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re: Tide Hoops | Please Anchor
Posted on 10/19/21 at 9:04 pm to Chadaristic
Posted on 10/19/21 at 9:04 pm to Chadaristic
Yes and it's tough mentally for these young men and women. I hope he can get cleared here pretty soon though. Coach Oats stated that he was close to being cleared but he's still not there yet. He was pretty positive actually the last time he spoke on Frentchie.
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Posted on 10/19/21 at 9:13 pm to Chadaristic
I can't help but notice that Jaden is the other PG here. Wonder if the plan is to use him as the 2nd PG.
Posted on 10/19/21 at 9:32 pm to DT55Forever1
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I can't help but notice that Jaden is the other PG here. Wonder if the plan is to use him as the 2nd PG.
I look at it as the staff giving Shack the opportunity to prove that he can fill that role. Remember that when Shack entered his name for the draft and was still in the portal, there was a lot of discussion about what he needed to do to improve his game to be NBA ready and how Alabama could potentially help him reach that goal.
Shack had/has next to zero chance of ever making it to that level unless he greatly improves his ability to play the lead guard position. He just isn't nearly talented/athletically gifted enough at his size to play as a two guard in the NBA imo.
I also feel like at least two of JD/JQ/Shack (and probably even Keon to a slightly lesser degree) will almost always be on the floor, so it also behooves us to get Shack as comfortable playing a lead guard role as possible. The more guys you have that can play an actual PG role with legit ball handling and passing skills when you have three or even four guards on the floor at the same time makes you so much tougher to guard.
This post was edited on 10/19/21 at 9:33 pm
Posted on 10/19/21 at 10:04 pm to Chadaristic
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Every player (especially an 18/19 year old kid) will always feel like they are ready though. The staff isn't going to intentionally hold him back out of spite or anything like that to where it's detrimental to the team. Achilles are really tough injuries to come back from. When he's healthy enough to be cleared, he will get his opportunity and we just have to hope that he can put it together enough this year to be able to contribute in a meaningful way.
I've mentioned it on here before, but I'm about 6 months off of Achilles surgery. Full rupture just like Tchikou had.
Your tendon is fully healed at 14-16 weeks. So at that point its about getting your strength and stamina back to where it was. Something had to have gone wrong during his recovery for him to still not be cleared. One year is way too long for this to still be lingering.
Posted on 10/19/21 at 10:40 pm to RTN
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I've mentioned it on here before, but I'm about 6 months off of Achilles surgery. Full rupture just like Tchikou had.
Your tendon is fully healed at 14-16 weeks. So at that point its about getting your strength and stamina back to where it was. Something had to have gone wrong during his recovery for him to still not be cleared. One year is way too long for this to still be lingering.
It took Durant somewhere around ten months and Kobe around eight months to be cleared for basketball activities, but Kobe was a cyborg. Just being healed enough to be a regular joe or even an active person that runs 10 miles a week is a lot different than being able to be an elite athlete playing basketball and changing directions at full speed. The routine timeline for basketball players with a ruptured achilles is roughly ten months and we already knew about at least one setback. Oats has been saying for probably a month now that Tchikou is really close to being cleared, so hopefully that is the case.
Posted on 10/20/21 at 9:52 am to Chadaristic
Well said. I can’t wait to see JQ JD Shack and Keon Ellis on the floor together. I’m rooting hard for Ellis.
Posted on 10/20/21 at 10:26 am to Joka2kold
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I don't think Tchikou can participate just yet.
He played in the Tide Pride open practice last Thursday, so he is cleared as far as the injury, but he did get in the dog house with doctors and coaches when he played in that non-sanctioned tournament in Vegas over the summer. Noticed in film from yesterday that Ambrose-Hylton, who exercised but did not play last Thursday, had taken Tchikou's spot in the playing rotation, at least in the little bit of film posted here. Also, how much priority can the coaches give him when he will not be able to play for several games because of the summer Vegas tourney? They need to get players who can play ready for games.
