- Joined
- Aug 26, 2011
- Messages
- 248
- Reaction Score
- 537
Actually, having just read HuskyHarry's piece under Offensive Execution, I think he makes most of the points I wanted to make---and he made them with more detail. That said, after having watched the game first in person, and now on the tube, I can't hold back on some of the plays which drive me crazy.
When our bigs get the ball down low, they both seem to feel they must find a shot--even if it is not there, and even if they are further out than they may want. Neither is a good shooter and there is no sin in kicking it back out. And, Drummond must learn, if he has any kind of breakaway, it is really ok not to take a crazy shot. He really has more than one choice, but acts like there is only one play.
Our guards have to learn they are not going to succeed in driving into the middle of the zone. Those efforts are almost always fruitless. And, there is way too much dribbling with others standing around. And Lamb has to realize his success comes from his three pointers and his pull up jumpers. He also gets his pocket picked and shots blocked when he tries to penetrate to the hoop.
We're also not taking care of the basketball when we have to. Witness Drummond's errant pass to Napier which was picked off by Grant and turned into to two points for ND in the second half. That was followed by a possession with a loose ball recovered by Lamb---but then tossed into the air---when he could have called a TO. Result--another two points for ND. We went from two points down and a possession, to six points down.
Finally, we have to go back to JC's WILL to WIN---and beat the other team to the boards and get all the loose balls. Today we got killed on the boards by a smaller team and also beaten on several loose balls when we could have gotten to them.
And, P.S., if we are going to use the "hedge defense" JC must work these guys to get better at it, and not leave all those shooters free for open shots. The score would not have been as close as it was if ND make a couple more of the open shots. We are going to face other teams that have multiple three-point shooters and we are going to get wasted if we don't contest these shots.
I haven't given up yet---------I know we are very young and we are still only eight games in to the Big East season. Last season we finished the BE season 9 -9, and look what happened. But things are going to move along pretty quickly from hereon, and we are going to have to be fast learners.
When our bigs get the ball down low, they both seem to feel they must find a shot--even if it is not there, and even if they are further out than they may want. Neither is a good shooter and there is no sin in kicking it back out. And, Drummond must learn, if he has any kind of breakaway, it is really ok not to take a crazy shot. He really has more than one choice, but acts like there is only one play.
Our guards have to learn they are not going to succeed in driving into the middle of the zone. Those efforts are almost always fruitless. And, there is way too much dribbling with others standing around. And Lamb has to realize his success comes from his three pointers and his pull up jumpers. He also gets his pocket picked and shots blocked when he tries to penetrate to the hoop.
We're also not taking care of the basketball when we have to. Witness Drummond's errant pass to Napier which was picked off by Grant and turned into to two points for ND in the second half. That was followed by a possession with a loose ball recovered by Lamb---but then tossed into the air---when he could have called a TO. Result--another two points for ND. We went from two points down and a possession, to six points down.
Finally, we have to go back to JC's WILL to WIN---and beat the other team to the boards and get all the loose balls. Today we got killed on the boards by a smaller team and also beaten on several loose balls when we could have gotten to them.
And, P.S., if we are going to use the "hedge defense" JC must work these guys to get better at it, and not leave all those shooters free for open shots. The score would not have been as close as it was if ND make a couple more of the open shots. We are going to face other teams that have multiple three-point shooters and we are going to get wasted if we don't contest these shots.
I haven't given up yet---------I know we are very young and we are still only eight games in to the Big East season. Last season we finished the BE season 9 -9, and look what happened. But things are going to move along pretty quickly from hereon, and we are going to have to be fast learners.
