The Section 103 Postgame Report.

1. Congratulations to the Halls High School singers. That was an excellent rendition of the National Anthem.
2. The effort the first ten minutes was totally unacceptable. The lack of hustle was disturbing.
3. The final 30 minutes were good from an effort standpoint. The team started getting after C-N on the defensive end.
4. It is imperative this team improve from the foul line. They aren't nearly good enough to squander free points.
5. It's hard to evaluate the post players in a game where they have such a pronounced size advantage. That said, way too many fumbled passes and awkward attempts at the basket.
6. It was encouraging to see the flurry of good three point shooting in the middle 20 minutes of the game. This group will need that to compensate for their lack of post points.
7. I can see the athleticism that led Coach Martin to recruit Wes Washpun and Josh Richardson. However, they are miles away from being SEC ready from a skill perspective.
8. Renaldo Woolridge is just never going to get there as a player. Dwight Miller has to show enough to eat those minutes or the Vols are in huge trouble.
9. Call me crazy, but 10 year old girls gyrating to Prince songs isn't my idea of great halftime entertainment. It's as if the game management folks try to come up with bad ideas.
10. Tough to take a lot from a game against a mediocre SAC team. Monday night will be a much bigger test.

 

All in all, about what I expected. Maymon was the biggest surprise to me. He was in far better shape than he was last season, and played much harder. He is not as skilled as he needs to be, but he will bring much needed toughness to this otherwise soft front court. 10 points, 15 boards, and 4 assists is a good start for him, even if he did have a 6'5 kid on him. Kenny Hall was barely noticeable with similar size on him.

 

It's just going to be incredibly difficult for this team to get any real offense going against quality defenses.

 

I wouldn't annoint Maymon just yet. Let's see what happens when he runs into someone his own size.

 

Good write-up Hat. My only quibble would be that no one, of any age, should dance to Prince songs.

 

I was only able to listen to the first few minutes of the game, but why in the hell was UT trying so many 3's when they had a significant size advantage?

 

If we go .500 I will be shocked. We just don't have the guns this year.

 

I cringed both times Woolridge passed the ball for Maymon to the basket. Both players just seem uncoordinated on the basketball court. Maymon is playing the wrong sport. Should've been a football player.

 

Maymon looked a little more svelte than last year. Never thought his issue was effort. It's more in his lack of basketball skills. Would've liked to see more from Kenny Hall. That guy's gonna have to step it up.