Providence post game thread

[HuskyWarrior611]

I agree that he’s not as bad defensively as the metrics suggest, but he’s definitely not good defensively. His first step is still slow so he gets roasted 1-on-1 way too often and has to rely on his length to hopefully contest or block the shot while trailing his man. The rotations have also been a problem, though that’s pretty much a team wide thing so it’s hard to really assign too much blame there. He’s definitely got all the tools to be a good defender, but he’s got a ways to go. Neither the metrics or film suggest that we’re even in the same zip code as “great on defense”.

This is not true as of recent. If it is I’d like for you to find recent examples of this.

 

[6Nattys4Us]

One is going to play football for Notre Dame???

My bad - Braylon does have twin brothers a year younger (juniors) on the team.

Clay is their point guard, and he's not really on anyone's radar.
Cole is a shooting guard, and he's not at the same level as older brother Braylon who is 22nd in the country in scoring.

There is another Cole Mullins in Georgia that I got mixed up with going to ND.

 

[Iluvsuebird]

In general I just hate the way Hurley goes about developing these guys. All the bench guys that came in with confidence guns blazing are transfers who developed that confidence and experience elsewhere.

Hurley does not let a lot of the guys that start their careers here get that rope to do the same until it’s time for them to be “the guy” ala sophomore year Hawkins, sophomore year Solo, junior year Jackson or freshman year Karaban when there were no other options.

These are patterns at this point and obvious ones. I’m not blaming players for something every single one of them go through. It’s also why I’m confident that if Stewart and Ross get the chance, they’ll follow that same pattern of “breakout” seasons that’s really just Hurley taking them off the leash.

You must be gaslighting. The Wrench. Tyreese. Adama. Jackson. Newton. Hass. Clingan. Hawkins. Solo. Heck, even Samson has improved. And this is short list w/out the benefit of thinking about it. All these players became professionals and got better under this coaching staff. And I am not counting how Castle improved as the year went on, or how Liam and Reed, Jr. are getting better and better as the year goes on. Stop it.

 

[ctchamps]

You do wonder. I watched at least 4 sets in a row where that was the case. Maybe some is by design, which would then make it 4 on 5 offensively.

It's how Solo was utilized last season once Castle returned and Solo came in off the bench. It's how Ross and Stewart are utilized this season. Their primary purpose is to spread the floor. It would obviously be more effective if they could hit threes at a consistent and decent rate.

Didn't Solo's 3pt shooting percentage drop once he was relegated to this role? It's not easy for a player to come in for spot minutes and suddenly start hitting outside shots. Particularly when they view their role as being the fifth scoring option.

 

[ctchamps]

Offensively, yes that is how he looks right now. Defensively he has the tools to be a high major starter IMO, he looks fluid on that end. He's ahead of schedule in terms of where the staff thought he would be coming in as a freshman. He looks way less frenetic compared to the start of the year. It is noticeable. I have hope of him being a true 3/D guy if his shot comes around.

Both Stewart and Ross can be good starters for a good high major school (hopefully UConn) as upperclassmen.

It's too late in the season for the staff to provide Stewart or Ross the number of minutes that they need to develop their game. There is no latitude for experimentation. This was the first game I saw Ross look confident when he was in the game, both on offense and defense. It's not showing up in the stats but Ross is being assigned the opposing teams best or second best scoring options every time he's put into the game. And more often than not he reduces their scoring impact against us.

I see his improvements and his potential. It's unfortunate it hasn't come sooner.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

This is not true as of recent. If it is I’d like for you to find recent examples of this.

He’s barely played recently so yes, there are fewer examples of it. Here is one from yesterday of him making a bad decision on an unnecessary rotation and giving up a wide open three. He’s definitely been better recently, but he’s not a good defender at this point.

 

[alphasigko]

Add it in to my infatuations with Hawkins, Solo, and Castle

This is my new horse to ride for this year. Hopefully he follows the pattern of the others!

Keep hoping at the bottomless wishing well.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

He’s barely played recently so yes, there are fewer examples of it. Here is one from yesterday of him making a bad decision on an unnecessary rotation and giving up a wide open three. He’s definitely been better recently, but he’s not a good defender at this point.

Yeah that was a weird rotation that like you say everyone has problems with on the team.

I’m curious about the slow feet and getting beat one on one though. I didn’t see that when watching. But maybe I missed something.

Your description sounded a lot like sophomore year Andre that let people blow by him because he was chasing the highlight block most of the time but don’t remember it with Ross

 

[6Nattys4Us]

It's a little bit hard to believe, but that's what some of them say. I don't think he's been good on defense, but I also feel like he's been marginally better than guys like Solo or Jaylin. Granted all 3 of them are pretty close together

View attachment 107417

Shows Johnson should not be starting...we missed Liam a LOT... Jaylin is above Ross on O and D but it's a distinction without merit, and Solo 3rd in offense but 8th in defense...and finally we can say Ross is not a plus defender if his DBPR is negative.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

Yeah that was a weird rotation that like you say everyone has problems with on the team.

