The Difference

[SWC75]

This team is more fun to watch than our recent teams, even in defeat at Rutgers. It leads to optimism that this is the team that will break us out of the funk we've been in since 2015, get us into the rankings and allow us to compete for the conference title in a down year. We've had talented players on those other teams and we don't have any Mickey Dees or AA candidates on this one, so what's the difference?

The two great strengths of our team this year fit together beautifully: we can put five guys out there who can pass and who can shoot and they look for each other constantly. As Harry Truman said, "It's amazing what you can accomplish when no one cares who gets the credit." Among our weaknesses is that we don't have a lot of guys who can dribble their way to the basket. For that reason JB has shelved the "Isolation" offense where the players 'socially distance' to spread the defense and have on guy try to beat his man on the drive, which often resulted in defenders coming off their man to close on the drive and snuff it out. That can be effective if you have the right personnel, (remember MCW and Triche destroying Indiana in the NCAAs?), but when it fails to dazzle it produces ugly basketball. Our current attack gets everyone moving, including the defenders and keeps the ball in the air, which makes for much more attractive and, I think more successful basketball.

We'll have to see how pretty it gets against the best defenses in the conference and our own defensive lapses and rebounding problems will be factors but for now, we are having more fun watching these games. And we deserve all the fun we can get.

 

[Newhouser]

I'll be interested how the ball sharing goes when shots aren't falling. Empty trips often result in hero ball/bad shots and more empty trips.

 

[SWC75]

I need to read the board before posting. These issues are talked about in the thread below this. I'm not the only one who can see these things.

I won't delete and repost to the other thread because I don't want to delete Newhouser's post. Maybe the admins can move it.

 

[GooseMutt]

This team is more fun to watch than our recent teams, even in defeat at Rutgers. It leads to optimism that this is the team that will break us out of the funk we've been in since 2015, get us into the rankings and allow us to compete for the conference title in a down year. We've had talented players on those other teams and we don't have any Mickey Dees or AA candidates on this one, so what's the difference?

The two great strengths of our team this year fit together beautifully: we can put five guys out there who can pass and who can shoot and they look for each other constantly. As Harry Truman said, "It's amazing what you can accomplish when no one cares who gets the credit." Among our weaknesses is that we don't have a lot of guys who can dribble their way to the basket. For that reason JB has shelved the "Isolation" offense where the players 'socially distance' to spread the defense and have on guy try to beat his man on the drive, which often resulted in defenders coming off their man to close on the drive and snuff it out. That can be effective if you have the right personnel, (remember MCW and Triche destroying Indiana in the NCAAs?), but when it fails to dazzle it produces ugly basketball. Our current attack gets everyone moving, including the defenders and keeps the ball in the air, which makes for much more attractive and, I think more successful basketball.

We'll have to see how pretty it gets against the best defenses in the conference and our own defensive lapses and rebounding problems will be factors but for now, we are having more fun watching these games. And we deserve all the fun we can get.

This is an enjoyable post and I agree with everything stated. It is fun. Guys are unselfish and fearless. Hope we build on it and not fizzle! Like your optimism.

 

[OrangeFoo]

This team is more fun to watch than our recent teams, even in defeat at Rutgers. It leads to optimism that this is the team that will break us out of the funk we've been in since 2015, get us into the rankings and allow us to compete for the conference title in a down year. We've had talented players on those other teams and we don't have any Mickey Dees or AA candidates on this one, so what's the difference?

The two great strengths of our team this year fit together beautifully: we can put five guys out there who can pass and who can shoot and they look for each other constantly. As Harry Truman said, "It's amazing what you can accomplish when no one cares who gets the credit." Among our weaknesses is that we don't have a lot of guys who can dribble their way to the basket. For that reason JB has shelved the "Isolation" offense where the players 'socially distance' to spread the defense and have on guy try to beat his man on the drive, which often resulted in defenders coming off their man to close on the drive and snuff it out. That can be effective if you have the right personnel, (remember MCW and Triche destroying Indiana in the NCAAs?), but when it fails to dazzle it produces ugly basketball. Our current attack gets everyone moving, including the defenders and keeps the ball in the air, which makes for much more attractive and, I think more successful basketball.

We'll have to see how pretty it gets against the best defenses in the conference and our own defensive lapses and rebounding problems will be factors but for now, we are having more fun watching these games. And we deserve all the fun we can get.

