The Fork In The Road

[Greathusky]

Alright Boneyarders, Its been a very frustrating and disappointing season for the team and fans. But I have a question for you guys just to see what would be a favorable way to play out the rest of the season.

Option 1: Develop for 2015-16

This option would be Ollie not putting such a emphasis on winning but playing the right way, Mass subbing and many teaching moments. Guys would be sat for mistakes in order to discipline them for their role they would play next year. Some may call this tanking, Not for a lottery pick obviously but for developing players and the team to play the right way. Our team is very young and could learn a lot from this style of play. This will come with more losses, but probably a stronger team next year.

Option 2: Squeeze out wins at all cost and try for the tournament

This option would be Ollie still coaching as if we would win a championship. Meaning win at all cost no matter ugly or pretty. Boat is one of my all time favorite huskies and this will be favorable to him, going out fighting. This will make the year look better and would probably end in more wins.

Id like to hear your opinions and why... No wrong answer here.

I guess that I am in the minority but given if they only play three games in the AAC tournament, I don't see sweeping three games as impossible.

 

[Hugo]

Mau, I agree. But I think it is not that they don't get it, but that they don't have it. I've said it before, but I hope there is a recruiting lesson learned here.
Kind of ironic but KO hasn't brought on a player like KO.

Interesting perspective on KO's recruiting and although I hadn't thought of it exactly like you, I am often thinking where is a Jeff Adrian, KFree, AJP, Emeka or a Taliek on this team. I'm not talking about skill set, but a blue collar, winning attitude combined with BB smarts that we just don't have. Where is the guy who will play smart BB at 110 % and lay it all on the line for 40 minutes a game and be a leader thru example ? Can't fault Boat who comes the closest, but it seems that this team may not have players who can be led. As you say ironic we don't have a KO type player on this team that combines real desire and BB smarts.

 

[3rdbass]

I guess that I am in the minority but given if they only play three games in the AAC tournament, I don't see sweeping three games as impossible.

Unfortunately if we don't finish in the top 5 we are playing 4 games. Let's try to finish in the top 5 should be our goal this season and then win the 3 games in Hartford to get the bid. We can do it but it has to be with a top 5 finish. I don't see us winning 4 games in Hartford.

 

[ctchamps]

KO is the coach of the basketball team, Boatright is well aware of the state of the team. He has withstood a near .500 season with this team... theres not magic switch to increase cohesion and overall level of team competetiveness/readiness. Boat will play his heart out and do what he does. KO has tightened the leash on everybody else and is done with letting bs find its way onto the court. period. those are facts from the horses mouth

What he is doing is fact. He certainly has changed his substitution pattern. But he's been changing line ups and substitution patterns all season. This is just the latest in a series of changes that has taken place. Quite predictable given the relative youth of this team and the requirement for the only "experienced" player to be a lead guard when his experience was as a supporting guard.

What all of this means is interpretation.

Your sources are interpreting things. Same as you and me and all the pundits that give their two cents. Interpretations are subjective and not facts. There is no proof one way or the other that he is sacrificing this season for the next. Maybe he is. Maybe he isn't.
My interpretation is he is trying to win and develop players for now and the future and they are not mutually exclusive. The problem is that too many parts of the team have glaring weaknesses and so far have been unable to develop fast enough to provide a stable team.

 

[imno1]

Unfortunately if we don't finish in the top 5 we are playing 4 games. Let's try to finish in the top 5 should be our goal this season and then win the 3 games in Hartford to get the bid. We can do it but it has to be with a top 5 finish. I don't see us winning 4 games in Hartford.

If we can win 3 we can win 4. I'll have to look it up but It's I think it's been done before. Will it happen? It's a reason for hope.

RE the OP. I don't see Options on and 2 as mutually exclusive. I am in favor at this point of the early hook but I don't think that's a development strategy. I would argue that letting a player play thru his mistakes to get game experience would be more of a develop for the future approach. Funny how when Coach Calhoun used the quick hook it would drive some us us crazy and now we see it's value.

 

[ctchamps]

@James what I would ask in response to your statements, which I have no reason not to believe, is how long has this been going on? Because at halftime last night I remember thinking something was up, and there has been some buzz on the board for a while now that Ollie isn't necessarily pushing all the chips to the center of the table this year. I've been miffed all year at why Hamilton sees little to no time at the four, and the only logical answer to that question is that he is looking towards next year where Facey and Brimah will log a lot of minutes together.

