Back to our early 1990s identity?

[Pudge]

I count 8 very mobile ... some very lanky ... guys. Can KO get an intensity hard-working bunch pressing?

That would be fun to watch. We have enough firepower offensively. We do not have the studly Power Trees we have had in recent times.

 

[diggerfoot]

I count 8 very mobile ... some very lanky ... guys. Can KO get an intensity hard-working bunch pressing?

That would be fun to watch. We have enough firepower offensively. We do not have the studly Power Trees we have had in recent times.

Pressing is a high risk, high return approach. You don't want to do it if you have the talent to beat teams with a lower risk approach, but it could very well be a means for this bunch to grab more wins than they would otherwise ..... with the flip side of some losses looking uglier than they would have been.

I'd like to see it this year as well.

 

[Husk-E]

I think pressing would be a great idea, given we might be playing with practically a 3-4 guard lineup. We also have high intensity, hard working players. If this team was as high character as the 1990's teams that would be amazing to watch.

 

[ctchamps]

I count 8 very mobile ... some very lanky ... guys. Can KO get an intensity hard-working bunch pressing?

That would be fun to watch. We have enough firepower offensively. We do not have the studly Power Trees we have had in recent times.

Like the early moniker doughnut teams?

 

[Huskymaniac]

From your keyboard to god's monitor!

 

[mauconnfan]

I count 8 very mobile ... some very lanky ... guys. Can KO get an intensity hard-working bunch pressing?

That would be fun to watch. We have enough firepower offensively. We do not have the studly Power Trees we have had in recent times.

Love the idea but I am nervous about our size in the front of the press.......easy to pass over unlike the Tate/Smitty/Burrell days.......but they may have the brains (which is very important) to be in the right spot and anticipate the weak passes which is what you live off of.......Daniels, Evans and Calhoun have good length for the front or middle as well as Giffey and maybe Tolksdorf........not as many shotblockers as in the past to make teams a bit shy taking it to the hole, but Sellers wasn't much of one either when they were at their best...........love to see it!!!!

 

[mets1090]

I feel like people have made this post every year for a bunch of years now. With the coaching change this is the first time I've actually given it some thought. It's hard to even consider what this team will play like without knowing a head coach's style. I can't wait for the opener. Heck I can't wait for First Night.

 

[orangehomer]

I count 8 very mobile ... some very lanky ... guys. Can KO get an intensity hard-working bunch pressing?

That would be fun to watch. We have enough firepower offensively. We do not have the studly Power Trees we have had in recent times.

in the long run you can not expect to press modern major college basketball teams and win. there is a reason no one does it, it doesn't work. modern players handle the ball to well and pass to well to expect to press them at all. syracuse utilized a press for limited minutes here and there last year, and that was only because we had a top-five pick coming off the bench, and extra forwards. i hate to break it to you but you guys do not have the depth or athleticism to expect to press anyone, you will get shredded. its not the guards, its the forwards. don't go crazy this is not a flame post.

 

[mets1090]

in the long run you can not expect to press modern major college basketball teams and win. there is a reason no one does it, it doesn't work. modern players handle the ball to well and pass to well to expect to press them at all. syracuse utilized a press for limited minutes here and there last year, and that was only because we had a top-five pick coming off the bench, and extra forwards. i hate to break it to you but you guys do not have the depth or athleticism to expect to press anyone, you will get shredded. its not the guards, its the forwards. don't go crazy this is not a flame post.

I agree more or less. The game has evolved. You have a lot more guys that can handle the rock so well that pressing doesn't phase them as much. You also have a lot more SF types that can dribble enough to help break presses. It's just hard to press successfully when you don't have elite athletes.

 

[mauconnfan]

in the long run you can not expect to press modern major college basketball teams and win. there is a reason no one does it, it doesn't work. modern players handle the ball to well and pass to well to expect to press them at all. syracuse utilized a press for limited minutes here and there last year, and that was only because we had a top-five pick coming off the bench, and extra forwards. i hate to break it to you but you guys do not have the depth or athleticism to expect to press anyone, you will get shredded. its not the guards, its the forwards. don't go crazy this is not a flame post.

