One question I have about guard play and recruiting

[intlzncster]

Ollie has made an effort to go after bigger guards; I think he has said as much. We'll have good size on the perimeter for the next couple of years.

Yet most of the championships we have won have been on the strengths of smaller quicker guards in the back court. I came to believe over the course of the 2014 tournament that our lack of size (coupled with plus quickness) was an advantage for our team. As Kenny Smith aptly put, "Kentucky's guards get up on you. UCONN's guard get up IN you." It seemed to me to be an advantage on offense (with the blow by) and on defense. Louisville is another team that has marked success with smaller quicker guards.

At a time when everyone in college basketball is attempting to trend towards bigger guards, why mess with success? Just curious.

Ultimately, I know that it comes down to skill and talent. Our guards were better basketball players than all other groups of guards in the tournament.

 

[dogfan96]

Size matters but skill matters more. Our guards weren't good bc they're smaller, they're just smaller in addition to being really, really good. They also competed really hard, which makes up for some of the lack of size (especially in the Iowa St game)

 

[UConNick]

I think it's about playing a brand of basketball that is, in effect, "positionless". If you have a 6'4"-6'5" combo guard, at the college level, he could theoretically play the 1, 2, or 3. Today's basketball is trending away from definitive roles, especially in the post. It's the evolution of the game, and KO recognizes that by recruiting versatile athletes. Just my humble opinion.

 

[James]

Ollie has made an effort to go after bigger guards; I think he has said as much. We'll have good size on the perimeter for the next couple of years.

Yet most of the championships we have won have been on the strengths of smaller quicker guards in the back court. I came to believe over the course of the 2014 tournament that our lack of size (coupled with plus quickness) was an advantage for our team. As Kenny Smith aptly put, "Kentucky's guards get up on you. UCONN's guard get up IN you." It seemed to me to be an advantage on offense (with the blow by) and on defense. Louisville is another team that has marked success with smaller quicker guards.

At a time when everyone in college basketball is attempting to trend towards bigger guards, why mess with success? Just curious.

Ultimately, I know that it comes down to skill and talent. Our guards were better basketball players than all other groups of guards in the tournament.

Kenny smith made a slough of great comments in the tourney , that was a gem . I think with right coaching you can teach guards to do both , in the nba big guards get up IN you as well as on you .
What I love about KO is the trust he has in his players , he's not afraid to throw inexperience into the fire (Tsam) doesn't own a doghouse . Hell play anybody suited up , almost popivichian.

 

[upstater]

Calipari has a guard that is 5'6" coming in. Wonder if he can teach the kid to play D.

 

[intlzncster]

Size matters but skill matters more. Our guards weren't good bc they're smaller, they're just smaller in addition to being really, really good. They also competed really hard, which makes up for some of the lack of size (especially in the Iowa St game)

Absolutely, which is why I added a similar sentiment to my post, but I was merely commenting on how UCONN's guards' size gave them an advantage in a couple particular ways. You could see that the big Harrison twins, Scottie Wilbiken, and others struggled to contain UCONN guys on defense. Conversely UCONN's guards got right up in their grill and under their arms. Almost like gnats. They got all caught up and subsequently struggled to get into their offense. They had a shooting size advantage, but our quickness allowed our guys to fight over screens and deny the ball.

The big sized guards lock down the passing lane, but often give up penetration to the smaller/quicker guys.

I also looked out how Louisville thrived with the same size and quickness in the back court.

 

[Palatine]

It's tough to find a 6-4 kid who is a quick as a 5-11 kid. The smaller guys tend to naturally quicker. That's just a fact of nature.

 

[CTBasketball]

Terrence is a huge man, and he is really quick. Changes directions very fast.

 

[dogfan96]

Terrence is a huge man, and he is really quick. Changes directions very fast.

I was watching the Iowa St game yesterday and I noticed that as well. He has very quick feet, even moving laterally.

