Fundamentals

[SoBeCuse]

I bring this up for a couple of reasons. One is that I heard a great interview with Pitino on Sirius previewing Jacksonville St. What he said should nullify any crazy idea that fundamentals don't need or should'nt have to be taught at this level.

He said that a lot of players on the current team (Adel, Mahmoud, Mathiang, Spalding) were just tall and athletic but not "basketball players." He said they have been coached up constantly on fundamentals there. Mainly because he said on the high school level they mostly are not taught enough or the way they should be. Many players coming in he said do not know how to play basketball at the college level. Again he mentioned those four guys and how he drilled fundamentals into them. He said coaches need to be good teachers. I thought it was pretty cool.

 

[HoustonCuse]

He may never get another recruit from their high schools again but maybe he doesn't want any.

This gives me an idea for Hop though: select 10-15 elite high schools/prep schools and 3-5 AAU clubs and give their coaches perks like free invite-only coaching clinics at SU, introductions to top basketball people, tickets to games, invites to practices, golf junkets, intros to equipment company reps, whoever. Lavish attention on them. This would not only establish a very positive and exclusive relationship so they are much more likely to recommend their players come to your school, but would also instruct them so they can better prepare their players in the ways you need them prepared.

 

[Brooky03]

Are there any good college coaches who don't go over fundamentals, especially with 'project' players? I'd have to think the number who don't is pretty darn low.

 

[Dmcnabbrules]

He may never get another recruit from their high schools again but maybe he doesn't want any.

This gives me an idea for Hop though: select 10-15 elite high schools/prep schools and 3-5 AAU clubs and give their coaches perks like free invite-only coaching clinics at SU, introductions to top basketball people, tickets to games, invites to practices, golf junkets, intros to equipment company reps, whoever. Lavish attention on them. This would not only establish a very positive and exclusive relationship so they are much more likely to recommend their players come to your school, but would also instruct them so they can better prepare their players in the ways you need them prepared.

We basically do this already with City Rocks.

 

[AZOrange]

We are fundamentally terrible

 

[AZOrange]

It's also shocking how slow we are. Watch the speed at which Kentucky plays bball. It's incredible

 

[Madbiker]

SU has been horrible the last minute of first halves for ever. When we have the last shot we turn it over 80% of the time and the other team scores. Did it again today. We don't defend the other team's last shot and they hit a 3 on us like 75% of the time. It's just poor preparation for certain game situations. Has always been lacking.

 

[Ghost]

Pitino also is known for doing a ton of 1-on-1 work with the players himself in practice. I'm not sure JB is down to engage with players like that!

 

[two3zone]

Pitino also is known for doing a ton of 1-on-1 work with the players himself in practice. I'm not sure JB is down to engage with players like that!

I'd pay to see the Roberson 1 on 1.

 

[OrangeDW]

I bring this up for a couple of reasons. One is that I heard a great interview with Pitino on Sirius previewing Jacksonville St. What he said should nullify any crazy idea that fundamentals don't need or should'nt have to be taught at this level.

He said that a lot of players on the current team (Adel, Mahmoud, Mathiang, Spalding) were just tall and athletic but not "basketball players." He said they have been coached up constantly on fundamentals there. Mainly because he said on the high school level they mostly are not taught enough or the way they should be. Many players coming in he said do not know how to play basketball at the college level. Again he mentioned those four guys and how he drilled fundamentals into them. He said coaches need to be good teachers. I thought it was pretty cool.

So basically he was patting himself on the back while passive aggressively knocking other coaches? Sounds like a typical insecure coach.

Great coach though.

 

[SoBeCuse]

So basically he was patting himself on the back while passive aggressively knocking other coaches? Sounds like a typical insecure coach.

Great coach though.

It just sounded on point and genuine to me. He was also comparing this team to previous UL teams and his 96 team at UK. He was just saying this group had to be coached up more since many were just athletes and not bball players with some glaring lack of fundamentals. It is what it is. See Ghost's comment above. Did you watch SU in Feb/March and say, "Gee, these guys have good fundamentals, display good bball IQ, and are well coached?"

 

[Cusefan0307]

I think Pitino is the best coach pound for pound in basketball. He takes below average players and makes them average. Average and makes them good. Good and makes them great, but man does he have a huge ego.

 

[Alsacs]

Fundamentals are improved in practice. I have questioned what the heck we do in practice for the last 4 years.
We don't run sets. We don't move the ball. It's all one on one and 100% zone D.
We are the ultimate do the same thing team.

 

[Cusefan0307]

We have to get better passing going forward. It's a huge weakness and has been since MCW and Triche left. Probably the biggest issue we have on offense. All of our players are tentative passers.

Notre Dame doesn't have near the individual talent we do, but they have had more success the past 3 years because they can pass.

 

[SoBeCuse]

It's also shocking how slow we are. Watch the speed at which Kentucky plays bball. It's incredible

Howard, Lydon, White, and TT (he's okay at C) are just too slow to run the kind of offense like Villanova and Michigan do which is also three-point reliant. Those guys are all fast, can pass, and drive/dribble well. We're still a middle of the pack team even if the D gets better, IMO. On Michigan, Walton Jr./Irvin/Duncan Robinson/Abdur-Rahkman can all drive, handle, shoot, and pass well. Those two bigs DJ Wilson and Wagner can score as well. Duke is very similar.

 

[SoBeCuse]

I think Pitino is the best coach pound for pound in basketball. He takes below average players and makes them average. Average and makes them good. Good and makes them great, but man does he have a huge ego.

Completely agree with everything. He's arrogant but I don't care. He backs it up. He's an intense guy and even Jay Bilas said once that Pitino is really intense at practice working on individual drills all the time with players. He said a UL practice is amazing to watch. Give me one game to win in a Tournament setting for all the marbles and I want Pitino.

 

[Marty McFly]

We don't run sets. We don't move the ball. It's all one on one and 100% zone D. We are the ultimate do the same thing team.

That maybe true most of the time, but occasionally this year we did move the ball & had great passing/spacing/energy and were flying around on defense. We had the ability just rarely did it.

 

[cuseinseattle]

Another Pitino is better than Boeheim thread. The off season is off and running.

 

[AZOrange]

Howard, Lydon, White, and TT (he's okay at C) are just too slow to run the kind of offense like Villanova and Michigan do which is also three-point reliant. Those guys are all fast, can pass, and drive/dribble well. We're still a middle of the pack team even if the D gets better, IMO. On Michigan, Walton Jr./Irvin/Duncan Robinson/Abdur-Rahkman can all drive, handle, shoot, and pass well. Those two bigs DJ Wilson and Wagner can score as well. Duke is very similar.

I went back and watched our offense. The speed and purpose and the way we moved then is night and day to now.

 

[longislandcuse]

Wisconsin heading to the Sweet 16 by taking down Nova because... fundamentals.

 

[Ringostar57]

Turtle ball = getting waxed!