Quick thoughts from a bad win..

[mauconnfan]

Mike Noyes probably looked like Michael Jordan in high school - I'm sure he's better than 99.995% of the high school players out there.

But even a guy like that looks like he just discovered the game when you compare him high-major players. Sometimes we forget just how good these guys are in the grand scheme.

Not sure about this one but I hear what you're saying. Now that my son has played HS and JC hoops we talk about the walk ons and I need to let him know honestly how good many of them are. He's pretty sure he could have walked on at UConn (I agree with him at the time of course because I love him) while I'm pretty sure he couldn't have. Some were studs in HS, I just don't see it here.

 

[cohenzone]

Would have loved that Jalen didn't hang his head during this game because it gives ammo to people to make the claim that he quit because of attitude as opposed to not having the ability to play the game.

I guess I was wrong to believe bb is a team sport and that a team is only as good as it's weakest link.
We already know that we are missing a five who can put an entire game together, but an injured Jalen allowed USF to not have to worry about him driving on them so they overplayed him on offense and they torched him on defense. People can go on and on about Amida and Steve this game, and a lot of those critiques are accurate, but a good part of the defense failed because Jalen could not move laterally or run up and down the court.

So why is the D prone to long lapses every year including games when everyone is available and this year when Jalen is healthy? I promise you I'm not an isolated observer regarding how inconsistent his teams are within games and from game to game on D. I have a hard time thinking they have great practices and coaching that doesn't translate into consistent D during games. Offense is a whole other matter. But pretty much constant intensity and focus on D should rarely be an issue.

 

[ctchamps]

So why is the D prone to long lapses every year including games when everyone is available and this year when Jalen is healthy? I promise you I'm not an isolated observer regarding how inconsistent his teams are within games and from game to game on D. I have a hard time thinking they have great practices and coaching that doesn't translate into consistent D during games. Offense is a whole other matter. But pretty much constant intensity and focus on D should rarely be an issue.

Even healthy Jalen is sill only an adequate perimeter defender. Christian is decent and Rodney is very good imo. Alterique had a reputation of being an outstanding defender. His loss not only forces us to use Christian and Jalen to be better than they are capable of being currently but adds to the wear and tear of the three guards decreasing their abilities as time goes on.

Kentan has done a decent job. But even his body is showing signs of wear and tear. Earlier in the season I was actually concerned with Terry's one on one defense. So this team still lacks a Niels Giffey lockdown wing.

The big failure has been with Amida/Steve. And opposing teams have exploited this weakness all year long. Our guards are forced to overplay opposing guards if opposing teams lack decent bigs who can shoot from the perimeter. Teams expose Steve and Amida on the pick and roll. Or if they have decent big shooters like Cinci than opposing teams force our guards to move off the players because Steve and Amida lack the instincts to get back to the basket for rebounds or play adequate one on one defense.

It's definitely a game where the team is as good as it's weakest link and this team has had a weak link in the five position that was made a lot worse because of injuries.

 

[selles]

Not sure about this one but I hear what you're saying. Now that my son has played HS and JC hoops we talk about the walk ons and I need to let him know honestly how good many of them are. He's pretty sure he could have walked on at UConn (I agree with him at the time of course because I love him) while I'm pretty sure he couldn't have. Some were studs in HS, I just don't see it here.

Here you go. Everyone has a highlight tape these days. He looks solid, if a little earthbound.

 

[SouthBayHusky]

Even healthy Jalen is sill only an adequate perimeter defender. Christian is decent and Rodney is very good imo. Alterique had a reputation of being an outstanding defender. His loss not only forces us to use Christian and Jalen to be better than they are capable of being currently but adds to the wear and tear of the three guards decreasing their abilities as time goes on.

Kentan has done a decent job. But even his body is showing signs of wear and tear. Earlier in the season I was actually concerned with Terry's one on one defense. So this team still lacks a Niels Giffey lockdown wing.

The big failure has been with Amida/Steve. And opposing teams have exploited this weakness all year long. Our guards are forced to overplay opposing guards if opposing teams lack decent bigs who can shoot from the perimeter. Teams expose Steve and Amida on the pick and roll. Or if they have decent big shooters like Cinci than opposing teams force our guards to move off the players because Steve and Amida lack the instincts to get back to the basket for rebounds or play adequate one on one defense.

