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Post by luhoopsfan on Nov 24, 2018 1:43:35 GMT -5
I have to ask, is this the worst team ever fielded by the school? Granted, I have only been closely following the team since 1994/95, but I don’t ever remember such a horrible start where the team just looks SO bad getting beat.
I was oddly encouraged by the opening night game against TU and shocked by the homecoming loss. If you told me we would play Florida, Miami and Northwestern this season I would expect to not win any of those games. However, the WAY we are losing is just so bad that I have to ask the first question.
This team is absolutely AWFUL at shooting the basketball. The offense actually generates good looks, the players couldn’t throw it in the pacific standing on the Santa Monica pier this weekend.
They cannot guard anyone on the perimeter and it’s leading to easy baskets or passes inside. They are getting blown out regularly and I now worry if we will win a game the whole season. So, is this the worst team ever and why are they so bad?78. and why should we hope this will change?
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Post by durenduren on Nov 24, 2018 2:34:32 GMT -5
Gut feeling on the total product - yes.
But the long term outlook is much more positive than what the open-ended mediocrity that the tail-end of the Giannini era offered. For those reasons, it's palatable.
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Post by walkon on Nov 24, 2018 6:53:00 GMT -5
Gut feeling on the total product - yes. But the long term outlook is much more positive than what the open-ended mediocrity that the tail-end of the Giannini era offered. For those reasons, it's palatable. For some reason I think we would have taken the Lafayette or Drexel game under G. I always felt like we usually won a few of the cupcake games at least. This is hard.
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Post by jimmywhispers on Nov 24, 2018 7:28:18 GMT -5
I have to ask, is this the worst team ever fielded by the school? Granted, I have only been closely following the team since 1994/95, but I don’t ever remember such a horrible start where the team just looks SO bad getting beat. I was oddly encouraged by the opening night game against TU and shocked by the homecoming loss. If you told me we would play Florida, Miami and Northwestern this season I would expect to not win any of those games. However, the WAY we are losing is just so bad that I have to ask the first question. This team is absolutely AWFUL at shooting the basketball. The offense actually generates good looks, the players couldn’t throw it in the pacific standing on the Santa Monica pier this weekend. They cannot guard anyone on the perimeter and it’s leading to easy baskets or passes inside. They are getting blown out regularly and I now worry if we will win a game the whole season. So, is this the worst team ever and why are they so bad?78. and why should we hope this will change? 1995-96 team was 6-24 1971-72 team was 6-19 They got a shot
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Post by explorer88 on Nov 24, 2018 8:05:06 GMT -5
This is by far the worst La Salle team I have seen. Been following the program since 84-85.
We have to come to grips that this year is a complete wash. I was hoping this year would not be a wash and we would see progression quicker and by year end we would be generally excited and exploding for 2019-2020 to start.
It appears all of that is a year away and behind schedule. Mostly because of the defense. We are so bad defensively it won’t be fixed this year or close to being fixed this year. We have players that transcend Ash and G that will not or are incapable of playing defense. The only way that gets fixed is new players. We have no scholarships available and as of now just three new players next year. I would expect that to change by Spring.
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Post by jellybean on Nov 24, 2018 8:32:42 GMT -5
New players for next year are two recruits (Ray and Stone) and two sitting out (Clark and Spencer).
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Post by GlitterBro #2 on Nov 24, 2018 8:38:29 GMT -5
This is a tough out-of-conference schedule with a new coach, young players, and some players who don't want to play defense on a team that needs that. I'm not ready to say "worst team ever", especially when I saw stretches in some of these games (not Florida or Miami) of some positive things. The way the team closed the game with Northwestern showed me they weren't willing to just roll over - that's a positive and in the past few years, that happened more often than not.
Above where someone said G could've won the games with Drexel and Layafette...are our memories that short to forget home losses in the past few years to Texas Southern, Manhattan, Drexel, and Penn? Those were much worse losses because we had a more talented team on the floor.
Our defensive numbers have improved slightly...the past few years we were in the below 300 in 3pt defense. We are much are above that now and forcing some turnovers. If we can figure out the back doors and dunks, our defense should get us some wins...but it will take some time.
A team that's the "worst team" is one that under-performs the expectations (think the post Sweet 16 teams), gives up, and doesn't show improvement.
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Post by walkon on Nov 24, 2018 8:54:42 GMT -5
I just am struggling to find any positives. Great group of guys, but I don’t see any strengths here. It isn’t a knock to the staff, as it is kind of a disjointed roster with transfers, different roles, and none of Ash’s recruits. But really, I can’t find anything we are doing well.