 

[Hume]

One other factor that is a concern is that taller, high skill guards are more desirable in the NBA. Therefore, there is a much better chance of them leaving early so we don't get the experienced junior/senior leadership combined with great skills that we have got from Kemba, Bazz and Boat. We all know that if Boat was 4 inches taller he wouldn't have been here for our championship run this year. Bazz with a few more inches probably would have been gone last year as well. What recruiting smaller, high skilled guards has done for us is allow us to have these players develop and become great stars at the college level because they have to be better to make it to the next level because of their size. A perfect example is Ennis for Syracuse. He is leaving after one year and is projected higher the Bazz, but he is nowhere near the complete college player/leader that Bazz was due to his 4 years here. I am not saying not to take the taller guards, but I am curious to see if it affects our ability to put on runs like we did this year and 2011.

 

[dogfan96]

Absolutely, which is why I added a similar sentiment to my post, but I was merely commenting on how UCONN's guards' size gave them an advantage in a couple particular ways. You could see that the big Harrison twins, Scottie Wilbiken, and others struggled to contain UCONN guys on defense. Conversely UCONN's guards got right up in their grill and under their arms. Almost like gnats. They got all caught up and subsequently struggled to get into their offense. They had a shooting size advantage, but our quickness allowed our guys to fight over screens and deny the ball.

The big sized guards lock down the passing lane, but often give up penetration to the smaller/quicker guys.

I also looked out how Louisville thrived with the same size and quickness in the back court.

It was almost comical watching Bazz/Boat continually harass Wilbekin and the Harrisons and take their lunch money.

 

[intlzncster]

I was watching the Iowa St game yesterday and I noticed that as well. He has very quick feet, even moving laterally.

He's also hard nosed and relentless on defense (except for one completely matador style play against Kentucky -- promptly got sat for Kromah). Good combo.

 

[aceboon]

yea Terrence's first step is ridiculous, the bucket he had in the 1st half against UK when he went in for the layup looked like he was getting out of the starter block for a track meet, he got to the rim from the 3 point line in what seemed like a split second. I need to see a larger sample size to see how good of a defender he can become(he was pretty poor in the UK game but I tthought solid overall when he did play during the season+postseason) but be has all the tools to be an elite defender with his quick feet, size, and strength. Remember, even Kromah did a good job defending smaller guards, he did a great job on Yogi Ferrell early in the season against IU when switched on him and Ferrell is in the Boat/Bazz mold. Technique and natural defensive insticts can help make up what might be lost in quickness with putting a big on smaller guys, we have great teachers on the bench in Ricky and KO to help mold the guys we have coming in.

 

[intlzncster]

yea Terrence's first step is ridiculous, the bucket he had in the 1st half against UK when he went in for the layup looked like he was getting out of the starter block for a track meet, he got to the rim from the 3 point line in what seemed like a split second. I need to see a larger sample size to see how good of a defender he can become(he was pretty poor in the UK game but I tthought solid overall when he did play during the season+postseason) but be has all the tools to be an elite defender with his quick feet, size, and strength. Remember, even Kromah did a good job defending smaller guards, he did a great job on Yogi Ferrell early in the season against IU when switched on him and Ferrell is in the Boat/Bazz mold. Technique and natural defensive insticts can help make up what might be lost in quickness with putting a big on smaller guys, we have great teachers on the bench in Ricky and KO to help mold the guys we have coming in.

To be fair, he got to practice against Shabazz and Boat every day in practice. Battle tested.

General note: I wasn't complaining about having bigger guards, just noting that I like to have a smaller/quicker guy or two for the college game.

 

[dogfan96]

To be fair, he got to practice against Shabazz and Boat every day in practice. Battle tested.

General note: I wasn't complaining about having bigger guards, just noting that I like to have a smaller/quicker guy or two for the college game.

We normally do have a prototypical PG (6'0-6'3). Just so happened that Boat was our other guard for the last 2 years. Before him, our other starting guard was Lamb at 6'5

 

[sparky]

In college as well as the pros you have to defend the 3. Our short dudes did not do a great job defending the 3, but did a great job on the ball. Taller combos will give them a better shot of harassing the 3. Ollie is putting together a team of interchangeable parts that can pressure and zone and rebound.

 

[B1GEast]

I would never doubt KO