We have a go to player

[albanycuse]

yes and thats dion, someone who wants the ball and fully capable of beating you off the dribble or shooting it. confidence in yourself and your game goes a long, long way.

 

[SUSScuse]

I think we have a couple of go to players.
Don't shoot the messenger but they are cousins.
Add in Kris Joseph and you have three.

 

[jdubs30]

Agreed.

Ideal situation: Dion iso up top, with KJo and Triche/Scoop on the wings; Fab just outside of the paint; CJ on the baseline.

If Dion draws a double he'll have 4 legit options to pass to.

One of my favorite parts about our team. We don't have a guy that will get the last shot and force it no matter what.

 

[cusetown1]

Dion might be the best go to guy in the nation when it's all said and done.

 

[albanycuse]

I think we have a couple of go to players.
Don't shoot the messenger but they are cousins.
Add in Kris Joseph and you have three.

no a go to guy in my opinion needs that condifence , that attitude that this ball is going in and no ones going to stop me and dion has that and the skill set to make it happen. the other guys are day to day with their confidence.

 

[jdubs30]

Dion might be one of the best go to guys in the nation when it's all said and done.

Has enough ability to be up there. He certainly was big in our 3 "closer" games VaTech/Stanford/Marquette, anxious to see him do it in a last shot situation (well, not really, but you know what I mean).

His coming out party was the Marquette tourney game last year. Without him we lose that game by 20.

 

[newmexicuse]

no a go to guy in my opinion needs that condifence , that attitude that this ball is going in and no ones going to stop me and dion has that and the skill set to make it happen. the other guys are day to day with their confidence.

Yes, I agree Dion has the attitude & the skills to be that guy (and I also think he will in fact succeeed in that role), but until we get down to crunch time in 1 or 2 point games & he actually delivers the issue remains up in the air.

Nobody closes better than Carmelo, but for a long time LeBron (probably the best player in basketball) couldn't succeed in that situation though he seems to be doing better this season, so you can't say somebody is a "closer" until they actually close some games out.

 

[SoBristol]

You can have a go-to player who can get the ball with 10 seconds and find a way to get a good shot (Kemba Walker, Jonny Flynn, Carmelo, John Wallace).

Or you can have a go-to player who can take a difficult shot off a pass, and give you a high percentage chance for a make (Andy Rautins, Demetrius Nichols in his senior year).

Arguably, our 1987 team (Final Two) did not have a go-to player if you are using Carmelo or Kemba as your model. It had 3 NBA level players (plus Steve Thompson), but the General was outstanding because he could drive and find Seikaly or Coleman.

For the current team, Dion is the go-to guy who can always make a dribble-drive move and find someone if he can't take it alone. More like Sherman Douglas. He isn't going to be the deadly shooter from range, but he will always be the one you want with the ball when there are 10 seconds and its time to make something happen. And that will make this team effective -- That part of Dion's game (distributing) is still on the up-swing.

 

[strumpfasaurus]

Here's what I find interesting about the criticism of our go-to guy situation. We have up to ten guys who can play and compete at a high level. I think theres a good chance that if the games on the line that if you have ten guys who can play, theres a good chance ONE of them will take over that game.

 

[kjb120]

I agree that we have a bunch of people who can take over a game which has been evident this year with so many guys stepping up in different games, but that does not mean they are our go to player in the clutch. As much as I like KJ I just dont see him doing it, hes to passive. That pretty much leaves Dion, Scoop, and Triche. Triche has been hot recently and is shooting well however I dont know if hes the guy at the end of the game that will have the confidence to be the one to take the big shots. Dion definitely has the confidence and like others said the skill set to either drive and score or dish or take a jump shot. Scoop also seems to like to take big shots, he has done it this season against Florida and he also kept us in the game in the Big east tournament last year against uconn when he hit some big late game shots.

 

[rrlbees]

How can we determine if we have a go to guy or who that is? We haven't had any real nail biters and even if you look at the somewhat close games we have had against decent teams, there is no 1 guy. I did a quick look since I honestly couldn't remember one guy stepping up every time we needed something late in a game. I looked at the last 4 minutes of VT, Stanford, Florida, Marshall, NCst and Marshall. Games that were even somewhat close at the 4 minute mark. Here is what it shows.

