He has been better every game so far. Still very much a work in progress, but you can see the talent getting adjusted every night...

 

 

Thanks. Didn't you say last year that this is a crucial year for Mick Cronin? What kind of season must the Bearcats have for him to keep his job, or am I way off here?

Thanks, but I was looking for a report on his first few games.

He was using his hand and not his feet on D in the 2 games before Maui, but that wasn't a problem at all the last 3 night. He has shown a very advanced overall game this week by playing great D, rebounding, showing great vision against the press and has made a few highlight scoring plays in the process.

 

He still tends to have that NYC playground tendency to pound the ball out top too much on some trips and stall the offense, but they are decreasing every game. That is equal part bad habit and equal part a young team still not confident in what they are doing as an opponent switches looks and the entire team tries to figure out what to do.

 

Overall I have been very impressed with Lance 5 games in. He isn't scoring at the clip most expected yet, but he is doing everything well and brings a toughness to the floor that UC has been missing since Jason Maxiel and Eric Hicks graduated...

He was using his hand and not his feet on D in the 2 games before Maui, but that wasn't a problem at all the last 3 night. He has shown a very advanced overall game this week by playing great D, rebounding, showing great vision against the press and has made a few highlight scoring plays in the process.

 

He still tends to have that NYC playground tendency to pound the ball out top too much on some trips and stall the offense, but they are decreasing every game. That is equal part bad habit and equal part a young team still not confident in what they are doing as an opponent switches looks and the entire team tries to figure out what to do.

 

Overall I have been very impressed with Lance 5 games in. He isn't scoring at the clip most expected yet, but he is doing everything well and brings a toughness to the floor that UC has been missing since Jason Maxiel and Eric Hicks graduated...

 

 

 

Any DeMarcus Cousins type outburst on or off the court?

Thanks. Didn't you say last year that this is a crucial year for Mick Cronin? What kind of season must the Bearcats have for him to keep his job, or am I way off here?

 

I don't think he is in trouble this year, but they need to make the tournament to keep the rebuilding process moving forward. Missing the dance with this much talent would turn the heat up big time next year with up to 4 key guys on this team exiting the program...

Any DeMarcus Cousins type outburst on or off the court?

 

Off the court Lance has been NOTHING like what I expected when it started to become clear he was going to land at UC. He has been a very normal kid that is really happy to be out of the 4 year fish bowl that was his youth in NYC.

 

On the court he has some big time old school toughness to his game that will bother some. After he fouls you hard, he isn't going to help you up. On the flip side I have seen several opponents try to bait him into confrontation and so far he has just smiled and walked away. Only 5 games in there, so we'll see if he keeps his head over the long haul...

Off the court Lance has been NOTHING like what I expected when it started to become clear he was going to land at UC. He has been a very normal kid that is really happy to be out of the 4 year fish bowl that was his youth in NYC.

 

On the court he has some big time old school toughness to his game that will bother some. After he fouls you hard, he isn't going to help you up. On the flip side I have seen several opponents try to bait him into confrontation and so far he has just smiled and walked away. Only 5 games in there, so we'll see if he keeps his head over the long haul...

 

I noticed when he gets the ball in the post he tends to slap the ball extremely hard :thumb:

The Maui with only having 2 ranked teams Vandy and Maryland even though I don't believe Vandy or Maryland are top 25 teams the quality of play was very good in my eyes. The 7 teams that are D-I in the tourney played some outstanding basketball even Colorado looked very improved from last year. I just thought without big ranked teams in the tourney it wouldn't be that exciting, but it was another great Maui tournament.

I noticed when he gets the ball in the post he tends to slap the ball extremely hard :thumb:

Lance is VERY intense on the court. He wants to win everything he is presented between the lines. He slaps the ball in the post. He claps his hands on big defensive possessions.

 

The real question is how will he act if they drop a few in a row. He HATES to lose, and he hasn't had to deal with that side much on his way to 4 NYC and 2 NY State titles in his career to this point.

 

And I will add this. I blasted Lance a lot before I got to know him for a lot of these same qualities, which come off from the outside as a lot more negative than from the inside. He's either going to make me look really smart for changing my tune or really stupid for not going on first instinct...

Didnt see much of this one, but seemed to be a good battle.

 

It was one of the weaker fields that the Maui Tourney has had, but as someone mentioned there were a couple of teams who will likely be dancing later this year, and I think UC will be one.

 

UC made a good showing for itself. Beat what I think is a pretty good Vandy team who some have said beat UNC in an exhibition scrimmage this preseason.

I dont think Maryland will amount to much...not enough help for Vasquez.

 

Gonzaga is trying to work in a lot of young players and are going to get better.

 

I think UC will be very much improved and will continue to improve. Very good showing for the Bearcats on the islands.

Didnt see much of this one, but seemed to be a good battle.

 

It was one of the weaker fields that the Maui Tourney has had, but as someone mentioned there were a couple of teams who will likely be dancing later this year, and I think UC will be one.

 

UC made a good showing for itself. Beat what I think is a pretty good Vandy team who some have said beat UNC in an exhibition scrimmage this preseason.

I dont think Maryland will amount to much...not enough help for Vasquez.

 

Gonzaga is trying to work in a lot of young players and are going to get better.

 

I think UC will be very much improved and will continue to improve. Very good showing for the Bearcats on the islands.

Most important for UC is they played HARD from start to finish all three nights in front of the ESPN talking heads. Perception tends to be reality in March, and they made their case in a strong fashion this week.

 

Only 5 games in December before they open Big East play against UConn on the 30th with X being the only real test on paper. Plenty of time in the gym to work out the kinks and get ready to make a run...

I've been impressed with them. FT shooting killed them last night.

I flipped over last night at the end of the Kentucky game. Man if they could have finished off that ally-oop from Stephenson it would have been nasty. The announcers will giving him all kind of grief for being young and throwing it, I thought it was a very smart play and a wonderful opportunity.

 

Looks like a foul.

 

So what, what's wrong with a little dosido?

 

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