I just find this quote from Coach emblematic of an endemic failure

[STEVEHOLT]

From SWC's Thursday night coach's show transcript

About collecting assists: “We’re trying to scrape out games. We do struggle scoring. We can pass it around all day but we have to drive. We can’t pass it in to a post-up player. We are still getting easy shots. "

So he's basically going against the entirety of basketball consensus with this one. He is saying that we cannot score by passing the ball. We need to score by driving and playing hero ball.

Did he just claim that the only way we can win is by utilizing the 24 hour fitness pick up strategy?

If so, why do we even need a coach?

If the team isn't getting good looks by passing, then shouldn't the plan be to improve that aspect of their game so that they develop the ability (or at least more of an ability) to do this? You know...coaching them up?

As far as his "we can't pass it in to a post-up player" comment.

1. It doesn't matter. Few teams in the modern game use a post up guy in the classic sense. It's just not part of the game.

2. We could certainly pass it into a post up player if players were coached to do it. Whether or not the recipient could translate that into points...shoot how would we ever know because it doesn't happen.

Regarding his "we are still getting easy shots". What games is he watching? We miss some bunnies for sure, but come on, most of our possessions end up with horrid looks and contested shots. This is a flat out mischaracterization of reality.

 

[SoBeCuse]

All fair and valid questions yet so puzzling. Expect to be skewered.

 

[NineOneSeven]

It's going to be very difficult to watch most games this year. I will, obviously, because I love this school and its sports teams, but if I had no affiliation with Syracuse, probably around a zero percent chance I would tune in.

 

[STEVEHOLT]

All fair and valid questions yet so puzzling. Expect to be skewered.

I don't care if Im skewered. I would truly like someone to defend the idea that driving is a more effective base strategy than ball movement. Ball movement isn't two guys passing the ball back and forth to each other at the top of the key. If that is what he is claiming we do, then my question is, why the heck is that? And before anyone chimes in with "we dont have the shooters to spread the court" I will say you have no clue about basketball. These are the same people that think size = rebounding ability. You don't need to excel at long distance shooting to foster an environment of effective passing and ball movement.

 

[STEVEHOLT]

It's going to be very difficult to watch most games this year. I will, obviously, because I love this school and its sports teams, but if I had no affiliation with Syracuse, probably around a zero percent chance I would tune in.

If we are going to play at the pace we play, then I'd suggest we change our recruiting strategy. We are recruiting the wrong type of player to play the way we play. It is about as square peg in round hole as UVA or Wisconsin playing like 1989 LMU

 

[SoBeCuse]

If we are going to play at the pace we play, then I'd suggest we change our recruiting strategy. We are recruiting the wrong type of player to play the way we play. It is about as square peg in round hole as UVA or Wisconsin playing like 1989 LMU

I said the same thing last week actually and got roasted. UVA works to get good shots with a purpose and execution within their slower pace. What do we do? Waste time stalling and end up with horrible possessions and turnovers. Crisp passing, cutting, and scheming can mask a lot of deficiencies. Maybe he thinks Frank Howard and/or Tyus is Russell Westbrook and they can blow by guys at will. They can’t.

 

[Brooky03]

We're playing 3 on 5 on offense. Marek and Moyer aren't going to develop an offensive game outside of dunks this season no matter the amount of coaching. Passing to them wide open from 10 feet away is just as bad as Frank shooting a floater with two guys in his face. Sidibe is playing on one leg, so he's a waste. Chukwu is just good for putback dunks and drop-offs at the rim. Oshae is the third scoring option and shoots 12% from the field, or something like that. On wide open shots, he's probably up to 13%.

I've trashed the team for its use of pointless ball screens, so I'm clearly no fan of the current offense. That said, I don't know what kind of passing will help. We can't send cutters to the paint because none of our forwards are threats from deep, or even midrange. The defense will just sag and wait for the cuts. We could try to pass out of the high post but, again, where can we pass to? Maybe we could get the guards to cut to the hoop. That's probably the only viable option if we're looking for guys to pass to.

