🏀 Pepsi Blue vs White Scrimmage, Sat, 5 October, 1800, Bootlegged Video Only

[Cuts_from_The_Corner]

I think that’s underselling the ability of iMac, Sharma, Taine, and Saunders to attack a close out in a situation where we’re going to have a lot better spacing… and Ames can hit an open three probably as well as Rohde.

[Hooandtrue]

I think you are underselling the playmaking of Bliss and how big the gap is between him and the rest in that regard.

One thing I was disappointed in was how we didn’t really get to see Saunders be that physical. In fact one of his first shots when he caught it in the midrange was to take a step back jumper over his taller defender which missed. Vs using his girth to drive in and at least get fouled or force the defense to collapse

[Cuts_from_The_Corner]

If we’re including Power and Cofie on that list, we should be including the others.

Bliss’s skillset may improve with health and experience and be really good - but I don’t understand the thought process that we need it this season - at least not from what we’ve seen so far.

[Hooandtrue]

I think it will be similar to the 2013-2014 season and the 2016-2017 season where Perrantes and Jerome both started slowly but we realized we needed their playmaking inserted into the lineup along the veteran guards already playing and it changes the direction of the season.

No one on the roster has averaged more than 3 assists a season and no one on the roster has ever really managed a team or been a team leader. There is a psychological void/opening that Bliss could potentially fill. Otherwise we get a runback of the 5 man pass the ball around and scoring droughts since we don’t have a strong back to the basket forward or iso creating guard.

[dave92]

Agreed that a lot of the Sharma noise is probably relative to expectations and not necessarily with regard to immediate impact. Still, he’ll play this year.

I’m excited about him mostly because of how mature he looked. Aggressive, confident, vocal, directing traffic, etc. You’d never guess he was a freshman. Physically, too, looks developed.

And I expect there will come a November game when he goes in and hits 3+ threes in short order (aka the Sharm Offensive) and Team Sharma is going to go bonkers.

[ElliottHoo]

And then Saunders at the 5, right? Because obviously your center should be the shortest guy on the court.

(I’m kidding, Saunders is obviously taller than iMac)

[Cuts_from_The_Corner]

I admire the optimism… I just don’t see it.

Warley and Ames are both better at attacking defenders in isolation (or off ball screens) than Bliss and both have much more experience doing so at this level of play.

Bliss is slower and greener than both right now and is a worse defender. He’s a better shooter than both, but I don’t believe he’s a better shooter than iMac, Sharma, or Taine or Power (or as good/comfortable at getting off his shot).

Plus, the team as a whole has a greater depth of guys outside of the point who can knock down the shot, stretch the defense and who can put the ball on the floor a little, certainly than last year.

Let’s also remember that anytime anyone like iMac or Taine put the ball onto the floor last year after being run off of the three-point line, they inevitably ran into Dunn’s man. They’re all going to benefit from less of that due to both personnel and system.

I just don’t see the void of necessary skills across the roster this year nor the readiness of him to fill those. I guess we’ll see how it plays out. Health can always be a wild card.

[Hooandtrue]

I think you are looking at one skill, in an offense where we have general “guards” who need to be multifaceted.

I don’t think McKneely or Sharma are able to put the ball on the floor and create under pressure like Bliss can. Not saying he should play over them, but that Bliss has two skillsets that Tony covets: shooting and playmaking. His shot also isn’t that slow; he got off his corner 3 in the scrimmage pretty solidly with a contest on him.

[dave92]

Probably won’t happen, but I’ll be keeping an eye out for the full Bible lineup: Christian, Isaac, Andrew, Elijah, and Jacob.

[Cuts_from_The_Corner]

We’ll have to agree to disagree, it seems.

Am happy to be wrong - Bliss having a positive impact on the team this season would certainly be welcome. I think the odds are stacked against it, though.

[edfrva]

I hope Bliss pans out, but with multiple surgeries, my expectations are tempered for this year. He looked slow footed now, it maybe due to recovery? I know Ty is slow too and it works for his game. We just have not seen enough of Bliss to know exactly his role. He may be a great back up PG this year. He can shoot, but lots of folks can in a contest. Want to see more video of him in games. Still high on his potential.

[lodger96]

Where is this prevalent “Saunders is a shooter and Ames is not” reputation coming from?

Saunders (2 years): 41-132 31.1%
Ames (1 year): 23-70 32.9%

They’ll both be fine.

[EmbracePaceUVA]

Saunders is probably a worse shooter and Ames is probably a better shooter than some on here are assuming. I can’t really explain Saunders’s % because his shots all look like they’re going in.

[haney]

Probably two things:

1. Ames looked uncomfortable shooting out there in the B/W; Saunders looked comfortable (only one data point, of course)
2. Relative to their positions / expectations. 33-35% is a decent enough percentage for a stretch 4, at moderate volume.

I’m a Dai Dai shooting optimist but he looked bad at the B/W. Misses were wild

[Hoosnick]

@haney

Seems like we are possibly looking at a starting 5 of Warley, iMac, TJP, Saunders, and Blake.

So the rotation questions become who fills in for who and who complements who. I think the thing Bliss has going for him is that he’s competing for backup PG minutes with Dai Dai, but he also gives us a different dimension as a SG backup. Whereas Dai Dai is probably a bit ahead for backup PG but can’t really backup the SG.

So as of today (ie, way too early, not enough to go on), Dai Dai and Bliss are kind of splitting the Dante role, IMO. But Bliss has more avenues to see the court. Dai Dai seems to have one - backup PG, unless he can knock down shots better or unless he finds some other way to play next to Warley

I think this is a helpful way to think about all of the guys outside the likely starting 5:

Bliss - backup pg, backup combo guard, or out of rotation

Rohde - backup pg, backup wing, or out of rotation

Dai Dai - backup pg or out of rotation, and in direct competition with Bliss and Rohde (although 2 of the 3 could make the rotation)

Taine - backup wing or out of rotation

Sharma - same as Taine, likely in direct competition with him and Rohde (although 2 of 3 likely in rotation, and possibly all 3)

Cofie- - backup big or out of rotation

ARob and Lang - same as Cofie, in direct competition with him, and only one of the 3 will be in the rotation

[JBHoo]

As the head of the Bliss Believers, I’m just confused as to why people don’t like him & Warley on court together? to me it offers decent size along with Bliss being a more than capable shot maker to play off ball but able to keep the offensive play flowing with his IQ and passing ability.

Obviously it has to be proven on the court, and heck maybe it’s even a “shoots the piss out of it” situation, but at this point in time we have seen Bliss earn the right to a 3 point challenge over the likes of Sharma Taine and TJP, have seen him shoot pretty well in that, and have seen him hit a good looking 3 in the scrimmage. I still don’t think he’s actually sharma or maybe even Taine level shot maker, but at the very least I think we can say how close he is to that level is/has been underestimated by most. (Atleast until proven otherwise in actual competition)

[AnonymooseHoo]

I think the concern is that bliss is just too slow to defend anyone or get by anyone.

[hoosfan35]

Like Ty?

[AnonymooseHoo]

Ty is the exception that proves the rule.

[Jake]

Did that announcer accidentally give him another nickname? Threeshan Sharma