Miami Hurricanes land offensive lineman target Logan Sagapolu

/0 Comments/in , /by

The Miami Hurricanes have landed and often the lineman. Wednesday, it was reported that former Oregon offensive lineman Logan Sagapolu is coming to Miami, joining Alex Mirabal and Mario Cristobal.  This was first reported by Matt Shodell of Canesport.

Last Friday, we reported that Sagapolu was really only focusing on the Hurricanes in terms of his recruitment. Now, it appears to be a done deal. The lineman is a three-star prospect and has a numerical rating of just over 87 per the 247Sports Composite Rankings.

The former Oregon commitment is going to help the Miami Hurricanes tremendously. For one, he is able to finish his blocks very well. He can extend his hands quickly, and that allows him to be prepared for any blocking situation. His physicality allows him to be both an effective run and pass-blocker. That versatility will undoubtedly come in handy, as Miami looks to continue a consistent and strong offense under quarterback Tyler Van Dyke.

What can Sagapolu bring to Miami Hurricanes

Sagapolu fits what the Miami hurricanes have been looking for while recruiting offensive lineman. He brings a physical edge to his game, and that is something that Mirabal wants out of his lineman. The program wants physical lineman, and players who can dominate at the line of scrimmage.

With this commitment, this marks the fifth transfer of the 2022 Miami recruiting class. This is the second transfer in two days, as former UAB edge rusher Antonio Moultrie committed to the program on Monday. Miami already has a strong 2022 recruiting class, and it they have also picked up additions via the transfer portal. This is shaping up to be a very well-rounded class, as the transfer portal has a big hand in modern-day recruiting.

As Mario Cristobal looks to continue building the program, offensive lineman are a priority. Sagapolu certainly fits what the Hurricanes want on their line, and he should be a good fit with Mirabal.

Loading
Loading...

Everything Tradeshows is a one-stop-shop for trade show exhibit rentals and custom exhibit display purchase solutions to companies of all sizes.

Visit them at EverythingTradeShows or call 954-791-8882

Miami Hurricanes

Miami Hurricanes: Kevin Smith aiming high in recruiting RB position

/0 Comments/in , /by

One common trait of this entire Miami Hurricanes coaching staff is that they are solid recruiters. It seems like every member of the coaching staff has really been able to make their presence felt on the recruiting trail. One of those coaches who falls into that category is running backs coach Kevin Smith.

Hired by Miami on January 8, Smith was already able to land former Ole Miss running back Henry Parrish. Parish committed to the Miami Hurricanes on January 16. In two seasons with the Rebels, he ran for 814 yards and five touchdowns. He also caught 28 passes for 232 yards.

Now, it appears that Smith is trying to reshape the running back room once again. As noted by Gaby Urrutia of InsideTheU, Smith made an impression on 2023 four-star running back Mark Fletcher. Fletcher is the seventh overall running back in the 2023 class, and the 26th overall player in his class from the state of Florida per the 247Sports Composite Rankings. Numerically, he is rated a 90.

Fletcher has offers from big-time schools. Alabama and Penn State are in the picture right now for his recruitment. It will be up to Smith to shift the focus more towards Miami.

What would Fletcher bring to Miami Hurricanes?

Fletcher measures in at six-foot-one, 225 pounds. In watching some of his tape, it’s obvious why Miami is high on him. He is extremely fast, and does not hesitate when he sees an open hole. Vision and speed are his two best qualities, and that would definitely give the Miami Hurricanes running game a boost. One of the key traits of a running back is how decisive he is as soon as he gets the football. Fletcher certainly makes quick decisions when he has the ball in his hands.

There has been a line of communication between Smith and Fletcher . It sounds like Fletcher is a priority target for Smith. It will be interesting to see how this plays out, and when Fletcher will make his decision.

Kevin Smith is looking to reshape the running back room, and he is going to get the best running backs he can in order to get the job done. He is not looking for players who will merely fill the room, but players who will make an impact within it.

Loading
Loading...

Everything Tradeshows is a one-stop-shop for trade show exhibit rentals and custom exhibit display purchase solutions to companies of all sizes.

