Davante's facebook status.

[Sir Lawrence]

I think it comes mainly from the ones that kept defending our starting guards despite the obvious. So they attack the guys who played better.

I don't get it.

Show me where I've ever attacked Davante. 

I will admit he is an extremely efficient offensive player, and I'll further admit that upon further review, he was not as inconsistent as I had believed.  So I'm wrong.  But I'm still not a member of his fan club. 

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I think it comes mainly from the ones that kept defending our starting guards despite the obvious. So they attack the guys who played better.

I don't get it.

You can go back and check me, I have never attacked Davante. I have questioned Todd (the phrase I use is good Todd s very good, bad Todd is very bad).

The phenomenon I think you are referring doesn't come from a place of "relating to marginal role players" or "defending the starting guards and attacking those who play better." It comes from expectations.

Go back and check. Preseason, I expected Derrick Wilson to be even worse. I projected apx. 4.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg, and 4.5 apg with terrible shooting. He not only lived up to my expectations for him, he surpassed them. Though I admittedly didn't think the defense sagging would so negatively impact us.

I expected Jake to never sniff the floor. The fact that he not only sniffed the floor but produced was a huge shock to me. He as overachieved more than anyone else on this team.

Jamil on the other hand, I expected to have a Crowder like senior campaign. Despite him being better than Derrick and Jake, I am more disappointed in him.

So say Derrick had a game where he contributed 6 points, 3 rebounds, and 4 assists. During that same game, Jamil scored 8 points, grabbed 4 boards, and got 2 assists. I am happier with Derrick's game because he played beyond what should have been expected of him.

[brandx]

You can go back and check me, I have never attacked Davante. I have questioned Todd (the phrase I use is good Todd s very good, bad Todd is very bad).

The phenomenon I think you are referring doesn't come from a place of "relating to marginal role players" or "defending the starting guards and attacking those who play better." It comes from expectations.

Go back and check. Preseason, I expected Derrick Wilson to be even worse. I projected apx. 4.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg, and 4.5 apg with terrible shooting. He not only lived up to my expectations for him, he surpassed them. Though I admittedly didn't think the defense sagging would so negatively impact us.

I expected Jake to never sniff the floor. The fact that he not only sniffed the floor but produced was a huge shock to me. He as overachieved more than anyone else on this team.

Jamil on the other hand, I expected to have a Crowder like senior campaign. Despite him being better than Derrick and Jake, I am more disappointed in him.

So say Derrick had a game where he contributed 6 points, 3 rebounds, and 4 assists. During that same game, Jamil scored 8 points, grabbed 4 boards, and got 2 assists. I am happier with Derrick's game because he played beyond what should have been expected of him.

I wasn't referring to you. Sorry if it seemed that way.

I don't mind if guys criticize our players - good or bad. There were two camps here - guys who blamed our guards for everything and guys who blamed everyone but the guards. I don't think that most were aligned one way or the other, but since the two sides argued so much, it sure seemed like it.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I wasn't referring to you. Sorry if it seemed that way.

I don't mind if guys criticize our players - good or bad. There were two camps here - guys who blamed our guards for everything and guys who blamed everyone but the guards. I don't think that most were aligned one way or the other, but since the two sides argued so much, it sure seemed like it.

No worries, didn't think you meant me. I was just admitting to my own tendencies so people would be able to account for whatever bias (or percieved bias) I might have.

[Mutaman]

Thanks Davante, it been four good years. Enjoyed watchin yoy. go luck,

Mutaman

[mileskishnish72]

I think he was pretty damn consistent, especially on offense. There were numerous stretches in games when he WAS the offense, and you knew very well that there wasn't much else of a threat. We are going to miss the way the Ox would strap everybody onto his back on occasions like that.

[nycwarrior]

After years of hoping that MU would have a "true big" who was more than the Dwight Burke model of strong, undersized and steady, we get Davante.

For those of us who grew up playing YMCA or Rec League ball, how fun was it to watch the dancing bear drop step, lean, turn and angle his way to bucket after bucket?

Can you remember a player better at using his body to clear out space and snag his own miss for a ground-bound but sure-handed put-back?

