Game #24 vs. Delaware

[stuball888]

Another thing why is JAM so stubborn with walker. At one point in the game we had Robinson, Pemba, Powers BB and JWF in the game. No one over 6ft5?

[HUSID80]

Because he can't or won't play...did you see him in the Elon game??? And it's no excuse that he's not playing...according to the coaches he doesn't DESERVE to play based on what he does or does not do in practice.

[Pride97]

Amazing game for Sabety. His second game starting in D1 and he got a well-deserved double double.

You all spoke too early by saying we can't rebound without Rok. Sabety proved AGAIN he is an asset to this team. He always bring the excitement with his dunks, too.

Mike34 you have been touting Sabety for a while and last night was his coming out party. He played strong defense and committed only one foul in 30+ minutes!?! Wow!! That is some great discipline knowing they needed him to log a lot of minutes.

What he gives you on offense is sadly something Rok doesn't (or hasn't) - STRONG moves to the basket. He goes hard and is looking to jam it home, and if he's fouled, he can actually hit some free throws! He could have had an even bigger offensive game if the guards looked for him more. He was left unguarded or guarded by smaller players many times and was not passed to.

I'm not saying he should be the starter (though I can't think of many games Rok had this year that was this good) but he's definitely earned more minutes than he has been getting. I wonder if the guards will look to him more when he's in now that they see he is capable of some scoring. It would really open up the game for all if we had that inside threat.

I'm really happy for the kid and hope he grows from here.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[HofstraMathew]

His free throw shooting is not a liability to the team late in games. keep him out of foul trouble and he will be more than useful.

More than useful? Let me tell you he is playing better than Rok this year. More athletic, can block shots, converts better inside and makes moe free throws. Rok is a better rebounder but Sabety has really shown a lot with more PT.

I think when Rok is healthy again we need to see both of them in at the same time for 5-10 minutes. Especially with Greer and Robinson seeing less minutes.

[Jojogunne]

Great effort for 20 minutes last night. However, we used only seven players, five of whom got most of the minutes. I don't see us winning three (or four) games in a row in March with such a short bench. Our starters will be gassed.

Coaches need to make sure we have a deeper bench next year. If Walker (or anyone else) cannot play at this level, replace them. Scholarships are renewed annually, aren't they?

[stuball888]

Jojo Agree 100%. We should have 10 players in the rotation. The other 3 are bench players who need further development . Not every scholarship player will see 20 plus minutes a game. Some work out others dont. This saving ships from year to year doesnt work at the mid major level. We have 11 ships now after graduation we are down to 9 plus a verbal. That still leave 3 ships open for next year. This isnt like saving vacation or sick days for a pension. the follwing year is a real problem as five players will graduate. So you are looking to fill at least 5 and as many as 8 if we only have 5 scholarship players left on the roster. Also injuries happen if you leave 3 ships up on the board you are looking at a short bench again next year. look at about 6 games we lost in the last few minutes or OT this year . 11-13 could easily 17-7 this year.

[Mike34]

Mike34 you have been touting Sabety for a while and last night was his coming out party. He played strong defense and committed only one foul in 30+ minutes!?! Wow!! That is some great discipline knowing they needed him to log a lot of minutes. Tapatalk

Yes, yes I have . Sabety is awesome, he just needed to be given the minutes to prove that to everyone. Good for him.

[Wags]

Great effort for 20 minutes last night. However, we used only seven players, five of whom got most of the minutes. I don't see us winning three (or four) games in a row in March with such a short bench. Our starters will be gassed.

Coaches need to make sure we have a deeper bench next year. If Walker (or anyone else) cannot play at this level, replace them. Scholarships are renewed annually, aren't they?

We always say this, but how did Rok manage to play 44 of 45 minutes in an OT championship game, and get 18 pts and 23 rebounds, playing his third game in three days in Baltimore last March?

And when Delaware won it all in Baltimore, how did they manage to win the title basically playing 6 guys, with at least 4 and sometimes 5 starters all playing 40+ minutes?

These are not 35-year-old NBA vets. They're all young, not that far removed from playing all day on many days in AAU ball.

They LOOKED tired last night in the first half then looked energized in the second half when they started playing much harder. Fatigue should have the opposite effect in the first half & second half.

Not saying having a reliable bench doesn't help, but sometimes laziness is mistaken for fatigue, and you simply look tired when you don't give the effort you should.

[Wags]

Great effort for 20 minutes last night.

Given the 1-8 January they had, I can't understand how they came out flat against a fellow last-place team at home. They look liked they (despite being the same 2-8 Delware was, and despite the silly idea that they SHOULD have been incredibly hungry for a win), SOMEHOW took Delaware lightly at the start (despite HU's own record and despite winning at Delaware by just 2), and then played like they thought the game was already over after they scored 10 straight to go up 10-5. Good win ultimately, but that is an inexcusable lack of focus (punctuated by some awful turnovers) and energy for a team that should have appeared DESPERATE to win from the OPENING TIP. Hopefully it's a learning experience and they can look at the first half vs. the second and see that if they expect to salvage whatever they can from this season, they need to give what they gave in the second half for 40 MINUTES, EVERY game. Sabety said they will do that on Saturday, off of the second half last night. We'll see.

