TheCatsDomain.Com Message Boards: What's Going On with our Offense?

This is topic What's Going On with our Offense? in forum UK / NCAA Basketball at TheCatsDomain.Com Message Boards.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://www.thecatsdomain.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=28;t=038519

Posted by Tiptree (Member # 844) on 12-26-2020, 03:28 PM:

Sarr is a huge mystery. An accomplished big man, who has proven he can score in a Power conference, has done nothing here.

I see two problems. One is with Sarr... he wants to hang out 17-20' away from the basket. While a big man should pop out and set some screens, most of the time Sarr needs to be on the block, bodying up against his man, pinning him on his hip, and then demanding the basketball. I have seen none of that the last 4-5 games.

The second is our guards. They never look inside. They just want to pass around the perimeter, or play a two-man game with a big when the big is too damn far from the bucket. We need to have our bigs (Jackson, Sarr, Ware, Toppin) posting up strong, deep in the paint. And our guards need to be looking to make timely entry passes. None of that is happening.

So, our team is just passing the ball until a not-terrible jump shot is open. That will not win us many ball games (well, DUH!). We are not a team of shooters.

Last point on offense -- we don't have many guards who have the handle and/or the skill to penetrate and score. I get so frustrated when our opponents slice to the basket. I thought that might be a strength this year, but only Mintz seems capable, and he is just average at it. Askew can score in transition, but in the half-court, he never looks to penetrate. Even when he gets the ball one-on-one deep, he brings it back out. And forget about Boston or especially Clarke driving and scoring. They are not strong with the ball at all.

One bright spot: Our turnovers were fewer. There were a couple or three times when we passed to a spot where nobody was, or made a pass to a cutting player who just wasn't looking for the ball. That is just unforgivable. But, overall, our passes are much better, and our turnovers less egregious.

[ 12-26-2020, 03:29 PM: Message edited by: Tiptree ]

Posted by Bama Cat (Member # 153) on 12-26-2020, 05:20 PM:

Let's face it. Most of these kids were over rated coming out of high school. Cal likes to take the top kids but this year he was fooled. Not all the top kids pan out as one and dones in college. The law of averages appears to have caught up with Cal. I don't believe we will have a single first round draft pick out of this class, including Sarr, Jackson, Mint, Boston, Clarke, Askew or Ware. This may be a good omen for those who want kids to stick for more than 1 year. Or the omen could be a bad one if two or more of these kids get disallusioned and transfer. With the new rule of free transfers being able to play right away we could lose some of these kids.

Posted by Bigcatdaddy (Member # 21) on 12-26-2020, 05:26 PM:

Tip you said what I would have said. Only you said it more better.

Posted by Tiptree (Member # 844) on 12-26-2020, 07:14 PM:

Bama,

I will bet we get our share of NBA picks out of this class. For two reasons:

(1) Cal will right this ship eventually. I keep saying late January, if I can bear to watch that long.

(2) The NBA will draft on potential. And there is LOTS of potential on this squad. I just hope it actualizes before they are gone.

Posted by Trey Ball (Member # 332) on 12-28-2020, 10:38 PM:

quote:
Originally posted by Tiptree:
Bama,

(2) The NBA will draft on potential. And there is LOTS of potential on this squad. I just hope it actualizes before they are gone.

I agree the NBA drafts on potential, but I don't see a lot of talent on this roster. Jackson is the only player with fringe 1st round talent. Sarr may get a look in the second round. I just don't see the NBA skill set there for Boston/Clarke/Askew/Ware. They all may put their names in but I don't think any of them would get drafted.

As far as the offense goes. UK has zero PG play and for the most part zero shooters on the floor. Mintz can hit uncontested threes, but his release is slow.

[ 12-28-2020, 10:49 PM: Message edited by: Trey Ball ]