Italy Tour

#401      

Joel Goodson

respect my decision™
It's teed up for Griffin & Jones, as they're abundantly aware. Hopefully, their success in the Italian tour will motivate them for more (it should). Our team will be so much better if those two make big leaps. Signs are there.
 
#402      
But 4 games in EIGHT days would have assured that we flipped the game by 20 points?

I personally view that as an excuse to make the fans feel better about a thumping. This is absolutely just an exhibition. It means nothing in the big scheme of things, but I'd be very disappointed if BU writes this off to travel fatigue. These aren't 40 year old guys playing at the local YMCA. These are scholarship athletes, of a high D1 program, that will be playing MUCH(I can't capitalize that enough) stiffer competition which will include a rigorous practices, games and study schedules.

In the day and age where kids are playing 45 games a day, 5 days a week, all summer long in AAU ball....I don't buy the too many games in too many days theory. Those excuses need to be left at the door. A team with top 25 goals, needs to not lose to a team comparable to Hofstra....I don't care if the game is played on Pluto!

Have to strongly disagree. Rest is just important as any training regimen at any level or age. If you are not rested than legs and mental sharpness are first to go. Obvious if you look at the last four days and what conditions they played in game easy to see why the poor shooting and loss. Not that hard to figure out if you have had any experience dealing with peak performance of athletes. Just like the wins in Italy the loss means nothing. Goal was to get tev, alan and damonte more reps and mission accomplished. Of course the worst thing about trip was hoping to see kofi and g play together. That was a fail before they got to italy. Ha
 
#403      

Joseph Kerr

Fort Wayne, IN
Have to strongly disagree. Rest is just important as any training regimen at any level or age. If you are not rested than legs and mental sharpness are first to go. Obvious if you look at the last four days and what conditions they played in game easy to see why the poor shooting and loss. Not that hard to figure out if you have had any experience dealing with peak performance of athletes. Just like the wins in Italy the loss means nothing. Goal was to get tev, alan and damonte more reps and mission accomplished. Of course the worst thing about trip was hoping to see kofi and g play together. That was a fail before they got to italy. Ha

Well, this says most of what I wanted to say. They switch lines in in hockey, they have 1 game every 7 days for the most part in football, pitchers don't play daily in baseball, and they rest people in the NBA and they are used to 4 games in 8 days schedule better than others. We played in non-air conditioned gyms, played hard every minute, didn't have our 5, so played people out of position like last year, and only lost the last game. Was I disappointed? Of course, I wanted to win them all. If they win 3 out of 4 games this year during the season, you still going to be a negative nancy? It's preseason, and we have three months until season....what a valuable learning tool it was. Saw some growth in Tevian and Griffin, and I liked what that Griffith kid gave at times.
 
#404      
This trip was for the team, not the fans.

Glad they got some experience and extra practice. The only thing they need to do is learn and improve. Glad we had no trouble with the 3 easy games, and not concerned about the loss. Hope it leaves them humble and motivated.
 
#407      
In the day and age where kids are playing 45 games a day, 5 days a week, all summer long in AAU ball....I don't buy the too many games in too many days theory.

Pretty incredible stamina for whoever these super humans are.

I don’t mind the loss. 4 games in 4 days in 4 cities with hot/stuffy gyms isn’t something easy to do. The trip is meant to be an experience for the team, it’s not like they’re playing a game and going back to the hotel to rest. It sounds like they’re playing a game and going sightseeing (which I fully support them doing). It’s an opportunity for the team to gel together and get some meaningful practice reps in, which they did. I’d call it a success
 
#409      

Deleted member 236589

D
Guest
Pretty incredible stamina for whoever these super humans are.

I don’t mind the loss. 4 games in 4 days in 4 cities with hot/stuffy gyms isn’t something easy to do. The trip is meant to be an experience for the team, it’s not like they’re playing a game and going back to the hotel to rest. It sounds like they’re playing a game and going sightseeing (which I fully support them doing). It’s an opportunity for the team to gel together and get some meaningful practice reps in, which they did. I’d call it a success
Lol

I was being slightly sarcastic. What I MEANT was 37. :)
 
#410      
Have to strongly disagree. Rest is just important as any training regimen at any level or age. If you are not rested than legs and mental sharpness are first to go. Obvious if you look at the last four days and what conditions they played in game easy to see why the poor shooting and loss. Not that hard to figure out if you have had any experience dealing with peak performance of athletes. Just like the wins in Italy the loss means nothing. Goal was to get tev, alan and damonte more reps and mission accomplished. Of course the worst thing about trip was hoping to see kofi and g play together. That was a fail before they got to italy. Ha


Was disappointed Kofi and company didn't get to make the trip...but I'm thankful that no major injuries were incurred that might jeopardize someone's season
 
#412      
They got 10 extra practices (something only a few teams per summer are able to take advantage of), played 4 games, and had on a once in a lifetime trip with their teammates and coaches. I wouldn’t have cared if we went 0-4 in these scrimmages. The 10 extra practices alone puts us at an advantage compared to most teams for next year already. Plus, us as fans got 4 full games to watch for free! Looking at this trip, even with the visa issues and loss, as a negative is childish.
 
