Open Practice Report?

[SLU_Nick]

As an out of towner, I am thirsty for the hot takes…I mean, full report. 

[wgstl]

Here’s my report ( wasn’t there) Parker will be 2nd team all A10, 3rd at worst 

[billikenbill]

Surprise team of the year… and I mean nationally!!! 

[AGB91]

Hughes was the best player on the floor.

Dalger is good all around.

Parker is a scorer from anywhere.

 

[BrettJollyComedyHour]

13 minutes ago, AGB91 said:

Dalger is good all around.

Very pleased with Tim Dalger for sure.

[Adman]

Everyone played hard in the scrimmage. A lot of talent at 1-3. LHJ on fire. Seven 3s (if I counted correctly.) Thames and Parker very good. Gibby was Gibby. Point guards Medley and Meadows looked good. Medley is skilled but awfully small, will have trouble physically as freshman. 
 

Dalger looked quite good as did Brad. Didn’t see much from Stef.

Zhang didn’t play, was on bench in uniform.

We’re deep 1-3, will be fun to watch. But need to clear transfers at 4-5 where our depth is limited. 

[stmdragons]

Pretty much echo what everyone has already said in here. SVB is a major work in progress at this point from my perspective. Magassa looked like he could be a contributor this season. Parker and Jimerson will keep us in a lot of games. Hughes was probably the best all around player on the court today. 

[The Wiz]

Here is the way I saw it...

This was not a game simulation ...this was a real game. ...3 refs...score keeping...no stops in play for learning moments.   The game was in the Coach RM gym...crowd of about 100

There were 3 periods...each was 12 minutes...

Major take away....Extremely intense...more so then some of our past regular games....players diving...players being slammed to the floor...game was called just under 3 min left in the 3rd period due to cramping....intensity plus warm environment= cramping. Remember, each team had 8 players...so while there was only 33 min....each player played a lot. I mentioned to one of the players that I liked the intensity...he said every practice is like that...these are players that are hungry....No matter what happens this year ...it shouldn't be boring.  Ball movement was quick...players were quick...no standing around or walking the ball around...137 pts in just 33min....and it was not because there was no defense. 

Game observations...

Got off to a slow start as neither team could hit a bucket but things started to heat up as  the game progressed. Hughes was hitting....and Parker started heating after the 1st period. Ezewiro is a force...He reminds me of French only bigger...couple of inches and 20lbs. BUT with 1 big difference...He can hit the long ball.  Not  freak shots...he can shoot from the outside. I asked him after the game how things are going and he said the NCAA is reviewing his case now and he hopes to have an answer by next week. Keep your fingers crossed ...he is a difference maker.

TJ had a fine game...He drew the unlucky card  of having to defend Ezewiro early on  and did a nice job...no small accomplishment....that bodes well if he will be playing 4/5.    A promising player who showed well was Magassa...had good moves to the basket and finished.    van Bussel another big boy...when he went up against Ezewiro ...it was clash of the Titans.   Meadows, Dalger , and Medley will be players...they looked good with more upside to come as the team starts to meld.  Finally Jimerson was Jimerson...not his best shooting night but he got his points with cuts to the basket.

Bottom line...The team has a lot of potential....and a lot of skill and athleticism. If they can keep TOs down and make their shots they will compete.  Again, this will be a fun team to watch...HUNGRY and INTENSE.

[BrettJollyComedyHour]

16 minutes ago, The Wiz said:

Here is the way I saw it...

This was not a game simulation ...this was a real game. ...3 refs...score keeping...no stops in play for learning moments.   The game was in the Coach RM gym...crowd of about 100

There were 3 periods...each was 12 minutes...

Major take away....Extremely intense...more so then some of our past regular games....players diving...players being slammed to the floor...game was called just under 3 min left in the 3rd period due to cramping....intensity plus warm environment= cramping. Remember, each team had 8 players...so while there was only 33 min....each player played a lot. I mentioned to one of the players that I liked the intensity...he said every practice is like that...these are players that are hungry....No matter what happens this year ...it shouldn't be boring.  Ball movement was quick...players were quick...no standing around or walking the ball around...137 pts in just 33min....and it was not because there was no defense. 

Game observations...

Got off to a slow start as neither team could hit a bucket but things started to heat up as  the game progressed. Hughes was hitting....and Parker started heating after the 1st period. Ezewiro is a force...He reminds me of French only bigger...couple of inches and 20lbs. BUT with 1 big difference...He can hit the long ball.  Not  freak shots...he can shoot from the outside. I asked him after the game how things are going and he said the NCAA is reviewing his case now and he hopes to have an answer by next week. Keep your fingers crossed ...he is a difference maker.

