Quote Originally Posted by Saratoga2 View Post
What we have seen to date is that our guard play is very solid and improving game to game. In addition, Ryan is an extremely valuable big man who can score, is money from the line, plays good defense and does his share of rebounding.

That leaves the Plumlee brothers who can either bring this team to really compete for a final four position and beyond or be just a good team. Both Plumlees are physical specimens who have obviously worked very hard on condiitoning and strength.

Adding to that, Mason catches the ball well and can make good passes. He has developed a jump hook that is hard to stop and is capable of thunder dunks. He doesn't seem to have mastered other moves around the basket and has happy feet when trying to line up other shot possibilities. He has a major weakness shooting from the line. One would think that anyone with the kind of time that he has in practice could do better than 30% from the line. Clearly, defenses can foul him without suffering much of a consequence. Please Mason, solve your free throw issues. While Mason loses his defensive position at times, his athleticism and effort alters what opponents can do against us inside. He doesn't foul all that much so overall he is a very good player who could bring this team further with just a few tweaks.

Miles is also a gifted athlete but has trouble catching the ball, holding it and doing much offensively when he gets it inside. Can he improve during the rest of his senior season. Zoubeck did so there is hope, but Miles hasn't had physical problems so it is unlikely. His fould shooting is also spotty but he doesn't get to the line that much since he is touching the ball less these days. Unfortunately, he has left 2-3 ppg at the line, but I doubt very much that he is unaware of this issue and hasn't been practising his free throw shooting. We are all hoping that will improve as the season goes on.

Let us hope that Mason and Miles can improve and play a more dominant role in the two key games to come next.

This team needs either Mason or Miles to step up their offensive games if it is to compete at the highest levels.

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I would hesitate to lump the Plumlees together too much in any analysis of them as IMO Mason has been one of the best and most consistent players on the team this year. I wouldn't make too many conclusions based on one game. I have been impressed with Mason's offensive game this year as well, as he has been taking the ball strong to the basket and has looked very confident, as if he feels he should dominate. He also has the spin move he has used effectively this year as well as the pump fake reverse dunk. I think he has enough moves to be effective.
He has left 2-3 ppg on the table by not being able to make free throws and we are all hoping that improves, but I doubt that it is a lack of practice that is the major issue.
I agree that this team could use Mason or Miles to step up their offensive games to win at the highest levels, and expect one or both of them will provide very good offense in most of the team's games this year.