Some thoughts and areas of improvement

[bendm]

I will get to the pick up offense and not passing to the bigs later today.

you're just making excuses for whaley

over the last 3 games sanogo is averaging 11 ppg on 58% shooting. whaley is averaging 6 ppg on 30%. it's not the lack of shots that's the problem for whaley it's the lack of makes.

if any big should be getting passed to more it's sanogo, and if our offense can only utilize one big in the post then we shouldnt be playing 2 bigs at the same time. play aj instead.

 

[SeattleHoop]

Why does everyone think the press didn’t work at all? I noticed that once we started pressing we got back in the game. Maybe we didn’t need to do it the whole game but switching to the press definitely got our guys energy up and we started creeping back in

 

[dennismenace]

That's not what I said. The implication of your post is that smaller players are always inferior to taller ones if you read your own post. Height/length is important but not the only criteria. That's what I said.

Bazz was great at UConn, therefore shorter players are better than taller players?

 

[BuffaloHusky]

IW definitely needs to produce more but there is no question that the spacing with Sanogo is affecting him. One way to change the spacing more to his favor is to sprint down court when he doesn't get the rebound but that means the guards need to force tempo. Fortunately, Bouk's return and AJ's potential emergence will mean there is more potential to run and that will benefit Whaley and the whole team.

 

[QDOG5]

Sanogo and Whaley had a combined 4 rebounds in 52 minutes vs. SH. That's not good enough. It seems to me when Sanogo and Whaley are on the floor together Whaley becomes a non factor on offensive. Not sure of the reason why but Sanogo's increasing minutes correlates with Whaley's decreasing offensive production, Also, IW caught the ball up at top of the key numerous times and Mamu gave him Covid distance on D every time. Coaches always say catch the ball in triple threat position but IW rarely shoots, isn't going to drive, and is not an above average passer. He needs to be put in places to succeed which is along the baseline. Overall, as I watch the last few games I think we are a good team but with limitations. With Bouk we are somewhere between the15-25 best team in the country without him somewhere between 30-50. Year 3 under Hurley and the team is still enduring some growing pains.

 

[jdb50]

Gaffney got stronger in the offseason like the rest of the team. Playing better defensively has to come from inside him. He needs to decide he can be better at it. If he is at the point it would be nice if Cole could make more 3's. He had three open shots that could have made a difference against Seton Hall. Gaff is the better driver of the two and teams will have to respect that which should open up shots for other teammates.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

you're just making excuses for whaley

over the last 3 games sanogo is averaging 11 ppg on 58% shooting. whaley is averaging 6 ppg on 30%. it's not the lack of shots that's the problem for whaley it's the lack of makes.

if any big should be getting passed to more it's sanogo, and if our offense can only utilize one big in the post then we shouldnt be playing 2 bigs at the same time. play aj instead.

I would be surprised if the guards pass to the screener on a pick and roll more than twice a game.

If a guard did that in a pickup game there would be words. Our guards have been doing it all season and Hurley seems fine with it.

And our guards rarely pass into the post. They always hesitate, the defense adjusts, and the forward has to pop out to get the pass. If the guard hit the block when the forward flashed, we would have a lot more interior baskets.

 

[superjohn]

I would be surprised if the guards pass to the screener on a pick and roll more than twice a game.

If a guard did that in a pickup game there would be words. Our guards have been doing it all season and Hurley seems fine with it.

And our guards rarely pass into the post. They always hesitate, the defense adjusts, and the forward has to pop out to get the pass. If the guard hit the block when the forward flashed, we would have a lot more interior baskets.

Your last paragraph is one of the reasons why Jackson is easily one of the most skilled players, his passing to the post and in all other areas is by far the best on the team.

 

[Psolo12]

Agree with a lot of what's been said. My biggest issues are Adams playing time (which will hopefully be remedied now) and our lack of transition offense. Thought that was a staple of Hurley's game but its been obsolete for us this year. With our superior athleticism we should be running the floor like madmen, I don't understand it.

 

[Palatine]

Agree with a lot of what's been said. My biggest issues are Adams playing time (which will hopefully be remedied now) and our lack of transition offense. Thought that was a staple of Hurley's game but its been obsolete for us this year. With our superior athleticism we should be running the floor like madmen, I don't understand it.

It starts with outlet passing. Have you seen any?

 

[bendm]

I would be surprised if the guards pass to the screener on a pick and roll more than twice a game....If the guard hit the block when the forward flashed, we would have a lot more interior baskets

i don't disagree if you're talking about sanogo, but the only way whaley can score after slipping a screen or rolling off a pick, is if the lane is wide open and he can take 2 dribbles before dunking.... (which might actually be possible if we didnt have another C on the floor crowding the paint)

otherwise, whaley's gonna catch the ball on the elbow where he's not a threat to drive or shoot, or he's gonna catch the ball in traffic and start pivoting wildly before firing a pass at someone ankles causing a TO

whaley is a great college C, but i really dont get why you think he can play PF. he doesnt have the skills necessary to stretch the floor and he doesnt have sanogo's scoring ability on the block. This is not the mid-2000s where we can play Boone with Okafor, we need Charlie V.

it's not a mystery why Hurley is recruiting guys like akok and samson to play PF and guys like sanogo and clingan to play C. whaley clearly fits into the latter category but was having to play out of position due to injuries

 