This post was edited on 10/20/21 at 10:29 am
Posted on 10/20/21 at 10:52 am to AbSnopes
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Jeff Goodman’s 2021-22 College Basketball Preseason Awards
A year ago, Luka Garza was the obvious choice for Preseason National Player of the Year, while Cade Cunningham stood out early for Freshman of the Year — and neither disappointed.
Once again, it was easy to choose the POY and FOY, but then it got difficult with the All-American teams, especially due to the excess of big men in the equation.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR | Drew Timme, Gonzaga
He averaged 19 points and seven boards last season for a team that lost in the national title game, and that makes him the clear frontrunner for POY this season.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR | Darryl Morsell, Marquette
The veteran guard was the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year last season before transferring to play for Shaka Smart and Marquette this year.
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR | Paolo Banchero, Duke
Banchero has the entire package; he’s big, strong, skilled and athletic, and should be the star for Mike Krzyzewski’s swan song. I’d be surprised if he doesn’t average at least 15 points and eight boards.
COACH OF THE YEAR | Scott Drew, Baylor
This is as much for what he has done in building this program and leading the Bears to the national title last season. But after losing a lottery pick in Davion Mitchell, another NBA player in Jared Butler and two more starters in MaCio Teague and Mark Vital, Drew will find a way to keep Baylor among the nation’s elite this year.
F – Paolo Banchero, 6-10, 250, Fr., Duke The Seattle native reminds me a lot of Chris Webber because of his size, strength, skill and versatility. Banchero is strong and athletic, can rebound and take it the length of the court, and is also brutal to stop in transition. There’s not much he can’t do, and he should be Duke’s leading scorer and rebounder this year.
2020-21 Stats: N/A
F – Drew Timme, 6-10, 235, Jr., Gonzaga He made a huge jump from his freshman to sophomore season, and the hard-playing big man should be Gonzaga’s most productive player again this year. He can really score in the paint, and he also has a pass-first point guard in Andrew Nembhard.
2020-21 Stats: 19.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg
C – Hunter Dickinson, 7-1, 260, Soph., Michigan The big man had a dominant season a year ago as a freshman. Look for the lefty to improve his conditioning, his ability to stretch the defense and his scoring with his right hand. Dickinson should be a double-double guy on most nights this season.
2020-21 Stats: 14.1 ppg, 7.4 rpg
G – Andre Curbelo, 6-1, 175, Soph., Illinois Yes, he’ll have to show he can make shots from the perimeter, but Curbelo could lead the country in assists. He’ll have weapons around him, and Curbelo is a terrific ball handler with high-level court vision and passing ability. I’d be shocked if he doesn’t average 15 points and 7 assists.
2020-21 Stats: 9.1 ppg, 4.2 apg, 4.0 rpg
G – Buddy Boeheim, 6-6, 205, Sr., Syracuse Boeheim averaged almost 18 points last season, and that number should climb to at least 20 this year. He is one of the best pure shooters in the country, and look for him to expand his game this season as a senior.
2020-21 Stats: 17.8 ppg, 38% 3-pointers
F – Chet Holmgren, 7-0, 195, Fr., Gonzaga He’s a long and super-skilled frosh, who enters college as the top-ranked freshman. Holmgren can shoot it from deep, finish around the basket and is a prolific shot blocker. Holmgren will take a back seat to Drew Timme in terms of production, but that frontline duo will be fun to watch.
2020-21 Stats: N/A
F – E.J. Liddell, 6-7, 240, Jr., Ohio State The undersized big man showed he could step out and make shots from beyond the arc last season, making 34 percent of his threes. Liddell’s production will increase with the departure of Duane Washington from Columbus.
2020-21 Stats: 16.2 ppg, 6.7 rpg
C – Kofi Cockburn, 7-0, 285, Jr., Illinois He’s nearly unstoppable around the basket due to his size and strength. Cockburn controls the glass, is a force in the paint and also has one of the better passers in the country on his team in Andre Curbelo.
