MBB Game 19: WF at GT - Wednesday Jan 19 7 pm - ESPNU

i don't think it's controversial to say message boards are amazingly reactionary and whitt is probably an extreme because he doesn't play a ton of minutes, is low-usage and was a big recruit so his sample sizes that get blown out of proportion are even smaller than most players.

i've generally been on the pro-whitt camp in that i think he's playable and has some potential, but he's really closer to ervin murray than anything else. agree that whitt's ability to be a competent 3-pt shooter (honestly just being north of 30% might suffice) is gonna be big for him. and while murray couldn't shoot a lick, he did have an AST/TO ratio (a metric I don't necessarily love but it's okay enough short-hand) of 2:1, while Whitt is right at 1:1.

imo, alondes is a really, really solid modern-style point guard and is really advanced with his knowledge of the game. listen to his post-game comments yesterday (starts at 8:26)

Whitt was a top 100/top 75 recruit and top 10 nationally as PG. He was also a pretty good scorer in HS. Averaged 22 points per game. After the season he needs to take a few weeks, go home and find his shooting touch.

Alondes is now averaging 17.9 pts, 7.1 reb, 6.0 asts on .495 fg in 8 ACC games.

Alondes is just a stud basketball player. He hasn't been here long, but I'd put him on my all time Deacon roster. He can just flat out play ball.

Very tight group which is pretty awesome considering alot of them are together for the first time. Credit coaching for that and recruiting the right guys. Manman is the man in crunch time

saus21 said:

Very tight group which is pretty awesome considering alot of them are together for the first time. Credit coaching for that and recruiting the right guys. Manman is the man in crunch time

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It's a real asset to have a guy who can get a bucket, either for himself or for a team mate because he attracts so much defensive attention. Final play in the Charlotte game is exhibit #1.

saus21 said:

Very tight group which is pretty awesome considering alot of them are together for the first time. Credit coaching for that and recruiting the right guys. Manman is the man in crunch time

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Forbes talked about building chemistry at some point. Has the kids over for ping-pong. Required team meals with no devices and assigned seats (which rotate, so everyone sits next to different teammates all the time. You can tell it is paying off.

Forbes picked up a lot of strategies for building teams on the fly from his time at JUCOs.

PhDeac said:

Alondes is now averaging 17.9 pts, 7.1 reb, 6.0 asts on .495 fg in 8 ACC games.

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It is sad he really has no shot at winning player of the year because regardless they will give it to a Dukie as a little dick jerk for coach K.

I

WFcatamount22 said:

It is sad he really has no shot at winning player of the year because regardless they will give it to a Dukie as a little dick jerk for coach K.

I

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Seems like (the way too early) POY race is between Banchero, ManMan, and Devoe?

I’d take out DeVoe and add Wendell Moore Jr. unless Tech finishes top 6. Probably add Bacot and Wong or McGusty just in case.

PhDeac said:

I’d take out DeVoe and add Wendell Moore Jr. unless Tech finishes top 6. Probably add Bacot and Wong or McGusty just in case.

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Yeah. Miami isn't beating teams with smoke and mirrors. Isaiah Wong and Kameron McGusty have been the main drivers of their season.

Moore has dropped off considerably in conference games. 12.2 PPG, 5.5 REB, 3.7 AST per game. None of those are top 25 in the league. I think Banchero, ManMan, Bacot, Wong or McGusty are the only viable candidates. Aluma is putting up great numbers, but unless VT turns it around he won’t be in the discussion.

I don't think Moore will stay down and I don't know the extent to which voters use Conference Only stats. Plus they'll put two Dukies on the team regardless.