DRC: (updated with full story) -- Mark Tikhonenko is in the transfer portal

[Brett Vito]

DRC: Where UNT stands with Tikhonenko set to leave the program

 

https://www.dentonrc.com/sports/unt-forward-tiknoneko-is-in-the-transfer-portal/article_4cbf4ab3-9aca-5ff7-84dd-1e5750198d84.html

 

 

Edited May 16, 2019 by Brett Vito

[97and03]

What. A. Waste. 

[Harry]

Well looks like they decided they wanted Bell over the Russian.  Bummer.  I was really interested in seeing how he developed.

[BillySee58]

9 minutes ago, 97and03 said:

What. A. Waste. 

Very disappointing. At least by keeping the older players on the roster we will have those scholarships open up sooner and have a contributing player. With Tikhonenko there was a possibility of him sitting on that scholarship for another four years and not really being a contributor. Also could have been something. Oh well.

[UNT Texas Hooligan]

Disappointing but not surprising

[Brett Vito]

Full story

 https://www.dentonrc.com/sports/unt-forward-tiknoneko-is-in-the-transfer-portal/article_4cbf4ab3-9aca-5ff7-84dd-1e5750198d84.html

[Cooley]

Hopefully the coaching staff responsible for that 2018 signing class and this signing previously, will also show up in the transfer portal. 

[outoftown]

Sadly enough it appears he did not develop as the team needed him to. I guess that is part on the coaches, part on the player. So far MacCaslands capacity in player evaluation before they hit the campus seems not to be equal to his tactical and motivational acumen.

Edited May 16, 2019 by outoftown

[Hunter Green]

18 hours ago, Harry said:

Well looks like they decided they wanted Bell over the Russian.  Bummer.  I was really interested in seeing how he developed.

He never got the opportunity to develop. 

[UNTLifer]

8 hours ago, Cooley said:

Hopefully the coaching staff responsible for that 2018 signing class and this signing previously, will also show up in the transfer portal. 

Not a McCasland fan I take it.

[Brett Vito]

 

[drex]

Injuries and not much motivation..that is my take.

[Cooley]

On 5/16/2019 at 9:40 AM, UNTLifer said:

Not a McCasland fan I take it.

I really don't care who the coach is. The overall recruiting has been bad or decent. To your question, this coach is grossly overrated. Mainly because he is often compared to Tony Benford; where you and I would look better. The 20 win season(s) is over-blown due to the cream puff schedule put together to ensure 20 win seasons. (and playing 5 extra games in a tournament most other "left over" programs turn down). No one is a bigger fan of the basketball program than I am and have been. I just refuse to be hoodwinked by the likes of Brett Brett "Associated Press 2018 Star Sportswriter of the Year Award-winner" Vito and others. When it takes nearly 40 games to win 20, the bar has been lowered from previous era's.  We are a below .500 program, within a mediocre conference, that falters annually down the stretch when it matters the most. Is it a lack of coaching, talent or both? Certainly, nothing to get excited about from my perspective. For a coach with roots in the metroplex, I don't understand why we have to bring in guys from Russia and other areas of the globe/states when the campus is within 50 miles of the top talent in the country. This guy is over paid and thus, we are stuck with him. 

[Andrew]

3 minutes ago, Cooley said:

I really don't care who the coach is. The overall recruiting has been bad or decent. To your question, this coach is grossly overrated. Mainly because he is often compared to Tony Benford; where you and I would look better. The 20 win season(s) is over-blown due to the cream puff schedule put together to ensure 20 win seasons. (and playing 5 extra games in a tournament most other "left over" programs turn down). No one is a bigger fan of the basketball program than I am and have been. I just refuse to be hoodwinked by the likes of Brett Brett "Associated Press 2018 Star Sportswriter of the Year Award-winner" Vito and others. When it takes nearly 40 games to win 20, the bar has been lowered from previous era's.  We are a below .500 program, within a mediocre conference, that falters annually down the stretch when it matters the most. Is it a lack of coaching, talent or both? Certainly, nothing to get excited about from my perspective. For a coach with roots in the metroplex, I don't understand why we have to bring in guys from Russia and other areas of the globe/states when the campus is within 50 miles of the top talent in the country. This guy is over paid and thus, we are stuck with him. 

