Improvements Needed and Reasonable/Unreasonable Expectations

[DoronElAmin]

My two cents after watching the team this season and being there in person in Des Moines.

• Slow starts have been a staple of this team since JC. I think on Saturday KU was just much better than us early, but this is an issue that's been lingering over our heads for a long time and continues.
• Consistency. Another issue that has been there for a long time. We looked like a top ten team for much of the second half against Colorado and also looked good for some of the second half against KU. Again, though, that doesn't do too much when you build huge holes.
• Killer instinct. This team was doomed to me because we don't have anyone who has the big-shot, put the team on your back identity. D-Ham doesn't seem to want to shoot the ball at crunch time, which is fair because he isn't a great shooter (I don't know if he will be). Maybe Rodney could be that guy but he hasn't done it yet. IMO, Jalen is the best option given that he can get to the hoop pretty much whenever he wants and has shown that he can make big shots. But we can't have 10 minute scoring droughts. This also applies of course to our end of game situations where we blew ten point leads.
• Half court offense. Another patented UConn problem. Stand around for thirty second and then take a contested three or a shot clock violation. Very little effort to penetrate. No actual screens being set and no cuts to the hoop. Getting Alterique as an additional ballhandler will certainly be helpful. To be hoest, though I loved Gibbs (I sat next to his mom at the game, she was awesome and so appreciative of UConn and KO), he just didn't make enough shots. Once Brimah went out mid-season, D-Ham and him never quite got back that lob connection. I really liked JC's point in the AAC that D-Ham needs to be a go-through rather than go-to player. If he can get to that spot at the freethrow line, he can do so many different things because of his height and uncanny vision/awareness. If Rodney and another guy can hit threes, that leaves Brimah and other bigs open for lobs. And D-Ham can make that midrange shot pretty consistently.
• I expect a lot out of Enoch and Facey next year in terms of rebounding. Brimah is who he is at this point.
• Jalen Adams should be the best player on the team next year and make everyone around him a lot better if we actually attempt to get to the hoop not just in transition.
• This is an unrealistic expectation, a bit of a vent, and not an important point in comparison to the above, but I just feel have an issue with our fanbase, and that was driven home by KU, IU, and UKs presence on Saturday. Of course, they are significantly closer, but I actually had people coming up to me being like "where are the Uconn fans?" or "Woah, there's one." A Saturday in March, we should have more people than just the players' families there.

 

[DoronElAmin]

Biggest issue/concern to me is the half court offense because that's fixable and we haven't done it. We just don't seem to have any real half-court identity. I love KO, but all he talks about in press conferences is defense and togetherness, which is great. But it feels like no one is asking him the toughest and most important question: why can we consistently not get good shots out of half court sets?

 

[CardiacAndre7]

Biggest issue/concern to me is the half court offense because that's fixable and we haven't done it. We just don't seem to have any real half-court identity. I love KO, but all he talks about in press conferences is defense and togetherness, which is great. But it feels like no one is asking him the toughest and most important question: why can we consistently not get good shots out of half court sets?

The offense as a whole is just pretty bad. I think Ollie needs to scrap whatever playbook he has and get a new system. Its just all passing around the perimeter for 25 seconds pretty much, no inside out game, not much penetration effort. With AG and Jalen sharing the backcourt that will change. I also think Rodney needs to get out of the mindset of him
mostly being a spot up shooter. He is built like a bull and is quick as all hell. He doesn't have the greatest handle but it isn't bad. A lineup of Adams, AG, Rodney, Dham and Enoch/Diarra in spot situations could be a real game changer next year IMO

 

[UConnJim]

Biggest issue/concern to me is the half court offense because that's fixable and we haven't done it. We just don't seem to have any real half-court identity. I love KO, but all he talks about in press conferences is defense and togetherness, which is great. But it feels like no one is asking him the toughest and most important question: why can we consistently not get good shots out of half court sets?

What was Ollie supposed to do this year? He didn't have any bigs with offensive potential. Miller was a solid add, but as shown in the Kansas game, he is not an elite big man. At the beginning of the year, he had Gibbs miscast as a PG because Adams wasn't ready and Cassell wasn't the answer.

This year's team was flawed, so don't judge Ollie's offense based on the performance this year.