2020-21 Stats: 17.7 ppg, 9.5 rpg
G – Marcus Carr, 6-2, 195, Sr., Texas Carr transferred to Texas and will be the most important player for Chris Beard this season. He’s already shown he can score at a high level, but now he’ll have no shortage of talent around him. Look for Carr to lead Texas in scoring and assists.
2020-21 Stats: 19.4 ppg, 4.9 apg (Minnesota)
G – Max Abmas, 6-0, 175, Jr., Oral Roberts Abmas led the country in scoring last season and is an elite three-point shooter, but it’s what he did in the NCAA Tournament — becoming the first player since Steph Curry to score 25-plus in his first three tourney games.
2020-21 Stats: 24.5 ppg, 3.8 apg, 43% 3-pointers
F – Jabari Smith, 6-10, 220, Fr., Auburn Long and athletic, Smith can step out and shoot it, and score around the basket. He’s also a quality rebounder and shot blocker. Smith plays with a high motor and should be one of the most productive freshmen in the country.
2020-21 Stats: N/A
G – Johnny Juzang, 6-6, 210, Jr., UCLA Juzang was at his best when it mattered most last season, averaging 22.8 points in six NCAA Tournament games. This was actually a tough decision whether to go with Juzang or teammate Jaime Jaquez, but Juzang was so dominant on the offensive end in the tourney.
2020-21 Stats: 16.0 ppg, 4.1 rpg
G – Jahvon Quinerly, 6-1, 175, Jr., Alabama After a rocky start to his college career at Villanova, Quinerly played well last season for the Tide and will have an increased role now that the ball should be in his hands far more after the departure of Herb Jones. Quinerly shot it well from deep and has improved his decision-making.
2020-21 Stats: 12.9 ppg, 3.2 apg
G – Collin Gillespie, 6-3, 195, Sr., Villanova He’s the guy who runs everything for Jay Wright and the Wildcats, and it was clear how much ‘Nova missed him last season when he was injured down the stretch. Gillespie is a fifth-year player who distributes and also scores when needed.
2020-21 Stats: 14.0 ppg, 4.6 apg
G – Emoni Bates, 6-9, 190, Fr., Memphis Most didn’t think Bates would ever choose to play in college, but the skilled and versatile scorer opted to reclassify and join Memphis, where Penny Hardaway told me he’ll use him plenty at the point guard spot. Bates needs to get stronger, but he’s a big-time scorer.
2020-21 Stats: N/A
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Posted on 10/20/21 at 10:58 am to Chadaristic
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64 Reasons to Be Excited for the 2021–22 College Basketball Season
Six months after Stanford and Baylor cut down the nets, the 2021–22 college basketball season is just four weeks away. Opening night is Nov. 9, and a slew of exhibitions will be held even sooner, which means teams across the country are well underway with preparations.
After the bizarre season that was last year’s COVID-19-impacted men’s and women’s campaigns, things are looking more familiar heading into this winter. Here at Sports Illustrated, we’re celebrating the near-return of college hoops with a list of 64 reasons to be excited for the season, starting with the departure of a legend and ending with a long overdue change. Without further ado, here we go…
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35. The 2022 edition of the men’s SEC/Big 12 Challenge
The annual January competition between the two conferences is always an interesting break from league play. This season, the 10-game slate includes some particularly juicy matchups. Kansas will host Kentucky at Allen Fieldhouse for only the second time since 2006, which has the potential to be a top-10 matchup and the event’s headliner. Meanwhile, Tennessee-Texas will mark Rick Barnes’s return to Austin, and he’ll face his former team for the first time since being fired and becoming the Vols’ coach. Finally, don’t forget about Baylor’s trip to Alabama, featuring the Bears going for their fourth straight win in the event. —M.G.
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42. Alabama’s explosive guards
Nate Oats’s run-and-gun offensive system requires great guard play, and the Tide’s trio of ballhandlers are as dynamic as any in the country. That starts with Jahvon Quinerly, who thrived as a super sixth man of sorts last season. He’s a crafty passer, great with the ball in his hands and shot 43% from deep last season. He’ll share point guard duties this season with five-star freshman JD Davison, one of the most electric young players in the sport thanks to his quickness off the bounce and leaping ability. Add in Jaden Shackelford, last season’s leading scorer, and you have a backcourt unit capable of scoring with any team in the country. —K.S.
