Zelda Zonk
2022 Iggy Winner: ACC Tourney Record
- Joined
- Sep 1, 2011
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Pretty obvious that Hopkins and JB differ on the handling of players and the rotations. It was refreshing to see the confidence in DC, and some pay-off, although we also have to wonder if this was just the natural reaction to the Wisconsin game, and if it was JB's plan, as well.
KJ may be the casualty of the season. Even with 15-ish pounds "of muscle," he still doesn't seem to have the physicality to deal with this level. Which would be ameliorated by quickness, but he either doesn't have that, or doesn't use it effectively enough. Good, though, to see Howard getting a long look, and he does show some of what we need.
I wonder, though, if him playing was a deliberate interest in taking MG off the ball, and away from playmaking responsibilities. I'm not sure i like that. Do, definitely, agree that we need a better, more dynamic penetrator and playmaker, but at present, i still think we're more effective with the ball in Mike's hands to make the decisions.
Good lord, i hate the zone. And, today's game was a perfect illustration of so many of my reasons. The zone is Fool's Gold. Announcers harp on it constantly, and any time it actually pays off, they magnify that positive result, to the exclusion of all the negatives. Georgetown has a bunch of 'average' players. But, they all got the simplest of shots. Guys on the wings just stood and waited for a pass, and they had open shots. Guys could post to the free throw line, and just turn and shoot. Simple, CYO-League shots. No effort. Comfortable, even for stiffs who cannot create for themselves. Meanwhile, on our O-end, Trevor's running around with his hair on fire. Mike and Trevor both need picks to free themselves. Mal has decided not to be a jump shooter, so he's constantly looking to drive — with too often disastrous results...
Georgetown's defense was far more effective against us than our zone was against them, yet you heard maybe two mentions about their d and a thousand about ours. It's an illusion of effectiveness. How many times did we see one of their shooters free in the corner, with TWO of our guys running at and past him as he launched? And, then, we have our two potential rebounders flying away from the hoop, while the shooter is free to move forward. Another reason why it's hard to rebound out of the zone. Two guys take themselves out of contention for the ball.
Mike is steady. But he needs help.
Cooney. Jeezus. We are not a well-coached team. He hit two threes, when he went straight up and down with the shot. He missed a bevy of others because he was fading left or right. Why hasn't that been coached out of him? Kinda believe he works so hard, and is 'the kind of player every coach wants,' so he just isn't critiqued and assessed and penalized the same way another player would be. He could and should be a much more effective player, but he has always been given too much license for the actual results (shot-wise). I love him, but the squandered potential frustrates the hell out of me.
Roberson. Great effort. I was enthused when he made his first jumper, as he tends to whiff/airball his first shot of each game. Not sure what he needs. Definitely needs to develop a back to the basket post game, because i don't trust his head when it comes to face-up jumpers. He's a 'conscientious shooter.' Same as i was. That kind of dog won't hunt. He may also be overly enamored of The Spin Move in traffic.
Malachi. He had one of those games that reminded me of his HS All Star games. He was just off, in a bad way. Exemplified perfectly by the near airball of his free-throw and then the bricking of the subsequent one. All of his three balls were rushed, flicks of the wrist. Not sure what the story was with him in this game. Gotta believe he's just going to be inconsistent, but it's especially troubling when he misses so badly.
Coleman. I've always wished he had a game like we just saw from the GU center, Hayes(?). Simple pimple. DC has a penchant for making each of his possessions look like he's learning a dance step. It's clumsily orchestrated. A plan he formulates in his mind upon the catch, and he's determined to execute each step. Whereas Hayes is a machine with an operating system with one line of code. He caught, he rose, he delivered. Softly. Simply. Without rush and without hesitation. I still fail to understand how a college center can NOT have a simple jump hook. His hands have to be large enough. He has the bulk and shoulders to seal off a defender. It's elementary. But, Dajuan makes each possession into a drive. Urggghh... But, he had some big moments today, and i wonder if that was JB's plan or Mike's.
The Rotation was different today. Again — is this portent of the future? A one-game reaction off the Wisconsin game? Gotta believe it was mostly Mike. I saw (noticed) only one 'punitive' substitution. Didn't he yank Howard after he pulled up for a long three, without bothering to try to run a play? Didn't see him b!tching at him about it, though. I get annoyed every time i see JB red in the face, howling at someone about a mistake, with only Captain Obvious-level advice. "Catch it!" "Get the ball!" "Don't turn it over!" "Don't let him shoot that!" Argh.
