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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Parts Unknown

    Already looking forward!

    this was a very good article in today's N&O. The players are already making plans to improve next years team...good for them!

    Devils plan to be leaders
    When Gerald Henderson and Jon Scheyer walked off the basketball court at the Verizon Center, arms around each other, talking and reassuring, after Duke's 73-67 loss to West Virginia on Saturday, the scene sent a powerful sign about where the Blue Devils were headed.
    "This tournament, I guess it gives us a little more experience than last year," Henderson said. "I think that we're ready to take on more of a leadership role."
    Zoubek said Saturday that he will work on improving his leg strength and also will hone his skills at big-man camps in Las Vegas and Florida. He believes, after missing nine games this season and playing sparingly as a freshman, he also needs to play, so he'll look to join summer leagues either in Philadelphia, near his New Jersey home, or in Raleigh.
    King said he would work on his quickness and strength, as well as on more ways to get to the basket off the dribble.

  2. #2
    At least we'll be getting a head start over those lazy bums at UNC

  3. #3
    I too enjoyed this article and felt a little better about our lot when I read it. I'm no bb ghuru and I have not won 3 national championships but all of this sounds good to me.

    Zoubek: I was thinking Sunday that it would be great for him to accompany the coaches to the National team practices as it prepares for the Olympics and get some pointers but in reality I was thinking he really needs to go to some big man camps and continue working on foot speed, balance, and strength below the waist. I like what he is planning on doing. He and Thomas have to be hearing the "no inside game" and "poor post-play" statements by nearly every mouthpiece associated with college ball. That would fire me up... I wouldn't want that finger pointed at me.

    King: Call JJ. He had to do the same thing. But you have to work like a dog to make that happen.

    I think a lot depends on Thomas and Zoubek. More of the same or a little better w/o improvement here. If Zoubs makes Aaron Gray like progress and Thomas gains 10-15 solid pounds with a short jumper (I think he has that in his skill-set) we'll be OK. If Czyz can provide 5-7 minutes per game of solid D, good FT shooting, and most of all, good rebounding (he doesn't need to score - nice if he can but his points will come on putbacks or open floor dunks) we'll have a nice piece of depth.

    I'm going to avoid the whole "recruiting big man" jazz b/c it is being talked about ad nauseum and I cannot add anything to it. We need a threat offensively inside. Plain and simple. You cannot be one of the 16 or better teams without:

    Scoring outside (we have this)
    Scoring inside (we lack this - you have to have inside/out)
    Defense (we have this)
    Penetration (could be better)
    Rebounding (we lack this)

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    NC
    Quote Originally Posted by vango View Post
    I too enjoyed this article and felt a little better about our lot when I read it. I'm no bb ghuru and I have not won 3 national championships but all of this sounds good to me.

    Zoubek: I was thinking Sunday that it would be great for him to accompany the coaches to the National team practices as it prepares for the Olympics and get some pointers but in reality I was thinking he really needs to go to some big man camps and continue working on foot speed, balance, and strength below the waist. I like what he is planning on doing. He and Thomas have to be hearing the "no inside game" and "poor post-play" statements by nearly every mouthpiece associated with college ball. That would fire me up... I wouldn't want that finger pointed at me.

    King: Call JJ. He had to do the same thing. But you have to work like a dog to make that happen.

    I think a lot depends on Thomas and Zoubek. More of the same or a little better w/o improvement here. If Zoubs makes Aaron Gray like progress and Thomas gains 10-15 solid pounds with a short jumper (I think he has that in his skill-set) we'll be OK. If Czyz can provide 5-7 minutes per game of solid D, good FT shooting, and most of all, good rebounding (he doesn't need to score - nice if he can but his points will come on putbacks or open floor dunks) we'll have a nice piece of depth.

    I'm going to avoid the whole "recruiting big man" jazz b/c it is being talked about ad nauseum and I cannot add anything to it. We need a threat offensively inside. Plain and simple. You cannot be one of the 16 or better teams without:

    Scoring outside (we have this)
    Scoring inside (we lack this - you have to have inside/out)
    Defense (we have this)
    Penetration (could be better)
    Rebounding (we lack this)
    We have a lot of keys this offseason. Zoubek needs to work on his lower body strength, his conditioning, and his footwork and moves around the basket. Thomas needs to get stronger all over and develop his offensive game. Henderson needs to get healthy and develop his offensive game to become the go-to guy on the wing. Scheyer needs to gain strength and confidence and expand his role as a playmaker. King needs to get quicker and diversify his offensive game. Smith needs to work on his playmaking and leadership, and get stronger. Singler needs to work on his post game and make sure he doesn't wear down in the second half. McClure needs to learn to be some sort of weapon on offense. Henderson, Smith, King, and Scheyer all need to learn how to shoot coming off of screens.

    But I agree that a lot depends on Zoubek/Thomas/Czyz. If two of them can become consistent presences, we become a MUCH more dangerous team. They don't even have to be great. They just have to make a consistent impact in games. If they can, then I think we'll be VERY good next year, as I think the backcourt and wing players will be fine.

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