If this is contagious, it will be a special year.
http://www.news-sentinel.com/sports/pu/For-Purdue-s-Isaac-Haas--seeing-is-believing
http://www.news-sentinel.com/sports/pu/For-Purdue-s-Isaac-Haas--seeing-is-believing
Haas has the spirit to dominate
- Thread starter purdue4sure
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This is how teams improve without adding players. There are ten players that can take the floor without any of them being a glaring weakness. The more of them who take the next step up the higher the team potential becomes.
Haas is a candidate for making a huge leap up. His per minute production is already outstanding without truly understanding the key to great post play. He will continue to add moves and improve footwork and hopefully be able to go at the rim over his right shoulder, not just his left. But, what I liked from the article is the discussion of quicker decision making. A post has to know where the defenders are at any given time through scouting report, periferal vision, and feel. That's when you make moves without having to stop for a second or two after you catch the post feed. That will be Haas this season and I can't wait to see it!
I don't think there is any question IH will end his career as one of the most popular Boilers ever. What a fortunate set of circumstances that brought him to WL.
I'm really pumped for this season. We could have a pretty balanced offense for the first time in a loong time.
If one of our PGS has a good year, then we could see a nice tourney run.
If one of our PGS has a good year, then we could see a nice tourney run.
Agree. Bits also possible that he could be better than last year even if the ratio drops a little provided that the quantity of assists goes up. Like a QB who takes a few more chances as he gets experience and consequently throws a few more pics but also makes more of those big plays that win the games. That ratio he set is tough to repeat!
Stats? We all like a PG with decent stats --sure. But I like it way more if they also have the skill set to dominate offensively when things break down. Purdue simply needs way more production from the guard spots..
This was posted previously, but it may be a good time to post it again.
http://www.news-sentinel.com/sports/pu/Competition-doesn-t-phase-Purdue-s-P-J--Thompson
That will be the key. We are finally getting to a point where our players with skills to score points are not all underclass men. Hopefully CE can add some some short clock driving capabilities to our shooters abilities That would be so so helpful.
I know it's hard to think that you can get better after losing two upper level big ten players but the circumstances are right for it to happen.
If I had to single out a single player as being key, it would have to be Swanigan. Swanigan showed flashes last year of being able to dominate and I think that he plays with a level of self confidence that all of his teammates should be able to feed off of. While Haas is totally reliant on his teammates to get him the ball, Swanigan can attack from a lot of positions in the half court, making him difficult to deny. He also has several teammates, including Vince, Mathias, PJ, Cline, and Spike who have a proven ability to play off the ball while providing excellent spacing, which should allow Swanigan to isolate his man and create offense. He also needs to show that he can co-exist well with Haas, which should work much better if he becomes more efficient in the high post.
Vince Edwards is also key. Much like Robbie Hummel, Vince is an ideal glue guy, but I also think that he is also the other guy, besides Swanigan, who can get a shot when he needs to. He doesn't need to drastically change his game, but just continue to build on his more agressive play towards the end of last season.
Yes, Swanigan and Vincent are the teams core, the stars so to speak. You covered their status well.
My focus is on the perimeter because they have the most room to improve and they have got to become cold blooded killers when the opponent gives up a shot to them in order to stop Haas, Vincent, And Caleb. If they don't this team is good again but doesn't take the step up to a true top ten level.
It sounds like we're saying the same thing then.
I do think that Purdue's perimeter offense will be improved in that respect, but perimeter defense is likely to slip some without Davis or Hill.
Haas' season will heavily depend on Swanigan. A lot of people have pointed out we lose Hammons which will be a big blow, particularly defensively. However, this past season Hammons was a "presence" but he also was covering for Swanigan's mis-steps defensively a lot, which didn't make our interior defense as great. If Swanigan takes a big step forward defensively (which he needs to), the combination of Haas and Swanigan can be just as effective even though Haas won't be that "patroller" that Hammons was.
The same thing offensively - so many times put so much presence on Hammons last year. Swanigan will probably be a guy that teams try to double some - Swanigan has to have improved on his turnovers/ball handling on the offensive end. If he does and Haas has room, Purdue will be just as effective in the interior. You can't double team two players and expect to be good. But it comes down to ball handling for both Isaac and Caleb. Haas improved and adjusted pretty well from his freshman to sophomore seasons. Caleb has to do the same.
Agreed. Swanigan has some very clear areas to improve in and he needs to make that jump. Swanigan has a higher ceiling than most everyone (if not everyone) and I'm not trying to call him out - but he has the biggest gap between where he finished last year and that ceiling. That's not really a criticism of him because as a true freshman, he did a great job and is on par, if not higher, than some of his teammates. However, his teammates are playing let's say 80% to their potential already - whereas he's playing at 60 or 70% to his potential. Not for lack of effort or anything, but he has such a high ceiling that there's a lot of expectations.
I too am concerned about D. I do believe though that any team can play good TEAM D. We may lack some of the highest level athleticism to be great individual defenders but there is no excuse to not play at least good team D. With what should be an uptick on offense, I think it will work out.
There are not many players at Haas' size that are as intelligent and driven as him. Well, they are not many players at Haas' size period! He will improve this offseason.
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