 

[imno1]

What was Ollie supposed to do this year? He didn't have any bigs with offensive potential. Miller was a solid add, but as shown in the Kansas game, he is not an elite big man. At the beginning of the year, he had Gibbs miscast as a PG because Adams wasn't ready and Cassell wasn't the answer.

This year's team was flawed, so don't judge Ollie's offense based on the performance this year.

Yes the team was flawed but I've seen teams this year with less skill running better half court offensive. Right now that is not one of Ollie's coaching strengths.
Regarding the original post. Why do you expect big things from Facey but Brimah is what he is?

 

[DoronElAmin]

What was Ollie supposed to do this year? He didn't have any bigs with offensive potential. Miller was a solid add, but as shown in the Kansas game, he is not an elite big man. At the beginning of the year, he had Gibbs miscast as a PG because Adams wasn't ready and Cassell wasn't the answer.

This year's team was flawed, so don't judge Ollie's offense based on the performance this year.

I don't know what the answer is, but it certainly isn't just pass the ball around the perimeter with little or no movement for 27 seconds.

 

[DoronElAmin]

Yes the team was flawed but I've seen teams this year with less skill running better half court offensive. Right now that is not one of Ollie's coaching strengths.
Regarding the original post. Why do you expect big things from Facey but Brimah is what he is?

Good question. I guess I more meant that I think Facey will get more PT with Nolan and Miller gone. I don't see Diarra getting a ton of minutes to start the year at least. The opportunity will be there for Facey as likely the first big man off the bench to start the year. He was our best offensive rebounder for long periods of time. He also looks more comfortable with the ball in his hands than Brimah. He has hit a few midrange shots and also shown a couple of decent post moves. He's also a solid screener. So if we give him minutes, I think we'll get all of those things. Brimah, I don't know, but unfortunately I just don't feel he is going to get better/contribute more than what he has done at this point. Obviously, the contributions he does make are great especially on defense but again, it worries me that after that first or second game back, the lob game was essentially gone.

 

[TasteofUConn]

I have my issues with KO, but one of them is not a severe critique of our offense.

He worked with what he had. Brimah/Nolan/Enoch meant that he couldn't design any inside/out game using those players. Miller was solid, but by no means a facilitator from inside - dump it in, let him shoot worked, but not much else. On the outside there were limitations as well.

I guess my point is only that even a great chef can't make a great meal if all he has for ingredients are cornbread and pop tarts.

 

[microfich]

Its hard to fault the offense when we only had DHam and later Jalen that could get by anyone. They'll both improve and get stronger in the lane. Brimah WILL get stronger. He has not topped out that way. Offensively, well I'm not counting on it. Rodney just has no wiggle but I'll take what he does have. Facey will also be stronger but don't think enough to be a board eater. Incomers are exciting but would love grad bull.

 

[DoronElAmin]

I don't think this years team was that flawed. There's a reason we were in the top 20 going into the season. Gibbs and Miller were both dominant players in their conferences (and top end Ivy League talent is good, as judged by their tourney results these past five years. I think it is a combo of underachieving but also not being put in good situations. Gibbs, Miller, brimah, purvis, Hamilton all probably fell a little bit short of what the expectation was (Gibbs definitely).

Then add to that the fact that this isn't a new problem exactly. We didn't have stellar offenses in 2011 and 2014 until things started to come together with the emergence of lamb and roscoe and then deandre and Niels respectively. We had the same problems those years--the only difference is that we had Kemba and Shabazz. We need to establish some sort of half court set and under KO we haven't done that. I'm a KO supporter, but that's a fact. Now that he has all his guys, I don't think there are any more excuses for lack of offensive production. I love that we are a great defensive team and that that's our staple--but that doesn't mean we can't try to build a solid offensive system too.

 

[businesslawyer]

My two cents after watching the team this season and being there in person in Des Moines.

