KAEO Tafara Gapare

[UMassfan_19]

If he gives Gapare more playing time he needs to put him in a position where he can maximize his skills. Gapare can't be guarding smaller, faster guys on the perimiter. I don't have an answer on offense except maybe run some plays for him. The radio/TV guys have often said that "he makes these shots in practice". Set some screens and let him take reasonable jumpers instead of trying to create his own shot. I don't think he's strong enough to post up.

I want to see him get the ball on the elbow/ high post don’t give him as far to go with the ball one step he’s at the hoop or he can pull up especially against bigger but slowe 4’s

[Floyd]

If he gives Gapare more playing time he needs to put him in a position where he can maximize his skills. Gapare can't be guarding smaller, faster guys on the perimiter. I don't have an answer on offense except maybe run some plays for him. The radio/TV guys have often said that "he makes these shots in practice". Set some screens and let him take reasonable jumpers instead of trying to create his own shot. I don't think he's strong enough to post up.

I want to see him get the ball on the elbow/ high post don’t give him as far to go with the ball one step he’s at the hoop or he can pull up especially against bigger but slowe 4’s

Agree. Take advantage of his height & length, and his ability to get off the floor. Develop that midrange shot, use his quickness against a bigger defender and as you said, quick drives to the hoop.

[UMassfan_19]

If he gives Gapare more playing time he needs to put him in a position where he can maximize his skills. Gapare can't be guarding smaller, faster guys on the perimiter. I don't have an answer on offense except maybe run some plays for him. The radio/TV guys have often said that "he makes these shots in practice". Set some screens and let him take reasonable jumpers instead of trying to create his own shot. I don't think he's strong enough to post up.

I want to see him get the ball on the elbow/ high post don’t give him as far to go with the ball one step he’s at the hoop or he can pull up especially against bigger but slowe 4’s

Agree. Take advantage of his height & length, and his ability to get off the floor. Develop that midrange shot, use his quickness against a bigger defender and as you said, quick drives to the hoop.

They did it once not vs Fordham but the game prior came from the baseline on a down screen curled at the elbow faced up and got a bucket

[Berkman]

I think that he should have been red shirted this season.

[DoctorJ]

I think that he should have been red shirted this season.

I completely agree.

He has shown he was capable at playing and contributing at a lower D1 level but A10 is a big jump from what he came ready for out of HS. I expect a solid jump next season. Remember, DD was a work in progress his freshman year and now he's a very solid contributor at the A10 level and a candidate to start every game.

[Minutemaniac74]

He was going the prep route but reclassified to come here. It would've been pretty shitty to turn around and redshirt him

[DoctorJ]

The reason that we got him is likely that we didn't redshirt him, that and NLI.

[Juice Stand]

I agree that he has regressed, or at least hasn't shown the same kind of improvement that RJ and Keon have shown. Given that others have shown improvement, I can't put it on the coaches. I'm hopeful that he sticks around because he is a next level talent and seems like a good dude. This is a good roster, and having an improved Tafara next season will kick it up a notch.

[Calmass9]

Frank has played him at the wrong position the entire year. He’s a 4, not a 3. Even NBA teams wouldn’t play him at the 3. Frank has done him a complete disservice by playing him on the wing and forcing him to navigate traffic with 2 bigs on offense and guard perimeter players on defense.

[Juice Stand]

^ Fair

[minutefanjsf]

Frank has played him at the wrong position the entire year. He’s a 4, not a 3. Even NBA teams wouldn’t play him at the 3. Frank has done him a complete disservice by playing him on the wing and forcing him to navigate traffic with 2 bigs on offense and guard perimeter players on defense.

He is by no means a 4 in the NBA. Playing him on the wing and having him develop there is the best path to the NBA for him. He is 6’9” and not a big body. Frank has played him at the four some this year as well depending on the lineup. He has not done well when he has been down low at all. Hasn’t boxed out, etc. He seems to someone who has gotten by on his athleticism to this point and needs a lot of fundamental instruction.