So we are basically a mid-major who is going to have those once every 4 years season where we a relevant?

Just kidding... kinda. This team reminds me of a poor mans version of the AO, Andy, Triche, Scoop, Wes team. Much like that team, this team has 5 players on the court that has to be guarded at all times. We haven‘t been able to say that for a long time now. Unfortunately the difference between this team and that is we don’t have the elite athletes a historical SU team would have... that is going to limit our upside. Also it would be great to have AO.

 

[SWC75]

So we are basically a mid-major who is going to have those once every 4 years season where we a relevant?

Just kidding... kinda. This team reminds me of a poor mans version of the AO, Andy, Triche, Scoop, Wes team. Much like that team, this team has 5 players on the court that has to be guarded at all times. We haven‘t been able to say that for a long time now. Unfortunately the difference between this team and that is we don’t have the elite athletes a historical SU team would have... that is going to limit our upside. Also it would be great to have AO.

I think this is a pretty athletic team. What we don't have are the elite big men. But our young big men could be elite someday.

 

[kuethstheman]

So we are basically a mid-major who is going to have those once every 4 years season where we a relevant?

Just kidding... kinda. This team reminds me of a poor mans version of the AO, Andy, Triche, Scoop, Wes team. Much like that team, this team has 5 players on the court that has to be guarded at all times. We haven‘t been able to say that for a long time now. Unfortunately the difference between this team and that is we don’t have the elite athletes a historical SU team would have... that is going to limit our upside. Also it would be great to have AO.

That's the first comparison I thought of. Yes. Would be great to have a guy like AO on this team.

 

[OrangeFoo]

I think this is a pretty athletic team. What we don't have are the elite big men. But our young big men could be elite someday.

Sorry... but I am going to struggle to call
any team where Buddy and JG3 are starters and play heavy minutes as athletic. Griffin is the most athletic of the starters and he is not as athletic as the historical elite wings we have had. Guerrier is tough and strong but agin not Uber athletic. Woody is probably the only player on the squad I would call uber athletic compared to our historical standards.

 

[OrangeFoo]

Sorry... but I am going to struggle to call
any team where Buddy and JG3 are starters and play heavy minutes as athletic. Griffin is the most athletic of the starters and he is not as athletic as the historical elite wings we have had. Guerrier is tough and strong but agin not Uber athletic. Woody is probably the only player on the squad I would call uber athletic compared to our historical standards.

And this isn’t a knock on the current guys... we have very high historical standards.

 

[Cusefan0307]

The 2010 team wasn’t exactly super athletic outside of Wes and Triche. Highly skilled yes.

 

[OrlandoCuse]

Offensive movement is 20x better than it was a few years ago. No more iso ball. I love what I’m seeing.

 

[lindros2]

I had low expectations this year. We knew we could shoot. We know we're small (skinny/physically weaker) in the middle. If Sid comes back by mid-January (6 weeks) and is strong by mid-February, we could hold our own in the ACC and finish with a 12-8 conference record (seeing as Tobacco Road games might not be as intimidating without fans, and the dome WILL be a bigger issue without people (see: depth perception of the basket).

 

[20plus]

Sorry... but I am going to struggle to call
any team where Buddy and JG3 are starters and play heavy minutes as athletic. Griffin is the most athletic of the starters and he is not as athletic as the historical elite wings we have had. Guerrier is tough and strong but agin not Uber athletic. Woody is probably the only player on the squad I would call uber athletic compared to our historical standards.

Frank if he plays

 

[Nicknack]

I'm with you, SWC. I thought that very thing even while watching us get beat at Rutgers. At least this year, we actually know that we can compete at a high level. How consistent we will be at a high level is the question mark. I like this team though - lots of options!

 

[oTTo113445]

The question still remains how did we get better defensively this year? Basically playing the same 6 as last year plus some solid fresh.

I like the idea of sticking with a box and one or 1-2-2 zone as opposed to the 3-2 (with the wings pushing up sideline. It makes it harder on drivers forcing them to beat 2 men instead of 1, and forces primary ball handlers to constantly go to the ball against us. At least without Sidibe. And we have the depth to run it as opposed to last year.

 

[moqui]

Frank if he plays

2x state high jump champ says hi

 

[UpstateSM]

Above average shooting and passing > athleticism

I know the comparison was to what we’ve had in the past but I don’t think we need more athleticism than we have to be really good.