• Slow starts have been a staple of this team since JC. I think on Saturday KU was just much better than us early, but this is an issue that's been lingering over our heads for a long time and continues.
• Consistency. Another issue that has been there for a long time. We looked like a top ten team for much of the second half against Colorado and also looked good for some of the second half against KU. Again, though, that doesn't do too much when you build huge holes.
• Killer instinct. This team was doomed to me because we don't have anyone who has the big-shot, put the team on your back identity. D-Ham doesn't seem to want to shoot the ball at crunch time, which is fair because he isn't a great shooter (I don't know if he will be). Maybe Rodney could be that guy but he hasn't done it yet. IMO, Jalen is the best option given that he can get to the hoop pretty much whenever he wants and has shown that he can make big shots. But we can't have 10 minute scoring droughts. This also applies of course to our end of game situations where we blew ten point leads.
• Half court offense. Another patented UConn problem. Stand around for thirty second and then take a contested three or a shot clock violation. Very little effort to penetrate. No actual screens being set and no cuts to the hoop. Getting Alterique as an additional ballhandler will certainly be helpful. To be hoest, though I loved Gibbs (I sat next to his mom at the game, she was awesome and so appreciative of UConn and KO), he just didn't make enough shots. Once Brimah went out mid-season, D-Ham and him never quite got back that lob connection. I really liked JC's point in the AAC that D-Ham needs to be a go-through rather than go-to player. If he can get to that spot at the freethrow line, he can do so many different things because of his height and uncanny vision/awareness. If Rodney and another guy can hit threes, that leaves Brimah and other bigs open for lobs. And D-Ham can make that midrange shot pretty consistently.
• I expect a lot out of Enoch and Facey next year in terms of rebounding. Brimah is who he is at this point.
• Jalen Adams should be the best player on the team next year and make everyone around him a lot better if we actually attempt to get to the hoop not just in transition.
• This is an unrealistic expectation, a bit of a vent, and not an important point in comparison to the above, but I just feel have an issue with our fanbase, and that was driven home by KU, IU, and UKs presence on Saturday. Of course, they are significantly closer, but I actually had people coming up to me being like "where are the Uconn fans?" or "Woah, there's one." A Saturday in March, we should have more people than just the players' families there.

For those of you too stupid to tell the difference, that is a perfect example of fair and rational criticism of the flaws of players, coaches and this year's team without making a complete of yourself thumping your chest and sounding tough while anonymously posting bits of data to a bulletin board. Learn something

 

[businesslawyer]

I don't think this years team was that flawed. There's a reason we were in the top 20 going into the season. Gibbs and Miller were both dominant players in their conferences (and top end Ivy League talent is good, as judged by their tourney results these past five years. I think it is a combo of underachieving but also not being put in good situations. Gibbs, Miller, brimah, purvis, Hamilton all probably fell a little bit short of what the expectation was (Gibbs definitely).

Then add to that the fact that this isn't a new problem exactly. We didn't have stellar offenses in 2011 and 2014 until things started to come together with the emergence of lamb and roscoe and then deandre and Niels respectively. We had the same problems those years--the only difference is that we had Kemba and Shabazz. We need to establish some sort of half court set and under KO we haven't done that. I'm a KO supporter, but that's a fact. Now that he has all his guys, I don't think there are any more excuses for lack of offensive production. I love that we are a great defensive team and that that's our staple--but that doesn't mean we can't try to build a solid offensive system too.

I'd add one thing to this -- we weren't far from being a top 20 team this year. We were just outside the top 20s in some of the more complex computer rankings for most of the season, and our play in the tournament (not making the Sweet 16 but getting to the second round and losing to a championship contender playing a good game) doesn't change the narrative. The only thing that kept us from being a ranked team for most of the year, and having a draw for the tourney that would have let us compete for a Sweet 16 spot, was our inability to close out games late that were ours to win. Often, when that happens it's foul shooting, but that was not our problem. Our problem was lack of a cohesive offense, which was a combination of not having a go to guy at the end and not having good enough point guard play (with Gibbs being more of a combo guard than a point and Adams just not being ready to carry the load through most of the season). If there is one thing to criticize the staff for, it would be for running an offense that relies on guards being able to beat their man off the dribble and force a double team when the only guard who could take his man off the dribble consistently didn't shoot a high enough percentage for most of the year to force a double team. I understand why KO wants to play an NBA look offense for recruiting, but this year's team would have been better served with an offense that used more movement and off ball screening to generate folks better looks.

