Game 8: FDU

This topic contains 32 replies, has 9 voices, and was last updated by  TMH 11 years, 3 months ago.

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  • #8249
    RichH
    RichH
    Participant

    Seems DC is real. Everyone scores. Just a great treat for a Sat nite.

    Zags tweeted Majerus passed away. Loss foe college ball. Coach above all. Lot of the suits now controlling our new AMATEUR bball could learn from him.

    #8250

    LUHoops00
    Participant

    Pitt ended winning, and Robert Morris had nice win vs Ohio…

    #8251

    LUHoops00
    Participant

    Tell you what deadeye in post game after he pops in career high 20 and LU 102

     

    “OUR FOCUS IS ON DEFENSE”

     

    Stef very well spoken, great postgame interview..impressed…he is getting better and better…took to the tin a couple times, showed some variety….work ethic clearly there…big upside.

    #8252

    LUHoops00
    Participant

    By the way, some life out of Carter tonight, was good to see. Nice catch n shoot 3 ball..sweet execution on fast break with a bounce pass assist.

     

    #8253

    LUHoops00
    Participant

    stat of the night

     

    deadeye is now 15 of 33 from deep this year.

    #8254

    lehigh90
    Participant

    Just got back from Stabler, first visit of the season, so wanted to give a recap.

     

    Crowd, light, not terrible, but light.  Some student activity under the basket and the band brought something, but still not a hot ticket in the Lehigh Valley.  Not much to say on this game.  Lehigh is pretty good and FDU is awful.  I have never seen a team defend so poorly at the college level.  Uncontested layup after uncontested layup, uncontested 3 after uncontested 3, it was bad.  Almost a 40 point lead at the half.  Everybody got in the book, and that was a testament as to just how bad FDU defends.  Nice to see Staggers hit his first shot he took, DC hit a 3 ball, and Goodman for the 3 to bust the 100 mark.  Good win, and a fun game to watch live.  Seemed like we made every shot, and FDU turned it over on almost every trip.

    Few nuggets from what I saw…

    BB in street clothes, I thought this might be his debut.  Uncertain where he stands.  Hung with Chuku, who looks pretty big and athletic.

    I paid particular attention to DC all night, how he warmed up in the pre game, how he warmed up at the half, how he seemed to fit in with the rest of the guys, etc.  I didn’t like what I saw of him shooting the basketball in warmups.  Not a very good stroke to look at, and seems to have a tough time getting it to the rim from 3.  It is an ugly lefthanded delivery, not any other way to describe it.  Did not come away impressed with the warmups on.  But, he got in at about the 7 minute mark, so I saw him in his longest run.  He looked OK.  Made a 3, didn’t turn it over from what I saw, played OK defense.  I think his lack of minutes is coming from a lack of defensive fundamentals.  I don’t get the impression he really played any D at the high school level except to gamble and steal the ball.  His first defensive set, he got toasted and a jumper in his eye.  He was better after that.  He didn’t show any game off the dribble late, was content to hang outside and shoot the open shot.  Not sure what he is at this point still, but I don’t see star.

    CS disappointed me a bit tonight, not on the offensive end, where he continued to impress me, but on the defensive end.  He could not stay in front of 10 on FDU who was the backup point, but played the majority of the minutes.  The kid was small and slight but quick and got by CS any time he wanted.  MM held him up better on the perimeter, but every time CS came in, 10 licked his chops and put in on the floor.  Troubling.

    I thought AD looked pretty good.  He got into lane quite a bit, and showed an ability to penetrate and dish, and he finished in the lane.  His defense has really improved.  He got lost a few times, but much better than the last 2 seasons.  He is clearly the best defender compared to SC and CS, which is why he is starting.  I liked what he brought.  He still tries to do too much at times and can force things and turn the ball over, but he has gotten a lot better.

    SC is a very good offensive player.  He is set up to kill a team like FDU who has no defensive discipline.  Stroked it well from distance and finished from other spots and off the dribble which was nice to see.  He had a really solid offensive game.  Defensively he is still a bit lost, but he is there to score the basketball, and is a nice spark off the bench.

    CB was terrible most of the night.  Really bad in the first half and early in the second.  Poor defensive positioning, picked up a couple cheap fouls, failed to catch down low, and turned it over a couple times when he tried to do anything.  He really struggled early.  Late second half in garbage time, he did better, finished a couple at the rim off the dribble from the high post, and had 3-4 nice late blocks.  Rebounding was fairly good.  Still not convinced he will ever be a meaningful player.

    JG is incredibly raw.  Unsure what he will be down the road, but he has nothing in the way of an offensive game.  Took an open 12 footer and missed the rim completely early.  Made a couple of chippy layups to get on the board.  Doesn’t seem to position himself very well to rebound, but he is long.  Definite project.

    CJM just incredibly silky and smooth.  Unbelievably FDU just left him alone from 3 several times in the game, and he just stuck it in their eye.  Same with SC.  But, CJ is really much improved which is a scary thought.  Rebounded strong tonight in traffic.  Ran a little point at times, and just showed a wonderful all around game.

