My impressions from Primetime - 6/24
Now living in North Liberty, it's nice now being able to swing over to catch some action.
McCabe - He impressed my quite a bit. He seemed to be a go-to guy on his team and seemed to always be around the ball, whether facing up for a shot or rebounding. He was quite active.
White - Just does what he does. Very active & seemed to be in the correct spots most of the time. He had 2-3 put-back dunks along with some nice outside shots. He just knows the game so well & is so fluid. He plays a lanky game but athletic enough to create. He did have a couple passing errors, but this is the 2nd Primetime game so still used to getting used to some teammates.
Uthoff - Going to be a huge asset to the Hawks. Another guy that just seems fluid on the court. He plays tall but still nimble enough to be sneaky.He also seemed to be in the correct spots on the court O & D. Has a very nice shot. He just seems to be a solid player with very good fundamentals, not surprisingly coming from a year at Wisconsin. With his length & shot, he's a piece of the puzzle that the Hawks seemed to need so will be exciting to watch him in the future. Now, if he can just lose those gaudy RED & WHITE basketball sneakers. I guess that will be coming in a couple months.
Ogelsby - He's one of those guys one seems to forget about on the court but will make people remember him fast after draining a few 3's. He probably has the best looking form and shot of anyone. Such a fluid motion. I think he could be a pleasant surprise on this years team and can help pull defenses out by consistently hitting 3's. I was pleasantly surprised with him today, but again, he had to hit a couple to make me take notice.
May - He seemed to be quite active but still can have a quirky game at times. I don't know if it's a confident issue with him or he just doesn't know his role, but at times, something seems amiss. It would help him tremendously if he could develop a nice consistent 12-15 ft shot. He's athletic enough, I just wish he could just play loose. It's just that he has a solid overall average game, but just doesn't excel at any one aspect. Again, a consistent mid-range shot could really help him a ton. He is missing that.
Olesani - He seems a little more bulky than in the past. He has nice length & seems quite athletic. He's still a little raw but I think has gained some ground. I guess what stuck out to me about him is that he actually knocked down some free throws which has been his achilles in the past. At the current time, if he concentrates on defense, positioning with rebounding & still working on his free throws, he could be a nice guy to spell some of the others to get them some rest. He could be an asset.
Woodbury - He's young & raw. I wish guys over 6' 10' could jump like us little guys had to when playing. Some never had to so they just don't. They just kind of hop. He was assertive at times when he wanted to be. But, there were a couple occasions where he could have dunked it close to the hoop, mainly on a couple put-backs. He's young & will come into his own. Once he gets a bit more bulked up & playing with more confidence, look out. He's playing with more talented players around him & seems to still be trying to get acclimated to them & the speed. He seems pretty raw but I think he has a ton of upside. He just can't play like a boy anymore, and has to play like a man down low who is going to dominate the middle. He'll be good once he figures that out & gets more confidence.
He does need to work on his free throws as he missed four in a row yesterday afternoon. Hopefully that was an anomaly. A team wants there big man to hip FT's, since will get fouled quite often.
Gessel - This guy gets me giddy when watching him. He is well above where he should be coming in. He is masterful with the rock & takes care of the ball. He doesn't force things but lets the game come to him & plays with the flow of the game. He just has the look of a seasoned sophmore or junior than an incoming freshman. This should really help Marble on the wing & Marble can concentrate even more on shooting. To add to his other attributes as a solid PG, he also can shoot the ball which is a luxury. The D will have to honor this attribute & he is quick enough & nifty enough to create a shot when he has to. Great overall game & plays smart. I think he's a lock to start at PG this season.
Marble - He's a team leader & has a great game. Can hit shots & create when he needs to. He's developing a fade-shot which is nice. He also just does what he does & is very productive. He's playing with a lot of confidence & with additions such as Gessel this year along with playing with White & having Oggelsby out being a threat for some 3's, I see a nice year coming for Mr. Marble. He is going to be productive. He may have to do spot duty at point on occasion in games, but he can concentrate more on shots and driving & dishing. It's going to be fun to watch.
Sorry if I forgot anyone.