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Jan 8, 2025
11:27:19am
Rudi Starter
Agree with most, but think our problems may be a bit worse.
Right now we have two point guards, one who can't hit shots period (Denim) and the other who can't get open to even take a shot or in the rare instance he does, it's mostly a miss (Hall). And the latter has also become a turn over machine. Knell is a sometimes option at best, as he can't be counted on to hit threes in any regular manner.
Denim has shown he can get to the rim or dish on the way very effectively, which brings hope; however, the next item diminished that.

In the middle, we have Keita and Fouss. Keita struggles just to make layups, never mind any shot more than a foot from the hoop. Fouss is learning that playing powerful, taller centers in the league stifles his offensive abilities and makes him a liability on defense rebounding. So getting the ball to either of them, unless wide open under the hoop, helps very little. Also, Denim can penetrate and dish to guys all he wants, but if these wide open guys can't consistently hit wide open threes, it comes to nothing. Sadly, none of the guards and wings have shown great consistency from game to game - including Knell and Saunders. They can get hot, but completely disappear in the next game. Hard to account for that as a coach.

And final point, getting outplayed the way we did the last 3-5 minutes last night, literally looking silly with one guy scoring at will by pushing our defenders to the hoop and scoring time and time again from inside 5 feet, shows a real lack of a) not playing any kind of team defense and b) an unwillingness or inability to man up and get the job done. From what I have seen on defense as we play league ball, being tough and being active on D appears to be only a part time job for most of our guys, and some can't do it at all. We are just not a tough-nosed team in critical times, and that usually comes from lack of leadership by all upper classmen (emphasis on all, because guys like Saunders do this more consistently than others.

Coach needs to let guys know if you won't or can't get after it in a positive way, then bench time is going to happen, with floor time going to guys who will, even if a bit less talented. I have now watched a number of SEC games and there is a reason that league is heads above the rest right now - every player on the floor plays all out D and they play very good inside outside ball. And of course they can make free throws, which I flat out can't believe our team is so horrible at. How does this talented team shoot 50% (ranked near the worst of almost 400 teams) at home or away. Those are developed repetition shots over years and all these guys have literally thousands of practice shots in their pocket and still miss half? How can that be at this level. Our best past teams have always been pretty good at this and you can't win games against quality teams leaving 10-15 points on the free throw line.
Rudi
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Rudi
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Jan 7, 2016
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Jan 8, 2025
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