tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22972768.post346597553568966645..comments2023-09-01T06:51:04.030-04:00Comments on Basketball Predictions: Clemson Grabs Noel JohnsonJeffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12767101715737129123noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22972768.post-16696558631798567232009-06-21T05:12:58.904-04:002009-06-21T05:12:58.904-04:00Hmmm. Interesting prediction, but I don't agr...Hmmm. Interesting prediction, but I don't agree. Duke will go as far as Singler, Scheyer, and Nolan Smith can take them. Elliot Williams has the potential to be a good shooting guard, but Duke's success will rise or fall (yet again) on how good their point guard play is.<br /><br />I think people have misunderstood Duke's improvement at the end of last year. The key was not the insertion of Elliot Williams into the lineup, it was the movement of Scheyer to the point. He pretty much eliminated turnovers from the point guard position, and was able to effectively run the offense. Putting Williams in the lineup is what allowed the change in positions to work, as it gave Duke a guard that could both defend opposing point guards (Scheyer can't) and could generate additional offense (much better than Smith).<br /><br />Coach K's schemes can work without a big man. They can not work without someone able to apply pressure to the opposing team's point guard, or without the ability to win the turnover battle.<br /><br />"Singler...is only a junior"<br />What a puzzling statement. In college basketball today, a junior is a seasoned veteran. Juniors who will one day be drafted can be found, but rarely seniors. When I think back to the players that led their teams to success last year, I have trouble thinking of any seniors that did.<br /><br />OK, Toney Douglas. And I'm really not counting Hansbrough because of Lawson. But I think you see my point.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16077389764102507390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22972768.post-71108214858151982592009-06-21T01:53:23.800-04:002009-06-21T01:53:23.800-04:00That has to do with the fact that they are going t...That has to do with the fact that they are going to rely heavily on Elliot Williams, who really only established himself late in his freshman season, as well as some big man (be it one of the Plumlees or somebody else) who has almost no experience, and Kyle Singler, who is only a junior.<br /><br />Duke is not going to be led by a senior, or even have a senior among their top two or three players. This is as opposed to Maryland and Clemson, who can fall back on Vasquez and Booker, respectively, when times get tough.<br /><br />Duke's older players (Scheyer, Zoubek, Thomas, etc) just aren't good enough to lead the team to an ACC title. They're only going as far as their freshmen and sophomores take them.Jeffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12767101715737129123noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22972768.post-24596858482715117602009-06-20T23:04:30.559-04:002009-06-20T23:04:30.559-04:00Let me say first that I agree with your assessment...Let me say first that I agree with your assessment of what the top 4 teams will be in the ACC next year, and that it is pretty much a toss up at this point as to who will emerge from that group to be the top team.<br /><br />However, I'm pretty confused about your comment that Duke will be a young team next year. They will return 5 players that started a significant number of games last year. Those players will include 2 seniors, 2 juniors and 1 sophomore. That sounds reasonably experienced to me.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16077389764102507390noreply@blogger.com