Defensive intensity

[Jake]

Has to be there every night. This team can not rely on ooodles of athleticism. I thought Buddy and Joe extended on Drexel’s guards the first 4 minutes of the second half and we’re really disruptive. That allowed the wings to overplay and gamble a bit and get some deflections.

Three steals resulted in 8 points. Boom. Ball game.

Lots of standing around the first half watching Drexel carve up the zone. The change in energy to start the second was dare I say “palpable”.

Also thought JB made a great decision to open the second getting Swider a look. He appears to be the x factor this year. Got him rolling and the offense flowed.

The bigs are good enough. Jimmy brings the crafty releases….good to watch.

We’re gonna get boatraced a couple times, but we will be tough to play in March.

 

[OrlandoCuse]

We will be a weird and difficult matchup for many teams. Need to play intelligent each night and keep up the defensive intensity. Our shooting will keep us in a lot of games.

 

[oTTo113445]

Looked like Hands up, contested shots a lot better the second half. Drexel still missed 3-4 wide open threes in the second half though. Buddy and Jimmy are still 2 years ahead of the rest taking the tough one on one shot.

 

[jdubs30]

If we want to play with intense defensive energy, all 3 bench guys will need 20mpg each. That’s JBs call to make. If he uses the bench more he’ll get more energy and effort on defense, but he may be giving up some offensively to make up for it

 

[DonLightfoot]

Agree, second half defensive intensity was great. JB is still a good "in game" coach who will make the appropriate adjustments and it showed in the second half.

 

[Jake]

Agree, second half defensive intensity was great. JB is still a good "in game" coach who will make the appropriate adjustments and it showed in the second half.

Nobody better tip to final whistle.

 

[jordoo]

Agree, second half defensive intensity was great. JB is still a good "in game" coach who will make the appropriate adjustments and it showed in the second half.

And he often waits until halftime to make defensive adjustments so the other coach cannot react to them during halftime.

 

[djcon57]

Has to be there every night. This team can not rely on ooodles of athleticism. I thought Buddy and Joe extended on Drexel’s guards the first 4 minutes of the second half and we’re really disruptive. That allowed the wings to overplay and gamble a bit and get some deflections.

Three steals resulted in 8 points. Boom. Ball game.

Lots of standing around the first half watching Drexel carve up the zone. The change in energy to start the second was dare I say “palpable”.

Also thought JB made a great decision to open the second getting Swider a look. He appears to be the x factor this year. Got him rolling and the offense flowed.

The bigs are good enough. Jimmy brings the crafty releases….good to watch.

We’re gonna get boatraced a couple times, but we will be tough to play in March.

Mentioned in game thread, Buddy was noticeably extending and fighting over screens in 2nd half. Maybe it was gameplan related, but feels like as you said, has to be there at least part of the game especially if the other team is making shots

 

[AZOrange]

I didn’t see all of the game but loved Frank on the boards in the second half

 

[SUMinistry]

Teams that are very athletic and good defensively (ex. Houston last year) will give us issues, but I like this team a lot overall.

 

[Mareiniss]

In his post-game press conference, JB said he changed the defensive rotations at halftime to minimize their open threes. Overall they shot 37% (10-27), but it seemed like they did have fewer makes in the second half. It also seemed like we got more steals and caused-turnovers in the second half.

 

[MikeSU02]

Has to be there every night. This team can not rely on ooodles of athleticism. I thought Buddy and Joe extended on Drexel’s guards the first 4 minutes of the second half and we’re really disruptive. That allowed the wings to overplay and gamble a bit and get some deflections.

Three steals resulted in 8 points. Boom. Ball game.

Lots of standing around the first half watching Drexel carve up the zone. The change in energy to start the second was dare I say “palpable”.

Also thought JB made a great decision to open the second getting Swider a look. He appears to be the x factor this year. Got him rolling and the offense flowed.

The bigs are good enough. Jimmy brings the crafty releases….good to watch.

We’re gonna get boatraced a couple times, but we will be tough to play in March.

Emphasis mine.

I've settled on this as well and I'm fine with it. There is a clear strategy and we're just never going to be elite on defense and that's ok. We'll get run out of the gym a few games, but so what, there are always losses along the way to a great season.

My biggest fear is just the wear and tear on Buddy. Kid is basically our rut-buster when we get stagnant on O and he just has a lot on him to keep coming through to also be 100% on D every time down the floor. I think with Jesse back at the center position, we're protected a bit more than we were last year (nothing against Smokes, but he wasn't exactly a rim defender).

Get Swider in his groove a little earlier in games, push Joe to facilitate, let Jimmy Jr be crafty, get Benny to be more swiss army knife than scorer... I can see it coming together. Just need to stay focused and have the guys stay in their lanes.

Hey, we've played two games and banked two wins, just got to keep banking the ones we can bank.

 

[Nicknack]

I didn’t see all of the game but loved Frank on the boards in the second half

Yep, the more I see of Frank, the more I like him.

 

[Nicknack]

Has to be there every night. This team can not rely on ooodles of athleticism. I thought Buddy and Joe extended on Drexel’s guards the first 4 minutes of the second half and we’re really disruptive. That allowed the wings to overplay and gamble a bit and get some deflections.

Three steals resulted in 8 points. Boom. Ball game.

Lots of standing around the first half watching Drexel carve up the zone. The change in energy to start the second was dare I say “palpable”.

Also thought JB made a great decision to open the second getting Swider a look. He appears to be the x factor this year. Got him rolling and the offense flowed.

