BTO’s Vanderbilt Postgame Report

[mr.checkerboards]

Hundley-Hatfield is nowhere near ready for the big minutes. He has to learn his game is inside. He has to get tougher and quit coming in launching 25 footers. That isn’t going to earn him playing time It’s time for him to play inside and rebound and play good defense. The points will come but not by trying to play small forward.

Ummmm no. Hes hopefully taking on Kyle Alexander's role on offense. KA actually shot an ok number of threes for a big man. Having a big that can stretch the floor is a huge difference maker. If he was jacking up 10 threes a game, or taking bad shots then maybe, but these shots are wide open. He needs to take them so the defense has to extend or switch him. That will open up more driving lanes for the guards.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Ummmm no. Hes hopefully taking on Kyle Alexander's role on offense. KA actually shot an ok number of threes for a big man. Having a big that can stretch the floor is a huge difference maker. If he was jacking up 10 threes a game, or taking bad shots then maybe, but these shots are wide open. He needs to take them so the defense has to extend or switch him. That will open up more driving lanes for the guards.

Taking less than 4 per year is an ok number of threes for a big man?

 

[VOLINVONORE]

Good assessment. I too like Mashack's work however I immediately saw the play on the sideline when he committed the turnover. You could see him trying to blame somebody, but coaching staff was right on top of that as they should be. I'm sure that's a very natural response but Barnes will have none of that. Hopefully he learned the lesson.

I missed that, but I do see a bright future for him. Barnes lead him in the right direction.

 

[Schasz]

Didn't get to watch the game but I would have to wager it isn't often a player gets into double digits without making a shot, but that's what Zeigler did today.

Plus that baseline steal he made toward the end of the game was crucial.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

Ummmm no. Hes hopefully taking on Kyle Alexander's role on offense. KA actually shot an ok number of threes for a big man. Having a big that can stretch the floor is a huge difference maker. If he was jacking up 10 threes a game, or taking bad shots then maybe, but these shots are wide open. He needs to take them so the defense has to extend or switch him. That will open up more driving lanes for the guards.

Huh? KA attempted 14 3’s in 135 career games.

 

[TNBV]

Powell gets absolutely torched off the dribble. 3 times Vandy isolated him 1 on 1 at the three point line and his man went straight to the basket. 2 times it drew help but that creates an open man. Not sure if that is fixable but I suspect more teams are going to watch film and do the same.

 

[gainesvol82]

I think BHH looks like the odd man out at this point for the big rotation. He seems to have talent but his energy and focus just isn’t there yet. Outside of foul trouble (some questionable) I thought Fulkerson off the bench was good for him. Like it or not, we need him to play well at least defensively to help this team win games.

Hatfield is surprisingly unathletic. He won't play in the NBA unless he works hard on being more explosive. He already has gotten in better shape than he was early on but his work with the training team and developing an aggressive attitude will determine how good he can be because his fundamentals are solid.

 

[Lankykong]

Hatfield is surprisingly unathletic. He won't play in the NBA unless he works hard on being more explosive. He already has gotten in better shape than he was early on but his work with the training team and developing an aggressive attitude will determine how good he can be because his fundamentals are solid.

I think he’s athletic, but the game is going fast for him and his decision making/reactions are slow. Basically, I agree he looks kind of “slow” right now, I just don’t think it will hurt him in the NBA as long as he works on faster reactions and gets the game to slow down a bit.

 

[walkenvol]

It’s a limited sample size, but what has stood out to me for BHH is he appears to have good hands. Doesn’t seem to fumble the ball away as much as our other post guys. He also has looked good shooting ft’s and his rebounding per minute has been strong. So far he hasn’t appeared overly explosive. Again it’s a very limited sample size so these impressions may be unfounded

 

[bleedingTNorange]

Powell gets absolutely torched off the dribble. 3 times Vandy isolated him 1 on 1 at the three point line and his man went straight to the basket. 2 times it drew help but that creates an open man. Not sure if that is fixable but I suspect more teams are going to watch film and do the same.