I too question he ability to recruit. Benford was at many Guyer games during his tenure talking with coaches and players. In two years Mcasland hasn’t been once. I understand we aren’t going to land their big guys, but taking the time to visit/invest is important. Hopefully Grant picks up on this because his ability to recruit has been laughable. 🤷🏼‍♂️

Side Note: I bleed green and will support Grant just like I did Tony, but UNT basketball really needs a pick me up. I question this season/recruiting group, but I hope they prove me wrong. 

[xyresic]

Andrew you are a great fan but some of these posts are head scratchers my friend. Did Benford ever sign a quality guy from Guyer? I’ll hang up and listen.

This cycle Grant has literally landed our second highest rated recruit of the past decade, a nationally ranked JuCo point guard and a key player from a NCAA tourney team.

Edited May 18, 2019 by xyresic

[Shark84]

2 hours ago, Cooley said:

I really don't care who the coach is. The overall recruiting has been bad or decent. To your question, this coach is grossly overrated. Mainly because he is often compared to Tony Benford; where you and I would look better. The 20 win season(s) is over-blown due to the cream puff schedule put together to ensure 20 win seasons. (and playing 5 extra games in a tournament most other "left over" programs turn down). No one is a bigger fan of the basketball program than I am and have been. I just refuse to be hoodwinked by the likes of Brett Brett "Associated Press 2018 Star Sportswriter of the Year Award-winner" Vito and others. When it takes nearly 40 games to win 20, the bar has been lowered from previous era's.  We are a below .500 program, within a mediocre conference, that falters annually down the stretch when it matters the most. Is it a lack of coaching, talent or both? Certainly, nothing to get excited about from my perspective. For a coach with roots in the metroplex, I don't understand why we have to bring in guys from Russia and other areas of the globe/states when the campus is within 50 miles of the top talent in the country. This guy is over paid and thus, we are stuck with him. 

If Grant is "overrated", how come he was scheduled to interview for the TCU job before Dixon decided to stay.  He has the program headed in the right direction. I'm sure he and his staff go to a lot of area HS games that no one knows about. Just my opinion.

[Andrew]

2 hours ago, xyresic said:

Andrew you are a great fan but some of these posts are head scratchers my friend. Did Benford ever sign a quality guy from Guyer? I’ll hang up and listen.

This cycle Grant has literally landed our second highest rated recruit of the past decade, a nationally ranked JuCo point guard and a key player from a NCAA tourney team.

No, but it showed he was invested. He also went there to scout other players. I know high school head coaches who talked to him quiet a bit. Mcasland has yet to be seen/heard from. I believe grant can coach these guys up, but from a recruiting stand point I am not too impressed. Hopefully it pans out and we look great this year. 

[Greendylan]

3 hours ago, Cooley said:

I really don't care who the coach is. The overall recruiting has been bad or decent. To your question, this coach is grossly overrated. Mainly because he is often compared to Tony Benford; where you and I would look better. The 20 win season(s) is over-blown due to the cream puff schedule put together to ensure 20 win seasons. (and playing 5 extra games in a tournament most other "left over" programs turn down). No one is a bigger fan of the basketball program than I am and have been. I just refuse to be hoodwinked by the likes of Brett Brett "Associated Press 2018 Star Sportswriter of the Year Award-winner" Vito and others. When it takes nearly 40 games to win 20, the bar has been lowered from previous era's.  We are a below .500 program, within a mediocre conference, that falters annually down the stretch when it matters the most. Is it a lack of coaching, talent or both? Certainly, nothing to get excited about from my perspective. For a coach with roots in the metroplex, I don't understand why we have to bring in guys from Russia and other areas of the globe/states when the campus is within 50 miles of the top talent in the country. This guy is over paid and thus, we are stuck with him. 

Well, of course we don't want to lower the bar to the point of perpetually celebrating mediocrity, but isn't some context in this case relevant? What exactly were we expecting from him when he took over an absolute salvage job? In my opinion, even if it had taken him 50 games to get to 20, that still would have been a minor miracle.