TJ had a fine game...He drew the unlucky card  of having to defend Ezewiro early on  and did a nice job...no small accomplishment....that bodes well if he will be playing 4/5.    A promising player who showed well was Magassa...had good moves to the basket and finished.    van Bussel another big boy...when he went up against Ezewiro ...it was clash of the Titans.   Meadows, Dalger , and Medley will be players...they looked good with more upside to come as the team starts to meld.  Finally Jimerson was Jimerson...not his best shooting night but he got his points with cuts to the basket.

Bottom line...The team has a lot of potential....and a lot of skill and athleticism. If they can keep TOs down and make their shots they will compete.  Again, this will be a fun team to watch...HUNGRY and INTENSE.

Nice write-up, Wiz! 

[VeniceMenace]

51 minutes ago, The Wiz said:

Here is the way I saw it...

This was not a game simulation ...this was a real game. ...3 refs...score keeping...no stops in play for learning moments.   The game was in the Coach RM gym...crowd of about 100

There were 3 periods...each was 12 minutes...

Major take away....Extremely intense...more so then some of our past regular games....players diving...players being slammed to the floor...game was called just under 3 min left in the 3rd period due to cramping....intensity plus warm environment= cramping. Remember, each team had 8 players...so while there was only 33 min....each player played a lot. I mentioned to one of the players that I liked the intensity...he said every practice is like that...these are players that are hungry....No matter what happens this year ...it shouldn't be boring.  Ball movement was quick...players were quick...no standing around or walking the ball around...137 pts in just 33min....and it was not because there was no defense. 

Game observations...

Got off to a slow start as neither team could hit a bucket but things started to heat up as  the game progressed. Hughes was hitting....and Parker started heating after the 1st period. Ezewiro is a force...He reminds me of French only bigger...couple of inches and 20lbs. BUT with 1 big difference...He can hit the long ball.  Not  freak shots...he can shoot from the outside. I asked him after the game how things are going and he said the NCAA is reviewing his case now and he hopes to have an answer by next week. Keep your fingers crossed ...he is a difference maker.

TJ had a fine game...He drew the unlucky card  of having to defend Ezewiro early on  and did a nice job...no small accomplishment....that bodes well if he will be playing 4/5.    A promising player who showed well was Magassa...had good moves to the basket and finished.    van Bussel another big boy...when he went up against Ezewiro ...it was clash of the Titans.   Meadows, Dalger , and Medley will be players...they looked good with more upside to come as the team starts to meld.  Finally Jimerson was Jimerson...not his best shooting night but he got his points with cuts to the basket.

Bottom line...The team has a lot of potential....and a lot of skill and athleticism. If they can keep TOs down and make their shots they will compete.  Again, this will be a fun team to watch...HUNGRY and INTENSE.

Good scoop on Ezwiro status…this recap explains Troy Robertson’s optimism…earlier another poster mentioned SVB is a major work in progress…..is that because he looks too raw or because he’s been injured up until now & needs to get into better shape? 

 

[The Wiz]

7 minutes ago, VeniceMenace said:

Good scoop on Ezwiro status…this recap explains Troy Robertson’s optimism…earlier another poster mentioned SVB is a major work in progress…..is that because he looks too raw or because he’s been injured up until now & needs to get into better shape? 

 

I think it is all of the above.....If he can stay healthy  he will get better.

Remember those times where got pushed around under the basket...that won't happen if Ezewiro and van Bussel are playing.

[Slu let the dogs out?]

1 hour ago, BrettJollyComedyHour said:

Nice write-up, Wiz! 

He’s the Wiz!

Prediction: after leading us to a national championship, LHII declares for the draft and is picked up in the first round by the Suns. 2024-25 starting lineup for the Suns: Durant, Beal, Goodwin, Hughes (traded Booker because that town ain’t big enough for the both of them), and Nurkic. 

[Franchise_08]

I was really impressed at Parker’s ability to create his own shot and score on all 3 levels. I will bet he is our leading scorer this season. Hopefully Ezewiro gets a waiver as he is a beast. LH II shot looked really good. Dalger was everywhere. 

Shoutout to referees tonight for not making a lot of calls. Must not have been A10 refs as zero illegal screens or 3 second were called.

