I was at practice for two hours today. Fortunately, there was a scrimmage that elapsed three 12-minute periods, though the clock ran. I'd estimate we saw about 25 minutes of actual basketball game time.
Here's what stood out. I did keep track of who scored how many, and will include that number in parenthesis when discussing players.
- The biggest news, unfortunately, was bad news. Guard Payton Willis was out all of practice, and had his right arm/wrist in some sort of brace. He sustained an injury this week, and while it's not expected to cost him the season or anything close to that, there was some talk that he''ll miss some game time.
That's a shame, because I've told he's had a nice fall. As an insider told me, he and Jeff Roberson were on a team in a scrimmage and were the stars on a team that was more or less unstoppable that day.
- Coach Bryce Drew has talked about wanting to push the tempo and shoot a lot of 3s. If today's practice is any indication, he's not joking. Possessions weren't necessarily sloppy, but they were often quick. If you have an open look at a 3, you're going to feel free to shoot it. I've got some concerns (more on that later) but I think for entertainment value, you'll get your money's worth. One night they're going to go 19-for-37 on 3s against some poor team.
- Starting teams today:
Black: Larry Austin (PG), Riley LaChance (SG), Matthew Fisher-Davis (SF), Jeff Roberson (PF), Ejike Obinna (C)
Gold: Saben Lee (PG), Maxwell Evans (SG), Joe Toye (SF), Clevon Brown (PF), D'jery Baptiste (C)
I am pretty sure the first four guys on the Black squad will start, so draw your own conclusion here about what that means at center.
- Jeff Roberson (14 points) was probably the best player on the floor. Jeff came out on fire, hitting a couple of 3s, and I think he scored something like 11 of the game's first 20 points. Roberson has gotten great reviews from the off-season. I think this is an NCAA Tournament team, but I'm not sure about it. If Roberson is as efficient as he was offensively today, I'm a whole lot less concerned about this team making the NCAAs. Interestingly, I think he was also the five today when they ran a five-out, none-in set late in practice.
- Saben Lee (13) may have been the next-most impressive player today. Saben has narrow shoulders and needs some upper-body bulk if he wants to use his athleticism to really finish inside at this level, and his shot still needs some work, but he's pretty good in spite of it, and when that comes, look out. He was playing on the lesser of the two teams and had a pretty good scoring flurry that included a pair of 3s and and a three-point play also. He also had one of those strips/blocks of Obinna in the low post and came out running the other way with the ball.
- Riley LaChance (11) did Riley LaChance things. He was a lot more aggressive with his shot, and though he missed a quick 3 or two, I'll take my chances with him every time. He hit two 3s today that were at least 25 feet.
- Larry Austin (6) got all his points on drives to the hole. Different doesn't necessarily mean better, but I can't think of a point guard I'd compare him to at VU. Maybe Jermaine Beal, but quicker and not as good a shooter. He took one straight at Obinna today and got a nice lay-up even though Obinna had decent position. I don't think he'll shoot much out of the paint, but he can create and they are counting on him to be a disruptive defender.
- Joe Toye (7) flashed some good things again today, and if I had to guess, he may have led the team in rebounding (didn't count those). There's definitely some long-range scoring in his future for this year.
- It was an off-day for Matthew Fisher-Davis (5), who couldn't find his shot today. But Matt had a nice drive and I think an assist off it, and I've heard that he's done much better in terms of getting to the foul line this offseason.
- It was a mixed day for Ejike Obinna (4), which is kind of what you'd expect from a true freshman center. There's definitely potential there--he's really strong and has a little bit of a jumper, though I don't know how much of it we'll see. If they go to a more traditional lineup, I think he's a decent bet to be the center.
- It was not a good day for D'jery Baptiste (2). The redshirt sophomore plays hard and I suspect will help them in a spot or two this year, but picked up three fouls in probably the first 10 minutes of time this afternoon, and two were the silly types--one was a moving screen. I am not writing him off for the year by any stretch--he's a big, strong kid who puts in the effort and so you never know--but I haven't seen anything to indicate that he's taken a step forward.
- Yanni Wetzell didn't play much, but scored two points. Stretch-four looks like his role, to nobody's surprise. I think there's some potential there, but I have no idea how this movie plays out the next three years.
- Didn't see a lot from Matt Ryan today. He and Wetzell didn't play nearly as many minutes, and of course both will redshirt.
- Max Evans was on the floor a bunch, and I think picked up a steal when he dove for a loose ball. It wasn't a big stat day--I didn't have him scoring any points--but man, his leaping ability is something. His head was awfully close to rim level when I saw him grab a rebound at one point.
- I didn't see much from Clevon Brown, good or bad, today. Don't read anything into that, game flow just didn't make him a factor today.
- Biggest concerns, far and away, are post play and rebounding. I think VU wanted to redshirt Obinna coming in, and... well, he may be starting. But I also think VU will have to play small because I don't think Baptiste can stay on the floor for long, and unless you're a lottery pick, you kind of know how it'll go with true freshmen centers.
So, that limits the upside. I still think this is a good team, but, they're going to miss Luke Kornet some nights like you wouldn't believe. They're going to have to keep Roberson out of foul trouble and hope that one of the two freshman bigs and/or Clevon Brown contribute more good than bad most nights.