If the bar is lower than during previous eras, then that is because of those previous eras (or, one era in particular).

[GrandGreen]

6 hours ago, Cooley said:

I really don't care who the coach is. The overall recruiting has been bad or decent. To your question, this coach is grossly overrated. Mainly because he is often compared to Tony Benford; where you and I would look better. The 20 win season(s) is over-blown due to the cream puff schedule put together to ensure 20 win seasons. (and playing 5 extra games in a tournament most other "left over" programs turn down). No one is a bigger fan of the basketball program than I am and have been. I just refuse to be hoodwinked by the likes of Brett Brett "Associated Press 2018 Star Sportswriter of the Year Award-winner" Vito and others. When it takes nearly 40 games to win 20, the bar has been lowered from previous era's.  We are a below .500 program, within a mediocre conference, that falters annually down the stretch when it matters the most. Is it a lack of coaching, talent or both? Certainly, nothing to get excited about from my perspective. For a coach with roots in the metroplex, I don't understand why we have to bring in guys from Russia and other areas of the globe/states when the campus is within 50 miles of the top talent in the country. This guy is over paid and thus, we are stuck with him. 

Just curious who would you consider a good head basketball coach at NT?  

Blakeley, whose total success was primarily due to an inherited super group of players.  Jones who in his first two years went 22-35 and didn't have a winning record till his sixth year.  

There are excuses and excuses, but the NT injury situation seems like a factor that can't be overlooked.  Even with the injuries NT didn't suffer blowout loses like the Benford and Trilli teams did.  

I am already confident that McCasland is a good coach based on his first two years.  Can he get NT championships, that certainly remains to be discovered.   

 

Edited May 19, 2019 by GrandGreen

[BillySee58]

3 hours ago, Andrew said:

No, but it showed he was invested. He also went there to scout other players. I know high school head coaches who talked to him quiet a bit. Mcasland has yet to be seen/heard from. I believe grant can coach these guys up, but from a recruiting stand point I am not too impressed. Hopefully it pans out and we look great this year. 

Mccasland doesn’t seem to be that interested in working the high school scene. Obviously he has brought in a lot of JUCO recruits as a former JUCO HC himself, but even with the high school offers he has made they have primarily come after watching those players on the AAU scene. Which doesn’t matter as long as he is bringing in quality players imo.

[Salsa_Verde]

1 hour ago, BillySee58 said:

Mccasland doesn’t seem to be that interested in working the high school scene. Obviously he has brought in a lot of JUCO recruits as a former JUCO HC himself, but even with the high school offers he has made they have primarily come after watching those players on the AAU scene. Which doesn’t matter as long as he is bringing in quality players imo.

Perhaps because he has his eyes else where And is looking for short term success? 🤨

[EagleMBA]

26 minutes ago, Salsa_Verde said:

Perhaps because he has his eyes else where And is looking for short term success? 🤨

More likely, the JUCO coaches are where his network of trusted, proven sources are.

[Harry]

 

[RiseUNT]

3 hours ago, Salsa_Verde said:

Perhaps because he has his eyes else where And is looking for short term success? 🤨

Even if he got some amazing high school talent they can just transfer anyway.

Get whoever can help you win now.

[outoftown]

11 hours ago, Greendylan said:

Well, of course we don't want to lower the bar to the point of perpetually celebrating mediocrity, but isn't some context in this case relevant? What exactly were we expecting from him when he took over an absolute salvage job? In my opinion, even if it had taken him 50 games to get to 20, that still would have been a minor miracle.

If the bar is lower than during previous eras, then that is because of those previous eras (or, one era in particular).

Context IS important. Yes getting out from under Benford is a task, but then again, building in basketball is not like in football, it goes much quicker. And it is also part of the context that McCasland was a financial investment unlike any basketball coach at NT before and is getting paid as if he already were having a regular top 100 RPI/NET index team. In order to justify his high salary he will have to get there soon or he will start feeling more pressure on his position. That, said he could well still get there, as there were some mitigating circumstances. But it is not worth putting more focus on those than on the patterns of late-season problems, the latter would be a somewhat dangerous overly optimistic bias.

Edited May 19, 2019 by outoftown