My Column: Orange Need Howard and Roberson to Get In Gear

[iommi]

I've been very vocal in my criticism of FH and TR, but here I acknowledge that we need to get them going if we want to be a factor in March:

Orange Need Howard and Roberson to Get In Gear | Otto's Grove

 

[Jake]

If we get 5 minutes per game from Frank without a turnover or giving up a three...we should all dance a jig.

Watching him refuse to fight over screens at the top of the zone makes me crazy.

 

[SoBristol]

Not saying it wouldn't be a good thing, but bigger contributions from those two might not be likely at this point. Roberson's does not miss free throws because he lacks confidence -- he misses them because he can't shoot.
'
Might be better to hope for bigger, more consistent contributions from Thompson & Battle. This team can win with six guys -- as we just saw in the past 5 games.

 

[CuseCactus]

It's a confidence thing with Frank. He's terrified out there. Extremely tentative. Sometimes the ability to just play and tune out the noise is very hard to achieve - lots of pressure on these kids. Some of the best athletes are also the least intelligent. There's not much rattling around their brains to make them tentative. (My attempt at amateur sports psychology)

 

[jordoo]

5min of Howard is about all this team can absorb and still have a chance to win most games. I hope he improves but its shocking to see a second year player make so many basic mistakes on both ends.

Roberson can still contribute without scoring much. It would be huge to get a fully engaged Roberson even for just 15min a game the rest of the season. It would make a difference.

 

[jdubs30]

Robey was good vs. Clemson in the 1st half- he was very active on the glass and had a few nice catches and finishes. I don't think it's outrageous though to think that if TT became capable on defensive and stayed out of foul trouble, he'd be about 35 minutes a game and Robey would barely see the floor.

 

[iommi]

Not saying it wouldn't be a good thing, but bigger contributions from those two might not be likely at this point. Roberson's does not miss free throws because he lacks confidence -- he misses them because he can't shoot.
'
Might be better to hope for bigger, more consistent contributions from Thompson & Battle. This team can win with six guys -- as we just saw in the past 5 games.

I'd sign up for Roberson's first half on Tuesday. 6 and 6 is fine. As far as the FT shooting, his % has gone down every year: 68% as frosh, 64% as soph, 58% as junior and is at 48% this year. I attribute that to his confidence eroding. He has had good games. He IS a great athlete. Can he play consistently? That's a big question.

As I wrote, I don't expect much from Howard but if he can just play a little more solidly, it will help. Maybe if he feels like he's part of the rotation, instead of just the guy JB HAS to put in when he's pissed at Gillon or Battle, that would get him going. He has to stop forcing the issue.

 

[jdubs30]

It's a confidence thing with Frank. He's terrified out there. Extremely tentative. Sometimes the ability to just play and tune out the noise is very hard to achieve - lots of pressure on these kids. Some of the best athletes are also the least intelligent. There's not much rattling around their brains to make them tentative. (My attempt at amateur sports psychology)

That seems like an extremely ignorant and insulting statement

 

[iommi]

It's a confidence thing with Frank. He's terrified out there. Extremely tentative. Sometimes the ability to just play and tune out the noise is very hard to achieve - lots of pressure on these kids. Some of the best athletes are also the least intelligent. There's not much rattling around their brains to make them tentative. (My attempt at amateur sports psychology)

Yes, and I think he's terrified because he's not a real part of the rotation. If he's sent to the scoring table to go in at the media timeout, that would help his psyche.

 

[RaleighSUfan]

I've been very vocal in my criticism of FH and TR, but here I acknowledge that we need to get them going if we want to be a factor in March:

Orange Need Howard and Roberson to Get In Gear | Otto's Grove

Nice job!

 

[RF2044]

5min of Howard is about all this team can absorb and still have a chance to win most games. I hope he improves but its shocking to see a second year player make so many basic mistakes on both ends.

Roberson can still contribute without scoring much. It would be huge to get a fully engaged Roberson even for just 15min a game the rest of the season. It would make a difference.

Somewhat agree. Right now, he isn't even making positive contributions in any form when he's out there.

At the end of the game, after Battle's shot fell through, Frank was in the middle of the celebration, and looked happy. Here's hoping that whatever issues he may have been a part of [or caused] on the team are behind him. Would be nice to be able to count on him for 4 minutes per game, to spell the only other two guards on the team. If he could make some good plays, maybe JB wouldn't be reluctant to play him.

 

[jordoo]

Somewhat agree. Right now, he isn't even making positive contributions in any form when he's out there.

At the end of the game, after Battle's shot fell through, Frank was in the middle of the celebration, and looked happy. Here's hoping that whatever issues he may have been a part of [or caused] on the team are behind him. Would be nice to be able to count on him for 4 minutes per game, to spell the only other two guards on the team. If he could make some good plays, maybe JB wouldn't be reluctant to play him.

I think he is better than he's shown and he is certainly second guessing everything. It's hard to be effective that way. It be great if he could play mistake free for a few minutes a game.

 

[CuseCactus]

That seems like an extremely ignorant and insulting statement

Please note that I said "some". Some means a few. Please settle down.

 

[sutomcat]

If we get 5 minutes per game from Frank without a turnover or giving up a three...we should all dance a jig.

Watching him refuse to fight over screens at the top of the zone makes me crazy.

His inability to stay in front of a dribbler headed for the paint also is killing me. Where is the desire and intensity? With his size and quickness, he could be a plus defender if he only cared...

 

[iommi]

His inability to stay in front of a dribbler headed for the paint also is killing me. Where is the desire and intensity? With his size and quickness, he could be a plus defender if he only cared...

