Oakland University

[pfan]

I have watched uwm play several times this season.


The players are young I know, but they are not allowed to play through their mistakes. Inexperienced players need confidence and reassurance. Our coach has not done that. I have watched a lot of basketball and I have never seen a coach substitute the way we do. The majority of players are substituted for after one mistake. I think we need to start running some type of offense that has some screening and cutting instead of dribbling all the time. Just venting a little frustration from watching us play.

[bigcatlover]

I have seen this situation also, although once again, in the case of Ricky Franklin, Jeter does not seem to pull him. Ricky has stayed in after fouls, missed shots, bad passes, and missed free throws. But Mauldin has come out and stayed out for an entire half. I , too, am venting in frustration, because usually I can figure out reasons for why certain choices are made, but this time I haven't a clue. Nor can I figure out why Massiah and Avery are not starting, or why
Mauldin never comes in at the end when the game is close. I am a loyal fan, and will not give up, but I have a hard time watching because it seems we would have won more games with different choices.

[reggiewheelerfor3]

The only problem with starting Mauldin, Paulsen and Massiah together is that we would have only Skinner coming off the bench with any size at all. It may be doable, but it might be a difficult rotation to work. Still, it can't be worse than what we have going right now.
Franklin is obviously not getting the job done right now. I have a hard time believing that he's not better than he's shown, but he's had nine games to show some ability, and succeeded maybe once. I wouldn't mind seeing a guy like Roman Gentry get a chance to start. Not a lot of defense from him, but at least it would be a different look. I'd like him starting, or one of the "big" lineups from the last few posts.

[Deleted]

Keep Ricky in, he's the future of the program, not Avery. His 36pts, although impressive, are irrelevent. Wins dont matter this year, its all about getting Ricky, Charlie, Thorton, and Gentry experience for 1-2 years in the future. Keep playing them all season until they get it. They have the talent... Ricky obviously knows how to get open shots. Now its just a matter of getting his shot down.

I know Ricky is hurting right now. Its been awhile since he's had to work his body like this. He can barely jump because of it. But, he has to play through it to get better and get good strength. Those who have participated in high level sports know this. Once he "gets it" those 6 shots will fall and he'll be an amazing player. Until then, he'll be tough to watch.

Poor shooting average, dumb passes, etc... all common for freshman. If they were on any other team, they'd be 3rd off the bench or a redshirt. Fortrunately for us, they dont have to do that and will be a year advanced.

Quit worrying about the W/L. Again, we're now shooting for 10 wins. No NIT, no NCAA this season. Next year... Big things!

Go Panthers,
UWMfreak

[pfan]

Gentry and Thornton are not getting any consistent minutes. RG scored 9 points vs. Tenn. tech and plays very little against Cent. Michigan. RT scores 13 pts. in 10 minutes and plays 2 minutes against Oakland. I know both of these kids are confused about what this staff wants from them. When they get a chance they produce. I know both of them have a lot to learn but if they can't get some more time on a consistent basis then the future isn't going to matter to them.

[famouspnthrfan]

I completely agree freak. While it's obviously important to win games, the most important part of this season is simply experience. I too think Ricky will be very good, which explains why Rob isn't taking him out of the game. Listen guys, Rob isn't stupid, and he's a damn fine coach. We shouldn't act like we know more about the game of basketball than he does. There is a method to his madness and it will all come together, just you wait.

[uwm97]

famouspnthrfan said:

I completely agree freak. While it's obviously important to win games, the most important part of this season is simply experience. I too think Ricky will be very good, which explains why Rob isn't taking him out of the game. Listen guys, Rob isn't stupid, and he's a damn fine coach. We shouldn't act like we know more about the game of basketball than he does. There is a method to his madness and it will all come together, just you wait.

Give me a break, no one here is thinking they know more than Jeter. What people are saying is that it's obvious to anyone following this team that Franklin can't throw the damn ball into the ocean and he's hurting this team on the offensive end. That is a simple fact. How is it helping Franklin's development by shooting 20-something percent on the season and pulling an ofer yesterday? If this season "isn't about winning" like some think, well then why not give Gentry and Thornton more minutes to see what they can do also?

[fan]

ghostoffreak said:

Keep Ricky in, he's the future of the program, not Avery. His 36pts, although impressive, are irrelevent.
Go Panthers,
UWMfreak

I love you Freak, but I disagree. Avery's not done this year. Agreed that the 36 didn't mean anything. The team lost. It doesn't mean that Avery isn't gaining experience and that Avery won't be able to contribute next year. An outstanding performance is an outstanding performance. I don't think anyone would characterize Smith as being a shoot first player and the fact that he changed his game to help the team shows that his game is growing by leaps and bounds and what we will have next year is a more complete player.

Ricky needs to have one of those developmental offseasons like we've seen from guys who just aren't there yet. Until that point, you can't let him keep making the same mistakes. He's not developing when he's not contributing and he's not making shots. If anything, its hurting the confidence of a kid who is used to hitting a lot of shots and leading his team. Give him some more seasoning before you throw him into the fire. I realize that we probably aren't going to any tournaments, but you owe it to the fans, the Horizon League, and the rest of the players to play the guys you have a best chance to win with. Essentially our entire team (short of Messiah) is the future of the program.
You can make the same argument for someone more deserving of Rick's spot by saying Thornton or Gentry should be playing over Rick. They're the future too. They're growing and they need to develop. In fact, your argument for them playing over Rick is easier to make because they're not shooting like a blind man.

