Jalen Reynolds!

[BandAid]

It's been a while since we've had a player thread after a game, and even in a loss, Jalen deserves one tonight.

His second half performance was simply awesome. Yes, he missed his final free throw and the dunk in overtime, but he was the reason we were in overtime at all. Kudos to Stain for setting him up so often. The steal and and flush to bring us within a possession was a thing of beauty.

He finished with 16 points and 13 rebounds.

Jalen didn't quite win the steel balls award, but tonight I'll drink a beer in his honor.

[bleedXblue]

Tonight was the first time I've thought he needs to touch the ball on every possession. Now, once he learns to pass the ball occasionally he will be even better. He's improving and he needs to play as much as possible.

[xu82]

Given his style of game, a better FT percentage would be an enormous help. All the potential in the world. Now DO IT! Nice defense late tonight.
(Loved the 1-2-2 or whatever it was with JP up top and Jalen popping out to make plays.)

[X-Fan]

Totally agree. Hopefully this is a sign of Jalen becoming the beast we know he can be, and not just tease of his potential.

One thing I loved from tonight was JP at the top of the Zone and Jalen in the middle. They were giving PC fits. Gotta play two good halves though.

[X-Fan]

Given his style of game, a better FT percentage would be an enormous help. All the potential in the world. Now DO IT! Nice defense late tonight.
(Loved the 1-2-2 or whatever it was with JP up top and Jalen popping out to make plays.)
Great minds think alike. What'so crazy about Jalens missed FTs is that he's a really good FT shooter. I remember coach saying that Jalen almost never misses in practice.

[danaandvictory]

Jalen has great shooting touch and form, I think he just gets excited and intense and loses a bit of concentration. When the game slows down for him, look out.

[Milhouse]

Jalen could be 6'9" version of Ladontae Henton in 2 years. He has that outside game which he hasn't had to show yet. He's also got an ok handle for a big man. If Jalen doesn't end up on an All BE team in the next 3 years I will be greatly disappointed.

He's been quietly consistent for us through 7 BE games. Averagine 10.3 Points and 6.6 Rebounds both above his season averages.

Him and Myles have really adjusted to the BE this year...both struggled in it last year for a large part of the season.

[boozehound]

Still not starting though. WTF?

[nuts4xu]

Still not starting though. WTF?

No but he is playing starter's minutes. I agree he should be in the starting 5, he is too good not to be right now. The argument for him not starting previously was to keep him out of foul trouble. He has done a tremendous job with this the past several games. That doesn't seem to be an issue for him anymore, which is a good thing.

The man is a beast.

[RoseyMuskie]

No but he is playing starter's minutes. I agree he should be in the starting 5, he is too good not to be right now. The argument for him not starting previously was to keep him out of foul trouble. He has done a tremendous job with this the past several games. That doesn't seem to be an issue for him anymore, which is a good thing.

The man is a beast.

Add in the fact that we are starting off recent games poorly - IE Providence, Villanova, and Marquette to name a few, I'd rather gamble with foul trouble and remain competitive as opposed to "potentially" saving him for later and attempting to mount a comeback.

And if he is in foul trouble, and the game is competitive because he played many front end minutes, many other factors (such as opponent foul trouble guarding him, momentum leading to hot shooting) can come into play and help you still win.

I think it's time to unleash the beast from the tip!

[muskieindent]

He and Stainbrook had a nice hi and low post thing going on.Makes me wish we had gone inside more rather than firing up 3's.Jalen can be really good at times but then disappear for some games.Foul shooting needs to be better too.

[Emp]

Jalen has great shooting touch and form, I think he just gets excited and intense and loses a bit of concentration. When the game slows down for him, look out.

This. If Jalen's head ever fully catches up with his body and spirit, he'll be awesome. Keeping the emotions in check at the right time is still a nagging concern, but "you cant coach heighth."

[LA Muskie]

I think our expectations of Jalen suffer from inflation by potential. We all know that Jalen has the physical, God-given gifts that just can't be coached. And in spurts he shows the skill to go along with it. But until he learns to play MUCH consistently, MUCH more within himself, and MUCH more within the system.

That's not to say he can't. He certainly has the gifts and tools. He has 2+ years to grow as a player. That's still a lot of time. I hope (for his sake and ours) he uses it wisely. He has more to gain than just about anyone else on the team.

[GoMuskies]

I'll be surprised if we get two more years out of Jalen. I expect him to be an absolute animal next year and off to the next level after that.

[muskieindent]

I'll be surprised if we get two more years out of Jalen. I expect him to be an absolute animal next year and off to the next level after that.
I hope he's good enough to make the jump.He'll be the man next year with Stainbrook gone.

[LA Muskie]

I'll be surprised if we get two more years out of Jalen. I expect him to be an absolute animal next year and off to the next level after that.

That would be an astronomical jump on his part, and hence fairly unlikely. But I'll take it if it happens.

[kyxu]

That would be an astronomical jump on his part, and hence fairly unlikely. But I'll take it if it happens.

Jalen is already 22 years old. A good part of me wonders if there's any "transformation" left in him.

[GoMuskies]

Jalen is already 22 years old.

That's another reason why I think he's more likely to bail after next year even if he's not a first-round NBA guy. His potential earning years are limited.

[LA Muskie]

I will grant you age is a factor. It's the expectation that he will play "like an animal" with which I take issue. He certainly has the tools and ability. But in 1.5 yrs so far he's only shown it in spurts. I need to see a lot more consistency out of him before I can EXPECT that kind of season next year.

