Hamilton was taking very low % shots last night..

[husky99]

Just rematch ed most of the game last night with my daughter. Hamilton shot choiceso where terrible

 

[HuskyHawk]

Just rematch ed most of the game last night with my daughter. Hamilton shot choiceso where terrible

They usually are. Sometimes he makes a bunch if them anyway. Been like that all year.

 

[8893]

I agree with this. I alluded to this in the Kansas Thoughts thread. I thought that the Kansas defense forced DHam to take a lot of tough shots.

I love DHam and still think we've yet to see him play to his potential, but the more I see and hear from him, the more I realize that he may not be the player that at least I thought we were getting. It's not a good or bad thing; it just is, and we will need to adjust accordingly. I don't think he will ever be our "alpha dog" or leader in the traditional sense because I just don't see that in his makeup now that we've seen a much larger sample size. He's incredibly talented athletically, but I think his basketball IQ remains pretty low, his instincts are poor and he is still somewhat fragile emotionally/psychologically--too much so to be a leader imo.

I am confident that he will continue to grow and improve, and I believe that KO is a great coach for him to be able to do so. I think it's just going to be a longer process than many, including me and, perhaps Daniel himself, expected.

 

[uchusky32]

He has to not shy away from contact. Get to the line more. And if possible get stronger to get through the contact for and "an one".

The bad shots where shots where he I going to the rim then leaning left or right to avoid contact giving him a horrible angle. When he dies that the ball looks like it's being slingshot from his hands. Careening hard of the rim and backboard.

 

[djct1999]

Maybe DHam takes bad shots because no one could get him in the ball in a good, high % position. This three man weave at the top of the key for an isolation with less than 10 second on the shot clock has to change. Maybe its effective when you are preserving a big lead but to have it as a primary offense with few to no adjustments makes no sense.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

@8893 great post. Hamilton has tremendous ability and I think we've all seen that with his behind the back dribbles and takes in the paint, but when he is clamped down on and not allowed in the lane, his shot selection is poor and decision making is poor also.

It's strange as he has a good feel for the game as evidence by his rebounding ability and highlight reel passes, but his basketball IQ is somewhat low as well.

This all being said, he was our best player during this run, especially in AACT (Rodney was better in NCAAT) and I hope like hell he returns.

 

[mauconnfan]

Our guards couldn't get anywhere they wanted and started the offense out too far as Graham, Mason and Senden played excellent defense. While some of his shots were "forced" they were probably better than the eventual shot clock violation we became so used to right? He had to throw some of those up I'm afraid.

 

[businesslawyer]

Maybe DHam takes bad shots because no one could get him in the ball in a good, high % position. This three man weave at the top of the key for an isolation with less than 10 second on the shot clock has to change. Maybe its effective when you are preserving a big lead but to have it as a primary offense with few to no adjustments makes no sense.

This. Hamilton has individual skills that need improvement (although in the last few games he at least stopped the automatic head fake when he caught a ball even if he wasn't being tightly covered yet), but he needs to be given the ball more earlier in the shot clock and where there is time for his penetration to lead to a few passes and a shot, and not when the whole D knows that he is either going to have to shoot or kick it out for a catch and shoot.

 

[mauconnfan]

This. Hamilton has individual skills that need improvement (although in the last few games he at least stopped the automatic head fake when he caught a ball even if he wasn't being tightly covered yet), but he needs to be given the ball more earlier in the shot clock and where there is time for his penetration to lead to a few passes and a shot, and not when the whole D knows that he is either going to have to shoot or kick it out for a catch and shoot.

He did some things late in the year which make me believe he's starting to get it and will be even better next year. He just needs to worry about his scoring ability and the passing 2nd, he's better when he's thinking shot and the pass in not his first goal. I know we don't know for sure he's back and it is assumed, but having a kid that talented back for a 3rd year is a really really good start for any team.

 

[djct1999]

If we play to DHam's strengths and design an offense that puts him in places to succeed, DHam is a matchup nightmare. Far to often this year, it was opposite. I still feel that in a season of many ups and downs, our lack of creativity in our offensive sets is a total head scratcher.

 

[Rico444]

I'd like to see Daniel work on a couple of things this offseason. First, as others have said, he needs to be more aggressive in driving to the basket and drawing fouls. He's such a great free throw shooter that our offense will be much better if he adds that threat to the mix.

Second, I'd like to see him work on a post game. At this point, teams can put a bigger guard on him to limit his dribble penetration, but if he could post those guards up in the paint, it would make him a complete mismatch for our opponents. I think if he can work on those two things, he can be a special player for us next year.

 

[UConnSwag11]

Kansas played the best defense of any team we've played this year and in awhile. They denied everything 3/4 of the game. Hamilton other then several jacked threes, got what we wanted but they rimmed out and he demanded the ball and attacked. Several of millers shots rimmed out. Several of Gibbs threes too. Other than hamilton Adams was the only one getting to the rim even though he wouldn't get he call or shot blocked.

 

[lange10]

They were just better athletes across the board. Made us uncomfortable in our offensive sets and forced us to settle. I'm done being overly critical, though, after seeing Sterling tear up. It's just a game and these players owe us nothing. Fought 'til there were zero's on the clock and that's all we could ever ask for.