VT - Triche 3, Triche 2, KJO 2 ft's.
Stanford - Triche 2, CJ 2, CJ ft, KJo 2, Waiters 2, Waiters ft, Waiters 2, KJo ft, Triche 2 ft's.
FL - Scoop 3, Scoop ft, Triche 2 ft's, Triche 2, Triche 2 ft's, Scoop 2 ft's, KJo 2 ft's.
Marshall - Melo 2, Waiters ft, Melo 2, Waiters 2 ft's, KJo ft, Southerland ft.
NCSt - Scoop 2, KJo 2, Kjo 2 ft's, Scoop 2, Southerland 2.
Marq - KJo 3, Melo 2, Scoop ft, CJ ft, Melo 2, KJo ft.

I can't really tell who is the go to guy. I didn't include misses and turnovers but it seemed the guy with the ball most of the time, but not by a lot, was KJo. Any player on any night.

 

[orange03]

How can we determine if we have a go to guy or who that is? We haven't had any real nail biters and even if you look at the somewhat close games we have had against decent teams, there is no 1 guy. I did a quick look since I honestly couldn't remember one guy stepping up every time we needed something late in a game. I looked at the last 4 minutes of VT, Stanford, Florida, Marshall, NCst and Marshall. Games that were even somewhat close at the 4 minute mark. Here is what it shows.

VT - Triche 3, Triche 2, KJO 2 ft's.
Stanford - Triche 2, CJ 2, CJ ft, KJo 2, Waiters 2, Waiters ft, Waiters 2, KJo ft, Triche 2 ft's.
FL - Scoop 3, Scoop ft, Triche 2 ft's, Triche 2, Triche 2 ft's, Scoop 2 ft's, KJo 2 ft's.
Marshall - Melo 2, Waiters ft, Melo 2, Waiters 2 ft's, KJo ft, Southerland ft.
NCSt - Scoop 2, KJo 2, Kjo 2 ft's, Scoop 2, Southerland 2.
Marq - KJo 3, Melo 2, Scoop ft, CJ ft, Melo 2, KJo ft.

I can't really tell who is the go to guy. I didn't include misses and turnovers but it seemed the guy with the ball most of the time, but not by a lot, was KJo. Any player on any night.

True, but if the game was on the line I want the ball in Dion's hands. If this kid ever shores up his jumper forget trying to guard him.

 

[rrlbees]

True, but if the game was on the line I want the ball in Dion's hands. If this kid ever shores up his jumper forget trying to guard him.

Well, the only games that have been on the line in the last few minutes where we were behind or real close were Stanford and Florida/ If you mean final possession close, we haven't had one so we'll have to wait and see. I'm betting it is whomever is playing well at the time, which could be any one of 3-4 guys.

 

[007]

We don't know if we have a "go to guy" until we have a guy placed in that situation and he responds. Based on skill sets and foul shooting %, I would guess that Waiters and Joseph will get the chance to be that guy. Here's hoping they are up to the challenge. But we wont know until they actually do it.

 

[orange03]

Well, the only games that have been on the line in the last few minutes where we were behind or real close were Stanford and Florida/ If you mean final possession close, we haven't had one so we'll have to wait and see. I'm betting it is whomever is playing well at the time, which could be any one of 3-4 guys.

I don't mind feeding the hot hand, but Waiters is the guy I want breaking the defense down.

 

[SoBristol]

I agree that we have a bunch of people who can take over a game which has been evident this year with so many guys stepping up in different games, but that does not mean they are our go to player in the clutch. As much as I like KJ I just dont see him doing it, hes to passive. That pretty much leaves Dion, Scoop, and Triche. Triche has been hot recently and is shooting well however I dont know if hes the guy at the end of the game that will have the confidence to be the one to take the big shots. Dion definitely has the confidence and like others said the skill set to either drive and score or dish or take a jump shot. Scoop also seems to like to take big shots, he has done it this season against Florida and he also kept us in the game in the Big east tournament last year against uconn when he hit some big late game shots.

If you are talking only about taking the last shot, it would be OK to have it be Triche or KJ or possibly CJ from mid-range. You wouldn't want Triche (as one example) with the ball, 10 seconds to go, trying to beat his man and make his own shot. He hasn't shown that skill. Have Dion making the move, looking to get the ball to an open teammate -- with Triche being a prime candidate.
True, we haven't seen this at the end of the game; but you can get a preview by what JB tries to do at the end of a shot clock. Get it to Dion, or Scoop, and get a penetration move with options to find someone who is open.