Debate....I'll ask one final time

[Halldan1]

We have debated this question multiple times. So now that the season is over we'll do it one last time.

Given the final results are completed which Pirate team was better, 2022/23 or 2023/24?

I understand the injury situation the 2022/23 went through, but all year I just thought this year's addition was the better of the two. What say you?

 

[catholicman]

This year was much better than last year but I have nostalgia for Ndefo's toughness and tenacity. What a player.

 

[Hall91]

You have to say 23/24 based on overall wins. But you do wonder if we are better NCAA team with Samuels being at the 5 or even if Kdefo could give you some minutes at the 4. Maybe less time for Addie Wusu moves Dre to the 3 spot.

All hypotheticals, but good message board fodder.

 

[SHUSA]

Did Bediako provide more of what we needed than Samuel?

 

[ShuBall]

23 / 24 Team had so much heart and they got most out of what they had. great team Defense!

 

[HallLine69]

We have debated this question multiple times. So now that the season is over we'll do it one last time.

Given the final results are completed which Pirate team was better, 2022/23 or 2023/24?

I understand the injury situation the 2022/23 went through, but all year I just thought this year's addition was the better of the two. What say you?

Definitely this team was the better of the two. We had a healthy Dre Davis and that was one main factor.

 

[Section112]

Offense was much better this year (actually watchable), while the defense was much better last year. If I took a step back and looked at the players, I would have thought last year would have been better with Samuel and Dawes and Kadary as the core and Ndefo as the defensive stopper. But this year's team was much better on balance I believe.

We played better team ball and had a much more cohesive offense (solid half court offense and could run at times) and all our players could score and knew their roles (huge). Dawes and Kadary were on both teams and both improved as well, especially Dawes. The offense was much better, we could shoot FTs and rebounded the ball in a more fundamental fashion. Last year Ndefo was a defensive stud - but between him and Femi, our offense was playing with three guys on the court last year. They were horrible offensively. This year Bediako knew his role and played it really well with all those offensive boards and solid defense. EHE was a good backup too and Dre was a stud out of position at the 4. Addae Wusu also became a bit of an enforcer softening the loss of KC too. From 1 to 5 this year's team was much better hands down.

 

[HALL85]

Offense was much better this year (actually watchable), while the defense was much better last year. If I took a step back and looked at the players, I would have thought last year would have been better with Samuel and Dawes and Kadary as the core and Ndefo as the defensive stopper. But this year's team was much better on balance I believe.

Last year, had better individual defensive players, but this year we had slightly better team defense IMO. Samuel and then the drop off to Jackson was a weakness.

We played better team ball and had a much more cohesive offense (solid half court offense and could run at times) and all our players could score and knew their roles (huge). Dawes and Kadary were on both teams and both improved as well, especially Dawes. The offense was much better, we could shoot FTs and rebounded the ball in a more fundamental fashion. Last year Ndefo was a defensive stud - but between him and Femi, our offense was playing with three guys on the court last year. They were horrible offensively. This year Bediako knew his role and played it really well with all those offensive boards and solid defense. EHE was a good backup too and Dre was a stud out of position at the 4. Addae Wusu also became a bit of an enforcer softening the loss of KC too. From 1 to 5 this year's team was much better hands down.

This! You summed it up perfectly. Everyone knew their role and ball movement was much better this year.

 

[Gohall129]

23/24 was a way better team.

Samuel was a better player than Bediako. But Bediako was a better big east center and provided more defensively. EHE having a pulse was an uograid from Jackson as a center

Kadary and Al were both improved. Wusu over Femi. Dre went from being behind Femi on the depth chart to star. Would’ve loved to have Ndefo.

 

[Bluebeard]

To add to Section112, the FT shooting was a huge part of us winning the games we did in 23-24. 77.3% vs 68.1. Went from around 300 to 11th in DI

 

[NYC Pirate]

23/24. Beat the big boys in conference. Two times in the NIT they were on a respirator and found a,way. In both years the team suffered beat downs but this year's squad defended the home court much better.

 

[dehere23]

This team was better because Richmond played like the all-league player he was supposed to be in 2022-2023, but was not, and because Dawes and Dre Davis were significantly better.

 

[HallBall'n]

All I know is we beat the NCAA 2X National Champion UCONN team twice during those two years. And those UCONN teams lost to only one out of conference opponent for those same two years while playing the best teams in the country. And still we were robbed by not getting selected to the tournament.

 

[shu67]

Halldan,

There is no comparison in my mind. This years team BE record, NIT champs, NCAA Tourney possible birth all make this a much better team. The question should not even be asked.

 

[Section112]

All I know is we beat the NCAA 2X National Champion UCONN team twice during those two years. And those UCONN teams lost to only one out of conference opponent for those same two years while playing the best teams in the country. And still we were robbed by not getting selected to the tournament.