 

[huskiesnyc]

One thing I'd like to see is us attempt more free throws. Despite having the highest FT percentage in the country our opponents almost always got more attempts. Drive the ball please!

 

[Deadrody]

For those of you too stupid to tell the difference, that is a perfect example of fair and rational criticism of the flaws of players, coaches and this year's team without making a complete of yourself thumping your chest and sounding tough while anonymously posting bits of data to a bulletin board. Learn something

Right back at you. Calling people stupid, talking about people making a sses of themselves, and telling them to "learn something" ? Takes one to know one, apparently.

 

[lange10]

What was Ollie supposed to do this year? He didn't have any bigs with offensive potential. Miller was a solid add, but as shown in the Kansas game, he is not an elite big man. At the beginning of the year, he had Gibbs miscast as a PG because Adams wasn't ready and Cassell wasn't the answer.

This year's team was flawed, so don't judge Ollie's offense based on the performance this year.

Eh, I don't think he deserves the free pass. Coaches are supposed to be able make the necessary changes and adjustments when needed in order to succeed. Thought he did this as times, but often times struggled to make the right adjustments.

This sort of goes hand in hand with my belief that an upgrade at associate head coach to be in Ollie's ear in game probably wouldn't hurt.

 

[Kitaman]

Give me a bona fide leader and I'll show you a great team. I'm a broken record, but leadership was absent from this team for a multitude of reasons. Fix that next year (along with some comments above) and we will certainly see a better UConn product.

Gibbs was 'ineliglble' due to him being a transfer, one year player and of course new to the system.
DHam to me is not vocal enough, almost passive.
Rodney appeared to want to fill that role but during the middle of the season appeared to have to concern himself with playing better, especially after losing his starting position.
Amida well cheerleading and leading are two different things. He tried but at UConn that role is usually handled by our guard(s).
Adams too inexperienced and deferred most of the season to the vets. He did try and seemed to be vocal and certainly showed he wants to. That DHam exchange against Cincy was memorable and to me an 'identity stamp'. I do suspect that Adams may have to adjust something in his attitude, but that's speculation.

So Adams to me will have to assume the leadership mantle next year, gain the respect of his teammates (e.g. Bazz sophomore year) and work on his ability to make teammates better.

 

[warbler1055]

Poor shooting doomed this team. Against KU, in the first half, UConn could not put the ball in the basket. There was nobody who is the go to guy who can perform. Not only our guards did not play well, our bigs were outsized and outplayed. So many fouls real or imagined killed our chances. KO is a great player's coach, but one wonders if a JC type is called for in practice and in games.

 

[Ricker]

A couple of random thoughts/theories about the issues raised re slow starts and offense. I think they both relate to our bigs generally unable to avoid foul trouble. We have a primary game strategy in the first half to survive to the second half with no players having more than 2 fouls. Our best players play limited minutes in the first halves. Moreover, our bigs play less aggressively in the first halves than the second halves because they know they need to avoid fouling, especially after a first foul. Hence Nolan starting to try to avoid fouls on Brimah. That can't help our starts as shown by how much fewer Nolan's minutes are in the second halves. We do better in the second halves because we have the freedom to use whatever the best combination of players proves to be in that game. Unless the bench players are as potent as the starters the result is weaker first halves.

With our bigs unable to avoid drawing fouls, Ollie needs to minimize putting them in offensive situations they screw up. Hence, less screening because early in the season they got called for moving screens often. We couldn't afford these fouls and didn't appear to stop repeating the mistakes, so I think we may have done less aggressive screening in sets. The Gibbs 3 pointer vs Colorado behind a double screen that closed was something I wish we saw more of. I don't recall a lot of moving screen calls late in the season. Did we get better or screen less?

With my two cents are we now up to 4 cents pushing for a dollar?

