For my Bennies, what kind of defender can Noah be? Can he defend at high or average level in the SEC in the future ?
Question for the Bennies
- Thread starter celtikat33
- Start date
You got jokes. You are only trying to cause trouble.
High level? No. But he can be adequate. Needs to get in the weight room and also work, work, work on his lateral quickness.
Actually I'm being completely serious for our basketball guys who have actually watched his tape. I'm asking for guys who know more than I about his game than I do in order to see how he could actually develop in order to be able to get into a starting role in the SEC.
He plays with a lot of effort and energy. As he works on his strength and conditioning, he’ll be serviceable as a defender but by no means the reason he’s on the floor.
He won’t be a lock down defender, but who is at the 3 spot in this league? I think he’ll be fine guarding 3s and most 4s in this league. He’s strong, plays great help defense and is in correct position. He has the 2 most important qualities you need to play defense, physicality and instinct. He’s been solid the last several games he’s played.
I think he can be better than average. He will improve as he gets stronger and more experience.
He’s made it this far. I’d assume if he focuses on conditioning he will contribute at a decent/higher level. Should go from a good to great college player.
I’ve watched him play since he was in 8th grade and no one will outwork him. He is a student of the game and gets the most out of his abilities. He is very strong and has decent footwork. He’s not a great athlete, but he makes up for it with his fundamentals. He is fearless and is confident in his skill set. He can score at all 3 levels, but just needs to mature and progress. He’s knows how to blockout which enables him to get rebounds and he also has a nose for the ball.
I DEFINITELY think he will continue to improve with every game.
I DEFINITELY think he will continue to improve with every game.
It looks like he's over taken Perry and Chandler in the pecking order which is pretty impressive since he hasn't had nearly the same amount of run as those two. Pope must see something he likes in practice. As far as his ceiling on D, pretty impossible to tell. We can guess middle of the road but players constantly surprise either in a positive or negative way.
I don’t know much about his athletic ability. But he has the intangibles to be a decent defender.
He understands angles. He anticipates really well. He appears to have good footwork.
He doesn’t reach on defense which is going to keep him from fouling too much.
And he has a “nose” for the ball and good timing on rebounding.
And defensive rebounding is defense.
He understands angles. He anticipates really well. He appears to have good footwork.
He doesn’t reach on defense which is going to keep him from fouling too much.
And he has a “nose” for the ball and good timing on rebounding.
And defensive rebounding is defense.
He isn't getting abused as it is. Give him a year or two of getting a little faster/stronger. He'll be solid on the defensive end.
Until today, the entire team has gotten abused on defense. So, yes Noah has been abused on defense.
Plays good positionally. Has a solid future as a Cat. Never have an issue with him being in the game.
I really like the kid and he’s improving every game. I hope he continues to get minutes.
My question is why is he finally getting playing time? He's clearly better than the other two. I guess all coaches have to juggle balls. Just love seeing hin out there. Effort on both ends of the floor is reallty all I ask for.
We had a more immediate need at a reserve guard spot. Pope, just like most of us, probably expected a little more from Chandler as he got legs throughout the year but that hasn’t panned out. Noah is just a gamer, doesn’t overthink anything, just plays his heart out.
Imo he'll be average. Strong enough to guard fours but lacks some height and reach. Lacks quickness to guard threes and reach would help him there too. But a smart, hard-nosed kid and mentally tough: less prone to getting dinged on defense out of laziness or being out of position.
That will be fine as far as the kind of defense we'll need out of him.
Added bonus: That's a Harlan County boy. Don't expect to see that one on the injured list.
That will be fine as far as the kind of defense we'll need out of him.
Added bonus: That's a Harlan County boy. Don't expect to see that one on the injured list.
He has skills but he is the wrong size to get to a high level he need to be as a
starter for UK. He is too small to guard a power forward and lacks quickness
to stay with a small forward. He can give us spot minutes because of his
basketball IQ and ability to shoot.
starter for UK. He is too small to guard a power forward and lacks quickness
to stay with a small forward. He can give us spot minutes because of his
basketball IQ and ability to shoot.
Effort is effort
Trying hard is trying hard.
Those aren’t skills.
You can gain skills by giving effort and working hard.