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Post by fvp47 on Nov 24, 2018 9:02:19 GMT -5
It would seem that if you take last years team that had defensive issues subtract Amar, Tony, Johanny and BJ replace with freshmen and guys who have not played together this is where you are. Add to that the lack of Saul it does not improve. Add in a new coach this is not a formula for early season success. I have faith that Bill and the administration made the right move here. Onward
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Post by diehardexplorer on Nov 24, 2018 9:07:51 GMT -5
early results are certainly disappointing but let's give the team and coaches a chance to turn things around. they still have at least 25 games left to play.
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Post by broderickpresident on Nov 24, 2018 9:10:20 GMT -5
We’re currently 11.65 points worse than an average team. That’s nearly twice as bad as the worst team in school history by this measure, which is the 2015-16 team: www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/la-salle/The 1995-96 team was 6-24 but they played a really tough schedule (a-10 was loaded at the time). That team beat 3 ncaa tournament teams, including two that won tourney games (Princeton and Marquette). The other win over a tourney team was over GW with red smith out hurt and walk-on Steve fromal plating a perfect game. That team was short on talent and couldn’t hit shots but speedy coached them up many nights
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Post by explorerman on Nov 24, 2018 9:17:01 GMT -5
Boy the lack of shooters is evident.. You are correct they are producing good looks but not converting... Sadly it is very hard to teach that in college.. You either have it already or you don’t..
You can’t hit the reset button on program until the players are involved with needing the reset are gone..
With all being said, I do believe this was needed and we will have better times ahead..
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Post by mookie on Nov 24, 2018 9:17:02 GMT -5
I was thinking the same thing last night...couldn’t recall ever a team that started off 0-6. But i do recall a team that lost that many (and maybe as many as 8) in a row during the season. If the team managed to play .500 the rest of the way, that’s quite an accomplishment and theoretically, would show improvement to build on for next season, especially if it’s led by the underclassmen.
Still think there is hope for some role changes/definition that could potentially lead to success, may not show itself this year but would lay the groundwork for next.
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Post by broderickpresident on Nov 24, 2018 9:27:55 GMT -5
I was thinking the same thing last night...couldn’t recall ever a team that started off 0-6. But i do recall a team that lost that many (and maybe as many as 8) in a row during the season. If the team managed to play .500 the rest of the way, that’s quite an accomplishment and theoretically, would show improvement to build on for next season, especially if it’s led by the underclassmen. Still think there is hope for some role changes/definition that could potentially lead to success, may not show itself this year but would lay the groundwork for next. 1995-96 was 0-6 then shocked a really good Marquette team in Atlantic City. Hope we don’t have to wait til Atlantic City for a win this year
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Post by mookie on Nov 24, 2018 9:36:49 GMT -5
I was thinking the same thing last night...couldn’t recall ever a team that started off 0-6. But i do recall a team that lost that many (and maybe as many as 8) in a row during the season. If the team managed to play .500 the rest of the way, that’s quite an accomplishment and theoretically, would show improvement to build on for next season, especially if it’s led by the underclassmen. Still think there is hope for some role changes/definition that could potentially lead to success, may not show itself this year but would lay the groundwork for next. 1995-96 was 0-6 then shocked a really good Marquette team in Atlantic City. Hope we don’t have to wait til Atlantic City for a win this year Showing your age there I started following the program just a couple years later though...think it was the 97/98 year when they won maybe 9 games.
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Post by thelasallelunatic on Nov 24, 2018 9:46:02 GMT -5
This team has a 6 year senior, a 5th senior, 2 transfers from the Big East and SEC, a junior that has played in his first 2 years in the program, 2 sophomores that played last year, and 2 freshmen.
On paper, it has to be better than a team of
Steven Smith Jermaine Thomas MSJ Tab Cunningham Lew Fadipe Sherm Diaz Sean Neal Roman Narmbaye Darnell Harris
Counting tomorrow and Nova as losses, this team is going to have to basically play 500 after next week to get to 10 wins. It's hard to envision that happening.
The theme seemed to be that Giannini left the program on solid ground. This year makes a pretty strong argument against that.
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Post by explorer88 on Nov 24, 2018 10:09:11 GMT -5
Steven Smith was by far better than any player on this team.
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Post by mookie on Nov 24, 2018 10:14:06 GMT -5
Steven Smith was by far better than any player on this team. I’d actually take Steve, JT and Darnell over everybody on this team at their current level and not based on potential.
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Post by thelasallelunatic on Nov 24, 2018 10:16:02 GMT -5
Steven Smith was by far better than any player on this team. He's the best player of the past 15 years. However, the bottom of those rotations were dreck.