Visit them at EverythingTradeShows or call 954-791-8882

The Miami Heat are Better Suited Now Following the Hardships

/0 Comments/in , /by

The Miami Heat are the 1st seed in the East at this moment in time. They sit 13 games over .500, Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, Kyle Lowry, and Tyler Herro have only played 11 of the 47 games together this season, and the guys on the lower half of the roster have emerged.

We’ve seen so many times in the past when certain teams get hot in the regular season, but playoff ball is just strictly dependent on the right match-up. So what makes the Heat fall outside of that category?

Well, the simple answer was portrayed to start this piece, since there’s always that element that a fully healthy roster can elevate this group even further, plus the late addition of Victor Oladipo pretty soon.

But the more important answer is that Erik Spoelstra has found some things along the way this season. Things that wouldn’t have been found if guys didn’t go down.

For starters, we’ve seen a gem in Omer Yurtseven emerge, who plugged right into the starting lineup as that expected filler, and performed at a very high level to generate some wins throughout the month of December.

A guy on a two-way contract named Caleb Martin turned into a legitimate rotation player, locking down opposing teams’ best players and scoring the basketball at a rate many didn’t think he could at this level.

A couple of previous two-way projects, in Gabe Vincent and Max Strus, have taken some major steps in their development so far this season as well, due to Strus’ continued elite shooting and trusted skill-set, and Vincent’s improved three-ball, increased court vision, continued defense, and general all-around play.

But that list of developmental players isn’t the main reason that this team is better suited after the previous events. It’s the things Erik Spoelstra was forced into with those specific players.

As mentioned before, Adebayo goes down to begin the month of December with a lengthy time period ahead, but how does this Heat team survive on the defensive end without their anchor?

Well, as Spoelstra has said a million times this season, it’s next man up.

Yurtseven stepping in meant a total shift was coming from the usual switching that occurs in a Miami Heat defensive scheme. And although the switching bothered some observers at times, it led to one of the better defenses in the league for a decent period of time.

With the big man combo of Yurtseven and Dewayne Dedmon, Miami had to blend strictly into a drop coverage team, which at first screams defensive comfortability for other teams to expose. Does Spoelstra have as many tricks in his bag on that end as he once did with Adebayo?

The answer was yes.

We saw him change things rotationally or through match-ups, but the immediate trust to blitz against top tier guards showed the solidity of this team’s back-line rotations and defensive mentality.

So, how did this change put Miami in a better spot moving forward?

Well, Spo has clearly shown that he’s not afraid to shift the defensive coverage from possession to possession, but seeing Miami survive with Yurtseven as a blitzer or off-ball mover, tells me the Adebayo defensive play-book just opened up.

It means that offenses will never get comfortable. Adebayo can drop and blitz, switch and double, or lay back as the free safety in the zone. These conversations are easier to have when Vincent and Martin are hounding guys at the point of attack, but that 7 week hiatus from Adebayo may have changed some perspective on that side of the floor.

And more importantly, that is something I believe Erik Spoelstra has already slipped in his pocket to return to come playoff time.

On the offensive end, many things just simply come down to player production at the right time, since this is a team that has quite the amount of options down the line if one guy isn’t performing up to their standards.

But as much as adjustments have been made on the defensive end all year, double that for their offensive structure.

No Adebayo and Butler is a hard combination to be without when running an offense. Luckily for the Heat, PJ Tucker stepped up in a way that it almost felt like they weren’t even gone, since they utilized him in a very similar fashion. (Which makes absolutely zero sense in theory)

They would line Tucker up on the strong-side wing with his back to the basket, and flow into their heavy movement offense with stagger screens, back-cuts, pin-downs, hand-offs, and more. That usage shot up even more when they’ve been without Kyle Lowry, which hasn’t been for too long aside from this past week.

But figuring out that Tucker can play in these different spots, and expanding his offensive role little by little, can really change things when they get everybody back. For one, staggering lineups is truly unnecessary when looking at the amount of creators they have on the roster, but it also allows them to put guys like Adebayo in more score-friendly spots, Lowry in higher frequency off-ball spaces, and Butler can essentially split “carries” with Tucker in many ways.

Along with finding that Tucker can play within a bigger role, they found some places to insert him into along the way as well. Something I’ve brought up frequently is Miami’s recent offensive base, which I briefly displayed when discussing the role of Tucker previously.

