Starting Line-up is Broken

[ucp990411]

He closed out last season playing as good as anyone on the team except Sanogo. He has potential, which has not been on display this year. I just don’t see who else can handle the ball?
And again I included Hawkins and Polley in starting 5 consideration.
The bottomline the current starting 5 is not working for us after being tried for numerous games. Time to move on and try something different.
If you think Whaley standing on the 3 line scares the heck out of the opposition - continue as is.

Before the season started I was criticized on this board for saying Gaffney and Cole should start together in the backourt. JC always preferred to have 2 guards with point guard capabilities playing together. Tate and Smitty, KO and Doron, Khalid and Ricky, Taliek and Ben, AJ and Jerome, Kemba and Shabazz, Shabazz and Ryan. When I coached I used this philosophy whenever possible and it worked. I wish Gaff could combine with RJ but we have not seen it happen.
My wish for a starting line up would be.
Cole
Gaffney
Hawkins or AJ
Tyrese
Sanaogo
We would lose some rebounding but better offensively and probably just as good defense. Whaley could backup the 4 and 5. Polley plays some 3 and some 4.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Most of his 3s are wide open cuz teams sag off him and double the post. He can hit the wide open set 3 as ugly as it looks… that’s about it for his offensive arsenal. He has no midrange game… no floater… and frankly has a hard time making layups unless it’s a wide open dunk. He’s shooting 35% in BE play FG%. I wish he would develop a pull up or a floater cause he has a fast first step. Hopefully that will come next year.

Are you talking about Jackson or Whaley?

 

[UncleSpliff]

Are you talking about Jackson or Whaley?

Jackson….

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Jackson….

Whew……..ok. Lol

 

[Chief00]

Interesting, that Xavier’s starters all played 30-36 minutes with an average of 34 minutes. Our best player averages 27 minutes, and played 25 minutes due to fouls and rotations.

 

[3rdbass]

Close. It needs to be Cole, Gaffney/Hawkins, Martin, Jackson and Sanogo.

Need Martin and Jackson both in starting lineup. But Jackson is a point forward - not sure why we’re treating him like a guard. And he can’t play with Whaley at the 4, just completely limits our offense.

Some here thought he should become out PG even though he has no potential to create his own offsense since he has no jump shot. He is more of a DHAM type player. Great to have on the court and give RJ some time off the ball and help on handling but he needs to be down low more. I say start Hawkins and move Whaley to the bench. Martin and Cole needs to be in any starting lineup we have.

 

[methodology]

I am still baffled Hurley can’t draw up any plays for alley oops to Jackson. Makes no sense why they can’t get 2 a game for easy baskets. Any coach with an athlete like Jackson would take advantage of it

 

[TheChamps990411]

Another night, we hit the 10 minute mark and have 10-13 points and Sanogo in foul trouble.

Last night Sanogo plays 25 minutes and Whaley 37, that’s a problem as Whaley scores 2 points and goes 1-6. Sanogo collects 11 points, going 3-6.

If we have 5 guys with Isiah’s production, we are scoring 10 -12 points a game as a team. It’s insanity. 2 points in 37 minutes, doesn’t work.

The starting lineup needs to be revamped - At least Gaffney, Hawkins and Polley have the potential to hit some shots. However, Polley can't create on his own and by the time he comes in Sanogo goes to bench with fouls. Therefore, there’s not the collapse defense that would give him and Hawkins space. Meanwhile, we pretend we have a stretch 4.

We need to start:
Sanogo
Cole
Martin/Jackson
Gaffney
Hawkins/Polley

Yes, there is nothing wrong with going with a hot hand and with this team Chief is not going to pretend I know who he is ahead of time. I do know Gaffney gives us another ball handler and penetrator. Sanogo with the current starting lineup gets straight up doubled - the opponent doesn’t even try to disguise where it is coming from.

We need to run and pressure on defense but not with a 6-10 230 pd guy chasing point guards 25 feet from the basket.

Two PG ball handlers gives us another dimension and makes our offensive less predictable and limited.

As much as we handicap ourselves with the starting lineup opening 10 minutes of Rock Fight, we still almost win. Eliminate that torture and we start beating good teams consistently.

Although i dont believe a lineup change will make much of a difference because we are seeing what this team is ill say a change couldnt hurt. Because of his recent play on defense and his ability to hit shots Hawk should start. All 5 get 30min come hell or high water and i ride it out with this starting 5:
4 Martin
3 Polley
5 Sanogo
2 Hawk
1 Cole

 

[Heritage]

Another night, we hit the 10 minute mark and have 10-13 points and Sanogo in foul trouble.

Last night Sanogo plays 25 minutes and Whaley 37, that’s a problem as Whaley scores 2 points and goes 1-6. Sanogo collects 11 points, going 3-6.

If we have 5 guys with Isiah’s production, we are scoring 10 -12 points a game as a team. It’s insanity. 2 points in 37 minutes, doesn’t work.

The starting lineup needs to be revamped - At least Gaffney, Hawkins and Polley have the potential to hit some shots. However, Polley can't create on his own and by the time he comes in Sanogo goes to bench with fouls. Therefore, there’s not the collapse defense that would give him and Hawkins space. Meanwhile, we pretend we have a stretch 4.

We need to start:
Sanogo
Cole
Martin/Jackson
Gaffney
Hawkins/Polley

Yes, there is nothing wrong with going with a hot hand and with this team Chief is not going to pretend I know who he is ahead of time. I do know Gaffney gives us another ball handler and penetrator. Sanogo with the current starting lineup gets straight up doubled - the opponent doesn’t even try to disguise where it is coming from.

We need to run and pressure on defense but not with a 6-10 230 pd guy chasing point guards 25 feet from the basket.

Two PG ball handlers gives us another dimension and makes our offensive less predictable and limited.

As much as we handicap ourselves with the starting lineup opening 10 minutes of Rock Fight, we still almost win. Eliminate that torture and we start beating good teams consistently.

Very good post. Gafney starting with give Cole a boost with a lot less pressure on him to do it all. Also, Gafney is the only UCONN player that has his head up on drives to the basketball most of the time. Martin is the opposite, his head comes up after he shoots almost all the time. But Martin isn't the only one that does it.

 

[Chief00]

Very good post. Gafney starting with give Cole a boost with a lot less pressure on him to do it all. Also, Gafney is the only UCONN player that has his head up on drives to the basketball most of the time. Martin is the opposite, his head comes up after he shoots almost all the time. But Martin isn't the only one that does it.

Thanks. Chief recognizes coaches like to have their starting line-up and rotations locked down by this time. But, for the second year in the row its not the case with UConn MBB.. So we shouldn’t pretend it is. Last year it was the unnecessary “injury” drama caused by a player’s inexperienced draft handlers. This year, at least it is more basketball focused.

 

[MexicoHusky]

I'm 100% comfortable with whatever DH chooses

 

[bendm]

Cole
Hawkins
Martin
Polley
Sanogo

4 Martin
3 Polley
5 Sanogo
2 Hawk
1 Cole

Sure this lineup could score 80 ppg but it would give up 90. We need to swap out either AJ or Whaley for more shooting but not both, that sacrifices too much rebounding and defense

 

[UofCT]

Gaffney should be starting, he’s a threat to score either on the fast break, from three point line or driving to the basket with an interior pass or going up for a score. With him in the game at the point this also frees up Cole to concentrate on putting the ball in the hoop, and teams can’t really double team him in this situation. Whaley comes in to give Sanogo, Jackson or Martin a rest. Hurley definitely misses having the Akok Akok option.

Yikes. This didn’t age well

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

I just wish Jackson could shoot or Hawkins could dribble