If someone told you that you could make a wish and magically sign up for Satchel Pierce, our incoming, three star 7-footer, to put up the numbers in the next four years that two star Davante has in the last four, would you take it?

Davante - thanks for the Buckets and for sticking with it through what we all hoped would have been a more enjoyable senior campaign.

[MUMBA]

Remember his game vs Bucknell as a freshman?  He single handedly closed a 10 point deficit in the second half.  That's when I really became a fan. 

[Goose]

Sir Lawrence

I am with you 100%. He proved my wrong on many times but not in the fan club either. Looking forward to upgrade in the future.

[NersEllenson]

Sir Lawrence

I am with you 100%. He proved my wrong on many times but not in the fan club either. Looking forward to upgrade in the future.

Hope you are relatively young Goose....could be a long time before we get one a big as good as Davante...he had 20ppg capabililty this year, and would have achieved that type of production if not teamed with the most ineffective backcourt in the Big East, and quite possibly the most ineffective PG in all of high major ball.

[Goose]

Ners

Not young and looking forward to an upgrade. He had very nice college career and wish him well. I believe his limitations hurt him a great deal and he had potential to be much, much more on the court in Warrior uniform.

Again, hope the kids makes a score playing ball in the future.

[4everwarriors]

Look, I applaud Gardner. However, he is so limited defensively and athletically, that he gives up as many points as he scores. Y'all are compromisin' expectations. He was a 3 star playa and in my opinion, that's where he ended up as well. When we finally get that legit 5 star center, the difference will be obvious.

[Golden Avalanche]

Ners

Not young and looking forward to an upgrade. He had very nice college career and wish him well. I believe his limitations hurt him a great deal and he had potential to be much, much more on the court in Warrior uniform.

Again, hope the kids makes a score playing ball in the future.

His touch was unreal. And I think it became a weakness because all too often this year it seemed he would flop into contact and/or exaggerate and still be able to make enough "and-1s" for the behavior to pass.

I really liked cookie monster when he was young. He gobbled up points in the paint and was fun to watch. I grew indifferent to his antics with the flailing arms and plaintive screams on contact and it seemed his opponents and officials knew his "act" by the end of his junior season.

Also, there is his defense. Not good.

[Lennys Tap]

Look, I applaud Gardner. However, he is so limited defensively and athletically, that he gives up as many points as he scores. Y'all are compromisin' expectations. He was a 3 star playa and in my opinion, that's where he ended up as well. When we finally get that legit 5 star center, the difference will be obvious.

How about with the 4 star player? (Fischer)

[4everwarriors]

Lenny Man, I'm really not familiar with his game to comment. Commited so early to Clappy, that I never bother to observe. I trust, however, he give us a whole new frontcourt identity. Can't help but improve the overall team athleticism over Gardner and Chris.

[Norm]

Ners

Not young and looking forward to an upgrade. He had very nice college career and wish him well. I believe his limitations hurt him a great deal and he had potential to be much, much more on the court in Warrior uniform.

Again, hope the kids makes a score playing ball in the future.

Goose, what more were you expecting him to be?

[BenCat12]

Under-utilized and surrounded by incompetence his senior year, absolutely a shame.  What he did with the "complementary" players he had was remarkable.  He was not a "5" and for anyone to judge him as one is pointless.  He is a scoring 4, that was forced to play out of position because of the surrounding cast.  People hate on him because he was required to play the "5" defensively which does not play in his favor.  Too short, no hops and therefore not a shot blocker.  To say he gave up as many points as he scored is a joke.  If this were true we would have lost by 30+ a game considering Derrick and Jake got outscored by there man by about 15 points each per night.  The only reason he was a defensive liability is because our "lockdown" "play to the scouting report" guards couldn't stay in front of their man all year.  Big men in college are only as good as the guards they play with.  This is why Jamil and Davante had senior seasons that were below expectations.  Not because they aren't leaders or don't have the killer instinct, etc....  What good is it to have Randy Moss if you have JaMarcus Russell throwing him the ball?
 

