2012-2013 Season

InnervisionsUMASS · Post by **InnervisionsUMASS** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 8:14 am

Our 2011-2012 season is over (all that remains is the banquet), so it is time to look forward.

We already have a <a href="http://umasshoops.com/board/viewtopic.p ... ">schedule thread</a>, but here we can talk about the players and coaches, predictions and everything else.

If the development continues, especially with the core of Chaz, Put, Morgan and Maxie, we will be a top 25 team next year. You heard it here first.

But please, please, please put together a better schedule... I do not want the SOS and RPI to kill us at the end of the year again.

ShotPutNC · Post by **ShotPutNC** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 9:07 am

Welcoming Air Laguerre and Ice Berg to an already deep rotation for next year should really help this team. Almost as much as getting Cady and Samp back will.

Schedule should be better, all things considered.

A year more to progress for Maxie and Put should do them wonders. Maxie should hopefully see more time at the 4 next year. He has some post moves and a bit of range, but he needs work with both. His shooting stroke is a tad bit ugly. Put just needs some consistency night to night but his flashes of brilliance this season will hopefully lead to an entire season full of it.

Marty Peretz · Post by **Marty Peretz** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 9:21 am

I hate to say this, but for the sake of our RPI, I hope BC is much improved next year. I also hope Ohio remains as good as advertised and that no one there transfers or gets injured. If Miami can remain solid under Larranaga, that's at least three solid games. Add two or three more top 100 teams and I will be content. I understand the nature of the beast when it comes to scheduling (ie, it's difficult to get good games in the non-conference) and am not asking for us to go play at Kentucky and UNC. That said, it's imperative that we add at least two more respectable opponents to the non-conference slate. It's especially important because you can make the case that wins in conference next year are going to be just as hard to come by as they were this year and so we'll need resume boosters in the non-con. Also, are we playing URI, St. Joes, and La Salle twice again next year? If so, our conference campaign is going to be really tough, as I think us, La Salle and St. Joes will be the early favorites in the conference.

LS71 · Post by **LS71** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 9:29 am

I love his athleticism and and his energy but I'd like to see Maxie get stronger. The ball seems get knocked out of his hands a lot.

MassModestMouse · Post by **MassModestMouse** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 11:06 am

Isn't Ohio's coach one of the hot names to take an open BCS job?

UM'12 · Post by **UM'12** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 11:14 am

^
I think he's the favorite to take over at Illinois, now that Shaka Smart turned the job down.

Swampy · Post by **Swampy** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 12:19 pm

Chaz, Putt, Jessie and Maxie are all good but how can we have a thread about next season without any mention of TV?

Looking forward to him leaving his mark on the program with a HUGE season!

MullinsManiac · Post by **MullinsManiac** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 12:23 pm

Yeah, TV came a long way. Still inconsistent, but the improvement was huge.

RocheyAlum05 · Post by **RocheyAlum05** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 12:26 pm

Def looking for Putney to add some bulk/muscle this off season because it seemed to me that he wore down at the end of the season and that's probably due to his body taking a pounding all season long. If Putney can add some size, and the development of the Chaz, Jesse, Maxie core remains on a good course, then adding Sampson and Cady (without even mentioning the new blood) should make this team a Top 25 contender all season long.

InnervisionsUMASS · Post by **InnervisionsUMASS** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 12:28 pm

Swampy wrote:Chaz, Putt, Jessie and Maxie are all good but how can we have a thread about next season without any mention of TV?

Looking forward to him leaving his mark on the program with a HUGE season!

Because to me, at least, it is a given that he is going to contribute. TV is gonna get his next year, but the development of the core is what is really going to drive this team, which is why they got commented on by me.

sldrums · Post by **sldrums** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 1:24 pm

I was thinking about how deep we will be next year and its kinda crazy:

1: Chaz, Trey?
2: Jesse, Freddie, Jordan
3. Put, Javorn
4. TV, Maxie, Sampson
5. Cady, Tyler, McCarthy

Plus we have maybe one more (likely RS), and many of these guys can play multiple positions.

If we thought this team played fast this year, next year may be CRAZY FAST.

OutlawPete · Post by **OutlawPete** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 2:04 pm

Calling it now: Freddie is going to have an outstanding senior season.

ShotPutNC · Post by **ShotPutNC** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 2:10 pm

So many looks that you can put out there next year. I hope we keep on running, but I think DK's task for this offseason is to also work on our very lackluster half court offense. In games where teams can run with us, it is helpful to be able to run out of the half court.

Pete, I think you are right. Freddie should have a senior year a lot like Sean. I think he will come back motivated and focused and we will be here a year from now talking about how much he matured and surpassed expectations.

TheInsider · Post by **TheInsider** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 3:10 pm

The health of Cady will tell us how far this team will go. Someone who I would say really knows the players said Cady is the one legit pro talent on the team. Having a big as a real scoring option down low will take this team to the next level. I agree that TV will have a very solid senior season.

Marty Peretz · Post by **Marty Peretz** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 3:23 pm

Here's the thing re: Freddie and an outstanding season. It's not that I don't think he's capable of having a great year, but if he does, someone's going to lose minutes. And just who is that going to be? Jesse? Doubtful. Kid emerged as a lock-down defender, a dynamic secondary scoring option and a clear-cut starter. Javorn? Perhaps, but their games are pretty different. Putney? I doubt it, since Raph is only going to improve and plays a very different game than Freddie anyway. Laguerre? Sure, but he's a freshman anyway, so it's not like people are expecting him to be the second coming of Carmelo Travieso in his first season. Sampson Carter? Maybe, but Sampson's game is pretty different than Freddie's as well. I think Freddie could be a 3rd team all league type player, but I'm not sure how his skills are going to be incorporated into our up-tempo sets. That could all change if he can hit 40 percent or more of his three's because now you have a true zone breaker threat, but if he's not an energetic zone breaker off the bench, the only way Freddie is going to be a great player is if he's THE guy. I actually think he's got the talent to be THE guy somewhere (even here, if we played a different style) but how do people see him being a dominant presence for next year's UMass team? I'm not trying to call people out; I'm just really curious. Believe me, I'd like to see it more than anyone.

I also want to know what we'd define as a "great year." Remember, Freddie averaged I htink 9 points a game in his frosh and soph years before dipping to 6 and change this year (if I recall correctly). Is a great year 11 ppg? 19? I don't know. I'm just saying that "great" is a subjective standard. To me, a great year for Freddie would be shooting 40 percent from 3 and, let's say, 48 percent from the field, playing tough D, not committing too many turnovers and burying some clutch shots.