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Rock Chalk Talk: Basketball
Anything pertaining to basketball: college, pro, HS, recruiting, TV coverage
Anything pertaining to basketball: college, pro, HS, recruiting, TV coverage
A few other quick-hit observations from tonight
6 years 1 month ago #17272
by konza63
“With kindest regards to Dr. Forrest C. Allen, the father of basketball coaching, from the father of the game.”
1936 inscription on the portrait of Dr. Naismith, displayed above Phog Allen's office desk at KU.
In no particular order:
* Every time the Purps seemed to be coming back to within striking distance, Malik would hit a massive 3. That's called "clutch," and this isn't the first game he's had that. He's really starting to feel comfortable, and if he plays like the past two days tomorrow and KU wins, he'll be the tourney MVP. Not too shabby! Hats off to Malik--keep it up! One other thing I've noticed about Malik, and I encourage everyone here to watch for if you haven't seen it. He has an incredible gear when it comes to flying in transition. It's a little deceptive because it happens so quickly and smoothly, but he can REALLY get up the floor fast when he turns it on. I've had to replay fast breaks with him for my son and I several times to just relish the moment. I love that about him, and that he's also developed a good slashing game in his repertoire. He needs to get a LOT better at finishing at the rim, however, as he tends to put it up too soft and not get enough push behind it -- even relatively uncontested bunnies. But that's a "nit."
* Mitch has come a long way in a very short time as a post-presence big. He is a fighter inside, often gets called for fouls that are on the other guy (but just sucks it up and goes on), and occasionally makes an offensive play that makes you say "Wow, I didn't know he could do that" or "I didn't know he had that in him." He is a major energy guy, and I recall the play with time running out in the game at State (and KU blowing them out) where he went flying out of bounds for a rebound and saved it. The entire KU coaching staff jumped to their feet in a Standing O. THAT is when I knew "this kid is going to earn some serious minutes from this point forward." He has, and it's been fun to watch him progress as a Releford-like role player (albeit a big or "tweener").
* Silvio has a really pretty stroke for a big. His free throw stroke and overall shooting form is a work of art for someone his size. And that makes me think that, if the staff is smart, they'll work hard to help him develop an outside shooting game to go with his solid girth and inside game. He could be a really difficult match-up as a bulky big who can fade out and hit the 15-footer or even possibly the 3. I think he seriously has that in him; his shot form is that good. Kid received some very good shot training somewhere along the way, and the muscle memory stuck.
Now that we're here, we might as well win this thing tomorrow, huh?
A little more gravy for your biscuits, LS? The only "downer" if we do is we would be a 1 and likely shipped all the way out west. If I were asked which I'd rather have, a 1 in the far west or a 2 in Omaha, I'd have to go with the latter. But I never want our guys to lose, so let the chips fall where they may and let's win tomorrow.
Rock Chalk...
* Every time the Purps seemed to be coming back to within striking distance, Malik would hit a massive 3. That's called "clutch," and this isn't the first game he's had that. He's really starting to feel comfortable, and if he plays like the past two days tomorrow and KU wins, he'll be the tourney MVP. Not too shabby! Hats off to Malik--keep it up! One other thing I've noticed about Malik, and I encourage everyone here to watch for if you haven't seen it. He has an incredible gear when it comes to flying in transition. It's a little deceptive because it happens so quickly and smoothly, but he can REALLY get up the floor fast when he turns it on. I've had to replay fast breaks with him for my son and I several times to just relish the moment. I love that about him, and that he's also developed a good slashing game in his repertoire. He needs to get a LOT better at finishing at the rim, however, as he tends to put it up too soft and not get enough push behind it -- even relatively uncontested bunnies. But that's a "nit."
* Mitch has come a long way in a very short time as a post-presence big. He is a fighter inside, often gets called for fouls that are on the other guy (but just sucks it up and goes on), and occasionally makes an offensive play that makes you say "Wow, I didn't know he could do that" or "I didn't know he had that in him." He is a major energy guy, and I recall the play with time running out in the game at State (and KU blowing them out) where he went flying out of bounds for a rebound and saved it. The entire KU coaching staff jumped to their feet in a Standing O. THAT is when I knew "this kid is going to earn some serious minutes from this point forward." He has, and it's been fun to watch him progress as a Releford-like role player (albeit a big or "tweener").
* Silvio has a really pretty stroke for a big. His free throw stroke and overall shooting form is a work of art for someone his size. And that makes me think that, if the staff is smart, they'll work hard to help him develop an outside shooting game to go with his solid girth and inside game. He could be a really difficult match-up as a bulky big who can fade out and hit the 15-footer or even possibly the 3. I think he seriously has that in him; his shot form is that good. Kid received some very good shot training somewhere along the way, and the muscle memory stuck.
Now that we're here, we might as well win this thing tomorrow, huh?
A little more gravy for your biscuits, LS? The only "downer" if we do is we would be a 1 and likely shipped all the way out west. If I were asked which I'd rather have, a 1 in the far west or a 2 in Omaha, I'd have to go with the latter. But I never want our guys to lose, so let the chips fall where they may and let's win tomorrow.Rock Chalk...
“With kindest regards to Dr. Forrest C. Allen, the father of basketball coaching, from the father of the game.”
1936 inscription on the portrait of Dr. Naismith, displayed above Phog Allen's office desk at KU.
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6 years 1 month ago #17273
by HawkErrant
Despite Xavier having lost to Providence tonight, they will almost certainly stay a 1 seed.
But if KU can win tomorrow night, that might be enough to get KU the Midwest and send Xavier to the West.
So let’s hope for more gravy tomorrow! (Where is Jeff Graves when he’s needed?)
Like Bill says, “We’re in it to win it.”
Rock Chalk!
"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime." - Mark Twain "Innocents Abroad"
konza63 wrote:
Now that we're here, we might as well win this thing tomorrow, huh?
Rock Chalk...
Despite Xavier having lost to Providence tonight, they will almost certainly stay a 1 seed.
But if KU can win tomorrow night, that might be enough to get KU the Midwest and send Xavier to the West.
So let’s hope for more gravy tomorrow! (Where is Jeff Graves when he’s needed?)
Like Bill says, “We’re in it to win it.”
Rock Chalk!
"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime." - Mark Twain "Innocents Abroad"
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