As seen above, it leaves Miami with a simple insert pass to a guy like Butler on the wing, four guys clear-out to the weak-side for the action to begin, and chaos quickly follows. A bunch of misdirections are used in the process to try and put the defense in a very awkward position, eventually leading to an open cutter around the basket or a three-point attempt on one of the flares.

This may seem oddly specific and unrelated to the original topic of Miami finding things in the process of being without top players, but I highly doubt we would have seen such a diverse offensive playbook in the event that Adebayo and Butler were healthy for the majority of the season thus far.

And yet, that’s what makes this Heat team much more promising as they move forward, and much different than last season’s team: they’re a diverse group now.

Lastly, we’ve still yet to see one of the main elements to this Heat offense due to the inability to get them at full strength: mid-range play.

As much as they’ve previously been a super high spot-up three-ball team, they’ve been last in frequency within that category for quite some time now. And with three of their four best players having a high talent for the mid-range jumper, while Butler has it at times, that was the theme of this team coming in.

Even when Adebayo went down, many of those things carried over. Herro and Lowry still attacked drop coverages at a high level like they usually do, but the mid-range numbers dropped from 15 a game to 10.5 a game over that span.

Why is that?

Well as much as Spoelstra can emulate everything on this roster, that rolling pull-up threat was just no where to be found on this team. Tucker developed a nice looking floater, but that’s not a mid-range roller that they were missing. Yurtseven and Dedmon don’t have that in their bag, it’s one of Martin’s only offensive deficits, and Markieff Morris may be the only one to obtain it, but he hasn’t played in a very long time.

Now, as Adebayo returns to the lineup, who exits at this very moment?

Lowry and Herro, as Herro entered the protocols and Lowry has been away from the team due to personal reasons, which also could be the much needed time off this season.

So let’s take a look around the roster again, what guards can fill the ball-handler pull-up void without those back-court guys?

Duncan Robinson and Strus definitely aren’t the guys for the job, Butler hasn’t been hugely efficient with that this year, and Vincent has actually done it to a decent degree, but not enough for defenses to worry about it.

The point is that it’s been a constant adjustment period within one of the team’s biggest offensive strengths, but they’ve found a way.

And now if that element isn’t falling, like what happened against Milwaukee in last year’s post-season, alternatives are being found sooner than before.

Loading
Loading...

Talking about getting whole with top level talent is one thing, but getting the pieces back together to experiment within lineups and sets is another thing.

As I said prior, this Heat team sits atop the East, even though they’ve experienced a never-ending cycle of guys exiting and others returning.

“It’s best case scenario when you’re able to learn in a win,” said Duncan Robinson after the Heat’s win over the Lakers. And that right there is the theme of their season so far.

They’ve been in rough spots, picked up on new players and schemes for the long haul, yet still find themselves in the one seed in the Eastern Conference.

There’s no doubt this Heat team is better suited for a lengthy late-season run following the pick-ups they have made along the way.

 

Everything Tradeshows is a one-stop-shop for trade show exhibit rentals and custom exhibit display purchase solutions to companies of all sizes.

Visit them at EverythingTradeShows or call 954-791-8882

Miami Hurricanes

Miami Hurricanes: Four-star WR Hykeem Williams top target for ‘Canes

/0 Comments/in , /by

It was a busy weekend for the Miami Hurricanes, as campus visitors along with the Battle Miami camp coincided with each other. As we continue to sift through the news of this weekend, one particular receiver has piqued Miami’s interest. 2023 four-star wide receiver Hykeem Williams has an interest in Miami, and the interest is mutual. This news was first reported by Gaby Urrutia of 247Sports.

Williams is the 11th overall wide receiver in the 2023 class, and the 11th overall player in his class from the state of Florida per the 247Sports Composite Rankings. His primary recruiter is wide receivers coach Bryan McClendon.

What could he bring to Miami Hurricanes?

Williams measures in at six-foot-three, 195 pounds. He is a very solid outside wide receiver. He is not tremendously quick out of his break, but that’s not his specialty. Williams makes things happen after the catch. Once he has the football in his hands, he can get away from defenders with ease. In that respect, he is an impact playmaker. He is still a tremendous big-play threat, just not initially out of his break.

