Chattanooga 69, Creighton 64
Mark this game the beginning of a new season – Game 1, AI (After Injuries).
Sure, the Jays lost Nate Funk for the foreseeable future. But Pierce Hibma hurt his knee this week, and Steve Smith’s back is acting up again. With these three players on the bench in street clothes, and Manny Gakou unable to dress in the White and Blue until December 21, Dana Altman’s bench is a little thin (literally, with the 280 lbs. Gakou off the floor).
So this is a new time, a time to learn about this team while the team is learning about itself, too. The starting line-up still offers three familiar names from last season, but true freshman Josh Dotzler now mans the point guard position and junior college transfer Nick Porter is having his name called as the third guard in the starting five. There’s a lot for fans to learn about Dotzler and Porter, and a lot for Josh and Nick to learn about themselves as Division I basketball players.
But what about the other inexperienced, raw talents anchoring the pine next to Dana Altman? What do we really know about Brice Nengsu, other than that he is extremely athletic but still has yet to adjust to the on-court communication needed to succeed at this level. What do we really know about Dominic Bishop, other than that he is lightning quick but still has yet to adjust to the speed of the defenders around him and his teammates running the offense?
So many stories are told during the recruiting process about players’ supposed strengths, and their physical gifts and athletic abilities. Fans and media think they have a solid idea of what a player will be when the player steps foot on campus. But every aspect of college – even basketball – is a learning experience, no matter how high you can jump or how quickly you get from one baseline to the other.
That’s the real problem with the new season – AI – because two of the guys lost to physical problems played last year. They know what it takes to win games at this level, and that kind of experience is priceless, especially early in the season. Obviously Nate has been in, and won, close games throughout his career, but what about Pierce? He has one year of redshirt experience, and played 12 minutes per game last year as a redshirt freshman. That equates to two years of knowing what Altman and his staff expect, and what is needed to succeed at this level.
People will say that Pierce isn’t flashy, or that he isn’t a difference-maker, but that is wrong – he makes a difference because he knows his role. He knows what he is supposed to do on the floor. That is what Altman needs right now, as he and his staff get the newcomers on the same page with the rest of the squad.
We’re about to learn what individuals on this team can really do, and not necessarily rely on what we thought we knew about them during the recruiting process or what they might be able to bring to the table in a year or two.
The learning curve is going to be fast and steep, and everyone – the players and the fans – need to be prepared for a wild ride.
Behind the Box Score
Sure, the Jays lost Nate Funk for the foreseeable future. But Pierce Hibma hurt his knee this week, and Steve Smith’s back is acting up again. With these three players on the bench in street clothes, and Manny Gakou unable to dress in the White and Blue until December 21, Dana Altman’s bench is a little thin (literally, with the 280 lbs. Gakou off the floor).
So this is a new time, a time to learn about this team while the team is learning about itself, too. The starting line-up still offers three familiar names from last season, but true freshman Josh Dotzler now mans the point guard position and junior college transfer Nick Porter is having his name called as the third guard in the starting five. There’s a lot for fans to learn about Dotzler and Porter, and a lot for Josh and Nick to learn about themselves as Division I basketball players.
But what about the other inexperienced, raw talents anchoring the pine next to Dana Altman? What do we really know about Brice Nengsu, other than that he is extremely athletic but still has yet to adjust to the on-court communication needed to succeed at this level. What do we really know about Dominic Bishop, other than that he is lightning quick but still has yet to adjust to the speed of the defenders around him and his teammates running the offense?
So many stories are told during the recruiting process about players’ supposed strengths, and their physical gifts and athletic abilities. Fans and media think they have a solid idea of what a player will be when the player steps foot on campus. But every aspect of college – even basketball – is a learning experience, no matter how high you can jump or how quickly you get from one baseline to the other.
That’s the real problem with the new season – AI – because two of the guys lost to physical problems played last year. They know what it takes to win games at this level, and that kind of experience is priceless, especially early in the season. Obviously Nate has been in, and won, close games throughout his career, but what about Pierce? He has one year of redshirt experience, and played 12 minutes per game last year as a redshirt freshman. That equates to two years of knowing what Altman and his staff expect, and what is needed to succeed at this level.
People will say that Pierce isn’t flashy, or that he isn’t a difference-maker, but that is wrong – he makes a difference because he knows his role. He knows what he is supposed to do on the floor. That is what Altman needs right now, as he and his staff get the newcomers on the same page with the rest of the squad.
We’re about to learn what individuals on this team can really do, and not necessarily rely on what we thought we knew about them during the recruiting process or what they might be able to bring to the table in a year or two.
The learning curve is going to be fast and steep, and everyone – the players and the fans – need to be prepared for a wild ride.
Behind the Box Score
- If you thought Josh Dotzler was learning quickly what it takes to be a major contributor to a good basketball team, think again. He is a major part of this team right now, and will arguably continue to log the most minutes of game time here on out this season (a game-high 33 minutes on Tuesday).
He is a great talent, and we again saw flashes of brilliance against Chattanooga – 7 assists, another steal, and overall strength with the basketball. But, because of his importance to this team at this early juncture of the season, the allowance for “freshman” mistakes will dwindle with each passing game. - Nick Porter gained his first career start, and came out playing extremely well. But, he only had three points in the entire second half (a three-pointer at the 19-minute mark) and instead made his mark with bad turnovers and missed offensive opportunities. For Creighton to be successful, Nick needs to play a full game like he did in the first half against the Mocs.
- Someone needs to tell Jimmy Motz that it is OK to take an extra second before shooting. He led all Bluejays with 15 points, going 4-11 from the field (all three-pointers) and 3-4 from the free-throw line, but he rushed a lot of his looks after hitting his first two shots (early in the first half).
posted by Creighton Otter at 10:55 PM
1 Comments:
Interesting Blog. Thanks.
Sincerely,
Pat
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