I'd rather see Frank and Tyus do what they can do with minimal ball screens. Set the screens for our guys off the ball, because they're the ones who need help getting free. See if we can get teams to switch and create a mismatch somewhere. Then, drive and dish. It's not a perfect solution, but it's the only thing I see working for the team in its current configuration.

The real solution is to play the fastest pace that we've ever played ever and try to score in transition, but I imagine the short bench kills that chance. When you're an inefficient offensive team and a solid defensive team, you should be trying to create as many possessions as possible, not the opposite which we seem to be doing.

 

[SoBristol]

JB is not talking offensive philosophy in general -- it is all about what our 6 players can or can not do. We have 3 capable scorers, who can shoot 3s, or mid-range or drive. Only Frank Howard is good at creating for teammates. Marek is a decent passer, but he isn't a threat to shoot or drive. Moyer can finish if he has an open lane, but he isn't a shooter. We have no post up game.

The solution is not to play fast. Howard and Battle aren't particularly good in 2 on 1 situations or 3 on 2 situations. We need Brissett on the boards. We need Howard and Battle to play 40 minutes every time out -- pressing for long stretches or running most possessions isn't going to work.

When you add up what we have, the team needs to focus on defense, play at a pace that allows our top 3 to play 40 minutes each, and play to the strengths of our top 3 on offense. It isn't going to win a ton of ACC games because ACC teams have defenders who can limit what our top 3 will try to do. Most ACC teams have better offensive balance, better shooting, and better inside play. We have 3 very good players and some others who wouldn't be seeing the court at this stage for many of JB's better teams. JB is a smart coach. He is making this team more competitive than many thought possible.

 

[Fly Rodder]

Sidibe is playing on one leg, so he's a waste

I was told that he was healthy.

 

[PhatOrange]

no. he's saying to score we need to drive and get to the hoop. we struggle to shoot it as evident by "We are still getting easy shots"

 

[Cusefan0307]

We're playing 3 on 5 on offense. Marek and Moyer aren't going to develop an offensive game outside of dunks this season no matter the amount of coaching. Passing to them wide open from 10 feet away is just as bad as Frank shooting a floater with two guys in his face. Sidibe is playing on one leg, so he's a waste. Chukwu is just good for putback dunks and drop-offs at the rim. Oshae is the third scoring option and shoots 12% from the field, or something like that. On wide open shots, he's probably up to 13%.

I've trashed the team for its use of pointless ball screens, so I'm clearly no fan of the current offense. That said, I don't know what kind of passing will help. We can't send cutters to the paint because none of our forwards are threats from deep, or even midrange. The defense will just sag and wait for the cuts. We could try to pass out of the high post but, again, where can we pass to? Maybe we could get the guards to cut to the hoop. That's probably the only viable option if we're looking for guys to pass to.

I'd rather see Frank and Tyus do what they can do with minimal ball screens. Set the screens for our guys off the ball, because they're the ones who need help getting free. See if we can get teams to switch and create a mismatch somewhere. Then, drive and dish. It's not a perfect solution, but it's the only thing I see working for the team in its current configuration.

The real solution is to play the fastest pace that we've ever played ever and try to score in transition, but I imagine the short bench kills that chance. When you're an inefficient offensive team and a solid defensive team, you should be trying to create as many possessions as possible, not the opposite which we seem to be doing.

Where are you getting this opinion that Sidibe is a waste? I watched him Saturday and he looked 100 times better than Chukwu.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I'd like to see a Chukwu post up, if for no other reason than to satisfy my curiosity.

 

[Brooky03]

Where are you getting this opinion that Sidibe is a waste? I watched him Saturday and he looked 100 times better than Chukwu.

He looked fine on offense for the 6 minutes or so that he was in there. But he didn't show anything that made me think he's the answer to our woes. "Waste" was probably too strong. We can't expect much offense from him, though, which was more my point. Tendonitis doesn't go away that quickly. If you have tendonitis to start the season, you're going to have it at the end of the season. How many minutes can he reliably provide?