 

[UConnStats]

I sincerely hoping he hits the gym, gets a bit stronger, and comes back with a better understanding of how to draw contact and fouls. He avoids contact and ends up taking low percentage shots constantly. He should be living at the line where he is great.

 

[Palatine]

Hamilton always takes a bunch of contested shots in the lane. He usually makes a lot of them.

He was 3-5 from the arc. 1-9 on two-pointers. He has games like this. Too bad he had one last night.

 

[80shusky]

As a team, not just Hamilton, we have had that problem all year. Either taking low percentage shots or just shooting poorly has cost us some games and makes for that stagnant almost unwatchable offense. Yesterday was just an embarrassing example of a season long trend.
Kansas: Miller 1-7, Hamilton 4-14, Gibbs 5-12, Adams 3-10.
Syracuse: Gibbs 3-10, Purvis 4-12
Gonzaga: Gibbs 2-10, Hamilton 5-16
Maryland: Gibbs 4-10, Purvis 4-11
Temple 1: Gibbs 1-8, Purvis 4-11, Hamilton 2-13
Tulsa: Purvis 1-9, Hamilton 2-12, Adams 2-7
Cinci 1: Hamilton 2-11, Purvis 5-17
Temple 2: Hamilton 2-12, Adams 2-8
Cinci 2: Hamilton 2-11

So I'm hoping Hamilton shoots a better percentage next year and that Adams works on his jump shot over the summer. If he could get the mid range jump shots to fall and hit some threes he could be the volume scorer we need with his ability to drive the rim. Vance Jackson is a shooter. Maybe he can fill the shooting role a little with efficient 3-4 or 3-5 shooting games for us. Gilbert too. Making shots has been a big problem for us especially when we need one in a big spot. Adams' miracle shot not included of course.

 

[RipCity]

I sincerely hoping he hits the gym, gets a bit stronger, and comes back with a better understanding of how to draw contact and fouls. He avoids contact and ends up taking low percentage shots constantly. He should be living at the line where he is great.

Yup. Like you always say, when the teams worst FG% player is taking the most FGA, your offense has problems. He's got to learn to turn some of those misses into free throws. DHam wasn't ready to run a contenders offense.

 

[Gurleyman]

He definitely took a few bad shots - some tough twos outside the paint that weren't his shots. But pretty much the only clean looks we got all night came from him getting into the paint and kicking to shooters. He had six assists and one turnover (which hit Brimah in the hands and should have been Brimah's) and was our only player getting rebounds. Miller had zero, Facey had one and that was chasing down a blocked shot in the corner with nobody around him, Brimah maybe had two.

He pressed a little on offense when our train went off the rails, but I don't think the takeaway from this game is that Hamilton was uniquely culpable.

 

[KemBuckets21]

Just rematch ed most of the game last night with my daughter. Hamilton shot choiceso where terrible

I think that was a biproduct of us not getting much going otherwise.

 

[husky99]

He definitely took a few bad shots - some tough twos outside the paint that weren't his shots. But pretty much the only clean looks we got all night came from him getting into the paint and kicking to shooters. He had six assists and one turnover (which hit Brimah in the hands and should have been Brimah's) and was our only player getting rebounds. Miller had zero, Facey had one and that was chasing down a blocked shot in the corner with nobody around him, Brimah maybe had two.

He pressed a little on offense when our train went off the rails, but I don't think the takeaway from this game is that Hamilton was uniquely culpable.

Did not say it was only Hamilton fault

 

[80shusky]

Just rematch ed most of the game last night with my daughter. Hamilton shot choiceso where terrible

On this subject, my brother just sent me an email about the game. He doesn't watch nearly as much college hoops as I do or probably most of you but roots for UConn out of solidarity. This is what he wrote:

"What was up with Hamilton yesterday? It was like he was on drugs or something. He heaved up brick after brick without even looking at the basket. What did he go 2 for 15 from the field? I'm not even sure why Ollie left him in the game. And then Gibbs running the point seemed to deviate from their normal plan."

 

[gtcam]

On this subject, my brother just sent me an email about the game. He doesn't watch nearly as much college hoops as I do or probably most of you but roots for UConn out of solidarity. This is what he wrote:

"What was up with Hamilton yesterday? It was like he was on drugs or something. He heaved up brick after brick without even looking at the basket. What did he go 2 for 15 from the field? I'm not even sure why Ollie left him in the game. And then Gibbs running the point seemed to deviate from their normal plan."

Thanks for his insight
I guess he doesn't watch lots of hoops

 

[huskiesouth]

DH is tall, shots tall and can jump. It would add a lot to his game if he learned to aggressively curl around screens and catch and shoot. This would also assist in making his driving to the hoop more effective.

Just a thought.

 

[huskiesouth]

DH is tall, shots tall and can jump. It would add a lot to his game if he learned to aggressively curl around screens and catch and shoot. This would also assist in making his driving to the hoop more effective.

Just a thought.

 

[80shusky]

Thanks for his insight
I guess he doesn't watch lots of hoops

He doesn't. My point was as a "layman" if you want to call him it is interesting that he keyed on Hamilton's shooting which was atrocious.