*****The Official Tennessee vs Lithuania U21 (Game 2) 1 p.m. (Florence, Italy)

[NighthawkVol]

Yeah, guess that’s why we exit the tourney early every year.

Love JJJ, but he isn’t one of the top 5 players on the team. Needs to come off the bench. Period.

You’re essentially saying Robert Hubbs is our best player

Your reply had nothing to do with my post. Exiting the tournament “early” (making the S16 isn’t early, but okay) has nothing to do with my point that there are other skill sets in basketball that can compliment guys who are scorers. I didn’t say scoring isn’t important. I said BEING THE ONE WHO SCORES isn’t necessary when you have those other skill sets and can compliment guys who are the ones scoring. I agree that if JJJ is going 0-6 from 3, he’s hurting us.

You simply created some bizarre straw man involving a claim that JJJ is Robert Hubbs and I’m claiming he’s is our best player (I’m not…and you know that). If you have to argue with a point I didn’t make, you’ve constructively conceded.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

TN has been to 5 NCAATs in a row for only the 3rd time ever. Make the 2024 NCAAT and that will tie Bruce for the most ever. 6 in a row.

2021 was the only year that TN didn’t win an NCAAT game and that was to a P-6 conference tournament winner tgat went to the EE.

You can’t make an NCAAT run if you’re sitting at home with the 80% watching the other 20% play.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

When TN needed a critical rebound late in a close game, odds are that it was JJJ that grabbed it.

 

[Orange.]

Great, this whole trip is completely ruined now. May as well pack their bags and head back up to the States.

High speed trains on that route, iirc. They will enjoy that.

 

[Caculator]

game 3 starts @ 12:30 tomorrow?

 

[Hacksaw]

The announcers kept saying the Vols will take a train over to Rome for the Monday game.
They don't seem to know that Rome is 170 miles south of Florence.
The Vols will take the trip down to Rome.

Geographically-challenged? Or maybe just misspoke? Either way, good observation.

 

[Col_Cathcart]

I’m curious which 5 players he thinks are better. I’ve been stretching to get 4 names that aren’t laughable…

 

[Namorto1]

Why wouldn’t he start? He’s one of our 5 best players. He plays great defense, provides great leadership, can defend multiple positions, and can play multiple positions on offense. He will and should play starter minutes.

The thing with JJJ is his inconsistency as a shooter/scorer. He’s historically had a great shooting game, followed by a couple of really off shooting games. And, as his shooting is off, the team’s offense tends to follow. I understand not wanting a repeat of that this season.

But here’s the difference: we won’t dependent on JJJ to shoot well in order to score this year because there should be other options. We didn’t have Dillione last year. We didn’t have Knecht and Gainey last year. All three of those guys can hit from outside, along with ZZ and SV. Additionally, Awaka is developing as an inside scorer and Aidoo should be improved as well. Mashack has the chance to be a better scoring threat. And of course, we were without ZZ in March.

Point is, we’re more rounded offensively, with better shooters/scorers, so you shouldn’t see 0-6 nights from JJJ because we don’t need him to score like before. If he’s off, he can just let one of the others have a higher volume shooting night, while doing the things he does best…play defense, rebound, and facilitate.

James will definitely start at the 4 and will probably get about 24 minutes per game IMO. If he can get around 10 ppg and 6 rpg and just score more efficiently from the field (career average is 38%) that would be very valuable. I hope he helps initiate the break often this year off defensive rebounds. Awaka is going to get run at both the 4 and the 5 as a backup and at the rate in which he is improving he definitely deserves starter minutes.

 

[BernardKingGOAT]

I’m curious which 5 players he thinks are better. I’ve been stretching to get 4 names that aren’t laughable…

Rick's far too seasoned to limit that sort of evaluation. He's probably trying to decide it watching 8-10 players. And he knows it's far too early to make such defined decisions

 

[walkenvol]

James will definitely start at the 4 and will probably get about 24 minutes per game IMO. If he can get around 10 ppg and 6 rpg and just score more efficiently from the field (career average is 38%) that would be very valuable. I hope he helps initiate the break often this year off defensive rebounds. Awaka is going to get run at both the 4 and the 5 as a backup and at the rate in which he is improving he definitely deserves starter minutes.

To me, JJJ’s current weakness is his propensity to take 3’s. He’s seems to be either hot or cold from distance and based on his past 3 point shooting we have several other guys who we would prefer taking that shot. He’s fairly consistent with his pull up jumper from 12-15’ which apparently isn’t viewed as a desirable shot in basketball these days. If he’s ever going to have a chance to play pro ball he has to become a reliable 3 & D guy and he’s running out of time on the 3 part. Will be interesting to see how CRB uses him this season. By all accounts he’s a great guy and teammate so I’m hoping he finds a great 3 ball game this year.

