this year's team

[MustangIcon]

Dia has the body to be a very good defender but was lazy at times last year. Malone, I think will be the wing scorer we are looking for, but preformed very poorly on D last year (one reason his PT was so inconsistent). I am all for having a 2-guard capable of scoring, whoever it may be, but that player CANNOT be a weak defender if you also plan to start Dia and Malone. Of course, I have yet to see them play this year and they may have made great strides defensively. With their athleticism there is no reason they could not both be great defenders

You make some good points, Icon. My biggest concern with Dia is his focus. There were times last year when he completely disappeared. I’ll chalk that up to being a freshman. Hopefully this year he stays focused and plays hard for 40 minutes a game. Malone did get pushed around on the defensive end at times last season. I know he has a very thin body but that shouldn’t keep him from playing good d – example Tayshaun Prince.

I am really looking forward to what Haynes can bring to the table.

I agree with the comment on Dia's focus, which is probably at the center of his defensive lapses. Malone will play a lot of defense on opposing wings and, to me, the problem isn't with his thin frame, its with his footwork. That just takes practice and repetition. Malone is an athlete that is long and quick enough to be a very good defensive player, as you pointed out with the Prince example.

[gostangs]

I dont think Harp's issue is athletic ability at all - he is plenty fast enough and has very good hops. He needs to just relax and let his shot fly - he seemed to over think and that hesitation cost us a bunch of points last yr.

[PonyDoh]

The problem w/Harp is his lack of handle. Kid can't get his off the bounce which relegates him to being a spot up shooter. Hard to use your athleticism if your ball skills are so loose, you don't have a first step, and can't get to the rack to make people honor the mid-range or deep ball. His lack of dribbling skills make him completely one dimensional. If he's not shooting well or hesitant to shoot, he's no dimensional and a garbage, dive for loose balls, scrap for the occasional rebound, type

[SMUmessageboardScreename]

i don't disagree with any of you guys, but it should be pointed out they were all freshman. Hopefully all of these criticisms will be ironed out now that they have had a year under their belts.

It would be awesome to actually see some development and progress for once. I am a Ranger/Maverick/SMU fan...we need somethin' here to keep us sane.

[CalallenStang]

Harp is a heady player who we need to come in and hit 3's. He is not blessed with the foot quickness and ball handling skills necessary to excel at the college level. But he can be a 10-12 minute contributor. I have heard he has worked very hard this summer which is good for both he and the team.

Harp's probably forgotten more basketball than we'll ever know, and that's not saying he doesn't know anything about basketball...he's a very smart player. I also like his hustle. No, his skills aren't up to the D-1 level, but his intangibles are. I agree with you about him being a 10-12 minute contributer...more if he can hit the 3 consistently.

[diamond_tom]

No one has mentioned Harp's passing. That was a definite strong point in his game. He had several outstanding passes leading to fast breaks and assists last season.

[CalallenStang]

No one has mentioned Harp's passing. That was a definite strong point in his game. He had several outstanding passes leading to fast breaks and assists last season.

Good call. He is a terrific passer for sure.