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Here is a direct link if anyone wants to watch the FIBA U19 Tournament featuring the Team USA Dream Team Coached by Tommy Lloyd.

Koa Peat going for a World Record 3rd Junior Gold Medal.

There is a picture on TEAM USA's Website that can make anyone wonder if AJ Dysbanta has any chance physically 1 on 1 vs Koa Peat. Koa is a TANK. He makes Lebron look scrawny at this Age. Though it is what you do with your physical tools and Basketball IQ that counts the most.

I am ready to see Team USA thoroughly dominate the world. If we were to fall short of a Gold Medal it would ONLY be due to Tommy Lloyd's Institutional Failure as a Head Coach with no real system unable to reach these kids who are all going to be the faces of the new NBA for the next 15 years.

No Pressure Tommy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRgJiZXtuUc&list=PLCXERy73Oiz9rgreZ_tpfNhtFzFElvqFW

All I want is to see America's finest
perfectly execute the Moonball Lob.

Tommy will erase the stink of the
embarrassing Tad "Papa" Boyle era.

Quote from: |ᴘ|ʀ|ʏ|ᴍ|ᴇ| on June 27, 2025, 02:36:58 AMAll I want is to see America's finest
perfectly execute the Moonball Lob.

Tommy will erase the stink of the
embarrassing Tad "Papa" Boyle era.

Tommy lost institutional control of the team vs Cameroon. Johnson was sent to the locker room via DQ. Stokes had a meltdown vs Tommy. Even Peat started getting out of control... I think Tommy should be pulling Peat from games earlier. He is picking up some bad habits with this group. At least when the games are 25+ margins.

All while Dysbanta and Mikel Brown showed some grace and shined...

I think that Peat + Dysbanta is already unfair, but adding in Stokes is impossible to defend against when you have perimeter shooters like this.

Tommy hasn't taught these kids anything, especially defense, but he seems to be working on Peat at least and I see a little bit of his system attempting to shine. I can live with that. There will be some colossal meetings at the Summit this season.

Tommy Lloyd: "How Can I Reeeeach These Kiiiiids".... sigh...

Stokes doesn't have Arizona on his list as far as I can see. I don't think he wants to play for Lloyd, but who knows. Money talks.

Round of 16 is next I think? So there should be a sense of urgency to put games away quicker.

Not every kid deserves minutes. Especially ones with a poor attitude.

Tommy needs to learn from this so he doesn't run Arizona into the ground this season with bad coaching.

Very disappointed that Tommy allowed Team USA U19 to showboat on Jordan like they did. They had the game won with about 35 minutes to go, but in the last 3 minutes it was disgraceful what Lloyd allowed the players to do. Sure, they are kids and want to have fun, but it was unnecessary showboating.

Tommy better tighten the rotation going forward. I didn't appreciate that display of unsportsmanlike behavior. Glad Koa was not part of it.

Quote from: arxpert on July 02, 2025, 02:10:37 PMVery disappointed that Tommy allowed Team USA U19 to showboat on Jordan like they did. They had the game won with about 35 minutes to go, but in the last 3 minutes it was disgraceful what Lloyd allowed the players to do. Sure, they are kids and want to have fun, but it was unnecessary showboating.

Tommy better tighten the rotation going forward. I didn't appreciate that display of unsportsmanlike behavior. Glad Koa was not part of it.

I didn't get to see the game.
What were some notable examples?

Yeah, when you're recruiting kids and showing fans that you actually have a fun on-court mindset, the best thing to do is bench your stars and dribble it out.

A very narrow escape for Tommy's U19 squadron vs Canada. Luckily for him. The embarrassment would have been the end. This is a U19 Dream Team and Tommy only got pushed through by needing something like 47 Free Throw attempts. Canada is solid, not good. They made Tommy's system look horrible. Thankfully Tommy was carried by Winners like Dysbanta because Koa didn't have any legs left. I get that it is a lot of basketball games in a short period of time, but Tommy's mismanagement of Koa is concerning to me. I hope Koa can thrive for the Gold Medal game, but if he is depleted then Tommy needs to recognize it.

Germany should be a good final test.

Tommy lost the locker room about 3 days ago. This team is ready to go home, disband, and go to their Schools. You can tell more with young people when they are bored and uninterested in being coached.

Quote from: |ᴘ|ʀ|ʏ|ᴍ|ᴇ| on July 02, 2025, 02:21:22 PMWhat were some notable examples?

Of the showboating? I don't know.. like up 50pts and just ultra try-harding vs a vastly inferior team from Jordan that hasn't been on this stage in like 50 years. Stealing the ball from them while they were running clock to just shorten the game in the 4th then using outlet passes to cherry pickers. Putting up like 40 extra points for no reason at all.

Then being completely gassed out vs Canada and nearly losing in the Quarters....

Tommy lost institutional control, but Talent carries Tommy. That is always the mantra. Until I see Tommy navigate us to wins, I can't change that opinion.

