UF hoops scrimmage reveals Prather improvement

[InstiGATOR1]

It is a Broadway report on the scrimmage:

http://www.gatorsports.com/article/20121022/articles/121029884?p=1&tc=pg

If you read all the way through you will learn:

1. Prather played well.

2. Young showed good stamina.

3. Donovan has tried the 3 guard line up but worries about the boards in that situation.

4. Donovan has not tried the Young, Murphy and Yeguete together, yet.

5. Donovan has thought about but not scheduled an outdoor practice to get ready for the Georgetown matchup on the US Navy Ship.

[GatorPlanet]

You summarized it quite well.

Based on the article, I tend to believe the starting five will be Wilbekin, Boynton, Prather, Murphy, and Young.

[tupacbiff]

Tw problems:
1) it's brockway so we know he is just regurgitating what was spoon fed to him
2) stil early

[Singaporegator]

I like the idea of an outdoor practice. When I played basketball (granted that the two-handed set shot was all the rage) we played outside, on concrete. Diving for the ball took on a whole different meaning. Granted they will be playing on hardwood but I think the players would have a lot of fun with an outdoor practice. Its not like Gainesville is in the frozen north!

[intimigator1]

I like the idea of an outdoor practice. When I played basketball (granted that the two-handed set shot was all the rage) we played outside, on concrete. Diving for the ball took on a whole different meaning. Granted they will be playing on hardwood but I think the players would have a lot of fun with an outdoor practice. Its not like Gainesville is in the frozen north!

You jarred some memories for me also. I started playing organized ball at 5 years old (we ran back and forth down the court with no scoring) but throughout my years until I was 16, all we did was play on outdoor courts. That's where I learned to shoot corner shots and halfcourt shots..we could all hit free throws (it was cool to practice those back in the day and in fact you were called out if you missed them!) and chasing the ball meant taking a dive and getting some war wounds. We played for the skill of the game and had a great time doing it. Sure wish there were less "superstars" and more players again. Makes me want to make a movie about those experiences!

[akaGatorhoops]

You summarized it quite well.

Based on the article, I tend to believe the starting five will be Wilbekin, Boynton, Prather, Murphy, and Young.

This is what I have thought it would be. We will see. . .

[GatorPlanet]

Prather is the wild card. I figured if he could bring like he did last March, the starting job was his. If not, Rosario would get the job. Sounds like the rebounding is a big difference right now when one or the other is playing the small forward.

Prather has Beal's athleticism, but never came close to the scoring. Rosario has the Beal scoring touch (except in the lane), but not the size and strength. Between the two of them, we should be able to make up for Beal's loss.

I like the potential of this team. A lot.

[tupacbiff]

The players are very talented. If they come together and learn / accept their roles we have no reason not to be a top 4 team.

However, I wouldn't read too much into brockways "work" as he is just a pawn. He has proven to lack any insight or
Knowledge about basketball in general.

[rserina]

I agree on Prather, Planet, and have always maintained that his improvement would give us tremendously versatility. As Donovan has said, it is far less about scoring for a guy like him than not hurting the offense. He doesn't need to hit threes with regularity and get to the rim off the bounce, but he has to make good careful passes, work within the framework of the offense, and take his points when they are there through offensive putbacks, assisted baskets off cuts to the rim, transition buckets, jumpers out the high post or off baseline action against the zone, etc. He has everything else we want in a three. He can defend and rebound his position and he can run the floor, but he needs to be active on offense and pick his spots without losing the ball or taking bad shots.

As always, we will find ways to score given Donovan's system and offensive acumen. Boynton, Murphy, and Boynton are golden at that end, Rosario, Wilbekin, and Yeguete have all shown flashes, and we have some good shooters in the freshmen. Offense will not be the issue for this team. What we need from Prather is to not be an offensive problem so we can let his other strengths keep him on the floor.

[gatorguz]

When I played outdoors the biggest problem was always the wind. Nothing else is anywhere close. There are usually winds in coastal and harbor areas. Luckily it affects both teams....though 3 point shooters the most. Don't underestimate this factor. Think they should practice outside more than once...at least once on a breezy day.

[austingator]

If wilbekin is starting then teams will not have to worry about guarding him and just double team in the low post. Scottie can play some defense but scoring has always been his issue. You have to put the ball in the hole as they say.

[kygator]

When I played outdoors the biggest problem was always the wind. Nothing else is anywhere close. There are usually winds in coastal and harbor areas. Luckily it affects both teams....though 3 point shooters the most. Don't underestimate this factor. Think they should practice outside more than once...at least once on a breezy day.

Maybe Donovan should just bring in some really big fans instead of practicing outside.

[InstiGATOR1]

If wilbekin is starting then teams will not have to worry about guarding him and just double team in the low post. Scottie can play some defense but scoring has always been his issue. You have to put the ball in the hole as they say.

Right who wouldn't double off a guy led UF in shooting percentage from the arc last year.

[SwampFox]

When I played outdoors the biggest problem was always the wind. Nothing else is anywhere close. There are usually winds in coastal and harbor areas. Luckily it affects both teams....though 3 point shooters the most. Don't underestimate this factor. Think they should practice outside more than once...at least once on a breezy day.

Yep, the wind AND the sun. I'm thinking it should be an E-W directional court with the opponent having to face the West about an hour before sundown. Now THAT is called homecourt advantage.

