As much as enjoy the potential that this year's team shows, it was painfully obvious tonight that the key to success this year will be Akeem Springs.
Adding Lynch and Curry up front has given us great depth up front. If Murphy can discontinue his habit of getting in foul trouble so quickly, he, along with the two newcomers will make a nice trio in the paint. Coffey is solid at the 3, and McBrayer and Mason should also be competitive as a starting backcourt.
The biggest concern I would have, were I coaching it, would be that there is ZERO depth behind McBrayer and Mason. I had heard about an out of control Springs in scrimmages, exhibitions and non-TV games, and unfortunately, Springs lived up to that tonight.
I expected so much more from a grad year transfer. Silly me.
Springs reminds me of Morris in that he is skilled enough to look good in an undisciplined game, but either too immature or too selfish to understand how to play the game without just looking to hoist it every time he touches it.
Gilbert is a stop gal who can play limited minutes, and Coffey, despite looking like a really nice 3, should not be a primary ball handler, so not sure what we're going to do when we get to the Big Ten games if/when one or both of our guards get banged up or in foul trouble.
If I'm Pitino, I'm continuing to throw Springs out there during the non-conference (though with a very short chain when it comes to poor decision making). We need him to be a reliable cog in the backcourt rotation if we have any hope of post-season play.
Other thoughts?
Adding Lynch and Curry up front has given us great depth up front. If Murphy can discontinue his habit of getting in foul trouble so quickly, he, along with the two newcomers will make a nice trio in the paint. Coffey is solid at the 3, and McBrayer and Mason should also be competitive as a starting backcourt.
The biggest concern I would have, were I coaching it, would be that there is ZERO depth behind McBrayer and Mason. I had heard about an out of control Springs in scrimmages, exhibitions and non-TV games, and unfortunately, Springs lived up to that tonight.
I expected so much more from a grad year transfer. Silly me.
Springs reminds me of Morris in that he is skilled enough to look good in an undisciplined game, but either too immature or too selfish to understand how to play the game without just looking to hoist it every time he touches it.
Gilbert is a stop gal who can play limited minutes, and Coffey, despite looking like a really nice 3, should not be a primary ball handler, so not sure what we're going to do when we get to the Big Ten games if/when one or both of our guards get banged up or in foul trouble.
If I'm Pitino, I'm continuing to throw Springs out there during the non-conference (though with a very short chain when it comes to poor decision making). We need him to be a reliable cog in the backcourt rotation if we have any hope of post-season play.
Other thoughts?