[dutchpthr]

okay im not sure if you were able to see the game fan but there were many times that avery was a shoot first player in that game. now yes he had 36 and that is what kept us in the game but who noticed the rifts that started when avery became the 1 man show....maybe i am reading too much into it but watching that entire game there seamed to be a bit of growing angst amongst a few players out on the court. I'm not trying to start rumors of this and that or that someone is doing this to so and so or whatever, but what i saw at the end of that game was good, and im not liking the events that took place.

avery played the best and worst game at times that i have every seen in this game. he hit shots that had no business going in but at the same time did things that he had no business doing or no business even attempting....i just gotta wonder what it will do for the upcoming games this year.

again im not trying to put rumors or the idea that there is trouble of any kind out there, there were just a few things that really stuck out to me that didn't look good thats all.

[panther920]

ghostoffreak said:

Quit worrying about the W/L. Again, we're now shooting for 10 wins. No NIT, no NCAA this season. Next year... Big things!

Go Panthers,
UWMfreak

What are we shooting for then? Those guys dont just go out there to play for the hell of it. Also I too saw some things going on between Avo and Charlie that didnt look right.

[bigcatlover]

I did not mean to imply that Jeter should stop playing Franklin entirely, but that he should not be starting right now. It's a lot of pressure, and he seems overwhelmed. If he played 13 minutes instead of 28, that would give 15 more minutes to spread around to Gentry, RT, and Mauldin. I cannot comment on the Avery/Charlie situation; I think Charlie is developing fairly quickly, and Avo might have been just going with the moment. I don't think you can say "don't play your best" although you can say "look for assist possibilities." I noticed that when Sam was in, he and Paulsen worked together, but that many of the others did not notice when Sam was open under the basket and could have put it in. Tjat would change if he were out on the floor more. I also was suprised that RT had so few minutes after his previous showing. Although I am waiting for the "future" with hope, I do not think we have to necessarily choose between the future and winning a few more now. I think winning some games now will give this team a little more confidence and help them, even if it means 10 less minutes on the floor for Franklin, and 10 less minutes on the floor for Al. I am still convinced that if Sam and RT had had some of Franklin's minutes, we would have won the last game.
I am not bashing any player.

[pantherdon]

These nonconference games (losses) mean very little to us at this point.
We may see a change in coaching philosophy once the conference schedule starts.
Trust in Jeter, I'm sure he has a plan.

[dylanrocks]

Folks, there were some things clearly going on between Avo and Charlie (and Avo and Al and Avo and Paige, for that matter). That's because Saturday's game was a one-man show -- the Avery Smith Show. I don't think that anyone got better because all the team was doing was running the high screen-and-roll. The blocker sets a pick and Avery shoots a three. There continues to be almost no involvement of the posts in this offense, thus the plummeting numbers for Paige and Marcus, especially. This certainly was a special performance by Avery. Will he ever be able to duplicate the feat? I'd love to say yes, but the liklihood is that he never will. How did Ryan or Roman or Sam (or for that matter, Marcus or Paige) improve in this game? Rob took a gamble here because Avery had the hot hand and properly decided that the team was desperate for a win. Unfortunately, Avery might now think that he's the team's transcendent star. There wasn't a trace of the Swing offense run in the second half.

[milwsport]

I hope Avo understands that he can't win the game by himself. Teams can let him run wild and then clamp down on the other guys out there and we still lose.

He has to find a way to get the ball to others in scoring position.

I wasn't able to see the game but from what I'm reading here, I guess I understand now why Avo wasn't starting.

[famouspnthrfan]

dutchpthr said:

okay im not sure if you were able to see the game fan but there were many times that avery was a shoot first player in that game. now yes he had 36 and that is what kept us in the game but who noticed the rifts that started when avery became the 1 man show....maybe i am reading too much into it but watching that entire game there seamed to be a bit of growing angst amongst a few players out on the court. I'm not trying to start rumors of this and that or that someone is doing this to so and so or whatever, but what i saw at the end of that game was good, and im not liking the events that took place.

avery played the best and worst game at times that i have every seen in this game. he hit shots that had no business going in but at the same time did things that he had no business doing or no business even attempting....i just gotta wonder what it will do for the upcoming games this year.

again im not trying to put rumors or the idea that there is trouble of any kind out there, there were just a few things that really stuck out to me that didn't look good thats all.

I'm not sure if there was a rift between Avo and Charlie...however, I did see many of the players at Judges after the game Saturday night, and it didn't seem like there were any hard feelings between Avo and the rest of the teammates that were there. Avo, Massiah and Al were havin a few laughs and it didn't appear there was any bad blood. As far Charlie, I don't know. He obviously wasn't there as he isn't of age, so I can't comment on a rift between him and Avo.