Ok, excellent win first off. Atmosphere was great, but wasn’t completely packed.
This team could be better than last year’s group by the end of the season. I say “could be” because it all depends on the gelling factor. Nick King is as good as advertised out of high school. You just can’t stop the kid. He is a machine. He sat pretty significant minutes, and still scored at a high clip considering. I love that the staff will jump all over him and really coach him up. You can tell they ride him so he makes smarter decisions so he can be more successful.
We beat a tourney team tonight. I spoke with the buddy of mine who is an assistant at FGCU and he did say the staff feels this is their most talented team they have had. They will win a lot of games this year and have a strong non-conf schedule. They will also have a transfer who is eligible at the end of the semester who is a difference maker.
Giddy is in a tough spot right now. He hasn’t produced the numbers we are used to, but we are seeing more point production from Dixon, Gamble, and Simmons than we expected. Also King is averaging over 20ppg. Giddy will be fine. He hits big shots. It may just be more of the fact that A. He is bringing the ball up more or B. He is forcing shots because he knows his point totals are lower so they aren’t happening inside the rhythm of the offense or C. A combo of A and B.
I am telling you though... IF Walters plays to his potential he is UNSTOPPABLE inside. He manhandled the 2 6-10 240/250 guy’s physically tonight. He really made a couple of silly fouls freshmen tend to make. I believe he is going to get it soon. He is too danged good not to. If Walters does get it, between him, Giddy, and King we could see more than 1 tourney win this year. I’m talking 2nd weekend.
The bench will begin to shorten a bit soon. Shelton-Scmitt is going to be good in the future, but I’m not sure he can physically take the punishment game in and out in the rotation. Gamble has improved SO much since last year which really helps the bench. Sims needs to make the rotation to get Dixon rest, and I think he can do that. I think we have settled on the starters and Hawthorne, Johnson, Simmons, and Gamble as the bench guys. There is a spot for a PG as well off the bench. Right now Shelton-Schmidt has been the other reserve guard.
Let me tell you. This group can be the real deal. We have to figure out each other as a group, but the way this staff manages that has been proven successful.
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