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Posted on 10/20/21 at 11:01 am to Chadaristic
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Alabama finds itself near center of new college basketball landscape
After a season upended by COVID-19, the college basketball world is back to normal -- almost.
Citing “public health concerns related to indoor venues,” the SEC decided last month not to hold its traditional mid-October basketball media days this fall. Instead of the conference’s hoops royalty descending on the Grand Bohemian Hotel in Mountain Brook, the schools are previewing the upcoming season from their respective facilities.
For Alabama coach Nate Oats, that meant pausing after the 15th of 30 preseason practices to meet with reporters Tuesday. Hours earlier, the Tide had been picked by media voters to finish second in the SEC, and on Monday, the team was slotted No. 14 in the Associated Press’ preseason poll.
A transformative 2020-21 season that saw Alabama win the SEC and advance to the Sweet 16 has given the football school in Tuscaloosa a seat at the college basketball roundtable.
The Tide enters the 2021-22 season tied with Illinois in having the 11th-shortest odds to win a national title at +1800, according to BetMGM. The sport’s blue bloods in Duke, Kentucky and Kansas all have slightly better odds, but fresh blood such as Alabama, Houston and Arkansas have disrupted the status quo.
Those three schools that sit Nos. 14 through 16 in the preseason AP poll made only a combined seven NCAA tournament appearances from 2011 through 2019. Over that same time frame, five schools -- Duke, Kentucky, Kansas, North Carolina and Syracuse -- in total made 11 appearances in the Final Four, or about a third of all possible bids.
UNC’s Roy Williams retired in April, Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski announced in June this would be his final season, and although Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim said he is not retiring anytime soon, he turns 77 next month.
“I don’t know if you would say there is a changing of the guard,” Oats said Tuesday while noting his respect for both Williams and Krzyzewski. “But there’s definitely two hall of fame coaches that won’t be coaching after this year in maybe the biggest rivalry in college basketball. There’s definitely some changing going on.”
An Associated Press poll in January was the first time since 1961 that Kentucky, Duke and North Carolina were all unranked. Duke is No. 9 in the preseason poll with North Carolina, now led by Hubert Davis, at No. 19. Syracuse received five voting points but was unranked.
Some normalcy remains. Kansas is No. 3 in the preseason AP poll and Kentucky leads the SEC at No. 10. The Wildcats were also picked by the media to win the conference after Alabama swept the regular-season and conference tournament last year, beating Kentucky twice in the process.
Even to be picked second in the conference is a sign of the quick ascension Alabama has made under Oats, who has tried to keep perspective entering his third season.
“Got to remind ourselves where we were at at this point last year,” he said. “Sometimes you get a little frustrated with where you’re at. You’re comparing where you’re at now with where you finished last year.
“Well, Herb [Jones], [Alex] Reese, [John] Petty, [Jordan] Bruner, [Josh] Primo are not here. We’ve got new guys that need to figure out how we’re playing.”
Alabama lost four of its top six scorers from last season and nearly lost a fifth in Jaden Shackelford, who considered both the NBA draft and a transfer before returning. Shackelford, Jahvon Quinerly and freshman JD Davison form a still-formidable backcourt that will also include senior Keon Ellis. In the front court, Furman graduate transfer Noah Gurley, freshman Charles Bediako and redshirt sophomore Juwan Gary are among those trying to replace what Alabama lost in the offseason.
“We’ve got good guard play,” Oats said. “I think our bigs are coming along. We’ve got a lot of young guys that haven’t played here. We’re bringing them along. I like where we’re at right now.”