Interesting to see DC and Lydon in the game at the same time for long stretches. Mike subbed-out Mal and Roberson at various times, for various reasons that looked more like planned rest subs, or for matchups, or Mal's ineffectiveness... But, not for mistakes. Not for all those occasions where a GT shooter was open because a zone will inherently allow someone to be open. Because, like, the ball moves faster than the man and whatnot.
Lydon. Got in late, no? Giving more time to DC by plan, or because DC was effective early? We have an odd problem. We are deeply flawed with either DC or TL in the game, because we need them both. But, we can't afford to take out any of the other guys. I have a feeling it's going to be Mal's minutes that see a decrease, with DC's increase.
Kaleb. Sadly, it's hard to see him in any kind of role next year. Franklin has already jumped him, and Battle should be expected to play a prominent role as soon as he steps on court. I'm not sure what i'd do with him. I don't think he's effective at running the PG spot, because he's not a real threat to penetrate. He can get to spots, but not deep enough to lay it in, and when he's pulling up, it's too often in traffic, and he gets bumped and can't convert. Not enough separation to get clean looks, and not enough strength/balance to convert with contact. If Mike or Trevor could play the 1, with KJ running around and trying to get midrange shots that are created for him off the ball, maybe that works. He has a good stroke, but needs space and probably a bit less responsibility. I don't even notice him on defense, though... Is he a liability? I can't imagine he's an effective defender.
We're going to be an up and down team all year. Not sure what the announcers were talking about, re: sweet 16 chances. I think we'll be lucky to make the NCAAs at all. We'll have a few games where we'll be hot, and as effective as we were on the island, but i'm seeing a lot of Wisconsin-type games, where we're just out-muscled and our shots are made too difficult. We're just not as 'tough' as the other guys, and when we're so often out of position because of the defense we play, we're going to get mauled on the boards with persistence. How did Villanova teams do it?
We're going to have to grow up fast, make some hard decisions and have some tough talks with guys like TC and DC to get them to focus on 'core competencies' rather than having them try to do too much.
Mike looked good on the sidelines, though.
Anyone else wonder what JB looked like as he was watching? What was he wearing — khakis, sweats, or onesie jammies with the feet? Was he drinking? Any other family members in the room with him, or would the language be too salty for the kids?
KJ may be the casualty of the season. Even with 15-ish pounds "of muscle," he still doesn't seem to have the physicality to deal with this level. Which would be ameliorated by quickness, but he either doesn't have that, or doesn't use it effectively enough. Good, though, to see Howard getting a long look, and he does show some of what we need.
I wonder, though, if him playing was a deliberate interest in taking MG off the ball, and away from playmaking responsibilities. I'm not sure i like that. Do, definitely, agree that we need a better, more dynamic penetrator and playmaker, but at present, i still think we're more effective with the ball in Mike's hands to make the decisions.
Good lord, i hate the zone. And, today's game was a perfect illustration of so many of my reasons. The zone is Fool's Gold. Announcers harp on it constantly, and any time it actually pays off, they magnify that positive result, to the exclusion of all the negatives. Georgetown has a bunch of 'average' players. But, they all got the simplest of shots. Guys on the wings just stood and waited for a pass, and they had open shots. Guys could post to the free throw line, and just turn and shoot. Simple, CYO-League shots. No effort. Comfortable, even for stiffs who cannot create for themselves. Meanwhile, on our O-end, Trevor's running around with his hair on fire. Mike and Trevor both need picks to free themselves. Mal has decided not to be a jump shooter, so he's constantly looking to drive — with too often disastrous results...
Georgetown's defense was far more effective against us than our zone was against them, yet you heard maybe two mentions about their d and a thousand about ours. It's an illusion of effectiveness. How many times did we see one of their shooters free in the corner, with TWO of our guys running at and past him as he launched? And, then, we have our two potential rebounders flying away from the hoop, while the shooter is free to move forward. Another reason why it's hard to rebound out of the zone. Two guys take themselves out of contention for the ball.
Mike is steady. But he needs help.
Cooney. Jeezus. We are not a well-coached team. He hit two threes, when he went straight up and down with the shot. He missed a bevy of others because he was fading left or right. Why hasn't that been coached out of him? Kinda believe he works so hard, and is 'the kind of player every coach wants,' so he just isn't critiqued and assessed and penalized the same way another player would be. He could and should be a much more effective player, but he has always been given too much license for the actual results (shot-wise). I love him, but the squandered potential frustrates the hell out of me.
