The Official “Regular Posters of the Basketball Forum” Thread

[DuckInAPen]

Fahr Vitello!

Need to do it now while the position's still attractive.

 

[TheMookieMonster]

Not going to lie, outside of the Alabama win, it has kind of been a miserable month for Vol fans.

 

[CornbreadVol]

So how are we feeling about next years squad? Should we expect a reasonable step back since we’re losing so many guys?

 

[Vol49er]

So how are we feeling about next years squad? Should we expect a reasonable step back since we’re losing so many guys?

I don’t know. Josiah has barely played. Key is a non-factor. Both senior bigs have had their moments but aren’t elite, and may be back anyway. Losing Vescovi hurts but having Dillione getting early prep will help there. I feel better about next years team, and I’ve had this opinion for a while, it’s not formed by this last month. I have been a big fan of Shack and Aidoo and that’s starting to show up, and they should only grow more. Might get an impact transfer. Awaka will learn to catch the ball. Maybe BJ gives us something. I feel good about next year.

 

[CornbreadVol]

I don’t know. Josiah has barely played. Key is a non-factor. Both senior bigs have had their moments but aren’t elite, and may be back anyway. Losing Vescovi hurts but having Dillione getting early prep will help there. I feel better about next years team, and I’ve had this opinion for a while, it’s not formed by this last month. I have been a big fan of Shack and Aidoo and that’s starting to show up, and they should only grow more. Might get an impact transfer. Awaka will learn to catch the ball. Maybe BJ gives us something. I feel good about next year.

Hopefully Phillips returns too

 

[MoCo_Vol]

I don’t know. Josiah has barely played. Key is a non-factor. Both senior bigs have had their moments but aren’t elite, and may be back anyway. Losing Vescovi hurts but having Dillione getting early prep will help there. I feel better about next years team, and I’ve had this opinion for a while, it’s not formed by this last month. I have been a big fan of Shack and Aidoo and that’s starting to show up, and they should only grow more. Might get an impact transfer. Awaka will learn to catch the ball. Maybe BJ gives us something. I feel good about next year.

Also DJ Jefferson was a pretty high rated guy too and he’s been here the entire season.

I actually think JP & Cade both will be better long term than Uros/ON have been too, at least that’s my hope. I also like Awaka and think he’ll keep getting better for us.

 

[mr.checkerboards]

So how are we feeling about next years squad? Should we expect a reasonable step back since we’re losing so many guys?

Guards and wings will be more athletic. We need to hit an on Elite transfer post though.

 

[rdk4121]

So just looking at next year's squad:
ZZ/ Edwards
Dilione/ Jefferson
Mashack/ Carr
Awaka/ Cade Phillips
Aidoo/ Estrella

I think the talent level is arguably off the charts as that's probably the most talented roster we've had under Barnes (at least from an athletic perspective). Huge problem would be experience as Dilione, Jefferson, Carr, Cade, Estrella, and Edwards have essentially no real experience or not much.

If Julian comes back, that brings their upside even higher. I don't expect any of the seniors to come back. I expect we'll add some transfers as well, particularly a PF as Awaka might not be a fantastic fit there, and Phillips is going to be fairly raw.

I would love to see ZZ get more efficient from the field. Aidoo needs to work on his touch around the rim. Mashack needs to work on his 3 point shot, and expand on his finishing ability he's shown as of late. Hopefully Carr shoots it well, same with Jefferson.

 

[berryvol]

I’m as disappointed as anyone with how yesterday went, and this may be me looking for a silver lining of hope in the midst of all the negativity and disappointment (a lot deserving), but this is telling to me. JP was top 10 on this list a week ago (6th to be exact, iirc). He’s already plummeted down to 20th within a week. All that to say, according to one of the most widely respected analytic data guys, we have been playing without one of the most important players in the nation and, before the injury, the most important player in the SEC.

I got as upset as anyone during the game yesterday, but we have seen this team play as well as any in the nation for periods. We haven’t been healthy for more than 2 weeks at all this whole season. Get healthy before the tourney and anything is possible with this group, especially in one of the most volatile and down seasons in CBB history.