I’m curious about the slow feet and getting beat one on one though. I didn’t see that when watching. But maybe I missed something.

Your description sounded a lot like sophomore year Andre that let people blow by him because he was chasing the highlight block most of the time but don’t remember it with Ross

Totally agree on Jackson having similar troubles sometimes with keeping his man in front of him, but he was also a much better athlete (not a knock on Ross, AJ was just a freak) with better timing when contesting from the backside. Jackson played very aggressive disruptive defense because of his ability to recover. Ross tends to try to play that very aggressive defense but just doesn’t have that same ability to recover and has gotten burned a lot and also left the help big in bad situations because of it. Totally agree that he has the tools to be a strong defender, he just isn’t currently and that’s clearly part of the reason he’s not playing.

 

[freescooter]

In terms of development The worst thing to happen to UConn basketball was Hilton Armstrong. Everyone assumes a jump like he made is the norm rather than the exception. Most players make modest year over year improvement often driven by strength and conditioning improvements, sometimes adjusting to the speed and intensity of the college game vis-a-vis high school and aau. Sometimes it is just understanding the game better. If you saw Memphis game you know Reed had potential. I think his play of late has been partly more focus on his part but also partly a change in approach by Hurley when his Euro-offense wasn’t working.

 

[RuffRuff]

He’s barely played recently so yes, there are fewer examples of it. Here is one from yesterday of him making a bad decision on an unnecessary rotation and giving up a wide open three. He’s definitely been better recently, but he’s not a good defender at this point.

Wild with this one as he comes in to help top of key when there are already two defenders there including Tarris.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

Wild with this one as he comes in to help top of key when there are already two defenders there including Tarris.

It was a head scratcher. Stewart had already cut off the roller enough to let Tarris recover, and has a really short close out to his man, who is a 30% 3 point shooter, so Ross runs halfway across the court and leaves a 40% 3 point shooter wide open with no hope of recovering.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

Wild with this one as he comes in to help top of key when there are already two defenders there including Tarris.

Tarris was not in position here. I’m not sure whose responsibility it was between him and Stewart but they need better communication and understanding there.

Honestly not sure whose fault it is without knowing how Hurley teaches it. But let’s chill and doing stuff like saying there’s two defenders there to make it a bigger deal than what it is.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

Totally agree on Jackson having similar troubles sometimes with keeping his man in front of him, but he was also a much better athlete (not a knock on Ross, AJ was just a freak) with better timing when contesting from the backside. Jackson played very aggressive disruptive defense because of his ability to recover. Ross tends to try to play that very aggressive defense but just doesn’t have that same ability to recover and has gotten burned a lot and also left the help big in bad situations because of it. Totally agree that he has the tools to be a strong defender, he just isn’t currently and that’s clearly part of the reason he’s not playing.

Again, I’m not sure of the examples for Ross of him having this same habit as of recently.

Hate to keep bringing up the Marquette game, but he was lights out keeping guys in front of him. The only time he was beat off the dribble to the rim was when a screen got in his way. And they had a lot of good guards to do it with.

Which is why I’m asking where have you seen this in other games. Especially in recent games that are suppose to explain why he’s not playing.

The most I’ve seen is guys making heavily contested jumpshots over him. But maybe I missed something.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

Again, I’m not sure of the examples for Ross of him having this same habit as of recently.

Hate to keep bringing up the Marquette game, but he was lights out keeping guys in front of him. The only time he was beat off the dribble to the rim was when a screen got in his way. And the had a lot of good guards to do it with.

Which is why I’m asking where have you seen this in other games. Especially in recent games that are suppose to explain why he’s not playing.

The most I’ve seen is guys making heavily contested jumpshots over him. But maybe I missed something.

He’s played like 30 minutes combined over the last month…. Why do you think that is?

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

He’s played like 30 minutes combined over the last month…. Why do you think that is?

I don’t think it’s because guys are blowing by him like you said. I haven’t seen that. But if you have feel free to share.

If you can’t out of fairness to the players we shouldn’t make stuff up to trash on them.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

Wild with this one as he comes in to help top of key when there are already two defenders there including Tarris.

Just a still to show neither Stewart or Reed were in position once the big caught the ball to cut off a drive to the rim.

 

[auror]

Ross is the low man on this play, so it's very likely his responsibility to cut off that short roll. You can see Stewart signaling him.

Tarris and Diarra have to do a better job of preventing the pass from getting in so easily to the roll man. And then Tarris needs to get back faster.

I'm not sure what Stewart is doing on this play. I think he thought Ross wasn't in position so he helped over, but he ends up not doing anything. He stunted to the corner man, but left the man one pass away (his man) wide open. I have no idea if that's part of the scheme to help protect the corner hoping he can recover to his man in time or if he was just reacting instinctively, maybe to the passer's eyes.

Ross needs to be one step quicker to the corner as he waited a beat after Reed got back into position to retreat.