[nelsonmuntz]

i don't disagree if you're talking about sanogo, but the only way whaley can score after slipping a screen or rolling off a pick, is if the lane is wide open and he can take 2 dribbles before dunking.... (which might actually be possible if we didnt have another C on the floor crowding the paint)

otherwise, whaley's gonna catch the ball on the elbow where he's not a threat to drive or shoot, or he's gonna catch the ball in traffic and start pivoting wildly before firing a pass at someone ankles causing a TO

whaley is a great college C, but i really dont get why you think he can play PF. he doesnt have the skills necessary to stretch the floor and he doesnt have sanogo's scoring ability on the block. This is not the mid-2000s where we can play Boone with Okafor, we need Charlie V.

it's not a mystery why Hurley is recruiting guys like akok and samson to play PF and guys like sanogo and clingan to play C. whaley clearly fits into the latter category but was having to play out of position due to injuries

you talk such nonsense. You have nothing to point to when you make a statement like that.

Fun facts: shooting percentage from 2 point range:

Cole: 37.3%
Gaffney: 40%
Adams: 29.6%

that is the kind of shooting we get from guards when they don’t pass to the screener on the pick and roll.

 

[bendm]

you talk such nonsense. You have nothing to point to when you make a statement like that.

Fun facts: shooting percentage from 2 point range:

Cole: 37.3%
Gaffney: 40%
Adams: 29.6%

that is the kind of shooting we get from guards when they don’t pass to the screener on the pick and roll.

i have nothing to point to? i'm pointing to whaley being offensively inept playing out of position. he's a center that depends on hustle plays and garbage baskets, not a skilled PF that can score at multiple levels.

most fun fact: over the last 3 games he's shooting 30% from everywhere, which is worse than those guys you listed except adams who i've never advocated playing at all

i never advocated for the PGs to shoot more from mid range either. if they dont pass the ball to a cutting big they dont have to shoot it instead....the shooting stats you gave have no bearing on whaley playing PF

 

[ClifSpliffy]

It starts with outlet passing. Have you seen any?

u make a good point. we do seem to be a rebound and handoff type of squad on d. on second thought, ur absolutely correct. good, bad, or indifferent, we rarely see the strong outlet pass. mebbe when all the team is healthy, coach will look to run, starting with the outlet.

 

[bendm]

the only way whaley can score after slipping a screen or rolling off a pick, is if the lane is wide open and he can take 2 dribbles before dunking....

you talk such nonsense. You have nothing to point to when you make a statement like that.

10:08 left in the first half against PC. aj floats a perfect pass over a double team to whaley as he's rolling. he hears a defender's footsteps and takes his eye off the ball fumbling it ball out of bounds

4:29 left in the second half. aj floats another perfect pass to whaley who's wide open in the lane. he takes a dribble and dunks

two perfect examples of what i said.

 

[uconntoatl]

First, the good news. The Andre Jackson era has begun at UConn. He is a player and should be getting a lot of minutes going forward. I am not going to sign on to the silliness that he should be point, but he is good and a difference maker. Hurley has to live with some mistakes with a player that can make this much happen on both ends.

Sanogo is a player. He has great touch and inside moves once he gets his feet set, and he is still a freshman. I think he will be about a 13 and 8 player next season.

Gaffney is coming around. Gaff was making good reads by attacking on Polley's side of the court because Polley's defender was not helping. Gaff was getting 1-on-1 coverage in space, and he went to the tin. Nice work. I would have liked to see a few more assists on those drives. Gaffney has two problems: 1) his size, and 2) learning point guard for a high level program is hard and just takes time. Look at Ollie, Taliek, even Shabazz and Kemba did not really emerge until their junior year. This is why I think the idea of Andre Jackson playing point guard is ridiculous.

I thought the interior defense was good when we had two bigs on the court, and Martin is always solid. Talent is not the problem at UConn, even without Bouk.


The Bad:

Perimeter defense. Hall shot well in part because our perimeter defense sucks. The stats were good for a while because UConn has played some bad teams, but our perimeter D is not good, because Gaff is an OK defender that is short, and the other two are just not good defensively.

Why are Cole, Gaff and Adams EVER ON THE COURT TOGETHER??? Uconn needs to dial this group's minutes way back. Play Martin or Ajax at the second guard for 10-20 minutes a game, and I would not be upset if Gaff takes over the point guard spot by year end. If I was to force rank the UConn roster, I would put 9 players ahead of Adams and 7 or 8 ahead of Cole. I think a high level D1 team needs to play about 8-9 players a game, so with Bouk out, I would play Adams about 5 mpg. Not 18.

UConn has a very good 3 point shooter and he can't get open. How many shots a game do you think Polley would be getting on Villanova? Probably 6-8 a game. I have seen some boneyard commentary that Polley needs to create his own shot. 3 point shooters do not create their own shot, at least not in this century. But hey, lets play 1990's basketball when good 3 point shooters hit 33% because they were taking contested, pull up 3's. Polley should be only shooting off the catch, which means he should be getting screens off the ball instead of these stupid pick and pops that everyone can see coming 10 seconds before they happen.

UConn is a better team when it is a bigger team. Play two bigs at once.

Why was Hurley pressing? There is not really a good reason to do a full court press with a 30 second shot clock unless the guards are very good defensively or there is a weird lineup on the court.

UConn is playing pickup, one on one basketball, and that style can become every man for himself pretty quickly. 9 assists on 23 made shots is not a good ratio.

Break the full court trap sooner. Everytime up the court nonchalant high arching passes that waste 10 seconds of the play clock. Play with some urgency