Game thread - @ VCU Tuesday 1/27 7pm CBS Sports Network

[sman]

if it's at all close, we have a coach that leans towards experience. so with 15 man rosters, I'm not surprised our freshmen don't have bigger roles ... though AA forced his way to one.

I see AA as another great UR PG. he'll keep getting better and will be the focal point here. he really shouldn't leave, and I don't think he will.
I absolutely think Harper is a good young player and a big piece going forward. yes he's a future A10 level starter.
and JRob? if surrounded with the right players, he can be a stud. I'll watch his defense closer next game but he's strong, physical, and athletic. he's a slasher lob threat who can rebound and alter shots. not a typical Mooney fit, but Mooney has occationally made round pegs fit his square hole like Cayo.

 

[sman]

I keep reading that maybe we can't keep really good players like AA because we can't pay enough NIL. yes we have a budget like everyone. and we're at the A10 level of NIL so we're not competing with the same money as the Big 10.

but GW kept Castro. SLU kept Avila. there are kids who love their school and team and situation enough to stay.

there's a much better chance keeping a guy that loves UR than attracting a top transfers with no tie to UR.
we can get lucky with a Jordan King once. but top transfers are looking for the top dollar. we're not going to compete with high major money for transfers.

 

[*23*]

but GW kept Castro. SLU kept Avila. there are kids who love their school and team and situation enough to stay.

Avila at SLU followed his coach from Indiana State to SLU I believe. He knows he wins and as of today has him in position to play in the dance. That worries me about AA. Most guys (pre huge NIL money) want to at least play vs good competition, and also have a chance at the NCAA's. Based on this season, does he have confidence Moon can put him in position?

It was widely reported - on this board anyway - that Burton got 500,000K the year before he went to VIllanova. Seems like if AA is getting strong p5 interest, he may need a big bag to stay. And I could see Mooney doing what is needed to keep him, b/c he is basically at ground zero without him.

 

[sman]

I like AA as much as the next guy, but he's averaging 10 and 2 shooting 34% from 3 at Richmond. he weighs like 155 lbs.
we're getting ahead of ourselves if we think he's getting a big HM bag.
we want to keep him, and I'm sure we'll try.

 

[*23*]

I like AA as much as the next guy, but he's averaging 10 and 2 shooting 34% from 3 at Richmond. he weighs like 155 lbs.
we're getting ahead of ourselves if we think he's getting a big HM bag.
we want to keep him, and I'm sure we'll try.

I tend to agree about his size and production so far maybe not being a huge drawing card. But the eye test also says he plays at a different speed and could be a special player. The problem is, it only takes one.

 

[vt4700]

JRob is playing out of position. If he were a wing or 4 man, I think it would look better. I do worry SIGNIFICANTLY about his defense. And I worry that he never, ever looks for his own offense. He's feeding off scraps and fastbreaks. That's usually a telling sign for our freshmen. JRob feels a lot like the Dji Bailey case to me -- really just needs about 4 or 5 games in a row where he's got the freedom to go out and play without fear of The Captain Hook and I think we'd see a lot more out of him. There's no question that he's a different level of athlete than we typically have.

Harper can play. Unlike JRob, when given the floor time he's aggressive. He's looking to score. He's not just a passing relay station. And on D, he's one of our better perimeter defenders. I've been pleasantly surprised with Harper.

Surprised enough to think both could be quality starters for us at some point? I don't see that from either one. Don't mean to be negative about them. They could maybe be rotation pieces, but I think we need more impactful starters if we want to be in the top tier of the A-10.

I'm not sure JRob can handle, shoot, or drive good enough to be a wing, and seems undersized as a Cayo type 4 if we wanted that. We haven't seem Harper a lot, but nothing has made me say wow.

 

[vt4700]

if it's at all close, we have a coach that leans towards experience. so with 15 man rosters, I'm not surprised our freshmen don't have bigger roles ... though AA forced his way to one.

I see AA as another great UR PG. he'll keep getting better and will be the focal point here. he really shouldn't leave, and I don't think he will.
I absolutely think Harper is a good young player and a big piece going forward. yes he's a future A10 level starter.
and JRob? if surrounded with the right players, he can be a stud. I'll watch his defense closer next game but he's strong, physical, and athletic. he's a slasher lob threat who can rebound and alter shots. not a typical Mooney fit, but Mooney has occationally made round pegs fit his square hole like Cayo.

Cool. So we have our next great PG, and an A-10 starter who will be a big piece at guard, and a stud at forward. Wow, we must be really good!!!

 

[fan2011]

Problem with JRobs defense is he is a step too slow and depends on his jumping ability to make up for his height and being a step behind to contest shots. He can jump very high, spends a lot of time in the air where it is easy for the opponent to force a foul.

He had some monster offensive rebounds and putbacks against VCU. I think he can be a beast in the coming years with the right team comp where he isn’t playing at the 5.

 

[brooklyn brownstone]

Thomas stats as a freshman at Mercer were 11/2/2 on 51 efg% and 40% from 3 in 23m per game. He then went to Depawful. Granted they are generally the HM dregs, but it's not outlandish to think all the HM schools are scouting lower leagues nonstop for anyone who produces early. Some will pan out, others not, but they're only really committing 1 year of money to them just like Depawful did with Thomas.

Agree that Avila not a good comp since he did jump a level (in theory bc I think the A10 is still a level ahead of the MVC) with his only coach, and presumably got much more money from SLU. SLU saved 800k per year from Ford (2.8m, lol, to Schertz at 2m)

 

[97spiderfan]

I like AA as much as the next guy, but he's averaging 10 and 2 shooting 34% from 3 at Richmond. he weighs like 155 lbs.

