At my own keyboard now. I was at last Thursday and today's games. The following is a conglomerate of both nights on the guys I saw. It is also just guesswork and my amateur evaluations.
Saw Kriener last Thursday. IMHO he has come furthest of all the guys since the end of last year. His offense from hitting threes to back to the basket is comparable to many GOOD Big Ten post players, stretch four or five types. His quickness is sound, his hops are acceptable and his passing has become superb. I'm also quite impressed with his confidence and willingness to scuffle on defense. I expect his ability to pull defenses out as far as the three (and further) will open things up quite a bit under the hole.
Saw Garza twice. I like his game. You probably won't be able to tell by this part. He is not as quick as Kriener, doesn't have the hops, and is raw unless you like your meat cooked less than rare. His defense needs work in the skills department, he is not a Woody, as Woody became during his freshman year, on defense. All that said. Garza is a gamer and worn out or tired he is quicker than Kriener. Garza's motor is nonstop. I'm not going to expect Garza to overtake Kriener this year for a starting spot. But I would compare the two with Woody and Gabe back in 2012/13. Our new twin towers are far better offensively, that is both under the basket and obviously out to the 3 pt line. Defensively I think Garza has a good chance to be Woody level ready by the start of the season considering who he is scrimmaging against in practice.
These two will make a formidable post. But expect foul troubles and remember even Woody and Gabe managed only 33 mpg between them their first year together. We will need a third guy and to me it will be between Uhl, Pemsl, (saw neither) and Wagner.
Saw Wagner twice. Thursday he was hitting threes and looked like a challenger for playing time at the three. Today, he was way off on his shots and looked like Wagner from last year. To me, his athleticism and hustle are tools that would be be used as a tenth, eleventh type guy in the lineup. Bring him in when guys are hurt, or in foul trouble, at both forward and the center spot. He can give valuable time at any of those three spots and provides an excellent insurance policy. Let him fire some threes up like our centers and wing forwards will be doing. Don't expect a high percentage. It is really too bad he is struggling with his shooting touch, both finishing at the basket or heaving up shots. Everything else is there to make a fine player on both ends.
I saw Jack Nunge twice. I believe he is going to make a lot of money playing basketball in the future. And that is as a wing forward or stretch four. I will compare him and say maybe better than a Matt Bullard pre-injury. I think, he and Baer will be our 3's this season and I don't care which one starts. I will say though that this may mean we are looking at playing more zone than some would like. I see the trade-off as worth it and would even predict the opposing teams will have to adjust to defend and that's when we can go back to man to man defense even when Jack is on the court. Nunge can hit the three, run the court, penetrate. He is in stellar shape. He is a good defender though to he met his match (more in a second.). Be glad we got Nunge to be a Hawkeye. Very glad.
I saw Cook today. Reports or concerns that Cook was taking it easy in the PTL can be laid to rest, right alongside anyone including Nunge that tried to stop Cook from driving and dunking.
No one could stop him, time and again he penetrated and slammed the ball home. And, it is NOT charging when two guys run into each other and one bounces off, is it? I mean, it is like getting hit by a tank, but technically if the defender isn't set or doesn't own the space...well, the refs were merciful because Cook was getting bumped, it just didn't matter. He even began bringing the ball up the court and driving to the hole! I emphasize, nothing, no one, could stop him.
Saw Bohannon on Thursday. He has improved, much like Kriener and Cook. Mostly, he has added to his little two dribble right or left, end up back where he started for an open three, with the addition of a one dribble, two dribble, crap, he went for the hole! Maneuver. Combined, these make him very hard to contain, and although his new little floater wasn't falling I can see the progress. Bohannon is nimble. And makes moves that cause defenders to miss.
Ellingson is Ellingson offensively. I agree with those saying he could be backup point. A safe backup that won't get us hurt. I do not believe he is the answer to start at the two guard. But as a backup at either I would not be too concerned. I took time to watch his defense and he is fundamentally sound and while no stopper is neither a liability either. All told, a good, experienced backup at either guard and we could do much worse.
Saw Dailey twice. He is not a point guard. That's a certainty. But he could challenge for minutes at the two and even the three. There have been many Iowa seasons a guy like he could see the court, I just think he's got too many ahead of him.
Saw Williams twice. My view is he is still the backup point guard until someone takes that away. And I'm not sure Ellingson can get that done. Williams has the potential to be an excellent defender, maybe a stopper. On offense he is still trying to put his shot together, and gain the confidence to keep the offense flowing. If he stays healthy the talent is there.
I did not see Uhl who was missing both nights. Nor did I see Baer but we know what to expect from him. I did not see Moss.
My overall impression. We are already better than last year. Easily a couple more wins in the Big Ten better, easily. Get your Cook, Bohannon glasses ready and be prepared to find out the pieces around them are solid. Depth is great and attitude on this team is fantastic. Good year coming folks. More to follow after that!
