Chief’s Briefs - PC Edition

[Chief00]

Hurley still started Johnson after Reed’s 20 point/10 rebounds last game, yet thankfully reversed his thinking after a couple minutes of poor play. The result was Reed scoring 24 points and adding 18 rebounds with 6 blocks. I love the paint points. Diarra had 10 assists overall and in particular played a great pick and roll with Reed for 6 of those assists.

Friends of the high hedge, which we can’t dare criticize, I will criticize again. PC shot 62% from 3 during the first half due to breakdowns of the defense triggered by the high hedge. In fact I thought I exaggerated but Johnson one high hedge almost step onto the backcourt, you can’t make it up. Reed on the other hand likes to own the paint on both offense and defense, as he should.

Karaban looked very good and the unappreciated aspect is his defense all season has improved from last year. When he mixes up cutting, drive penetration with his 3 point shot Alex really has a great toolbox. 17 points and 5 rebounds today.

The starting lineup with Reed replacing Johnson at center played well together. Reed has 8 doubles /doubles, pretty amazing for a guy the coach doesn’t start. But, then again in the second half Johnson enters the game and we quickly go from a 14 to 7 point lead. We don’t have that type of margin this year. Then Reed comes back in and lead quickly goes to 17.

I still think we can handle pressure better. What we don’t do often enough is make our opponent pay for it down the other end. We need more passing and less dribbles. You can cover ground quicker with a pass than a dribble. We also need to get it to the middle where we have more options and the defense is at a disadvantage.

McNeeley and Ball had 14 apiece to supplement Reed (24) and Karaban (17).

 

[CL82]

I have no problem with Johnson starting, but Reed, has earned the majority of minutes.

 

[Chief00]

I have no problem with Johnson starting, but Reed, has earned the majority of minutes.

Agree, he’s earned the minutes. It is frustrating though digging out of a hole early in the game too often. I think we need solid play more consistently throughout game when playing elite teams. Reed and and McNeeley may be our top 2 players.

 

[AllHusky]

We are on the cusp of a significant improvement. Thought D was solid today, Ball still not as anticipatory as he needs to be. Can the high hedge.

 

[Chief00]

We are on the cusp of a significant improvement. Thought D was solid today, Ball still not as anticipatory as he needs to be. Can the high hedge.

LOL - Chief agrees about canning the high hedge for current talent. What advantage do we obtain by having a center defend a guard by halfcourt. It just triggers lots of mismatches.

 

[Rico444]

It's not perfect, but I'm really impressed by how far Solo's defense has come.

 

[mjmoney23]

Very good win on the road today. Reed is earning 30 minutes per game. He was the best player on the court by far today. Nice to see AK have a good game scoring from multiple levels. Onto Marquette!

 

[whalerfan]

Total class move by Hurley at the end to take the "timeout" to get the walk-ons for PC on the court. Kudos to Coach!

 

[Chief00]

Very good win on the road today. Reed is earning 30 minutes per game. He was the best player on the court by far today. Nice to see AK have a good game scoring from multiple levels. Onto Marquette!

Agree on all observations. Time to celebrate the win tonight and start to focus on the next game in the morning.

 

[REB1094]

I think the center position is very clear

Tarris starts, should be a focal point of the offense (he’s extremely skilled in the post and his gravity opens up the perimeter game for other guys), and he should definitely play drop instead of hedging. He’s a disaster hedging, but as shown today can lock up the paint with 6 blocks if he can play in there

Samson comes off the bench to play with 100% energy for a few minutes at a time, similar to last year. He’s light years ahead of Tarris at the high hedge, but it’s still not ideal. To be fair to Samson, this is mostly because the guys behind him can’t rotate properly which leads to open look after open look

 

[CL82]

Agree, he’s earned the minutes. It is frustrating though digging out of a hole early in the game too often. I think we need solid play more consistently throughout game when playing elite teams. Reed and McNeeley may be our top 2 players.

