Geno: "We Don't Do Enough 1-on-1"

[Bone Dog]

Thank you. For quite a while I though I was the only one who was interpreting Geno comments this way.

I don't think this represents a change in his thinking, merely a reflection on the way each season progresses. The team learns the plays now, but also needs to learn when to "just go." It's always been a component of his offense.

Didn’t I say more or less this same thing in #3 of this thread?

 

[CocoHusky]

Didn’t I say more or less this same thing in #3 of this thread?

No. You said something about Geno valuing Nika in that post so I had a hard time connecting that post to the subject of this thread which was 1 on 1 basketball.

 

[UcMiami]

Wow Stacy Dales was my favorite WBB colorist .. she and Kara Lawson were the best, most informative, combo, hands down! I wonder what she is doing now?

NFL network reporter.
ESPN and Stacy parted ways - she was annoyed that her colleagues were flying first and she was stuck in coach - she refused to sign a new contract with ESPN.

 

[ju6381]

NO NO NO. If you 're talking about the 2 minute clip, Geno is not talking about playing 1v1 basketball. He's talking about within the offense if the opportunity presents itself for a shot/drive/whatever....take it. The team does have a habit of running their offense (very well) it seems sometimes to just run offense. I think he wants them to realize they don't have to go through all of their options or wait for the perfect option.

If a player gets in a position where they can beat their defender....do it. If they get an open shot....take it. (And they are well trained on what shots are theirs.)

They can/do sometimes run 1v1's or a pick and roll, if they need a score. Particularly late in a close game or maybe coming out of a time-out. Geno will usually call those out. But in this instance he's talking about taking opportunities within the normal offensive schemes. Which includes if they get an opportunity before the defense sets up, there is no need to run an entire offensive set. Just...go!

Thank you!

 

[RoadMaster]

taking opportunities within the normal offensive schemes.

Well said!
While motion offenses do have screeing/passing "rules" within them, they also have a "read and react" element inherent in them as well.
As one poster mentioned, opponents, via scouting or in-game adjustments, will often adapt to your "basic" offense.
Those overplays, etc. present your offense with other opportunities to capitalize on. Back door cuts are just one great example.
I believe, as does Geno (and many here in the BY), that there are a number of players that could (and, hopefully will) take better advantage of those opportunities to, "Just Go!".
I also concur that there will be times where the need will arise for individual players to "put the team on their back".
In both cases, I am confident, that Uconn Wbb (barring injuries) has the roster to do what is needed!

 

[MD#12Fan]

I don't think this represents a change in his thinking, merely a reflection on the way each season progresses. The team learns the plays now, but also needs to learn when to "just go." It's always been a component of his offense.

It also says a lot about how much he values Nika's contribution, since she is not as creative as the other guards. There's something he thinks is really important about her game, even though it comes at the expense of having one less player who can "just go."

One thing you can see in some of the Jana videos is that she can "just go." She doesn't need a play to get her shot.

I also love how Paige is like a "colleague" in practice with him. I bet he loves it too.

I disagree with two of your points. I think it’s beyond dispute that Geno teaches his passing game, which revolves around ball movement. It’s not an accident. I have said before that Geno actually values the aesthetics of the game, the beauty of a passing game, like an artist. I’ve been clamoring for more “dribble drive- pitch” for years. I believe, like others have said, that the passing game stalls in March, when he runs into more physical teams- SC, AZ.
Regarding Nika, IMO it’s not about creativity, it’s about taking advantage of the openings in the defense that materialize from the passing and screening. I think she’s more than capable of slashing into those holes and either finishing or finding an open teammate. She’s strong and tough, with a solid handle. I’m predicting that her shot will improve with more positive results and confidence.

 

[MD#12Fan]

NO NO NO. If you 're talking about the 2 minute clip, Geno is not talking about playing 1v1 basketball. He's talking about within the offense if the opportunity presents itself for a shot/drive/whatever....take it. The team does have a habit of running their offense (very well) it seems sometimes to just run offense. I think he wants them to realize they don't have to go through all of their options or wait for the perfect option.