The Fort Lauderdale native played for Stranahan High School. He caught 31 passes for 693 yards and six touchdowns. in terms of what Miami is trying to recruit at the wide receiver position, he fits exactly the type of play style they are looking for.

Currently, the 2023 Miami recruiting class ranks 44th nationally and fifth overall in ACC per the 247Sports team rankings. The class only has one commitment at the moment in wide receiver Lamar Seymour.

Pairing Williams with a guy like Seymour could spell very good news for Miami. That would give them to playmakers they could build the class around. If the Hurricanes were able to land this commitment, it would give them two commitments for this class, with much of the recruiting cycle still to go.

 

Everything Tradeshows is a one-stop-shop for trade show exhibit rentals and custom exhibit display purchase solutions to companies of all sizes.

Visit them at EverythingTradeShows or call 954-791-8882

Five Takeaways from Heat’s Win Over Lakers

/0 Comments/in , /by

The Miami Heat came out firing against the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday night, but barely squeaked it out in the end.

PJ Tucker came up big down the stretch with big play after big play, but Caleb Martin sealed it with a late steal and finish to close it out.

So, here are some takeaways from this one…

#1: Jimmy Butler bounce back…with bounce passes.

Jimmy Butler has been a hot topic recently after his struggles down the stretch against Atlanta, but like he usually does, he bounced back. Not in the same scoring manner that he always comes back in, but with a complete passing display that gave him 10 assists well before the halftime buzzer even went off. How was he getting guys such good looks? Well, part of it is guys just hitting shots at a high level. But the main element was his overall half-court movement. Stagnant nights lead to rough shooting and rough passing, but when you flow with the off-ball movement shooter, great things happen. That’s what he did throughout that first half, and it’s something to keep in mind with the other big 3 counterparts. It allows Bam Adebayo to be aggressive Bam Adebayo, which he has been, and it leads to Kyle Lowry needing to step up as the off-ball scorer we know he will be come playoff time.

#2: Duncan Robinson playing his game.

When I say Duncan Robinson was playing his game, that doesn’t just mean he was hitting from deep. It’s about the process. As I’ve discussed on every one of these takeaway pieces, Robinson shooting without hesitation is the key. There have been too many occasions where he slightly hesitates in a fashion he hasn’t in past years, and we’re seeing a breakthrough at this point in time. Another point that must be made is that Robinson is 100% a drop killer. It’s something I’ve brought up about Tyler Herro and Kyle Lowry when they face drop coverage with their mid-range pull-up, but Robinson elevates that even further when he’s hot. All it takes is one defender to eliminate for an open three to be found, and that’s what got him going early. And well, many potential playoff match-ups will see a similar look.

#3: Miami playing the “help defense” game all the way.

Usually I take a section of this piece to talk strictly defensive scheme, but something else was noted on that end. For starters, as expected, Erik Spoelstra went immediately to his coveted match-up move with his versatile front-court, placing PJ Tucker on LeBron James so Bam Adebayo can quickly switch onto him with Tucker dropping on Dwight Howard. But as we saw right after, that wasn’t the primary move. The change was that no matter who LeBron had on his back in the high post, that help defender would come swarming. Jimmy Butler kicked that off with constant gambles, and it leads to some swings, some help, and usually a three-point attempt from a below average shooter when looking at that Lakers’ starting lineup. Both Gabe Vincent and Caleb Martin picked right up in Butler’s spot with swarming help, furthering the point that these guys aren’t just on-ball stoppers. They’re complete defensive threats.

#4: Once again, Dewayne Dedmon is the ultimate back-up big for this Heat team.

The funny thing about the Dewayne Dedmon-Omer Yurtseven conversation is that…it’s not a conversation. Like I’ve stated many times, Yurtseven did some outstanding things as the filler on this team, and will continue to evolve and play that role this season, but the back-up big role is Dedmon’s and it isn’t close. The reason for that is the best quality for a back-up big is consistency, and man is that an adjective for Dedmon. Every single night he plays, he gives you the same exact thing. Simple rolling, great hands, exceptional finishing. And well, he extends plays. When playing the role of small bursts, energy and play extension are two of the biggest non-statistical elements. Dedmon has definitely shown that he’ll bring the energy, but fighting down low for fouls is the equivalent of exciting Yurtseven offensive rebounds. And yet, probably a more reliable element in this role specifically.