#413      
I wish people would stop looking for negative takes when there isn’t one.

There are definitely legitimate negative takes:

1) We appeared sped up on offense. Lots of turnovers, lots of rushed looking shots, missed layups etc. We also missed a lot of wide open shots where we had time to shoot at warm up speed.

2) We got physically bullied. They pushed us around in stretches and we looked to the refs instead of fighting back.

3) I thought our man defense was not great in the first 3 games, but we were playing teams who couldn’t capitalize. This Netherlands team could, finishing with dunks and open 3s off good movement and catching us in rotations.
 
#414      
They got 10 extra practices (something only a few teams per summer are able to take advantage of), played 4 games, and had on a once in a lifetime trip with their teammates and coaches. I wouldn’t have cared if we went 0-4 in these scrimmages. The 10 extra practices alone puts us at an advantage compared to most teams for next year already. Plus, us as fans got 4 full games to watch for free! Looking at this trip, even with the visa issues and loss, as a negative is childish.

That's the biggest takeaway here. Those extra practices are invaluable.

As to the loss everyone is focusing on, I think it shows:
a) missing two important scholarship players makes a big difference in keeping the team at least somewhat fresh at the end of a very active week of games and tours.
b) we're not quite good enough at this point to overcome that handicap and win anyway. (Or in other words, having Kofi and Dre all week and we're most likely 4-0.)
 
#416      
But 4 games in EIGHT days would have assured that we flipped the game by 20 points?

I personally view that as an excuse to make the fans feel better about a thumping. This is absolutely just an exhibition. It means nothing in the big scheme of things, but I'd be very disappointed if BU writes this off to travel fatigue. These aren't 40 year old guys playing at the local YMCA. These are scholarship athletes, of a high D1 program, that will be playing MUCH(I can't capitalize that enough) stiffer competition which will include a rigorous practices, games and study schedules.

In the day and age where kids are playing 45 games a day, 5 days a week, all summer long in AAU ball....I don't buy the too many games in too many days theory. Those excuses need to be left at the door. A team with top 25 goals, needs to not lose to a team comparable to Hofstra....I don't care if the game is played on Pluto!

45 games a day?

I don't care how young you are, fatigue is bound to kick after about 40 or so games.
 
#417      
That's the biggest takeaway here. Those extra practices are invaluable.

As to the loss everyone is focusing on, I think it shows:
a) missing two important scholarship players makes a big difference in keeping the team at least somewhat fresh at the end of a very active week of games and tours.
b) we're not quite good enough at this point to overcome that handicap and win anyway. (Or in other words, having Kofi and Dre all week and we're most likely 4-0.)
I was surprised GB didn't get more 3's off.
 
#418      
Playing with a 24 second shot clock with a 14 second reset impacts a team that plays a bunch of games with a lot of travel and sight seeing. The differences in the shooting percentages will attest to the fatigue. Just the differences in the shot clocks is going to rush a lot of guys and result in turnovers.
 
#419      
It's teed up for Griffin & Jones, as they're abundantly aware. Hopefully, their success in the Italian tour will motivate them for more (it should). Our team will be so much better if those two make big leaps. Signs are there.
Without Kofi and Verdonk there and no Dre. even though AG and Tev appear to have gotten better. tt sounds like we got out muscled in game 4. This trip was pretty much last years team minus Dre. IT is very clear to me that we need Kofi and or Verdonk to do well against physical teams. We have them too and that is why i am not concerned or worried about this trip. Our line up and bench will much more physical that what made it to Italy. I dont expect AG of Tev to play much at the 4.
 
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#420      
And for those of you who are worried about being “bullied” in our last game...the only scholarship guy who was healthy and made the trip that was over 6”7 was Giorgi. We have Kofi, Bonverdonk (is that how it’s spelled?) and Kouma once real games start. Kofi alone makes a huge difference, these guys aren’t going to throw both of Giorgi and Kofi around that much. We lost by ten, missed a bunch of open shots, Giorgi missed a few bunnies, but all-in-all, that game is nothing to worry about. It’s August 10th.
 
#421      
How could we get pushed around and bullied when our team looks like this? Shouldn't matter if you are 5 ft. 5 in. when you have a body by Fletcher. Come on, man.
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#422      
That's the biggest takeaway here. Those extra practices are invaluable.

That may be overblown. Underwood has said that they don't intend to start fall practice when other teams do. He wants them fresh for the end of the season and with the early start this summer the season would have been too long. He didn't indicate how many practices that they will forego, but it will eat into the 10 'extra' practices that we were allowed. We had two of the new recruits who didn't even participate in these summer practices so they will actually lose practice time when you consider the late start they'll get in the fall. There is likely some net gain but it isn't as much as it might appear.
 
#425      
Final
DePaul 81
Netherland's B 67
2nd time they played this week.
Anybody know the temperature in the gym at game time??
No JCL nor The Show