Suspect this will be a much more difficult test for Michigan. Mantova plays in A2 Gold … which is 3 or 4 levels above the competition Michigan has been facing. Johndre Johnson alone should prove a much more difficult test down low.
Don’t know if they will beat Michigan… but I don’t expect Michigan to win by 60.
Any idea of the readiness of Mantova? I’m presuming this is the off season for them. Are they just going to assemble their team as it exists today and give it a go, or have they had any preparation?
Judging by their Twitter account… They mostly just showed up back in Italy this week. Practice started Wednesday, but most of their players are accounted for. The other thing to remember is they signed a lot of new players this year as well because they were promoted to a new division.
Hoping for increase in competition level, but difficult to anticipate seeing they’ve had 1-2 practices and are assembling a new team. They certainly aren’t a finished product by any means. Conditioning would seem a bit of a concern.
With the talent level that Michigan has faced (Based on the film) anything close to a real team with set plays and team chemistry, and is more athletic than your local high school team, appears to be a move in the right direction.
Another funny tidbit… Alex Legion actually played in the same division as Mantova last year (A2-Silver)… So that helps show a bit of the competition level there.
A lot of really cool photo galleries from the Italy tour on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.696382080410898.1073741882.113453778703734&type=1
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.696075420441564.1073741881.113453778703734&type=1
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.695908370458269.1073741880.113453778703734&type=1
Sounds like this team can rebound and score but not much defense
Once MAAR learns how to shoot, its a done deal.
Still wonder how MAAR gets significant minutes this year with Walton, Spike,Caris, Kam and Zak playing minutes 1-3.
Could RS him and groom him as a PG if we miss out on Dozier, Winston, DTJR…reminds me of Deandre Kane.
I like PJ Hairston as a comparison for Zak Irvin.
Much closer game today: @umichbball A triple from Montova draws them to just one point, 65-64, #ForzaBlu
I like PJ Hairston as a comparison for Zak Irvin.
Without 1,000 headaches.
Donnal really runs the floor well.
Michigan now up by 22. I’m still not sure what this means in terms of how good we are, but I’m pretty excited for this season.
Really believe that Zak Irvin adds the dimension as a finisher in transition that Nik wasn’t.
I like PJ Hairston as a comparison for Zak Irvin.
Hairston more athletic but still a pretty good comparison
Michigan wins 96-76.
Some final numbers from the last game @zirvin21 had 16 pts, 10 rebs, while @rickybdoyle had 10 pts, 10 rebs #ForzaBlu
— Michigan Basketball (@umichbball) August 22, 2014
More stats - @CarisLeVert had 15 pts, four rebs, five assists, three steals #ForzaBlu
— Michigan Basketball (@umichbball) August 22, 2014
More stats - MAAR had 10 points, two steals and Dawkins had 10 points, two rebounds, while @markdonnal had 9 pts, 3 rebs, #ForzaBlu
— Michigan Basketball (@umichbball) August 22, 2014
Zak Irvin rebounded the ball better than Caris and Walton on this trip.