Loading
Loading...

#5: Confidence win for Miami.

Talking about confidence wins when the Heat beat a struggling Lakers team may seem odd, but they needed to follow up that rough ending against the Hawks. Not only that, but the ugly offensive showing needed some cleaning up, and it wasn’t about the team aspect. Much like tonight, Robinson, Martin, Vincent, Strus, and others came up big to give Miami a chance. But Butler’s struggles and the lack of Herro and Lowry held them back. Well, tonight, Butler and Adebayo proved yet again they can get up for hyped up games, and don’t need every last piece, just like Herro and Lowry didn’t for big games prior. This Heat team has found ways to win with many different combinations, but the back-end of the rotation has stayed familiar. And it should look familiar as they move into the playoffs as well.

 

Everything Tradeshows is a one-stop-shop for trade show exhibit rentals and custom exhibit display purchase solutions to companies of all sizes.

Visit them at EverythingTradeShows or call 954-791-8882

Goldie’s Best Bets NFL Divisional Round: Ride with Rodgers

/1 Comment/in , /by

Goldie:

All Time Record: 295-145-1          

Vs. Spread: 221-219-1

 

21-22 Season:  169-90-1               

Vs. Spread: 132-130-1

 

Wildcard Record: 5-1          

Vs. Spread: 3-3

 

Guarantee Record: 17-15

Upset Record: 18-13              

 

Crazy Uncle Jeff 

All Time: 35-15              

21-22 Season: 19-14       

Final 2020: 16-1

 

A statement from Crazy Uncle Jeff: 

“I have not been happy with my performance and record this season. I apologize to all of my fans. In hopes to make amends, I will not miss this weekend. Give me all of the favorites, but give the points” 

Titans ML

Packers ML

Buccaneers ML

Chiefs ML

 

Goldie’s Guarantee

San Francisco 49ers (10-7) @ Green Bay Packers (13-4)

Vegas Picks: GB -5.5

Goldie’s Take: Packers Win 38-13

No, that score prediction was not a typo. Aaron Rodgers is the best quarterback in football while Garoppolo is average, and Jimmy’s nursing a shoulder injury. Also, Green Bay has been dominant in lambeau, going 8-0 at home this season. Also, SFs two best defenders are iffy to play as Nick Bosa and Fred Warner were tagged as questionable in Thursday’s injury report. Also, the Niners barely snuck into the playoffs, while the Packers had the #1 seed locked up for weeks. Also, the Niners are (in my opinion) the worst team left in the playoffs. Rodgers and the Packers advance to yet another NFC Championship. Bet the house, the car, and the boat! I GUARANTEE IT!

 

Goldie’s UPSET of the Week

Buffalo Bills (11-6) @ Kansas City Chiefs (13-5)

Vegas Picks: KC -2

Goldie’s Take: Bills Win 24-23

So many storylines surround the games this weekend, but perhaps none bigger than the rematch of last season’s AFC Championship. Mahomes and the Chiefs defeated the Bills last season en route to their second Super Bowl appearance in a row. However, Buffalo has been waiting patiently for their shot to knock KC off since that day (a certain Stefon Diggs photo comes to mind). These Bills proved they’re the real deal last week by demolishing division rival Patriots in the NFL playoffs’ first ever perfect game (TD on every drive). That loaded Bills offense is going to be hard to keep up with, especially considering Buffalo has the defensive edge as well. Feeling dangerous going against Andy Reid at home coming off a bye, but I’m a true believer that there’s a new sheriff in town in the AFC. After all, nobody circles the wagons like the Buffalo Bills! UPSET!

 

Cincinnati Bengals (10-7) @ Tennessee Titans (12-5)

Vegas Picks: TEN -3.5

Goldie’s Take: Titans Win 27-23

In the first of a great slate of games, the Bengals head to Tennessee with hopes of keeping their Cinderella season alive. However, many factors point towards a Titans victory this Saturday. The Titans have the rest/prep edge coming off the #1 seed bye, which of course also results in this being a home game for the Titans. In addition, Tennessee has the health edge. Multiple Bengals linebackers were injured in their win against the Raiders last week, and the Titans offense gets a massive boost as RB Derrick Henry is set to make his return. The clock strikes midnight for the Bengals, as the Titans get their first home playoff win since 2003. 