If a player gets in a position where they can beat their defender....do it. If they get an open shot....take it. (And they are well trained on what shots are theirs.)

They can/do sometimes run 1v1's or a pick and roll, if they need a score. Particularly late in a close game or maybe coming out of a time-out. Geno will usually call those out. But in this instance he's talking about taking opportunities within the normal offensive schemes. Which includes if they get an opportunity before the defense sets up, there is no need to run an entire offensive set. Just...go!

Good post!
I would argue that the purpose of offense in any sport is merely to get your athletes in positions to be successful. I think offensive complexity is overrated. In football, even more than basketball, we think offense is all about deception and outsmarting the defense. I’m in the camp that you can tell the D what you’re going to do before you do it as long as you execute. So, with the talented UConn roster, they should take advantage of openings that develop. It’s not figure skating, with style points. Also, what I call “dribble-drive-pitch” is darn hard to stop. Same for pick and roll. We have the hosses to take it at a defense. It doesn’t have to win a beauty contest.
Hate to mention this, we’re all trying to forget about it, Arkansas, 2 years ago.

 

[Bone Dog]

I disagree with two of your points. I think it’s beyond dispute that Geno teaches his passing game, which revolves around ball movement. It’s not an accident. I have said before that Geno actually values the aesthetics of the game, the beauty of a passing game, like an artist. I’ve been clamoring for more “dribble drive- pitch” for years. I believe, like others have said, that the passing game stalls in March, when he runs into more physical teams- SC, AZ.
Regarding Nika, IMO it’s not about creativity, it’s about taking advantage of the openings in the defense that materialize from the passing and screening. I think she’s more than capable of slashing into those holes and either finishing or finding an open teammate. She’s strong and tough, with a solid handle. I’m predicting that her shot will improve with more positive results and confidence.

Good post. I'm not sure you're actually disagreeing with me, at least about the first point. I pretty much said he teaches a sophisticated passing game first and foremost. This is part of building the team culture he wants to see, along with the emphasis on teaching team D. But once this project is well underway, and when he's reflecting on the team with Coach P, as in this clip, he also notes the need to encourage kids to "just go." This is pretty much consonant with what you are saying.

You present this thought as a criticism of Geno's over-emphasis on the passing game, and it almost sounds like Coach P thinks this too. But I see it as two-different stages of how he builds the team up each year. He is well aware that the structured passing game is not as effective in March -- he's said this many times -- and that's why he also has to encourage a "one-on-one" mentality into his players. Also, the problem isn't encountering "more physical teams," but rather encountering better coached teams that know how to respond to complicated passing schemes. They may be more physical as well, but this hasn't always been the case.

You call this a "dribble-drive-pitch" mentality, perhaps rightly so, and this leads to your second remark about Nika, namely that you think she's more than capable of this. I'd agree, if we say this capability has been mainly an undeveloped potential. The evidence is pretty clear that in her first two years she did very little of this, and even quite often slashed and then passed up what looked very much like easy layups to pitch it out. She seemed to lack the one-on-one mentality, to be afraid to finish, or perhaps merely diffident about her shot making ability. Eventually in each season, opposing teams stopped defending this from her, and her ability to find open teammates was greatly diminished. This was very thoroughly discussed all summer long. Two signs of this shortcoming in her game: 1. she took very few free throws, and 2) Geno took to sitting her down in the 4th quarter of close games, or using her in an O/D platoon.

Now, I agree with you that this is a part of her game she can develop -- we might mean that she's capable of it in this sense -- and I even think I've already seen signs of it in the first two games. For example, she took and made a midrange jumper against NE. The very next play, she slashed into the lane and the defense collapsed on her, and she found Azzi on the perimeter. Classic dribble-drive-pitch.

 

[itsasport]

It seems to me that in the Northeastern game, all of Azzi's baskets, except the 1 three-pointer, were from "just going," breaking down the defense and 1 on 1.

Either she made the basket or was fouled and made the free throws?

Am I nuts?

 

[MD#12Fan]

Good post. I'm not sure you're actually disagreeing with me, at least about the first point. I pretty much said he teaches a sophisticated passing game first and foremost. This is part of building the team culture he wants to see, along with the emphasis on teaching team D. But once this project is well underway, and when he's reflecting on the team with Coach P, as in this clip, he also notes the need to encourage kids to "just go." This is pretty much consonant with what you are saying.

