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A Look At 2024

King of Allapattah said:
How are we much better than last year? That was a final 4 team that lost 2 players to the NBA. Do agree that we’re well rounded but on paper we are not a better team than last year.
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I disagree. This team will be better. We'll spend majority of the regular season in the top 15. However, post season success will depend on coaching and matchups. And, Jim Larranga has a proven track record.

N. Pack and N. Omeir are year older and all conference caliber players.

Wooga Poplar has NBA draft lottery written all over him if he continues his natural progression

M. Cleveland is a legitimate NBA prospect (late 1st round). He was a major contributer under Lenord Hamilton.

B. Joseph is a year older and a legit 3 and D guy.

AJ Casey gained experience and is bigger from last year. I thought he played out of position due to lack of depth. With the addition of M. Nwoko, he can be stretch 4 and I think we'll see his confidence increase.

M. Nwoko and K. George wasn't on this roster last year. If they can give 15 us minutes per game, that will be a major boost to the team overall depth. Both are highly skilled freshman.

This is a make or break it type of year for C. Watson and J. Robinson.

N. Cassino is an interesting development project (2 year).

Just my perspective.
 
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dodaniels said:
I disagree. This team will be better. We'll spend majority of the regular season in the top 15. However, post season success will depend on coaching and matchups. And, Jim Larranga has a proven track record.

N. Pack and N. Omeir are year older and all conference caliber players.

Wooga Poplar has NBA draft lottery written all over him if he continues his natural progression

M. Cleveland is a legitimate NBA prospect (late 1st round). He was a major contributer under Lenord Hamilton.

B. Joseph is a year older and a legit 3 and D guy.

AJ Casey gained experience and is bigger from last year. I thought he played out of position due to lack of depth. With the addition of M. Nwoko, he can be stretch 4 and I think we'll see his confidence increase.

M. Nwoko and K. George wasn't on this roster last year. If they can give 15 us minutes per game, that will be a major boost to the team overall depth. Both are highly skilled freshman.

This is a make or break it type of year for C. Watson and J. Robinson.

N. Cassino is an interesting development project (2 year).

Just my perspective.
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You are right.
However, at the end of the day, we need to win out those one and two possession games, especially on the road.
That's is dependent on experience and chemistry/trust.
Last year we lost a few gimmes.. including that FSU debacle and NC State away.... teams bond differently despite talent..
Hopefully we can work out the chemistry part in the pre ACC games and avoid hero ball under pressure
 
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If Wooga can improve his ballhandling (pause) and facilitating ability, he's a first team all conference player. He's already one of the better 3 and D guys in the country and just shot 38% from 3. Would love to see the rebound and assist numbers tick up a bit.
 
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CANEFAN83 said:
I can't wait to see George and Nwoko as freshman play this year. I am cautiously optimistic about this season.
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Me too. Usually big men need to be brought along more slowly so ... that tempers my expectations for Nwoko this season.
 
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dodaniels said:
I disagree. This team will be better. We'll spend majority of the regular season in the top 15. However, post season success will depend on coaching and matchups. And, Jim Larranga has a proven track record.

N. Pack and N. Omeir are year older and all conference caliber players.

Wooga Poplar has NBA draft lottery written all over him if he continues his natural progression

M. Cleveland is a legitimate NBA prospect (late 1st round). He was a major contributer under Lenord Hamilton.

B. Joseph is a year older and a legit 3 and D guy.

AJ Casey gained experience and is bigger from last year. I thought he played out of position due to lack of depth. With the addition of M. Nwoko, he can be stretch 4 and I think we'll see his confidence increase.

M. Nwoko and K. George wasn't on this roster last year. If they can give 15 us minutes per game, that will be a major boost to the team overall depth. Both are highly skilled freshman.

This is a make or break it type of year for C. Watson and J. Robinson.

N. Cassino is an interesting development project (2 year).

Just my perspective.
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You had me until you mentioned Cassino…


It is impossible and crazy to say this team will be better.

But it is very real that this team COULD be better.
 
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dodaniels said:
I disagree. This team will be better. We'll spend majority of the regular season in the top 15. However, post season success will depend on coaching and matchups. And, Jim Larranga has a proven track record.

N. Pack and N. Omeir are year older and all conference caliber players.

Wooga Poplar has NBA draft lottery written all over him if he continues his natural progression

M. Cleveland is a legitimate NBA prospect (late 1st round). He was a major contributer under Lenord Hamilton.

B. Joseph is a year older and a legit 3 and D guy.

AJ Casey gained experience and is bigger from last year. I thought he played out of position due to lack of depth. With the addition of M. Nwoko, he can be stretch 4 and I think we'll see his confidence increase.

M. Nwoko and K. George wasn't on this roster last year. If they can give 15 us minutes per game, that will be a major boost to the team overall depth. Both are highly skilled freshman.