Roberson. Great effort. I was enthused when he made his first jumper, as he tends to whiff/airball his first shot of each game. Not sure what he needs. Definitely needs to develop a back to the basket post game, because i don't trust his head when it comes to face-up jumpers. He's a 'conscientious shooter.' Same as i was. That kind of dog won't hunt. He may also be overly enamored of The Spin Move in traffic.
Malachi. He had one of those games that reminded me of his HS All Star games. He was just off, in a bad way. Exemplified perfectly by the near airball of his free-throw and then the bricking of the subsequent one. All of his three balls were rushed, flicks of the wrist. Not sure what the story was with him in this game. Gotta believe he's just going to be inconsistent, but it's especially troubling when he misses so badly.
Coleman. I've always wished he had a game like we just saw from the GU center, Hayes(?). Simple pimple. DC has a penchant for making each of his possessions look like he's learning a dance step. It's clumsily orchestrated. A plan he formulates in his mind upon the catch, and he's determined to execute each step. Whereas Hayes is a machine with an operating system with one line of code. He caught, he rose, he delivered. Softly. Simply. Without rush and without hesitation. I still fail to understand how a college center can NOT have a simple jump hook. His hands have to be large enough. He has the bulk and shoulders to seal off a defender. It's elementary. But, Dajuan makes each possession into a drive. Urggghh... But, he had some big moments today, and i wonder if that was JB's plan or Mike's.
The Rotation was different today. Again — is this portent of the future? A one-game reaction off the Wisconsin game? Gotta believe it was mostly Mike. I saw (noticed) only one 'punitive' substitution. Didn't he yank Howard after he pulled up for a long three, without bothering to try to run a play? Didn't see him b!tching at him about it, though. I get annoyed every time i see JB red in the face, howling at someone about a mistake, with only Captain Obvious-level advice. "Catch it!" "Get the ball!" "Don't turn it over!" "Don't let him shoot that!" Argh.
Interesting to see DC and Lydon in the game at the same time for long stretches. Mike subbed-out Mal and Roberson at various times, for various reasons that looked more like planned rest subs, or for matchups, or Mal's ineffectiveness... But, not for mistakes. Not for all those occasions where a GT shooter was open because a zone will inherently allow someone to be open. Because, like, the ball moves faster than the man and whatnot.
Lydon. Got in late, no? Giving more time to DC by plan, or because DC was effective early? We have an odd problem. We are deeply flawed with either DC or TL in the game, because we need them both. But, we can't afford to take out any of the other guys. I have a feeling it's going to be Mal's minutes that see a decrease, with DC's increase.
Kaleb. Sadly, it's hard to see him in any kind of role next year. Franklin has already jumped him, and Battle should be expected to play a prominent role as soon as he steps on court. I'm not sure what i'd do with him. I don't think he's effective at running the PG spot, because he's not a real threat to penetrate. He can get to spots, but not deep enough to lay it in, and when he's pulling up, it's too often in traffic, and he gets bumped and can't convert. Not enough separation to get clean looks, and not enough strength/balance to convert with contact. If Mike or Trevor could play the 1, with KJ running around and trying to get midrange shots that are created for him off the ball, maybe that works. He has a good stroke, but needs space and probably a bit less responsibility. I don't even notice him on defense, though... Is he a liability? I can't imagine he's an effective defender.
We're going to be an up and down team all year. Not sure what the announcers were talking about, re: sweet 16 chances. I think we'll be lucky to make the NCAAs at all. We'll have a few games where we'll be hot, and as effective as we were on the island, but i'm seeing a lot of Wisconsin-type games, where we're just out-muscled and our shots are made too difficult. We're just not as 'tough' as the other guys, and when we're so often out of position because of the defense we play, we're going to get mauled on the boards with persistence. How did Villanova teams do it?
We're going to have to grow up fast, make some hard decisions and have some tough talks with guys like TC and DC to get them to focus on 'core competencies' rather than having them try to do too much.
Mike looked good on the sidelines, though.
Anyone else wonder what JB looked like as he was watching? What was he wearing — khakis, sweats, or onesie jammies with the feet? Was he drinking? Any other family members in the room with him, or would the language be too salty for the kids?
