Stupid Defense

[AlaskaSU]

This was just plain dumb defense. They were killing us by making 3 pointers but they only had 2 three point shooters. We played an aggressive defense; following the ball, sliding, trapping, anticipating the passing lanes and it netted us plus 9 in turnovers. However, it was the wrong strategy. We needed to stick to their two outside shooters and forget the turnovers. Our failure to choose the right strategy is what cost us the game. we made no adjustment at half-time. It was not a lack of effort. It was misguided effort. Our poor offense did not help, but it should have been enough to beat a low life St Johns.

 

[Ghost]

Eh, the zone is great. It works wonders against talented teams with good ballandlers. Against teams that suck (I do mean suck) at dealing with ball pressure, it allows them to stay in the game, or against St. Johns, blow us out. We need to either press those teams, or throw some kind of pressure in - man-to-man, trapping, whatever...You can't just sit and let them dictate the game. Yeah, we will out-talent most of those teams, but it's a dangerous strategy at times.

 

[CusefanATL]

no reason to harp on the 2-3. its not changing until JB retires whether we agree with it or not.

I love JB - but I can't wait until its no longer our only defense.

 

[NineOneSeven]

I've said this before but this is perfect timing-

When I was playing against much better basketball players-- taller, quicker, more skilled-- I was always so relieved to see them in a zone because there's simply much less one on one. Not saying we won those games, but it was much less stressful playing a better team that was just sitting back.

It's one thing to have a dominant zone, it's another to have a bunch of players who aren't typically what we like to have in certain positions but still play zone. All defenses have obvious benefits and weak points. Yesterday, we didn't plan well. More ball pressure and sooner. They also got the ball to the high post way too easily.

 

[pearl31]

They also got the ball to the high post way too easily.

This is really the part where adjustments should have been made but weren't. The 2 shooters ended up being open because the ball got to the high post without resistance in the first place.

 

[bevosu]

I agree to some degree with the OP...but I saw Hop make an adjustment early in the second half. He did ask our guards to step out and try and pressure their shooters, but then they just got the ball inside for a few minutes and embarrassed our interior D.

 

[Scotch]

This is really the part where adjustments should have been made but weren't. The 2 shooters ended up being open because the ball got to the high post without resistance in the first place.

Yep. St. John's killed us with that double high post set, and we never took away the entry pass (which JB has consistently done in the past). St. John's used it to turn/face and pass to an open shooter. We were thoroughly out coached by the St. John's staff, and then their players made 3s. Death sentence.

 

[Madbiker]

This was just plain dumb defense. They were killing us by making 3 pointers but they only had 2 three point shooters. We played an aggressive defense; following the ball, sliding, trapping, anticipating the passing lanes and it netted us plus 9 in turnovers. However, it was the wrong strategy. We needed to stick to their two outside shooters and forget the turnovers. Our failure to choose the right strategy is what cost us the game. we made no adjustment at half-time. It was not a lack of effort. It was misguided effort. Our poor offense did not help, but it should have been enough to beat a low life St Johns.

To a large degree very true. The scouting report on St. John's is that they are a poor 3 pt shooting team. They are...if you get in their grill and guard them and make their Euro-dudes take contested shots. If you give them 3-4 feet of space -- which we did all game -- Euro-dudes can knock them down. Hop never adjusted. He apparently was just waiting for them to start missing. Mullin coached his team up to where to move the ball to get open shots and we made no adjustments the entire game. I'm surprised by Hop who has certainly seen enough games to know what to do.