The Issue

[8893]

It's not surprising or hard to see:

Our front court is obviously depleted and will be outmatched in most games.

Our back court is led by two alpha dogs. Usually doesn't work. I've wondered about this since the off-season pronouncements that Boat was the starting PG and that he was going be the leader. And Bazz's comments reflecting on his own leadership failures last year and how he intended to be a better leader this year. There are still two guys trying to lead this offense, and I have never gotten the sense that one is totally sold on the other as his runnin' pardner.

Some nights the combination of their respective superior talents will allow us to pull out a win (usually when one is doing really well); when they are off, and we are relying on our front court, we will most likely lose.

Not sure how you fix that. I like both Bazz and Boat, individually, but I've always been concerned about an offense premised on both of them playing most of their minutes together. The wing is the wild card for us, and it seems that Omar and Giffey both have the potential to score in bunches there, but neither has done so consistently. So...which one do you favor?

Tough puzzle, this team.

 

[upstater]

A lot of selfish play. You see everyone looking to shoot first, from Bazz to Boatright, to Daniels to especially Calhoun. Only Giffey takes shots within the offense. Even Olander is a bit of a black hole.

Poor defense and really bad shot selection.

They can improve these two areas.

 

[jleves]

A lot of selfish play. You see everyone looking to shoot first, from Bazz to Boatright, to Daniels to especially Calhoun. Only Giffey takes shots within the offense. Even Olander is a bit of a black hole.

Poor defense and really bad shot selection.

They can improve these two areas.

Not sure you can say that - Napier took two shots in the first half. He was clearly trying to get others involved. Olander passed twice all game (one was a beauty). You can't put Omar in that group either. He and Napier each took 7 shots. 4 other guys took more.

 

[upstater]

I'm not talking about quantity of shots, I'm referring to poor shot selection early in the clock.

 

[UConn990411]

LOL.

Shabazz took one bad shot all game. He missed two shots total and had one turnover, yet he'll probably still get the most criticism.

This board is a s*** hole.

 

[8893]

Who is our floor general? Who is leading our offense? That's what I can't figure out. I thought it was supposed to be Boat, based on what I read during the off-season; but it looks like we've relied more heavily on Bazz.

 

[Peacefrog]

Boatright did have 8 assists according to the preliminary box score.

 

[Kitaman]

The issue to me is that our talent and experience level is low this season. Losing 4 good players and replacing them with a star freshman just won't fix it. Add to that a new coach(es) and the result is a year of learning one another. Most games won't be pretty but they will find a groove and continue to at least be competitive as the year progresses. One thing is they obviously don't like to lose, which is a positive.

 

[nomar]

Bazz is the floor general.

Yeah, they're both alpahs, but I don't necessarily buy that they don't think they can co-exist. I don't buy that at all. Either one had the opportunity to bolt or stick around and play with the other. They stayed.

They both happen to be combo guards (more PG than SG, but both more scorer than passer) with a lot of cross-over skills. You always get some issues whenever you have 2 players like that playing so many minutes together. When we used to run 2-PG sets in the past (Ollie/Sheffer, KEA/Moore, even Brown/Gordon), the roles were pretty well defined. I really don't think it's an attitude issue.

I also think that Bazz and Boat are really getting a lot of criticism, when on a team with better front-court players they could afford to have a bad half or a bad game -- whereas now, it's all on them.

 

[upstater]

LOL.

Shabazz took one bad shot all game. He missed two shots total and had one turnover, yet he'll probably still get the most criticism.

This board is a s*** hole.

I'm referring to the whole season. If you think he has great shot selection hoisting long distance 3s early in the clock, you're out to lunch.

The kid is money when he sets.

 

[8893]

Bazz is the floor general.

Yeah, they're both alpahs, but I don't necessarily buy that they don't think they can co-exist. I don't buy that at all. Either one had the opportunity to bolt or stick around and play with the other. They stayed.

They both happen to be combo guards (more PG than SG, but both more scorer than passer) with a lot of cross-over skills. You always get some issues whenever you have 2 players like that playing so many minutes together. When we used to run 2-PG sets in the past (Ollie/Sheffer, KEA/Moore, even Brown/Gordon), the roles were pretty well defined. I really don't think it's an attitude issue.

I also think that Bazz and Boat are really getting a lot of criticism, when on a team with better front-court players they could afford to have a bad half or a bad game -- whereas now, it's all on them.

I'm not saying it's fatal; I just don't think it's optimal or ever will be. One needs to sublimate to the other, but both of their games are too similar and they are at their best as leaders when they are calling the shots, literally and figuratively. And they can't both call the shots; but they both want to, instinctively.

I think your examples were a lot more complementary to each other. A lot.

 

[upstater]

I'm not saying it's fatal; I just don't think it's optimal or ever will be. One needs to sublimate to the other, but both of their games are too similar and they are at their best as leaders when they are calling the shots, literally and figuratively. And they can't both call the shots; but they both want to, instinctively.

I think your examples were a lot more complementary to each other. A lot.

They need to look for one another on drives. Giffey and Daniels need to be under the rim on those drives for dumpoffs. Calhoun should hang on the perimeter. Little worried about his handle. Hopefully it will improve.

One really disturbing turn was on D when Calhoun and Boat both ran up the court after a deflection. The ball was there for the steal, but they let Brenton grab it and drive in for the layup. Ugly. This team needs to hustle after loose balls and bust their butts.

 

[nomar]

I think your examples were a lot more complementary to each other. A lot.

That was really my point. Bazz's and Boat's games aren't all that complementary (they're more interchangeable than compatible), which is why they look out of sorts together at times. More skill-sets than attitudes, IMO.