 

Los Angeles Rams (12-5) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (13-4) 

Vegas Picks: TB -3

Goldie’s Take: Rams Win 26-23

Feeling extra dangerous going against Tom Brady in the playoffs, but his team is just too depleted to win a playoff game right now. The Bucs will be without Chris Godwin and Antonio Brown, and they’ll be lucky to have two of their three top RBs. Those are major blows to two very important skill positions on the offense. Loaded Rams defense should do a good job of containing the hobbled Bucs offense. Also, Matthew Stafford is out for blood in this one, as this is his first real taste of competitive playoff action after being cooped up in Detroit for all those years. Sean McVay and the Rams devise a game plan to take down the legendary GOAT on the other side. However, this is the most nervous pick of the four by far, as the ghost of Brady’s past has already started to haunt me. 

Five Takeaways from Panthers 2-1 win over Canucks

/0 Comments/in , /by

After a 6-0 thrashing of the Edmonton Oilers, Florida was back on the ice one day later in Vancouver to take on the Canucks. 

A depleted Canucks team held their own against the star studded Panthers squad and saw a great performance in goal from their new goalie Spencer Martin.

The game ended in a shootout, where the Panthers won 2-1.

Here are tonight’s five takeaways. 

Spencer Martin stole the show 

Before tonight 26-year-old goaltender Spencer Martin hadn’t appeared in an NHL game since the 2016-2017 season when he was with the Colorado Avalanche. 

He was previously in the AHL with the Abbotsford Canucks, where he had five wins in his seven starts. 

All game the Panthers were firing at Martin but they only got past him once in regulation from a power play opportunity.

In his debut with the Canucks, Martin had 33 saves. He looked like he belonged in the NHL tonight and I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets more games this season.

Spencer Knight stood tall

Apart from the first goal allowed on the power play, Knight gave his team a fighting chance against Vancouver. 

The 20-year-old Panthers net minder had to make a multitude of saves from high scoring areas. He also had to kill four penalties tonight. 

He didn’t have goal support from his team until the third period but his performance tonight allowed the Panthers to hold on until they could tie the game in the third and win it in the shootout.

The team looked slower than usual 

Florida has played three games in the last four days, including a back to back. Between the travel, time change and games, it looked like it hit them tonight. 

The team who is usually electric off the rush and in transition looked lethargic for most of the game. They didn’t have the same jump in their step that you would see when they are putting five plus goals past their opponent. 

There weren’t too many odd-man rushes nor breakaway chances for Florida, when they usually get a couple each game. 

They had a few spurts where they looked alive but other than that, it wasn’t the same energy you usually see from this team. 

Florida couldn’t stay out of the box 

Some of the penalties tonight were definitely questionable, but nonetheless Florida was penalized four times against Vancouver.

It didn’t help that Vancouver scored on their first PP or that the Canucks had some great chances with the man advantage.

They’ll need to clean that up before their next game against Seattle.  

The power play looked smooth

After going 3-for-5 last night on the power play, Florida brought their power play momentum to Vancouver. 

Florida didn’t get too many looks on the man advantage tonight but they looked pretty comfortable when they had the opportunity. 

The puck movement was quick, decisive and it led to good scoring chances.  Florida got their first and only goal of the game on their second power play opportunity from Vancouver native Sam Reinhart. 

The Panthers power play hasn’t been all that impressive for a large part of this season, but it has looked good as of late.

Five Takeaways from Heat’s Loss to Atlanta

/0 Comments/in , /by

The Miami Heat lost to the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night, and well, it was a wild finish.

Miami didn’t even seem like they’d be in that position, but they made a late push to only trail 2 with 10 seconds left and the ball in their possession. A Jimmy Butler corner three was the result, while it felt like that was the last option on that play.

Anyway, here are some general takeaways from this one…

#1: Patchy stretches to finish first half: turnovers, inability to get into actions, blending into defense.

