Preseason Poll - Mason voted 10th

[MasonFanatic]

I am sorry to do this but come on man...... Relvao was 1-1 from the field and 2-2 from the free throw line in 7 mins in total in the A-10 tournament with 0 rebounds, 0 blocks and 2 personal fouls..... He made one decent drop step layup if I remember correctly..... But being excited about what you say in the A10 tournament is just weak. "He looked more than competent defensively, and he had a few nice post moves, even if the shots didn't fall." Like you are just making things up with your post

Sorry, I may have been remembering the wrong game. Either way, there was a game where he completely changed the momentum during a 2 or 3 minute spurt in the middle of the first half while Jalen was in foul trouble. The game could have gotten away, but instead Relvao positively affected several possessions in a row by altering shots and causing a fast break.

I am in no way making things up. I am speaking of observations from his limited playing time over the last month of the season. Things that I saw by watching the games in person. Things you can't possibly know from looking at a box score six months later. Don't ever tell me I'm making things up if your only evidence is a box score.

 

[MasonSAE4]

The idea that we can have a position on the floor that is an offensive black hole and any points they contribute are "bonus" is crazy. Otis and Jaire showed they can be effective scorers, but they also had an offensively competent player at the 5 and Marquis was constantly getting double teamed. Essentially three opposition defenders were guarding four of our players. We can't go back to having five opposition players guarding four of ours. Like it or not, the 5 spot is going to have to contribute 8-10 points a game, if for no other reason than keeping the defense honest.

 

[GMUSig03]

The idea that we can have a position on the floor that is an offensive black hole and any points they contribute are "bonus" is crazy. Otis and Jaire showed they can be effective scorers, but they also had an offensively competent player at the 5 and Marquis was constantly getting double teamed. Essentially three opposition defenders were guarding four of our players. We can't go back to having five opposition players guarding four of ours. Like it or not, the 5 spot is going to have to contribute 8-10 points a game, if for no other reason than keeping the defense honest.

Valid point, but I don't think you can ever not guard the 5. They are within a few feet of the basket and they will dunk it if left unguarded. I think your analogy is more fitting for a guard with no outside shot, kinda like how teams sagged off of Moore last year (with the 2nd defender ready to come help once he starting driving).

Offensively, Relvao just has to be able to catch the ball when he is open, put back the occasional offensive rebound and score every now and then on entry passes when he is one on one. I think that is still realistically within our hopes for his production this year.

 

[MasonSAE4]

Valid point, but I don't think you can ever not guard the 5. They are within a few feet of the basket and they will dunk it if left unguarded. I think your analogy is more fitting for a guard with no outside shot, kinda like how teams sagged off of Moore last year (with the 2nd defender ready to come help once he starting driving).

Offensively, Relvao just has to be able to catch the ball when he is open, put back the occasional offensive rebound and score every now and then on entry passes when he is one on one. I think that is still realistically within our hopes for his production this year.

You always have to guard the 5, but to what extent is the question. Defenders will lag off of Relvao if he can’t hit sitters or be a constant threat to drop step and score. That will have a negative effect on corner shooters (particularly Grayer) when defenders get that extra step on them to close them down or can step up earlier if someone decides to drive the paint.

 

[gmujim92]

The idea that we can have a position on the floor that is an offensive black hole and any points they contribute are "bonus" is crazy. Otis and Jaire showed they can be effective scorers, but they also had an offensively competent player at the 5 and Marquis was constantly getting double teamed. Essentially three opposition defenders were guarding four of our players. We can't go back to having five opposition players guarding four of ours. Like it or not, the 5 spot is going to have to contribute 8-10 points a game, if for no other reason than keeping the defense honest.

You can want things to be however you want them to be. I'm telling you the way things are with the current roster.

At the moment, we don't have anyone at the 5 who is both eligible and a consistent threat to score in post-up situations.

That doesn't mean we will be playing 4 on 5, just that the four guards are going to be taking most of the shots. That's actually a good thing.

 

[MasonSAE4]

You can want things to be however you want them to be. I'm telling you the way things are with the current roster.

At the moment, we don't have anyone at the 5 who is both eligible and a consistent threat to score in post-up situations.

That doesn't mean we will be playing 4 on 5, just that the four guards are going to be taking most of the shots. That's actually a good thing.

I'm not saying that won't be the case, I just see us struggling for this season (at least to replicate last seasons results). When Calixte has a season under his belt and Reuter is eligible we'll be in great shape.

 

[gmujim92]

I'm not saying that won't be the case, I just see us struggling for this season (at least to replicate last seasons results). When Calixte has a season under his belt and Reuter is eligible we'll be in great shape.

Whatever we lose offensively from not having Jalen at the 5, we will more than make up for defensively from having a legit 4 instead of having to rotate guards at that spot and getting mauled by bigger teams.

If our young bigs can adequately defend the paint, I think we're going to be just as good as last season if not better.

 

[GMUgemini]

We are going to find out pretty quickly what we have in Calixte and Relvao this year.

 

[Patriot8]

We are going to find out pretty quickly what we have in Calixte and Relvao this year.

That is almost never the case with underclassmen bigs though. They are incredibly tough to predict.

 

[MasonSAE4]

We are going to find out pretty quickly what we have in Calixte and Relvao this year.

Relvao, yes. Calixte gets this year as a growing year though.

 

[Relvao_Make_Basket]

Whatever we lose offensively from not having Jalen at the 5, we will more than make up for defensively from having a legit 4 instead of having to rotate guards at that spot and getting mauled by bigger teams.

We have a legit 4?

 

[Patriot05]

We have a legit 4?

Maybe by this time next year...

 

[GSII]

Any word if Revalo is moving better this year compared to last year. I read something about him not being fully healed from knee surgery.

 

[gmujim92]

We have a legit 4?

If you don't think AJ is a legit 4, you know nothing about basketball.

Regardless of what he provides on offense, his impact on the defensive end will be immediate.

 

[Pikapppatri8]

I think we finish 4 or 5 -- all this 10 slot talk is pure vcu inspired bullshit.

In fact this assessment smells like something yanked out of a dead hobo's a** found somewhere on Floyd Avenue after a street art festival.

 

[Patriot05]

Any word if Revalo is moving better this year compared to last year. I read something about him not being fully healed from knee surgery.

Is he even on the team, wasn't at Mason Madness

 

[GSII]

Is he even on the team, wasn't at Mason Madness

He was sick.

 

[Mason2005]

vcu predicted to finish 4th and they just got blasted by Liberty. Preseason rankings mean nothing.

https://mobile.twitter.com/VCURamNation/status/923725944115699712

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[dr. gunnie]

Preseason rankings mean as much as preseason scrimmages.

 

[Pikapppatri8]

vcu predicted to finish 4th and they just got blasted by Liberty. Preseason rankings mean nothing.

https://mobile.twitter.com/VCURamNation/status/923725944115699712

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That makes my heart feel warm and fuzzy.