That all I've got, I'll answer any questions when I have a moment.
Here's what stood out. I did keep track of who scored how many, and will include that number in parenthesis when discussing players.
- The biggest news, unfortunately, was bad news. Guard Payton Willis was out all of practice, and had his right arm/wrist in some sort of brace. He sustained an injury this week, and while it's not expected to cost him the season or anything close to that, there was some talk that he''ll miss some game time.
That's a shame, because I've told he's had a nice fall. As an insider told me, he and Jeff Roberson were on a team in a scrimmage and were the stars on a team that was more or less unstoppable that day.
- Coach Bryce Drew has talked about wanting to push the tempo and shoot a lot of 3s. If today's practice is any indication, he's not joking. Possessions weren't necessarily sloppy, but they were often quick. If you have an open look at a 3, you're going to feel free to shoot it. I've got some concerns (more on that later) but I think for entertainment value, you'll get your money's worth. One night they're going to go 19-for-37 on 3s against some poor team.
- Starting teams today:
Black: Larry Austin (PG), Riley LaChance (SG), Matthew Fisher-Davis (SF), Jeff Roberson (PF), Ejike Obinna (C)
Gold: Saben Lee (PG), Maxwell Evans (SG), Joe Toye (SF), Clevon Brown (PF), D'jery Baptiste (C)
I am pretty sure the first four guys on the Black squad will start, so draw your own conclusion here about what that means at center.
- Jeff Roberson (14 points) was probably the best player on the floor. Jeff came out on fire, hitting a couple of 3s, and I think he scored something like 11 of the game's first 20 points. Roberson has gotten great reviews from the off-season. I think this is an NCAA Tournament team, but I'm not sure about it. If Roberson is as efficient as he was offensively today, I'm a whole lot less concerned about this team making the NCAAs. Interestingly, I think he was also the five today when they ran a five-out, none-in set late in practice.
- Saben Lee (13) may have been the next-most impressive player today. Saben has narrow shoulders and needs some upper-body bulk if he wants to use his athleticism to really finish inside at this level, and his shot still needs some work, but he's pretty good in spite of it, and when that comes, look out. He was playing on the lesser of the two teams and had a pretty good scoring flurry that included a pair of 3s and and a three-point play also. He also had one of those strips/blocks of Obinna in the low post and came out running the other way with the ball.
- Riley LaChance (11) did Riley LaChance things. He was a lot more aggressive with his shot, and though he missed a quick 3 or two, I'll take my chances with him every time. He hit two 3s today that were at least 25 feet.
- Larry Austin (6) got all his points on drives to the hole. Different doesn't necessarily mean better, but I can't think of a point guard I'd compare him to at VU. Maybe Jermaine Beal, but quicker and not as good a shooter. He took one straight at Obinna today and got a nice lay-up even though Obinna had decent position. I don't think he'll shoot much out of the paint, but he can create and they are counting on him to be a disruptive defender.
- Joe Toye (7) flashed some good things again today, and if I had to guess, he may have led the team in rebounding (didn't count those). There's definitely some long-range scoring in his future for this year.
- It was an off-day for Matthew Fisher-Davis (5), who couldn't find his shot today. But Matt had a nice drive and I think an assist off it, and I've heard that he's done much better in terms of getting to the foul line this offseason.
- It was a mixed day for Ejike Obinna (4), which is kind of what you'd expect from a true freshman center. There's definitely potential there--he's really strong and has a little bit of a jumper, though I don't know how much of it we'll see. If they go to a more traditional lineup, I think he's a decent bet to be the center.
- It was not a good day for D'jery Baptiste (2). The redshirt sophomore plays hard and I suspect will help them in a spot or two this year, but picked up three fouls in probably the first 10 minutes of time this afternoon, and two were the silly types--one was a moving screen. I am not writing him off for the year by any stretch--he's a big, strong kid who puts in the effort and so you never know--but I haven't seen anything to indicate that he's taken a step forward.
- Yanni Wetzell didn't play much, but scored two points. Stretch-four looks like his role, to nobody's surprise. I think there's some potential there, but I have no idea how this movie plays out the next three years.
- Didn't see a lot from Matt Ryan today. He and Wetzell didn't play nearly as many minutes, and of course both will redshirt.
- Max Evans was on the floor a bunch, and I think picked up a steal when he dove for a loose ball. It wasn't a big stat day--I didn't have him scoring any points--but man, his leaping ability is something. His head was awfully close to rim level when I saw him grab a rebound at one point.
- I didn't see much from Clevon Brown, good or bad, today. Don't read anything into that, game flow just didn't make him a factor today.
- Biggest concerns, far and away, are post play and rebounding. I think VU wanted to redshirt Obinna coming in, and... well, he may be starting. But I also think VU will have to play small because I don't think Baptiste can stay on the floor for long, and unless you're a lottery pick, you kind of know how it'll go with true freshmen centers.
So, that limits the upside. I still think this is a good team, but, they're going to miss Luke Kornet some nights like you wouldn't believe. They're going to have to keep Roberson out of foul trouble and hope that one of the two freshman bigs and/or Clevon Brown contribute more good than bad most nights.
That all I've got, I'll answer any questions when I have a moment.
