|
|
Post by VBCrusin on Feb 2, 2003 0:06:17 GMT -5
Has anyone noticed how many Outside Hitters Hawaii uses in a match...in fact, do you realize the Coach Wilton uses 11 players. Talk about a deep bench. How many teams only go to 7 players? Hawaii is rich in the OH position: Theocharidis, Ching, Zimet starting---Freshman Pedro Azenha could start on many other teams, Matt Bender, and Jose Delgado (who I believe is red-shirting?), and last but not least, Fresman all around Matt Motter, OH turned Libero. It seems if something is not working with one or two of the starters, Wilton goes to his strong bench. Sophomore MB Thomas (even with an injured thumb) is one of the "primo" middles in the nation, and his counterpart, 6-10 Stanhiser doesn't dominate the middle, but he sure gets his hits and jousts. To make matters worse, Coach Wilton has tandem setters with nearly equal abilities to back up each other. No wonder why nearly everyone resents Hawaii, unless they lose.  |
|
|
|
Post by sweetieVBfan on Feb 2, 2003 1:29:44 GMT -5
when you can redshirt an all-freshman team pick, i think the team is pretty set in the position.
personally i think motter's only playing libero to get him some experience in college v-ball passing. IMO, he'll be one of the OHs stepping into the zimet/costas/ching void (along with azenha and delgado), and muise will play libero next year.
and of course they have bender and cuties arri jeschke and ryan woodward on the bench. that brings to total to 8 OHs on the playing roster. wow.
|
|
|
|
Post by VBCrusin on Feb 2, 2003 4:03:49 GMT -5
Hi sweetieVBfan (I like your name), You're very perceptive concerning the OH situation at Hawaii. Even though UH will lose Costas, Ching and Zimet, the combination of Azenha, Motter and Delgado is very appealing. Hawaii should be a force for the next few years...after this season. I enjoy watching a team who can function as ONE unit in a match...free of egos and only thinking of the team. There's no secret to my predicting a winning outcome...I just look at who is healthy and who has the better team effort. Hawaii will lose a few more games this season, but what counts is WHO is still standing at tournament time. Hawaii will be there playing their 11 players.  |
|
|
|
Post by Psychopotamus on Feb 2, 2003 8:59:52 GMT -5
I don't know, unless they get some big recruits Hawaii will be pretty thin at all positions except setter next year. Azenha and Delgado are both raw and streaky hitters. Thomas will probably end up the go to player next year unless they can put it together. My guess is that Delgado will end up an OPP in order to let Motter and Azenha anchor the passing.
|
|
|
|
Post by LOL on Feb 2, 2003 18:52:20 GMT -5
Azenha has been quite good IMO. His first two matches may not have been something to brag about, but I feel it was due to lack of playing time on the court. When you look at the matches after his first two matches, he's been doing quite well. Much better than Ching IMO.
Here's his stats after his first two matches, by the way...
Second match against Stanford he had 25 kills hitting .467.
Next match was against UCI he had 6 kills and hit for .300
Next match after that against UCI he had 4 kills and hit for .429.
Although the last two matches he only had several kills, the percentage is really good and probably would've continued to be really good if he was set more often in those matches.
|
|
|
|
Post by LOL on Feb 2, 2003 19:05:54 GMT -5
Just wanted to add that Azenha is second on the team behind Thomas in kill percentage (.408) and second on the team behind Costas with kills per game (3.50). The only player for next year's team that I wonder about is Motter and Delgado. I've never seen Motter play OH and last year, Delgado reminded me of how Ching has been playing throughout his career at UH.
|
|
|
|
Post by sweetieVBfan on Feb 3, 2003 14:10:18 GMT -5
i don't think delgado is raw or streaky. he was an all-freshman pick and third on the national champion team in kpg and total kills. not bad for a true freshman who didn't even play in all the matches.
|
|
|
|
Post by Psychopotamus on Feb 3, 2003 16:50:08 GMT -5
I'm not saying Delgado and Azenha haven't done well, but they are a ways from being able to hit .350 with 15 kills night in and night out.
