UConn, searching for speed, will start Boatright, bench Napier and Oriakhi
by Andrew Porter on Jan 31, 2012 8:19 PM EST
in UConn Huskies Basketball
Email
PrintUConn is going to look a lot different when they take the court against Georgetown tomorrow and I suspect many fans will be very happy about it. Jim Calhoun announced tonight that Ryan Boatright, Niels Giffey and Roscoe Smith will join Jeremy Lamb and Andre Drummond in the starting lineup. That means that co-captains Shabazz Napier and Alex Oriakhi (along with DeAndre Daniels) will find themselves on the bench to start the game.
Apparently the move isn't meant to send a message to the co-captains, but rather to get UConn moving and pushing the pace in the wake of Sunday's 48-point loss to Notre Dame. I don't know how well the lineup will work, but if speed is the goal, this lineup won't hurt.
I can't say I hate. If you made me pick my ideal five-man lineup it'd be Boatright-Napier-Lamb-Smith-Drummond, so it's not too far off. The Huskies are definitely giving up size to get that speed (Calhoun on Smith: "He will get up the court. I don't know what he's going to do when he gets there, but...") but if it works it works.
If I have a concern, it's how Shabazz Napier will react. He's been very vocal about seeing himself as a team leader. Hopefully he'll realize that coming off the bench and helping the team get to where they need to be aren't mutually exclusive propositions.
11 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
I mean, it kinda definitely is a message to the co-captains
The message being “you may have a ring, but your meal ticket left last year, and if you don’t start playing up to your hype, you’ll be nailed to the bench.”
I like both guys, but they definitely need some kind of wake-up call (also, they need to play better at basketball).
"I don't get defeated by things." - James A. Calhoun
This is real interesting
But it just might work. I’ve thought all year that the much ballyhooed “lack of leadership” was really a problem of identity and defined roles. Oriakhi and Drummond simply don’t compliment each other. Oriakhi’s a step slow guarding the perimeter for long stretches, and Drummond can’t stop himself from committing handchecks 30 feet from the rim.
In that sense I think going small might be the right idea. It certainly worked last year. I know early in the year Alex’s numbers were way better with Roscoe at the 4 and I wouldn’t be surprised if the same was true for Drummond as well. (I’ll look into that).
I do feel that it’s unfortunate that so much of the blame has fallen on Shabazz’ and Alex’s shoulders. I think the problems are more systemic than they are a lack of effort/enthusiasm/toughness/hustle, etc. That said, if the problems are due to people playing out of place the team can’t continue playing guys out of position to appease its senior-most members.
This is a good way to put it
We happen to have very talented players; unfortunately, we also happen to have players at two positions (PG and C) who seem to have redundant skills.
Boat/Shabazz do a lot of the same things, and don’t complement each other; ditto Drummond/Oriakhi. I don’t think we can get away with playing those pairs together for long stretches (unless we get everyone to buy into some serious role changes).
Given how all four guys have played lately, I’m way more comfortable riding Boat/Drummond along with Lamb, Scoe at the 4 where he can do damage on defense and the boards, and Giffey, the only wing who’s been able to produce anything offensively.
Of course, the minute distribution is the more important thing. How long can Calhoun keep his captains on the bench?
"I don't get defeated by things." - James A. Calhoun
by Kevin Meacham on Jan 31, 2012 11:22 PM EST up reply actions
I like the message
You can’t keep trying something if it isn’t working. Right now UConn needs some sort of jump and who knows if this will work. Gotta try though!
I'm cool with it
Gotta do something to shake things up.
2011 National Champs in Men's Basketball
FIRE DeLEONE
Eat a bagel (like a mumu)
Superbowl: Hoping for the meteor
1967: Embrace it
A little OT but has anyone ever been to a Georgetown game before?
I’m spending a semester in DC and thinking of trying to scalp a ticket on the way in. Is it easy enough to do?
Taiwan's Number 1 Wolverine fan.
I went back in 07
UConn wasn’t any good, so it wasn’t too tough, but I doubt it’d be that much more difficult even if UConn was playing much better at the moment. The Verizon Center, or whatever they’re calling it now, is a big arena and I doubt it’ll sell out.
by Andrew Porter on Feb 1, 2012 12:39 AM EST up reply actions
I was at the collapse there in 2010
Id tell you what it’s like except I tried to drink all memories of that game away as soon as it ended and woke up next to the FDR Memorial.
by zls44 on Feb 1, 2012 1:17 AM EST via Android app up reply actions
your article makes it seem like we lost by 48 points
i can live with that.
"I suggest more bike" ~KSK
"The Red Sox and Yankees are playing as I type but I don't know who's winning because I don't watch Arena League baseball." - the genius TTG
Destroying your facts with opinions
About time.
Newbie here. Felt like I needed to chime in.
For the line up: Do this! Do this four games ago. Calhoun has said from the get-go that he’s never had this much trouble nailing down a rotation, but has barely tinkered with his starting line up. I get that most of these guys won the National Championship last year, but they didn’t do it as the same group; they did it as a Kemba/JCM/Beverly/ Drummond-less group.
And on that note: Was anyone else kind of upset to hear about Kemba practicing with them during the pre-season? Just seemed like a bad idea. Having the former leader of your team linger around and essentially reinforce his ghostly (and multiple-game-saving) presence? Not good. Not for these youngsters—which is what they are at this point. The last 11 or so championship teams: none were won by a fresh/sophomore-driven team. Always at least one upperclassmen. Doesn’t bode well for this team. But if the ND game is any indication—the way Lamb fought to the last buzzer (if only from 2 minutes and under, which is a problem unto itself)—it’s encouraging. It’s a process. There are games left. The tournament is yet nigh.
Welcome!
I feel like I should rec this for your use of “nigh”
Marching to the beat of a different Drummond
Who Doesn't Like Icecreamcake?
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanShots on The UConn Blog
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