It's definitely a game where the team is as good as it's weakest link and this team has had a weak link in the five position that was made a lot worse because of injuries.

Wasn't that same weak link at the 5 present in 2013-2014, but in a less experienced freshman body?

 

[Nostical]

Jalen isn't the problem, our bigs are. Brimah's hands simply can't catch the ball with authority nor does he have the finesse to operate down low without fouling or stumbling. It's a huge relief to see him simply shoot the ball toward the hoop or (much less often) kick it out for a three. All of the bigs seem to lack toughness and confidence. Facey seems surprised by any success he has. There's no swagger. And Enoch is one of those lumbering players the refs love to call ticky-tack fouls on. If they have him in their sights he should at least attack the basket with more vengeance. This late in the season, Ollie's strategy of throwing it into the bigs with the same marginal results seems to fit the textbook definition of insanity.

 

[ctchamps]

Wasn't that same weak link at the 5 present in 2013-2014, but in a less experienced freshman body?

Team looked best when they went small with DeAndre and Niels. I felt Phil gave decent minutes when teams exposed Amida. Bigs shot over Phil but he was far better on the pick and roll than Amida. And I distinctly remember @mauconnfan and I taking this position. But people were impressed with Amida's blocking ability so they overlooked his weaknesses. Not the case the past two seasons.

 

[Fishy]

If there's one thing that I'd like to see our bigs start doing*, it's not bringing the ball down every time they get it.

Brimah frequently does it, but Facey almost always brings the ball down below his waist every time he touches it. Bad things happen to both when it happens.

* Given that their remaining careers are likely down to minutes rather than games, I am not hopeful.

 

[huskymagic]

Just to remind everyone that we won the title in 2014 with Amida, Phil, Olander, and DeAndre(stretch 4) as our big men. This year's big men crew is better than 2014 when we actually won the NCAA title. Our big men crew is not great no one would say otherwise, but it is our perimeter crew that is the big problem.

Jalen is not a good defender and frequently plays carelessly like he is playing summer pickup games. Vance is completely unathletic and can't stay in front of his man. Terry when he played wasn;t a great defender. Alterique has the potential to be Boatrightesque, but wasn't great in his first 2 games and is injury prone.

We need an athletic wing who is a lock-down defender to take out the opposing team's best player like Roscoe, like Giffey, like Boat and Bazz senior year. Our defense and discipline is a bigger problem than our offense. Great defense produces easy scoring opportunities that any team needs and takes pressure off the offense in half-court situations.

PS: We need a freak athletic wing like Sid Wilson or a Zhaire Smith type and a Cole Swider/AJ Reeves type who can shoot with confidence. This is why wasting scholarships at this point is not a good idea. When your foundations are not solid you cant afford a charity item.

 

[Matrim55]

So why is the D prone to long lapses every year including games when everyone is available and this year when Jalen is healthy?

Because defensive rebounding is part of "defense" and we're a miserable defensive rebounding group (which was always going to be the case when DHam left). Last year we had the 12th best defense in the country as per KenPom, and this year we're around 60th. Almost all of that can be attributed to second-chance points, with the rest falling under fast-break points after missed bunnies and/or bad turnovers.

We have very flawed players, and that's led to a very flawed team.

If there's one thing that I'd like to see our bigs start doing*, it's not bringing the ball down every time they get it.

Brimah frequently does it, but Facey almost always brings the ball down below his waist every time he touches it. Bad things happen to both when it happens.

* Given that their remaining careers are likely down to minutes rather than games, I am not hopeful.

You should enjoy the Carlton game film that's available, at least. Dude reminds me of Billy Curley with how high he keeps the ball and how quick he is to get it back up and in the hoop. Fundamentally he's going to be our best big man around the hoop since... damn, I really don't know when.

 

[cohenzone]

Because defensive rebounding is part of "defense" and we're a miserable defensive rebounding group (which was always going to be the case when DHam left). Last year we had the 12th best defense in the country as per KenPom, and this year we're around 60th. Almost all of that can be attributed to second-chance points, with the rest falling under fast-break points after missed bunnies and/or bad turnovers.

We have very flawed players, and that's led to a very flawed team.

