Why do we not see anything different on offense | Page 4 | Syracusefan.com

Why do we not see anything different on offense

I've found it odd that a JAB zone defense, at some level, relies on the fact that college players aren't great 3-pt shooters and the offense this season is very reliant on 3-pt shooters.
 
Every single player we have, other than maybe Battle, is a limited offensive player. Gillon's size and inability to get off jump shots unless wide open. Lydon can't drive and is too weak inside, along with being a bit gun shy. White is not very athletic or quick, and has a tough time creating. Thompson is a bit mechanical and doesn't have great shot awareness at all time. Howard and Roberson are not ACC caliber offensive players.

Because of this, we SHOULD be running more motion and passing more, trying to get open looks. Instead we pound the ball into the hardwood and end up with bad shots galore. Our first freakin' possession was a shot clock violation because we don't run anything. It's infuriating and JB is simply not coaching up offense.
 
Every single player we have, other than maybe Battle, is a limited offensive player. Gillon's size and inability to get off jump shots unless wide open. Lydon can't drive and is too weak inside, along with being a bit gun shy. White is not very athletic or quick, and has a tough time creating. Thompson is a bit mechanical and doesn't have great shot awareness at all time. Howard and Roberson are not ACC caliber offensive players.

Because of this, we SHOULD be running more motion and passing more, trying to get open looks. Instead we pound the ball into the hardwood and end up with bad shots galore. Our first freakin' possession was a shot clock violation because we don't run anything. It's infuriating and JB is simply not coaching up offense.
I mean I am not the only one who sees our offensive identity is basically playground basketball. Everyone get their own and make shots.
 
Did the zone hurt us in 2009? How about 2012?

The players are what is holding the offense back, not the system. Too many jumpshooters, not enough guys who can do something--anything--off of the bounce. I think that three point shooting is terrific; that's the way that the game has evolved. But I love having guys with the versatility to do multiple things, not just one thing really, really well. Makes the offense more dangerous and difficult to guard.

Remember back in the early preseason when some posters got extremely bent out of shape when I reported that White wouldn't make a good 2 and Lydon wouldn't make a good 3 because they lacked any semblance of offensive skill for those positions, other than outside shooting [you were not one of those posters, Alsacs]?

I love Lydon and White. I'm not knocking them. But when you have guys with limitations like that, the offense is going to look different than if you have Gbinije [just for example] playing the 3 and able to create for himself and others off of the bounce. Or a guy like Hakim Warrick, who is a strong post up threat but could also step out and shoot.

All that said, I do agree 100% with your point about sacrificing skill for athleticism. Athleticism is very important in high major college basketball, but it is also nice to have guys with high hoops IQ, a good feel for the game, and good fundamentals. And those things aren't mutually exclusive [see: CJ Fair]. Would much rather have guys who can play than a bunch of athletes who lack strong fundamentals.

I don't think the system helps. Not if we're lumping player development under that header.

A lot of people speak as if it was a foregone conclusion that Roberson and Howard were bad players destined to be non-contributors.

The college basketball I grew up watching at Syracuse involved kids being coached up and improving over their careers. Roberson's showed skills. As recently as last season he made a higher percentage of his two-point jumpers than Cooney or Richardson. Howard's had his troubles and I'll concede that he's not the ballhandler that I thought he was, but he ought to be a contributor. He's a much better player than the guy who lets a pass skip off his hands and gets banished to the penalty box for several minutes.

I agree that everyone would look better if, top to bottom, we had a group of better basketball players. But this coaching staff has not made the most of the pieces it brought in.
 
Every single player we have, other than maybe Battle, is a limited offensive player. Gillon's size and inability to get off jump shots unless wide open. Lydon can't drive and is too weak inside, along with being a bit gun shy. White is not very athletic or quick, and has a tough time creating. Thompson is a bit mechanical and doesn't have great shot awareness at all time. Howard and Roberson are not ACC caliber offensive players.

Because of this, we SHOULD be running more motion and passing more, trying to get open looks. Instead we pound the ball into the hardwood and end up with bad shots galore. Our first freakin' possession was a shot clock violation because we don't run anything. It's infuriating and JB is simply not coaching up offense.

Andy Rautins and Wes Johnson couldn't create their own shot and they were the cornerstones of the best offensive team we have ever had.

Personally I've always thought the term "create their own shot" is one of the most overrated phrases in basketball. I'd rather have guys that can pass, shoot, and screen.
 
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Andy Rautins and Wes Johnson couldn't create their own shot and they were the cornerstones of the best offensive team we have ever had.

Personally I've always thought the term "create their own shot" is one of the most overrated phrases in basketball. I'd rather have guys that can pass, shoot and screen.
Rautins would be AW3 on this team. White has scored and shot well. We don't run the curl play we ran for Cooney or Rautins for anybody on this team.
We don't run any plays for the most part it's pound the ball and pass to somebody to make their jump shot.
 
Andy Rautins and Wes Johnson couldn't create their own shot and they were the cornerstones of the best offensive team we have ever had.

Personally I've always thought the term "create their own shot" is one of the most overrated phrases in basketball. I'd rather have guys that can pass, shoot and screen.
Yes, that's the point. We don't have guys that can create, so why are we running an iso Offense? Why aren't we screening away from the ball, moving it more and simply running an actual structured offense??
 
Rautins would be AW3 on this team. White has scored and shot well. We don't run the curl play we ran for Cooney or Rautins for anybody on this team.
We don't run any plays for the most part it's pound the ball and pass to somebody to make their jump shot.

We ran that a few times early in the season against cupcakes and we got away from it. I wonder if they think it doesn't fit this team's personnel...
 
Problem on O was the execution. We were getting decent looks. White is in a slump & needs to get his mojo back. Lydon pump faked himself out of about ten open trey looks and a couple of inside bunnies. Battle played very well. Gillon could have been more aggressive, he played within himself a too much yesterday.

Biggest problem strategically was the D. We just didn't adjust to their inside looks. No rotations, no taking away entry passing lanes, no toughness. No rebounding, no nothing.
 

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