The only examples I have really seen were vs UCLA in those final Pac12 Tourney games/season games where Mick Smeagol Cronin was able to play Tommy's system into the 40-50pt scoring range and we barely won some of those games in the final possessions in nail biters vs INFERIOR players with a much smarter Head Coach.

I am never surprised when Tommy is outcoached. I am only surprised when the players don't show personal pride.

Team USA U19 showed personal pride to power past Canada on like 47 Free Throw attempts, but otherwise terrible display of coaching. Just "HB ISO" up the gut and parade to the stripe.

Quote from: KansasCityCats on July 02, 2025, 05:20:19 PMYeah, when you're recruiting kids and showing fans that you actually have a fun on-court mindset, the best thing to do is bench your stars and dribble it out.

Bench your stars?

Every player is a Superstar, not a Star. Tommy isn't getting anyone from the Prep level that is on this roster. LMK when Stokes signs up. LOL

In fact, Manndequat or whatever his name is - is the exact type of PG that Arizona needs and I don't see how Tommy didn't / couldn't secure him. That kid will be elite 100% and he doesn't need to showboat nor play above the rim or take Logo 3's. He is just a very steady hand and smart with the ball.

Sarcasm. You were hinting that in lieu of "showboating", the team should sit on their hands and not have fun.

Lloyd doesn't have issues with recruiting, hence the #3 class this season, which could easily be ranked at the top.

Quote from: KansasCityCats on July 06, 2025, 07:22:33 AMLloyd doesn't have issues with recruiting, hence the #3 class this season, which could easily be ranked at the top.

He added a lot of volume.

If he could Retain talent, then he wouldn't need to pull so many players from the International Scene that is artificially boosting the class value.

Bryce James is the key. Laugh all you want. This is his team.

Aristode looks great physically, I am only interested in his defensive prowess this season as we lost a max-effort Defender over it. Burries put the class over the top.

Koa is other-worldly and I keep saying it in many ways. He reminds me a lot of Klaw Leonard, but probably bigger at this age. It is not unreasonable to say Koa can be somewhere between a Zion and Lebron. Even if he doesn't grow another inch and is considered a "tweener" at the NBA level between SF and PF and perhaps doesn't have the Hammer Dunk above the Square any time he wants, he is not shying away from contact.

I just hope he doesn't go for "fashion" over "playing smart" and using actual old school High Tops with taped up Ankles because he will be coming down on some grown-kids this year often. I know Tuggler is waiting for him in Houston. We don't need any rolled ankles or slide unders affecting Koa. He has to be able to Finish at the rim as often as possible and hit his FTs. I didn't see much step out prowess so it is going to be Lebronnian. Tuck the ball like a RB and Bulldoze away.

James could be the key in the future. Otherwise, good post.

I anticipate a lot of easy buckets under the basket for Peat AND Krivas.

Losing talent isn't just an Arizona thing. Lloyd retains more than the average amount of players on an annual basis because the transfer portal has ruined the ability for head coaches to maintain any level of stability for D-1 programs. It's unfortunately part of the game.

Without the international recruits, we'd be stuck with multiple 5* local kids, complaining that they don't get the ball enough. Our foreign players typically work hard at practice and learn from the system, even if they opt to transfer. They help balance a roster in an unstable basketball environment.

Quote from: KansasCityCats on July 07, 2025, 05:47:29 AMWithout the international recruits, we'd be stuck with multiple 5* local kids, complaining that they don't get the ball enough. Our foreign players typically work hard at practice and learn from the system, even if they opt to transfer. They help balance a roster in an unstable basketball environment.

Agreed. I have no idea how our financial resources actually get allocated, but it seems to me that filling out the roster with these international guys is probably a good way to compete for the big domestic recruits.

Quote from: MikeBibby97 on July 07, 2025, 09:32:50 AM. I have no idea how our financial resources actually get allocated

They go into Tommy's pocketbook once the Ghouls are done using it to leverage more securities backed loans for their VC business ventures.

Whatever they're doing...it works because recruiting has maintained a nice balance over the years.  I love that we aren't cycling through a plethora of OND players that could care less about our program.  Hopefully this continues.

Quote from: KansasCityCats on July 09, 2025, 07:25:30 AMWhatever they're doing...it works because recruiting has maintained a nice balance over the years.  I love that we aren't cycling through a plethora of OND players that could care less about our program.  Hopefully this continues.

Anyone who transfers out is considered a cycled player. OND or Transfer. No difference in my book. It just means Tommy couldn't or wouldn't retain the player.. which he clearly can since he proved he could get Love to return and he obviously has Bradley returning.

I agree for the most part. The lack of stability will always exist until the college football "3 year rule" is enacted...which will never happen. Free agency is ruining the game. Fortunately, Arizona is considered "stable", compared to most top tier D-1 schools.

I think there will be a lot of rules and regulations soon. The NCAA rejects a lot of NIL deals already, but it isn't highly publicized yet.