Great game by our freshmen!

[SBU72]

I disagree with your premise. While they won't get faster or bigger, they will learn the zone and develop some tricks to help them. They will never be Jason hart. But they can get a lot better.

You said it. Buddy is a soph, JG3 a freshman. IMHO, their biggest problem is having to play next to each other. Inexperience with avg athleticism hurts and is compounded. Next year will be much different as will the year after. A quality 3rd guard will help.

 

[kirbivore]

Love Girard's grit and hustle, but he plays absolutely no defense. He gave up just as many as he scored. If we're ever going to be good with him playing 40 minutes, he needs to get leaps and bounds better on that end.

I guess he's the next star that JB won't rip for poor defense.

 

[OttoMets]

Good stuff. Would have definitely thought more for Sims due to him being the only PG capable of playing Division I basketball.

...

The more I think about this, the change in philosophy is pretty wild; if Boeheim weren't so thin-skinned, it'd be interesting to hear him talk about this change.

Imagine! Regional final, chance to go to the Final Four for the first time in nine years, your senior point guard is having an excellent season, and (in what's ultimately a 3-point win in which Kansas gets a clean look at a three on the game's last possession) you're still comfortable sitting him for a minute to play David Patrick! A guy who, as you note, no hyperbole, isn't a high D-I level player.

Flash-forward 24 years and somehow your two guards who don't really play any defense anyway can't be taken off the court for even a moment in favor of Howard Washington or Brycen Goodine (two kids who've actually contributed in wins against conference opponents).

It's weird.

 

[Fly Rodder]

In last night's game, towards the end of the 2nd half, Girard brought the ball up court, crossed the halfcourt line, passed it to someone and then just kind ... of... drifted ... towards the three point line (but never making it there), like a spectator watching the half-court game play out. And JGIII is a hard-arse, gritty, coach-on-the-court, get his uniform dirty basketball player. It was stood out to me watching the game.

 

[patcuse]

In last night's game, towards the end of the 2nd half, Girard brought the ball up court, crossed the halfcourt line, passed it to someone and then just kind ... of... drifted ... towards the three point line (but never making it there), like a spectator watching the half-court game play out. And JGIII is a hard-arse, gritty, coach-on-the-court, get his uniform dirty basketball player. It was stood out to me watching the game.

Maybe he was running a clear out to isolate another player.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

Maybe he was running a clear out to isolate another player.

Himself.

 

[patcuse]

Himself.

No teammate

 

[Fly Rodder]

Maybe he was running a clear out to isolate another player.

No, he was all alone, just watching from 35 ft away.

It was just one play, and I'm not pointing that out to malign JGIII, but that looked like a guy who was tired.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

No teammate

That's a harsh accusation.

Joe's a hell of a teammate.

 

[patcuse]

No, he was all alone, just watching from 35 ft away.

It was just one play, and I'm not pointing that out to malign JGIII, but that looked like a guy who was tired.

With no defender

 

[4the Dubbz]

You’re absolutely right. JB won’t change no matter how much I complain here. I’m done.

Haha, I've always liked your contempt for JB and his rotation. You've been consistent, just like his rotation. I think the pair of you have a characteristic or two in common.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

Haha, I've always liked your contempt for JB's rotation. You've been consistent, just like his rotation. I think the pair of you have a characteristic or two in common.

That's hysterical and absolutely fair. You're spot on. No argument from me.

 

[dasher]

The more I think about this, the change in philosophy is pretty wild; if Boeheim weren't so thin-skinned, it'd be interesting to hear him talk about this change.

Imagine! Regional final, chance to go to the Final Four for the first time in nine years, your senior point guard is having an excellent season, and (in what's ultimately a 3-point win in which Kansas gets a clean look at a three on the game's last possession) you're still comfortable sitting him for a minute to play David Patrick! A guy who, as you note, no hyperbole, isn't a high D-I level player.

Flash-forward 24 years and somehow your two guards who don't really play any defense anyway can't be taken off the court for even a moment in favor of Howard Washington or Brycen Goodine (two kids who've actually contributed in wins against conference opponents).

It's weird.

That is a pretty good assessment. I didn't think David Patrick was a d-1 player at any level.

 

[OttoMets]

That is a pretty good assessment. I didn't think David Patrick was a d-1 player at any level.

And this is one time where I'm not trying to bash the player (he was what he was) or the coach...they were in a rough personnel situation: recruiting was legitimately terrible after probation, it's my understanding that Michael Lloyd flunking out came as a surprise (and fairly late in the summer at that) to the staff, and I do believe Marbury had been making noise about committing for years to the point where the staff had had most of their eggs in his basket. So they were totally stuck in terms of point guard depth. Got very lucky that Sims pulled off that kind of performance.