How much Alabama can recapture its magic from last winter will be tested early. The Tide, ranked No. 19 by the analytics website KenPom, has a non-conference schedule that includes a trip to Seattle to play Gonzaga (No. 1), a road game at Memphis (No. 16), home games against Houston (No. 11) and Baylor (No. 4) in Coleman Coliseum, and a chance to meet Kansas (No. 3) in a Thanksgiving weekend tournament in Orlando.
“We’ve got an unbelievable schedule,” Oats acknowledged Tuesday.
Awaiting the Tide after non-conference play will be a conference that placed five teams in the AP preseason top 25, tied with the Big Ten for the most in the country.
And when Alabama tips off its regular season Nov. 9 against Louisiana Tech, it will be considered one of the best teams in one of the best conferences in the country.
“There may be a target on our backs, however you want to put it,” said Shackelford, who was selected to the media’s preseason All-SEC first team along with Quinerly. “But I feel like we’re just coming in with a chip on our shoulder. Because there’s also the other side, too, where people don’t think we’re going to be as good, too, as we were last year.”
As Tide prepares to open play with a charity exhibition game Sunday in Coleman Coliseum against Louisiana at 2 p.m. CT, one of the team’s standards it has set for itself is to stay hungry.
“We have big expectations and we know that,” Quinerly said. “But with the time that we’ve been putting in, the progression we’ve been making, we feel like everything is gonna fall into place as long as we handle business.”
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Posted on 10/20/21 at 1:00 pm to Chadaristic
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Ranking the top 15 early-season college basketball tournaments and multi-team events in 2021
College basketball season is just around the corner, and with it comes a plethora of multi-team events and early-season tournaments that will provide some of the season's more unique nonconference matchups. A year after the COVID-19 pandemic altered the sport's schedule and forced tweaks or outright cancelations to these events, it's great to see so many neutral site showcases back on the schedule.
While it may be difficult to get casual sports fans invested in early-season college basketball, the truth is that stakes are high from the jump for programs with NCAA Tournament aspirations. A couple of losses during a tournament in November or December can fill up your "bad loss" quota faster than desired. On the flip side, a strong neutral-court showing early in the season can give an early boost to your Quad 1 or Quad 2 victory ledger.
But which of these multi-team events -- commonly referred to in the college hoops world as MTE's -- are the best? Here's a ranking of the top-15 to keep an eye on this November and December as college basketball accelerates to full speed.
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6. ESPN Events Invitational
Date: Nov. 25-26, 28
Location: ESPN Wide World of Sports in Lake Buena Vista, Florida
Matchups: Dayton vs. Miami, North Texas vs. No. 4 Kansas, No. 12 Alabama vs. Iona, Belmont vs. Drake (bracket play)
Comments: At first glance, this one looks a bit top heavy with Alabama and Kansas. But a closer look shows this is sneaky strong field. Drake, Iona and North Texas made the NCAA Tournament last season, Dayton and Belmont are perennially strong and Miami could be in line for a bounce-back year after an injury-riddled 2020-21 season. So while the Crimson Tide or Kansas will be expected to win it, there could be some drama here.
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Posted on 10/20/21 at 1:04 pm to Chadaristic
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Sources: Four NCAA Infractions Cases From 2017 Scandal Make Notable Progress
The long-standing cases at NC State, LSU, Oklahoma State and Auburn are approaching either closure or key milestones.
The NCAA’s dawdling pace of processing infractions cases arising from the 2017 federal investigation into corruption in college basketball is, at last, picking up. Four major cases are approaching either closure or key milestones, sources tell Sports Illustrated.
Two of the cases were referred to the NCAA’s recently formed Independent Accountability Review Process (IARP), which has been heavily criticized for being an inefficient endeavor that is marred by duplicated effort, inexperienced personnel and bloated billable hours. The other two have gone through the traditional NCAA peer review route—itself a laborious and frustrating process. An update on the four:
North Carolina State, which was the first school implicated in the Southern District of New York’s probe to have its case referred to the IARP back in the first half of 2020, completed its infractions hearing Aug. 9 and 10. Per timelines for traditional infractions cases, a ruling is expected soon. The fate of the Wolfpack—and former head coach Mark Gottfried—will be closely watched by schools and coaches further down the pipeline, since there are commonalities in many of the cases and this could set a precedent.