It’s what was keeping him off the floor, and it has improved, think about that…it’s great if you score 15, but if you give up 25…

 

[orangemadam]

Never thought I would say this, but currently Plav is our best post player.

Fulkerson is either still sick, or he has developed a drug problem, ON has an attitude or immaturity problem, BHH just hasn't adapted yet.

 

[walkenvol]

Never thought I would say this, but currently Plav is our best post player.

Fulkerson is either still sick, or he has developed a drug problem, ON has an attitude or immaturity problem, BHH just hasn't adapted yet.

Sorta harsh assessment of ON. He’s become a bit too enamored with his 3 point shot and he still doesn’t have any quality post moves such that you can throw it to him on the block and expect a bucket 60+% of the time. He’s limited but has improved greatly. Needs to get his shots in the flow of the game and rebound like crazy.

You can’t depend on Uros in the post either but he’s bringing great energy and trying to block out and battle. Sometimes Good things can happen with effort and being 7’ tall.

 

[cncchris33]

Sorta harsh assessment of ON. He’s become a bit too enamored with his 3 point shot and he still doesn’t have any quality post moves such that you can throw it to him on the block and expect a bucket 60+% of the time. He’s limited but has improved greatly. Needs to get his shots in the flow of the game and rebound like crazy.

You can’t depend on Uros in the post either but he’s bringing great energy and trying to block out and battle. Sometimes Good things can happen with effort and being 7’ tall.

I don't know. The way ON has turned around as if to blame teammates for passes he's fumbled away seems to indicate a lack of maturity or at least a lack of leadership from an upperclassman. I can think of three instances of this just recently. Not sure if those instances are what the OP is referencing, but I'd chalk those things up to immaturity and/or attitude. Are they major concerns? Probably not if he corrects it. But it could be if it persists and goes unchecked.

 

[lostsheep]

Never thought I would say this, but currently Plav is our best post player.

Fulkerson is either still sick, or he has developed a drug problem, ON has an attitude or immaturity problem, BHH just hasn't adapted yet.

Pretty low-brow to throw out something like that, imo.

 

[cardvolfan]

Never thought I would say this, but currently Plav is our best post player.

Fulkerson is either still sick, or he has developed a drug problem, ON has an attitude or immaturity problem, BHH just hasn't adapted yet.

Or he has developed a drug problem? You are truly a sick person. Get some help.

 

[cardvolfan]

Hatfield is surprisingly unathletic. He won't play in the NBA unless he works hard on being more explosive. He already has gotten in better shape than he was early on but his work with the training team and developing an aggressive attitude will determine how good he can be because his fundamentals are solid.[/QUOTE. Surprisingly athletic? You never played sports, or are acutely unaware of the term “athleticism.”

 

[cardvolfan]

It’s a limited sample size, but what has stood out to me for BHH is he appears to have good hands. Doesn’t seem to fumble the ball away as much as our other post guys. He also has looked good shooting ft’s and his rebounding per minute has been strong. So far he hasn’t appeared overly explosive. Again it’s a very limited sample size so these impressions may be unfounded

BHH has very good hands.

 

[cardvolfan]

I don't know. The way ON has turned around as if to blame teammates for passes he's fumbled away seems to indicate a lack of maturity or at least a lack of leadership from an upperclassman. I can think of three instances of this just recently. Not sure if those instances are what the OP is referencing, but I'd chalk those things up to immaturity and/or attitude. Are they major concerns? Probably not if he corrects it. But it could be if it persists and goes unchecked.

ON has hands of stone. A pass into the post is risky with him. The ball in his hands from the elbow on in is risky. I watched at least three instances last night where he wasn’t in the picture on the transition back up court. This seems obvious to me, but maybe others aren’t paying attention. I want him to be what Barnes says he is, but I’m having a hard time seeing it.

