11/17/2013 Sunday 1:00 p.m. CST --Valpo at Ohio University--game thread

[vu72]

By the way, I pulled up Alec Brown's stats thus far, and Bobby's stats are far better. The supposed NBA prospect is 0-5 on 3-pointers, while Bobby is at 75% (6-8), Bobby's effective field goal percent is 67% while Brown's is at 32%, Brown's free throw percent is 0 (0-2), Bobby's points per 40 is 17.8 while Brown's is 11.4, (despite playing forward) Bobby trails Brown in rebounds per game by less than 1, etc.

I think the color guy on the Wisconsin at Green Bay game said it best when he said "Boy, it's been a lost night for Alec Brown."

Yeah, Wisconsin just eliminated him from the game, allowing him to score 2 points and get 1 rebound in 18 minutes before fouling out.  Sykes on the other hand had 32 points and almost carried GB to a big upset.

[bbtds]

This is what I think is really going on with Bobby.  He has never thought of himself as a 5. He played it most of the time last year but you could see, especially at the beginning of the year, that he really had not taken to the position.  He did play the 5 better as the year went on but was never a KVW.  He truly thinks of himself as a 4 and the addition of Moussa has allowed him to play outside face to the basket.  He is a good shooter but rather sloppy in the ball handling skills.  What surprises me a little is that BOTH Bobby and Moussa want to face the basket! How many times Sunday did you see Moussa receive the ball... hesitate... face up... try to make a move or pivot into the defensive pressure and be unsuccessful.  What KVW had in the post was not the result of being really big or athletic it was an attitude, energy and work ethic.  It is not easy to say to yourself, I am going to battle for position on every possession, I am going to post and re-post as often as it takes to get my man in a favorable position and because I have worked so hard to get my man in that position when I receive the entry pass I will be able to make a decisive move in a split second with no hesitation.  I did not see one post entry where the 5 took an immediate drop step and put the ball up off glass even though there were several opportunities to do so. Every post move took too long and down in the post time is the enemy.

I've been fumbling this around over and over in my mind, trying to figure out how our low post players are getting so easily neutralized despite a clear size/strength advantage. Then you come along and clear it up for me in one concise, insightful paragraph.  Great post!

Speed. They get striped of the ball by quicker hands. It happened over and over during the Ohio game. It happened a lot to Gueye and Capo. But it also happened to Peters and Williams too, which should not happen.

[justducky]

What surprises me a little is that BOTH Bobby and Moussa want to face the basket!

I think that is the natural order of things for the workings of the human mind. From both working with kids and having been used a bit as a back up post it always seemed like the face the basket moves were easier to teach and to learn. With your back to the bucket your senses can only tell you so much and to a degree you have to trust both your instincts and your previous experiences in similar situations. Most good post players have to put a lot of work into it.

Maybe this is another one of those left brain right brain issues and a surgical brain mirror insert could cure everything! I should put Dr. Ducky to work on this immediately before all these big guys graduate! 

[a3uge]

What surprises me a little is that BOTH Bobby and Moussa want to face the basket!

I think that is the natural order of things for the workings of the human mind. From both working with kids and having been used a bit as a back up post it always seemed like the face the basket moves were easier to teach and to learn. With your back to the bucket your senses can only tell you so much and to a degree you have to trust both your instincts and your previous experiences in similar situations. Most good post players have to put a lot of work into it.

Maybe this is another one of those left brain right brain issues and a surgical brain mirror insert could cure everything! I should put Dr. Ducky to work on this immediately before all these big guys graduate! 

From the Illinois and Murray State game, whenever Gueye tried to post down low, he'd get pushed around quite a bit. A man of that size should not be moved around that easily. KVW was much smaller and had a bad back, but was able to be more effective down low than Gueye and Capo combined. As FW said, it's about attitude, energy and work ethic and not size at this point.

[truth219]

One thing Fernandez does that we haven't seen from a valpo player in a while is dunk in the post. If he gets any room, he crams it. Which is nice because I hate seeing a missed bunny. I'm not saying moose can't, but Fernandez can jump. Bobby on the other hand botched a wide open dunk vs Murray state only thing that saved him was that he got fouled.

Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk

[valpotx]

Vashil is also working on a hook shot, which we probably haven't seen since Ivan Vucic??

[classof2014]

I wouldn't be surprised if Vashil takes over the starting role at the 5 this season. He is 10 times better than he was last year, in control, slams it home with authority, and his free throw shooting has been spot on.

Would love to see the Jamaican Jammer jam home a few against Evansville like he did against MSU.

[truth219]

Jamaican jammer jam I like it

Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk

[a3uge]

Vashil still has too many problems defensively to get more minutes than Gueye. Vashil needs to learn how to use his length to his advantage under the basket. He seems to swat at the ball too much instead of going straight up. This can lead to fouls from his out of control arms. You'll see conference foes take advantage of this if he continues this bad habit. I can't really see a difference offensively at this point. Both have brick hands to catch a designed pass down low and both struggle at positioning to score putbacks or offensive rebounds.

But Vashil should get a lot of minutes this year because he's going to be the only true center next year, unless Bryce brings in another 7ft project.

[covufan]

Jamaican jammer jam I like it

I can hear the call now: "and Vashil throws down another triple J, with authority!"

[covufan]

Jamaican jammer jam I like it

I can hear the call now: "and Vashil throws down another triple J, with authority!"

And the sponsor tie in:  When Vashil throws down a triple J in a Valpo home game, (pick a NW IN Jam company, I found Anderson's) will sell a jam for $1 off the regular price the next day!

[LaPorteAveApostle]

yeah, the prob for Vashil is that his skill set--energy, enthusiasm, raw athleticism--plays much better in a sub setting than starter.

Anyone remember Jerome Williams (G'town/Raptors/Pistons)?  That's who I think of.

[truth219]

My opinion, everyone on the roster tall than 6'9" is of average to sub par overall talent. I think its unlikely any of them will be player of the week. However, considering how vashil improved over the off season and is the superior talent...he should start and get the most minutes

Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk

[truth219]

What games this season did vashil start and what stats do you have to prove Your Feelings= Truth

Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Starts = None, so the coaches agree with me.

POINT MOI

[LaPorteAveApostle]

As for stats, how about 2.5 blocks per game for Moussa? 

Further, how about these?
http://statsheet.com/mcb/players/player/valparaiso/vashil-fernandez
http://statsheet.com/mcb/players/player/valparaiso/moussa-gueye

Here's a ball more suitable for your "feelingsball".

[truth219]

Moose is a good defensive center there is no doubt about that

Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk

[LaPorteAveApostle]

and we agree on that, dude. 

maybe what they're thinking, is if they put an offensive-minded guy at the 5--pretty much all the other starters are, or can be, scorers.  and as they say, there's only one ball.  he's not going to demand touches.

Moussa is like the basketball equivalent of

so when Vashil comes in--he can bring more offense to the second unit.

[valpotx]

Vashil has an awesome shimmy before each FT that seems to focus his shot.  Whatever works big man!

[truth219]

Reminds me of jack parkman in Major League 2

Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk