Sy with 2 assists in 8 minutes - Judah 1 assist 36 minutes

[Manleymen]

Sy needs to run the point the last 4 minutes During these close games. Try it, you might like the result.

 

[Brooky03]

Sy needs to run the point the last 4 minutes During these close games. Try it, you might like the result.

Mintz was shouldering the scoring load in this game because Girard was off. If you’re proposing playing Mintz and Symir next to each other at the end of games when Girard is ice cold, then sure. If you’re proposing playing Symir in place of Mintz, then no.

Mintz is 6th in the ACC in assists. If the premise is that Mintz doesn’t pass, that premise is wrong.

 

[PhatOrange]

I haven't tried to understand the whole +/- thing but crazy enough ESPN had Chris Bell as the only player on the + side last night. He was +5.

I wish Sy was the starting PG. Last year to. I truly believe our W/L record would be better. He's a very good creator for other players and his handle is as good as it gets. He's the only player who can actually face the basket while dribbling under man pressure. Joe's behind the back dribble only goes half way and he actually has to turn around to finish gathering it.

 

[PhatOrange]

Mintz was shouldering the scoring load in this game because Girard was off. If you’re proposing playing Mintz and Symir next to each other at the end of games when Girard is ice cold, then sure. If you’re proposing playing Symir in place of Mintz, then no.

Mintz is 6th in the ACC in assists. If the premise is that Mintz doesn’t pass, that premise is wrong.

Yet we hear time and time again how Mintz is a 2G trying to learn how to play point. I agree Mintz has done a good job at it, but I disagree they can't play together. Some of our best teams have been two penetrating guards who were marginal shooters. Scoop and Triche for example. Not everything has to be a 3 point shot. I'd replace Joe with Symir. Will never happen but I might try it.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

Yet we hear time and time again how Mintz is a 2G trying to learn how to play point. I agree Mintz has done a good job at it, but I disagree they can't play together. Some of our best teams have been two penetrating guards who were marginal shooters. Scoop and Triche for example. Not everything has to be a 3 point shot. I'd replace Joe with Symir. Will never happen but I might try it.

Mintz was a 2g with that form? Good grief!

 

[Manleymen]

Mintz was shouldering the scoring load in this game because Girard was off. If you’re proposing playing Mintz and Symir next to each other at the end of games when Girard is ice cold, then sure. If you’re proposing playing Symir in place of Mintz, then no.

Mintz is 6th in the ACC in assists. If the premise is that Mintz doesn’t pass, that premise is wrong.

Yes, Sy/Judah the last 4 minutes Together. Judah might pass the ball but does not set up his teammates in crunch time. Four guys standing around not knowing what he is going to do with the ball. The point guard needs to do more than dribble drive and one pass. Sometimes it takes 3-4 ball reversals to get a clean look. Not seeing much of that.

 

[PhatOrange]

Mintz was a 2g with that form? Good grief!

I don't think anyone worried about the form since I doubt many high school kids could guard him. Didn't matter what position he played cause he was just going to blow by you. It's why he's good around the basket with the midrange/short game.

I think it's the same thing with Bell and his lack of rebounding instinct. He likely never grabbed a rebound in HS either because he didn't have to. (just guessing I never watched one of his HS games)

 

[CuseFaninVT]

I don't think anyone worried about the form since I doubt many high school kids could guard him. Didn't matter what position he played cause he was just going to blow by you. It's why he's good around the basket with the midrange/short game.

I think it's the same thing with Bell and his lack of rebounding instinct. He likely never grabbed a rebound in HS either because he didn't have to. (just guessing I never watched one of his HS games)

Perfect synopsis of our issues with recruiting right there.

 

[Orangezoo]

Do a rewatch and freeze frame when Mintz drives. Once he is in the paint there is not a lot of options as guys don't do a good job setting their screens or getting in his line of sight.

Both Mintz and Sy primarily attack the same areas but the hesitation move by Sy opens up Jesse for a dunk sometimes. Mintz would have more assists if he dished it earlier on his drive. Last night Joe was really bad off the ball and I wonder if between VT and tonight he was sick given Gerry and Red both looked pretty rough on the sidelines. So there was very limited options for Judah given how UVA was defending. Also, Judah has not been efficient shooting of late overall so making him beat them was likely part of UVA's strategy.

All that said the defense is what failed us again. Our offense was stellar the first half shooting 64 pct. That should have been good for a 8-10 pt lead. Instead the zone gave up 62 pct, including too many open 3s and as a result we were still chasing them.

