G
Grant Flanders
Guest
· A number of good things from K-State without its starting point guard. Cartier Diarra filled in very nicely for Kam Stokes with six assists and zero turnovers. He was efficient shooting the ball only missing one shot from the floor and one from the charity strike, finishing with eleven points. The redshirt freshman had a couple awesome drives to the bucket through traffic, showing incredible touch off the glass. He made it look effortless.
· Barry Brown struggled with his shot in the first half, however it didn’t disrupt his confidence as nothing seems to sway that. He did lead the team with seven turnovers, but without his sidekick, Stokes, running the show, at times he forced things. Coach Bruce Weber alluded to that after the game. He also tied forward Xavier Sneed with seven boards, something that he made look easy against such a small team.
· Weber added that that five spot is still up for grabs, and may be all season long depending on who proves themselves in practice every week. Makol Mawien got the nod in today’s contest. I like what I saw from him, obviously still room for improvement, but I like his ability as I've said before.
· Dean Wade did exactly what he needed to do. He dominated offensively. He draws so much attention on that side of the ball - he found the open guy most of the time, showing off his passing ability. On the other side of the ball he had a sweet block on the baseline, and ended with two for the game.
· The best player on the floor today was Sneed, his confidence grew as the game went on, something Weber was very pleased with. His athleticism is so dirty, and when he got out on one man fast break he made you hold your breath. Fifty percent from behind the arc is a nice sign too. Weber has said he has been the best player in practice that last few weeks. Hopefully it continues.
· Overall, I was content with K-State’s performance. Two exhibitions in, I see clear talent from basically every position on the floor. Deep in the guard/small forward category. Although we don’t have a timeline on James Love’s return I do believe when he's ready, his size will be an added bonus. As long as the coaches can take advantage of what they have, I believe in K-State’s chances.
Bonus: One plus early this season is the culture. It has carried over from last year and everyone gets along - no drama that have raised questions and caused talented players to exit the program in years past. I know it's early but the culture has changed for the positive, and I don't see that reverting back. This squad is focused and unselfish. They build each other's confidence up. No one complaining because they didn't take the shot or get the block etc..., but instead cheering their teammates on to succeed.
· Barry Brown struggled with his shot in the first half, however it didn’t disrupt his confidence as nothing seems to sway that. He did lead the team with seven turnovers, but without his sidekick, Stokes, running the show, at times he forced things. Coach Bruce Weber alluded to that after the game. He also tied forward Xavier Sneed with seven boards, something that he made look easy against such a small team.
· Weber added that that five spot is still up for grabs, and may be all season long depending on who proves themselves in practice every week. Makol Mawien got the nod in today’s contest. I like what I saw from him, obviously still room for improvement, but I like his ability as I've said before.
· Dean Wade did exactly what he needed to do. He dominated offensively. He draws so much attention on that side of the ball - he found the open guy most of the time, showing off his passing ability. On the other side of the ball he had a sweet block on the baseline, and ended with two for the game.
· The best player on the floor today was Sneed, his confidence grew as the game went on, something Weber was very pleased with. His athleticism is so dirty, and when he got out on one man fast break he made you hold your breath. Fifty percent from behind the arc is a nice sign too. Weber has said he has been the best player in practice that last few weeks. Hopefully it continues.
· Overall, I was content with K-State’s performance. Two exhibitions in, I see clear talent from basically every position on the floor. Deep in the guard/small forward category. Although we don’t have a timeline on James Love’s return I do believe when he's ready, his size will be an added bonus. As long as the coaches can take advantage of what they have, I believe in K-State’s chances.
Bonus: One plus early this season is the culture. It has carried over from last year and everyone gets along - no drama that have raised questions and caused talented players to exit the program in years past. I know it's early but the culture has changed for the positive, and I don't see that reverting back. This squad is focused and unselfish. They build each other's confidence up. No one complaining because they didn't take the shot or get the block etc..., but instead cheering their teammates on to succeed.
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