MGB: UNT parts ways with Ahmed

[Brett Vito]

MGB:

http://meangreenblog.dentonrc.com/2015/06/now-we-know-how-unt-will-get-to-13-ahmed-gone.html/

[forevereagle]

[Harry]

Guy just never really got much playing time and didn't make much of an impact when he did.  I wish him well but after all the hype about him, it is a disappointing outcome.

[UNTFan23]

Guy just never really got much playing time and didn't make much of an impact when he did.  I wish him well but after all the hype about him, it is a disappointing outcome.

​Hard to get into any kind of groove when you average 10 minutes per game.  If you look at the 2014-2015 season stats, he only played 4 to 8 minutes in a lot of games, especially in the back half of the season.

[BillySee58]

There are reasons why he didn't live up to the hype or get many minutes.

1. The hype was all internally facilitated. He wasn't highly ranked or recruited (he claimed offers but they weren't listed anywhere so hard to confirm the legitimacy). Benford hypes up all his signees, so if you listen to him you'll feel like all of these guys are highly touted.

2. He didn't play a lot of minutes because he wasn't that good. Whenever he scored it was usually because he was gunning (shot under 36% from the field), and he wasn't that athletic or big.

Also, David Anwar's JUCO recruits: Keith Coleman, Armani Flannigan, and Muhammad Ahmed.

Edited June 5, 2015 by BillySee58

[97and03]

Get rid of a big to add a big?

[greenminer]

Get rid of a big to add a big?

​Let's just call this type of math "Algebrenford" 

[IslandEagle]

6 11" Michael Thomas seems like a much more suitable replacement.

[emmitt01]

Like rats off the Titanic

[GrandGreen]

​

There are reasons why he didn't live up to the hype or get many minutes.

1. The hype was all internally facilitated. He wasn't highly ranked or recruited (he claimed offers but they weren't listed anywhere so hard to confirm the legitimacy). Benford hypes up all his signees, so if you listen to him you'll feel like all of these guys are highly touted.

2. He didn't play a lot of minutes because he wasn't that good. Whenever he scored it was usually because he was gunning (shot under 36% from the field), and he wasn't that athletic or big.

Also, David Anwar's JUCO recruits: Keith Coleman, Armani Flannigan, and Muhammad Ahmed.

​You might want to check his per minute stats compared to Flannigan.   His stats were comparable and the times he played I thought he was the better player.    Not that he or Flannigan added that much, but I did wonder why he played behind Flannigan despite having an expected one more year.  

I was kind of surprised as I figured it would be a guard leaving, the front court  only has Combs returning.  Thomas whose stats indicate a border line pick up, is the only one with any experience above high school.  Looks like another guard oriented team.  

 

 

[BillySee58]

​You might want to check his per minute stats compared to Flannigan.   His stats were comparable and the times he played I thought he was the better player.    Not that he or Flannigan added that much, but I did wonder why he played behind Flannigan despite having an expected one more year.  

I was kind of surprised as I figured it would be a guard leaving, the front court  only has Combs returning.  Thomas whose stats indicate a border line pick up, is the only one with any experience above high school.  Looks like another guard oriented team.  

 

 

Flannigan was taller, more athletic, and wasn't as much of a liability on the defensive end as Ahmed. Ahmed may have had more points/40 minutes but Flannigan shot over 50% from the field while Ahmed was under 36%, like I said. You're right that neither added much, but it was pretty clear Flannigan was the one trusted more, especially as the year went along.

[Andrew]

​You might want to check his per minute stats compared to Flannigan.   His stats were comparable and the times he played I thought he was the better player.    Not that he or Flannigan added that much, but I did wonder why he played behind Flannigan despite having an expected one more year.  

I was kind of surprised as I figured it would be a guard leaving, the front court  only has Combs returning.  Thomas whose stats indicate a border line pick up, is the only one with any experience above high school.  Looks like another guard oriented team.  

 

 

Even though we have a lot of guards we also have a lot more length and size than in years past and most of it is in the post. For the first time I can recall in a long time we have 3 near 7 footers. We also have another 3 players who are 6'7" or taller. I am more concerned about the height of our guards. Mo is 6'5" and hopefully Deckie is a legit 6'4". Holston at 6'7" is listed as a guard so hopefully that will help us defensively around the perimeter (especially if we run the zone again). I am not saying we will rebound better than last year (I have not seen enough to know), but I do not see how we could be worse in the paint. I am very interested to see how this year pans out. On paper it doesn't look terrible, but then again nor have other recruits in the past 3 years. 