In the second half we got the lead and then floundered trying to manage a lead again which was a combination of bad sets, poor FT shooting, continued rebounding and defensive woes, fatigue and then a top scorer nowhere to be found.

 

[Fly Rodder]

I haven't tried to understand the whole +/- thing but crazy enough ESPN had Chris Bell as the only player on the + side last night. He was +5.

I wish Sy was the starting PG. Last year to. I truly believe our W/L record would be better. He's a very good creator for other players and his handle is as good as it gets. He's the only player who can actually face the basket while dribbling under man pressure. Joe's behind the back dribble only goes half way and he actually has to turn around to finish gathering it.

Bell had a good night in limited minutes. Which is A-OK. He had a couple of good looks from three and another one he was wide open, but Judah (IIRC) passed to Joe away from Bell leading to an empty possession. He was also pretty active on defense, missed one rotation in his first minutes in the 2H and got burned for a dunk, but after that he was solid enough. They can't keep a three-point shooter like him stuck to the bench, but they need to limit the damage from his matador defense.

 

[PhatOrange]

Bell had a good night in limited minutes. Which is A-OK. He had a couple of good looks from three and another one he was wide open, but Judah (IIRC) passed to Joe away from Bell leading to an empty possession. He was also pretty active on defense, missed one rotation in his first minutes in the 2H and got burned for a dunk, but after that he was solid enough. They can't keep a three-point shooter like him stuck to the bench, but they need to limit the damage from his matador defense.

Unfortunately both freshman play matador defense on that wing when a player decides to catch and go baseline. It's weird how everyone seems to ignore that Taylor doesn't play a lick of defense either.

I think if JB had a healthy rotation of Bell/Taylor and Joe/Sy/Judah things would be better. I wonder if we melt down at the end because our two guards are exhausted. That can lead to bad decisions as much as lazy play.

Why did Judah ignore Bell and think throwing out of bounds 'backwards' to Joe was a better play? It was strange. When I see stuff like that I wonder if it's personal. Reminds me modified kids ignoring each other.

 

[Fly Rodder]

I think Taylor's defense is better, but still very much freshman-level D. And both are hindered by the zone.

As an aside and unrelated to Taylor, but we haven't had a guard with a better than average D-rating since Elijah in 2019 (99.9). Any better and you have to go back to Ennis. For comparison, MCW had an 87.9(!) in his final season. Dion, Scoop, and Triche were all better than 100. The zone is just not up to snuff without lottery picks at the top.

 

[tbonezone]

taylor's D in the paint is a problem as i've stated before. i think he had 1 block on clark from behind but typically the BEEF UNDERNEEF eat him alive.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

taylor's D in the paint is a problem as i've stated before. i think he had 1 block on clark from behind but typically the BEEF UNDERNEEF eat him alive.

Which is why he should play the 2

 

[Millhouse]

I haven't tried to understand the whole +/- thing but crazy enough ESPN had Chris Bell as the only player on the + side last night. He was +5.

I wish Sy was the starting PG. Last year to. I truly believe our W/L record would be better. He's a very good creator for other players and his handle is as good as it gets. He's the only player who can actually face the basket while dribbling under man pressure. Joe's behind the back dribble only goes half way and he actually has to turn around to finish gathering it.

I completely agree on Sy

 

[swish7]

Sy was a fantastic player last year.

I was really surprised why he was sort of an afterthought this year.

He remains a fantastic player this year.

 

[Millhouse]

Sy was a fantastic player last year.

I was really surprised why he was sort of an afterthought this year.

He remains a fantastic player this year.

We have shooters, why the hell are we relying on guards shooting 18 two point shots a game at about 45% when we shoot 36% from 3

We are 11th in 2pa and 313th in 3pa

Stupid offense

I'm not a big fan of Mintz even if the meltdowns weren't a thing

 

[Cuse_NYC]

Mintz was shouldering the scoring load in this game because Girard was off. If you’re proposing playing Mintz and Symir next to each other at the end of games when Girard is ice cold, then sure. If you’re proposing playing Symir in place of Mintz, then no.

Mintz is 6th in the ACC in assists. If the premise is that Mintz doesn’t pass, that premise is wrong.

Mintz in crunch time…. Crunches

 

[tbonezone]

Sy looked very good in his limited minutes. why not ? he's got zero pressure to perform.

whattaya gonna do ? bench him ?