some of my thoughts

Posted on: November 13, 2017 at 09:23:10 CT

This team would have benefited from fan support the past two years - fingers pointing right back at the "untrue fans".

Tilmon is a pleasant surprise. He has been well-coached at some point in his career and it really shows.

Jontay has a lot of growing up to do, basketball experience wise. When you're that tall, and strong, you rarely face the same kind of challenges you'll face in college games. He will be a good player, but he won't be a consistent player this year.

Robertson plays the point because the team needs a change-up from Phillips to start the year. Phillips can play the position, but he needs to re-learn how to play the position with this group of players. It will happen.

Harris gave me no reason to believe the hype on him. It was his first game in front of a big crowd in a big gym against college players. Much like Jontay, nothing he has done previously has prepared him to play at this level. He is a project but he has potential.

Puryear and Barnett showed what some confidence, ball flow and playing within themselves can do. Yes, they are the veterans which the Kim Anderson teams lacked.

Non-conference games were used by Norm to see players in different rotations. Get used to it with Cuonzo. He has enough mentorship in Keady, and direct experience as a HC to know how to build a team over the course of a season. You weren't patient under Anderson, but maybe you'll be patient under Martin.

Nothing helps a defense more than having a tall front line. Missouri was not blessed with that under Mike Anderson, only a year under Haith (Oriakhi) and not under Kim Anderson. Tilmon is a once every 10 years type of player.

Still excited to see Michael Porter play, but am encouraged the team played well without him. As I've always believed, the veterans, not the freshman, form the base of this years team.