Mike Williams

[PirateBlue08]

Well I don't think anyone predicted Mike Williams would be a starter in our first game. He looked good. Can shoot it a bit and just passed the overall eye test for a first look. I think we have three guards who might be somewhat overlapping and interchangeable with Staton-McCray, Williams, and Simpkins. All three seem pretty much even ability-wise after this limited sample size. Of course it remains to see if they will be effective against better competition. But having so many seemingly capable guards (in addition of course to Clark and even Parker), is a welcome change from last year. And a sophomore Felton as your third string PG/SG is much better than last year when we had a freshman Felton as your backup PG. If we had kept Dual on this team in any capacity I don't think I would have been able to tolerate watching for a second year in a row.

 

[Halldan]

Williams was being rewarded for his play in practice leading up to the game. I posted that last week on the Trove as was reported to me by someone close to the program.

 

[Piratz]

Well I don't think anyone predicted Mike Williams would be a starter in our first game. He looked good. Can shoot it a bit and just passed the overall eye test for a first look. I think we have three guards who might be somewhat overlapping and interchangeable with Staton-McCray, Williams, and Simpkins. All three seem pretty much even ability-wise after this limited sample size. Of course it remains to see if they will be effective against better competition. But having so many seemingly capable guards (in addition of course to Clark and even Parker), is a welcome change from last year. And a sophomore Felton as your third string PG/SG is much better than last year when we had a freshman Felton as your backup PG. If we had kept Dual on this team in any capacity I don't think I would have been able to tolerate watching for a second year in a row.

Simpkins looks like the most upside. He’s rangey and athletic, has a quick trigger too.

 

[jklings99]

I wasn’t surprised to see Williams start, but a lil shocked Simpkins only saw 18 mins. He was our best guard last night, imo. Parker (hope to be wrong) looks like he has the Middleton syndrome more name than game.

 

[Fishjam]

Just 1 game but this would be an interesting group.

Budd
Williams
Simpkins
Dar
Hines

 

[jklings99]

Just 1 game but this would be an interesting group.

Budd
Williams
Simpkins
Dar
Hines

Replace Dar with Fisher and I agree

 

[ivyhillpark63]

I like his game..

 

[Hall84]

Just 1 game but this would be an interesting group.

Budd
Williams
Simpkins
Dar
Hines

Replacing Williams with Fisher would be interesting also.
Really intrigued with Dar and he’s more of a 3 anyway.

 

[Halldan]

Replace Dar with Fisher and I agree

Don't sleep on Dar. He has major potential and plays excellent defense. Very heady player.

 

[jklings99]

Oh I agree. I just don’t want to see Dar at the 4 plus Fisher is our best/2nd best player.

 

[Seton75]

i liked dar. I saw a bunch of good stuff by guards but clark is the only one i recognize

 

[dehere23]

Don't sleep on Dar. He has major potential and plays excellent defense. Very heady player.

Do we ever have anyone who isn’t characterized as playing excellent defense, lol? More then half of last years team had that label and we weren’t good on D. By my count basically everyone but Clark and Felton has gotten that label now.

 

[Seton75]

Do we ever have anyone who isn’t characterized as playing excellent defense, lol? More then half of last years team had that label and we weren’t good on D. By my count basically everyone but Clark and Felton has gotten that label now.

Clark played good d last night. smart, fast footwork

 

[radecicco]

Clark played good d last night. smart, fast footwork

Agree but he almost had his ankles broken on that one cross over step back 3 in the first half.

 

[dehere23]

Clark played good d last night. smart, fast footwork

Certainly seemed he wasn't a liability, but I don't know how the competition plays into that. All I know is that we tend to overhype our players defensive ability, because the way things are stated at times we should basically be Houston-level defense every year. Except we aren't.

 

[Piratz]

Don't sleep on Dar. He has major potential and plays excellent defense. Very heady player.

He popped. Very athletic. I thought he played better than Fisher.

 

[Halldan]

In this game by far.

BTW, an NBA scout after the game took notice and said that other than Hines he has the most to offer at the next level.

 

[SPK145]

Dar and Felton were the only 2 rated negatively defensively against St. Peter's while Payne and Felton were the only 2 rated negatively offensively.

 

[halltheway]

How nice is it seeing a number of players having a good game.

 

[Seton75]

Certainly seemed he wasn't a liability, but I don't know how the competition plays into that. All I know is that we tend to overhype our players defensive ability, because the way things are stated at times we should basically be Houston-level defense every year. Except we aren't.

cant take fans so seriously. some of the things that have been said, even by coaches, are so ridiculous i disciunt them the second i read them. yet they are cited here forever

 

[Seton75]

Agree but he almost had his ankles broken on that one cross over step back 3 in the first half.

if we are on the same play i thought the spu guard clreared him out with an obvious push

 

[radecicco]

if we are on the same play i thought the spu guard clreared him out with an obvious push

It was close. The play was midway thru the 1st half.

