Pilots @ San Jose State (11/15)

wrv wrote:Smoyer's playing time is going to increase. He can catch a pass for one. He seems to have better offensive skills and plays decent defense as well.

I think you're right, wrv.  

The transformation from the time Joseph was a high school senior to where he is now has been nothing short of amazing.  I'm probably not the only one who did not see a D1 player in him, but he's proving us wrong.  I know when Rev recruited him, he did so partially because of his 4.0/Honors Program pedigree....with some potential to be a pretty good player after a red-shirt year and some physical maturity.

I'm sure Joseph has been working hard on his development, but I don't think we should overlook the influence that Coach Kramer Knutson has had on his development these past five months and every summer for the last two or three years when Joseph attended the UP summer basketball camps at which Kramer was a prime contributor.

No, you can't buy him a dozen milkshakes at the ice cream store to help him get bigger, but you can invite him over to your house for those same milkshakes and steak, and pie, and.......

NoPoNeighbor wrote:Great game from Marshall. We need more of that!

After the UC Riverside game Coach Porter indicated Marshall needed to be more aggressive.  He also said he was going to go back and look at tapes from last year when Jarrel played well, and find out how best to work his talents into the mix.

Another coach, not at UP, has said that "Jarrel is the key....if he can play consistently well, the Pilots will have a winning season."

Even at his early stage the team's performance makes we wonder whether this team's record will be better than last year's? Before the season, I would have doubted it, but now . . .

Go Pilots.

wrv wrote:Even at his early stage the team's performance makes we wonder whether this team's record will be better than last year's? Before the season, I would have doubted it, but now . . .

We beat two mediocre (at BEST) teams. Some serious flaws (front court play, turnovers) were exposed. Let's see what we look like over the next couple of weeks against some real competition.

I'm encouraged by the improved play of Taylor and Johnson. Tyson is always dangerous on offense, but unreliable as ever. I agree with the mystery coach that DD cited: Marshall's ability to provide a consistent offensive threat, and to play solid defense against bigger guards and wings, will be instrumental in determining the Pilots' fortunes.

I am not sure I agree that UCR is mediocre, but I am not prepared to vouch for them either . . .but they are athletic and looked reasonably good.

Reasons for optimism include Jazz Johnson, Gabe Taylor (both of whom you allude to), Smoyer and a rational substitution policy that may well, and I am hoping so, get better play out of the roster—allow players to get into the flow as someone remarked earlier.

Of course we need to wait and see, but without a doubt we have shown well against competition, even Central Washington who fared better against WSU than us.

Waiting to see . . .

By the way, we did have a losing record last year, so an improvement does not mean we are now a powerhouse.

I forgot to mention this earlier... Let's hear it for winning a game when we trailed at halftime! The Pilots didn't do that a single time last season.