    HG was active and played well.  GK was very good in paint, and dominated in there.  They had no answers for his drop step in the paint, and was a man among boys in the post.  MM was solid, active with his hands on D.  FDU was content to sit outside and shoot from distance which plays into Lehigh’s hands.  The way to beat Lehigh is penetration from the perimeter, then dish to bigs.  FDU had nobody with those skills.

    Tyrone Staggers is a pretty big body.  Can he play some minutes down low for us?  He is thick and seems tough and willing.  Maybe.

    Cory Goodman although the last man in tonight, seems to have a role on this team.  You get a feeling that he is respected.  Nice to see.

    Reed really didn’t need to coach in this game, although FDU’s coach looked like he was going to have a heart attack in the first 10 minutes.  No willing defenders on that entire squad.  Quick 30 second time out at 10-2, an angry full TO at 14-2, then just gave up, and watched Lehigh extend to 20, 30 then 40.  It was almost embarrassing to watch.

    I came away very impressed with Lehigh for 3 reasons tonight.  #1 They shared the basketball very well, the first 10 minutes were a joy to watch.  #2 They defended very well, contested every shot, tons of steals, very active hands, really dominated on the defensive end  and #3 CJ is a flat out, stone cold killer.  Love to watch him play.  Every time I go to Stabler, I cherish watching this kid play the game.  It’s a treat to see a kid like this at a school like Lehigh and we will probably never see another like him.

    #8255

    LU65
    Participant

    90 – Great summation!

    LU2007 and I were also on hand to witness the destruction. Let’s meet-up at an upcoming game.

    Additional comments would include:
    > The steady and brilliant play of GK. Take 15 points and 5 boards to the bank each night. You can add to that near flawless free throw shooting (.778 avg) and managed D (less than 3 PF/game). Last night was no exception. He just did it all in far less minutes (22). Neat haircut, Gabe. Even surprised your parents sitting behind the bench.
    > Share the ball. It continues with 29 assists on 38 made baskets! PGs (not counting CJ when playing on top) give you a combined 11 assists to 3 turnovers. Solid this year and for the next two. It’s a team game and Reed has them believing in it. You get the feeling the players really like each player and want the others to succeed. You see it looking down the bench and watching the spirited play on the court. Check out the standing O when Staggers and Goodman make their buckets. You get the idea there’s a side bet in the locker room to see who can dish out the most assists. Just kiddin’ on the bet angle, of course.
    > SC’s 3’s! Of course, but how about his hustle, improving D, and the 5 boards. Post game comments about the importance of playing solid D, improving his footwork, etc….all this from “Deadeye Cvrkalj!” Apparently, Reed’s message has gotten thru, i.e., this team can, and will most likely, score a ton of points. It’s the D that matters. Left unsaid….play it well and you’ll get into the game.
    > How about 12 steals tonight!
    > Was looking for FDU’s 5 double-digits scorers to show up. Only 4 did and just two, Bolding and Robinson, were effective. Never seen a more disjointed group. No cohesion whatsoever. Seilund and Harris combined for 4 points. Once down by 30, they realized it was a lost cause and went thru the motions only.
    > News! We won the rebounding battle 37-24.
    > FTs. Can’t miss. Or nearly so, going 15 of 17. I thing just one touch the rim. Not important tonight but will be later. Team @ .777 and getting better.
    > 23 points in 24 minutes. What else can be said about CJ? He continues is near point a minute pace (actually, .82pts/minute) on the season to go along with 2nd in assists and 3rd in rebounds. You can only hope he plays ball near you next year. You can bet it’ll cost you more than $10/seat.
    > Attendance. While I don’t buy the 2,024 official stat, I do believe it topped 1,500. The 2,024 is, of course, reflective of seats sold andnot seats occupied. While we did play at Stabler in the NIT Consolation Round (separate price of admission per NIT rules), THIS was our home-opener and you have to be happy with the turnout. Student section grew from what I estimated to be 300 vs. Fairfield (NIT game) to near 500 last night. Can see overall totals reaching 2500-3000 come Lafayette and Bucknell. The CJ clock is running out. So few chances to see this guy perform his magic. The Lehigh Valley may be slowing coming around. Let’s see what Fordham brings on Tuesday.
    > JG. 5 PFs in 13 minutes. Sluggish play. Unsure where to position himself. Project.
    > CB. Great reach resulted in 3 blocks. Fortunate positioning resulted in 3 of 4 rebounds. Slow to get into game flow. Progress.
    > BJB. Still in jacket and tie. Family on hand give hope he’ll soon return.
    > Looking down the road a bit.
    (h) Fordham (12/4) lost to Harvard 73-64
    (a) St. Francis/PA (12/8) lost to American 51-62
    (a) North Texas (12/20) lost to Louisiana-Lafayette 76-80.
    (h) Bryant (12/29) beat Army 70-59
    (a) VCU (1/5) beat Belmont 75-65

    #8256

    TMH
    Participant

    I could not make the game saturday night but I will be there on Tuesday. If anyone wishes to meet up, let me know.

