Blaming players for last nights loss is too easy...

[Cusefan0307]

That’s the low hanging fruit. I thought JB was real BAD again. If guys don’t play well you have options. Taylor can’t get in if Girard can’t put the ball in the ocean? He’s an upgrade on defense I would think?

Brown not getting in at all is criminal when we had a forward go two games without a rebound.

There’s other nit picky stuff I won’t get into, but lack of talent or not I think JB has now had two really bad games this year.

Guys play a certain way because it’s allowed.

 

[Trueblue25]

Awful game by JB.

 

[djorange1989]

This 100%. JB lost this game for us, not the players. Well, maybe Joe…

 

[DPCuse]

Kind of surprised with Brown not getting any minutes. I love his athleticism and energy. But Bell was scoring a little and we had a 10 point lead with about 11 minutes to go so hard to shake things up too much. Is Taylor ready for prime time over Symir? Don’t know.

 

[Dick_in_MI]

I mentioned this after the Richmond game, but late last week, JB said that Maliq was nursing an injury. I think there is at least as much likelihood that it flared back up in the first half of the Richmond game as there is that JB simply doesn't want to play him.

 

[NineOneSeven]

I mentioned this after the Richmond game, but late last week, JB said that Maliq was nursing an injury. I think there is at least as much likelihood that it flared back up in the first half of the Richmond game as there is that JB simply doesn't want to play him.

I’ll choose to believe that.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Taylor is not a guard and has been the least impressive freshman of the bunch. I don’t think Taylor replacing Joe would fix any problems. It might create more problems.

Taylor’s not ready yet. We have Symir.

I don’t thinks he’s been unimpressive. He’s made a few shots when he’s catching and shooting between the exhibition and cupcakes. He also can play defense. There’s ability there. He also would make the zone a lot better. Symir was almost as bad as Joe.

And if he’s not a 2 guard who is our 2 guard next year?

 

[CuseFaninVT]

I don’t thinks he’s been unimpressive. He’s made a few shots when he’s catching and shooting between the exhibition and cupcakes. He also can play defense. There’s ability there. He also would make the zone a lot better. Symir was almost as bad as Joe.

And if he’s not a 2 guard who is our 2 guard next year?

Yeah, Brooky is way off on this one. He’s definitely a 2 because he’s definitely not a 3. He gets after it on defense, something that’s NEVER been said about Joe.

I just will never understand why JB refuses to establish a rotation of players. He’s just so unbelievably wrong about young guys being able to play the minutes he expects from them. It’s a different time, different game. It’s dumb.

 

[Brooky03]

I don’t thinks he’s been unimpressive. He’s made a few shots when he’s catching and shooting between the exhibition and cupcakes. He also can play defense. There’s ability there. He also would make the zone a lot better. Symir was almost as bad as Joe.

And if he’s not a 2 guard who is our 2 guard next year?

Wouldn’t be shocked if it was a transfer. I should clarify; I think Taylor could develop into a hybrid guard/forward but what I’ve seen of his skillset so far does not have me looking forward to him as a secondary ballhandler on the court. And we know how bad Girard’s ballhandling is, so that’s saying something.

 

[Brooky03]

Yeah, Brooky is way off on this one. He’s definitely a 2 because he’s definitely not a 3. He gets after it on defense, something that’s NEVER been said about Joe.

I just will never understand why JB refuses to establish a rotation of players. He’s just so unbelievably wrong about young guys being able to play the minutes he expects from them. It’s a different time, different game. It’s dumb.

Being a Guard because he can’t be a Forward is not a ringing endorsement.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

Wouldn’t be shocked if it was a transfer. I should clarify; I think Taylor could develop into a hybrid guard/forward but what I’ve seen of his skillset so far does not have me looking forward to him as a secondary ballhandler on the court. And we know how bad Girard’s ballhandling is, so that’s saying something.

After 4 years of buddy, this is your argument? Wow.

 

[Brooky03]

After 4 years of buddy, this is your argument? Wow.

The Buddy years were not good to us. Are you saying we should sign up for more years of a non-ballhandler at SG?

 

[Cusefan0307]

Wouldn’t be shocked if it was a transfer. I should clarify; I think Taylor could develop into a hybrid guard/forward but what I’ve seen of his skillset so far does not have me looking forward to him as a secondary ballhandler on the court. And we know how bad Girard’s ballhandling is, so that’s saying something.

I think you’re trying to give JB a pass for his terrible substitution patterns.

 

[Brooky03]

I think you’re trying to give JB a pass for his terrible substitution patterns.

I’m not. I’m just noting that Taylor isn’t a viable answer at SG right now. You disagree. That’s okay.