[Goose]

Norm

Was hoping he could have learned to take ball up to basket quicker and ball not starting at his waist. The kid has very good touch and I he could have added being a tad explosive it would have taken him to next level. I saw limited improvement over the past two years, especially in getting himself in shape.

[4everwarriors]

Because of his lack of athleticism, Davante should have been a complementary playa, or dropped down a notch to a lesser program. He's not alpha dog material at this weight and attitude.

[mattyv1908]

Under-utilized and surrounded by incompetence his senior year, absolutely a shame.  What he did with the "complementary" players he had was remarkable.  He was not a "5" and for anyone to judge him as one is pointless.  He is a scoring 4, that was forced to play out of position because of the surrounding cast.  People hate on him because he was required to play the "5" defensively which does not play in his favor.  Too short, no hops and therefore not a shot blocker.  To say he gave up as many points as he scored is a joke.  If this were true we would have lost by 30+ a game considering Derrick and Jake got outscored by there man by about 15 points each per night.  The only reason he was a defensive liability is because our "lockdown" "play to the scouting report" guards couldn't stay in front of their man all year.  Big men in college are only as good as the guards they play with.  This is why Jamil and Davante had senior seasons that were below expectations.  Not because they aren't leaders or don't have the killer instinct, etc....  What good is it to have Randy Moss if you have JaMarcus Russell throwing him the ball?
 

Correction, JaMarcus Russell was a star in college.  Our starting backcourt were hardly stars this season.

[BenCat12]

Because of his lack of athleticism, Davante should have been a complementary playa, or dropped down a notch to a lesser program. He's not alpha dog material at this weight and attitude.

This all should be in teal, aina?

The guy would have averaged 20+ and 8 if there weren't four guys in the lane at all times on defense.  I thought he kept a good attitude when you consider how frustrating it has to be to play with the quality teammates he had to.  It is comical that people find a way to rip the one guy on our roster, who game in and game out, out-scored his counterpart.

[MUfan12]

It is comical that people find a way to rip the one guy on our roster, who game in and game out, out-scored his counterpart.

His counterpart may not have scored, but how about the guy driving free to the hoop because of his lousy ball screen coverage? Or the kickout for an open three because people have to help, since Davante is shuffling his feet instead of sprinting to cover? Or the offensive rebounds given up, because he only jumps for his own misses?

He was a nice player at MU, and a lot of fun to watch offensively, but not a guy to build around.

[MarsupialMadness]

Davante did what we asked him to do and then some.

Forget about swallowing his pride to only start 10 games in his career or how many it was... he was constantly being subbed in and out... perhaps due to some of his own limitations but come on... the kid rarely even sat down during his substitutions.  He just went right back up to the scoring table.  30 times a game he would do this, because he did what the coach wanted.  He lost out on so many offensive possessions that should have been his.  He got hacked by at least 4 arms every single time he got the ball.  He had the Dwyane Wade syndrome of falling down after every shot. 

Just saying he didn't have things so easy during his career  here, and I think he made the most of it.

[mattyv1908]

His counterpart may not have scored, but how about the guy driving free to the hoop because of his lousy ball screen coverage? Or the kickout for an open three because people have to help, since Davante is shuffling his feet instead of sprinting to cover? Or the offensive rebounds given up, because he only jumps for his own misses?

He was a nice player at MU, and a lot of fun to watch offensively, but not a guy to build around.

You do realize Gardner grabbed the highest percentage of defensive rebounds available when he was on the court over anyone on the team.

To hell with any actual facts.

[BenCat12]

His counterpart may not have scored, but how about the guy driving free to the hoop because of his lousy ball screen coverage? Or the kickout for an open three because people have to help, since Davante is shuffling his feet instead of sprinting to cover? Or the offensive rebounds given up, because he only jumps for his own misses?

He was a nice player at MU, and a lot of fun to watch offensively, but not a guy to build around.

All the bigs play horrible ball screen defense.  Davante is no exception.  The rest of this is incorrect and some just foolish..."only jumps for his own misses"  really?  What would be the benefit of this?

If he had adequate guards he would have been all conference and runner-up to McDermott as player of the year.