WCC Game 6: BYU

For the first time in a very long time, I missed an SCU game.

Good work boys.

Will I get a most dedicated award if I tune in from East Africa next week?

Go get the gaels!!!

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Agree completely on Tilly, we’re seeing him leapfrog holt by the day.

Also nice to see the students in slightly more force. For the love of god can they stand?

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17 minutes and 18 minutes for Tilly the last 2 games. Herb appears to be in agreement on Tilly. He’s definitely a work in progress, but I’m not sure we could ask much more from a 7 foot true freshman.

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Our defensive intensity last night for most of the game was really impressive. Carlos Stewart at the point of attack was just hounding their guards.
Agree with what have others have said regarding Tilly - really like his length in there and he was disruptive even if he wasn’t blocking shots or getting steals. Tilly’s progression over the last couple games has been really nice to see - let’s hope that trend continues :chart_with_upwards_trend:

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Generally agree with w/ others above. Adding on and some other random thoughts:

  • I highlighted Stewart quickness advantage in the preview and you saw that play out at both ends of the floor. His D was great, as noted hounding BYU’s guards, his 6 steals were huge.

  • Though fewer than BYU our own TO’s were too high, allowed BYU to stay in the game. As Patty noted, lots of unforced errors, airmailed passes, etc. And though Justice had an overall good night, his 4 TO’s were atypical and a couple were poor ball security, had the ball taken from him by his defender and led to run outs for BYU.

  • Tilly…agree with comments above. His combination of high skill level and solid mobility for 7foot freshman is impressive. And he seems to have a high IQ, understands where he needs to be on the floor. Rare to get a guy with all those traits at mid-major. The biggest thing he’s lacking IMO is strength, sometimes gets pushed around on blockouts, rebounding and defending the post; hopefully an offseason of getting in the weight room and some natural filling out will add ~10lbs and some strength by next season.

  • And related to Tilly…will be interesting to see how things play out with bench minutes for Tilly/Holt/Tongue. Tilly seems to have passed Holt for backup minutes behind Bediako. And maybe Tilly will even cut in to Bediako’s minutes??? I would like to see more of Tongue, his 1 min last night was kind of headscratcher…he would have matched up fine with BYU’s 4’s: Gideon George is really a wing but Camaron is quick enough to match up with him and Watterman is taller but fairly soft, a finesse player. Tongue would have done fine vs. those two.

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I’ll see if we can give you a flair or something!

I remember tuning into Santa Clara - Portland from rural northern Peru back in 2017. When the mid-major basketball bug bites you, it gets you good and really messes with your priorities. Haha.

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One other quick point on Tilly: he totally drained his 2 free throws. I know he has missed some in the past, but that was when he was barely getting in the game. Would be nice to have a big who can reliably make his free throws.

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'femme-
Just my take, but I don’t necessarily see it as Tilly vs. Toungue. They’re usually playing different roles, Tilly the 5 backing up Bediako and Camaron at the 4 backing up Braun. I think there were some minutes earlier in the season where Tilly was on the court with Bediako or Holt effectively as the 4. Most of Tilly’s minutes of late have been at the 5 though he was playing the 4 for about half his minutes vs. BYU.
Time will tell if that substitution pattern remains the same…probably need to see several more games before there’s a clear trend re: Tilly.
And Tilly and Camaron’s strengths/weaknesses are pretty different…Tilly a finesse 7foot skilled center who can also play the 4. Camaron a 6-7 highly athletic, high energy true 4 who can run the floor like a wing.
And practice performance, game matchups and who’s hot may also influence PT from game to game.

Bottom line…Camaron has great potential, I have no doubt he’ll have successful career when it’s all said and done…I hope it is at Santa Clara.

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Agree on Cam and Parker (as the 5) together. I’ve said before I’d like to see those two play together; the most athletic pair of forwards we can put together on the floor and still capable rebounders, shot blockers, etc. As long as Parker isn’t stuck guarding a really strong or wide bodied 5 (ie- BYU’s Traore) then you’re OK

I think we saw that pair together a couple of weeks ago vs. USF and turned out well…an example where matchups may dictate. USF often plays two modest size forwards who shoot the 3, Kunen and Meeks; Braun and Tongue are a better pair to match up with those two.

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