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What we liked:
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The offense flowing through our ‘bigs’
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25 points and 11 rebounds out of the center
spot/9 additional from a forward
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Balanced scoring
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Use of quality depth
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Great point guard play
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Solid free throw shooting
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Better contesting of shots
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Better ball movement
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A healthy team!
What we don’t want to see:
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Silly & careless turnovers
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Mental mistakes habitually being made
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Rushed and bad shot selection
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Wrong guys shooting at critical times or outside
of their range
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The lack of a knack to attack the basket
It will all get underway for real next Friday night
as the Illini will host Southeast Missouri State. Right now it is
hard to assess the quality of this Illini team. Exhibition games are
needed but they don’t help when you’re trying to evaluate the squad.
 There are so many variables regarding how successful this unit can
be. Will they stay healthy? Will there be good chemistry? Will they
get enough lift from the early portion of the schedule and from the
non-conference season? Will that lift them to a good, solid season
in the Big 10? Will the brutal nature of the early league schedule
forge the team together or batter it? Who will step up and make huge
contributions? How consistent can this team become? [to top of second column] |
Those are just a few of the dozens of questions that Greg Taylor and
I have bantered around the last couple of weeks. For me, it’s just
way too early to tell. I don’t want to crown this team anything. I
think there is good potential there. But, will it be realized? I
have tried to remain positive and enthusiastic through the adversity
and difficulties this team has faced the last couple of seasons, but
it has been a difficult task.
I want to believe and I want to go out ahead and predict great
things, but it might be better just to let things play out. My hope
is that the guys will play with desperation and a chip on their
shoulder. They have been down the last two seasons, but if they will
bring a massive dose of fight, of effort, and intensity I think they
could be better than most people think. However, it is now time to
prove it. No one will give them props for just having potential. The
only thing that will elevate them is wins. So, I’m much more
reserved than ever. I’m hopeful, but I want a reason to cheer. I
want a reason to make the weekly trek to CU. I want this to be a
year where hope is restored. I wish good things for these guys, but
the only thing I know for sure is… It’s time for
ILLINI basketball!!! Let the wins begin! [By JEFF MAYFIELD]
Respond to the writer at
jeffqmay@gmail.com.
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