LSU, which has been embroiled in one of the highest-profile (and most contentious) cases, is nearing delivery of a notice of allegations (NOA) from the IARP’s Complex Case Unit, sources say. However, there may still be additional interviews to be done, which could alter the timeline for delivery of that NOA and its contents. The case already has been mired in discussion of whether football violations should be considered separately from the men’s basketball allegations.
Oklahoma State’s appeal of a postseason ban is another instance where closure is anticipated soon, sources say. Coach Mike Boynton recently told The Oklahoman that it is “unfathomable” to still be waiting for a resolution when the appeal hearing transpired during the 2020–21 basketball season. A ruling on the school’s argument to be penalized at a lesser level than the Level I allegation lodged against former assistant Lamont Evans also could foreshadow what happens in other cases. In a case that went through the traditional NCAA peer review process rather than the IARP, the Cowboys were banned from the 2020–21 postseason, but their appeal allowed the team to participate. If their appeal is overturned, it is presumed that the ban would be enforced for this upcoming season.
And Auburn has completed its NCAA Committee on Infractions hearing, sources say, with a ruling expected this calendar year. The school has not formally acknowledged receipt of a notice of allegations or divulged its contents but voluntarily withheld its men’s basketball program from postseason play in 2020–21—an unmistakable indication that the NOA contained serious charges. Coach Bruce Pearl, who received a three-year show cause penalty for violations when he was at Tennessee and is now on his second journey through the major infractions process, participated in the hearing, sources say.
Other SDNY-related infractions cases that went to the IARP and are still winding their way through the system, with rulings that probably won’t come until after the 2021–22 season, include Kansas, Louisville and Arizona. SDNY-related cases involving Alabama, South Carolina, Creighton and USC were previously resolved with minor sanctions. The IARP also is working on a Memphis infractions case that is not tied to the federal corruption probe but could carry significant sanctions.
From early in this long process, which began when the FBI announced its investigation of the sport in September 2017, six cases distinguished themselves as having the highest risk of major sanctions for the involved schools: NC State, Kansas, Auburn, Louisville, Arizona and LSU. The first wave of those now are reaching a critical juncture.
After NCAA enforcement investigators had to sit on the sideline during the federal trials, the NC State case was first on deck and appeared to be on track for a relatively swift resolution. The NCAA issued its notice of allegations in July 2019, in a case centered on payments from Adidas bag man TJ Gassnola to the family of star Wolfpack recruit Dennis Smith Jr., with Gottfried and former assistant Orlando Early both being named in the allegations. But that case wound up being diverted to the IARP, to the dismay of several involved parties, due to contentious disagreements over the charges.
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Posted on 10/20/21 at 3:06 pm to AbSnopes
That was my point is that he can not participate in games because of the summer stuff.
Posted on 10/20/21 at 3:07 pm to Chadaristic
ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE head basketball coach Nate Oats will be on TIDE 100.9 The Game at 5pm today.
Posted on 10/20/21 at 4:19 pm to Canyon16
LSU’s Adam Miller just tore his ACL and is out for the season.
Massive transfer from Illinois, and will be a huge blow for them. Was one of the best guards to transfer last year
Massive transfer from Illinois, and will be a huge blow for them. Was one of the best guards to transfer last year
Posted on 10/20/21 at 4:46 pm to TrojanTide
Hate seeing major injuries like that before the season even gets underway.
This post was edited on 10/20/21 at 4:53 pm
Posted on 10/20/21 at 4:59 pm to Chadaristic
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How 5-star JD Davison looks at Alabama practice, what surprised Oats
If high school highlight tapes were any measure, JD Davison’s jersey would already be in the Coleman Coliseum rafters. His explosive fast-break dunks paired athleticism with a touch of showmanship that had Alabama basketball fans in a lather for more than a year.
