The Sanogo issue

[Kolumbo]

I can't blame Sanogo at all. Others need to step up.

 

[kansashusky]

i love how Sanogo is getting smaller and smaller. Pretty soon he he will be shorter than Cole. LOL!

I don't think he will ever be shorter than Cole.

 

[bendm]

Sanogo is only a sophomore, and Kalkenbrenner did a great job on him. Next year Sanogo will be fine against 7 footers, but he is not there yet. I could have sworn Kalkenbrenner tipped at least two Sanogo shots, but there is nothing in the box score.

One of the issues I have always had with Sanogo is his shot fundamentals inside because he almost never uses the bank. This creates two problems for a 6'9 center: 1) the shot is simply a harder shot without using the backboard. This is basic angles and trajectory. 2) when you are going straight in rather than using the bank, you have to slow the shot down a little right at the release. This is a split second adjustment, but it makes you as a shooter more prone to getting blocked. Since shooters know this, they often try to make adjustments to their shots as they release the ball to avoid shotblockers. This makes their shots less accurate, effectively giving the shot-blocker exactly what he wants without having to actually block the shot.

Sanogo needs to use the backboard more often.

did you watch the purdue v wisconsin game? wisconsin's bigs, crowl and wahl, were consistently scoring on 7'4 zach edey off semi post ups by creating a little separation and then banking it off the backboard. all edey could do was helplessly flail at the ball, it was very impressive.
sanogo should have had a much easier time against kalk. this was a blair v. thabeet matchup where the lower center of gravity should win.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

did you watch the purdue v wisconsin game? wisconsin's bigs, crowl and wahl, were consistently scoring on 7'4 zach edey off semi post ups by creating a little separation and then banking it off the backboard. all edey could do was flail at the ball, it was very impressive.

Speaking of banks, Wisconsin’s winning shots were a ridiculous banked three and a banked step back that hit the backboard at about 40 mph.

 

[CTBasketball]

The lid was caused by having a 7 footer on him and that got in his head.

I also think Sanogo takes some really bad shots at times. Shots that usually are passed up by any normal frontcourt player.

 

[BigFanCT]

People on here are really b***hing about a guy who has done this in his last 5 games:

• 13 and 16
• 6 and 2 (not good but not needed)
• 20 and 6
• 15 and 9
• 20 and 16

And ignoring that we have a big man that has regressed from last year (IW) and a guard who is non-existent on offense (AJ).

Sanogo aint the reason we lost yesterday. It was 3 on 5 all game from an offensive perspective. Polley hit a 3. Yay.

 

[3rdbass]

People on here are really b***hing about a guy who has done this in his last 5 games:

• 13 and 16
• 6 and 2 (not good but not needed)
• 20 and 6
• 15 and 9
• 20 and 16

And ignoring that we have a big man that has regressed from last year (IW) and a guard who is non-existent on offense (AJ).

Sanogo aint the reason we lost yesterday. It was 3 on 5 all game from an offensive perspective. Polley hit a 3. Yay.

Yeah the offensive lineups that Hurley puts out there is really mind-boggling at times. I guess he is all about the defense and forget and resemblance to an offense. Jackson taking 6 3's last night and especially the 2nd option on that shot near the end was weird. Did Hurley give him the green light? He surely did on his drives which were ugly too. I mean his defender sags so much off him as they know he can just penetrate. He needs to keep people on honest and has to work on his shot.

 

[husky429]

People on here are really b***hing about a guy who has done this in his last 5 games:

• 13 and 16
• 6 and 2 (not good but not needed)
• 20 and 6
• 15 and 9
• 20 and 16

And ignoring that we have a big man that has regressed from last year (IW) and a guard who is non-existent on offense (AJ).

Sanogo aint the reason we lost yesterday. It was 3 on 5 all game from an offensive perspective. Polley hit a 3. Yay.

People complain about everything. It's super frustrating the things we make up to be upset by after losses. We have the same problems in wins AND losses, but people like to ignore it after wins.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Was Akok hurt?

Hurley has no idea how to use him. So yeah, he's probably hurt by not playing.

 

[bendm]

Hurley has no idea how to use him. So yeah, he's probably hurt by not playing.

cmon. akok is not the answer to our problems.

at this point i'm just hoping he can end his career on a relatively high note, i.e., by giving us 12-14 productive mpg next season in a PF timeshare w/ samson and karaban.

 

[husky429]

Hurley has no idea how to use him. So yeah, he's probably hurt by not playing.

Eh, I see him as basically unplayable in close games at this point. He's a shell of his former shelf. Hurley played him VERY well as a freshman, and he got tons of minutes. He didn't just forget the kid's skillset.

 

[buddy]

They may be silly, but I wonder if he gets dehydrated as the game goes on and it effects his play. I notice that he seems to sweat a lot more than the others. And I also appreciate how hard he has it with two or three men guarding him. Maybe hydration will help. He is not responsible for the loss. Silly turnovers that killed momentum and inability to stop their big did the job in the second half when UConn was on the verge of taking the lead.

 

[NJHusky]

Coach has to protect Sanogo in that situation by going zone or allowing him to stay parked in the paint.

"Stepping up" and "playing harder" are not the answers--our team plays their hearts out every night.

Has coach played more than 30 sec of zone?

Agree. Effort is not the issue. They exploited the hedge the way Calhoun exploited the hole at the top of the key in the cuse zone

 

[husky429]

Has coach played more than 30 sec of zone?