Agree on AA. He is my favorite player on this team and I think he is going to be great. That said, I think his size and body type will steer most HM away from him. Not sure, he consistently defend against the bigger, stronger athletes that play in the power conferences. He certainly isn't going to transfer to a high major and play the minutes he plays with us.

Now, someone said in another post they could see VCU as potentially poaching him and I could definitely see that. I'm sure AA knows the story of VCU and UR as good as we do growing up in RVA, so sure he knows that if he goes to VCU, he can play for league championships and in the NCAA every year, versus staying at Richmond with our roster and commitment, where he MAYBE he gets 1 shot in this 4 years.

 

[vt4700]

Agree on AA. He is my favorite player on this team and I think he is going to be great. That said, I think his size and body type will steer most HM away from him. Not sure, he consistently defend against the bigger, stronger athletes that play in the power conferences. He certainly isn't going to transfer to a high major and play the minutes he plays with us.

Now, someone said in another post they could see VCU as potentially poaching him and I could definitely see that. I'm sure AA knows the story of VCU and UR as good as we do growing up in RVA, so sure he knows that if he goes to VCU, he can play for league championships and in the NCAA every year, versus staying at Richmond with our roster and commitment, where he MAYBE he gets 1 shot in this 4 years.

I doubt he would do that because then everyone would just compare him to Jason Nelson.

 

[97spiderfan]

I doubt he would do that because then everyone would just compare him to Jason Nelson.

Well, in that case, we were happy that VCU took Nelson off our hands. But yes, he did get a lot of crap.

 

[sman]

Thomas stats as a freshman at Mercer were 11/2/2 on 51 efg% and 40% from 3 in 23m per game. He then went to Depawful. Granted they are generally the HM dregs, but it's not outlandish to think all the HM schools are scouting lower leagues nonstop for anyone who produces early. Some will pan out, others not, but they're only really committing 1 year of money to them just like Depawful did with Thomas.

even at a low HM like DePaul, I don't think they'd see AA as a solution.
I think he's at the right level where he can succeed, with the right coach and team.
if he moves up I'll wish him well ... but I think it'd be a mistake.

 

[Spiderguy]

even at a low HM like DePaul, I don't think they'd see AA as a solution.
I think he's at the right level where he can succeed, with the right coach and team.
if he moves up I'll wish him well ... but I think it'd be a mistake.

I agree. He can stay here and be big man in a little pond. In addition, he is local guy so don’t know how much playing in front of family and friends factors in. However, we just don’t know how much the allure of better programs and bigger NIL also factor in.

 

[vt4700]

Well, in that case, we were happy that VCU took Nelson off our hands. But yes, he did get a lot of crap.

True, I think we all like AA's game a lot better. My point was, AA needs to stay here so he doesn't hear "I wonder if this PG who transferred from Richmond to VCU will end up at Youngstown shooting 3s at less than 30% and with a bad assist to turnover ratio".

I don't think he is major material though. I love him here, but he would be taking a huge risk leaving because I could see a major recruiting over him in a heartbeat.

 

[Urmite]

I keep reading that maybe we can't keep really good players like AA because we can't pay enough NIL. yes we have a budget like everyone. and we're at the A10 level of NIL so we're not competing with the same money as the Big 10.

but GW kept Castro. SLU kept Avila. there are kids who love their school and team and situation enough to stay.

there's a much better chance keeping a guy that loves UR than attracting a top transfers with no tie to UR.
we can get lucky with a Jordan King once. but top transfers are looking for the top dollar. we're not going to compete with high major money for transfers.

But I see AA having a hard time guarding either of them under the basket…

 

[Spider B]

The roster is just not where it needs to be to compete in the upper tier of the A10. We are undersized and/or slow at most positions when we play decent teams. Hope AA stays but we need some serious upgrades at just about every other position. 1 small guard is fine, but you need a good combo of size, speed and length at the other 4 spots.

 

[*23*]

Well, agree think probably better odds he comes back. But like the VCU comp, also could be some competition from other legit mid majors , that have better coach, more exposure, chance for NCAA.
Also. Let's say he comes back next year. We schedule the same crap. We get about the same haul in portal. Mooney goes on local pod casts sounding like he is searching for a tall building, Mclothin transfers to Radford, Jrob and Daughtry are the same, and little contribution from the other HS recruits.

Have to think he takes a serious look at the escape hatch. Or maybe another year with the moon stench devalues him in the portal. And all these guys have "people". Who knows what his people are saying and who talking to now. Just trying to keep it upbeat and real.

 

[vt4700]

The roster is just not where it needs to be to compete in the upper tier of the A10. We are undersized and/or slow at most positions when we play decent teams. Hope AA stays but we need some serious upgrades at just about every other position. 1 small guard is fine, but you need a good combo of size, speed and length at the other 4 spots.

Agree 100%.

 

[vt4700]

Well, agree think probably better odds he comes back. But like the VCU comp, also could be some competition from other legit mid majors , that have better coach, more exposure, chance for NCAA.
Also. Let's say he comes back next year. We schedule the same crap. We get about the same haul in portal. Mooney goes on local pod casts sounding like he is searching for a tall building, Mclothin transfers to Radford, Jrob and Daughtry are the same, and little contribution from the other HS recruits.

Have to think he takes a serious look at the escape hatch. Or maybe another year with the moon stench devalues him in the portal. And all these guys have "people". Who knows what his people are saying and who talking to now. Just trying to keep it upbeat and real.

Agree about other mid majors. At this point, some might be a lot more attractive to him than we are.