To touch on some negatives of Miami’s early play tonight, the stretch in the second quarter where Atlanta went on a 14-3 run showcased some things. For one, turnovers can’t happen in general, but essentially against teams that don’t mind getting out and run. The reason for the turnovers could be thrown in a few different directions. The easy thing to say is that it was visible they couldn’t flow into their offense as smoothly, but why was that the case? No Kyle Lowry and Tyler Herro, the highest usage guards on the team, means the usage rates raise for others. Gabe Vincent is obviously one, but an interesting one was Caleb Martin. He’s been given the keys to fill every role, but that one did not feel necessary to trigger actions. Those issues began to lead into defensive struggles during that stretch, which is the bigger picture problematic element.

#2: It’s not specific schematics with Max Strus. It’s a mindset.

Watching Max Strus go for 15 points in the first half leads to some individual game takeaways with him. There’s nothing different or outrageous about the way he’s used or goes about his offense, but his mindset is the only thing that is different. For one, I don’t think he’s ever seen his on-ball defender. Why is that? Well, he’s never had time to take note of him when the ball is in his hands, because that ball is going up as soon as he sees a green light opportunity. But when dissecting more scheme specifics, his cutting has been a very useful, surprising element that makes him more of a weapon within Miami’s movement offense. He’s instinctive. When he cuts, it’s in the moment. When he shoots, there’s nothing else on his mind. And well, that’s a pretty great trait for a shooter of his caliber.

#3: Pick and roll scoring threats anyone?

When Bam Adebayo was out, the element they missed within their offense was that rolling pull-up threat, since no other front-court mate could provide that. Now, without Lowry and Herro, they showed to be lacking the ball-handler scoring element within the PnR. Gabe Vincent has emerged immensely in that space, really reading situations well when the defender goes under a screen, that it’s his turn to pull. But looking across the roster tonight, aside for Jimmy Butler who wasn’t showcasing it often, they just didn’t have that scoring threat within that action. That was why we saw more hand-offs, Adebayo perimeter surveying on cuts, and usual perimeter ball movement. Their hands were tied behind their back without that head of the snake, but obviously adjustments are the story of their season.

#4: Bam Adebayo-Omer Yurtsevem?

The Bam Adebayo-Omer Yurtseven front-court combination has been a hot topic in terms of lineup projections recently, and well, we saw some of it tonight. After PJ Tucker went out early, they were forced to move in this direction, which as I’ve said is the one scenario where it makes a ton of sense. Now, with what we saw, the defensive flexibility is definitely intriguing. It’s something Adebayo is very comfortable with, as Yurtseven drops in the pick and rolls and Adebayo can switch out to anyone without worry about the backside or offensive rebounding. But as great as this is, it’s not all rose pedals as expected. The offensive spacing is still heavily forced. And it was clear Erik Spoelstra would agree, as most of the sets being run were double off-ball screens with those two, so the strong-side interior would be clear. There’s some good and some bad, which is exactly what happens when you’re filling a hole in the lineup. It won’t be the last we see of it.

Loading
Loading...

#5: They had a chance…but couldn’t capitalize.

No Kyle Lowry. No Tyler Herro. No PJ Tucker. That was the story for Miami in this one, as their offensive showing, as noted prior, was just very underwhelming. Add onto that, Jimmy Butler was just not playing like himself on the offensive end, simply lacking that shot creation that was so heavily missed in this one, capping it off with a missed alley-oop layup to take the lead late. Gabe Vincent, Caleb Martin, and Max Strus are consequently relied on so much more, but they did their part in a general sense. We so often hear the phrase “We have enough,” but it didn’t feel like that was the case with the top heavy guys either dropping out or not playing to their standards. Beating a team twice less than 2 weeks ago is usually an awkward formula, and we saw that from a desperate Atlanta Hawks team. But ultimately, they had a chance, but couldn’t fully take advantage late following the impressive come-back. Plus, down 2 on the last play, a fading, contested Butler triple wouldn’t have been my choice.

 

Everything Tradeshows is a one-stop-shop for trade show exhibit rentals and custom exhibit display purchase solutions to companies of all sizes.

Visit them at EverythingTradeShows or call 954-791-8882

Miami Hurricanes in good standing with former Oregon offensive lineman

/1 Comment/in , /by

The Miami Hurricanes have been working hard to build their offensive line, and it appears that they may be landing another prospect relatively soon. Logan Sagapolu appears to be focusing on the Miami Hurricanes at the moment. This news was first reported by Matt Shodell of Canesport.com.

