Yep. AJ should be able to lurk in the corners this year. Dagger after dagger and so on
Illini Basketball 2018-2019
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Probably some truth here. If he was good enough defensively to play on an actual good team, he'd probably be a good weapon as a shooter.
I wouldn’t say I love AJ’s game but we gotta understand our team had 2 guys who proved he could hit a 3 at any point last year (AJ/Kip). AJ was the best in the country for a while. We had one guard who proved he could finish at the rim and one big who proved he could post. Other than that we had nothing. We generally had 2 guys on the floor who didn’t have to be guarded. Teams helped off those guys and stayed closer to AJ. The threat of his shot changed the way the defense played. The problem is hardly anybody else was a threat, so he was never open again once it became obvious.
That is the same reason we saw so much zone. Teams could pack and shut down our zone motions cause we had no zone busters.
Really excited to watch TF this year. Everyone knows he got better as the year went along but I it's even more impressive than I remember. If anyone wants to get excited about ILL bball on this Friday, just go look at stats pre and post UNLV game last year.
In the ten games prior, went over 20 minutes just once. The rest of the year, was only under 20 once. In the last 10 games of the season, shot 42% from 3.
Someone help the rest of the B1G guards if he can get that 3 point percentage to around 40%
In the ten games prior, went over 20 minutes just once. The rest of the year, was only under 20 once. In the last 10 games of the season, shot 42% from 3.
Someone help the rest of the B1G guards if he can get that 3 point percentage to around 40%
Joel Goodson
- respect my decision™
Yes, pick your poison.
Captain Bubbles
- Fairfield, IL
AJ is a junkyard dog. He can do a variety of things.
He's the type of player every great team needs. Maybe not the type of player that makes a team inherently great, but there are so few of those that exist. He's much more than just a "glue guy", and he deserves to make a tournament appearance just as much (or in my opinion more so) than Malcolm did. I find it hard to believe he wasn't worthy of more minutes late in the Groce era.
He could've taken the easy way and transferred to another school, but he stuck through arguably the worst 3+ year stretch of Illini Basketball ever. Definitely part of a dying breed of players loyal to a school. He'll have a chance to get get the needle pointing in the right direction for the program.
POI Kipper had more 3 pt shots than AJ and Alstork only had 2 less in conference play. News flash but BIG teams scout and with Smith and Alstork it was easy to cover. Ayo for Smith should be huge offensively and defensively. AJ for Alstork is huge and seemed pretty equal on defense and rebounding.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion....especially when those opinions come from Monday morning QBs. I have learned that this site IS for those MMQBs (most of whom never played basketball at all muchless the B1G level) AJ is not affected at all by any the opinions of his game (good or bad) The only opinions that matter...Coach BU, and mine of course
! AJ really is a junkyard dog of sorts (as someone mentioned earlier) He are a few facts. 1. AJ will be an vital part of this teams success this year. 2. No opinion on the board (other mine ) matters!! 3. Coach BU has a high level of confidence in AJ and his GAME!Players dont read this !!!! anyway!
s
Earned that spot, how so? He hasn't played a game in O&B yet. I'll put Da'Monte's D and rebounding ahead of Feliz. We'll see about the shooting. Talk is Da'Monte is much improved.
I just read that Aaron and Trent are representing UI at the annual media day. Coach BU obviously thinks very highly of your son. I'm sure he makes you very proud.Everyone is entitled to their opinion....especially when those opinions come from Monday morning QBs. I have learned that this site IS for those MMQBs (most of whom never played basketball at all muchless the B1G level) AJ is not affected at all by any the opinions of his game (good or bad) The only opinions that matter...Coach BU, and mine of course
Players dont read this !!!! anyway!
s
yeah buddy!
The Dave
- CA
You're welcome, Illini Nation! Being stuck in CA this is the only game I saw in person all season (until the BTT). Trent must have been inspired by presence and turned it up.
ILL in IA
- Iowa City
One thing to remember with AJ weather his 3PT% goes up or down from last year. He is in the other teams scouting report as a guy you need to be on. That alone means he can help spread the court. Pulling a defender to the corner or wing means more room and one less guy to collapse on TF, Ayo, or Feliz.
Expand that on to DW and Feliz as well. Just a competent shot opens things up compared to when we had TJL and Alstork on the floor at the same time.
Expand that on to DW and Feliz as well. Just a competent shot opens things up compared to when we had TJL and Alstork on the floor at the same time.
FeelYourPaign
- So Cal
That's for the best... With or without the /s
19 minutes is nothing to scoff at especially for a guy who many were saying wasn't good enough to warrant minutes and who was the armchair quarterback choice for transferring or creaning when BU started.
Furthermore, last year they could glue to AJ as we didn't have many ppl who were shooting well.....or driving well. Now we'l have ayo and feliz whol be able to draw and kick. Last year it was really only trent who could do that consistently.
As you should be like any father....I could see AJ being a coach when all is said and done, does he have any aspirations to coming back later on possibly such as Dee did?
Naw...I think he is going to comeback and join Illinoisloyalty so he can be the resident expert (with actual basketball experience) Give his opinion of new recruits, tell the coaches who should start and oh yeah ...when things start to go a little south...lead the chants calling for the coaches head on a platter. That would be wayyyyy more fun.
Post of a lifetime
I was just about to ask the same question. This is the kind of man you want to keep close to your program after his playing days are over. Work ethic, knowledge of the game, service oriented, great personality and appearance. Someone you want to represent your school or company.
Please never leave this board Rob.. we need you as a voice of reason
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