Mens basketball 2023-24

[triplec2195]

Get to see some of the new faces on this team. Also surprised to see that Carlos is a lefty playing softball!! https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/prideofli

[Cards]

Good to see team bonding underway.

Also clear that there are no dual sport athletes (basketball/baseball) on the team!

[triplec2195]

Also don't believe I see Dubar in these photo's??

[HUSID80]

Great shots of the whole team working out at the beach...posted on Twitter, I believe...looks like Dubar was there.

[triplec2195]

Yes saw those pictures can't wait to see how this team will shake out with the new players and without Estrada.

[triplec2195]

Interview with Speedy talking to "The portal report" about this years team our personnel losses and acquisitions via the portal. https://youtu.be/MJEFff5zLls

[Polito]

Thanks for posting tc, a nice listen - not as deep or as insightful as I would like just cuz I'm starved for info lol, could've used another half hour with more detail, but it was great to have a summer update. Good insight from Speedy on the post play learnings mixing it up with different skill sets. Worked well last year, and they'll look to replicate this coming season. I am hopeful on the 2 new bigs.

Enjoyed his take on the conference, it's talent, and the challenges of turnover. I have high expectations, but not insensitive to what they have to go through - but my position is exactly Speedy's: can't cry about it, it's the same for all, you still have to figure it out and win despite that. No one is going to make it fair or easier for mids. The NCAA is awful. If anything it will get harder, so if you want to play this D1 game you better buckle up and find a way to succeed anyway.

However, as a conf the CAA is not the strong league it once was - its very top heavy, and hasn't made any big dance noise in years, the only measuring stick nationally. I know Speedy can't say that, but that be the truth. If this conf wants respect it has to (re)earn it. Beating P5's in OOC is a start... next step is going deep in the dance - that's the only way back to real relevance.

But I definitely agree it DOES produce some serious individual talent. Sadly, that developed talent becomes a breeding ground for P5's with bags ready to pay them handsomely. And the yearly remake of teams will continue to make life hard for the CAA to sustain any national level of prominence. It's rough, but it is what it is. That's why HU and the CAA have to win when the opportunity is there. The days of building for 4 years later are over - with so much instability, you assemble to win the year you are IN.

And it is certainly clear that this staff is passionately working hard to do so. High hopes for year 3.

[triplec2195]

Our 2023-2024 team now on gohofstra. https://gohofstra.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster

[daHUPride]

Our 2023-2024 team now on gohofstra. https://gohofstra.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster

Dubar is going to have a tough time making a case for having his uniform number retired (started his career wearing "0" - last year wore "55" - and this year he is sporting "1")

[stuball888]

He can wear Klingon umbers andl letters onhis back
If he plays like he did against Rutgers I will be fine with that

[cactus]

Farmer keeping the bad luck #3 jersey that they reissued too soon after JWF

[triplec2195]

Farmer keeping the bad luck #3 jersey that they reissued too soon after JWF

100% with you here this disgusts me. They should show more respect for Justin he was a great player.

[triplec2195]

https://stretchingthefloor.blogspot.com ... pride.html

[Cards]

Thanks for finding and posting triplec - nice article.

[triplec2195]

An interesting take on this years team as they have Plotnikov starting along with Dubar, Thomas, Carlos and Fritz. They credit German with the best D stats coming in this year. Anyone that has seen him up close on the court knows how quick his hands are but can he score consistently.

[triplec2195]

Another interview of Speedy on WRHU. Some nice info. and insights in this interview. open.spotify.com/episode/2FpzC03C3UXZjy5wUm65lN?si=058ed7662a524e72

[Jojogunne]

What did Speedy have to say?

[Polito]

Yeah, I don't have Spotify, any Cliffs Notes of interest for anyone who wouldn't mind sharing?


Pretty solid take from that stretching the floor blog - impressed with their awareness and levity. Agree on 4 of the 5. The Plotnikov starting pick I am unsure of - TBD on that to me. He's a very strong contributor from the bench, sometimes that's where a player fits best and makes the needed impact - he plays with so much energy and passion, not sure he's as well suited for starting level minutes.

Perhaps begins that way, but feels to me like a Farmer, Barrouk, Parnell, or even a Wilmoth may fill that ultimately. But we'll see - not sure what to expect yet until we get some insight from practices on who's developing and showing out.

I am REALLY looking for Carlos to take the big step this season and become the PG star he was recruited to be and this team needs. Found a cool video recently of him balling out a few years back in Rucker Park with the true big dogs and in front of a raucous crowd with some big timers in the audience. Kid has everything it takes, just has to refine the consistency and breadth of his scoring.

https://youtu.be/z4RXFJfEdWM?si=PLgySBUBSV6tNCGL

[Polito]

Never mind, I had no issue listening to the podcast! Guess it just took actually trying on my part LOL

Short interview. Not much groundbreaking, but some good/bad news:

• Taking the CAA title last year was a special achievement.
  Will be tough to replace AE - will do by committee.
  They recruit the portal based on what they need and want out of each position.
  Fritz is similar to Nelson (smart, pass, etc) but can step out and shoot to the three - going to be a great aspect to the O.
  Myles has been hurt, hasn't practiced much, and will likely miss the start of the season.
  Silas has been great - unique size and skill set, going to be good player here at some point.
  Portal is huge because you win at this level when you're older, so they are always trying to stay older.
  Building culture is tough in this landscape. Rely on your existing guys each year.
  JC and TT and DD are poised to take huge jumps.
  Noted expansion makes it harder to win, but it's a tough league with good teams and good players.
  Playing a tough SOS makes our guys better and gives them confidence.
  Reiterates they're here to win championships. Can't have off nights, and they had back to back years of falling short.
  Looking for German to be the guy he was the first half of the year vs the second.
  Going to focus on team culture and team building as the guys get back together.

My quick feedback:

• Excited to see Jacco - could be a difference maker.
  Love to hear that on the main 3.
  Crappy news on Myles - disappointing, hope he heals up fast.
  Glad to hear him acknowledge and recognize what I do in terms of coming up short 2 years in a row - needs to be fixed and overcome.
  Speaking to the choir with me on expansion not helping HU!
  Like that German is working hard all summer, shooting better. I don't like that Speedy doesn't know why he struggled second half of the year. Kinda looking for the staff to have a strong handle on learnings from last season going into the new one by now.

And finally, I do have a lot of love for Speedy, in fact I interviewed him as a player many moons ago, so I mean this respectfully: I think he could benefit from some media training. It's great to be chill and relatable to the players, especially valuable in recruiting, and that is the most important thing. But it would also be wise in his progression as a HC to become more polished and engaging to the fanbase and community so he can be more marketable. He needs to learn how to get the HU community jazzed up - give us some juice to chew on.

The interviews and the answers are usually quite short, low energy, almost a bit boring if I weren't such a diehard. He doesn't really help the interviewers, doesn't give much fun chatter or color commentary. Just question and answer. There just isn't much to latch on to as a fan. I would like him to develop into a more dynamic energizing promotable leader as the face of this proud program.

[triplec2195]

Good summation of this interview Polito and one other thing I know he mentioned was the condition that Dubar is in. He emphasized that he lost 20 lbs. so I guess we could be looking at a leaner quicker player. Really wants Dubar to up his game and if my memory served me well D Stone had a propensity for picking up early fouls and sat much too much during first halves. They'll need to clean this up. IDK that Speedy will change his interviewing style I think Speedy is Speedy and he will talk like he's with the guys at a BBQ or a bar. That's his style.