H78
PhD Student
Posts: 1458
Loc: Los Angeles, CA
Reg: 01-06-11
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03-28-21 05:28 AM - Post#322569
Not sure if it's too early to talk about the coming season, since we're now ending the somewhat truncated NCAA MBB season. What do people see as our potential lineups?
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mrjames
Professor
Posts: 6062
Loc: Montclair, NJ
Reg: 11-21-04
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Re: 2021-2022 Season
03-29-21 01:29 PM - Post#322585
In response to H78
My guess would be:
Tretout
Kirkwood
Lesmond
Ledlum
Forbes
From there, I expect a ton of competition in a few different buckets:
On-ball guard:
Sakota
Nelson
Freedman
Simon
Wing/Stretch 4:
Hemmings
Catchings
Pitcher
Center:
Ajogbor
Pitcher
Keys for Harvard will be:
1) Finding a good, playmaking PG. Amaker's offense requires it, and if you look at the games where Harvard got stomped in 19-20, they didn't have it. Lots of options here, so I suspect they'll ultimately find a solution, but if it's not Tretout, it might take time (and early Ls) to do so.
2) Ledlum has to shoot better. He shot terribly on 2PT Js, 3s and from the line. Otherwise, he has a decent turnover rate (20%) for a freshman and draws a TON of fouls. He also had a 360 dunk in game action. Finally, he disrupts a ton of shots (5.3% BLK rate in Ivy play, 5th in the league and the only guy in the Top 10 under 6'7). But if he can't make shots, he's gonna be an offensive neutral at best.
3) A few key rookies being AS ADVERTISED. Ajogbor has impressed defensively, which should help a team that had the 2nd and 3rd best block rate players (Lewis/Baker) walk out that door. With Bassey gone, there will likely be more perimeter mistakes to clean up, putting the pressure on a rim protector to make his presence known. Forbes will be that, but this team needs two in case of foul trouble.
4) VACCINE (for the injury bug). Here's a list of players with assist rates of 10% or over (proxy for on-ball guards) that were unavailable for Harvard's final game against Yale: Aiken, Juzang, Kirkwood plus full-year injured players like TMac and Freedman. If Harvard gets pushed six deep at any position again, it's not going to achieve the potential that this team's talent would indicate.
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HARVARDDADGRAD
Postdoc
Posts: 2691
Loc: New Jersey
Reg: 01-21-14
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2021-2022 Season
04-01-21 02:54 PM - Post#322805
In response to mrjames
Roy Williams is retiring. Glad Tommy Amaker is a Duke grad. I recall Amaker ‘outcoaching’ Williams in Jacksonville. Almost won that one.
Edited by HARVARDDADGRAD on 04-01-21 02:56 PM. Reason for edit: No reason given.
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HARVARDDADGRAD
Postdoc
Posts: 2691
Loc: New Jersey
Reg: 01-21-14
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04-01-21 03:23 PM - Post#322807
In response to HARVARDDADGRAD
"I feel like I've won the lottery because Tommy Amaker did a much better job with his team than I did with mine," Williams added. "We were extremely lucky."
I was there. So close. What a win that would have been.
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mrjames
Professor
Posts: 6062
Loc: Montclair, NJ
Reg: 11-21-04
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04-01-21 03:37 PM - Post#322808
In response to HARVARDDADGRAD
Yeah, Harvard was a slight favorite to win after Siyani's four-point play. Alas, it was not to be. In fact, Harvard was a bigger favorite to beat UNC after that play than it was to beat Cincy after the Bearcats pulled within one and had the ball with 3 to play.
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HARVARDDADGRAD
Postdoc
Posts: 2691
Loc: New Jersey
Reg: 01-21-14
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04-01-21 03:43 PM - Post#322809
In response to mrjames
Wes was amazing vs UNC and Kenyatta was crucial in the second half. Had UNC not shot 71.4% on 3’s it could have ended differently
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digamma
Masters Student
Posts: 468
Loc: Minneapolis
Reg: 11-27-11
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04-02-21 10:36 AM - Post#322841
In response to HARVARDDADGRAD
Way better than the UNC game in Chapel Hill a couple of years ago.
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digamma
Masters Student
Posts: 468
Loc: Minneapolis
Reg: 11-27-11
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04-02-21 10:38 AM - Post#322842
In response to digamma
Mike,
Can you remind me what the Ivy is doing about this year eligibility wise? Can we expect one more year from Noah and then a grad transfer year to somewhere else?
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mrjames
Professor
Posts: 6062
Loc: Montclair, NJ
Reg: 11-21-04
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04-02-21 11:48 AM - Post#322844
In response to digamma
Effectively nothing has changed. It looks like on the men's hoops side, there might be a couple players league-wide that can take advantage of the one-time grad rule and compete as grad students, but otherwise, there are going to be a TON of Ivy grad transfers over the next few years. Noah will be a senior and will be eligible to take a grad year elsewhere following the 21-22 season.
If there's any area, though, where Harvard is well stocked in the 2019-2021 classes it is in wing size: Ledlum, Tretout, Sakota, Hemmings and Lesmond. The biggest question for Harvard will be ball handling/final 10 second PnR offense.
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HARVARDDADGRAD
Postdoc
Posts: 2691
Loc: New Jersey
Reg: 01-21-14
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04-04-21 09:21 AM - Post#322932
In response to mrjames
Great shots of the Juzang family during last night’s UCLA OT loss to Gonzaga.
Christian’s reaction to an offensive foul call against his brother in the final second of regulation was captured and replayed. Fortunately, in his disbelief he merely yelled “No Way.†Sounds like Amaker’s judicious imprint.
After Harvard, Christian was the top professional draft pick , leading his team to a championship. Uh, that’s of course the Saigon Heat of the Vietnam Basketball Association.
Christian was a warrior for Harvard, seeing significant time at PG due to the injuries to Bryce Aiken. He played through injury his Junior Year, and missed Harvard’s final games of his senior year. Christian, however, was working to be able to return for the 2020 Tournament at Lavietes, but that was not to be.
Both brothers have the hearts of Lions.
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HARVARDDADGRAD
Postdoc
Posts: 2691
Loc: New Jersey
Reg: 01-21-14
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04-05-21 10:37 AM - Post#322944
In response to HARVARDDADGRAD
More on the Juzangs
https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/college/ 2021...
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H78
PhD Student
Posts: 1458
Loc: Los Angeles, CA
Reg: 01-06-11
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04-15-21 05:08 AM - Post#323198
In response to HARVARDDADGRAD
Love at the end of the 2nd video, where Christian is "representing" Harvard with that polo shirt!
https://twitter.com/i/status/137843190242 4596480
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HARVARDDADGRAD
Postdoc
Posts: 2691
Loc: New Jersey
Reg: 01-21-14
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04-15-21 12:21 PM - Post#323218
In response to H78
Too bad Johnny wasn't issued a matching shirt.
Also, just noticed that Johnny is wearing a boot for his injured right ankle. Amazing.
Finally, Christian explains that he just flew 25 hours from Vietnam to be there.
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