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Post by explorer88 on Nov 24, 2018 10:16:39 GMT -5
I just am struggling to find any positives. Great group of guys, but I don’t see any strengths here. It isn’t a knock to the staff, as it is kind of a disjointed roster with transfers, different roles, and none of Ash’s recruits. But really, I can’t find anything we are doing well. I am not sure I agree. Mosley and Beatty are Ash recruits. I know getting a job in April is hard to land recruits and decent players but it can be done. Just look at our conference. Duquesne’s coach landed two really good players in the late Spring 2 years ago. Those kids are the foundation of an improving program. Ash needs more than 6 games. We all agree. It is tough for fans with not a lot to root for and has been waiting almost 6 years since the Sweet 16 to stay patient. We just need to step back and tell ourselves this is going to take some more time.
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Post by explorer88 on Nov 24, 2018 10:19:49 GMT -5
Steven Smith was by far better than any player on this team. He's the best player of the past 15 years. However, the bottom of those rotations were dreck. Yes but you are underselling the top. Smith was far superior and both Jermaine Thomas and Lewis Fadipe would play significant minutes on this team. Fadipe would automatically become your best defender.
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MisterD
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Post by MisterD on Nov 24, 2018 10:22:22 GMT -5
It’s humiliating. We look like a program with a first time head coach and a roster that was sub .500 with a near-NBA best player.
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Post by JoeFedorowicz on Nov 24, 2018 11:11:33 GMT -5
. The theme seemed to be that Giannini left the program on solid ground. This year makes a pretty strong argument against that. Giannini’s teams, absent maybe four of the years, had absolutely no identity. I think Ash Howard knows what he wants to do, he just has to find guys to do it right.
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Post by Fastchuck on Nov 24, 2018 11:14:34 GMT -5
[/quote] 1995-96 team was 6-24 1971-72 team was 6-19 They got a shot
[/quote] Showing my age, but that '71-'72 was awful. Mostly freshmen (maybe sophomores because freshmen did not play) like Joe DiCocco, Frank Moffatt and Joe Rapczynski along with Jim Crawford. This was the year after the Durrett era and would have been Westhead's first recruiting class. Lost their first 4 and their last 8. However, Westhead managed to bring in Charlie Wise and Joe Bryant after that year and things improved dramatically.
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Post by JoeFedorowicz on Nov 24, 2018 11:16:16 GMT -5
Mosley and Beatty are Ash recruits. Cheddi Mosley is averaging 17 minutes per game. He’s a one year rental to fill minutes Beatty, I think everyone expected more but to judge Howard on two guys when he got the job in April is laughable.
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Post by explorer88 on Nov 24, 2018 11:27:58 GMT -5
Mosley and Beatty are Ash recruits. Cheddi Mosley is averaging 17 minutes per game. He’s a one year rental to fill minutes Beatty, I think everyone expected more but to judge Howard on two guys when he got the job in April is laughable. I am not judging him. It is crazy to judge a coach on April recruits. You are putting words in my mouth. What is laughable is you read it that way. Both are his recruits. I understand Moseley is a one year fill in. The post was that Ash has had no say or impact on this roster. That certainly is not the case. I was Not bashing Ash.
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Post by GlitterBro #2 on Nov 24, 2018 11:36:27 GMT -5
I hate the whole premise of this thread 6 games in
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Post by theneumann64 on Nov 24, 2018 11:37:11 GMT -5
I mean, I don’t disagree there’s not much positive right now in the first 6 games. But the best anybody reasonably could’ve expected us to be right now is 2-4.
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Post by coqui900 on Nov 24, 2018 13:52:03 GMT -5
That 95-96 team was my first year at La Salle. They were brutal. But they had some reasons behind that year. It was the first year in the A-10 from the wilderness that was the MCC. And home games were at the old Convention Center in West Philly.
Want to talk crappy facilities? Those years are the example. Home games my first few years were either at that arena slated for demolition (it was a cool building) or The Spectrum that was always 90 percent empty. They were also starting to build Gola and the team had to play at different rec centers for practice.
This is brutal. They do not look like they care at all. The coaches don’t either. I get that it is the first year for Ash and that it was a crappy team last year now minus a NBA-caliber player. But this team doesn’t have any spirit.
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Post by diehardexplorer on Nov 24, 2018 14:13:12 GMT -5
They do not look like they care at all. The coaches don’t either. I get that it is the first year for Ash and that it was a crappy team last year now minus a NBA-caliber player. But this team doesn’t have any spirit. that's a load of horseshit.
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