I agree and I disagree.......funny these "elite athletes" sometimes are good ball handlers but more often than not need to improve in this category entering college after dominating in HS w/o having a great handle.........they think they have good handle and think they can pass many times but are careless with the ball and not prepared for a team who knows how to press and is intelligent in their preparation........it can be done but I agree it would be difficult to find the right mix of characters to be successful.

 

[Huskymaniac]

It is called lack of discipline. The thing is, you have to play at an insane energy level to take advantage of it on a consistent basis. You can't go even 90% with the press. You leave your guts on the floor or you don't do it. Teams that have athletes whose skills are still being developed can benefit greatly from the easy points but only if they are 100% committed.

 

[hungry husky]

Pressing is a high risk, high return approach. You don't want to do it if you have the talent to beat teams with a lower risk approach, but it could very well be a means for this bunch to grab more wins than they would otherwise ..... with the flip side of some losses looking uglier than they would have been.

I'd like to see it this year as well.

Is there ever a better season where a high risk, high return approach is more appropriate?

 

[Kitaman]

We will soon know if Ollie is defensive or offensive minded. Also free style or methodical. I'm just not sure. Whatever it is, it will be a change of style which is always interesting and entertaining to watch.

As for the press, to me Bazz is too much of a risk taker, unless he's changed, for it to work. You have to pick your spots and be accurate, not just make futile attempts. Once out of position we are vulnerable, however they are quick/fast players on the court that could cover him. Pressing and trying to make steals are two different things. If they press, turnovers will happen without the need to go for steals, like Bazz tends to do.

 

[The Funster]

You can't run the press like we did back in the day but the press can be run liberally to disrupt the flow of someone else's offense. Certainly with the athletes we have, if they have good awareness we can use a good half court defense to help generate some offense, though. It's a brave new world and I, for one, can't wait to watch it unfold.

 

[Pudge]

Pitino does it regularly. Marquette ... to some extent as well. Please don't tell me Syracuse has ever had the mindset: they don't. There is nothing that gets a few seconds of intensity; then back into an extended 3-2.

It's NOT Shock & Awe like we had in 1989-1991. I just don't know if you can rattle some teams; because the coaching does quickly get the ball to key points. But the NBA does pick it at times too.

 

[Huskymaniac]

Another thing we did back in those days was frequently change the defense to keep teams off guard. It works well on teams that like to run set offenses.

 

[GemParty]

We will soon know if Ollie is defensive or offensive minded. Also free style or methodical. I'm just not sure. Whatever it is, it will be a change of style which is always interesting and entertaining to watch.

As for the press, to me Bazz is too much of a risk taker, unless he's changed, for it to work. You have to pick your spots and be accurate, not just make futile attempts. Once out of position we are vulnerable, however they are quick/fast players on the court that could cover him. Pressing and trying to make steals are two different things. If they press, turnovers will happen without the need to go for steals, like Bazz tends to do.

-This topic of Ollie's style will be one of the more interesting aspects of the season. What if Ollie loves a Zone? Just kidding, but how would we know?! He has played for more than one HOF coach, although JC is still a Special Advisor. The thing is, he may have a favorite Strategy on O & D but he might not have the talent to do it (this year). Will he recruit shot blockers, length, mass, rebounders, speedy guards, taller ones, etc, If given the chance over the next 3-4 yrs, he will bring in guys that meet his particular style. This year, he has to have a gameplan that meets the group he has.

 

[freescooter]

You can run the press at times, but i don't think you can run it as a steady diet as we did in the early 1990s. In part I think it has to do with players who aren't trained to play that type of basketball anymore. You can't just say "press" there is lots of technique involved and current players don't have that. Might we see a bit more of it? Sure, but not as a full time thing...