[GrandGreen]

Even though we have a lot of guards we also have a lot more length and size than in years past and most of it is in the post. For the first time I can recall in a long time we have 3 near 7 footers. We also have another 3 players who are 6'7" or taller. I am more concerned about the height of our guards. Mo is 6'5" and hopefully Deckie is a legit 6'4". Holston at 6'7" is listed as a guard so hopefully that will help us defensively around the perimeter (especially if we run the zone again). I am not saying we will rebound better than last year (I have not seen enough to know), but I do not see how we could be worse in the paint. I am very interested to see how this year pans out. On paper it doesn't look terrible, but then again nor have other recruits in the past 3 years. 

​

Even though we have a lot of guards we also have a lot more length and size than in years past and most of it is in the post. For the first time I can recall in a long time we have 3 near 7 footers. We also have another 3 players who are 6'7" or taller. I am more concerned about the height of our guards. Mo is 6'5" and hopefully Deckie is a legit 6'4". Holston at 6'7" is listed as a guard so hopefully that will help us defensively around the perimeter (especially if we run the zone again). I am not saying we will rebound better than last year (I have not seen enough to know), but I do not see how we could be worse in the paint. I am very interested to see how this year pans out. On paper it doesn't look terrible, but then again nor have other recruits in the past 3 years. 

​Yes, NT can be worse in the paint: Voss was a very under appreciated player.   NT is replacing him and Flannigan with a borderline juco and two freshman.   Brice looks very raw and I would be surprised if he provides much of anything next year.  Hopefully, Fuller is further along or it is going to be another bad year for the Green.  

[Ben Gooding]

How Reese pans out will be a big factor into our competitiveness. Our guard play last year was as bad as I've personally seen it. Also, we had a guy playing the 5 at 6'7", that's not a recipe for success in any league. On paper we look competitive, but that's not saying a lot given our coach. 

Edited June 6, 2015 by Ben Gooding

[Andrew]

How Reese pans out will be a big factor into our competitiveness. Our guard play last year was as bad as I've personally seen it. Also, we had a guy playing the 5 at 6'7", that's not a recipe for success in any league. On paper we look competitive, but that's not saying a lot given our coach. 

This seems pretty accurate. We are losing Voss and Armani in the paint. Combined they did what maybe 12 points 12 rebounds tops? I think two freshman and a Juco together can get close to those numbers. Combs will also be better. We have the size this year. We need to hope that strength and toughness developes this summer. Voss had toughness and great hands. That can be taught. Height and size cannot. 

[Harry]

If Combs can improve his free throws and develop a short range jumper watch out! 

[IslandEagle]

Lets hope he is really working on those aspects of his game.

[Andrew]

Lets hope he is really working on those aspects of his game.

Generally every player works on their game during the summer at the rec. They will all be developing their skills. 

[GMG24]

What those guys do at the rec is not in any way working on their game. Kids these days don't know how to work on their game.  They aren't willing to put the hours after hours of boring practice into fine tuning and improving skills. They just want to "play". Just my opinion. 

[Andrew]

What those guys do at the rec is not in any way working on their game. Kids these days don't know how to work on their game.  They aren't willing to put the hours after hours of boring practice into fine tuning and improving skills. They just want to "play". Just my opinion. 

They use to play plenty of closed off pick up games with the whole team and let a few of us join. They ran for a while but then they did legitimately work on free throws, dribbling, and shooting. Defense.... Well yea... Defense does get left out. Plenty of offensive work got done. 

[BillySee58]

What those guys do at the rec is not in any way working on their game. Kids these days don't know how to work on their game.  They aren't willing to put the hours after hours of boring practice into fine tuning and improving skills. They just want to "play". Just my opinion. 

Completely agree. I think that's why Kentucky lost this year. Great talent, great height and athleticism, but the fundamentals were poor and they were in trouble once they couldn't just lob it up and dunk all game. And it was pretty symbolic of the college game as a whole, IMO.

Edited June 8, 2015 by BillySee58

[GMG24]

College? My MS kids lost bc once we played a team that didn't give up lay ups and made us run an offense and take contested jump shots we looked like we never played a basketball game before. It's an epidemic and it's not going to get any better... THANKS AAU.

[Quoner]

Yeah, thanks @All About UNT