🏀 Looking ahead: Avery Johnson has Alabama on the rise

[RTB X Bot]

 

[TerryP]

Good lord how I hate reading this. It's one thing to know it—which we all did—but seeing it in print still stings.

"We feel we're deeper," Johnson told Tide 99.1. "We only had about a five-and-a-half or six-man rotation last year. We're looking to have maybe 10-and-a-half or 11 guys we feel comfortable putting on the floor, so that we can play faster, score more points, and not put as much pressure on our defense."

Going in to last season I thought we had about eight guys we could get minutes from. Yet, more than once, I'd look at a box score and see as many as six of those eight without a single point. At the end of the season when I looked back I realized there was only one guy that came through each and every night; Retin.

As I sit here this afternoon thinking back to what I saw last year ... despite the frustration felt at time, I believe the season was an overall success. Not immediate gratification, but a lot of signs that point to a solid foundation being built.

•Home attendance was one of the largest increases in the nation. Why? CAJ reaching out, welcoming, and including the fan base in the program. The very same thing I saw Coach Murph do when the softball program started.
•Recruiting didn't see Bama land players like football. But, seeing Bama mentioned on the lists of some of the nations best prospects is something unseen for quite some time.
•Bama was beating top 25 teams for once. Not once in the last five years before CAJ! The Tide took three top 25 wins in year one of Johnson's tenure. If I recall correctly, Bama had at least five wins where they were the dog.
•Improvement seen in one year in players like Retin, Norris, Hale, and Edwards. And that's without a true PG playing due to injury.
•Without getting deep into the new guys, going player by player, I like how the roster is setting up for this winter/spring of next season.

 

[bradenob]

Agreed TP! This fall will be exciting, but because of what AJ is doing, I REALLY can't wait until the NEXT year, when he really begins to make an impact on the recruiting trail, and really gets to put his thumbprint on the program.

Roll Tide!!

 

[TUSKtimes]

Damn, did we really beat Florida?

What's not to like? AJ is a walking, talking billboard for Bama Basketball. When recruits get a good look at his version of the run and gun, they will come.

Seriously, did we really beat Florida?

 

[TerryP]

Damn, did we really beat Florida?

It had been so long since we had beaten Florida it does make it seem like a huge win. It was, sort of. I think we call can agree it was a down year for the Gators.

That makes me wonder what you guys think about this. There were five teams Bama beat this year that were a shock to me. Wins I didn't think Bama had a chance of recording. WSU, ND, LSU and A&M are the other four.

Out of those five wins, which one do you think was the most impressive? I'm leaning towards WSU.

BTW, now that I'm thinking about it ... the last time Bama beat UF in basketball was Pett's basket at the buzzer, wasn't it?

 

[TheChief]

WSU had injuries. LSU underperformed often. A&M was sliding at the time. I think the Notre Dame win was the biggest out of all those. Florida bigger than that. I just wonder how impressive the season could have really been if the Tide could have held on to the big lead against Oregon.

Don't take that two-bit analysis the wrong way. I think Bama would have won none of those the year before. Zero. Zilch.

Love this team. Love the coaching. Great hire. The future's so bright, they gotta wear shades.

 

[TUSKtimes]

It had been so long since we had beaten Florida it does make it seem like a huge win. It was, sort of. I think we call can agree it was a down year for the Gators.

That makes me wonder what you guys think about this. There were five teams Bama beat this year that were a shock to me. Wins I didn't think Bama had a chance of recording. WSU, ND, LSU and A&M are the other four.

Out of those five wins, which one do you think was the most impressive? I'm leaning towards WSU.

BTW, now that I'm thinking about it ... the last time Bama beat UF in basketball was Pett's basket at the buzzer, wasn't it?

Talk about getting your blood pressure up? The OOC success was amazing. I believe we were a stud point guard from scaring the crap out of the SEC. But to choose, I'll take the ND win, barely over WSU, just for their ACC success and they were an elite 8 team this year. Shoutout also for the @Clemson win. Just because they showed a lot of heart to get it.

Again, AJ got my respect with his attention to detail and he took what he had in talent and put the kids in a position to win. Admittedly, this wasn't what he wanted to run and not the vision he's selling. But instead of just firing away, cause that's what we do, he slowed it down, played defense, used his frontcourt masterfully. It also helped to have Retin in a position to bring it home.

 

[psychojoe]

While I am optimistic about the upcoming season, I am a little disappointed that we did not add a post player to our roster, at least not one who will be eligible this season. I am excited about getting Ingram back, and look forward to Dante Hall continuing to develop. Hall is the most exciting post player we have had in qute some time. As is usual with young players, he needs to learn to play aggressively without fouling. Bring it on.

 

[TerryP]

I am a little disappointed that we did not add a post player to our roster,

I am hoping this follows the same path we saw with the football recruiting. If you think back several years ('09-'11 or so) one of the conversations we had more than once covered wide receiver recruiting and how it seemed the staff was having a hard time finding a wide receiver to compliment Julio. Now, we look at the rosters over the last few years and we see that need filled more than once.

At the same time I have to pause a bit ... basketball recruiting is such a different animal than football now-a-day.

 

[TUSKtimes]

This year's team is about shooting better, getting up and down the court, and making much better decisions with the ball. AJ is working the transfer route for all it's worth. With Corban Collins, Armond Davis, Nick King, Avery Johnson Jr., throw in F Braxton Key and we are adding to a very good mix of returning Tide players.

We may not be Golden State yet, but this season ain't going to be a tractor pull either.

 

[psychojoe]

I am hoping this follows the same path we saw with the football recruiting. If you think back several years ('09-'11 or so) one of the conversations we had more than once covered wide receiver recruiting and how it seemed the staff was having a hard time finding a wide receiver to compliment Julio. Now, we look at the rosters over the last few years and we see that need filled more than once.

At the same time I have to pause a bit ... basketball recruiting is such a different animal than football now-a-day.

Definitely different. 13 scholarships instead of 85, and one player can have a lot more impact in hoops. I think part of the reason some of us don't like the off campus football camps is the fear rhat the se camps would make football recruiting comparable to basketball with the AAU activities. We are beginning to attract highly regarded prospects, but it is tough when a blue chipper is the object and the opposition as say Kansas and/or Duke. Avery is building the house, but he does not have the foundation of basketball greatness to build on as compared to Saban and football. C.M. and Wimp had some very good teams, but they never quite cracked the elite level.

 

[Bammerboy321]

Recruiting wise, we're currently looking at signing Collin Sexton, Alex Reese, and Herb Jones. Without a doubt, CAJ has us on the rise.

Unfortunately, BBQ Bruce has that other pathetic squandering school rising too.

 

[Bammerboy321]

While I am optimistic about the upcoming season, I am a little disappointed that we did not add a post player to our roster, at least not one who will be eligible this season. I am excited about getting Ingram back, and look forward to Dante Hall continuing to develop. Hall is the most exciting post player we have had in qute some time. As is usual with young players, he needs to learn to play aggressively without fouling. Bring it on.

King is the guy we can hope for in the post. Hall and Taylor don't need to be dominant scoring. Alabama just needs a guy who can defend the paint and control the backboards. Hall was great as a freshman, so it should he fun to see him progress this year, but I don't think they should demand him becoming something he's not- an offensive threat. Let him open screens and get the ball to our player makers