 

[Volprofch05]

Vols at 13 on Seth Davis’ ballot

Men's college basketball rankings: Houston holds steady, while Texas A&M says hello

• Tennessee is maddeningly inconsistent, but you can’t discount beating the No. 1 team in the country. Also, there’s no shame in losing at Kentucky when the Wildcats are playing well. The Volunteers’ previous two losses came to good teams, Vanderbilt and Missouri, at the buzzer. So I figured I’d split the baby and leave them pretty much where they were last week.

 

[johnfnkelly]

Atp I'm ready for a new era of UT basketball. I appreciate what the upperclassmen have done here but I'm ready to see what this upcoming crop of players are going to look like.

 

[CornbreadVol]

Atp I'm ready for a new era of UT basketball. I appreciate what the upperclassmen have done here but I'm ready to see what this upcoming crop of players are going to look like.

That’s pretty much where I’m at

 

[cncchris33]

Atp I'm ready for a new era of UT basketball. I appreciate what the upperclassmen have done here but I'm ready to see what this upcoming crop of players are going to look like.

I've got to say, I won't be sad to see any of the current seniors leave like I was with Houston, Slay, Lofton, JRich, Schofield, etc.

Santi is maybe the only player to fit that mold, so maybe I'll miss him and his ability to knock down shots. JJJ is a great guy, but just never reached his fullest potential due to consistent nagging injuries.

Nkamhoua and Plavsic, both have had impressive moments, but both were far more maddeningly inconsistent and borderline intolerable for different reasons. Thanks for the contributions, but good riddance. And Key was just a 1-yr rental who never made much of a difference. Glad he got to live out his dream for one season, but he's not going to be missed.

 

[Volprofch05]

Man, tough crowd. Vols have been ranked in the top 15 all year, beaten 3 of the top 6 teams, just beat #1 and Bama no less, and y’all can’t wait to kick them to the curb!

 

[TheMookieMonster]

Man, tough crowd. Vols have been ranked in the top 15 all year, beaten 3 of the top 6 teams, just beat #1 and Bama no less, and y’all can’t wait to kick them to the curb!

This team has been disliked by our fanbase all year. Fair or not fair, it just is what it is. I think people expect them to fizzle out in March. I am rooting for them to figure it out and make a run. I think the guys on this team have been treated unfairly. The “best team ever” narrative that materialized online set them up for failure sadly. Once that started to circulate, people got upset with every single loss.

 

[Vols8086]

This team has been disliked by our fanbase all year. Fair or not fair, it just is what it is. I think people expect them to fizzle out in March. I am rooting for them to figure it out and make a run. I think the guys on this team have been treated unfairly. The “best team ever” narrative that materialized online set them up for failure sadly. Once that started to circulate, people got upset with every single loss.

Every relationship in life runs its course. Just feels like the relationship between this team and this fanbase has hit its saturation point.

These things happen and it’s not always the fault of one party or the other. There just isn’t any reason to believe this group is going to achieve something greater in March than they already have. So for me it’s like watching a movie when you already know the ending. Just a sense of apathy at this stage.

 

[Chunkyvol12]

Give me a break. This all on fan’s expectations of 18-22 year olds.

 

[Vol49er]

This team has been disliked by our fanbase all year. Fair or not fair, it just is what it is. I think people expect them to fizzle out in March. I am rooting for them to figure it out and make a run. I think the guys on this team have been treated unfairly. The “best team ever” narrative that materialized online set them up for failure sadly. Once that started to circulate, people got upset with every single loss.

This is the point I was trying to make Saturday. If people understood this was a top 25 type roster and not a top 10 type roster from the start, then I think this group would be more revered as a hard charging group that nonetheless has some fatal flaws but can still get up for some big wins

 

[vols 30]

I've got to say, I won't be sad to see any of the current seniors leave like I was with Houston, Slay, Lofton, JRich, Schofield, etc.