|
|
|
|
Post by LOL on Feb 3, 2003 17:02:23 GMT -5
Considering that Azenha has been limited to the amounts of sets during the last two matches, how can he accumulate 15 kills per match? The way I have been noticing his stats, he is doing fine. Hitting .408 average is a lot better than .350, by the way. And once again, with the limited amount of sets he gets, averaging 3.50 kills per game is damn good numbers, don't you think?
|
|
|
|
Post by Psychopotamus on Feb 3, 2003 19:02:12 GMT -5
Wilton hasn't been known as one to favor upperclassmen. I have to think there is some reason Azenha isn't starting. Maybe he will now that UH has lost. I had no idea he was hitting around .400 with 3.50 kpg. With those kinds of numbers it is a wonder he isn't starting. His digging or blocking, maybe? What are Ching and Zimet averaging?
|
|
|
|
Post by CB on Feb 3, 2003 20:58:04 GMT -5
This is the big mystery, in my opinion. UH had no end of troubles against UC Irvine, yet Azenha only played one game. He was set 7 times and his .429. Theocharidis, on the other hand, received 20 sets and hit -.100. Thomas was set 13 times and hit .615. Why weren't these two, who were playing better than all other hitters, set more often? Why didn't Azenha play more, especially considering that nearly everyone else (except Thomas) was playing poorly??
I think his numbers are very impressive........certainly a lot better than Ching's. I just don't get the discrepancy in playing time. Use the guy.
|
|
|
|
Post by warriordudette88 on Feb 4, 2003 1:12:20 GMT -5
i think that wilton lets hitters that are struggling continue to play and hopefully they'll get better during the course of the game. usually i would agree with that strategy, but when you've got a really good player like pedro who can bring some emotion and put down 21 kills in a match you should put him in if someone is having a bad night. it would help them next year because he would have more experience than if he sat on the bench. maybe wilton knows something that we don't. oh yeah, and does anyone know josh stanhiser's blocks per game?
|
|
|
|
Post by kolohekeiki on Feb 4, 2003 2:20:08 GMT -5
Stanhiser averages .77 blocks per game.
|
|
|
|
Post by StuffU on Feb 5, 2003 20:46:28 GMT -5
GEEZ Richee! You've seen Azenha play how many times to make that assessment? He hasn't even played a half season with the current players and setters and you already have him pegged as streaky? He's put up good numbers for someone that isn't counted on.
Totally agree! The fact that he lost his starting position is a testament to how strong the bench is. Delgado did have a hitting slump towards the end of the season. But on many other teams, he would've still been starting.
And this is based on their "FRESHMAN" year? I guess every freshman must produce like the seniors. They're freshman for crying out loud ... they have a ways to go before graduation ... they'll be where they need to be.
I think Ching earned his starting spot at the beginning of this young season because of his All-Tournament performance in last year's final four.
Zimet is too valuable in the ball control department to be on the bench. He's also the calming influence on an otherwise hyper-emotional team. He needs to be on the court for the Warriors to have a shot at another Championship.
Azenha could take over either position. Honestly, by the end of the year, I believe he's going to take one of their spots. If it's Ching (he's my cousin, btw), expect there to be a few more confrontations between Ching and Wilton. If it's Zimet, expect Zimet to move Motter to the bench because he'll be the new libero.
Wilton and Haley should get together and discuss the strategies that work when you have so much talent~!
|
|
|
|
Post by Psychopotamus on Feb 5, 2003 21:09:10 GMT -5
I actually agree with you. I said before that I think Azenha will be the next coming of Katz. The only problem I see is that, unlike Katz, I don't think he will put up AA-type numbers until his junior year.
I could be wrong and I hope I am, but he has seemed to run hot and cold from night to night. I think his numbers are a reflection of playing very very well and then average. That is my only criticism. I expect things to change once (yes I think he will be a starter before the final four) he gets more playing time, but I still don't think he can't carry the team next year.
|
|
