I watched the basketball game back today (haven't done so with the football game yet). Tough loss, but it made me feel very good about the season and the guys. They were down big in the second half yet stormed back with a variety of contributors. They let it slip away in the OT, but this team will get better and develop a killer instinct.
Likes
-- Corey Raji. I think he is going to be the perfect Skinner player. He made some big shots from outside. He picked up some cheap points close to the basket. Got to the line. Moves well. Huge day.
-- Ballhandlers. This team has the best group of ballhandlers of the Skinner era. Rice, Parris, Sanders and Raji can all dribble. I don't think you'll see teams press us as much.
-- Blair's help defense. He is great waiting in the paint. He is not so good the farther out he goes or when he is one on one.
Dislikes
-- Roche's play. He was hesitant and got trapped repeatedly in half court.
-- Blair/Oates offensive rebounding. These guys need to pick up more boards.
-- Man defense. We were much better in the straight 2-3. Any matchup zone or man-to-man created to many easy baskets for Providence.
Like I said, I've only seen these guys play twice, but I am very encouraged.
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I totally agree that this was a good game for the team.
First, it's great to be undefeated, but it's also ok to get that first loss out of the way, rather than having teams gunning for you and then eventually losing 5 in a row down the line.
Second, the team gutted it out until the end. Props to Providence for making a couple of great shots at the end, but without those desperation shots falling, we would be talking about how this [win] shows how gutsy they are and how they're gonna know how to win down the stretch when it counts in the close ACC games.
A loss is a loss, and never ideal. But in my opinion, this is as good a loss as a team of such young players can have.
BC lost because of Al's inability to manage the game. How does BC have 5 timeouts in overtime? How about using one of them oh say when Providence goes on a run in the first half to build their lead from 3 to 11. How how about using them in the second half before the lead got to 24. Or how about using one at the end of the game to draw a play up instead of having Rice dribble around and chuck it up. Or how about calling a TO in overtime to break up Providence's 8-0 run. Terrible use of timeouts again by Al. Good work.
Bravesbill...what's your deal bro?
I thought it was just football, but basketball too?
Our young team showed a lot of character to battle back into the game; I know you personally always need to blame someone after a BC loss, but don't point your finger at Al.
All you do is come on a bitch after every BC sporting event about every conceivable negative aspect of the game, to the point that you don't even sound like a BC fan- more like Bob Ryan. or Bill Simmons.
Post after post proves that you're not a realist, just a cancer to the rest of Heights. I'm just optimistic that with each passing year, the aging of the Superfan generation will push blights like yourself from the fanbase.
-- He was in foul trouble, but Spears has been playing with tons more confidence than last year. Go Shamari!
-- Roche will continue to lose minutes to the frosh. I'd love to see the NH boy turn the psychological corner, but as a soph. he still looks intimidated.
-- Zero rebounds and gets his turnaround fadeaway jumpshot blocked. Geez. Talent aside, you can at least know your role.
-- Bilas said two or three times that there's now way BC finishes as low as eighth in the ACC. I hope he's right. I'd love to see a breakdown of predicted vs. actual finish for our ACC basketball & football seasons. Any one else willing to guess we'd be the most underrated in both over the past three years?
-- At the time, I thought it was a good idea not to call a timeout at the end of regulation. I thought we could catch them on their heels with a Rice drive to the hoop. I think Al was as frustrated as everyone else that Rice settled for the 3-ball when all we needed was a 2. Maybe some guys don't have the legs at that point in a game and could use a breather, but Rice has always played 40 min. and probably shoul've taken it to them. Overall though you've got to love his grit and big shot mentality.
Some thoughts on the HOCKEY games: looking for a positive from this past weekend? How about 2 wins over BU? Hat tricks from Gerbe and Smith. And 3, 3! shorthanded goals from Gerbe.
Ahhh, more insightful sports analysis from bravesbill. You call time out, you win. Simple.
Neither Oates nor Roche belongs anywhere on an ACC or Big East basketball court. Marginal mid-major type players. Any minutes they get are costing this team.
Roche has looked less and less impressive as the competition has increased. I think Raji and Paris (with a small lineup) will eventually eat up his minutes. And next year we have Trapiani - a better version of Roche - to step in.
Oates is another story. While most night he doesn't look talented enough to play in the ACC, he has had some good game (UNC last year) and we can't count on playing Blair all 40 minutes. With Southern and Dunn sitting down most if not all of this year while they learn and adjust to the flex, Oates will have to get minutes.
I was at the basketball game on Saturday. The reason we lost the game was PU's three point shooting. They shot 52.2% (12-23) on the night!
When they stopped shooting the three in the second half we climbed back from 25 points down to go up by 6. They then went back to the three and buried us. I've never seen a team shoot with that kind of accuracy from beyond the arc. Their player even sank the game tying shot just before the end of regulation with Blair in his face...unbelievable.
Any other night and I think we pull that game out decidedly. I'm impressed with the young guys and equally unimpressed with the ineffectiveness of Oates. Just sit the guy. He stinks.
Keep crying Brighton. I have never contended that I am not an eternal pessimist. I am that way because BC sports has given me nothing to change my view. Being an optimist at this point only subjects you to disappointment and failure. Being a pessimist let's you enjoy the pleasant little surprises that come along the way, i.e., most of the football season this year. And yes I am critical of various parts of BC sports teams where criticism is much deserved. For football, I have been an outspoken critic of Spaz and Apon because they're useless and have not deserved much praise otherwise. Notice how I have not ripped other people like Logan or Jags because they can carry their weight. For b-ball, I have ripped Skinner for the past oh 6 years or so, ever since BC underachieved in Bell's last year of college. Skinner is a terrible game manager and virtually makes 0 adjustments. His teams for the most part have underachieved the past 6 seasons. I have given him his due though for being a great recruiter and talent developer. I only criticize where it is warranted Brighton. I criticize because I want BC to strive for excellence, not mediocrity. There is always room for improvement and I am merely pointing that out. I do not live in blissful ignorance like yourself. Get off your high horse and get rid of your sense of moral superiority. It is quite unseemly. Just because you're an eternal optimist and I am eternal pessimist does not make me any less of a fan of BC sports than you and vice versa.
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