If our ball movement and decision making is consistently as good as it was Saturday there’s not many teams that can guard us for 40 minutes. And the only team that can even sniff our three best shooters in Jackson/JG3/AG is Iowa.

Added athleticism would definitely help on defense but Kadary and Woody coming off the bench helps that. It’s not a “typical” Cuse roster but I think our ceiling is much higher than most people on this board think.

 

[SWC75]

Above average shooting and passing > athleticism

I know the comparison was to what we’ve had in the past but I don’t think we need more athleticism than we have to be really good.

If our ball movement and decision making is consistently as good as it was Saturday there’s not many teams that can guard us for 40 minutes. And the only team that can even sniff our three best shooters in Jackson/JG3/AG is Iowa.

Added athleticism would definitely help on defense but Kadary and Woody coming off the bench helps that. It’s not a “typical” Cuse roster but I think our ceiling is much higher than most people on this board think.

"Moneyball"

 

[UD1954]

My take...Boehiem loves Kadary because he can get in the lane and create open shots for Buddy and JG3 plus while he can score he's a pass first point. Allen and Dole can get there shot plus combined with Woody we're way more athletic then we've been in awhile.

 

[Coach Orange]

In analyzing the last two games, two actions really stand out on the offensive end as our "go-tos" for good looks:

1) Marek in ball screens, especially when he slips them (which happens both in transition and in half-court sets)
2) Marek facilitating at the slot or elbow (against both man and zone defenses)

Marek slips the ball screen effectively (see :52.6 left in the first half against BC for an example), but it's almost too habitual. At times, he doesn't seem to do so as a read, but rather as his default. Good defensive teams will counter that. In some instances, he never really sets a screen nor allows his defender to lose contact with him so that the slip is available. Let's hope he learns to be more patient and read the defense in those spots, because doing so would make him even more effective as a weapon.

For example, with 5:00 or so in the first half against Rutgers, Marek patiently set a side ball screen rather than slipping. As Kadary cleared his screen, he rolled to the hoop. Rutgers soft-played Kadary coming off the screen, but Marek's defender never made it back to him, and Griffin's defender didn't pinch to help (which is smart given Griffin's shooting ability; it would be a long recovery back to him). Kadary feeds Marek for the layup (though a little luck helped because a Rutgers defender tipped the pass). He could get this multiple times a game with a tad more patience. If teams choose to rotate Griffin's defender to help stop Marek, Alan should be open for a three-point opportunity. I'd take that every time the defense gives it.

I don't think it's surprising that our half-court offense is effective when run through Marek in the slot or elbow. His ability to dribble and pass at his size creates problems for certain teams that don't have the personnel to limit him. Spacing the floor with 3-4 shooters gives him lots of options if teams help on his dribble drives, and it creates gaps for those drives. If defenders key too much on him, our perimeter guys have been pretty good at recognizing and cutting backdoor. Marek makes that pass well. See 4:48 in the first half vs. Rutgers for an excellent version of this.

When he drives, he needs to take it stronger and finish through contact at times. He has a tendency to fade at the hoop rather than go to it (see the 18:35 mark of the second half against Rutgers for an example). I'd love to see him add a jump stop, too.

Just an interesting wrinkle to these actions: our first possession of the 2nd half vs. Rutgers, we ran a side ball screen with Kadary and Marek. It was really false action, though, designed to occupy Guerrier's defender in help defense. Guerrier cut from the opposite low block to the slot, received a pass from Kadary, and then drove past his defender, who was off-balance from chasing, for an "and-1." It seems we are emphasizing the slot area by design this season - a concept that is central to the dribble drive motion offense.

We ran other actions against Rutgers - Double Fist, the "1" and "3" plays, etc. - but they weren't all that successful. We ran a "3" and a "1" against BC but, again, found little success. Joe made a 30-footer off of a "1" in the second half, but the action was complete for a few moments before Joe took the shot. The look was really due to a lazy contest after a switch by a BC defender, which the "1's" action provided. It wasn't really a good shot despite the make (yeah, I know, "hand down, man down."). If he misses it, Coach Boeheim and fans alike would probably question his shot selection.

Finally, I love that our transition game accounts for more of the offense recently. It's much easier to score in transition - whether primary or secondary break - and it's fun to watch.