Coaching

At least one other WCC fan forum, LMU, has a discussion about rating the conference coaches. Coach Porter is hard to evaluate given the loss of Alec and how it has disrupted the team's play. One thing that has impressed me is his attitude; he has been calm and talked about the need to follow the process, become better, not focusing on the losing. He discussed recently how they talk to players, is it yelling or is it quiet. He said it varies depending on whether the players are making mistakes that they have already been coached to avoid. (Me, I'd be panicking and losing my mind! )

One thing we are watching is the recruiting. Will the staff bring in better players who can still succeed academically at UP? Another thing to watch is, will the current players improve year to year? I have seen too many players over the years who looked good in year 2 or year 3, but by the time they were seniors, they did not produce like we expected on the court. There are three juniors on this team, and all currently play major roles: Taylor, Tyson and Hartwich. Next season, they will all have a full year of learning Coach Porter's system and how he wants them to play. If they get better and are all starting next year, we could see immediate improvements in the program. If they regress, or stay the same, new players less familiar with the system may beat them out, they will be in line for senior disappointment, and it may take longer for the program to show big improvements.

When the lead assistant comes on a postgame and flatly states we don't have the horses, you have to wonder if the staff would be just as happy if 3/5 of the projected starters for next year left to open up more scholarship slots.

It didn't exactly lead me to believe Cantu thought the seniors for next year would grow into leadership roles.

Geezaldinho wrote:When the lead assistant comes on a postgame and flatly states we don't have the horses, you have to wonder if the staff would be just as happy if 3/5 of the projected starters for next year left to open up more scholarship slots.

It didn't exactly lead me to believe Cantu thought the seniors for next year would grow into leadership roles.

Didn't hear the interview, but I would certainly agree that UP has no more than 3 or 4 true D1 players on this year's squad that are expected to return next year....the others that return are very fortunate to have scholarships at a D1 school.

I won't detail my opinion name by name, but it's easy to see how this year's team was not so much hurt by the loss of Alec, as it was by having zero big men capable of an inside game that could take the pressure off the Pilots guards.

Don't get me wrong, Alec's injury has certainly left a big hole in the team and the hearts of we fans, but it was starting to become obvious, as WCC play was getting underway, that the opposing coaches had figured out they could shut-down Alec and Jazz because there were no UP big men who could be of any help offensively.

The Pilots will have at least 6, and possibly as many as 8 new faces next season.....that's roughly half the roster.....so yes, I think the staff would be quite happy if some players decided to leave to open up even more scholarship slots.

Hopefully it's easy to get talent when you can promise them immediate playing time or starting roles.