This is a make or break it type of year for C. Watson and J. Robinson.

N. Cassino is an interesting development project (2 year).

Just my perspective.
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You're not off here. You make some good points. However, you're basing everything off projections. A lot of IFs have to fall into place. You're projecting Poplar to be a lottery pick. Projecting Cleveland to be a 1st rounder. Who's to say how the young guys will play when the spotlight is on them. There's no telling how this thing plays out. Fact remains, last year's team made it to the Final 4. That in it of itself is going to be hard to match or surpass. 2 of our top players from last year are gone. Wong was a 2nd rounder after many pundits had him as a 1st rounder going into last season. Jordan Miller was also a 2nd round pick in the last NBA draft, when many thought he'd also go higher. On paper, last year's team was seasoned and most of the top guys were proven commodities. Lot of unknowns going into this season. I will agree that this team may have a higher ceiling but the floor is also lower. I hope you're proven to be right, but one thing is to project. It's a whole 'nother thing to do it. GO CANES!
 
Projected draft position is a flawed way to measure a players ability or overall team play. For this your eyes are the better judge.
 
King of Allapattah said:
You're not off here. You make some good points. However, you're basing everything off projections. A lot of IFs have to fall into place. You're projecting Poplar to be a lottery pick. Projecting Cleveland to be a 1st rounder. Who's to say how the young guys will play when the spotlight is on them. There's no telling how this thing plays out. Fact remains, last year's team made it to the Final 4. That in it of itself is going to be hard to match or surpass. 2 of our top players from last year are gone. Wong was a 2nd rounder after many pundits had him as a 1st rounder going into last season. Jordan Miller was also a 2nd round pick in the last NBA draft, when many thought he'd also go higher. On paper, last year's team was seasoned and most of the top guys were proven commodities. Lot of unknowns going into this season. I will agree that this team may have a higher ceiling but the floor is also lower. I hope you're proven to be right, but one thing is to project. It's a whole 'nother thing to do it. GO CANES!
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I agree with our about the danger of projections, so how about this position.

This year’s team is more talented 1-10 than last year’s team. Will it translate to more wins is hard to say because Wong and Miller were so big in so many big games. Miller against Texas literally played one of the top 2-3 games in the history of the NC2A tournament, along with Laetner and Walton.
And Wong made so many clutch shots all season.
But our bench last year was not very strong and not deep. Our rotation was 8 in any important games and Casey and Watson gave next to nothing when they did play.

So ON PAPER we are more talented 1-10 is my assessment. Fair or unfair position?
 
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AtlAtty said:
I agree with our about the danger of projections, so how about this position.

This year’s team is more talented 1-10 than last year’s team. Will it translate to more wins is hard to say because Wong and Miller were so big in so many big games. Miller against Texas literally played one of the top 2-3 games in the history of the NC2A tournament, along with Laetner and Walton.
And Wong made so many clutch shots all season.
But our bench last year was not very strong and not deep. Our rotation was 8 in any important games and Casey and Watson gave next to nothing when they did play.

So ON PAPER we are more talented 1-10 is my assessment. Fair or unfair position?
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I don’t think we’re more talented at the 2 this year than last. Otherwise I agree.

How they develop and play together will dictate the success of the season.

Make no mistake - national championship is the goal.
 
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AtlAtty said:
I agree with our about the danger of projections, so how about this position.

This year’s team is more talented 1-10 than last year’s team. Will it translate to more wins is hard to say because Wong and Miller were so big in so many big games. Miller against Texas literally played one of the top 2-3 games in the history of the NC2A tournament, along with Laetner and Walton.
And Wong made so many clutch shots all season.
But our bench last year was not very strong and not deep. Our rotation was 8 in any important games and Casey and Watson gave next to nothing when they did play.

So ON PAPER we are more talented 1-10 is my assessment. Fair or unfair position?
Click to expand...
I don't think it's an unfair statement, but our top 2 from last year were pretty darn good.
 
King of Allapattah said:
I don't think it's an unfair statement, but our top 2 from last year were pretty darn good.
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They were really good and I agree with you that just “slotting” people into those spots and expecting similar production is unfair and unrealistic.
You may recall that I have a personal interest in Matt Cleveland but I’ve said on CIS many times not to expect him to be the next coming of Jordan Miller just because of physical similarities.

I’m with you 100% that Miller and Wong will not be replaced. And I agree with @AmherstCane that we will be weaker at the 2 position. Joseph and Pack is not equal to Wong and Pack. But I think we are stronger at the 3 because Wooga will be better.
I also think we will be weaker at the 4 because Cleveland is not equal to last season’s version of Miller. But I think our bench production will be better with, hopefully, improved play from Casey and Watson and contributions from George. I also think Nwoko can give us quality minutes.

Every way folks it will be a fun season. Unfortunately it seems like just last October that we stopped paying attention to UM football and focused on basketball. Deja vu all over again.
 
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