Scholarship table
Tyler, and after today's masterpiece I ran some numbers.He's at 7.94 apg. If he plays in 32 games (the minimum with a BET game) he's on pace to become only the second Marquette player to crack 250 assists in a season (254 pace).If Marquette makes the NCAA tournament and manages to win a game there and at MSG, TK is on pace to break Tony Miller's 274 single season record.If Tyler stays two more years and Marquette averages 36 games per year while maintaining that 7.94 average, he would shatter Miller's career record of 956 (that pace would be 1,045).If TK did hit 1,045 here, he would be at 1,095 for his career thanks to 50 assists at GMU. That would break Bobby Hurley's NCAA record of 1,076.I once thought of Miller's assist record as unbreakable, like McIlvaine's blocks. TK has changed that thinking.
He's a wonderful passer and one of our two MVPs, and I'm happy he has worked his rear off to become a fine PG for Marquette ... but he'll remind me of Travis Diener when he hits huge shots and when he wins NCAA tournament games.Some forget that Wade was bad in our first 2003 NCAAT game and that it was Diener who saved the team ... and then saved us again (along with Novak) in the next round against Mizzou. Diener was 10-17 from 3 in those two games, and we needed every effen one of those 3s. Then, he had 15 assists as we won our next two tourney games to get to the Final Four. No Marquette player since then has reminded me of Travis Diener. It would be abso-freakin'-lutely wonderful if Kolek ever does.
He’ll never score like Travis. Travis was an outstanding shooter. But he’s a better passer, rebounder and defender - that counts for something.
My understanding is that Coach Hatt was the link to TyKo. He's a New England native and before joining Shaka's staff at VCU he worked at Vermont Academy. I imagine he was a familiar with Kolek's AAU program. He also wasn't much of a secret, he was A10 freshman of the year. IIRC, Providence, UConn, UVA and others were all on him too. Definitely didn't expect him to become what he is based on his freshman season at George Mason.
Did Kolek play point in AAU? I couldn't find any stats, and the few blurbs I found talked about his scoring, not his playmaking. He did not play PG in high school nor did he as a Freshman at GM. So how did Shaka pick him out to become MU's PG?
He’ll never score like Travis. Travis was an outstanding shooter. But he’s a better passer, rebounder and defender - that counts for something.Edit: I didn’t see Elon’s post - a +1 to his would have sufficed.
Speaking of comparisons, I watched Dodds show the other day and he made these comparisons:Chase Ross: jimmy butlerSean Jones: Dominic JamesBen Gold: Sam hauser I think Kolek and Diener have a similar moxie and competitiveness to them. Kolek is a “March moment” or two away from being right there, but his story is a long way from over yet.
He played for Middlesex Magic.
82Other than Tony Miller and Kolek both being assist first guys I see zero similarity with the two. TM had the ball in his hands a ton, seldom moved the ball quickly and was a one-man stall. Kolek moves the ball quickly, gives up the ball maybe too quickly in a half court set and is a far more creative scorer. To be honest, I think the Miller comparison is a lazy example or maybe just not knowing ball.
I'm not sure about the Chase / Jimmy comparison. I think Chase is a more bouncy Wes.And I don't know if Sean is more like Dom or Cordell Henry.I think I need to see more out of Gold to figure out his comp.
A year ago, I think after the Illinois game, I made a Brunson comparison. Still not perfectly accurate, comparisons rarely are. But similar in how they control the game.Ross reminds me of Blue with his size and athleticism
FluffFirst, I am reluctantly asking, but my excitement for the program has taken away my common sense. How do you evaluate the team and the program as we sit today? You obviously know ball and have seen a lot of MU teams over the years and curious on your thoughts. Is the program on the verge of being over the hump in your opinion?For the record, I am only admitting that you know ball, other topics we will continue to differ in our opinions.
The Kolek/Brunson comp is interesting in that neither player is overly quick. Both are big/strong guards. Both lefties.I think Chase is more athletic than Vander, and much stronger too. Someone in a different thread threw out a D-Wade comp for Chase, and said it was of course a stretch. They pointed out that Chase does have that similar, the game isn't too fast for him pace, that D-Wade had. Chase never seems sped up, and plays with a high Bball IQ like D-Wade, and Sam Hauser.
Sam was wildly efficient on offense as a true frosh and played a lot more than Gold has or probably will. I think Gold will be a better defender but Sam was light years ahead of him at this point of their careers.