Sagapolu is a three-star prospect. A member of the class of 2019, he committed to Oregon on January 20th, 2019. As a recruit, he was the ninth overall center in the 2020 class per the 247Sports Composite Rankings. He holds a numerical ranking of just over 87.

Sagapolu entered the transfer portal on January 18, after not seeing any game action at Oregon. He was sidelined for the 2021 season as a result of an injury occurring during fall camp.

Measuring in at six-foot-three, 340 pounds, he is an interior lineman.

What could he bring to the Miami Hurricanes?

When I looked at some of his film from high school, he was a very impressive prospect. One of the things that really stood out to me was his agility. He was able to get to any potential pass-rushers quickly.

In addition to his quick feet, he also played well at the point of attack. As soon as the ball was snapped, he immediately extended his hands and created either pass protection for a quarterback, or a lane for a running back. He is not afraid to play physical, and that is something the Miami Hurricanes need on the line.

The fact that the Miami Hurricanes seem to be in good standing with him is certainly good news. Alex Mirabal could have a chance to work with him. If so, that could be a partnership that is beneficial for both coach and player. Mirabal’s ability to develop talent along with Sagapolu’s natural skill could be a great combination.

We’ll have to see how this recruitment ends up playing out. However, it appears that the Miami Hurricanes are in a good spot to land him. This would be a victory for offensive line recruiting.

 

Everything Tradeshows is a one-stop-shop for trade show exhibit rentals and custom exhibit display purchase solutions to companies of all sizes.

Visit them at EverythingTradeShows or call 954-791-8882

Five Takeaways From Panthers Win Over Oilers

/0 Comments/in , /by

Two nights following Florida’s 5-1 loss to Calgary, they were back in Alberta to face the Edmonton Oilers. 

Despite a slow start to the game, Florida opened the scoring and didn’t let the Oilers back in the game, defeating them 6-0.

Here’s tonight’s takeaways. 

Sergei Bobrovsky kept them in the game

The first period play by the Panthers doesn’t correlate with the final score of the game. Edmonton looked miles better than Florida in this period and they had numerous chances to take the lead. 

The one man standing in their way was Sergei Bobrovsky. Edmonton had 17 shots in the first period, including a few really good chances on the power play. Bobrovsky shut the door, stopping Connor McDavid and the Oilers in their tracks. 

Bob ended the night with 40 saves.

Florida found their game late but timely 

It took Florida nearly a game and a half into their Canadian road trip to find themselves, but it didn’t affect them tonight in Edmonton. 

Since Bob was able to keep the game scoreless heading into the second, Edmonton missed their chance to put the Panthers on their heels. 

One power play opportunity in the second period saw Sam Reinhart feed Sasha Barkov a beautiful saucer pass and the captain put it away. 

Florida grabbed another goal after that when Carter Verhaeghe rifled a shot bardown past Edmonton goalie Mikko Koskinen. 

Up 2-0, Florida continued to increase the pressure and looked more like the team we see in Sunrise, not the one we saw Tuesday night in Calgary. 

Florida was able to convert three times tonight on the power play as well. It played a large part in their blow out win tonight.

The defense held back McDavid and Draisaitl

It’s never an easy night when you have to play against two of the league’s top scorers in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. Draisaitl entered the night second in league scoring while McDavid was tied with Huberdeau for third. 

The dynamic duo was extremely visible tonight with the puck. but the Panthers were able to swarm them and keep them off the scoreboard.

Huberdeau was also able to jump both of them in the points race with his two assists.

Sam Reinhart continues to get apples 

Another great playmaking game tonight from Sam Reinhart. He picked up two assists, pushing his season assist total to 22. 

Both of his assists were heads up plays. One was a nice saucer to Barkov from the side of the net on the power play, the other was a behind the net pass where he found Carter Verhaeghe wide open in the slot. 

Fitting he did some work in “Gretzky’s office” (behind the net) in Edmonton. 

Once they started they couldn’t stop

Well a slow start didn’t hurt tonight. Florida put six goals past Edmonton, four of those coming in the third period of play.

Barkov had two, Duke, Verhaeghe and Bennett all had one. Oh ya, and Owen Tippett capped off his great night with a goal as well.

Another five plus goal night for the Ice Cats.

BONUS TAKEAWAY: Barkov is good