Tweet
So let me say from the outset, I am thrilled to have been wrong about this team so far. There's quite a ways to go; but no matter what this team has outperformed my expectations, not just up to now, but really for the entire season. That's because, with the covid situation in LA County, and knowing we had essentially an entirely new team, I pretty much wrote off the season; and the first game against Cal Baptist seemed to confirm my thinking.
But things changed quickly and dramatically.
Now ... a few notes about this team.
Right now, KenPom has USC ranked as the 13th best defense in the country, giving up 90.0 periods per 100 possessions, and the top defense in conference play, giving up 94.2 points per possession. That would seem like a radical departure for Enfield, who gained a reputation over his first five seasons for having a soft program. But, it turns out that last season basically just as good: 18th in the nation (per KenPom) at 92.0 points per 100 possessions, and tops in Pac-12 play at 93.5 points per 100 possessions.
So the defense is pretty much a wash with last season. (I should also add that defensive rebounding is pretty much a wash between last season and this one.) But KenPom had last season's team ranked at #55 to finish the year, which was SC's highest KenPom ranking for the season following the loss at home to Temple. This season's team hasn't been above #50 in KenPom since blowing out BYU and hasn't been above #37 since blowing out Irvine.
The obvious difference between last season and this one is offensive efficiency. Last season was barely above average nationally in points per 100 possession at 104.3, and 10th in Pac-12 play in points per 100 possessions at 96.6. It was Enfield's worst offensive team -- and the only time Enfield had failed to average at least 100 points per 100 offensive possessions. That team in conference play was last in giving up the ball, second to last in free throw shooting, second to last in the number of 3-pointers attempted (as a pct of all shots taken), and 9th in FG% from inside the arc.
Well, this team is also bad at free throw shooting (though modestly improving) and worse at 3-point shooting percentage. The team is modestly better in terms of turnovers and attempting 3-pointers. But there are two HUGE differences this season:
#1 field goal shooting from inside the arc -- last season the team shot 48% overall and 47% in conference play from inside the arc; this season the team is shooting almost 53% overall and 52% in conference play from inside the arc. The big difference? It's not Evan Mobley. Onyeka actually had a higher FG% last season than Evan has this season. The difference is at every other position: Tahj is shooting dramatically better from inside the arc than Jonah did last season; Isaiah is having a more efficient offensive season than Rakocevic had last season; Peterson has significantly improved on Ethan's shooting percentage; and Isaiah White and Chavez Goodwin are both shooting better than inside the arc than Daniel Utomi and Elijah Weaver did last season.
#2 offensive rebounding -- as with defense, shot blocking, interior scoring, etc., it's best to explain Evan as a near replacement for Onyeka's production last season; not really an improvement upon it. Onyeka was an ever so slightly better offensive and defensive rebounder last season than Evan has been so far this season. The difference really is Chavez Goodwin (who grabs 12.8% of all offensive rebounds available while on the court -- an elite number nationally), Isaiah Mobley this year and Isaiah White as compared to Nick (a very strong offensive rebounder), Isaiah Mobley last season and Max last season.
Okay ... so, having now kind of analyzed what is going on with this team, as compared to last season, let me tell you how I got it wrong.
Number 1: I did not think Evan would be as good as he's been. I thought Evan would be a great player, but I didn't think he'd be able to essentially replace all of Onyeka's production from last season, which he has done.
Number 2: I assumed there would be chaos with the team as a result of covid, that the players would not gel, and the new pieces would not perform up to the level they have. I was wrong. All four transfers -- Tahj, Peterson, White and Goodwin -- have played very well. Tahj and Goodwin have played MUCH better than I ever thought they would. Tahj has arguably so far had the best season ever for an Enfield combo or shooting guard.
Number 3: This team has so far exhibited far more maturity and steadfastness than other Enfield teams. And this is not only on the transfers. Credit has to be given to both Evan and Isaiah Mobley.
MORE TO COME....
But things changed quickly and dramatically.
Now ... a few notes about this team.
Right now, KenPom has USC ranked as the 13th best defense in the country, giving up 90.0 periods per 100 possessions, and the top defense in conference play, giving up 94.2 points per possession. That would seem like a radical departure for Enfield, who gained a reputation over his first five seasons for having a soft program. But, it turns out that last season basically just as good: 18th in the nation (per KenPom) at 92.0 points per 100 possessions, and tops in Pac-12 play at 93.5 points per 100 possessions.
So the defense is pretty much a wash with last season. (I should also add that defensive rebounding is pretty much a wash between last season and this one.) But KenPom had last season's team ranked at #55 to finish the year, which was SC's highest KenPom ranking for the season following the loss at home to Temple. This season's team hasn't been above #50 in KenPom since blowing out BYU and hasn't been above #37 since blowing out Irvine.
The obvious difference between last season and this one is offensive efficiency. Last season was barely above average nationally in points per 100 possession at 104.3, and 10th in Pac-12 play in points per 100 possessions at 96.6. It was Enfield's worst offensive team -- and the only time Enfield had failed to average at least 100 points per 100 offensive possessions. That team in conference play was last in giving up the ball, second to last in free throw shooting, second to last in the number of 3-pointers attempted (as a pct of all shots taken), and 9th in FG% from inside the arc.
Well, this team is also bad at free throw shooting (though modestly improving) and worse at 3-point shooting percentage. The team is modestly better in terms of turnovers and attempting 3-pointers. But there are two HUGE differences this season:
#1 field goal shooting from inside the arc -- last season the team shot 48% overall and 47% in conference play from inside the arc; this season the team is shooting almost 53% overall and 52% in conference play from inside the arc. The big difference? It's not Evan Mobley. Onyeka actually had a higher FG% last season than Evan has this season. The difference is at every other position: Tahj is shooting dramatically better from inside the arc than Jonah did last season; Isaiah is having a more efficient offensive season than Rakocevic had last season; Peterson has significantly improved on Ethan's shooting percentage; and Isaiah White and Chavez Goodwin are both shooting better than inside the arc than Daniel Utomi and Elijah Weaver did last season.
#2 offensive rebounding -- as with defense, shot blocking, interior scoring, etc., it's best to explain Evan as a near replacement for Onyeka's production last season; not really an improvement upon it. Onyeka was an ever so slightly better offensive and defensive rebounder last season than Evan has been so far this season. The difference really is Chavez Goodwin (who grabs 12.8% of all offensive rebounds available while on the court -- an elite number nationally), Isaiah Mobley this year and Isaiah White as compared to Nick (a very strong offensive rebounder), Isaiah Mobley last season and Max last season.
Okay ... so, having now kind of analyzed what is going on with this team, as compared to last season, let me tell you how I got it wrong.
Number 1: I did not think Evan would be as good as he's been. I thought Evan would be a great player, but I didn't think he'd be able to essentially replace all of Onyeka's production from last season, which he has done.
Number 2: I assumed there would be chaos with the team as a result of covid, that the players would not gel, and the new pieces would not perform up to the level they have. I was wrong. All four transfers -- Tahj, Peterson, White and Goodwin -- have played very well. Tahj and Goodwin have played MUCH better than I ever thought they would. Tahj has arguably so far had the best season ever for an Enfield combo or shooting guard.
Number 3: This team has so far exhibited far more maturity and steadfastness than other Enfield teams. And this is not only on the transfers. Credit has to be given to both Evan and Isaiah Mobley.
MORE TO COME....