Props to Medley who was laying on the ground in front of us with cramping. He was about to curse when he looked up and saw my daughter and politely screamed darn it. 
 

Just an observation…if you are going to have an event like this, make sure the atmosphere is lively. It was almost too quiet for a team hype event. Also, find students to attend. I did not see many, if any. 

I liked the accessibility of the players afterwards. I got a nice photo of Bruce and my little one. He is really tall. 

[thetorch]

Jimerson couldn't hit a shot most of the night.

Parker started on the second unit and after the first team got off to a 11-1 lead Parker took over.  His team led 21-17 at the half and I think he had 16 points at least.  Parker was pretty active defensively as well.  

Hughes was the starters offensive star, hitting 5 or more 3s.  I lost count.  He carried the first team on defense.

Dalger was as advertised.  Polished offensively, plays with an edge and crashes the O boards.

MM made a couple nice dimes and looked solid, again a solid PG with some offensive capability.  Not a star but decent.  Cian was less polished offensively but he ran some p n r game.

Hargrove has bulked up to play down low.  More than held his own.  We will really need to gang rebound though.

SVB was kind of an incomplete, didn't do much, still getting his legs under him.  The Serb looks like a good get.  We'll be hard pressed to see a better 5th or 6th guard in the A10.  I was not impressed with Brad but it seems others were so we'll let that play out.  The Frenchman was better than I thought.  2nd best big behind Hargrove.

Play was very uptempo.  Full court press, much more pressure on the perimeter and cutting into passing lanes.  

Opinion hasn't changed much.  I think our backcourt will be more than competitive in A10.  Our frontcourt will struggle at best.  We will need to play high tempo and force a lot of TOs to make up for zero rim protection and rebounding.  I can't see a 6'3 center working but Hargrove is by far our best option.

[Slu let the dogs out?]

1 hour ago, thetorch said:

Hargrove has bulked up to play down low.  More than held his own.  We will really need to gang rebound though.

I can't see a 6'3 center working but Hargrove is by far our best option.

Walked past Hargrove in the Loop last month and had I not known any better I would’ve guessed 6’8 235. Dude looked huge. Don’t think that translates to a productive 4/5 role but there don’t appear to be many options. 

[wgstl]

2 hours ago, Slu let the dogs out? said:

He’s the Wiz!

Prediction: after leading us to a national championship, LHII declares for the draft and is picked up in the first round by the Suns. 2024-25 starting lineup for the Suns: Durant, Beal, Goodwin, Hughes (traded Booker because that town ain’t big enough for the both of them), and Nurkic. 

Once LHJ plays a ton at the 5 and dominates this year for us, suns may take him as their center too 

[HoosierPal]

 

[HoosierPal]

 

[HoosierPal]

 

[HoosierPal]

 

[HoosierPal]

 

[TheChosenOne]

A lot of this news pleases me (I choose to ignore my guy torch haha). I’m particularly happy to hear the reports about Hughes and Parker.

[slu72]

Always a little suspect of these practice reports. I remember when Brad recruited that PF Newbourne and folks were raving how good he was. Pffft, in actual games the air came out of that balloon real quick. 
Still, its good to read the reports on Jr. and Parker. A question how tall is Thames? It’s been reported anywhere between 6’5- 6-8”. Front court is worrisome as we await answers. 

[TheChosenOne]

Yeah, practice reports can often be worthless. I will say as someone who was around the program when Newbourne joined the program, while I love V, I never understood where the hype around his game came from and I know a lot of it was from guys on the team.

[thetorch]

36 minutes ago, slu72 said:

Always a little suspect of these practice reports. I remember when Brad recruited that PF Newbourne and folks were raving how good he was. Pffft, in actual games the air came out of that balloon real quick. 
Still, its good to read the reports on Jr. and Parker. A question how tall is Thames? It’s been reported anywhere between 6’5- 6-8”. Front court is worrisome as we await answers. 

Zhang is legit 7 foot or taller.  SVB is 6'10.  Mougasa is 6'8.  Brad is 6'7, Dalger as well.  Thames is shorter than those two but not by much. High end of 6'5 or 6'6.  Hughes is slightly smaller than Thames, about the same as Jimerson.  Hargrove is 6'3 or a short 6'4 but he could be 235 or 240.  Parker has gained some weight too.  He looks nice.  Cian is short, but not as slight as I thought.  MM is plus 6 feet.  The Serb is 6'2.