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Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 01-13-2021, 12:43 PM:

Field goal %---21-61 34.4% ugh
3 point%.......4-18 22.25% ugh
Free throws.....19-24 79.25% yes

Rebounds........44 yes
Blocks 9 yes
Steals 5
Turn-overs 19 ugh
assists 7 ugh

Posted by Tiptree (Member # 844) on 01-13-2021, 02:11 PM:

In my opinion, a large number of blocks is ambiguous. If those were all blocks of shots put up in the paint from post players, then they are excellent. If, instead, they are blocks of shots from guards who successfully blew by our defenders, then it just reveals how porous our defense is.

We took a big step backwards yesterday. But we have seen that this team CAN compete, and CAN play efficiently and effectively. The fact that we have no top-tier point guard like we are used to having makes our offense sputter against teams that play aggressive on-the-ball defense. But even if we did have a great point guard, the rest of the team needs to instinctively know what to do off the ball.

The persistently high turnovers and low assists attest to this. This team has no effective slasher, no lightening-fast penetrator, no solid ball-handler. We have a bunch of jump-shooters, including our esteemed center. And shooting jump shots is not a winning strategy.

[ 01-13-2021, 02:13 PM: Message edited by: Tiptree ]

Posted by Bama Cat (Member # 153) on 01-13-2021, 02:42 PM:

This explains why you are right. Cal recruits mainly "ATHLETES" not "BASKETBALL PLAYERS". Concluding what you said, first of all we don't have much in the way of defensive players no matter how many blocks we had. In January these guys still play a crappy brand of defense. Offensively We don't move enough and the way they play offense sucks.

If Boston doesn't improve his way of trying to score he will be laughed out of the NBA before he gets in. He still trys to use all his high school moves in todays games. It just ain't going to work. Allen is being used as a decoy too much of the time. He was open too many times and they just ignored him or were working for themselves.

I don't mind sitting back and watching them now that I know they aren't going to win 20 games, they are going to lose more than 10 games, are not going to get back in the top 25 again, are not going to make the NCAA Tourney and could be doubtful to make the other two tourneys.

Cal may have already recruited over 3 or 4 of these guys for nrxt year. There will be some guys enter the portal for next year. Poor Cal, he is living on borrowed time as the game of basketball starts passing him by.

Posted by Tiptree (Member # 844) on 01-13-2021, 05:06 PM:

In my mind, the ball MUST be touched by 2 of these three players in every half-court set:

1. Sarr (on the block)
2. Allen (squared up and ready to shoot on the arc)
3. Brooks (hopefully the ball gets to him in full stride as he moves to his spot).

Askew should initiate the process, and then get to the corner for a possible spot-up jumper. Whoever is the fourth player needs to be setting screens, cutting, or getting open as a relief valve for a pass.

If those three are not involved in our offense, it just doesn't work.

Posted by Bama Cat (Member # 153) on 01-13-2021, 07:49 PM:

There's others that could be involved but they need to understand whether they should shoot or pass. The main thing is I don't see a NBA player yet. Right now we have a full roster of 13 for next year, 9 that should be back and 4 new ones coming in.

[ 01-13-2021, 07:52 PM: Message edited by: Bama Cat ]

Posted by Trey Ball (Member # 332) on 01-13-2021, 07:51 PM:

Just my opinion, but I think part of the problem is Cal is trying to have Sarr and Brooks touch it every time. I don’t think Sarr is post player. He is a wing. He doesn’t know how to post up strong nor do I think he has great back to the basket post moves.

I’ve been saying for years that Cal needs to accept that 3 is greater than 2 and UK needs to play as fast as humanly possible. Instead I think UK continues to play at an even slower pace and continues to try to play through the post. I just don’t see that working in today’s game.

Posted by Bama Cat (Member # 153) on 01-13-2021, 07:54 PM:

You're right, it won't work with the guys he has. Maybe next year with the two bigs he has coming in.

Posted by Trey Ball (Member # 332) on 01-13-2021, 10:18 PM:

quote:
Originally posted by Bama Cat:
You're right, it won't work with the guys he has. Maybe next year with the two bigs he has coming in.

I don’t think it will ever work. It is severely outdated way to play. The 3 point shot is an easy shot to make these days because so many players are shooting thousands of threes daily.

I think UK should average taking 30 to 35 threes per game. That will require Cal to recruit differently. I just don’t think you can win a championship by playing half court and through the post basketball now.

Posted by Tiptree (Member # 844) on 01-13-2021, 10:59 PM:

I agree with Trey. Cal is trying to send kids to the NBA of 2021 by teaching them the basketball theory of 1981.

The three-point shot must be a focus for the offense. You do that by recruiting or developing outstanding shooters, teaching great floor spacing, and running offensive sets with lots of motion and screening. Once that is locked in, you get to do things like Bama did to us -- drive to the basket, get easy lobs, and of course, drain tons of threes.

Oh, and we could actually execute the simple pick-and-roll once in a while. Cal talks about it, but he doesn't teach it. Once you have shooters spaced around the floor and moving, the pick-and-roll becomes easy.

Alas. We will continue to see whatever it is Cal teaches, which has some good points, but really isn't competitive. I like the interior passing (when they do it), and we seem to get easy looks from the corner on the inside-out. But as Trey points out, Sarr is a stretch four, not a five. Use Jackson or ware on the block and let Sarr run the screens and pick-and-roll.

I like Askew, Mintz, and Allen as the perimeter players. They can all hit the open three, and are starting to understand spacing and movement. Right now, I like Brooks and Jackson to go with them. Jackson is a great shot-blocker and can get backdoors, lobs and put-backs for points. He doesn't have a great set of post moves, but we can work with what he brings. And Brooks is just the everywhere-man. He seems to be in the right spot for rebounds, put-backs, and easy shots. And those five are adequate on defense as well (not great, mind you. Adequate).

Those five can run Cal's dribble-drive, or that hideous loopy-thing he loves. But they are also the five that I think could learn the pro-style offense. The question is, will he teach it?

Posted by EnterpriseCat (Member # 2881) on 01-14-2021, 07:06 AM:

I honestly can’t tell what offense the Cats are trying to run. There is so much stationary dribbling and standing around it’s hard to determine what they’re actually trying to run. How many shot clock violations did we have (or last second heaves) against Bama?

Sarr isn’t a true post player. He’s not strong enough with the ball and gets pushed around trying to establish position. PG is still the main issue and we simply don’t have one who can penetrate and dish like we usually have.

Not sure this team will win 11 games. Maybe next year we’ll have some shooters and a PG who can stress and stretch a defense.

Posted by shoe (Member # 1830) on 01-14-2021, 11:34 AM:

Maybe they should work on their basketball skills and not their kneeling skills

Posted by Bama Cat (Member # 153) on 01-14-2021, 11:53 AM:

[Wink]