Official site article on new basketball players

[angrywavedad]

Spent my summer vacation taking charges and diving for lose balls:
https://www.instagram.com/p/ByYgAzZgh0O ... avz3sus0nv

(ps This is the first ever Tulane athletics clip my son has called out. He is excited about new coach and team).

[GreenieBacker]

Don't know if that kind of intensity will carry over to the real games but it sure was lacking in previous seasons. Nice to see its a point of emphasis.

[PeteRasche]

I found myself thinking more about this and realized/remembered how, even at a high level (D1 college), things like this need to be practiced. "You do in games what you do in practice."

For instance, if there was a game where we did not rebound well, we would do drills in practice where we'd work on rebounding; simple, seemingly-grade school-level stuff like "two guys are up, coaches pass the ball around on the perimeter, and then one coach throws ball up on the board, you both compete to go get it". We did loose ball drills and charging drills too. Some of it was completely mindless and seemed silly, like "college players don't need to practice stuff like that". But it made a difference... we'd always rebound better or make more "hustle plays" the next game or two or three.

Then I realized, I bet MD never did stuff like that, for this exact reason. He was so used to coaching at the NBA level where you literally would consider stuff like that beneath you, or view it as "you are being paid to hustle and do the simple grade school fundamental stuff, so we're not practicing it". I suspect MD thought that college-level players were past those types of drills as well - and for that reason, he likely never ran many drills for simple rebounding, or diving for balls or taking charges. And if you don't practice it, the players don't do it well in the games.

[GretnaGrn]

I found myself thinking more about this and realized/remembered how, even at a high level (D1 college), things like this need to be practiced. "You do in games what you do in practice."

For instance, if there was a game where we did not rebound well, we would do drills in practice where we'd work on rebounding; simple, seemingly-grade school-level stuff like "two guys are up, coaches pass the ball around on the perimeter, and then one coach throws ball up on the board, you both compete to go get it". We did loose ball drills and charging drills too. Some of it was completely mindless and seemed silly, like "college players don't need to practice stuff like that". But it made a difference... we'd always rebound better or make more "hustle plays" the next game or two or three.

Then I realized, I bet MD never did stuff like that, for this exact reason. He was so used to coaching at the NBA level where you literally would consider stuff like that beneath you, or view it as "you are being paid to hustle and do the simple grade school fundamental stuff, so we're not practicing it". I suspect MD thought that college-level players were past those types of drills as well - and for that reason, he likely never ran many drills for simple rebounding, or diving for balls or taking charges. And if you don't practice it, the players don't do it well in the games.

Sounds far too true. Also interesting that they've started practicing it IMMEDIATELY once Hunter had his guys in place. It's sending a message about what he wants this team to be.

I'm far more excited about next season that I ever expected to be when it ended, by a HUGE margin. I don't know how many we'll win, but it'll be a lot more interesting.

[NJwave]

The more I see what Hunter is doing the more I realize Dunleavy had no clue how the college game was played. I would expect every team in the country to run drills where guys practice taking a charge. I also would expect any coach to get on a player in practice if he didn't dive for a loose ball.

I have no idea whether it translates to wins in year one, but I will guarantee our opponents won't play harder than we do. Outside of Sehic, we could probably count on one hand the number of charges taken by the rest of the team last year.

[PeteRasche]

I'm far more excited about next season that I ever expected to be when it ended, by a HUGE margin.

Yeah, it's amazing... It's not even a difference from barely positive to more positive, it's "very positive" up from "utterly negative".

On another note, I'm disappointed that people have seen my post above regarding our practice habits and MD's pro mindset and haven't yet posted the Iverson "practice?!?" link yet!

[gerryb323]

I'm far more excited about next season that I ever expected to be when it ended, by a HUGE margin.

Yeah, it's amazing... It's not even a difference from barely positive to more positive, it's "very positive" up from "utterly negative".

On another note, I'm disappointed that people have seen my post above regarding our practice habits and MD's pro mindset and haven't yet posted the Iverson "practice?!?" link yet!

Do you think I just lurk here constantly?!

[CT Wave]

You talkin' 'bout practice?!

[TUPF]

Huge believer in constant practice. Like Pete said, you play like you practice and no detail is too small.

When we had a problem on my submarine while deep under the Arctic ice and rather than pucker, we “played like we practiced” and cleaned out our skivvies later.

[Poseidon]

[NJwave]

Noticed the roster up on official site. Koka listed an inch taller than last year, Zhang at 6’10 which I believe is two inches taller and a few of the guys listed as taller than I remember when they signed. Perhaps Hunter is a coach that likes to take some liberties with those things, but it sure would be nice if those heights are accurate. Somehow if Hunter can turn Koka in to a legit shot blocker and rim protector guys could take even more chances on defense. He will never be an offensive threat, but if he could be close to what Brimah was at UCONN it would be huge.

[Baywave1]

Hunter's opening speech to team: "Men, Today we record roster stats for the media guide. Put your shoes on."

[long green]

Hunter strikes me as exactly the sort to inflate roster heights. He’s effusive, almost in a clinical sense. What I want to see is who among the returning players (if there are any ;) ) makes a big leap forward. When a team makes a positive coaching change - almost anything would qualify here - usually some returning player shows you something you didn’t know he had. With the (thankfully) slim pickings here this is down to Koka and Zhang. If it’s the former we have a real rim protector who can sneak in some offense; if it’s the latter we have primary scoring option which will be much more important next year than this upcoming year.

[G-wave]

I don't think HT ranks over talent . Just saw a team win the NBA championship with the shortes Guards I ever saw.

[sr]

Ranking of High-Major MBB Coaching Hires - brought to light by FTW

https://cbbcentral.com/2019/06/17/ranki ... ing-hires/

[gerryb323]

Ranking of High-Major MBB Coaching Hires - brought to light by FTW

https://cbbcentral.com/2019/06/17/ranki ... ing-hires/

Not bad considering the names above us. Can't say I would agree that Howard should be above. On the level of Stackhouse, I would think.

[GreenieBacker]

in order to succeed at Tulane you have to be willing to work very, very hard. You just csn't mail it in. Hunter strikes me as a guy who doesn't shy away from hard work which makes him a good fit here.

[TUPF]

Ranking of High-Major MBB Coaching Hires - brought to light by FTW

https://cbbcentral.com/2019/06/17/ranki ... ing-hires/

Not bad considering the names above us. Can't say I would agree that Howard should be above. On the level of Stackhouse, I would think.

Wow, I’ve been preoccupied so missed Martelli hired as an assistant at Michigan. That’s a helluva X and O guy to help Juwann Howard through the inevitable bumps.

[PeteRasche]

Ranking of High-Major MBB Coaching Hires - brought to light by FTW

https://cbbcentral.com/2019/06/17/ranki ... ing-hires/

Interesting that they ranked Brannen so high at Cincinnati. Most of their fans already seem to have turned against him after all the former Huggins players got in a tizzy about Nick Van Exel not getting the job. Of course I think he gets put above us just because they can't rank us (with how bad we've been and their mentioned disdain for us) higher than the league champion.

[sr]

Sterling's latest rack-up of players and offers …