This is going to be a long post because I was trying to organize my thoughts on each of the guys. To sum up, we're deep, we're skilled, we play a fun style and watching Buff basketball will be a great time this year. But we've got a lot of work to do and some problem areas.
- More fun to watch this year. They're more athletic, play a trapping defense, and try to push the ball up the court. Also a very deep team. They can shoot, have guys that can create their own shots. The Buffs can be very good this year if they can solve their rebounding and interior defense issues.
- Corey Higgins got better. He is incredibly efficient on the offensive end. He shoots a high %, has a knack for drawing fouls, and makes everything from the line. I liked his defense, too.
- Dwight Thorne got the team going early with 5 points while we were struggling, but had an awful night overall. Pretty sure he finished in double figures, but he had a lot of turnovers and that's unacceptable for a senior captain. Fortunately, we've got enough history with him to know he'll play better going forward.
- Austin Dufault looks so different I didn't recognize him at first. He's muscular and still has his shot. He needs to work on his post defense and figure out how to bring his new strength into play. Rebounding needs work, too. And he needs to learn how to post up on offense. But I think he was in double figures scoring. He is definitely developing, though.
- Casey Crawford impressed me a lot last night. The team is simply better when he's on the court. Defensive rotation is better and the offense runs more smoothly with him in the game. He's got a nice shot and rebounds well. Very deliberate player.
- Nate Tomlinson is significantly improved from last year. He's playing in control and looks like our only true point guard. I believe he had 6 assists and only 1 turnover. Nice range on his jumper last night, too, and picked his spots well. Defensively he still needs some work, but he's not a liability. He also did some nice work on the defensive glass, which we need and also gets our fast break going since the ball's immediately in a guard's hands.
- Alec Burks is the real deal. He's a natural scorer and finisher. Needs to add some consistency and range to his jumper, but he's gonna be special. Defensively, he's got a ton of length and very quick hands. Very disruptive (especially at the top in our 1-3-1). Needs to sink his hips, get lower and use his feet more when in man defense, but he's definitely got the athleticism to get there.
- Marcus Relphorde is a talented guy who had a bad night. Early foul trouble and he was pressing a bit wanting to have a big opener. In warm-ups, it was obvious that he can shoot the lights out. But during the game he couldn't buy a jumper for whatever reason. Really quick for his size, great hands, and he can create his own shot. Hit a very nice runner in the lane off a drive. Also had a sweet dish for a layup (to Dufault, I think). Defensively, he is long and can disrupt passing lands, even get some strips. But he's simply not going to be able to play the 4 if the opposing player is a big, back-to-the-basket type of guy. Relphorde was playing a little softer than he would have liked so he wouldn't foul out, but he got worked in the post. On traps and the press, he's disruptive and forced several turnovers/bad passes.
- Keegan Hornbuckle is going to be a very good player for us. He struggled in the first half getting into the flow of the offense and manning up on defense. He needs to play lower and use his feet when he's defending the wing, because he got driven on a few times. He also needs to be a more aggressive and willing defensive rebounder. Keegan will also need to get more aggressive with his offense. But he's got good athleticism, good hands and nice offensive skills. I'm pretty excited to see how he'll develop.
- Shane Harris-Tunks ended up impressing me. In the first half, he was soft and a bit lost. But in the 2nd half he played a little pissed off and was a completely different player. He was body checking guys so they couldn't get post position and getting up to challenge shots. He also ran the floor to get involved in the fast break. His offensive game needs to develop, but he can contribute on that end just by hustling. I came away feeling like Shane is pretty tough, has quick hands (poked some balls out in the post) and could develop into an excellent player for us. The key with Shane is that he's got to develop an attitude that he is offended and angry at being disrespected whenever someone comes into the paint or gets an offensive rebound.
- Trent Beckley / Trey Eckloff are interchangeable big bodies that will get plugged in if we don't want to risk our other bigs getting fouls in a given situation. Watching warm-ups, they both have decent athleticism and are much more muscular since last year.
- More fun to watch this year. They're more athletic, play a trapping defense, and try to push the ball up the court. Also a very deep team. They can shoot, have guys that can create their own shots. The Buffs can be very good this year if they can solve their rebounding and interior defense issues.
- Corey Higgins got better. He is incredibly efficient on the offensive end. He shoots a high %, has a knack for drawing fouls, and makes everything from the line. I liked his defense, too.
- Dwight Thorne got the team going early with 5 points while we were struggling, but had an awful night overall. Pretty sure he finished in double figures, but he had a lot of turnovers and that's unacceptable for a senior captain. Fortunately, we've got enough history with him to know he'll play better going forward.
- Austin Dufault looks so different I didn't recognize him at first. He's muscular and still has his shot. He needs to work on his post defense and figure out how to bring his new strength into play. Rebounding needs work, too. And he needs to learn how to post up on offense. But I think he was in double figures scoring. He is definitely developing, though.
- Casey Crawford impressed me a lot last night. The team is simply better when he's on the court. Defensive rotation is better and the offense runs more smoothly with him in the game. He's got a nice shot and rebounds well. Very deliberate player.
- Nate Tomlinson is significantly improved from last year. He's playing in control and looks like our only true point guard. I believe he had 6 assists and only 1 turnover. Nice range on his jumper last night, too, and picked his spots well. Defensively he still needs some work, but he's not a liability. He also did some nice work on the defensive glass, which we need and also gets our fast break going since the ball's immediately in a guard's hands.
- Alec Burks is the real deal. He's a natural scorer and finisher. Needs to add some consistency and range to his jumper, but he's gonna be special. Defensively, he's got a ton of length and very quick hands. Very disruptive (especially at the top in our 1-3-1). Needs to sink his hips, get lower and use his feet more when in man defense, but he's definitely got the athleticism to get there.
- Marcus Relphorde is a talented guy who had a bad night. Early foul trouble and he was pressing a bit wanting to have a big opener. In warm-ups, it was obvious that he can shoot the lights out. But during the game he couldn't buy a jumper for whatever reason. Really quick for his size, great hands, and he can create his own shot. Hit a very nice runner in the lane off a drive. Also had a sweet dish for a layup (to Dufault, I think). Defensively, he is long and can disrupt passing lands, even get some strips. But he's simply not going to be able to play the 4 if the opposing player is a big, back-to-the-basket type of guy. Relphorde was playing a little softer than he would have liked so he wouldn't foul out, but he got worked in the post. On traps and the press, he's disruptive and forced several turnovers/bad passes.
- Keegan Hornbuckle is going to be a very good player for us. He struggled in the first half getting into the flow of the offense and manning up on defense. He needs to play lower and use his feet when he's defending the wing, because he got driven on a few times. He also needs to be a more aggressive and willing defensive rebounder. Keegan will also need to get more aggressive with his offense. But he's got good athleticism, good hands and nice offensive skills. I'm pretty excited to see how he'll develop.
- Shane Harris-Tunks ended up impressing me. In the first half, he was soft and a bit lost. But in the 2nd half he played a little pissed off and was a completely different player. He was body checking guys so they couldn't get post position and getting up to challenge shots. He also ran the floor to get involved in the fast break. His offensive game needs to develop, but he can contribute on that end just by hustling. I came away feeling like Shane is pretty tough, has quick hands (poked some balls out in the post) and could develop into an excellent player for us. The key with Shane is that he's got to develop an attitude that he is offended and angry at being disrespected whenever someone comes into the paint or gets an offensive rebound.
- Trent Beckley / Trey Eckloff are interchangeable big bodies that will get plugged in if we don't want to risk our other bigs getting fouls in a given situation. Watching warm-ups, they both have decent athleticism and are much more muscular since last year.
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