Agree. Effort is not the issue. They exploited the hedge the way Calhoun exploited the hole at the top of the key in the cuse zone

We played a few possessions at the end of the Seton Hall (???) game earlier this year, but that's it.

I'm not a big fan of zone, but good coaches have it in their bag.

 

[NJHusky]

It isn't all on Sanogo. When he goes out to hedge the weak side defender has to slide down into the paint, and that doesn't happen. Perhaps that gives someone an open look outside or from deep, but Creighton shoots 30% for the season out there. I'll take my chances on that shot as opposed to a dunk fest!

Well then it’s on the coach to notice and correct it during the game

 

[kansashusky]

People on here are really b***hing about a guy who has done this in his last 5 games:

• 13 and 16
• 6 and 2 (not good but not needed)
• 20 and 6
• 15 and 9
• 20 and 16

And ignoring that we have a big man that has regressed from last year (IW) and a guard who is non-existent on offense (AJ).

Sanogo aint the reason we lost yesterday. It was 3 on 5 all game from an offensive perspective. Polley hit a 3. Yay.

Both can be true. Everytime we tied or got it close, Sanogo's man would either beat him down the floor for a dunk, or get the ball over Sanogo and dunk. Then Sanogo would be a black hole at the other end and throw up a bunny that would miss.

He is vital to our team, but when we are so limited offensively, if he has a poor night, it really hurts us.

 

[ClifSpliffy]

in the film room, coach will be reminding adama to stay at home on d, unless he can, absolutely, positively, do something meaningful for a teammate seemingly about to get beat on a drive, especially when he's further out.
lot's of wishy washy half slides by him last nite, where he ended up in noman's land, allowing a crisp pass to his man for a bunny.
no worries. coach's 'poop or get off the pot!' lambaste to him will register. he's a quick learner.

 

[Jaydumo20]

People complain about everything. It's super frustrating the things we make up to be upset by after losses. We have the same problems in wins AND losses, but people like to ignore it after wins.

This post offered no stats, no coaching suggestions, no line up suggestions, no comments about "teaching these kids fundamentals", but it is the wisest post I've seen in this thread. Yes, we are all upset after a loss, and the easiest knee jerk reaction to a loss is to project by blaming and criticizing. You're right. Calmly offer these suggestions after we win if you want to be trusted.

 

[t8per]

The issue with Sanogo is that he tries to switch on a screen EVERY time. His roller is constantly left free and it leads to easy points.

It doesn't matter what his stat-line looks like at the end of the game. He is costing us defensively in the pick and roll. He needs to stop trying to hedge because he just doesn't have above average awareness, not yet at least.

It's a fixable issue, but that's assuming Hurley and Co. know how to teach it.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Eh, I see him as basically unplayable in close games at this point. He's a shell of his former shelf. Hurley played him VERY well as a freshman, and he got tons of minutes. He didn't just forget the kid's skillset.

As a 5 perhaps. He's a 4. As a 4 he's a better defender (inside or out) than Polley, better rebounder than Polley, better passer than Polley and nearly as good a shooter as Polley. Hurley is trying to turn him into a center. He's not. Never was. Yes he gets pushed around. So would Polley in that role. He still has one of the better BPMs on the team. He's also a very good screener.

 

[husky429]

As a 5 perhaps. He's a 4. As a 4 he's a better defender (inside or out) than Polley, better rebounder than Polley, better passer than Polley and nearly as good a shooter as Polley. Hurley is trying to turn him into a center. He's not. Never was. Yes he gets pushed around. So would Polley in that role. He still has one of the better BPMs on the team. He's also a very good screener.

His defense has not been good this yeR and he's played most of his minutes at the 4. Are we watching the same game?

 

[TheChamps990411]

People on here are really b***hing about a guy who has done this in his last 5 games:

• 13 and 16
• 6 and 2 (not good but not needed)
• 20 and 6
• 15 and 9
• 20 and 16

And ignoring that we have a big man that has regressed from last year (IW) and a guard who is non-existent on offense (AJ).

Sanogo aint the reason we lost yesterday. It was 3 on 5 all game from an offensive perspective. Polley hit a 3. Yay.

im not criticizing him but i will say he got absolutely embarrassed by Creightons big man.

 

[cohenzone]

playing jackson and whaley in lineups with sanogo is like tying an arm behind our back.

So
Last game after Hawkins goes down what is your sub pattern.

 

[T-Squared]

Sure, Sanogo didn’t get back quick enough after the hedge, which led to multiple dunks. But Creighton/McDermott eliminated any rotational help by extending on the perimeter and clearing the lane, drawing all other UConn defenders away from the hoop. After Kalkbrenner got two or three dunks that way a defensive change was needed: either go zone or eliminate the Sanogo hedge. No change was made and Kalkbrenner go 20 points in the 2nd half as a result. A big-to-big double wasn’t available due to Creighton’s spacing. Tip of the hat to McDermott. Get ‘em next time Huskies. The silver lining - Danny and the team now know how they may be attacked come tournament time and they have time to prepare.

 

[HuskyHawk]

His defense has not been good this yeR and he's played most of his minutes at the 4. Are we watching the same game?

Maybe, maybe not. His Drtg is good at 94.1 (about the same as IW). Polley is 101.7. His defense is fine when he isn't guarding 5s. When did he last play at the 4?

He got 6 minutes vs GTown, all with Whaley and Sanogo on the bench I believe. He got 14 in the first Georgetown game, so may have played with Whaley or Sanogo...and was effective. He is most effective opposite Sanogo. He's exactly what is needed against a team like Creighton, so it was baffling that he didn't play.