 

[SN-A-C Orange]

I think it’s time to trim up the rotation some, nobody else is playing 11 guys and that’s against all things Barnes has ever done, which gives me some hope that maybe we are still building for once…

I think this is off the mark ... I think Barnes WANTS to play a lot of people AND WIN .... I think you will see 9 to 11 players for the next 8 games ... then we may start to see the numbers drop that you are describing.
Basically, he is trying ...
... NOT to have exhausted players come March ... the only way to save their bodies is play more people short amounts of time.
... to develop players with live action ... it gives him MORE flexibility when we get in foul trouble ... as we often do ... because of our man to man defense. (all our guards)

 

[bleedingTNorange]

I think this is off the mark ... I think Barnes WANTS to play a lot of people AND WIN .... I think you will see 9 to 11 players for the next 8 games ... then we may start to see the numbers drop that you are describing.
Basically, he is trying ...
... NOT to have exhausted players come March ... the only way to save their bodies is play more people short amounts of time.
... to develop players with live action ... it gives him MORE flexibility when we get in foul trouble ... as we often do ... because of our man to man defense. (all our guards)

9 is fine, 11 not so much…how many Top 20 teams are currently playing a 11 man rotation?

 

[SN-A-C Orange]

No inside info ... but Fulky looked more like his old self ... not there yet ... but better ... HOWEVER, he could not do it for more than 2 or 3 minutes.
Guessing his body is NOT anywhere near 100%. Is he sick ... NO!
But he looks like what I see in some athletes who had covid, ... felt better in 14 days ... but energy level drops very quickly. (Body is not 100%, but the mind thinks nothing is 'wrong.')

 

[cncchris33]

ON has hands of stone. A pass into the post is risky with him. The ball in his hands from the elbow on in is risky. I watched at least three instances last night where he wasn’t in the picture on the transition back up court. This seems obvious to me, but maybe others aren’t paying attention. I want him to be what Barnes says he is, but I’m having a hard time seeing it.

Agree. He has improved since his freshman season, but I think it is fair to question if he has really improved that much, or just gotten more playing time by default, and thus put more production on the floor amidst more poor play, as well.

He has moments where it looks like the light comes on for him, but them he follows it up with several bad games. There just isn't anyone to push him really.

The most naturally talented post on the team is a freshman out of his depth, it seems, and has a questionable drive to push himself. Fulk is a shell of his former self, and Uros has his obvious limitations. If ON is what Barnes and the media preseason reports want us to believe he is, there is really nothing on this team standing in his way from being the best post player, yet he doesn't really stand out.

I have a hard time seeing Nkamhoua average 15 mpg for Auburn, UK, Bama, LSU, and most of the rest of the top-half teams in the SEC. He's an average, at best, SEC post player.

 

[SN-A-C Orange]

9 is fine, 11 not so much…how many Top 20 teams are currently playing a 11 man rotation?

I think the box score is pretty definitive ... he wants to play 11 ... I expect 11 every game unless it is sickness or injury related ... that's the only reason I hedged down to 9.
Last 3 game 11 -12 -11.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

It’s really more like a 7 or 8 man rotation with 4 or 5 others getting minor minutes. No reason to give some on the roster no minutes at all considering the talent difference isn’t significant after the first 3 or 4. The long bench is especially a good idea with COVID constantly ramping up. #11, maybe even #12 (Deboundje), might be needed before this season is over. Sure could have used that depth in most of the recent seasons.

 

[SN-A-C Orange]

It’s really more like a 7 or 8 man rotation with 4 or 5 others getting minor minutes. No reason to give some on the roster no minutes at all considering the talent difference isn’t significant after the first 3 or 4. The long bench is especially a good idea with COVID constantly ramping up. #11, maybe even #12 (Deboundje), might be needed before this season is over. Sure could have used that depth in most of the recent seasons.

Actually, spot on ... 7 players with 18+ min
3 more with 10+ minutes
2 more with 5+ minutes
Leading in minutes played: Vescovi with 28 and Chandler with 29 mpg.
Consistent with Barnes (oft stated) goal to keep players below 30 minutes per game.