Game 24: LaSalle University, SUNDAY, February 10th, 2 PM, Stadium/MASN

Dawgs99

Dawgs99

Starter
sleeperpick said:
Lasalle is pretty athletic. To match that I would love to trot out a lineup of Otis kier Greene Miller and AJ. No big man that will bully AJ and a lot of shot blocking opportunities since Lasalle runs a pick and pop offense. It will never happen and AJ probably won’t play a minute in the game. But a man Can still dream.

Some coaches just don’t know how to coach freak athletes. And no Muscala doesn’t count
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You really think because AJ is an athletic freak that DP and company really don't know how to use him? There's no chance that maybe AJ's lack of playing time recently has anything to do with his own short comings? Or that he's been banged up and under the weather? Coaches want to win more than anyone, often times their job depends on it.....If DP thought that at this point AJ was the missing link to more team success I'm sure we would see him more often. Obviously AJ has fallen out of favor....now its up to him to earn more time through practice. Its easy for people to get caught up in great athletic plays, but if your constantly out of position do those couple awesome blocks/dunks really make up for that? We did see AJ at the 4 against Richmond so maybe thats the solution to finding him more time. For the record, I love what AJ brings to the table from an athletic stand point and would love for him to regain the coaches confidence. Time will tell.
 
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P

phoenix-arizona

All-American
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masonjoe

masonjoe

Starter
Dawgs99 said:
You really think because AJ is an athletic freak that DP and company really don't know how to use him? There's no chance that maybe AJ's lack of playing time recently has anything to do with his own short comings? Or that he's been banged up and under the weather? Coaches want to win more than anyone, often times their job depends on it.....If DP thought that at this point AJ was the missing link to more team success I'm sure we would see him more often. Obviously AJ has fallen out of favor....now its up to him to earn more time through practice. Its easy for people to get caught up in great athletic plays, but if your constantly out of position do those couple awesome blocks/dunks really make up for that? We did see AJ at the 4 against Richmond so maybe thats the solution to finding him more time. For the record, I love what AJ brings to the table from an athletic stand point and would love for him to regain the coaches confidence. Time will tell.
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AJ sucks, can we just admit that now, total liability in too many situations
 
G

gmujim92

Hall of Famer
GIVING DAY 2023
sleeperpick said:
one of the old guard Mason fans who has no idea what he is talking about
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AJ certainly doesn’t suck and Masonjoe is a major troll, but I would take issue with your suggestion that the problem is DP doesn’t know how to use him.

Just my 2 cents, but having watched Miller for seven games, he just has much more natural feel for the game and the ability to be in the right spot than AJ. He gets 6-8 points every game just by the ball seeming to find him.

Even though they are roughly the same size, it’s obvious Miller is comfortable playing both inside and on the perimeter.

AJ’s issue is he’s physically a 4 but his background in AAU and HS ball was exclusively in the paint, so he doesn’t have the ball skills or the spatial awareness to play what for us is at least partially a perimeter position. He gets lost on D and blows way too many assignments.

He’s a classic tweener — unless he improves significantly in the offseason, I don’t see how he carves out a meaningful role for himself with Reuter, Calixte, Mar and Miller all coming back.
 
G

GMUgemini

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That’s what I was thinking about AJ, he’s stuck between two positions. And no matter where you put him, you put the squeeze on the rotation.

Next year, I’d love to see Miller playing the 3 and give more time at the 4 to whoever wins between AJ and Mar.
 
F

FreeGunston12

All-American
gmujim92 said:
AJ certainly doesn’t suck and Masonjoe is a major troll, but I would take issue with your suggestion that the problem is DP doesn’t know how to use him.

Just my 2 cents, but having watched Miller for seven games, he just has much more natural feel for the game and the ability to be in the right spot than AJ. He gets 6-8 points every game just by the ball seeming to find him.

Even though they are roughly the same size, it’s obvious Miller is comfortable playing both inside and on the perimeter.

AJ’s issue is he’s physically a 4 but his background in AAU and HS ball was exclusively in the paint, so he doesn’t have the ball skills or the spatial awareness to play what for us is at least partially a perimeter position. He gets lost on D and blows way too many assignments.

He’s a classic tweener — unless he improves significantly in the offseason, I don’t see how he carves out a meaningful role for himself with Reuter, Calixte, Mar and Miller all coming back.
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His greatest strength (shot blocking) is also his greatest weakness, relying on that ability instead of solid defensive positioning. I thought he made some strides in knowing when not to go after the block before breaking his nose earlier this year. After coming back, it seems to me that he’s just chasing blocks again.

He did give some solid minutes last game. Maybe he can show us some more today?
 
F

FreeGunston12

All-American
GMUgemini said:
That’s what I was thinking about AJ, he’s stuck between two positions. And no matter where you put him, you put the squeeze on the rotation.

Next year, I’d love to see Miller playing the 3 and give more time at the 4 to whoever wins between AJ and Mar.
Click to expand...
I wonder about Miller at the 3 as well. Think that’s got to be the plan for the starting line-up next year. I wonder if it’ll change the offensive game plan at all, as DP has been said to adapt his style to fit his players.
 
G

GMUgemini

Hall of Famer
⭐️ Donor ⭐️
FreeGunston12 said:
His greatest strength (shot blocking) is also his greatest weakness, relying on that ability instead of solid defensive positioning. I thought he made some strides in knowing when not to go after the block before breaking his nose earlier this year. After coming back, it seems to me that he’s just chasing blocks again.

He did give some solid minutes last game. Maybe he can show us some more today?
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This conversation reminds me a lot of Mike Morrison when he was a sophomore, except Morrison was a legit sized center so the tweeter label didn’t get put in him.

Great shock blocker? Check
Foul prone? Check
Undisciplined on defense? Check

He eventually put it all together on the defensive side of the ball and became a monster for us. Let’s hope the same thing happens with AJ.
 
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