I'm not the most knowledgeable about his game, but see his role as being important as a reserve, spot minutes. His shooting and development will be important this year and in the future. He can contribute now and definitely in the future here.
But being the basketball Bennie I am, I hope Coach Pope can utilize him to the best of his ability and get him into the rotation when we NEED him. That's more important to me than expecting him to suddenly become like Jamal Mashburn.
That said, if his game becomes Jamal Mashburn like, I think we're in pretty good shape having him around....
But being the basketball Bennie I am, I hope Coach Pope can utilize him to the best of his ability and get him into the rotation when we NEED him. That's more important to me than expecting him to suddenly become like Jamal Mashburn.
That said, if his game becomes Jamal Mashburn like, I think we're in pretty good shape having him around....
So much of being a quality defender is want to. It seems he has the character to give the effort along w the smarts to know his minutes will depend on it.
Agree. He does need to do both of those but hes quicker than his athletic apprearance kind of like Larry Bird was. Bird looked like he would be the slowest guy on the floor but his reactions/anticipations were fast. Noah seems a little that way. Add some strength and he can be more than adequate.
Wonky ... I love your posts, and I find it hard to disagree with you, but ...
I never played any college ball, but I played a little high school football in 1963-65, and I played on a really good high school basketball team in the 1964-65 season. During those two sports seasons, I was 6'1" and weighed 185. I played Center (today called "the 5") on our b'ball team in '64-'65. Our Forwards (today called "the 3" and "the 4") were 6'3" and 6'5". I always guarded the other team's highest scoring 4 or 5. One guy who was particularly memorable was a guy who was 6'6" and 225 who was an All-District b'ball player but went to Miami (FL) on a football scholarship. He was averaging 15 points and 12 rebounds. He had 6 and 4 against me. I guarded another guy in the Finals of the Regional Tournament who was 6'4" and 220. They beat us by 5, and he made the All-State Tournament Team that year. I had zero lateral quickness, and my vertical leap was monumentally unspectacular. But those aren't necessary to play good D in those positions. Mainly it just take work - sometimes called "hustle." You just gotta "be in touch with 'em" throughout the whole game. You lean on 'em. You move 'em with your butt and/or you forearms. Before a shot goes up, you try to keep them from ever getting their hands on the ball in the offense. And you start blockin' your guy out the instant the ball leaves a shooter's hands. You can't wait to see where the rebound's going to go - you gotta immediately start blocking out, and then figure out where the bounce is going. Anybody that's 6'5" and knows all of that - and based on his high school career I'm pretty sure that Trent Noah knows all of that - can be a "high level" defender in college basketball. It just depends on effort ! Based on his high school career, I'm also pretty sure that Noah can be depended up for the effort ! Because the 'Cats haven't looked too good defensively, I'd like to see Noah get a bit more PT.
Go 'Cats ! ! !
I think it's just because he's a forward and we have 2 small forwards in Brea and Robinson who are better and 2 seniors at the 4, but with Butler out we've had play Chandler or Perry some because there's no other guards.
Agree with that take, except I don't think guarding PFs (especially SEC 4s) should be expected much more than expecting Oweh to do it. But I believe the physicality and instinct you mentioned (along with energy and hopefully good and getting better bb-IQ) will be fine defending SFs.
Yeah I don’t think it would be just any guys at the 4 spot. More so depending on teams who play small ball. 6’8” 235lb, sure. Probably not the 6’10” 260 bruisers though. I agree with you on IQ. So much of collegiate defense is IQ. Everything is schematic. Rarely is anyone alone defending on an island and if they are it’s by design. If that were the case every defender would have to be significantly faster than the offensive player to be successful.
Yep. That "championship chest" UK's staff talks about fits right in with what you're talking about, putting a body on your opponent. Ron Slay was talking about that very thing yesterday evening after the SEC games. He said what may look like an easy interior shot is a whole lot different when the defender has put a body on you.
Mashack at UT is pretty close as lockdown as you can get. Pons was even better. UT has been lucky to have them on the wing the last 5 years.
Noah will be average at minimum. Possibly slightly above average. He will probably be one of the least athletic on the court at all times but he outworks everyone else and has a high IQ. Knowing which angles to take when defending can be the difference between looking like Brea and being able to stay in front of your man.
