I've Seen What Carlos Can Do, I Want to See What Cuffe Can Do at PG

[Dcuse]

You don't get assists when your coach tells you to stand out by the 3 point line.
How many assists does Chris Bell have?

If you take out Albany and Bucknell, where he had his best games, and only focus on P5 type competition, in his 5 games against quality opponents in December (Wake, MD, ND, Tenn, Georgetown - 0 wins, 5 losses), his numbers are 24 assists and 15 turnovers. Solid, but nothing spectacular. And we lost every game. Certainly not all his fault, but it is what it is.

Yes, Carlos is doing a decent job offensively, but don't forget that he is awful defensively.

It's not a mistake that we are ALWAYS behind at the beginning of games with our starting lineup. Most of them are terrible at defense.

I think playing Cuffe at the 2 is dumb. I think that playing Carlos 40 minutes is dumb.
The answers are there. Not saying any one guy is key to it all, or should play 40 minutes.
I'm just saying that reasonable observers know that you only play a guy 40 minutes when he is your best player, because you risk him getting hurt when he's playing tired.

When you have a flawed roster, you can't only play 7 of them, because they're not good enough. You have to take what each guy can give you, not just throw it away because they can't do something else, too.

For instance, look at McLeod. Now, maybe his foot never healed right. That's certainly possible. But if you play him one shift each half, just let him foul and block shots, and just be aggressive and knock guys on their butts if they dare come in the lane, we are a better team for it. Yes, he'll give up a couple easy baskets, but doesn't everyone else we have, too?

We need some nastiness in this team. We're so soft.

I agree with almost all of what you’re saying. My main thing on the board here is the complaint with the minutes that Carlos is getting . I’m just being honest with what I see which again is he honestly looks like the only guy on this entire team that can handle the ball against any defensive pressure. He isn’t good on defense. He’s not a good shooter. He’s not a great finisher when he gets to the rim. But I don’t know how you even show up to compete unless you can get the ball into the front court. Starling would be the exception but he’s obviously out. Sad state of affairs at every position this year.

 

[IthacaMatt]

I agree with almost all of what you’re saying. My main thing on the board here is the complaint with the minutes that Carlos is getting . I’m just being honest with what I see which again is he honestly looks like the only guy on this entire team that can handle the ball against any defensive pressure. He isn’t good on defense. He’s not a good shooter. He’s not a great finisher when he gets to the rim. But I don’t know how you even show up to compete unless you can get the ball into the front court. Starling would be the exception but he’s obviously out. Sad state of affairs at every position this year.

I understand what you're saying. But I don't think other teams are looking to press us that much right now. Maybe that's because Carlos is in there, but most teams don't press 40 minutes. It's not Nolan Richardson's Arkansas out there. If they press us and we turn it over once or twice if it's Moore & Cuffe manning the back court, then ok, bring Carlos back in.

Instead of Bell, you could also play Lucas Taylor. He's not great, but you put three guys out there who are adequate ball handlers, and the defense can't just attack any one of them. And if they did go after Cuffe, well, he's pretty quick getting up the floor. I don't mind that.

 

[Dcuse]

Of Cuse basketball in my lifetime which goes back understand what you're saying. But I don't think other teams are looking to press us that much right now. Maybe that's because Carlos is in there, but most teams don't press 40 minutes. It's not Nolan Richardson's Arkansas out there. If they press us and we turn it over once or twice if it's Moore & Cuffe manning the back court, then ok, bring Carlos back in.

Instead of Bell, you could also play Lucas Taylor. He's not great, but you put three guys out there who are adequate ball handlers, and the defense can't just attack any one of them. And if they did go after Cuffe, well, he's pretty quick getting up the floor. I don't mind that.

Honestly, not even talking about a press. Just talking about bringing the ball up against one man. All 3 of the other guards have a hard time against the one guy guarding them to not pick up their dribble and need help to get it over midcourt. We’ve almost never had this problem historically. So sad we are in the worst period of my fandom which goes back to Dennis Duvall years.

 

[Dcuse]

Seems strange that you're choosing to die on this hill. Really? Jaquan Carlos? That's what you're deciding? Hmmm.. some bad decision making here, if you ask me.

Let's do something fun... name me ONE starting point guard over the last 30 years that you would say was worse than our current starting PG who gets 36-37 minutes a game. I'm all ears.

Why don’t you name one that’s better on this team? All ears.

 

[Nicknack]

Why don’t you name one that’s better on this team? All ears.

Strawman

Just so you don't forget, this is what you were asked...

Name ONE starting point guard over the last 30 years that you would say was worse than our current starting PG who gets 36-37 minutes a game. I'm all ears.

 

[Ghost]

Honestly, not even talking about a press. Just talking about bringing the ball up against one man. All 3 of the other guards have a hard time against the one guy guarding them to not pick up their dribble and need help to get it over midcourt. We’ve almost never had this problem historically. So sad we are in the worst period of my fandom which goes back to Dennis Duvall years.

We just watched a game where this was no issue at all. That's about all the concrete evidence we have to go on.

If it becomes an issue, Autry can deal with it.

When Cuffe was playing PG we got WF into some serious foul trouble with a couple guards sitting on 4 fouls with 16 minutes left. Which you'd hope we could take advantage of - but didn't.

With Carlos in there.....we get the ball across half court with less concern I guess? But so far, essentially the same result in that the ball ends up making across half court either way...

Like everyone else, I don't think Cuffe is an answer, except to the extent it could give us options that don't involve Carlos playing 40 minutes at PG. I mean, outside of getting it across half court and then doing a lot of nothing (and then really shifting it into second gear when the game's decided in the final 120 seconds) he really doesn't offer up much of anything on either end. I'm not sure our success hinges on the one extra turnover we might get by having someone else dribble it up and start our very sad offense.

 

[Dcuse]

Strawman

Just so you don't forget, this is what you were asked...

Name ONE starting point guard over the last 30 years that you would say was worse than our current starting PG who gets 36-37 minutes a game. I'm all ears.

You're right. Let's start Tyler Ennis or Sherman Douglas and just hope the other team doesn't notice. Whaddaya think, should we try it?

 

[Cusefan0307]

Joe G had a better handle

Girard is another guy who would easily be the best player on this team.

 

[Nicknack]

You're right. Let's start Tyler Ennis or Sherman Douglas and just hope the other team doesn't notice. Whaddaya think, should we try it?

Whenever you're ready to answer my question, we're eager to hear.

 

[Sbucketball]

Cuffe, probably, on this thread and JC: "Red's had the old bull, now he wants the young calf, and he grabs me by the"

 

[Dcuse]

Whenever you're ready to answer my question, we're eager to hear.

Waiting to hear what? What is your point? Who is we're? Nobody knows what you're talking about.

 

[NineOneSeven]

I thought Autry Jr was one of the better walkons his 4-5 years in the program? I'm sure he'd be better than Carlos.

Uhh…. You must be thinking of the wrong person. I’ve played with Autry Jr in pick-up. I need to go read your sentence again.

Okay… Wow.

 

[Nicknack]

Waiting to hear what? What is your point? Who is we're? Nobody knows what you're talking about.

Go back and re-read if you really care or just continue to spew. Your choice pal, but I assume it will be the latter.

 

[NineOneSeven]

We aren’t a tournament team regardless of how the minutes at PG get distributed between Cuffe and Carlos. That’s the bottom line. Cuffe at PG would at least provide some more interesting opportunities for poster dunks. And we could also see who is the worse 3pt shooter. It’s real close.