mojo13 wrote:XRM and Hanlan are starting but not looking great (good, but not great). Recently I am seeing a drop off in their games, compared to the start of the season, especially with a drop off in efficiency for XRM. XRM (13 ppg) is shooting 38% on the year (35% from 3 and 53% at the line!). His assist and rebound numbers are strong and his T/Os seem under control. Hanlan (17ppg) seems allot more efficient on the season with 48% FG%, 35% from three (1.5 per game), 90% FT but looks to be more of a SG role (2.5 assist per game). We need more from Hanlan in February than we saw in November (especially if Scrubb is seriously injured).
Naz Long has been getting core minutes, but looks like a very inefficient gunner right now. 15 ppg, 37% FG, 30% 3pt on almost 9 attempts for game. Solid rebounding at 5.7 per game (probably tracking down all his long bricks!) and assists (3.6) for a SG.
Bennett seems kind of solid - but noticing him posting a good game or two then disappearing completely (hello Team Canada). 12 ppg, on 55% shooting, 1.4 threes a game at 44% looks great, 5.5 rebounds a game seems soft but on only 21 minutes per game. seems like a guy we can't really rely on for Team Canada but hopefully he can contribute much more than his (non-existent) November games.
Boucher has yet to play and I hear should start playing in January (but likely will be unavailable to Canada as he has a NBA two-way contract).
Keane, Best, Armadi, Mulder don't move the needle from my perspective and I have't followed.
Boy, we really need some extra depth.
As I said before, I'm putting my money on the classes of 2017-18 to add to our depth chart in two or three years of years. Some will get to the NBA, but not all, so the ones who do not might really add for tournaments like this one.
From 2017, the names I mentioned before were Alexander-Walker, Gilgious-Alexander, Brissett, Akot, Wigginton, Kigab, Carr, Djurucic, and also Jackson and McEwan from 2016. Some of these might stay 3 or 4 years in college and might already be able to contribute in a year or two.
From 2018, I mentioned 5 names with very good potential -- Barrett, Simi, Dort, Brezdaikis, and Nembhard. But there are two others who are borderline NBA potential and might also be good NT contributors in the future:
Noah Kirkwood is a 6'7 guard, who will join Djuricic and Corey Johnson at Harvard next fall (Chris Egi is a Senior, so he'll be out). Played for the national U19 team this summer (third time he was wearing the red and white). Was one of the youngest on the roster, but managed to contribute especially in the semifinal upset against the Americans, when he even played some minutes at the point. He already moved to a school in Massachusetts this year and trying to make the transition to PG, although I don't think that's really his future position. A very nice player, who does many things well (three-ball shooting, penetration, defense), but nothing eye-popping. An average athlete with average length, which is why the NBA potential is somewhat questionable. But should eventually be a very good professional even if not in the NBA. Can really do well in Europe I think, and the same goes for Djuricic.
Jaelin Llewellin is I think an even bigger talent. Has been playing south of the border for the last two years, at Virginia Episcopal. While Kirkwood is going to complete a Canadian triplet at Harvard, Llewellin will be going to Princeton, joining Jerome Derosiers from Quebec, who also played for the U19 this summer. And they are not even the only Ivy League guys. Eze Dike, another athletic Quebec guard will be going to Yale next year and Aaryn Rai is a freshman at Dartmouth, doing quite well. A Canadian takeover. Anyway, back to basketball, Llewellin looks really good lately. He reminds me most of Lindell Wigginton -- about the same height, with similar explosive athleticism. but I think Jalin is more of a playmaker than Lindell, not just a scorer. And not that he's missing on the latter. This summer he was the best and most consistent player for Canada in the Adidas Nations, in a team that also included Brezdaikis, Nembhard, Kirkwood, and AJ Lawson (scored 40+ in one of the games). He also started the high school season really well, with almost 30 points and 10 assists a game. I don't get to see him much, but lately, his team came for two games against the AI teams (AI and Orangeville), which are probably the best high school teams in Canada. Llewellin was excellent in both games, but especially impressed in the game against Orangeville. 45 points and 11 assists, shooting from all ranges, and a couple of jaw-dropping dunks. His team lost both games by a margin, but certainly not because of him.
