick dribbler, is strong so can also bull past some guys. tricky with it some times, including passing. can hit shots at perimeter. likes the lane. will compete
cons: sometimes passes on the way to trying to score; needs to be more of a set up man. will force shots. an instinctive type player. streaky shooter. should drive more with both hands. not displaying requisite leadership necessary for next seson.
qudus wahab - pros: looks a little quicker. when he wants to, is a load inside. has worked on his face up attack off bounce from 17 feet or so. still a solid rim protector overall. has worked on jump shot
cons: still a non-passer. goes over left shoulder 90% of the time with no regular counters displayed. not talkative incl defensively. Rebounding out of area has to be improved.
wayne bristol - pros: gives you some perimeter versatility as a wing. slashes, drives and will shoot. willing defender
cons: not putting it together yet. makes sens, as he hasn't played in a while. needs to increase shooting efficiency, maybe by just spotting up more. asked a camp member if he was pressing too much...was told no. don't know about that. role definition will help him imo.
dante harris - pros: still is quick and can touch the lane regularly. at times sinks 3 balls.
cons: my personal biggest disappointment so far. is locked in a battle for pt, and is not answering the bell yet. biggest issue is mentally with sharing the game. untalkative which is problematic for a lead guard. must pick it up.
denver anglin - pros: smart player and person. has totally embraced leadership, heard sunday telling higher level teammates "hey, keep the energy up". also told andrew 'spongebob' washington, a notorious trash talker "We don't talk trash, we play basketball". yeah it was corny, but funny and i respect his willingness to combat washington verbally. better than solid shooter who will also deck the ball. not adverse to finding teammates. at first i thought he would just play 2g based on his skills and the comp, but predict this guy will play more and more 1 as he season goes on.
cons: has some pg skills, still not a full time 1 though. want to see more dogged man to man defense.
d'ante bass - pros; has a pro-caliber first step at times. capable of being a top level finisher. energy guy right now who has put in work spot up shooting. best basketball ahead of him clearly.
cons: still working on skills like dribbling and shooting off the move as they are works in progress. is inconsistent like most young, developing players. must maintain his best aspect currently; playing with energy.
jay heath - pros: shooter has mad shots. can pat the ball to drive or create shots. strong player that will mix it up and compete.
cons: a 2g now...not a pg. needs to make plays for others more. needs more vocal leadership. still waiting for transfer waiver from what i understand.
ryan mutombo - pros: is till big and when dialed in, can be a force inside on both sides of the floor. moves a tad better than before.
cons: needs to pick it up. haven't seen skill advancement since last year. still a black hole as will not pass out. not attempting to dominate the glass.
jordan riley - pros: athletic player has dunked and blocked shots. can be an outlet dribbler. shot seems to be falling more.
cons: instinctive player needs to think it more. at 6'1 looks like a swingman reserve this season. has to share the game.
malcolm wilson - pros: has worked hard on the court, including a game where more minutes were played than any contest since high school, per source. still a good floor runner.
cons: not a strong player, so he can lose ball on contact. haven't reconfirmed, but will likely not play this his senior year, instead being attached to the program and graduating in fall.
akok akok: hurt, hasn't played.
bryson mozone: hasn't been cleared by upstate to join hoyas yet.
brad ezewiro: Pros: strong and at times active, brad is capable of clearing glass and scoring at rim. showed a semblance of midrange game as well. runs floor, defends rim. will compete. biggest surprise of the summer to me so far.
cons: didn't really show back to the basket skills, or true stretch shooting ability. takes some plays off. not verbal. foul susceptible
brandon murray - pros: scores at all three levels. love his back to fade away midranger. plays fairly hard. willing to defend including tracking down breakaways. is tracking to be the #1 scoring option this year. once gets going to rim, is moving with force.
cons: not a lot of change of direction. needs to probably get in a little better shape as he does take plays off, particularly defensively; since he will have MUCH on his plate and team will need him to generate big minutes, he has to prepare for that. not a dual hand dribbling guy per se, though he's not horrible with it. Being team's presumptive best player, need more vocal leadership out of him.
amir spears - pros: quick dribbler, is strong so can also bull past some guys. tricky with it some times, including passing. can hit shots at perimeter. likes the lane. will compete
cons: sometimes passes on the way to trying to score; needs to be more of a set up man. will force shots. an instinctive type player. streaky shooter. should drive more with both hands. not displaying requisite leadership necessary for next seson.
qudus wahab - pros: looks a little quicker. when he wants to, is a load inside. has worked on his face up attack off bounce from 17 feet or so. still a solid rim protector overall. has worked on jump shot
cons: still a non-passer. goes over left shoulder 90% of the time with no regular counters displayed. not talkative incl defensively. Rebounding out of area has to be improved.
wayne bristol - pros: gives you some perimeter versatility as a wing. slashes, drives and will shoot. willing defender
cons: not putting it together yet. makes sens, as he hasn't played in a while. needs to increase shooting efficiency, maybe by just spotting up more. asked a camp member if he was pressing too much...was told no. don't know about that. role definition will help him imo.
dante harris - pros: still is quick and can touch the lane regularly. at times sinks 3 balls.
cons: my personal biggest disappointment so far. is locked in a battle for pt, and is not answering the bell yet. biggest issue is mentally with sharing the game. untalkative which is problematic for a lead guard. must pick it up.
denver anglin - pros: smart player and person. has totally embraced leadership, heard sunday telling higher level teammates "hey, keep the energy up". also told andrew 'spongebob' washington, a notorious trash talker "We don't talk trash, we play basketball". yeah it was corny, but funny and i respect his willingness to combat washington verbally. better than solid shooter who will also deck the ball. not adverse to finding teammates. at first i thought he would just play 2g based on his skills and the comp, but predict this guy will play more and more 1 as he season goes on.
cons: has some pg skills, still not a full time 1 though. want to see more dogged man to man defense.
d'ante bass - pros; has a pro-caliber first step at times. capable of being a top level finisher. energy guy right now who has put in work spot up shooting. best basketball ahead of him clearly.
cons: still working on skills like dribbling and shooting off the move as they are works in progress. is inconsistent like most young, developing players. must maintain his best aspect currently; playing with energy.
jay heath - pros: shooter has mad shots. can pat the ball to drive or create shots. strong player that will mix it up and compete.
cons: a 2g now...not a pg. needs to make plays for others more. needs more vocal leadership. still waiting for transfer waiver from what i understand.
ryan mutombo - pros: is till big and when dialed in, can be a force inside on both sides of the floor. moves a tad better than before.
cons: needs to pick it up. haven't seen skill advancement since last year. still a black hole as will not pass out. not attempting to dominate the glass.
jordan riley - pros: athletic player has dunked and blocked shots. can be an outlet dribbler. shot seems to be falling more.
cons: instinctive player needs to think it more. at 6'1 looks like a swingman reserve this season. has to share the game.
malcolm wilson - pros: has worked hard on the court, including a game where more minutes were played than any contest since high school, per source. still a good floor runner.
cons: not a strong player, so he can lose ball on contact. haven't reconfirmed, but will likely not play this his senior year, instead being attached to the program and graduating in fall.
akok akok: hurt, hasn't played.
bryson mozone: hasn't been cleared by upstate to join hoyas yet.
brad ezewiro: Pros: strong and at times active, brad is capable of clearing glass and scoring at rim. showed a semblance of midrange game as well. runs floor, defends rim. will compete. biggest surprise of the summer to me so far.
cons: didn't really show back to the basket skills, or true stretch shooting ability. takes some plays off. not verbal. foul susceptible