 

[intlzncster]

I'd add one thing to this -- we weren't far from being a top 20 team this year. We were just outside the top 20s in some of the more complex computer rankings for most of the season, and our play in the tournament (not making the Sweet 16 but getting to the second round and losing to a championship contender playing a good game) doesn't change the narrative. The only thing that kept us from being a ranked team for most of the year, and having a draw for the tourney that would have let us compete for a Sweet 16 spot, was our inability to close out games late that were ours to win. Often, when that happens it's foul shooting, but that was not our problem. Our problem was lack of a cohesive offense, which was a combination of not having a go to guy at the end and not having good enough point guard play (with Gibbs being more of a combo guard than a point and Adams just not being ready to carry the load through most of the season). If there is one thing to criticize the staff for, it would be for running an offense that relies on guards being able to beat their man off the dribble and force a double team when the only guard who could take his man off the dribble consistently didn't shoot a high enough percentage for most of the year to force a double team. I understand why KO wants to play an NBA look offense for recruiting, but this year's team would have been better served with an offense that used more movement and off ball screening to generate folks better looks.

Honest question, did JC change his offense to suit his personnel? Because I can't recall that happening. He seemed to recruit to fit his system, and played it, even when it was not quite working. I'm guessing KO's in the same school there. And he hasn't yet had a full opportunity to do that.

 

[businesslawyer]

Honest question, did JC change his offense to suit his personnel? Because I can't recall that happening. He seemed to recruit to fit his system, and played it, even when it was not quite working. I'm guessing KO's in the same school there. And he hasn't yet had a full opportunity to do that.

I don't think JC did make many changes to the system to fit his personnel on offense (though he was willing to play D totallly differently).

 

[Matrim55]

Honest question, did JC change his offense to suit his personnel? Because I can't recall that happening. He seemed to recruit to fit his system, and played it, even when it was not quite working. I'm guessing KO's in the same school there. And he hasn't yet had a full opportunity to do that.

Calhoun was not a great offensive coach, and actually ended up simplifying the offense a great deal in his final years.

I know that makes me a heretic, but if I burn, I burn. Oh well.

 

[Chin Diesel]

I want one player on the front court to step up and treat every rebound like his scholarship depended on it. I want one player who sees every rebound he doesn't get as a personal affront to his effort. I want one player who sees rebounding as his ticket to 25 mpg playing time. I can almost guarantee that if any player gets 10+ rebounds every game then they are getting PT.

It seems like forever that a front court player saw rebounding as a key to PT. They have been average to below average for several years but no one has stepped up to take away minutes. You can't push someone to rebound when there isn't any one on the bench willing to stake a claim to PT through the boards.

 

[jibsey]

I want one player on the front court to step up and treat every rebound like his scholarship depended on it. I want one player who sees every rebound he doesn't get as a personal affront to his effort. I want one player who sees rebounding as his ticket to 25 mpg playing time. I can almost guarantee that if any player gets 10+ rebounds every game then they are getting PT.

It seems like forever that a front court player saw rebounding as a key to PT. They have been average to below average for several years but no one has stepped up to take away minutes. You can't push someone to rebound when there isn't any one on the bench willing to stake a claim to PT through the boards.

We will have enough talent to win games but against elite competition we need that rebounder and tough guy and i'm hoping it's gonna be Enoch, but maybe It will be Diarra or a new recruit, but we clearly need help.

 

[Tenspro2002]

You can't push someone to rebound when there isn't any one on the bench willing to stake a claim to PT through the boards.

I think this is an important point, and it relates not only to PT but to development as well. Competition, within the team, in practice, matters.

Hilton Armstrong went from an unheralded recruit to a lottery pick in 4 years. You can credit coaching, but a lot of it has to do with the fact that he spent his first 3 years practicing against Emeka Okafor, Charlie Villenueva, and Josh Boone.

Amida Brimah has spent his first 3 years looking like Wilt Chamberlain in practice in comparison to Tyler Olander, Phil Nolan, and Kentan Facey. He's not getting pushed in practice by his teammates.

Development begets development among bigs. This is part of the concern that Enoch may have trouble reaching his potential. Hopefully we start bringing in some bona fide studs who can accelerate that process.

Better big man coaching is needed, but the players themselves -- with sufficient BBIQ, toughness, and skill -- can help each other as well.

 

[intlzncster]

Calhoun was not a great offensive coach, and actually ended up simplifying the offense a great deal in his final years.

I know that makes me a heretic, but if I burn, I burn. Oh well.

JC seemed to let his players play, and his athletes be athletes. It was very much a pro style (of that era) offense. Never looked great, but was pretty damn effective.

I do understand why people didn't like it, as it was aesthetically less than pleasing. But the results were what they were.