Nice game Gatens

gohawkz

gohawkz

Well-Known Member
I don't think anyone didn't like the guy, he's Hawkeye through and through. He's not an all american but he came here when we sucked and anyone with a brain know we would suck for a while.

Many of us expected more for him at times, but tonight he played a great game and in my opinion we would not have won without him.

Any game beating the Goophers is good and I'm glad he was a part of this one. :)
 
Very happy for him. I really hope he ends his career on a positive note. He deserves it. No one works harder than that guy.
 
Gatens has been a great Hawkeye - it's a shame he's been here through the darkest stretch of Iowa Basketball, but I suspect he's enjoying himself a little more this year all of the sudden! Still a lot to play for this year!
 
I am going to eat some crow because I ripped Gatens up one side and down the other last year.

He has completely revolutionized his game this year....

- Playing lights out on defense
- Rebounding
- Running the floor
- No more stupid contested drives to the basket (under control this year)
- Is utilizing his mid-range game (which is really good)
- Playing with heart

Kudos to Matt!

I just pray this young team can keep it up and not hit a 'wall'. There are a lot of tough games to go in this conference.
 
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Too bad Gatens doesn't have another year left so he can have more talent around him. Kind of strange, but tonight he seemed to embrace the role of leader with his play and fiery demeanor.
 
1977Hawkeye said:
Gatens has been a great Hawkeye - it's a shame he's been here through the darkest stretch of Iowa Basketball, but I suspect he's enjoying himself a little more this year all of the sudden! Still a lot to play for this year!
Click to expand...

This has been obvious over the past four days. His reaction after the game on Sunday (slapping the ball several times as time expired) seemed like a peak moment for him. And tonight, I actually caught half a smile on his face when he was on his way to the line late. He's definitely having fun this year. I just wish Cole could have been here for this season. He and Gatens are the two Hawkeyes who deserve this the most.
 
That's what has also been so refreshing about this program under Fran....

You see the kids smiling a lot. They are having fun playing basketball and basketball is getting fun again.

At least Matt is getting the rewards of having some fun.
 
This just goes to show what he could've been on a good team. The kid has always had talent. he just never had any around him. Gatens is good.

He will be sorely missed next year.
 
SpecialKHawk said:
That's what has also been so refreshing about this program under Fran....

You see the kids smiling a lot. They are having fun playing basketball and basketball is getting fun again.

At least Matt is getting the rewards of having some fun.
Click to expand...

I thought the same thing as I watched the game last night. I'm sure this is an exaggeration but it seemed like I saw more smiles last night than I have seen in all the years since Davis left COMBINED
 
He's playing better....

SpecialKHawk said:
I am going to eat some crow because I ripped Gatens up one side and down the other last year.

He has completely revolutionized his game this year....

- Playing lights out on defense
- Rebounding
- Running the floor
- No more stupid contested drives to the basket (under control this year)
- Is utilizing his mid-range game (which is really good)
- Playing with heart

Kudos to Matt!

I just pray this young team can keep it up and not hit a 'wall'. There are a lot of tough games to go in this conference.
Click to expand...

but I still don't understand the rationale for "ripping" college players when they are giving good effort. One of the big reasons he looks more under control this year is he's not being defended by the other team's best perimeter defender. With the emergence of Marble and Cartwright getting back close to what he was last year, teams have difficult choices to make.

And yes, Gatens' defense is better, and he is doing a very good job defensive rebounding, especially long rebounds off missed 3-point shots. Happy for him that the team is experiencing at least a bit of success this year after he's had to be here for the darkest days of the program since the mid 1970s.
 
Re: He's playing better....

Gatens is a hawk, I really hope we can make some post season tourney this year just to give him a taste at least. He deserves something, anybody remember when the kid stole his backpack in the bathroom and he ran him down?
 
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