When NG and DD were moved to the 4 and 5 positions last season the team played it's overall best bb. There was some loss on the defensive end with strong tall opposing players. But for the most part NG and DD held their own. KO primarily utilized this at the end of games to avoid foul trouble on those two.

Hamilton makes an excellent option on the offensive end when he plays the four, but he is a defensive disaster on the defensive end at that position. IMO he's a defensive liability at the 3 as well. He loses his player consistently, doesn't react quickly to switching players on picks and has limited ability to block shots. What he does do well at the 3 vs. the 4 position is get defensive rebounds. When he plays the four he gets muscled out of position by a stronger player which doesn't happen as frequently when he plays the 3. My guess is that when his body develops that won't be a problem. And hopefully those other defensive problems will improve as well.

 

[James]

What he is doing is fact. He certainly has changed his substitution pattern. But he's been changing line ups and substitution patterns all season. This is just the latest in a series of changes that has taken place. Quite predictable given the relative youth of this team and the requirement for the only "experienced" player to be a lead guard when his experience was as a supporting guard.

What all of this means is interpretation.

Your sources are interpreting things. Same as you and me and all the pundits that give their two cents. Interpretations are subjective and not facts. There is no proof one way or the other that he is sacrificing this season for the next. Maybe he is. Maybe he isn't.
My interpretation is he is trying to win and develop players for now and the future and they are not mutually exclusive. The problem is that too many parts of the team have glaring weaknesses and so far have been unable to develop fast enough to provide a stable team.

logically you on the right path. but as i said earlier, "games wont be won at the expense of bad basketball". And thats a quote from KO himself, no interpretation. He's installed a refreshing offensive scheme that none of our raw players can come close to grasp, minus brimah and boatright. he is making his youngsters lives difficult on the floor, hamilton can't coast ever in practice and in games KO demands him to be a perimeter feature. the more polished ham's decisions get on the perimeter and attacking with all the action KO throws his way, the more effective he will be slid to the 4 next year, or even the 1.

Look we can still win some games, but KO wont be happy the next day if it came from a terrible performance.

@champs99and04 this has been going on for some time, since some of our more glaring losses early in the year. I noted sometime ago that things were much more business like around the team, not a lot of laughing and joking in practice and stuff. Many games this season he has sit on the bench with his arms crossed not surprised by his teams performances. People pointed KO's personal issues (divorce), but its more about just a different approach to this young team.

 

[Waquoit]

As we all know, when you see a fork in the road, take it!

 

[joober jones]

A blend of the two would be the way to go in my opinion. If the development comes along more quickly than expected, make a run.

 

[champs99and04]

When NG and DD were moved to the 4 and 5 positions last season the team played it's overall best bb. There was some loss on the defensive end with strong tall opposing players. But for the most part NG and DD held their own. KO primarily utilized this at the end of games to avoid foul trouble on those two.

Hamilton makes an excellent option on the offensive end when he plays the four, but he is a defensive disaster on the defensive end at that position. IMO he's a defensive liability at the 3 as well. He loses his player consistently, doesn't react quickly to switching players on picks and has limited ability to block shots. What he does do well at the 3 vs. the 4 position is get defensive rebounds. When he plays the four he gets muscled out of position by a stronger player which doesn't happen as frequently when he plays the 3. My guess is that when his body develops that won't be a problem. And hopefully those other defensive problems will improve as well.

I think it's tough to draw too many conclusions about Hamilton's defensive ability at the four given how little time he has spent there this season. I haven't really noticed Hamilton to be a defensive liability, but much like a lot of our younger players, he does get lost at times off the ball and has the tendency to overplay the perimeter. He definitely is forfeiting muscle to pretty much everybody when he plays the four, but there aren't a lot of teams on the schedule capable of exploiting him in the post, and I don't know how much it hurts us on the glass given how many teams like to play with four perimeter players offensively. It isn't as if Facey is a page from a basketball manual on blocking out, a lot of his rebounds are a product of his athleticism and timing.

 

[BoatShow]

Are people really complaining about attendance(there was what? Roughly 9k in the house? Oh no!) for a Wednesday night game against a horrible team when the hockey team is playing the #13 team in the country in Hartford? Wow