Santi is maybe the only player to fit that mold, so maybe I'll miss him and his ability to knock down shots. JJJ is a great guy, but just never reached his fullest potential due to consistent nagging injuries.

Nkamhoua and Plavsic, both have had impressive moments, but both were far more maddeningly inconsistent and borderline intolerable for different reasons. Thanks for the contributions, but good riddance. And Key was just a 1-yr rental who never made much of a difference. Glad he got to live out his dream for one season, but he's not going to be missed.

Agree. ON is the most frustrating. Great game against Texas and then back to turnovers and airballs.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

Every relationship in life runs its course. Just feels like the relationship between this team and this fanbase has hit its saturation point.

These things happen and it’s not always the fault of one party or the other. There just isn’t any reason to believe this group is going to achieve something greater in March than they already have. So for me it’s like watching a movie when you already know the ending. Just a sense of apathy at this stage.

What’s your take/opinion if they make the S16? What about E8?

 

[CornbreadVol]

I still have hope for a run in March, these guys have worked hard and have fought through different individual limitations to become a great TEAM. I think we finish the season 4-0 and lock up a 3 seed with an outside shot at a 2. GBO

 

[Vols8086]

What’s your take/opinion if they make the S16? What about E8?

If they do that then they have clearly exceeded my expectations for this year. Which I’m more than happy to celebrate that if that happens.

I posted this elsewhere, but I feel like the program standard now is 20+ wins and an NCAA tourney birth that is followed up by getting bounced in the first weekend. That’s what I expect to happen and that meets expectations if you will.

So making it to the second weekend is seen as exceeding expectations, not making the NCAA tourney is seen as an underperformance.

I’m not sure if that really answers your question or not.

 

[Volprofch05]

This team has been disliked by our fanbase all year. Fair or not fair, it just is what it is. I think people expect them to fizzle out in March. I am rooting for them to figure it out and make a run. I think the guys on this team have been treated unfairly. The “best team ever” narrative that materialized online set them up for failure sadly. Once that started to circulate, people got upset with every single loss.

Yep, always important to manage reasonable expectations, learned that in the first few years of marriage

 

[MoCo_Vol]

Uros has REALLY been a disappointment though and I was so excited for us to finally have a legit big man when we landed him. But to be his size and leave here after 4 seasons with less than 350 total rebounds (sits at 270) is an absolute joke. How at 7' are you that incapable of grabbing some damn rebounds?

Santi has nearly doubled his rebound numbers in a career, and JJJ is well over double his numbers. Baffles me... Aidoo with about half the minutes is within 100 rebounds of Uros' career numbers already too.

Santi will leave top 3 in made 3 pointers, top 8 in steals (potential to reach top 5, needs 18 more), top 10 in steals per game, and his name will be top 10 or close in a lot of other career leaders list. To think he did that while missing the first 9 games of his freshmen year and while having his sophomore year shortened by COVID. Love Santi and will miss him. Just plays with grit and doesn't let poor shooting really effect him. A trait you need as a 3 ball guy, Lofton and Turner both had it as well.

 

[omghulkhands]

Uros has REALLY been a disappointment though and I was so excited for us to finally have a legit big man when we landed him. But to be his size and leave here after 4 seasons with less than 350 total rebounds (sits at 270) is an absolute joke. How at 7' are you that incapable of grabbing some damn rebounds?

Santi has nearly doubled his rebound numbers in a career, and JJJ is well over double his numbers. Baffles me... Aidoo with about half the minutes is within 100 rebounds of Uros' career numbers already too.

Santi will leave top 3 in made 3 pointers, top 8 in steals (potential to reach top 5, needs 18 more), top 10 in steals per game, and his name will be top 10 or close in a lot of other career leaders list. To think he did that while missing the first 9 games of his freshmen year and while having his sophomore year shortened by COVID. Love Santi and will miss him. Just plays with grit and doesn't let poor shooting really effect him. A trait you need as a 3 ball guy, Lofton and Turner both had it as well.

IMO Santi finishes his UT career as one of the top 30 UT players of all-time. One of the greats.