The bigs are good enough. Jimmy brings the crafty releases….good to watch.

We’re gonna get boatraced a couple times, but we will be tough to play in March.

Yeah, great point. Also, Greenberg made the point at halftime that our D isn't very imposing and wasn't getting the deflections that we're normally accustomed to seeing. When he said that, I immediately shook my head in agreement but thought, it is what it is with this group. In the second half, it was great to see that while this isn't the most athletic group we've ever had, they can get after it defensively.

 

[OrangeFoo]

Yep, the more I see of Frank, the more I like him.

In my eyes there seems to be a notable defensive drop off when Frank is in vs Jesse. I think a lot of it Jesse has instincts on D that very few other centers seem to.

 

[NKR1978]

I didn’t see all of the game but loved Frank on the boards in the second half

I imagine there will be a few DNP's throughout the season, but I feel like he's going to get some big minutes in February and March and have that same progression that Marek had his freshman year or Kristof Onganaet had. He can be really good here next year if he sticks around.

 

[jdubs30]

I imagine there will be a few DNP's throughout the season, but I feel like he's going to get some big minutes in February and March and have that same progression that Marek had his freshman year or Kristof Onganaet had. He can be really good here next year if he sticks around.

For Frank? The only way Frank gets any DNPs is if Sidibe is back AND productive. Frank has a bright future here with Jesse, I love Sidibe and I hope he’s healthy, but it’s hard to convince me that Frank will totally disappear from the rotation. He and Jesse will probably split the minutes most games.

 

[STEVEHOLT]

Has to be there every night. This team can not rely on ooodles of athleticism. I thought Buddy and Joe extended on Drexel’s guards the first 4 minutes of the second half and we’re really disruptive. That allowed the wings to overplay and gamble a bit and get some deflections.

Three steals resulted in 8 points. Boom. Ball game.

Lots of standing around the first half watching Drexel carve up the zone. The change in energy to start the second was dare I say “palpable”.

Also thought JB made a great decision to open the second getting Swider a look. He appears to be the x factor this year. Got him rolling and the offense flowed.

The bigs are good enough. Jimmy brings the crafty releases….good to watch.

We’re gonna get boatraced a couple times, but we will be tough to play in March.

I’m glad you pointed this out. Defense isn’t predicated even primarily based on sheer athletic ability . It’s mostly effort and technique….. obviously within the context of actual D1 level athletes (no matter how much bball IQ I had or my effort level.. I’d truly blow on D)

 

[STEVEHOLT]

For Frank? The only way Frank gets any DNPs is if Sidibe is back AND productive. Frank has a bright future here with Jesse, I love Sidibe and I hope he’s healthy, but it’s hard to convince me that Frank will totally disappear from the rotation. He and Jesse will probably split the minutes most games.

Call it a hunch .. but im getting the distinct vibe that coach is looking for a reason to jump anselem over edwards

 

[NKR1978]

For Frank? The only way Frank gets any DNPs is if Sidibe is back AND productive. Frank has a bright future here with Jesse, I love Sidibe and I hope he’s healthy, but it’s hard to convince me that Frank will totally disappear from the rotation. He and Jesse will probably split the minutes most games.

Ugh - I completely forgot that he's the only real backup option there. But otherwise I think I made a not terrible point. I just like his game.

 

[Dave85]

Three steals resulted in 8 points. Boom. Ball game.

Those 8 points were huge during that moment of the game.

 

[Oakland]

Yeah, great point. Also, Greenberg made the point at halftime that our D isn't very imposing and wasn't getting the deflections that we're normally accustomed to seeing. When he said that, I immediately shook my head in agreement but thought, it is what it is with this group. In the second half, it was great to see that while this isn't the most athletic group we've ever had, they can get after it defensively.

Greenberg looked noticeably older - was he sick this past year?

 

[HoustonCuse]

Greenberg looked noticeably older - was he sick this past year?

Jump in quick and be the first to predict he’ll be dead within a year! It’s the new craze here!

 

[Day2]

I’m glad you pointed this out. Defense isn’t predicated even primarily based on sheer athletic ability . It’s mostly effort and technique….. obviously within the context of actual D1 level athletes (no matter how much bball IQ I had or my effort level.. I’d truly blow on D)

I think this team will be better than expected on D simply by positioning themselves correctly and limiting the number of mistakes. Not unlike what we’re seeing in baseball with teams like the Cardinals.

Plus, Edwards covers so much ground.

 

[Day2]

Emphasis mine.

I've settled on this as well and I'm fine with it. There is a clear strategy and we're just never going to be elite on defense and that's ok. We'll get run out of the gym a few games, but so what, there are always losses along the way to a great season.

My biggest fear is just the wear and tear on Buddy. Kid is basically our rut-buster when we get stagnant on O and he just has a lot on him to keep coming through to also be 100% on D every time down the floor. I think with Jesse back at the center position, we're protected a bit more than we were last year (nothing against Smokes, but he wasn't exactly a rim defender).

Get Swider in his groove a little earlier in games, push Joe to facilitate, let Jimmy Jr be crafty, get Benny to be more swiss army knife than scorer... I can see it coming together. Just need to stay focused and have the guys stay in their lanes.

Hey, we've played two games and banked two wins, just got to keep banking the ones we can bank.

Junior seems like he’s willing to be a rut-buster as well. He’ll get us a basket inside when we need it. He’s even looking to score at the start of games, so the crowd will take their seats. He’s probably been to enough games where the clapping went on far too long.