I think you have to include Solo in there too, at least on the offensive end.

As someone else suggested, I think I would give Johnson an expanded version of the Tyler Olander treatment. Start him, but pull him after his first foul or major mistake, or the five minute into the game, whatever comes first. As long as Reed stays out of foul trouble keeping on the court, except for short stints to rest him.

Don't get me wrong, I like Johnson, but his skill set and coaching has left him with three major strengths, playing the hard, getting blocks and dunking. The problem is that the first two often leave him out of position to play a more traditional defensive role and gather rebounds.

 

[Palatine]

Hurley did not reverse his thinking. He starts Johnson and takes him out after the first foul or after 4-6 minutes. He has done this for the last ten games or so.

Hurley has said that when Reed is playing well he wants him to go about 28 minutes. That's why he had the long rest in the second half today. Starting Johnson helps keep Reed fresh for the minutes he plays.

 

[mussels]

Reed can’t play 40 minutes.

Seems to me that there have been several games this year that Johnson has struck quickly for a bucket or two very early. Why mess with it?

 

[Scottobot]

I have no problem with Johnson starting, but Reed, has earned the majority of minutes.

Reed needs to start and get majority of minutes. If he plays like he did the past 2 games, he might be the best player on the team.

Samson is far better than Ross, Mahaney, Stewart, and everyone else on the bench. Hurley needs to find a way to play Samson Johnson and Reed together some. They need to,play their best players. As sad as this sounds Samson Johnson is just as good at ball handling, dribbling, passing, and defending the perimeter as Ross and Stewart.

 

[jdb50]

In a big game in the post season if Reed gets in foul trouble at half court due to the high hedge my wife and dog are going to have to tranquilize me, or worse. The complete inability of Samson to box out a physical big man and rebound is our biggest weakness. Reed is a rebounding machine and this team needs that. Stewart does not rebound at all and Ross does not when he is in. Its Reed, Karaban, McNeeley and Hassan to get the boards.

 

[Chief00]

I think the center position is very clear

Tarris starts, should be a focal point of the offense (he’s extremely skilled in the post and his gravity opens up the perimeter game for other guys), and he should definitely play drop instead of hedging. He’s a disaster hedging, but as shown today can lock up the paint with 6 blocks if he can play in there

Samson comes off the bench to play with 100% energy for a few minutes at a time, similar to last year. He’s light years ahead of Tarris at the high hedge, but it’s still not ideal. To be fair to Samson, this is mostly because the guys behind him can’t rotate properly which leads to open look after open look

We had 6-5 and 6-6 guards last season, so much less mismatches. Additionally, when you compare Reed’s 6 blocks and 13 defensive rebounds yesterday and seriously contrast that to whatever value added Samson does near halfcourt over playing guards - you have your answer.

 

[Edward Sargent]

Samson will start every game unless he is injured or graduates. Hurley likes Reed off the bench.

 

[zmart]

We really are down to a 6 man rotation. We get nothing from the rest of the team.

 

[RichZ]

Reed on the other hand likes to own the paint on both offense and defense, as he should.

It's not like Reed doesn't play the high hedge. He doesn't do it every defensive possession though, and gets all the way back to the bucket quickly, as soon as the the ball breaks the perimeter. Samson seems to hedge farther out and then only get half way back to the paint. Reed doesn't hedge as often, but he's actually better at it than Samson.

 

[Chief00]

It's not like Reed doesn't play the high hedge. He doesn't do it every defensive possession though, and gets all the way back to the bucket quickly, as soon as the the ball breaks the perimeter. Samson seems to hedge farther out and then only get half way back to the paint. Reed doesn't hedge as often, but he's actually better at it than Samson.

I agree he’s better at it than Johnson. Johnson actually overplays the hedge on the like the basket is on the halfcourt line. Reed plays it more like Clingan. He plays mostly under it so has more access to get back to paint. The point though it both cases - is what is the risk /reward? And it is mostly risk.