Applauding Rob, but how bout that Theus?
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During the 2005-2006 season, Jeff had the following kids on the roster: BA Walker, JPR, Maynor, Shuler, Nick George, and Mike Anderson...............and senior Alexander Harper.
Jeff didn't/couldn't find enough PT for youngsters Eric M., Jamal, and Mike Nice throughout the season(although the following year, all three were integral parts of perhaps the best Ram team ever.......and all three were on the floor when we stunned Duke).
That year (2005-2006), we started out 15-5, Al Harper, a senior, was running the point, and everyone was happy at that point in time. Reality, though, eventually set in. We lost the next two, struggled down the stretch, got upset by Towson, blew two big leads at home to GMU/UNCW, got beat by Hofstra in the CAA tourney, finished 19-10, no NIT. Jeff eventually benched Harper and went back to Maynor very late in the season...........too late as it turned out. Never really used Shuler and Anderson to their fullest.
This year (2010-2011), we'll probably start out 14-5, with Joey Rodriguez, a senior, playing heavy minutes (32+). Youngsters Darius Theus, Rob Brandenberg, Troy Daniels, Juvonte Reddic, and DJ Haley will play, but probably will continue to be underutilized (as Shaka prefers small/experienced). Our schedule down the stretch (last seven games include JMU, @ JMU, GMU, ODU, @ Del, @ Bracketbuster, @ Drex) will be quite a challenge.
Will history repeat itself?
Jeff didn't/couldn't find enough PT for youngsters Eric M., Jamal, and Mike Nice throughout the season(although the following year, all three were integral parts of perhaps the best Ram team ever.......and all three were on the floor when we stunned Duke).
That year (2005-2006), we started out 15-5, Al Harper, a senior, was running the point, and everyone was happy at that point in time. Reality, though, eventually set in. We lost the next two, struggled down the stretch, got upset by Towson, blew two big leads at home to GMU/UNCW, got beat by Hofstra in the CAA tourney, finished 19-10, no NIT. Jeff eventually benched Harper and went back to Maynor very late in the season...........too late as it turned out. Never really used Shuler and Anderson to their fullest.
This year (2010-2011), we'll probably start out 14-5, with Joey Rodriguez, a senior, playing heavy minutes (32+). Youngsters Darius Theus, Rob Brandenberg, Troy Daniels, Juvonte Reddic, and DJ Haley will play, but probably will continue to be underutilized (as Shaka prefers small/experienced). Our schedule down the stretch (last seven games include JMU, @ JMU, GMU, ODU, @ Del, @ Bracketbuster, @ Drex) will be quite a challenge.
Will history repeat itself?
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MozingoWasFilthy said:
Understand what you are getting at, but wasn't Harpers injury what spurred Maynor's starting in the CAA tourney?
districtballer
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Valid points by Mozingo. We have had a very nice easy first half of the CAA schedule and we still couldn't get through that stretch unscathed. The real tests come later against the league heavyweights. We should find out whether we're truly contenders or merely pretenders after that.
I would hope Rob has proven that he is worthy of more minutes after that performance. It's not realistic to expect him to be able to put in a performance like that every night (we must also take into account who we were playing), but he has earned more playing time. I'd like to see Juvonte and DJ out there more but they do look raw and inexperienced, for which the only remedy is more playing time. Hopefully we can afford them that as the season goes on. This stretch with Toby out presents a valuable opportunity for them to grow.
We did what we should have, beat UNCW and William and Mary. I don't think we will be favored (nor should we be) @ODU and @JMU. JMU will have a very real shot at knocking us off in Richmond and Mason is always dangerous as well. You know Drexel wants to get some revenge for our game in Richmond and we could easily be underdogs in that one as well.
I would hope Rob has proven that he is worthy of more minutes after that performance. It's not realistic to expect him to be able to put in a performance like that every night (we must also take into account who we were playing), but he has earned more playing time. I'd like to see Juvonte and DJ out there more but they do look raw and inexperienced, for which the only remedy is more playing time. Hopefully we can afford them that as the season goes on. This stretch with Toby out presents a valuable opportunity for them to grow.
We did what we should have, beat UNCW and William and Mary. I don't think we will be favored (nor should we be) @ODU and @JMU. JMU will have a very real shot at knocking us off in Richmond and Mason is always dangerous as well. You know Drexel wants to get some revenge for our game in Richmond and we could easily be underdogs in that one as well.
cooke4rams
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Could not agree more. I was thinking the same thing last night, because if your going to hand the PG duties to Theus (and he looks great with all the intangibles he brings other than offense) then we are seriously undersized every night at the 2 guard. I like Joey's heart, and he is experienced, but he is a defensive liability guarding bigger guys every night, and he is one dimensional, in the fact that he is pretty much a set shooter now. I saw him drive and make a tough shot in the lane last night, but it was a tough shot (like the one against Tulane) and I just don't have any confidence when I see him take it to the hole. I want to see his minutes around 20-25, with Brandenburg, Reddic, and Brandon when healthy reducing some of his minutes. I know Reddic is not a 2 before everyone attacks this, but it would be nice to have Burgess at 3 and actually play 2 post players at the same time.
Thoughts?
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Another good point by Pav. All those coincidences really are just that. We shouldn't overlook/bench any of the senior guards. I'm just stoked with the depth and potential we've got. It's like how the best trouble is lady-trouble, it's a good problem when the coaching staff is scratching their heads about who should get minutes.
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Does it look like Joey is getting healthier?
BaNgMyPrOgRaM said:
Yes, he looks much better. I would like to see both Theus get a little more time, and Joey get the minutes he has earned over the course of his career and now in the leadership role that Pav mentioned. I just hate seeing the lineup of Theus at 1 and Joey at 2, that lineup really seems to put a handicap on our ability to SCORE.....
duncanlamb
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VCU4LIFE said:
It's good have depth a point guard...is it plausible that VCU could go old school and just have two hybrid guards in Theus and Brandenburg ala (Frazier and Monroe)?
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DT and Superman will be the bomb next year! But
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GO RAMS!
Beat Huskies!!
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GO RAMS!
Beat Huskies!!
MarcusNation said:
It is always PC to say that Maynor was a stud from day one and he eventually took Harper's spot. However, the fact of the matter was that Harper was continually hurt and Maynor got the spot by default. Maynor as a freshman wasn't better than Harper as a Senior.
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rammad90 said:
But he was Amazing.