[GoMuskies]

I'm expecting it. But I'm disappointed a lot, too. :)

[D-West & PO-Z]

If Jalen wants to skip his senior year so he can get to Europe sooner and start earning money all the power to him. It seems highly unlikely he leaves early next year because he is going to be drafted in the NBA. He would have to have a monster year and flip a switch that I'm not sure is there to flip.

He's already 22 and there are hundreds of guys younger than him, and foreign players we dont even know about, with just as much athletic ability as Jalen. Everyone in the NBA is super athletic even when they dont look that way because there are guys so much more athletic than them.

[bleedXblue]

These are some of the same people proclaiming he would go pro after this year before the season even started. Just ludicrous.

[Juice]

These are some of the same people proclaiming he would go pro after this year before the season even started. Just ludicrous.

Right up there with the people who thought Trevon would go pro after watching him play 5 games.

[GoMuskies]

These are some of the same people proclaiming he would go pro after this year before the season even started. Just ludicrous.

It's just me, and I never predicted he would leave after this year. This coming from the guy who thought it was ludicrous to believe Creighton would be 9th or 10th in the Big East back in the preseason. :)

[XUFan09]

Right up there with the people who thought Trevon would go pro after watching him play 5 games.

Do you mean pro after this season? Cause if so, that's another level of crazy from suggesting Jalen will go pro.

[drudy23]

While never thinking he'd go pro after the season, Trevon does look like a completely different player from the first 3 weeks of the season.

LET HIM LOOSE!!!!!!!!

3 shots yesterday? 3?

[XUFan09]

While never thinking he'd go pro after the season, Trevon does look like a completely different player from the first 3 weeks of the season.

LET HIM LOOSE!!!!!!!!

Agreed, don't know what's going on. I thought the second half of the DePaul game was him breaking out of a slump, even if it ended up not being enough to win that game. He then posted a really good offensive rating against Seton Hall, but he didn't make any of his three three-point attempts, and his offensive ratings have dropped since then. He's 1-17 from three-point range since going 4-10 against DePaul and 40% overall at that point in the season.

Knowing his shooting ability, this has to just be a bad slump. Unfortunately, the only way to break out of shooting slumps is to just keep shooting. At least he's been making his two-point shots and getting to the line at a reasonable clip.

[Masterofreality]

Agreed, don't know what's going on. I thought the second half of the DePaul game was him breaking out of a slump, even if it ended up not being enough to win that game. He then posted a really good offensive rating against Seton Hall, but he didn't make any of his three three-point attempts, and his offensive ratings have dropped since then. He's 1-17 from three-point range since going 4-10 against DePaul and 40% overall at that point in the season.

Knowing his shooting ability, this has to just be a bad slump. Unfortunately, the only way to break out of shooting slumps is to just keep shooting. At least he's been making his two-point shots and getting to the line at a reasonable clip.

Freshmen hitting the 20 game wall- a typical high school season.

Doesn't mean he can't or won't fight through it.

[XUFan09]

Freshmen hitting the 20 game wall- a typical high school season.

Good point, but I figure Trevon is the caliber of player that should be able to rise above that in the end. I'm not expecting 45-50% from 3 like earlier in the season, but he's in a Myles-like slump.

[RoseyMuskie]

Agreed, don't know what's going on. I thought the second half of the DePaul game was him breaking out of a slump, even if it ended up not being enough to win that game. He then posted a really good offensive rating against Seton Hall, but he didn't make any of his three three-point attempts, and his offensive ratings have dropped since then. He's 1-17 from three-point range since going 4-10 against DePaul and 40% overall at that point in the season.

Knowing his shooting ability, this has to just be a bad slump. Unfortunately, the only way to break out of shooting slumps is to just keep shooting. At least he's been making his two-point shots and getting to the line at a reasonable clip.

Without hi-jacking the thread:

I've said it before - watch the difference in Trevon's follow through. The last two free throws he made yesterday, he extended his follow through. All shots prior to that (and during recent games), he's been flicking the ball. I think he's envisioning a made shot so desperately, that's his mechanics have gone to the wayside.

[XUFan09]

Without hi-jacking the thread:


Shoot, you're right; this is a Jalen thread. He's been great recently!

[drudy23]

Freshmen hitting the 20 game wall- a typical high school season.

Doesn't mean he can't or won't fight through it.

He's been suckin well before the 20th game. To me, it's the realization that he's this team's best player, and to start demanding some things, even as a freshman.

Plus, he's likely been playing year-round for years...20 game nonsense.

[Lamont Sanford]

Freshmen hitting the 20 game wall- a typical high school season.



Between his HS days at Park Tudor where they made several deep tourney runs and AAU, Blueitt (and all top level HS kids nowadays) are used to playing in waaaaayyyy more than 20 games. He is in a Myles Davis-esque funk.

[bleedXblue]

It's just me, and I never predicted he would leave after this year. This coming from the guy who thought it was ludicrous to believe Creighton would be 9th or 10th in the Big East back in the preseason. :)

Now that's funny. You can't lop a prediction of Creighton finishing 6th or 7th in the league to Jalen Reynolds going pro after this year. Not even in the same stratosphere.

[Masterofreality]

He's been suckin well before the 20th game. To me, it's the realization that he's this team's best player, and to start demanding some things, even as a freshman.

Plus, he's likely been playing year-round for years...20 game nonsense.


Between his HS days at Park Tudor where they made several deep tourney runs and AAU, Blueitt (and all top level HS kids nowadays) are used to playing in waaaaayyyy more than 20 games. He is in a Myles Davis-esque funk.

If you guys don't realize the demand difference between big time D1 College ball and high schools where you always sleep in your own bed and play 8 minute quarters- in most games against pimply faced weaklings, there is no hope for you.

Child Please (For You Waggy)