newmexicuse
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- Aug 15, 2011
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OK, this team is pretty mediocre by Cuse standards, but really it seems to be in-line overall with pre-season expectations. A surprising title at Atlantis is offset by a couple of losses that shouldn't have been.
This team is just getting killed off of the glass. The reasons are that we have a choice of either bulk and no quickness or quickness and no bulk in the middle. Our forwards extend too much in the Zone to be able to consistently get back into rebounding position. They play little or no zone in the NBA because the players are too skilled & will score if you give them any space. Seems to be happening against us now at the college level with too much frequency. Gotta ask the question as to whether or not the college game has passed the Zone by or whether it is simply a matter of us having the wrong personnel to play the typical Cuse Zone. Maybe a bit of both. Regardless, we are committed to the Zone, so we have to figure out how to make it work if we are to have a successful season. Ideally, we should have a D factor in the middle - none on this roster - and long quick forwards who can cover out to the trey line, but still get back to help inside and off the glass. None of those on the roster either. Lydon has the length, but not the strength as a frosh. Yesterday, St Johns managed to kill us both inside and outside. My only thought is that in games where that is happening we need to adjust and pick our poison and either extend or contract the Zone sufficiently to shut down either the inside or the outside game. We just can't dangle in the middle and hope our opponents suddenly stop executing. We have to make them stop executing either inside or out & hope we make the correct choice. That's the best I can come up with for this team.
Looking at the players:
G - what can you say - if we had four more of him we would be a FF team. He does it all, and does it with consistency.
Cooney - as others have said - he is the same Trevor we have come to love or hate depending upon the vantage point of the individual poster. I think; however, we can all agree that in terms of expanding his game either by becoming more consistent or by adding new tricks to his skillset, that he has remained static and that in and of itself is disappointing.
Roberson - all in all I was expecting a 14 & 10 season from him - he remains too erratic and unless the switch suddenly goes on for this kid there is no way this team can be very good wo at least one consistent big. Maybe I have just over-estimated his skills based upon the flashes.
Coleman - It pains me to watch him out there just being a shell of what might have been. That being said, at least he brings some macho to the court, and this team really need some of that each game.
Lydon - he is ahead of expectations, but he still gets pushed around too much (expected) and he still passes up too many looks. He has the stroke & needs to step up more, especially when others are off. A big part of the issue is when he catches his first thought should be to take a good available shot, instead he measures everything around him first & the D closes. Time for that if the shot isn't there.
Malachi - nice dimensions to his game that I wasn't expecting. He is decent off the glass & he is strong to the hole. Plus he shows no fear. Just needs to play with more control - that will come with experience.
Howard - in short cameos he looks like the closest thing we have to a true PG. He seems to see the floor well & he certainly adds length to the top of the Zone. If he has any kind of a mid-range or outside game that might yet emerge he could yet become a factor.
Kaleb - he just plays with zero confidence. I can't write him off, but I also can't justify more minutes for him either. Talk about a kid that needs a switch turned on.
Obokoh - is he really that bad that he can't eat up some space & grab some boards in the middle ? I haven't seen enough to know one way or the other.
Oh well, enough of my frustration ramblings. I guess, like most of us, we are all too spoiled by the decades of success.
This team is just getting killed off of the glass. The reasons are that we have a choice of either bulk and no quickness or quickness and no bulk in the middle. Our forwards extend too much in the Zone to be able to consistently get back into rebounding position. They play little or no zone in the NBA because the players are too skilled & will score if you give them any space. Seems to be happening against us now at the college level with too much frequency. Gotta ask the question as to whether or not the college game has passed the Zone by or whether it is simply a matter of us having the wrong personnel to play the typical Cuse Zone. Maybe a bit of both. Regardless, we are committed to the Zone, so we have to figure out how to make it work if we are to have a successful season. Ideally, we should have a D factor in the middle - none on this roster - and long quick forwards who can cover out to the trey line, but still get back to help inside and off the glass. None of those on the roster either. Lydon has the length, but not the strength as a frosh. Yesterday, St Johns managed to kill us both inside and outside. My only thought is that in games where that is happening we need to adjust and pick our poison and either extend or contract the Zone sufficiently to shut down either the inside or the outside game. We just can't dangle in the middle and hope our opponents suddenly stop executing. We have to make them stop executing either inside or out & hope we make the correct choice. That's the best I can come up with for this team.
Looking at the players:
G - what can you say - if we had four more of him we would be a FF team. He does it all, and does it with consistency.
Cooney - as others have said - he is the same Trevor we have come to love or hate depending upon the vantage point of the individual poster. I think; however, we can all agree that in terms of expanding his game either by becoming more consistent or by adding new tricks to his skillset, that he has remained static and that in and of itself is disappointing.
Roberson - all in all I was expecting a 14 & 10 season from him - he remains too erratic and unless the switch suddenly goes on for this kid there is no way this team can be very good wo at least one consistent big. Maybe I have just over-estimated his skills based upon the flashes.
Coleman - It pains me to watch him out there just being a shell of what might have been. That being said, at least he brings some macho to the court, and this team really need some of that each game.
Lydon - he is ahead of expectations, but he still gets pushed around too much (expected) and he still passes up too many looks. He has the stroke & needs to step up more, especially when others are off. A big part of the issue is when he catches his first thought should be to take a good available shot, instead he measures everything around him first & the D closes. Time for that if the shot isn't there.
Malachi - nice dimensions to his game that I wasn't expecting. He is decent off the glass & he is strong to the hole. Plus he shows no fear. Just needs to play with more control - that will come with experience.
Howard - in short cameos he looks like the closest thing we have to a true PG. He seems to see the floor well & he certainly adds length to the top of the Zone. If he has any kind of a mid-range or outside game that might yet emerge he could yet become a factor.
Kaleb - he just plays with zero confidence. I can't write him off, but I also can't justify more minutes for him either. Talk about a kid that needs a switch turned on.
Obokoh - is he really that bad that he can't eat up some space & grab some boards in the middle ? I haven't seen enough to know one way or the other.
Oh well, enough of my frustration ramblings. I guess, like most of us, we are all too spoiled by the decades of success.