You're missing my point. There has not been a year under KO when the D has not often been totally erratic withing games and from game to game. BY erratic I mean looking like world beaters for 15 minutes, ok for 10 and like they never played D in their lives for 15. And it happens at different points in the games. You can pick any stat you want to compare one year to the next, but it does not change the genera; flow of games. To their credit, once Brimah got the NC team past St. Joe's, they probably played the best 5 games stretch on D they've played under KO. Brimah is no better making shots than last year. Facey obviously is a lot better than last year. It doesn't matter the quality of opponent either in those lulls on D. I just think that lapses on D are harder to explain than inadequacies on O, which a whole other thing. Believe me, I loved KO as a player, and he seems to be a class guy and I root for him all the way. But I root for UConn most of all.

I hope he's playing with a full team next year. I hope they're in the conversation for an NC and finally hit the top of the AAC. I'm not sold on him as a big time coach and I hope I'm proved wrong. But some patterns need to change and next wear we look to have stronger bodies under the basket. I'd trade four blocks a game for the big guys on the the other team being forced to pass the ball back out much more often than has been the case recently. I think they have a potential stud in Enoch, but it would be a shame for him to never develop or even have to wait for a Facey sort of senior year. But I watch them through good and bad even though it's harder for me to make games in person than I used to. I lived through Burr Carlson, another alumni hire. If that didn't make me quit on the team, nothing will.

 

[uconnfan68]

" Problem is you can't count on any of these guys to be consistent. "

" If I ever grabbed a pad and wrote down the stupid stuff they do throughout the game on both ends of the court, things a basketball player shouldn't do no matter who their coach is, I would make a DogMania post look like a one liner for crying out loud."

Could not agree more Mau. Many posters are questioning Ollie. However,those stupid plays you are talking about are not on the coach. Using the word stupid is being kind. Many turnovers were beyond head scratching. I watched last nights game in my recliner, chin resting in hand leaning. The whole game.

To be fair, they weren't stupid plays. Just incredibly poor hands and reaction times. Never ready.

 

[Matrim55]

You're missing my point. There has not been a year under KO when the D has not often been totally erratic withing games and from game to game. BY erratic I mean looking like world beaters for 15 minutes, ok for 10 and like they never played D in their lives for 15.

Not gonna bother reading the rest, since I strongly disagree with this premise.

Thank you for your interest in UConn basketball.

 

[cohenzone]

Not gonna bother reading the rest, since I strongly disagree with this premise.

Thank you for your interest in UConn basketball.

And thank you for your interest. I've been a UConn fan since 1957. I read all of yours I read it all. I can deal with disagreements. Some minds are open. Grow up son..

 

[blackbird]

Fair enough, may be too hard on him. But seriously, a couple of those stupid passes can't happen and if the pain is that bad that it makes you throw them, then sit down please can't win with those plays. And he's a chair on defense, not his fault but it hurts everyone. He's playing hurt and I commend him for that but no matter, understand your limitations and only make the plays yo can make or Houston rips us up.

If we had a shot and hell without him, he probably wouldn't be playing. but we don't. Half Jalen is better than no Jalen.

As said, shame on anyone who is being hard on him right now. Post season is on the line, he's doing what he can.

 

[mauconnfan]

Chauvinist ;-) A good coach is a good coach. Let's put it this way. She couldn't do any worse than any of the men who've coached these guys. There's a problem when a senior with athletic ability hasn't been coached out of freshman mistakes and taught how to use the gifts they do have in order to make the other guy have to contend with their skills. And in Enoch's case, there is a lot of great raw material to work with.

Sorry you're way off here. Lost it!!

And Enoch is getting better. Also was a lot of great raw material with AB and KF but even raw material needs a brain!

 

[mauconnfan]

If we had a shot and hell without him, he probably wouldn't be playing. but we don't. Half Jalen is better than no Jalen.

As said, shame on anyone who is being hard on him right now. Post season is on the line, he's doing what he can.

Sorry don't play then. I will give him his out for some, but those ridiculous passes don't get a pass from me. They had nothing to do with pain. And I agree, one leg is still better than the other option but need him with full brain!

 

[cohenzone]

Sorry don't play then. I will give him his out for some, but those ridiculous passes don't get a pass from me. They had nothing to do with pain. And I agree, one leg is still better than the other option but need him with full brain!

Ah, betcha if you were in KOs shoes you'd be playing him too. End of season. No reasonable chance of a special ending this year v