 

[Fishjam]

Dar and Felton were the only 2 rated negatively defensively against St. Peter's while Payne and Felton were the only 2 rated negatively offensively.

Payne had a negative offensive rating? Which metric was that?

Only negative offensive ratings should have been Felton and AJ Staton-McCray. AJSM shot 1 for 7 with 1 assist and 1 TO in 23 minutes for an 86.4 KenPom O-Rating.

 

[jklings99]

Kenpom must be drunk

 

[Halldan]

Payne had a negative offensive rating? Which metric was that?

Only negative offensive ratings should have been Felton and AJ Staton-McCray. AJSM shot 1 for 7 with 1 assist and 1 TO in 23 minutes for an 86.4 KenPom O-Rating.

No one who watched the game could have complained one bit about Payne's offensive performance. To do so is a joke. Metrics be damned.

 

[Hall84]

Speaking of Kenpom we are now at 81.
Believe we started the season at 93.

 

[dehere23]

No one who watched the game could have complained one bit about Payne's offensive performance. To do so is a joke. Metrics be damned.

Admittedly, I don't know or follow the metrics as much as others here. And some I don't really understand, to be honest. But I agree with you. My eyes watching that game told me Payne was more than fine.

 

[Halldan]

Stats don't alway tell the story. But they did here. All anyone is talking about is Hines and to a degree understandably so. But this isn't too shabby either.

Stephon Payne - Seton Hall Pirates Forward - ESPN

View the profile of Seton Hall Pirates Forward Stephon Payne on ESPN. Get the latest news, live stats and game highlights.

www.espn.com

 

[The_Hall]

Clark played good d last night. smart, fast footwork

i think he's gonna be a liability vs big east competition.

 

[SPK145]

i think he's gonna be a liability vs big east competition.

I think Clark will be fine defensively in the Big East.

 

[The_Hall]

I think Clark will be fine defensively in the Big East.

hope so but logically that's more hopeful. some big guards these days

 

[NIL BAD]

Stats don't alway tell the story. But they did here. All anyone is talking about is Hines and to a degree understandably so. But this isn't too shabby either.

Stephon Payne - Seton Hall Pirates Forward - ESPN

View the profile of Seton Hall Pirates Forward Stephon Payne on ESPN. Get the latest news, live stats and game highlights.

www.espn.com

I thought Payne played well against St. Peters. Very active & much more athletic than I imagined he'd be.

It would be interesting to see Payne & Hines on the court at the same time but you can see that both will be prone to foul trouble based on how active they are. With no back up center I just don't think we can risk it.

Rebounding will be an issue this year. You could already tell during the St. Peters game. Not having a legit PF for 2 years in a row now is disappointing.

 

[Halldan]

My guess despite what I was told about our 3 headed center (they would only play the 5) is that if any one of them plays the 4 it will be Godswell. He can defend better on the perimeter.

 

[dehere23]

My guess despite what I was told about our 3 headed center (they would only play the 5) is that if any one of them plays the 4 it will be Godswell. He can defend better on the perimeter.

I think we could see Payne and Hines playing together in Big East play at times. Prior to the year, I didn't think that would be a possibility. After watching SPU, they seemed athletic enough to possibly play together in the league. But I could also be clouded by how "athletic" they looked against a bad team like SPU, so jury out there.

 

[Halldan]

What I was told is none of the three has much of a game outside the paint. And for our style of play you do not want to clog the paint with two of them on the court at the same time.

Of course in a late game situation depending on need that might change.

 

[dehere23]

What I was told is none of the three has much of a game outside the paint. And for our style of play you do not want to clog the paint with two of them on the court at the same time.

Of course in a late game situation depending on need that might change.

That's a good point on clogging the lane, with the more "slashing" nature of our team. Though Budd looked good shooting from 3 last game, and we certainly have a few others. My thought was defensively and on the glass you may need that against certain Big East teams who have bigger 4s and 3s.

 

[NIL BAD]

If Hines wants to play at the next level he'll need an outside game. If we don't help him with that aspect you can bet your *** another program will. His touch looks good.

 

[dehere23]

If Hines wants to play at the next level he'll need an outside game. If we don't help him with that aspect you can bet your *** another program will. His touch looks good.

Will be interesting to see how we play NC State, because in my mind I have visions of Will Wade and his "people" being on the phone with Hines people about 2 minutes after if that game doesn't go well.

 

[PirateBlue08]

Nice to see Budd hit two threes and look great on both. Our concern was him being a slightly better Kadary in terms of three point shooting but I think he could actually be a weapon from outside in spots. Must have really worked on his outside game over the summer.

 

[SPK145]

Will be interesting to see how we play NC State, because in my mind I have visions of Will Wade and his "people" being on the phone with Hines people about 2 minutes after if that game doesn't go well.

We already beat out Wade and NC State for him once.