You present this thought as a criticism of Geno's over-emphasis on the passing game, and it almost sounds like Coach P thinks this too. But I see it as two-different stages of how he builds the team up each year. He is well aware that the structured passing game is not as effective in March -- he's said this many times -- and that's why he also has to encourage a "one-on-one" mentality into his players. Also, the problem isn't encountering "more physical teams," but rather encountering better coached teams that know how to respond to complicated passing schemes. They may be more physical as well, but this hasn't always been the case.

You call this a "dribble-drive-pitch" mentality, perhaps rightly so, and this leads to your second remark about Nika, namely that you think she's more than capable of this. I'd agree, if we say this capability has been mainly an undeveloped potential. The evidence is pretty clear that in her first two years she did very little of this, and even quite often slashed and then passed up what looked very much like easy layups to pitch it out. She seemed to lack the one-on-one mentality, to be afraid to finish, or perhaps merely diffident about her shot making ability. Eventually in each season, opposing teams stopped defending this from her, and her ability to find open teammates was greatly diminished. This was very thoroughly discussed all summer long. Two signs of this shortcoming in her game: 1. she took very few free throws, and 2) Geno took to sitting her down in the 4th quarter of close games, or using her in an O/D platoon.

Now, I agree with you that this is a part of her game she can develop -- we might mean that she's capable of it in this sense -- and I even think I've already seen signs of it in the first two games. For example, she took and made a midrange jumper against NE. The very next play, she slashed into the lane and the defense collapsed on her, and she found Azzi on the perimeter. Classic dribble-drive-pitch.

I like your analysis. I don't expect us to always agree, but I look forward to future postings.
I hope it's hiding somewhere in Nika, that she just hasn't shown it to us yet. She's so doggone strong! That deflection, steal, and open court dime to Azzi was silly good.

 

[MD#12Fan]

Good post. I'm not sure you're actually disagreeing with me, at least about the first point. I pretty much said he teaches a sophisticated passing game first and foremost. This is part of building the team culture he wants to see, along with the emphasis on teaching team D. But once this project is well underway, and when he's reflecting on the team with Coach P, as in this clip, he also notes the need to encourage kids to "just go." This is pretty much consonant with what you are saying.

You present this thought as a criticism of Geno's over-emphasis on the passing game, and it almost sounds like Coach P thinks this too. But I see it as two-different stages of how he builds the team up each year. He is well aware that the structured passing game is not as effective in March -- he's said this many times -- and that's why he also has to encourage a "one-on-one" mentality into his players. Also, the problem isn't encountering "more physical teams," but rather encountering better coached teams that know how to respond to complicated passing schemes. They may be more physical as well, but this hasn't always been the case.

You call this a "dribble-drive-pitch" mentality, perhaps rightly so, and this leads to your second remark about Nika, namely that you think she's more than capable of this. I'd agree, if we say this capability has been mainly an undeveloped potential. The evidence is pretty clear that in her first two years she did very little of this, and even quite often slashed and then passed up what looked very much like easy layups to pitch it out. She seemed to lack the one-on-one mentality, to be afraid to finish, or perhaps merely diffident about her shot making ability. Eventually in each season, opposing teams stopped defending this from her, and her ability to find open teammates was greatly diminished. This was very thoroughly discussed all summer long. Two signs of this shortcoming in her game: 1. she took very few free throws, and 2) Geno took to sitting her down in the 4th quarter of close games, or using her in an O/D platoon.

Now, I agree with you that this is a part of her game she can develop -- we might mean that she's capable of it in this sense -- and I even think I've already seen signs of it in the first two games. For example, she took and made a midrange jumper against NE. The very next play, she slashed into the lane and the defense collapsed on her, and she found Azzi on the perimeter. Classic dribble-drive-pitch.

Yes, and all Geno's ex-players appreciate the knowledge of the game that is cultivated at UConn. Like taking a class from a brilliant professor. It simply changes your life.