I've watched almost all the games thus far, and I keep trying to find holes in this team and I really can't. As a huge Canes fan, it's difficult for me to be 150% objective when I watch them, but I really try to be. And for the life of me, I can not see why this team shouldn't be considered a dark horse Final Four team.
So last night after watching that glorious spanking of UF, I looked up the odds on a NC title. This was BEFORE the game last night (which could have done nothing but help), but Miami was 25/1 to win the National Championship. That's the 10th best odds in the country. 10th! That's crazy. Here's kind of what I see that leads me to believe they will be a very tough out for anyone this spring.
1. Veteran Leaderhip -- Much like the ACC Championship team from 3 years ago, this team is loaded with veterans who have played a ton of ball. Angel is a Redshirt Senior. McClellan is a Redshirt Senior. Murphy is a Redshirt Junior. Jekiri is a Senior. ICU is a Senior. It's a veteran group. They've played together a lot, they've won on the road a lot. They don't get rattled. Teams this experienced with talented kids usually play very well.
2. A good point guard -- Yes, Angel looked great last year early on too and then went into a horrible slump in the 2nd half of the year. But he looks much more under control this year. He's more selective with his shots. He's a veteran kid, has played a ton, looks to be playing smarter and less frantic. A good PG can make a world of difference when you start seeing different defenses later in the year.
3. A legit rebounding presence -- Jekiri might be the most improved player I've seen in the history of this program. He was totally useless as a freshman, and now I feel he will be a 10 year NBA player. Not many teams will have a kid who can rebound over him. He's leading the ACC in rebounding so far. So far we've got a lot of experience, a good guard, and a good big man who can provide rim protection and rebounding. And he's not a liability on offense anymore. He can score inside, plus he's a good foul shooter.
4. Sheldon McClellan -- Maybe the most underrated player in the conference. This kid is SO damn good. 6'5, athletic as hell, his jumper has really improved, he can slash, he can defend, he can rebound, he hits big shots. This kid is mega talented.
5. The combination of athleticism and shooting -- There are some really versatile kids on this team. As I mentioned McClellan, he can really do it all offensively. He can create his own shot, and also can hit spot up jumpers. Then you've got excellent 2-way players like Davon Reed, who is lights out from the outside and has length and athleticism. Murphy is just getting acclimated here but he's a BEAST at 6'9 and can guard on the perimeter. He is a tremendous rebounder and defender. He's going to excel guarding those stretch 4's....just look what he did to Finney-Smith last night. ICU can really shoot from the outside. JaQuan Newton is a heck of a bench guard who can get into the lane...I think he develops into a Durand Scott type of kid. Lawrence looks promising. But what I'm getting at is ALL of these kids (except maybe ICU) are elite athletes. Except they're not ONLY athletes. They are skilled athletes, meaning not only can they defend but they can score the ball in different ways. You can create an excellent inside-outside team with this rotation. There's a reason Miami is near the top in several offensive categories. These kids can put the ball in the basket.
6. They're deep -- I trust 9 kids on this team in any situation. You can't say that about many teams in the country. This squad goes 9 deep with very versatile players who you have no qualms about having out there at any point in the game.
7. Coaching -- My freaking GOD, what a difference between Haith and Coach L. Jesus Christ. The movement, the development, the confidence, the assembling of talent.....this guy is so damn legit. This is a championship level coach and teacher. And the kids LOVE playing for him.
I am not going to get too excited yet, it's only December and there's a LONG way to go. But man, I don't see any holes on this team. There's not a single area where I'm thinking, "Well damn if we just had a kid who could....". Every aspect of a good basketball team is here. Every single one. And it's very well coached. I'm telling you fellas, get behind these kids and support this team. I feel this team is every bit as good if not better than the one that won the ACC. Come March, this team is going to have an excellent resume and get a very good seed in the tournament. After that....who knows? Enjoy the show.
So last night after watching that glorious spanking of UF, I looked up the odds on a NC title. This was BEFORE the game last night (which could have done nothing but help), but Miami was 25/1 to win the National Championship. That's the 10th best odds in the country. 10th! That's crazy. Here's kind of what I see that leads me to believe they will be a very tough out for anyone this spring.
1. Veteran Leaderhip -- Much like the ACC Championship team from 3 years ago, this team is loaded with veterans who have played a ton of ball. Angel is a Redshirt Senior. McClellan is a Redshirt Senior. Murphy is a Redshirt Junior. Jekiri is a Senior. ICU is a Senior. It's a veteran group. They've played together a lot, they've won on the road a lot. They don't get rattled. Teams this experienced with talented kids usually play very well.
2. A good point guard -- Yes, Angel looked great last year early on too and then went into a horrible slump in the 2nd half of the year. But he looks much more under control this year. He's more selective with his shots. He's a veteran kid, has played a ton, looks to be playing smarter and less frantic. A good PG can make a world of difference when you start seeing different defenses later in the year.
3. A legit rebounding presence -- Jekiri might be the most improved player I've seen in the history of this program. He was totally useless as a freshman, and now I feel he will be a 10 year NBA player. Not many teams will have a kid who can rebound over him. He's leading the ACC in rebounding so far. So far we've got a lot of experience, a good guard, and a good big man who can provide rim protection and rebounding. And he's not a liability on offense anymore. He can score inside, plus he's a good foul shooter.
4. Sheldon McClellan -- Maybe the most underrated player in the conference. This kid is SO damn good. 6'5, athletic as hell, his jumper has really improved, he can slash, he can defend, he can rebound, he hits big shots. This kid is mega talented.
5. The combination of athleticism and shooting -- There are some really versatile kids on this team. As I mentioned McClellan, he can really do it all offensively. He can create his own shot, and also can hit spot up jumpers. Then you've got excellent 2-way players like Davon Reed, who is lights out from the outside and has length and athleticism. Murphy is just getting acclimated here but he's a BEAST at 6'9 and can guard on the perimeter. He is a tremendous rebounder and defender. He's going to excel guarding those stretch 4's....just look what he did to Finney-Smith last night. ICU can really shoot from the outside. JaQuan Newton is a heck of a bench guard who can get into the lane...I think he develops into a Durand Scott type of kid. Lawrence looks promising. But what I'm getting at is ALL of these kids (except maybe ICU) are elite athletes. Except they're not ONLY athletes. They are skilled athletes, meaning not only can they defend but they can score the ball in different ways. You can create an excellent inside-outside team with this rotation. There's a reason Miami is near the top in several offensive categories. These kids can put the ball in the basket.
6. They're deep -- I trust 9 kids on this team in any situation. You can't say that about many teams in the country. This squad goes 9 deep with very versatile players who you have no qualms about having out there at any point in the game.
7. Coaching -- My freaking GOD, what a difference between Haith and Coach L. Jesus Christ. The movement, the development, the confidence, the assembling of talent.....this guy is so damn legit. This is a championship level coach and teacher. And the kids LOVE playing for him.
I am not going to get too excited yet, it's only December and there's a LONG way to go. But man, I don't see any holes on this team. There's not a single area where I'm thinking, "Well damn if we just had a kid who could....". Every aspect of a good basketball team is here. Every single one. And it's very well coached. I'm telling you fellas, get behind these kids and support this team. I feel this team is every bit as good if not better than the one that won the ACC. Come March, this team is going to have an excellent resume and get a very good seed in the tournament. After that....who knows? Enjoy the show.