Arriving in Tuscaloosa as the highest-rated recruit since Collin Sexton and with a decent chunk of Alabama’s SEC title team now playing in the pros, the Calhoun High School grad was a primary focus for a fanbase re-energized by last year’s success.
That just comes with a No. 12 national ranking in the 247Sports composite, especially when earning it as an in-state prospect. So, midway through the preseason practice schedule, where does the Letohatchee stand?
Coach Nate Oats on Tuesday said Davison had perhaps his best workout of October that afternoon.
“We have to get him being more aggressive,” Oats said. “I thought he was more aggressive (Tuesday). We’ve got to get him playing more athletic on the offensive and defensive end. I thought he had some of that today so he’s coming.”
As a dynamic 6-foot-3 guard, Davison fits the up-tempo style that’s become Oats’ brand at Buffalo and now Alabama.
The coach said Davison was impressive shooting from the perimeter, getting to the rim and finding teammates in the Tuesday practice that stood out in his mind.
“Like all freshmen, there are going to be some inconsistencies,” Oats said. “They have to realize what it takes at this level on a daily basis but I’ll say this, he’s a quiet kid. He didn’t talk much during the recruitment. (Assistant coach Antoine) Pettway had done a great job building that relationship before I even got here and we continued to work on it and we’re fortunate to have him here.”
Oats said he was pleasantly surprised with how vocal Davison has been in practice after noting his recruitment.
“If a guy doesn’t talk a ton in the recruitment, you’re not sure if their basketball IQ is going to be all that,” Oats said. “His basketball IQ is actually pretty high and he’s very coachable. You always wonder if a guy is rated that high, how coachable are they going to be. Do they think they have everything figured out? He’s the opposite of that.
“He wants to be coached. He wants you to make him better. He’s more talkative than you think and his IQ is pretty high. So the combination of all that to go with his athletic ability and the skill level that he’s got, he’s going to be really good for us. I’m pretty happy with where he is right now.”
Visiting NBA scouts have also been impressed with the star freshman, Oats said. Among the visitors was Jim Boylen, the head coach of the Chicago Bulls from 2018-20, who spent three days in Tuscaloosa and spoke at the program’s coaches clinic.
Speaking of the NBA, Oats also noted eventual-No. 12 draft pick Josh Primo had a few rough patches this time last year before developing into a lottery pick.
Stepping into a guard-heavy lineup doesn’t mean Davison will be taking a backseat to returning starters like Jahvon Quinerly and Jaden Shackelford. Oats said he has no problem putting three guards on the floor at the same time. In fact, he noted his second-to-last Buffalo team had three point guards on the floor at the same time and that team upset an Arizona team anchored by 6-foot-11 All-American Deandre Ayton in the NCAA tournament.
Playing Davison, Shackelford and Quinerly together will force opponents to make decisions about using a forward to guard one of the three.
“Then the question is for the other bench is do they need to sub to match up with us?” Oats said. “Or do we need to go at the mismatch? Well I think going at the mismatch in the post, points per possession are usually lower than what we’re going to get on the other end. So we’re going to have no problem playing the best guys on the floor. You’d like to have a little more size at times but I think we’re fine playing a lot of guards together at the same time.”
The first look at this Alabama team comes Friday at the Tide Tipoff that starts at 7:30 p.m. CT in Foster Auditorium. There will be a charity exhibition with Louisiana-Lafayette at 2 p.m. CT Saturday ahead of the Nov. 9 opener with Louisiana Tech in Coleman Coliseum.
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Posted on 10/20/21 at 5:51 pm to Chadaristic
The HD Intelligence crew is in Tuscaloosa.
Posted on 10/20/21 at 5:56 pm to Chadaristic
Looking forward to another season! Program elevated now let's go
Posted on 10/20/21 at 5:57 pm to Chadaristic
Just as disappointing as Coach not mentioning Tchikou is our Media guys not thinking to ask about him. Instead we get questions about putting WKU on the schedule again...
If this were football, we would have had questions about the recovery of a bench player who lost their toe nail....
If this were football, we would have had questions about the recovery of a bench player who lost their toe nail....
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