Overall it's defended poorly, but I don't put that much of the blame on Ross. He's generally doing what he's supposed to be doing, if not perfectly.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

Ross is the low man on this play, so it's very likely his responsibility to cut off that short roll. You can see Stewart signaling him.

Tarris and Diarra have to do a better job of preventing the pass from getting in so easily to the roll man. And then Tarris needs to get back faster.

I'm not sure what Stewart is doing on this play. I think he thought Ross wasn't in position so he helped over, but he ends up not doing anything. He stunted to the corner man, but left the man one pass away (his man) wide open. I have no idea if that's part of the scheme to help protect the corner hoping he can recover to his man in time or if he was just reacting instinctively, maybe to the passer's eyes.

Ross needs to be one step quicker to the corner as he waited a beat after Reed got back into position to retreat.

Overall it's defended poorly, but I don't put that much of the blame on Ross. He's generally doing what he's supposed to be doing, if not perfectly.

Thanks for the explanation here Auror.

To be honest, Stew seems to make a lot more mistakes on both sides of the ball between the turnovers and seemingly being out of defensive position often. He makes up for it by catching fire on occasion scoring wise.

Ross seems a lot more consistent as far as playing good defense and taking care of the ball, he just hasn’t been able to score in the same way at all.

 

[alphasigko]

Again, I’m not sure of the examples for Ross of him having this same habit as of recently.

Hate to keep bringing up the Marquette game, but he was lights out keeping guys in front of him. The only time he was beat off the dribble to the rim was when a screen got in his way. And they had a lot of good guards to do it with.

Which is why I’m asking where have you seen this in other games. Especially in recent games that are suppose to explain why he’s not playing.

The most I’ve seen is guys making heavily contested jumpshots over him. But maybe I missed something.

As preciously stated one good game does not make a Star performer. What has he done since? Nothing. Let's see how he plays, if he plays, on Wednesday. Maybe he just matches up well against Marquette. Then again, it may have been a fluke in that last game.

 

[TheShot1990]

It's too late in the season for the staff to provide Stewart or Ross the number of minutes that they need to develop their game. There is no latitude for experimentation. This was the first game I saw Ross look confident when he was in the game, both on offense and defense. It's not showing up in the stats but Ross is being assigned the opposing teams best or second best scoring options every time he's put into the game. And more often than not he reduces their scoring impact against us.

I see his improvements and his potential. It's unfortunate it hasn't come sooner.

This is how I saw it as well. He looked way more confident bringing the ball up the floor to the point where I felt more comfortable with him than AN (especially on defense) but it's just too little, too late and training time is over.

 

[6Nattys4Us]

This is how I saw it as well. He looked way more confident bringing the ball up the floor that I felt more comfortable with him than AN (especially on defense) but it's just too little, too late and training time is over.

This has been a consistent issue regardless of who is playing where.

Generally speaking, this whole season we see Johnson or Reed, Jr. playing up by the FT line with their big up there. That leaves us with either AK or Stewart or even Ross to guard both the 3pt line on the wing or the paint if our C cannot get back in time.

More often than not this is an open 3 from the wing they get and make.

We need our C to not get that far from the hoop so that we can guard the wing 3 and challenge them. Constantly being late to the 3pt shooter does not help our defensive rating.

 

[ucp990411]

My friend, if you recruit a kid who shoots close to 50% from 3, you don't have that guy play the point. I am just saying....

It was just a question. We once had a point guard who shot at will if you remember. Nobody says an offense can’t be deigned for a point guard to take lots of shots. Shabazz, Kemba, Khalid, Doron, Smitty.

 

[gtcam]

You must be gaslighting. The Wrench. Tyreese. Adama. Jackson. Newton. Hass. Clingan. Hawkins. Solo. Heck, even Samson has improved. And this is short list w/out the benefit of thinking about it. All these players became professionals and got better under this coaching staff. And I am not counting how Castle improved as the year went on, or how Liam and Reed, Jr. are getting better and better as the year goes on. Stop it.

Pork Chop was already a good defensive college big before Dan Hurley arrived - I will say he improved offensively under Dan Hurley and staff.
Not at all saying that the staff has not taught them some things on the defensive side but in my experience of coaching, if you stress the importance of defense in order to keep your playing time - kids committed to learn will do so rather quickly through determination and if allowed to work through their mistakes, they display improvement thru actual game experience. Practice performance only tells you a tiny story.
BTW - Solo has improved to the point where he is barely acceptable, and I have yet to see him or Hass in a professional uniform.
Hass came to UConn known to be an above average defender.
Hawk did not become an adequate defender until he got to New Orleans and it's not Sanogo's offense that stops him from playing in the league. Tyrese didn't develop the physical body he needed until he left UConn and hired a trainer.
Newton did improve his defense at UConn - no doubt - when he came to UConn he couldn't guard an empty chair.
Castle was an unbelievably good defender for his age coming to UConn - it was drilled into him by his father and AAU coach.
Gaff, Adams, Akok, Bouk and RJ, to name a few, came to UConn unable to defend correctly and left the same way.
I know some like to feel the staff walks on water....................