I think Howard is immature. He was very young for his class, so even though he's a sophmore, I believe he is 19. He was a very humble, quiet kid in high school; I think being handed the keys to the Ferrari this year went to his head a bit (like in my column, I'm definitely playing amateur psychologist here). I don't get the lazy defense at all. You'd think losing your starting role and riding the bench for several games would've motivated him to play on both ends.

I really think JB got Gillon going when he stopped using the bench as a stun gun. The guards were playing too tightly because they knew one mistake would mean a hook. Now, Howard is wound too tightly because he knows he's going in only out of necessity.

 

[SoBeCuse]

His inability to stay in front of a dribbler headed for the paint also is killing me. Where is the desire and intensity? With his size and quickness, he could be a plus defender if he only cared...

Yeah, it's a problem. Maybe I'm wrong but I just don't see the quickness from him. Not against good players. He doesn't have a burst, can't change speeds or direction well, and he just glides around casually. Maybe this stems from lack of confidence. Who knows.

 

[iommi]

Yeah, it's a problem. Maybe I'm wrong but I just don't see the quickness from him. Not against good players. He doesn't have a burst, can't change speeds or direction well, and he just glides around casually. Maybe this stems from lack of confidence. Who knows.

He also seems to be in a fog out there. Maybe orangefog is the culprit.

Seriously, he looks puzzled. And he has to stop leaving his feet with no idea what he's doing next. The staff has a lot of work to do with him. It's obvious he's off-track, so the next few weeks will be critical. Can we make him a contributor?

 

[realorange]

Frank needs to be able to relax and just let the game come to him. As someone else said, he is scared to death he'll make a mistake and get pulled.

Think back to last year in the NCAA, he showed stuff we haven't seen this year because he's thinking too hard about doing the "right thing". He's got the talent, he just needs to be able to show it.

 

[iommi]

Frank needs to be able to relax and just let the game come to him. As someone else said, he is scared to death he'll make a mistake and get pulled.

Think back to last year in the NCAA, he showed stuff we haven't seen this year because he's thinking too hard about doing the "right thing". He's got the talent, he just needs to be able to show it.

Yeah, that's why I think a subtle move by JB might help. Just getting him up to the table before a media timeout. Don't put him just because someone screws up. Put him in proactively.

 

[SoBristol]

I'd sign up for Roberson's first half on Tuesday. 6 and 6 is fine. As far as the FT shooting, his % has gone down every year: 68% as frosh, 64% as soph, 58% as junior and is at 48% this year. I attribute that to his confidence eroding. He has had good games. He IS a great athlete. Can he play consistently? That's a big question.

As I wrote, I don't expect much from Howard but if he can just play a little more solidly, it will help. ...QUOTE]

Agree on Roberson -- he can help with the defense and defensive boards, be active on the offensive glass, get some finishes when left open. He makes the effort -- sometimes the opposing teams keep him off the glass.

You are confusing cause & effect on FT shooting. When you miss a bunch, you should lose confidence. The missing begins due to bad mechanics and continues unless the shooter finds better mechanics. Same reason why he can't make a 10 ft jumper.

 

[jncuse]

It's a confidence thing with Frank. He's terrified out there. Extremely tentative. Sometimes the ability to just play and tune out the noise is very hard to achieve - lots of pressure on these kids. Some of the best athletes are also the least intelligent. There's not much rattling around their brains to make them tentative. (My attempt at amateur sports psychology)

Sports Psychology in real life... you don't want to have players that totally ignore pressure either. Perfect example is Andrea Bargnani.

I am sure some of you here may be familiar with the caliper test. It's a test to show how strong one is to block outside or uncontrollable forces, how strong one can handle pressure. Andrea Bargnani scored the highest grade ever by any NBA player on the test, and is a reason why Bryan Colangelo fell in love with him as a prospect. His caliper score blew him away. And Colangelo saw this as an amazing trait -- he had the "IT" factor he proclaimed.

In retrospect the reason he scored well so well on the Caliper was he didn't give a s*** about anything. Bargnani didn't give a crap what anybody else thought and felt no pressure. He played the game the way he felt like and just refused to listen to other coaches or players. He could not be motivated either positively or negatively by anybody. He was fine with being lazy and a pansy, and if someone called him lazy or a pansy he would be fine with that too.

F Bargnani and the 7 years of torture he caused me as a Raptors fan,

 

[iommi]

I don't think I am @SoBristol.Bad mechanics are obviously a part of it but you said Roberson can't shoot in your earlier post. Yes, he's a crappy shooter but is that because he lacks the ability to shoot? I don't think so. Why do you think Roberson was a much better foul shooter as a freshman? In my opinion, it's because he was more confident, not that he was more capable of shooting the FT's. I'm sure he practices his foul shooting. I'm sure the staff goes over his form and the issues with it. Then he steps to the line and he's a nervous wreck.

We all know Roberson thinks too much out there. When he's at the foul line, that is magnified and we are seeing the results.

 

[AlaskaSU]

Sometimes less is more.

 

[pfister1]

If Robey doesn't get his free throw shooting straightened out, or at least get back north of 50%, it is going to be really hard to play him down the stretch in any contested game. At 0% he is going to become a target and a way for our opponents to force a "turnover".

 

[iommi]

If Robey doesn't get his free throw shooting straightened out, or at least get back north of 50%, it is going to be really hard to play him down the stretch in any contested game. At 0% he is going to become a target and a way for our opponents to force a "turnover".

Canyon Barry is shooting like 95% underhanded. 48% and 0-10 is almost hard to do. Out of those ten, I can only think of two that had a chance to go in. It's a major liability.