First, I don’t know basketball that well. I got the basics but I don’t know it like I know football. I posted this for a constructive conversation on the program hoping to have a longer term view of where we are and where we are headed.
let me start with, I did not see the game yesterday but it’s just one game, one data point on the growth curve so while a disappointing effort, I’m not going to flip out over 1 game. Just in the last 2 weeks we had 2 good wins against unc and BC.
it seems our offense actually starts with our defense. kK wants to pressure the ball which requires a deeper lineup. He wants to create turnovers which lead to break out baskets and then more pressure. Hard to press effectively without made baskets on the offensive end. KK expects our team to be in better physical shape and a deeper bench to play this type of basketball.
We seem to be struggling when our opponents force us into a half court game. Right now we don’t have any guys stepping up in the half court sets. BB is struggling, Matt has already told us that freshmen hit a wall and yiu would be hard pressed for freshman guards to carry us. Plus not only do they need to create ball pressure on defense but then they are expected to lead the break as well as run a half court set when required. That’s a lot to ask of a freshman. bates is evolving nicely. What an excellent recruiting pick up by KK. DJF needs to step up and I have no reason to think he won’t. Wildcards are guys like Allen, who had a good offensive game yesterday, and SeabRon, who isn’t there yet. Hellems I believe will progress as well. The two young big guys are green but have potential. Cant count on them this year and Farrah came in woefully unprepared and has wasted a year of his career.
Going forward, and I believe we will go forward, the guards need to evolve, all of them. We can’t expect DD to run the team. He can get his own shot but being a point forward and an assist man doesn’t appear to be his niche. So it’s down to the guards and it goes back to pressure defense which creates our offense. Yesterday in the first half Miami had created more turnovers on us than we did on them. While we rebounded wonderfully which kept us in the game, we must win the turnover game and win it handily.
Some here complain about the”aau” offense. Where do we think these kids come from? The game is evolving to a wing game and getting up and down the floor and running. It’s exciting basketball the alternative is Herb Sendek and the Princeton pick and roll. Kids like the style KK wants to play. They like being able to creatively and freely play the game. We need to improve our guard play and work on some half court sets when our opponents force their style of basketball on us. It’s just going to take some time. I love the style we are playing. I think we have our best chance in 20-30 years to be a good program again and I like the man leading the program. And so do the kids.
And through all this we are still in COVID. I look at the stress i5 puts on me at m6 work. Just think what i5 does to the kids. Even Coach K is highly frustratEd. Think about what all the kids are going through. There is going to be inconsistencies.
Just some thoughts. Many people here know tons more than me about basketball. Please chime in and contribute and correct me where I am off.
let me start with, I did not see the game yesterday but it’s just one game, one data point on the growth curve so while a disappointing effort, I’m not going to flip out over 1 game. Just in the last 2 weeks we had 2 good wins against unc and BC.
it seems our offense actually starts with our defense. kK wants to pressure the ball which requires a deeper lineup. He wants to create turnovers which lead to break out baskets and then more pressure. Hard to press effectively without made baskets on the offensive end. KK expects our team to be in better physical shape and a deeper bench to play this type of basketball.
We seem to be struggling when our opponents force us into a half court game. Right now we don’t have any guys stepping up in the half court sets. BB is struggling, Matt has already told us that freshmen hit a wall and yiu would be hard pressed for freshman guards to carry us. Plus not only do they need to create ball pressure on defense but then they are expected to lead the break as well as run a half court set when required. That’s a lot to ask of a freshman. bates is evolving nicely. What an excellent recruiting pick up by KK. DJF needs to step up and I have no reason to think he won’t. Wildcards are guys like Allen, who had a good offensive game yesterday, and SeabRon, who isn’t there yet. Hellems I believe will progress as well. The two young big guys are green but have potential. Cant count on them this year and Farrah came in woefully unprepared and has wasted a year of his career.
Going forward, and I believe we will go forward, the guards need to evolve, all of them. We can’t expect DD to run the team. He can get his own shot but being a point forward and an assist man doesn’t appear to be his niche. So it’s down to the guards and it goes back to pressure defense which creates our offense. Yesterday in the first half Miami had created more turnovers on us than we did on them. While we rebounded wonderfully which kept us in the game, we must win the turnover game and win it handily.
Some here complain about the”aau” offense. Where do we think these kids come from? The game is evolving to a wing game and getting up and down the floor and running. It’s exciting basketball the alternative is Herb Sendek and the Princeton pick and roll. Kids like the style KK wants to play. They like being able to creatively and freely play the game. We need to improve our guard play and work on some half court sets when our opponents force their style of basketball on us. It’s just going to take some time. I love the style we are playing. I think we have our best chance in 20-30 years to be a good program again and I like the man leading the program. And so do the kids.
And through all this we are still in COVID. I look at the stress i5 puts on me at m6 work. Just think what i5 does to the kids. Even Coach K is highly frustratEd. Think about what all the kids are going through. There is going to be inconsistencies.
Just some thoughts. Many people here know tons more than me about basketball. Please chime in and contribute and correct me where I am off.