I'm still bitter too! lol

 

[cernjSHU]

Despite not having Samuel, this year's team was better. Why? Dawes performed at a much more consistent level than last year. Besides the beginning of the season, Dawes had a very good year. Also, Dre was healthy and consistent all year. He was a steady player for us. Richmond elevated his game as well. The addition of Bediako and the performances of the big three out weighed the loss of Samuel.

 

[Seton75]

did bediako provide more of what we needed than samuel?

I think he did. Samuels more talented, Jaden contributed more for us. Re KC, adding in more bad shooters to the mix not helpful unless it is Bill Russell (who I assume had no outside game).

Just the uptick in the two starting guards game was huge. And no forward last year did what dre did this year. I also like Wusu more than I liked Femi, and I liked Femi more than most.

Last year's bench was better.

 

[The Crows Nest]

We have debated this question multiple times. So now that the season is over we'll do it one last time.

Given the final results are completed which Pirate team was better, 2022/23 or 2023/24?

I understand the injury situation the 2022/23 went through, but all year I just thought this year's addition was the better of the two. What say you?

This year's team...which I would not have said pre-December/Uconn....but since that point, to me it's not close.

Easier to say after seeing them come together to win the NIT...and way what you want about the NIT...it still takes effort, talent, and teamwork to pull together to win ANY tournament...and I don't think last year's team could have pulled this off.

Plus...we have may had less depth this year than last...

 

[SHUSA]

I think he did. Samuels more talented, Jaden contributed more for us. Re KC, adding in more bad shooters to the mix not helpful unless it is Bill Russell (who I assume had no outside game).

Just the uptick in the two starting guards game was huge. And no forward last year did what dre did this year. I also like Wusu more than I liked Femi, and I liked Femi more than most.

Last year's bench was better.

big east also had a lot of good big men to defend this year: klingan, odoro, igadaro, kalkbrenner, soriano, dixon, etc.

i thought bediako really was tough vs these guys

 

[HallBall'n]

No question who was better. Just check the record. A good future question.., who was better this year's Natty team or last year's Natty team?

 

[Seton75]

big east also had a lot of good big men to defend this year: klingan, odoro, igadaro, kalkbrenner, soriano, dixon, etc.

i thought bediako really was tough vs these guys

When he blocked two of Clingan's shots in the first game I feared for my pants

 

[dehere23]

Despite not having Samuel, this year's team was better. Why? Dawes performed at a much more consistent level than last year. Besides the beginning of the season, Dawes had a very good year. Also, Dre was healthy and consistent all year. He was a steady player for us. Richmond elevated his game as well. The addition of Bediako and the performances of the big three out weighed the loss of Samuel.

1000%. Bediako was a huge surprise because even on this board he exceeded expectations. But to me it was about Dawes being consistently better in-conference in a way I didn't see. Davis upping his game from a solid player to a borderline all league kid. And Richmond finally becoming what folks have been saying for years.

 

[Fishjam]

This year's team was definitely better. The defense wasn't as good but they were a far better offense. Much of the reason is Sha was able to establish his expectations and get more from the team.

Kadary, Al & Dre were all in much better condition and raised their games to all-conference levels. He brought in 2 veteran role players and sold them on théŕř who brought much-needed toughness, physicality and defense.

Someone else mentioned already but Sha's emphasis on FT shooting paid huge dividends. He had the whole team do push-ups when anyone missed a FT in practice so everyone focused more. They went from 300th in the Country to 12th.

The work they did in the summer allowed this team to stay together and battle through injuries and fatigue despite having almost no bench contribution.

 

[radecicco]

big east also had a lot of good big men to defend this year: klingan, odoro, igadaro, kalkbrenner, soriano, dixon, etc.

i thought bediako really was tough vs these guys

Excellent observation. And totally agree. Bediako did a great job on Dixon in Newark. Held him to four 2nd half points in the game. Thought that game punched our ticket.

 

[jack 1970]

23/24 based on results.

 

[SHUHoopsFan]

Despite not having Samuel, this year's team was better. Why? Dawes performed at a much more consistent level than last year. Besides the beginning of the season, Dawes had a very good year. Also, Dre was healthy and consistent all year. He was a steady player for us. Richmond elevated his game as well. The addition of Bediako and the performances of the big three out weighed the loss of Samuel.

I think the answer to why is because we had a more complete team. We had no one built to take on a big east caliber center night in and night out last year. Bediako gave us an inside player. There's a mindset to playing inside and Bediako has it much more than Samuel and based on the other 4 guys on the court, we needed that for a more balanced team. On a different team you may take Samuel over Bediako but on ours we needed Bediako more than Samuel. Also Richmond came into the season in much better shape. It always helps when your best player is at his physical best.

 

[Nbnylon]

I’d say it was pretty even up to the end of the St Joes game and then in the final 5 minutes something kicked in and it wasn’t even close thereafter.

 

[garyshu71]

When I saw our two headed center play I knew we would be better.

 

[HALL85]

I was worried about Dre playing the four, but he excelled while playing a ton of minutes.

Everyone knew their role and while the bench didn’t provide consistent offensive support, they played quality minutes when needed.