Chief’s Briefs - St John’s Edition

[Stinger92860]

I was anti-High-Hedge 3 years. I was wrong. It worked quite well with Sanogo and Donovan.

 

[Stinger92860]

What happened to the other Temery created SJU post game thread? I can only imagine what’s was written.

 

[EnochRoot]

I was anti-High-Hedge 3 years. I was wrong. It worked quite well with Sanogo and Donovan.

Johnson is being asked to provide X number of minutes a game as a 5. He’s not a 5. He’s barely a 4. Fix that and then complain about the high hedge.

 

[Chief00]

@Chief, 99% of your critiques involve fouls and the high hedge.

Fouls / I only mention the flagrant foul play that resulted in an 8 point turnaround - should I ignore that? Did you read it?

 

[Chief00]

Johnson is being asked to provide X number of minutes a game as a 5. He’s not a 5. He’s barely a 4. Fix that and then complain about the high hedge.

We have the players we have this season / at this point the coaches need to adjust too!

 

[Chief00]

• Did you not read my opening sentence about the different in shooting percentage?
• So you agree with the following player evaluations? - Johnson over Reed. - Mahaney over Diarra. - Ross over Stewart. All were wrong.
• Do you not understand how the high hedge leads this year to significant mismatches when your guards are not athletic 6-5 Newton and 6-6 Castle. Also, it adds fuel to our 5 position foul trouble - which has occurred all season. And players get caught in between leading to open threes.

The thought that coaching strategy determined this game is absurd. Or how he rotated Johnson and Reed.

1. They hit shots. St. Johns is not nearly as good shooting 3s and foul shots as they were in the first half when they blew the game open. If they are now that good, they have a real shot at the Final Four with a good draw.

2. Johnson, Reed and Diarra showed up in the first half. Karaban, McNeeley and Ball did not. We can't win games against good teams if two of those three don't show up, much less all of them.

 

[Glastonhusky]

Johnnies are BIGGER, faster, stronger plus shoot and defend better. They whooped our butts today. IMO they could go far in the tourney.

We need 2 experienced guards from the portal and we need to start recruiting them tomorrow. I don't care if it's legal or not.

 

[bluestreak]

St John’s won’t make it past the sweet sixteen. And I love saying it.

I agree. They seem to have the BE teams figured out.
But I don't see them as exceptionally talented and don't see them being as successful outside the conference.

 

[jibsey]

I agree. They seem to have the BE teams figured out.
But I don't see them as exceptionally talented and don't see them being as successful outside the conference.

They were talented against us.

 

[Chief00]

They were talented against us.

Pitino, I don’t like him but he is an excellent coach.

 

[HHusky]

Seems to me we lack quickness and athleticism at some positions. StJ's has a surplus and in some positions more strength.
Not sure I see the problem being solved next year with the incoming class.
I would stress these needs with 2 or 3 portal pickups.

 

[Kitaman]

We are gambling our game on 3 pointers many from long distances. That's fine at times but I do not see a plan B when the gamble is losing or at least sticking to it. One or two possessions later we are back to hoisting bricks abandoning plan B. Plan B today would have kept us in striking distance (e.g. 8-10 points). Plan B sometimes is continually going inside to Reed or attacking the rim, etc.

Another issue is that we have no reliable spark off the bench, offensively speaking. Having that missing option when our shots aren't falling is deadly and severely limits our winning chances.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Johnson is being asked to provide X number of minutes a game as a 5. He’s not a 5. He’s barely a 4. Fix that and then complain about the high hedge.

Whether he’s a five or four, and high hedging don’t matter here. Something else is missing, he played much better last year backing up Clingan. He had some spectacular blocks, and was very sure of himself around the rim. I think the answer is he needs to go back to being a backup again but this time to Reed. Reed starts, plain and simple, and at times, on occasion even bring in Samson for someone other than Reed.

 

[uconnbill]

UConn biggest issue is the guard play. It is subpar from last year to say the least. This team is lacking penetrating from the guards which makes it easier for teams to defense UConn three point shooting as it happened today

 

[alphasigko]

I explained in other posts how the high hedge impacts the overall defense and foul trouble that led to nearly 50% FG shooting for our opponent. You may be tired of it - but it’s our 8th loss.

Correction: 9th Loss

 

[alphasigko]

Whether he’s a five or four, and high hedging don’t matter here. Something else is missing, he played much better last year backing up Clingan. He had some spectacular blocks, and was very sure of himself around the rim. I think the answer is he needs to go back to being a backup again but this time to Reed. Reed starts, plain and simple, and at times, on occasion even bring in Samson for someone other than Reed.

This!

 

[Kolumbo]

Pitino, I don’t like him but he is an excellent coach.

Pitino is an excellent coach. So plan accordingly. Against Georgetown, shoot 50% from three. No problem. Just do it. I jest but if we shot at the same rate as SJU it would essentially be a tie game.

Reed scored 15 points in 20 minutes. I thought we learned a lesson after the Villanova game when he played 27.

We need 2 experienced guards from the portal and we need to start recruiting them tomorrow. I don't care if it's legal or not.

 

[Deleted at users request]

Our coaching staff has never adjusted to the players we have.

Makes me extremely worried that Dan will continue to think that what worked during the back to backs will continue to work no matter the personnel. He needs to adjust his style to the strengths of the roster and hasn't been able to do so. Scared for our future.