Saw Kriener last Thursday. IMHO he has come furthest of all the guys since the end of last year. His offense from hitting threes to back to the basket is comparable to many GOOD Big Ten post players, stretch four or five types. His quickness is sound, his hops are acceptable and his passing has become superb. I'm also quite impressed with his confidence and willingness to scuffle on defense. I expect his ability to pull defenses out as far as the three (and further) will open things up quite a bit under the hole.
Saw Garza twice. I like his game. You probably won't be able to tell by this part. He is not as quick as Kriener, doesn't have the hops, and is raw unless you like your meat cooked less than rare. His defense needs work in the skills department, he is not a Woody, as Woody became during his freshman year, on defense. All that said. Garza is a gamer and worn out or tired he is quicker than Kriener. Garza's motor is nonstop. I'm not going to expect Garza to overtake Kriener this year for a starting spot. But I would compare the two with Woody and Gabe back in 2012/13. Our new twin towers are far better offensively, that is both under the basket and obviously out to the 3 pt line. Defensively I think Garza has a good chance to be Woody level ready by the start of the season considering who he is scrimmaging against in practice.
These two will make a formidable post. But expect foul troubles and remember even Woody and Gabe managed only 33 mpg between them their first year together. We will need a third guy and to me it will be between Uhl, Pemsl, (saw neither) and Wagner.
Saw Wagner twice. Thursday he was hitting threes and looked like a challenger for playing time at the three. Today, he was way off on his shots and looked like Wagner from last year. To me, his athleticism and hustle are tools that would be be used as a tenth, eleventh type guy in the lineup. Bring him in when guys are hurt, or in foul trouble, at both forward and the center spot. He can give valuable time at any of those three spots and provides an excellent insurance policy. Let him fire some threes up like our centers and wing forwards will be doing. Don't expect a high percentage. It is really too bad he is struggling with his shooting touch, both finishing at the basket or heaving up shots. Everything else is there to make a fine player on both ends.
I saw Jack Nunge twice. I believe he is going to make a lot of money playing basketball in the future. And that is as a wing forward or stretch four. I will compare him and say maybe better than a Matt Bullard pre-injury. I think, he and Baer will be our 3's this season and I don't care which one starts. I will say though that this may mean we are looking at playing more zone than some would like. I see the trade-off as worth it and would even predict the opposing teams will have to adjust to defend and that's when we can go back to man to man defense even when Jack is on the court. Nunge can hit the three, run the court, penetrate. He is in stellar shape. He is a good defender though to he met his match (more in a second.). Be glad we got Nunge to be a Hawkeye. Very glad.
I saw Cook today. Reports or concerns that Cook was taking it easy in the PTL can be laid to rest, right alongside anyone including Nunge that tried to stop Cook from driving and dunking.
No one could stop him, time and again he penetrated and slammed the ball home. And, it is NOT charging when two guys run into each other and one bounces off, is it? I mean, it is like getting hit by a tank, but technically if the defender isn't set or doesn't own the space...well, the refs were merciful because Cook was getting bumped, it just didn't matter. He even began bringing the ball up the court and driving to the hole! I emphasize, nothing, no one, could stop him. Saw Bohannon on Thursday. He has improved, much like Kriener and Cook. Mostly, he has added to his little two dribble right or left, end up back where he started for an open three, with the addition of a one dribble, two dribble, crap, he went for the hole! Maneuver. Combined, these make him very hard to contain, and although his new little floater wasn't falling I can see the progress. Bohannon is nimble. And makes moves that cause defenders to miss.
Ellingson is Ellingson offensively. I agree with those saying he could be backup point. A safe backup that won't get us hurt. I do not believe he is the answer to start at the two guard. But as a backup at either I would not be too concerned. I took time to watch his defense and he is fundamentally sound and while no stopper is neither a liability either. All told, a good, experienced backup at either guard and we could do much worse.
Saw Dailey twice. He is not a point guard. That's a certainty. But he could challenge for minutes at the two and even the three. There have been many Iowa seasons a guy like he could see the court, I just think he's got too many ahead of him.
Saw Williams twice. My view is he is still the backup point guard until someone takes that away. And I'm not sure Ellingson can get that done. Williams has the potential to be an excellent defender, maybe a stopper. On offense he is still trying to put his shot together, and gain the confidence to keep the offense flowing. If he stays healthy the talent is there.
I did not see Uhl who was missing both nights. Nor did I see Baer but we know what to expect from him. I did not see Moss.
My overall impression. We are already better than last year. Easily a couple more wins in the Big Ten better, easily. Get your Cook, Bohannon glasses ready and be prepared to find out the pieces around them are solid. Depth is great and attitude on this team is fantastic. Good year coming folks. More to follow after that!
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