Is Skelly our best big man?

[Wrestlerneverdiesasacatfan]

I think so! Maybe Pardon is trying too much. Hope he turns it around! Either way,Gavin is dam athletic and can stilll hit the three!

 

[Jonny2TheP]

I think so! Maybe Pardon is trying too much. Hope he turns it around! Either way,Gavin is dam athletic and can stilll hit the three!

No, he is not. But what I will say this. Skelly gives us something that Pardon does not, which is the ability to stretch a defense. You saw it last night, and we'll see it all year, that since Pardon is not a consistent threat from outside of 15 feet, teams will give him that shot. Creighton was giving Pardon 6-10 feet of space any time he was on the perimeter, just begging him to shoot. With Skelly, teams have to respect his outside shot and he stretches the defense out for the rest of the offense.

That being said, what Pardon does for us on the defensive end and on the boards is very valuable. He's a legit presence inside. Didn't help us last night with how much success Creighton had in the paint, but I think that game was more of an anomaly in that regard than anything. And his offensive post game, while it still needs polishing, is pretty strong. I expect a really nice year from Pardon. A couple things he needs to work on though:

1) When the gets the ball down low, he often has his mind made up that he's going to get a shot up no matter what. I'd like to see him have a little more patience and think of that as more of a duel threat position- either get to the hoop or pass out to an open player if help defense comes.
2) Play more up and down on defense, and stop reaching. With his wingspan, he does not need to reach as much to make the opposition put up a tough shot. This is key to keeping him out of foul trouble, which has continued to be an issue early this year.
3) Become a more consistent FT shooter. When he gets in a groove, he nails them, but he's far too inconsistent. If he's going to be a guy we dump into down low, we've got to make them pay when he gets put on the line.

Pardon is already a good player, but he has the potential to be a great player if he can improve in these areas.

 

[Gladeskat]

As long as Pardon is shooting 60% from the field, I don't mind when he receives the ball down low if he sets his mind to score.

 

[Wrestlerneverdiesasacatfan]

No, he is not. But what I will say this. Skelly gives us something that Pardon does not, which is the ability to stretch a defense. You saw it last night, and we'll see it all year, that since Pardon is not a consistent threat from outside of 15 feet, teams will give him that shot. Creighton was giving Pardon 6-10 feet of space any time he was on the perimeter, just begging him to shoot. With Skelly, teams have to respect his outside shot and he stretches the defense out for the rest of the offense.

That being said, what Pardon does for us on the defensive end and on the boards is very valuable. He's a legit presence inside. Didn't help us last night with how much success Creighton had in the paint, but I think that game was more of an anomaly in that regard than anything. And his offensive post game, while it still needs polishing, is pretty strong. I expect a really nice year from Pardon. A couple things he needs to work on though:

1) When the gets the ball down low, he often has his mind made up that he's going to get a shot up no matter what. I'd like to see him have a little more patience and think of that as more of a duel threat position- either get to the hoop or pass out to an open player if help defense comes.
2) Play more up and down on defense, and stop reaching. With his wingspan, he does not need to reach as much to make the opposition put up a tough shot. This is key to keeping him out of foul trouble, which has continued to be an issue early this year.
3) Become a more consistent FT shooter. When he gets in a groove, he nails them, but he's far too inconsistent. If he's going to be a guy we dump into down low, we've got to make them pay when he gets put on the line.

Pardon is already a good player, but he has the potential to be a great player if he can improve in these areas.

Well said! Benson has potential also!

 

[Wrestlerneverdiesasacatfan]

As long as Pardon is shooting 60% from the field, I don't mind when he receives the ball down low if he sets his mind to score.

I like Pardon\great potential \just quit the traveling

 

[charcat]

Skelly plays with passion and has that intangible ability to get the team fired up, like Mac and Law...seeing them kick it out to the big guy who hits a three gets the crowd fired up too