Hason "Big Haas" Ward

[Love2Ram]

I am of the belief that Ward is the most talented player with the most upside potential we have on our roster right now. It would be a tragedy if we don't expand his role and reward him for what he is proving he's capable of delivering right now. Stockard and Ward are clearly our best bigs. Hopefully Rhoades is out of reasons for not starting them together once they're both healthy.

 

[WillWeaverRVA]

One of the more impressive attributes for Hason is his eye-hand coordination. When he gets his hands on the ball, very rarely bobles/fumbles it....even going full speed. There are a lot of bigs in the NBA with worse hands.

One of the things I love about both Hason and Levi is that they don’t turn the ball over. Hason only averages 1.3 turnovers per game and Levi averages 1.2 per game. A lot of the time you can be sure if they have the ball, they’ll score, and when they don’t they’re really good passers who can dish the ball to a guard in the backcourt. Levi started slow but I’m really impressed with both of these guys.

 

[Natty]

One of the things I love about both Hason and Levi is that they don’t turn the ball over. Hason only averages 1.3 turnovers per game and Levi averages 1.2 per game. A lot of the time you can be sure if they have the ball, they’ll score, and when they don’t they’re really good passers who can dish the ball to a guard in the backcourt. Levi started slow but I’m really impressed with both of these guys.

I'm a big Hason fan, but just a note to fans on this forum that I want you all to start using advanced metrics a bit more and get away from averages when you can (look up VCU on Kenpom or sports-reference.com). I've been hammering advanced metrics for years now, which gives you a better idea than numbers that are effected by playing time, so come on, y'all! Start using the advanced metrics!

Hason is only averaging 1.3 turnovers per game, but has only averaging 18.5 minutes per game, so his turnover rate is 22.1%, which means he turns it over 22.1% of his possessions while on the floor. I'm writing a blog post gushing about Hason as we speak, but that's definitely a number we want to get better. Compare that 22.1% to MSS who was 13.1% TO% as a sophomore, Tillman who's career-worst was 12.5% as a freshman, Mo's career-worst of 18.4% (it was 15.8% as a soph like Hason) and you can see that the turnovers is one of Hason's areas he needs to clean up as a big man.

Still, I love Hason. Got an article bragging about him coming up in a bit.

 

[AlienAiden]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1355881542233575425

 

[WillWeaverRVA]

I'm a big Hason fan, but just a note to fans on this forum that I want you all to start using advanced metrics a bit more and get away from averages when you can (look up VCU on Kenpom or sports-reference.com). I've been hammering advanced metrics for years now, which gives you a better idea than numbers that are effected by playing time, so come on, y'all! Start using the advanced metrics!

Hason is only averaging 1.3 turnovers per game, but has only averaging 18.5 minutes per game, so his turnover rate is 22.1%, which means he turns it over 22.1% of his possessions while on the floor. I'm writing a blog post gushing about Hason as we speak, but that's definitely a number we want to get better. Compare that 22.1% to MSS who was 13.1% TO% as a sophomore, Tillman who's career-worst was 12.5% as a freshman, Mo's career-worst of 18.4% (it was 15.8% as a soph like Hason) and you can see that the turnovers is one of Hason's areas he needs to clean up as a big man.

Still, I love Hason. Got an article bragging about him coming up in a bit.

Makes sense. Looking forward to the article!

 

[PRock]

I'm a big Hason fan, but just a note to fans on this forum that I want you all to start using advanced metrics a bit more and get away from averages when you can (look up VCU on Kenpom or sports-reference.com). I've been hammering advanced metrics for years now, which gives you a better idea than numbers that are effected by playing time, so come on, y'all! Start using the advanced metrics!

Hason is only averaging 1.3 turnovers per game, but has only averaging 18.5 minutes per game, so his turnover rate is 22.1%, which means he turns it over 22.1% of his possessions while on the floor. I'm writing a blog post gushing about Hason as we speak, but that's definitely a number we want to get better. Compare that 22.1% to MSS who was 13.1% TO% as a sophomore, Tillman who's career-worst was 12.5% as a freshman, Mo's career-worst of 18.4% (it was 15.8% as a soph like Hason) and you can see that the turnovers is one of Hason's areas he needs to clean up as a big man.

Still, I love Hason. Got an article bragging about him coming up in a bit.

Since you are doing the background research, it might be interesting to do some meta-analysis on the types of TOs—for example, a TO off the dribble like one from yesterday is very different from a one that comes off a transition/loose ball or trying to deal with a difficult pass from a teammate. If going the extra mile on using analytics—might as well take it to the level of a scout and not rely soley on credited stats.

A great example of someone who combines analytics with actual film review is Mark Bullock in his NFL work. He does a great job of showing where the play matches the analytics, but an even better job of showing where they do not.

Another suggestion is to find the right benchmarks for comparison. Differences in style of play, usage rates and team dynamics make the comparisons of players across different years a bit dubious. For example, MSS rate his sophmore year is good—but that year there were only six A10 teams with a DR in the top 150, this year there are 11....the conference as a whole is much better defensively (and offensively with nine in the top 150 vs. just three in 2019).

Totally agree on the value of advanced analytics as more valuable than Mean/Medians and Modes—but would suggest a double click even further below what KenPom and others make available to look for causals and more meaningful insights.

 

[MobileMunchies]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1355881542233575425

Ward went 6 of 7 from the field. All but one of his buckets was a dunk.

 

[LQuarles]

View attachment 8995

This really needs Bernie Sanders sitting behind them.

 

[MobileMunchies]

This really needs Bernie Sanders sitting behind them.

OMG please NO

 

[MobileMunchies]

OMG please NO

I've been trying to ask people...

 

[Sethjax]

13, 10, 1blk
6, 6 5blk
8, 10, 3blk
11, 5, 4blk
8, 4, 4 blk

man...really starting to produce here recently.

 

[WillWeaverRVA]

13, 10, 1blk
6, 6 5blk
8, 10, 3blk
11, 5, 4blk
8, 4, 4 blk

man...really starting to produce here recently.

Hason Ward in his sophomore year is averaging more blocks per game (2.3) than Mo Alie-Cox did in his sophomore year (1.9), in fewer minutes per game.

 

[Wolfpack Ram]

Hason Ward in his sophomore year is averaging more blocks per game (2.3) than Mo Alie-Cox did in his sophomore year (1.9), in fewer minutes per game.

If you are going to compare him to another VCU Ram, it has to be Ren Watson. Watson has the career record for blocks at 391. Mo had 255. Ren also holds the top three single season records at 135, 129 and 127 blocks. In Mo's best season, he had 71 blocks. In 1976, Ren had 11 blocks in a game against South Carolina State.

 

[mrgeode]

Hason Ward in his sophomore year is averaging more blocks per game (2.3) than Mo Alie-Cox did in his sophomore year (1.9), in fewer minutes per game.

His BLK% is higher this year than any year of Mo's.

 

[WillWeaverRVA]

If you are going to compare him to another VCU Ram, it has to be Ren Watson. Watson has the career record for blocks at 391. Mo had 255. Ren also holds the top three single season records at 135, 129 and 127 blocks. In Mo's best season, he had 71 blocks. In 1976, Ren had 11 blocks in a game against South Carolina State.

Looks like Ren averaged 5.2 blocks per game in his sophomore (and senior) year(s). Yeah, nobody's beating that.