Also continuing to start Johnson over Reed is just straight insane behavior.

Which is stupid to keep trying to do stuff that worked and compare your team to rosters that were that talented. Like can you not evaluate your rosters properly?

What does it say if you need perfect situations where you are clearly more talented than everyone in the country to win?

And if not then it’s the players fault for why they aren’t the most talented team in the country.

 

[uconnfan68]

Johnnies are BIGGER, faster, stronger plus shoot and defend better. They whooped our butts today. IMO they could go far in the tourney.

Not sure about you, but Creighton and Marquette have been killing my brackets for years. I hope St John’s can do something positive for a change.

 

[alphasigko]

We have to start sometime

True that, but honestly, these problems have been well known and nod fixed since Maui. I am not sure that they can achieve any repair over the 4 remaining games of the regular seaaon.

 

[alphasigko]

Not sure about you, but Creighton and Marquette have been killing my brackets for years. I hope St John’s can do something positive for a change.

True Dat about Marquette and Creighton. I had Creighton in the FF last season losing to UConn in the final game. Fully wishful thinking!

 

[Chief00]

Whether he’s a five or four, and high hedging don’t matter here. Something else is missing, he played much better last year backing up Clingan. He had some spectacular blocks, and was very sure of himself around the rim. I think the answer is he needs to go back to being a backup again but this time to Reed. Reed starts, plain and simple, and at times, on occasion even bring in Samson for someone other than Reed.

I agree, that seems to be the role that fits his skillset, overall knowledge of game. His rebounding is inadequate given that we don’t have guards that are 6-5/6-6 who can rebound and defend in the paint. One reason the high hedge is a foul machine and a rebounding vulnerability this year more than last year. He is out of position near half court to do either.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

I agree. They seem to have the BE teams figured out.
But I don't see them as exceptionally talented and don't see them being as successful outside the conference.

They won’t have the Big East refs to help them out either. Expect two or three to get into early foul trouble with all that wild dog bumping, grabbing and arm swatting.

 

[dogpause]

St John’s won’t make it past the sweet sixteen. And I love saying it.

I completely disagree. They play a high voltage version of Big East Basketball that travels, is hard to prepare for, creates fouls and turnovers, collects rebounds, and includes a swagger that has propelled past UConn teams to great heights. Not letting sour grapes taint my appreciation for what they are doing. They're a Big East brother, so I'll be cheering for them in the tournament. I'm a fan of great coaching, and Pittino has done a helluva job, he deserves his due.

 

[Edward Sargent]

They're tougher that's for sure. We got punked on the offensive glass and they beat us to most loose balls.

This team isn't as talented as the last few years but we also don't have anywhere near the same toughness those teams had.

We actually had 3 more offensive rebounds than they did. Interesting stat that Tarris had 6 offensive rebounds and no defensive rebounds! Our problem was exemplified by that 30 second stretch where we missed 10 shots but got 8 offensive rebounds!

 

[Edward Sargent]

We are gambling our game on 3 pointers many from long distances. That's fine at times but I do not see a plan B when the gamble is losing or at least sticking to it. One or two possessions later we are back to hoisting bricks abandoning plan B. Plan B today would have kept us in striking distance (e.g. 8-10 points). Plan B sometimes is continually going inside to Reed or attacking the rim, etc.

Another issue is that we have no reliable spark off the bench, offensively speaking. Having that missing option when our shots aren't falling is deadly and severely limits our winning chances.

We don't have a reliable spark off the bench defensively speaking either!

 

[gtcam]

We actually had 3 more offensive rebounds than they did. Interesting stat that Tarris had 6 offensive rebounds and no defensive rebounds! Our problem was exemplified by that 30 second stretch where we missed 10 shots but got 8 offensive rebounds!

Read loves hitting the offensive boards but is never in position to effectively crash the defensive glass

 

[Chief00]

I got a lot of criticism here not liking Danny’s “3-peat” preseason narrative when we had only 1 returning starter coming back.
So I was not one of the poster here, who over estimated the talents of our players. But, there are many here who did.
Having said that, I don’t think many of our issues get resolved by being harder on the players or telling everyone to be tougher. Sure we need to be tough but the missed evaluations of who should start/play, lack of coherent inbounds plays, poor fundamentals on screening and Bigs over committing on the high hedge near half court leading to late catch up type paint fouling or open 3’s - begs to also include a lot of mechanical fundamental teaching.

 

[Chief00]

Read loves hitting the offensive boards but is never in position to effectively crash the defensive glass

I know my connecting this to overcommitting on the high hedge, drives many crazy. But, there is a clear connection. In Reed’s case we have a guy who has rebounding skills but it is a tough thing to be in position to do starting from the top of the circle above the foul line.
Most of the work on a rebound is done before a shot goes up.

 

[Chief00]

I completely disagree. They play a high voltage version of Big East Basketball that travels, is hard to prepare for, creates fouls and turnovers, collects rebounds, and includes a swagger that has propelled past UConn teams to great heights. Not letting sour grapes taint my appreciation for what they are doing. They're a Big East brother, so I'll be cheering for them in the tournament. I'm a fan of great coaching, and Pittino has done a helluva job, he deserves his due.

Agree, I dislike Pitino but he’s a great coach.