 

[mauconnfan]

Shabazz is the key. Boat is a very good guard but out of control and loses his mind sometimes......the weak pass and the behind the back dribble which was not warranted just a couple of the issues today......he and Bazz had a little heated exchange when Bazz was going to the FT line and I think it had to do with Boat giving in too easy on a 2 on 1 fast break...........from what I see bazz is a much smarter player and needs to run the show more.....he played within the system today and took one bad shot although he felt it and I'm okay with even that one.......they both need to quit roaming on defense a little more and hang with their guys longer in sequence but they were both a bit better on that end, not much but a little........

 

[aceboon]

Yea I think the skill set issue is the biggest problem, with either of our small guard/2 pg line-ups, one usually had a more clear defined role or advantage/disadvantage over the other. Bazz & Boat are pretty much the same player, but I'm not exactly sure what Boat is doing out there. I know Bazz gets all of the criticism, but after talk of going pro last year(yes I know, players talk like this all the time), I can't be the only one who expected a bigger jump in Boat's play. I don't know, maybe the ankle sprain from the MSU is a lingering issue, but he's looked average out there for the most part.

 

[8893]

That was really my point. Bazz's and Boat's games aren't all that complementary (they're more interchangeable than compatible), which is why they look out of sorts together at times. More skill-sets than attitudes, IMO.

Maybe it's a chicken and egg thing; i.e., does the overlap in their respective skill sets inevitably lead to conflict, or does each of their respective desires to lead and stubbornness make them less willing to defer to the other? I don't know.

Looking back at your examples, I recall that Ricky had his eyes on the lead role and it was his...and then Khalid came along. JC told Ricky that he had a choice between playing off Khalid and starting, or splitting time with Rash. Ricky famously said something to the effect of too bad for Rash, but I'm going to take that role.

I honestly don't know what the deal is between Boat and Bazz. Again, based on what I read during the off-season, I thought there was an attempt to anoint Boat as the floor general. But I think that was before JC retired. I don't know whether their roles have been defined; and it doesn't seem to me that they do, either.

I'm not saying that's an easy call, but I think Ollie needs to help define them. And I still wonder, as I did then, how compatible they are over the long haul.

 

[ctchamps]

Maybe it's a chicken and egg thing; i.e., does the overlap in their respective skill sets inevitably lead to conflict, or does each of their respective desires to lead and stubbornness make them less willing to defer to the other? I don't know.

Looking back at your examples, I recall that Ricky had his eyes on the lead role and it was his...and then Khalid came along. JC told Ricky that he had a choice between playing off Khalid and starting, or splitting time with Rash. Ricky famously said something to the effect of too bad for Rash, but I'm going to take that role.

I honestly don't know what the deal is between Boat and Bazz. Again, based on what I read during the off-season, I thought there was an attempt to anoint Boat as the floor general. But I think that was before JC retired. I don't know whether their roles have been defined; and it doesn't seem to me that they do, either.

I'm not saying that's an easy call, but I think Ollie needs to help define them. But I still wonder, as I did then, how compatible they are over the long haul.

I'm not sure I'm seeing what you are seeing. That fast break when RB got the ball to SN for the quick three didn't look like the guys were upset with one another or unsure of their roles. I see SN trying to help get players involved. I have no problem with a junior telling a sophomore things he can do to improve his game.

 

[8893]

I'm not sure I'm seeing what you are seeing. That fast break when RB got the ball to SN for the quick three didn't look like the guys were upset with one another or unsure of their roles. I see SN trying to help get players involved. I have no problem with a junior telling a sophomore things he can do to improve his game.

We can point to a lot of pretty plays where they play well together. They are both very quick and very talented, and when we are able to run fast breaks especially that will be an asset. They will not refuse to set the other up, and I don't think they dislike each other. My point is simply that I don't know who is running the offense when they are both on the court, and I'm not sure they do, either, but it looks to me like sometimes they both think they are, and sometimes neither thinks he is. This becomes most apparent in half-court sets. I mean, does anyone else remember all the off-season reporting on Bazz being the definitive PG and the offense running through him? That's not what I'm seeing. I agree with Nomar and others that Bazz looks like the floor general for the most part, but I've seen a lot of the same bad body language and attitude from both of them for more stretches than I'd care to already, and I wonder if it comes back to them both trying to be the leader in the only way he knows how.

I'm not hating on or bashing them at all, just commenting on what I'm seeing, and it doesn't look smooth or well-defined a lot of the time. We won, and as I said when we looked crappy in the first half, that's mostly what will stay with me.

 

[ctchamps]

We can point to a lot of pretty plays where they play well together. They are both very quick and very talented, and when we are able to run fast breaks especially that will be an asset. They will not refuse to set the other up, and I don't think they dislike each other. My point is simply that I don't know who is running the offense when they are both on the court, and I'm not sure they do, either, but it looks to me like sometimes they both think they are, and sometimes neither thinks he is. This becomes most apparent in half-court sets. I mean, does anyone else remember all the off-season reporting on Bazz being the definitive PG and the offense running through him? That's not what I'm seeing. I agree with Nomar and others that Bazz looks like the floor general for the most part, but I've seen a lot of the same bad body language and attitude from both of them for more stretches than I'd care to already, and I wonder if it comes back to them both trying to be the leader in the only way he knows how.

I'm not hating on or bashing them at all, just commenting on what I'm seeing, and it doesn't look smooth or well-defined a lot of the time. We won, and as I said when we looked crappy in the first half, that's mostly what will stay with me.

I've been seeing RB take more and more of the time running the point and SN playing the off guard. This is a switch from last season when SN ran the point more than Ryan. The biggest question is who is setting up picks to to get SN free. OC doesn't look to be doing this. TO and DD seem to be setting up picks for RB but I'm not noticing much in the way of players getting SN free. There seems to be more plays run for OC.