    #8257

    gohawks63
    Participant

    BJB is rumored to return on Tuesday against Fordam. I’ll be looking to see who Coach Reed will designate for the 6th man role.  It is clear to me the

    AD experiment has been unsuccessful and that underclassman SC deserves the spot.  For whatever energy and occasional play-making abilities the

    undersized AD brings, his jump shot is too mechanically flawed – the torque, the strain, the sideways release – to ever think he can be a consistent

    scorer at this level.  Let’s face it, if you can’t find your stride against a non-defense like FD, how are you going to compete against the cream of the PL?

    Whatever gap existed in SC’s defense and rebounding last year has clearly been bridged after a year of hard work.  SC has the physical size to get

    his shot of, to defend and to rebound. And he has shows some downcourt speed; he has been very impressive on the fast break – getting down-court,

    filling the lane and finishing.  And then there is The Stroke; smooth, effortless, nothing but net. I believe that SC unique ability from the 3 point line

    can be a huge difference maker for this undersized Lehigh team. Especially with our tendency, in big moments to become the a one-dimensional

    CJ show.  If SC can establish himself as a presence on the 3 point line – things will open up for CJ – the double and triple team defense will be forced

    to spread and protect the 3.  SC has demonstrated enough that he deserves a real shot at the 6th man role ..

    #8258

    LUHoops00
    Participant

    A BJ return would be a welcome sight, and yes, I think SC keeps current role and AD moves back behind once BJ comes back. Deadeye Cvrkalj is 15 of 33 from deep, that is something like 45% if my math is correct, that is exactly what we need from him. His hard work has paid off, he isn’t a complete liability on D, and importantly, he showed some more game then the 3 pt shot on O…what is his ceiling, that is an interesting topic?

    #8259

    TMH
    Participant

    Here is an interesting stat for you, Deadeye while shooting 45.5% is still about average on this year’s team. In fact a 45.2%, Lehigh is leading the nation in 3 pt %.

    Some other noteworthy stats:
    CJ is still #1 in th country in scoring avg
    He is T11 in 3 pointers made and #30 in 3 pt %
    Gabe is #68 in the country in FG%

    As a team: in addition to leading the nation in 3 pt %, lehigh:
    #8 Points scored
    #9 3Pointers Made
    #12 FT %
    #21 in scoring/game
    #27 in FT made
    #35 in FG %

    #8260

    lehigh90
    Participant

    I think BJB will be worked in slowly.  He hasn’t played this season, and if last year is an indication, I don’t see big minutes for him early, and not as a starter.  I think Reed stays with AD as a starter and SC as a bench player for two reasons.  First, AD defends better, and that is what you are looking for from the 5th offensive option.  Second, I think Reed likes SC as a bench spark, a guy that can play with the second group and score, when CJM might be on the bench.  SC is going to be a much more consistent offensive threat than AD.  SC, for all of the offensive potential he brings, is still a liability on the defensive end, particularly if he needs to guard quicker perimeter players.  I also think, psychologically, AD plays better as a starter.  He struggles with confidence, so starting fits him better.  SC has shown an ability to come in off the bench cold, and still connect at a high rate from 3.  I think, eventually, BJB is your 5th starter, but probably around the start of PL season.  I would think Bailey starts around 10 minutes and works his way up to starter minutes.  Maybe he is inserted as a starter for VCU, which would give him about a month to round into game shape.  BJB is going to have to shoot it pretty well from 3, along with his strong perimeter D and rebounding, if he expects to take the majority of minutes from the CS, SC and AD group.

    #8261

    luAthletics12
    Participant

    Stretch Internet, which is currently Lehigh Athletic’s service provider for live streaming broadcasts currently does not offer a “pause” button in their protal when viewing a live streaming event. Stretch is aware of this issue and working to update this feature into their next installment of their portal, which they predict will become available in time for the 2013-14 Athletics year. Unfortunately, this is not an easy problem to fix, nor is it something that can simply be done with a basic code, but rather it is a process that requires a different layout than they currently possess. Lehigh Athletics continues to appreciate all feedback in regards to bettering our broadcasts, as we continue to strive to offer the best all-around product we can.

    #8262
    StablerBum
    StablerBum
    Participant

    I agree with everything in ’90’s post.  Reed seems to be very cautious when it comes to working guys into the rotation, so regardless of when BJ comes back I see at least a handful of games where AD continues to start and BJ gradually builds his minutes and roll.

    #8264

    TMH
    Participant

    Based on skill sets alone, it seems that CS backs up MM, SC backs up CJ and AD backs up BJB when the latter is fully in game shape. SC has the added advantage of being able to be a game changer so he and CJ may often see time together. All and all, 6-2 is about all we could have reasonably expected at this stage…so for me..life is good.

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