[HUSID80]

Wags agree with you totally but this happens in sports all the time...these are kids and who knows what's on their minds. This was their first week back in classes, with more distractions etc.

Good news is that they came out for the second half a completely different team and dominated a poor Delaware team.

This team needs to come out with that energy EVERY game and for 40 minutes...only the can they win like we all thought they would at the beginning of the year.

Hopefully a lesson learned for the rest of February into into March.

[Polito]

Great to see a WIN!

Gotta be proud of Sabety, played a helluva game. He has proven he can play at this level. Still much to improve (consistency in non-dunk post scoring and still better D without fouling, like this game), but he has been a huge diamond in the rough and is making an impact. To have an automatic fill in for a guy like Gustys is almost unheard of at this level. HU is blessed, great to enjoy!

Perhaps Roks injury is the spark this team and Sabety needed?? We'll see.

Now, I will say, let's temper ourselves here - this was a horrible UD team, and one of only 2 CAA teams HU has beaten. Win the next 2-3 and that would be a much better indication of a turning point or some level of real improvement.

This team really has come out flat almost all season - disappointing - probably came out flat again because they have had an awful year, and as I've said are still in dire need of a true leader to carry them through and will them to victory in times like they've had.

I too would prefer they use more guys, esp when they have them, but the other side is how badly those other guys have played. Frustrating for all I'm sure.

Was VERY glad to see Eli able to play - hopefully the sign of a tolerable injury. This could be a very interesting lineup going forward with Powers, Bernadi, JWF, Pemba, and Sabety beefing the middle - 4 guards still wins a lot of games in college. Let's hope and pray UD was the start of something special.

HUGE opportunity to gain some sense of momentum with a rare, one and only, Saturday NIGHT home game!!! Folks, WE all on this board should absolutely PACK the house - I will be there, with others in tow - this is a great chance to have a rocking home atmosphere, and I think we should have a fan gathering beforehand too to pregame and kick things off - stay tuned!!

[HU87]

Totally in favor of continuing to run with the 4 guard line-up... Another former HU coach has continually found a lot of success with it too...

http://articles.latimes.com/2006/feb/19 ... anovadog19

[Wags]

Wags agree with you totally but this happens in sports all the time...these are kids and who knows what's on their minds. This was their first week back in classes, with more distractions etc.

It was also their first game after four days off, so plenty of time to effectively balance school, life and basketball.

With all due respect, that excuse flies when you have other stuff going on and you don't give a decent effort in a pickup game or even in an intramural league. But that doesn't cut it when you're getting a scholarship to play in Division I, and you're supposed to have a dream of getting to the NCAA tournament. Way too many slow, disinterested starts too many times this year. It's frankly inexcusable for D-I scholarship players. It's a whole two hours, a whole four hours per week (for the two games per week) that they have to focus and give max effort for. Not asking to much. Not at ALL.

[HUSID80]

Wags agree with you totally but this happens in sports all the time...these are kids and who knows what's on their minds. This was their first week back in classes, with more distractions etc.

It was also their first game after four days off, so plenty of time to effectively balance school, life and basketball.

With all due respect, that excuse flies when you have other stuff going on and you don't give a decent effort in a pickup game or even in an intramural league. But that doesn't cut it when you're getting a scholarship to play in Division I, and you're supposed to have a dream of getting to the NCAA tournament. Way too many slow, disinterested starts too many times this year. It's frankly inexcusable for D-I scholarship players. It's a whole two hours, a whole four hours per week (for the two games per week) that they have to focus and give max effort for. Not asking to much. Not at ALL.

Not making excuses but they ARE kids...and if you played competitive sports that sometimes you come out flat and you just can't explain it, and sometimes you come out, things click and you're world beaters...just the way it is for athletes and life in general.

[garyg]

Hopefully the continued emergence of Sabety will bring out the best in Rok and we will get a great 40 minutes out of the 5 the rest of this season and into next season..

[Cards]

Hopefully the continued emergence of Sabety will bring out the best in Rok and we will get a great 40 minutes out of the 5 the rest of this season and into next season..

Anyone else notice how Rok has been moving around the last month or so (prior to him sitting out)? Seems like he had lost his jumping legs and never runs down court. Very different than the Rok of last year, but very similar to the Rok of his freshman year. Coincidentally, his freshman season he played much of the year with leg issues (according to JM who stated the same after the season was over). My point is that I would not be surprised if Rok has been hampered by his current hamstring issue long before he starting sitting a few games ago.

I simply find it hard to believe that Rok is not playing hard or not fired up simply because he doesn't get feeds from JG this year. Seems like a few on the board have suggested his lack of desire/commitment/fire this year. So I don't think Rok needs Sabety to push him, rather my gut tells me that Rok needs to be healthy.

[garyg]

Excellent points Cards....Rok had hamstring issues as a freshman & maybe this year as well which could be explanation as to why he has not been playing great this year