[NilesGold]

Frank has played him at the wrong position the entire year. He’s a 4, not a 3. Even NBA teams wouldn’t play him at the 3. Frank has done him a complete disservice by playing him on the wing and forcing him to navigate traffic with 2 bigs on offense and guard perimeter players on defense.

He is by no means a 4 in the NBA. Playing him on the wing and having him develop there is the best path to the NBA for him. He is 6’9” and not a big body. Frank has played him at the four some this year as well depending on the lineup. He has not done well when he has been down low at all. Hasn’t boxed out, etc. He seems to someone who has gotten by on his athleticism to this point and needs a lot of fundamental instruction.

He doesn't have the lateral quickness to defend guards on the perimeter, or the speed & control to attack them off the dribble on offense. Against forwards in college is where Gapare needs to be used, where he can use his outside shot to draw them out to the perimeter and then drive past them if/when they come out to contest.

[Calmass9]

Frank has played him at the wrong position the entire year. He’s a 4, not a 3. Even NBA teams wouldn’t play him at the 3. Frank has done him a complete disservice by playing him on the wing and forcing him to navigate traffic with 2 bigs on offense and guard perimeter players on defense.

He is by no means a 4 in the NBA. Playing him on the wing and having him develop there is the best path to the NBA for him. He is 6’9” and not a big body. Frank has played him at the four some this year as well depending on the lineup. He has not done well when he has been down low at all. Hasn’t boxed out, etc. He seems to someone who has gotten by on his athleticism to this point and needs a lot of fundamental instruction.

He doesn't have the lateral quickness to defend guards on the perimeter, or the speed & control to attack them off the dribble on offense. Against forwards in college is where Gapare needs to be used, where he can use his outside shot to draw them out to the perimeter and then drive past them if/when they come out to contest.

Yep. Spot on. Not sure what JSF is watching but the NBA is getting smaller, not bigger. Gapare’s path to the NBA is to be a 6’9 stretch 4 or even a small ball 5. Frank playing him at the 3 is just another example of how he hasn’t adapted his style to what modern basketball looks like.

[minutefanjsf]

He is by no means a 4 in the NBA. Playing him on the wing and having him develop there is the best path to the NBA for him. He is 6’9” and not a big body. Frank has played him at the four some this year as well depending on the lineup. He has not done well when he has been down low at all. Hasn’t boxed out, etc. He seems to someone who has gotten by on his athleticism to this point and needs a lot of fundamental instruction.

He doesn't have the lateral quickness to defend guards on the perimeter, or the speed & control to attack them off the dribble on offense. Against forwards in college is where Gapare needs to be used, where he can use his outside shot to draw them out to the perimeter and then drive past them if/when they come out to contest.

Yep. Spot on. Not sure what JSF is watching but the NBA is getting smaller, not bigger. Gapare’s path to the NBA is to be a 6’9 stretch 4 or even a small ball 5. Frank playing him at the 3 is just another example of how he hasn’t adapted his style to what modern basketball looks like.

I’m looking at his body type. In the NBA, there are very few teams playing with any positions except for maybe a 5. It’s not that they are getting smaller it is that they are expecting big guys to play on the perimeter and be able to switch to guard anyone. I actually think he has the lateral quickness to guard almost anyone. I think he needs to work on his positioning and not step forward first when he guards. He doesn’t seem to have the spacing down. If he is guarding a smaller player, he can back off a bit, because his leaping ability and height will disrupt a shot even if he further back. Also, NBA players across the board are going to be quicker and ir faster than wing players in the A10.

[Calmass9]

You just made my point for me. On this team, with this roster, Gapare should be playing the 4 because it allows him and the rest of the group to play positionless with more space. It also sets it up so that he’s more of a rim protector on defense instead of chasing around guys on the perimeter who are 5-6 inches smaller than him.