 

[STEVEHOLT]

Johnnies were having major issues controlling dribble drive of Mintz which was pretty much leading to bucket / foul / or both every drive. Second half they switched defensive strategy and our coach did nothing to help the youngsters figure out how to attack it. That’s pretty much what a head coach is supposed to do.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

I’m not. I’m just noting that Taylor isn’t a viable answer at SG right now. You disagree. That’s okay.

I’m not saying he’s a starter yet, but he should get some minutes when Joe stinks like he has

 

[CuseFaninVT]

The Buddy years were not good to us. Are you saying we should sign up for more years of a non-ballhandler at SG?

Not at all. But I don’t think we’ve seen enough of Taylor to make this assertion yet. He got himself into a bit of trouble and needed Sy to bail him out, but he’s a freshman.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

It is what it is. JB has shown recent tendencies. He's reverting to those tendencies.

We're back to being full time zone (which I think is actually good for us, but there's a certain reckoning there because one of the links in that chain isn't ever going to be strong).

We're seeing the rotation shorten. Although he seems to be mixing different guys in at times. Not sure what to make of this one, I don't think it's as clear as it's been in other years what that rotation should be because the guys that play are head and shoulders more productive than other guys.

We're seeing reluctance to sub in the second half. I think this one's a killer. Benny played 85 minutes over 2 nights. That's insane. Insane. Judah clearly ran out of steam. The whole team other than Jesse looked out of gas (that was the upside of his foul trouble, I guess, which is also ridiculous, I swear the refs key in on his rep with foul trouble and it becomes self fulfilling prophecy, he gets soft whistles). Bunch went from looking like a token starter to playing 35 minutes a night. Part of Joe's issues were he had no legs.

We know how JB do.

 

[OrangeDW]

Yeah, Brooky is way off on this one. He’s definitely a 2 because he’s definitely not a 3. He gets after it on defense, something that’s NEVER been said about Joe.

I just will never understand why JB refuses to establish a rotation of players. He’s just so unbelievably wrong about young guys being able to play the minutes he expects from them. It’s a different time, different game. It’s dumb.

And again - we don’t have 5 studs out there! These aren’t the kind of players you need in the game for an entire half!

How many of these guys would get PT for Duke or UNC this year? I’d say Edwards and Mintz.

Bell and Benny playing the entire half and OT? Why?

Joe played 38 minutes? Why?

 

[NineOneSeven]

What’s funny is SJU also played an iron man rotation. But I don’t care what other teams do.

 

[PhatOrange]

Some of these things are auditions. Taylor played two days ago Copeland didn't. Copeland played last night, Taylor didn't.

Brown played 2 days ago. Could have possible found a minute or two for Brown but who does he take out last night? Williams was having a great game and both he and Bell were active, and against a pesky defensive team. I'm not sure Brown fits in last night. Oh well.

Less Joe and more Symir last night is what I wanted to see. Wanted to alleviate some of the ball handling from Mintz. He was done by the end.

 

[djcon57]

Some of these things are auditions. Taylor played two days ago Copeland didn't. Copeland played last night, Taylor didn't.

Brown played 2 days ago. Could have possible found a minute or two for Brown but who does he take out last night? Williams was having a great game and both he and Bell were active, and against a pesky defensive team. I'm not sure Brown fits in last night. Oh well.

You don't need to play 40 just because you are having a great game.
Again, even Giannis sits in the NBA finals.

 

[Sherman20]

Kind of surprised with Brown not getting any minutes. I love his athleticism and energy. But Bell was scoring a little and we had a 10 point lead with about 11 minutes to go so hard to shake things up too much. Is Taylor ready for prime time over Symir? Don’t know.

Exactly. Of course I want other guys to get a chance. But JB’s calculation is usually that an experienced senior scorer who’s having a bad game can turn things around and catch fire. Terrible calculation last night, especially since it was Girard, but that’s how he’s coached for years. I would have liked to have seen Qadir given a chance considering how poorly Symir and Joe were playing. Since Bell and Benny both had good offensive first halves, he decided to stick with them. But I would have liked to see Taylor or Brown in there at some point. Letting SJU go on a 16-2 run was our downfall, and I think JB could’ve done more to stop that.

 

[OrangeDW]

I don’t thinks he’s been unimpressive. He’s made a few shots when he’s catching and shooting between the exhibition and cupcakes. He also can play defense. There’s ability there. He also would make the zone a lot better. Symir was almost as bad as Joe.

And if he’s not a 2 guard who is our 2 guard next year?

I’m done with 2 guards who can’t dribble.

I say play Copeland and Mintz together next year. We can go back to the combo guards/two point guards approach as long as they can play on offense.

Like Scoop/Triche/Dion….not Howard.

 

[OrangeDW]

You don't need to play 40 just because you are having a great game.
Again, even Giannis sits in the NBA finals.

Right? I think Benny had 2 points and 3 rebounds in the last 25 minutes of the game. Can’t take that out!!

Bell played almost the entire game and didn’t grab one rebound, lol.