 

[ColinS]

I responded to a comment that the success of this team is relient on JJJ shooting percentage. Is there anybody out there that actually thinks he is a good shooter? Not if you know basketball and can read his stats which are no small sample size at this point. His strengths are in other areas like experience, rebounding, and guarding multiple positions. That needs to be his role on this team period. Not that he shouldn't ever take a wide open shot. It's just that we have better options.

 

[ColinS]

When TN needed a critical rebound late in a close game, odds are that it was JJJ that grabbed it.

I want argue with that but he's not the guy to take a critical shot late was my point.

 

[ColinS]

To me, JJJ’s current weakness is his propensity to take 3’s. He’s seems to be either hot or cold from distance and based on his past 3 point shooting we have several other guys who we would prefer taking that shot. He’s fairly consistent with his pull up jumper from 12-15’ which apparently isn’t viewed as a desirable shot in basketball these days. If he’s ever going to have a chance to play pro ball he has to become a reliable 3 & D guy and he’s running out of time on the 3 part. Will be interesting to see how CRB uses him this season. By all accounts he’s a great guy and teammate so I’m hoping he finds a great 3 ball game this year.

I just think the teams best path is to move away from him taking so many shots. Now, if he gets into one of those grooves like he did late in his junior season then the equation changes.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

JJJ is an 80% free throw shooter. Good free throw shooters are also good shooters. JJJ draws defenders which sets up his teammates with easier shots. He’s not an excellent shooter, but he’s very capable. He’ll hurt defenses if they ignore him. He also takes very few shots at the rim, which hurts his FG percentage. That is his biggest weakness - not taking the ball to the hoop.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

JJJ was the most frequent shooter last year. And he takes the majority of those shots from the perimeter. That’s not his game. He needs to be physical and get to the free throw line. 7 teammates were taking FTs more frequently. Only 3 regulars got there less often. He settles for outside shots.

 

[cardvolfan]

JJJ was the most frequent shooter last year. And he takes the majority of those shots from the perimeter. That’s not his game. He needs to be physical and get to the free throw line. 7 teammates were taking FTs more frequently. Only 3 regulars got there less often. He settles for outside shots.

Concerning his free throws, he shot 86% for the year. Yeah, he does need to take it to the hole more often.

 

[Namorto1]

Concerning his free throws, he shot 86% for the year. Yeah, he does need to take it to the hole more often.

Unfortunately just not his temperament to take it to the basket, as we have looked for that skill for the last 4 years. Great FT shooter but he only shot 1.5 attempts per game last year. 2 pt FG% over 4 years is 44%. 3 pt FG% is 32.5% and interestingly enough his best % year on 3 pters was his freshman year although volume was lower. If he can nudge those % up to 50% on 2 pt and 36% on 3 pt that would be fantastic, but I'm not predicting it. Perhaps playing the 4 spot routinely will give him better matchups on offensive end and bigger guys will be less likely to want to extend and cover him. Or perhaps given he may have better scorers around him that will open up and let him be more efficient. Will see. He does everything else well enough.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Maybe with Olivier and/or Uros in the games, the paint was too crowded and JJJ was settling for perimeter shots. Although ORN did wander outside quite a bit and Uros was often working the high post.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Unfortunately just not his temperament to take it to the basket, as we have looked for that skill for the last 4 years. Great FT shooter but he only shot 1.5 attempts per game last year. 2 pt FG% over 4 years is 44%. 3 pt FG% is 32.5% and interestingly enough his best % year on 3 pters was his freshman year although volume was lower. If he can nudge those % up to 50% on 2 pt and 36% on 3 pt that would be fantastic, but I'm not predicting it. Perhaps playing the 4 spot routinely will give him better matchups on offensive end and bigger guys will be less likely to want to extend and cover him. Or perhaps given he may have better scorers around him that will open up and let him be more efficient. Will see. He does everything else well enough.

He might not have the skill set to drive through defenders to the rim. But I wish that he’d cut to the basket without the ball and have teammates hit him with a pass. Or post up his defender if the opponent is running man-to-man. Even if the latter doesn’t produce baskets for him, it should collapse defenses and create opportunities for better 3-point shooters. Maybe there just wasn’t enough of a perimeter the last two years by putting their best, lockdown defenders on Vescovi while Bailey and Key were terribly inconsistent and streaky.

JJJ is a really good player. If he could add just something extra on offense he’d be great and would probably be the team’s MVP.