:laugh:

[rserina]

Right who wouldn't double off a guy led UF in shooting percentage from the arc last year.
Exactly. While I do think he probably needs to hit that jumper off the high ball screen, he not only was outstanding on catch and shoot threes, but he has shown an ability to get in the lane and finish with either a pull up jumper or a runner off the glass. Not a bad offensive player at all. Saying you would double the post because of him is like saying you would double the post when Brewer was at the three. Heck, Hamilton was much worse offensively than Wilbekin and opposing teams didn't play off him on a regular basis.

[your_perfect_enemy]

I think quite a bit of Wilbiken's preceived lack of offense is due to him defering and just trying to fit in while feeling out his role the last couple of years. I'm not saying he's going to blow up and score 15ppg but I have a feeling we'll be pleasantly surprised by the progression he's made this year.

[InstiGATOR1]

I think quite a bit of Wilbiken's preceived lack of offense is due to him defering and just trying to fit in while feeling out his role the last couple of years. I'm not saying he's going to blow up and score 15ppg but I have a feeling we'll be pleasantly surprised by the progression he's made this year.

I agree with this. He was not put in the game for instant offense last year. He was put in games to rest starters, take care of the ball and defend. As a starter now he will necessarily have to be more offensive minded.

I have previously said, I can see him scoring 10ish points a game by making 1 of 2 shoot from the arc, 2 of 4 shots off drives or other shots inside the arc and making 3 of 4 free throws while UF is defending a late lead. Toss in good defense and a good turnover to assist ratio and you have at a minimum a solid point guard.

[Ahab]

I'm fine w/ Prather at the 3 as long as he'll step up and shoot open jumpers w/ confidence. That's been lacking so far.

Besides Ogbueze, the other freshman to get the most time will probably be whoever does the best on defense and the boards.

[bofusgators]

That's great.

[ApexNC]

Last year some UNC players commented that they had never played outside....that really amazed me. How can kids not have grown up playing outside? It's a different world out there for the elite players.

[GatorPlanet]

I'm fine w/ Prather at the 3 as long as he'll step up and shoot open jumpers w/ confidence. That's been lacking so far.



Oh, he shot 'em with confidence. They just didn't go in.

[tupacbiff]

I'm fine with whomever billy picks to start the season. After the games start is when I can begin to question. Despite all my greatness I don't watch practice.

[GatorLurker]

Despite all my greatness I don't watch practice.

I was wondering what Iverson was doing after retirement. ;^)

[InstiGATOR1]

Oh, he shot 'em with confidence. They just didn't go in.

He shot 40% from the arc last season, but alas it was just 2 two out of 5. What he needs to do offensively in my view is to confidently take good shots and greatly improve his 39.3% from the free throw line. A lot of it is letting the game come to him rather than forcing his offense.

[tupacbiff]

He shot 40% from the arc last season, but alas it was just 2 two out of 5. What he needs to do offensively in my view is to confidently take good shots and greatly improve his 39.3% from the free throw line. A lot of it is letting the game come to him rather than forcing his offense.

It's just confidence with him and not over thinking the game. You saw that in the tourney and he was attacking tge game not letting it come to him.

[austingator]

We shall see on Scottie. Perhaps folks here are right but from what I have seen up to this point in time, his ability to score the ball concerns me. He certainly may have improved his game and if he can contribute any where near what folks here are indicating then we are going to be very good.

[Go2gtr]

We shall see on Scottie. Perhaps folks here are right but from what I have seen up to this point in time, his ability to score the ball concerns me. He certainly may have improved his game and if he can contribute any where near what folks here are indicating then we are going to be very good.
He wasn't asked to score. He is capable of scoring. He's not Brad Beal but he will score.

[Tim85]

He wasn't asked to score. He is capable of scoring. He's not Brad Beal but he will score.

I think this is part of it. Billy's teams are very role oriented. His role wasn't to score, so his mindset was different.

[GatorPlanet]

Free throws are an area of concern. Prather and Yeguete both need to make vast improvement if they want to be on the floor at the ends of games.

[themistocles]

Regarding Wilbekin and scoring, you may recall Boyton's comment about him when he came on board as a 5 year old Freshman: "The kids a shooter."

My guess is that teams will be most likely to double the SG when Boynton is playing point and Rosario the 2.

You may also recall what Billy D said during Prather and Wilbekin's freshmen season: "I need to get those guys on the floor together more often, because when that occurs, good things happen."

Playing outside - I remember playing in hurricane type conditions a couple of times. It was layups or nothing. Needless to say, the lane tended to become pretty crowded.

[gatorrick1]

SW doesn't need to be a scorer. He needs to play great D like he does, and run our offense like he is capable. He will also be asked on occasion to make a play with the ball as the shot clock is running down and that means penetrating into the lane and either scoring or creating an open jump shot. I can tell you all Billy is confident he can do this. There may be games where he scores around 17-20 PTs but for the most point he will be around 10-12 ppg. There is one last important piece, he needs to make FT's at the end of games because the ball will be in his and Boyton's hands quite a bit.

As for Prather, he is gaining Billy's trust which is what it's all about for coaches. I would expect some ups and downs from him this year with more ups then downs compared to last year. There is a certain Corey Brewer factor with him where he drives a coach a little crazy by being out of control with the ball, but you love what he provides when he plays with energy. It takes a little getting used too, but at the end of the day the positives out way the negatives. That's what we saw at the end of last year and what Billy is seeing a little more of now.