He got smoked on defense/rebounding.

 

[Cusefan0307]

He looked fine on offense for the 6 minutes or so that he was in there. But he didn't show anything that made me think he's the answer to our woes. "Waste" was probably too strong. We can't expect much offense from him, though, which was more my point. Tendonitis doesn't go away that quickly. If you have tendonitis to start the season, you're going to have it at the end of the season. How many minutes can he reliably provide?


He got smoked on defense/rebounding.

Chukwu also couldn’t rebound. Sidibe has ten times more upside than Chukwu offensively and early in the season was just as good defensively. I’m rooting for him to be healthy enough to pass Chukwu. He certainly looks better than he did against Georgetown before the holidays.

 

[FrancoPizza]

The real solution is to play the fastest pace that we've ever played ever and try to score in transition, but I imagine the short bench kills that chance.

We used to do this many moons ago... and JB never counted past 7 back then either. Right now we’re that Cadillac in the left lane going 20 in a 55 with the blinker still on.

 

[50YRsofCuse]

Need to develop players and let them play through a mistake or two before immediately lanking them. Give the post players a chance to shoot the ball. With Chukwu shooting free throws decently, why not pass him the ball at the free throw line and have him take a shot or two.

 

[Guinness]

It's going to be very difficult to watch most games this year. I will, obviously, because I love this school and its sports teams, but if I had no affiliation with Syracuse, probably around a zero percent chance I would tune in.

The games are literally unwatchable.

 

[stuckinbig11]

So, what is your problem with this?

“We’re trying to scrape out games. We do struggle scoring. We can pass it around all day but we have to drive. We can’t pass it in to a post-up player. We are still getting easy shots. "

-our games are all close because we lost our scorers
-passing the ball around does not work because we don't have the outside shooting ability, so we have to drive
-we don't have a post-up big guy on the team
-driving and rebounding have given us easy shots, but we have not been making them

The coach has to make do with the players remaining on the roster; they have to make the easy baskets, not miss them.

 

[Fly Rodder]

driving and rebounding have given us easy shots, but we have not been making them

I don't see this as often as people think it is happening. Sure they get a few a game, but they're playing with a lot fewer possessions over 40 minutes. Need to put the ball in the best possible position for efficient scoring. SU is not scoring efficiently.

ETA: I don't know who posted it, but I someone posted, basically, that the defense is going to win them some games that they should lose and and the offense is going to lose them some games that they should win. I agree with that. All other games are going to be a coinflip.

 

[Brooky03]

Chukwu also couldn’t rebound. Sidibe has ten times more upside than Chukwu offensively and early in the season was just as good defensively. I’m rooting for him to be healthy enough to pass Chukwu. He certainly looks better than he did against Georgetown before the holidays.

Don't get me wrong, I like Sidibe's potential and upside. I'm just not going to count on him improving enough this season, or getting healthy enough, to make a difference over Chukwu.

 

[iommi]

I was told that he was healthy.

By whom? He's not close to 100%.

 

[MikeSU02]

I'd like to see a Chukwu post up, if for no other reason than to satisfy my curiosity.

He did. Called for the ball. Got stared at. Ball got swung around to the other side. Then he stopped wasting his time.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

He did. Called for the ball. Got stared at. Ball got swung around to the other side. Then he stopped wasting his time.

I remember that. I know I'm shooting the moon here, but next time, maybe, just maybe, we should see what happens when he also gets the ball.

 

[Fly Rodder]

By whom? He's not close to 100%.

Sorry, healthy enough to play. That was from JAB's presser after Wake.

 

[MikeSU02]

I remember that. I know I'm shooting the moon here, but next time, maybe, just maybe, we should see what happens when he also gets the ball.

The 2004 Detroit team talks about this with Ben Wallace. They knew Ben couldn't shoot worth a lick (or do anything on O). But to start the game, in one of the early possessions, they would at least throw him the ball once or twice. It would energize him on the defensive end and he'd be a beast all game.

But it started with at least giving him a look.