UNC Finished 2015 9-8; Lost Best All Around Player; Added No Elite Recruit

[BBUK]

Every player is affected by every other player. When has Alex been effective? When he could attack the basket with abandon and wasn't called upon to create offense off the dribble. He had games as a freshman -- Duke, Missouri come to mind -- when he got isolated in a position to drive on the basket and overpower defenders, and he scored 20 or more points with extreme efficiency -- 8-10 FGs against Missouri, 9-12 FGS against Duke.

Kentucky's team this year is very favorable for him, with Ulis, Murray and Briscoe penetrating, drawing defenders, creating gaps and seams and attack lanes. If Alex is healthy, he could be a major offensive force on a team with teh guards UK has.

I started reading the latter part of the thread to be sure someone brought Ulis into the equation. Yes he is a BIG part of the catalyst for UK this season. He has fight, sparks a fire under some and backs down from no one. That alone will bring players like Lee up a notch and maybe even two. From reading about Lee's off court work with charity I think he will bring it a little extra for the likes of Ulis. (Don't ask me why, it's just a hunch.) What a ride...(I'm with the one that hopes Lee can up his FT percentage....sigh.)

 

[Mark Gastineau]

Cal went after Amile at one point I think he is a very steady ballplayer. Good hustle plays, solid defense. Smart, glue guy.

Nail on the head. I honestly believe every team needs a guy like Amile on the roster.

 

[Mike-D]

Lost their best all around player? if you're referring to Tokoto I disagree. An athlete with no jumpshot and little skill. I loved it when he took shots for them. (automatic turnover) Theo Pinson will take his spot easily.

What happened last year isn't necessarily going to dictate what happens next year but I do hope you are right. They do have to prove they can take that huge step forward and man up in the big games instead of folding as they have down the stretch.

You can't comment on UNC unless you're going tell UK fans how terrible they're going to be next year. Follow the company line.

 

[IL Wildcat]

I think UNC will be a pretty good team, of course. When you return that many key contributors you're gonna be better, especially early in the season. That continuity is something the other teams just won't have. These guys are good, too. Paige has the potential to be great this season. Brice Johnson is thin but a great athlete who can finish well and block shots. Meeks can't jump 2 feet but he's a big body that carves out space. Joel James could break out. I do think they're going to miss Tokoto more than most UNC fans care to admit. He was a glue guy for them, and he did it all. As Dicky V would say, he was a "stat sheet stuffer baby!" If you look at his stats, he was only 5th in scoring, but he was second in assists (by a huge margin), second in blocked shots, third in rebounding, and second in steals. He was their best defender easily and he could defend multiple positions. He also was second in minutes played, which shows you how important he was to the team. He will be missed.

The other side of this coin is the fact that this team lost 12 games last season, including 5 home games. Their defense will take a hit without Tokoto, and they weren't a great defensive team to begin with. Teams that have a guy who can guard Paige will be able to outscore them. I think they're a top 10 team in preseason but not top 5. By the end of the year, their experience edge will be gone and they will likely get popped by a team that gets hot late.

 

[Hoskins91]

Maybe the way you said it was a bit off the mark.

Alex Poythress a role player? Na, not even close. Don't forget there's a huge segment of people who believe we missed the championship last year due to his absence. But just on his game alone, his defense alone makes him far more than a role player. I think he's far better than someone like Amile Jefferson, and he was one of the bigger reasons Duke won a championship.

Lee is lee, and right now he's a bouncy twig that can do a few things well to help. We'll see how much better his game develops but Poythress is a different matter. The Kansas game should have shown that.

See, that's what I would consider the definition of a role player. You do 1 or 2 things really well, and you have to be put into a very specific situation to be optimally used. I'm not saying that I don't think he will be valuable. I am saying he is not the guy that most reasonable people see as a returnee that makes a huge difference as far as expectations are concerned. If we didn't have Poythress, I would still expect us to be pretty good next year. That's not the case for several of the other players on the roster.

 

[.S&C.]

Had to highlight this because I really appreciate your observation on a key element that has gone largely unnoticed and it shows you are a student of the game. Jefferson's role in filling in for Okafor who was parked with foul trouble for long stretches was a critical factor. Jefferson only had 2 points but that also came with 7 rebounds, 3 blocks, a steal, 2 assists and most significantly of all played terrific defense on Kaminsky in the second half. People tend to only look at the point totals with players and often times overlook the importance that the role guys play. I think if Jefferson could develop a mid-range shot (which is available to him all the time when he's on the floor) he could really improve his scoring output and advance his game. There was a guy by the name of Antonio Lang (90-94) who was in a similar situation and he developed that mid range jumper and became a key part of that 1-2 punch with G Hill on that very thin 1994 squad that lost that thriller to Arkansas in the 94 NCAA Title game.

I still swear had Lang not trimmed his fingernails that day......

A couple points on Alex Poythress, I have always liked his potential and I was one who did ask the question, "what if Poythress were available to have guarded Dekker"? I think he can be really good for you guys and in a larger role than he played in previous seasons.

I appreciate that and agree i think the Wisconsin game would have been completely different bad he been guarding Dekker.