I know he wants 5 out and bigs making decisions on back doors and handoffs etc (for some reason instead of the ball handlers doing that) but when things get tight, most good teams look to the post up. I’m tired of seeing us get bullied around as well in the paint and a shot blocking presence helps the perimeter D.
Need a post presence regardless how pope wants to play
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Rebounding is as important as shooting percentage.
A good C will carry you further in college ball than any other position maybe outside of a PG. (Even then, I would argue a C is more important in the college game.)
Malachi is not a perimeter big. I think he'll work on some post moves, strength, and his hands this off-season. That said, I'd be happy if we bring in a backup center who can do all the 5-out stuff.
No reason for Moreno to be the “playmaker” at the top of the key, put his butt on the block and jump hook someone to death. Make teams double him and run cutters and shooters off screens when they do, these teams have a big that can post…….they’re in the FF, we’re still trying to get to an elite 8.
Yeah, no kidding.Last year, not only could we not shoot, but we also couldn't rebound.It's amazing what you even won twenty games honestly
I hate the **** Pope tries to run. Hate the center at the three point line trying to pass back door.
Not to mention MM is not a good passer.
Why wasn’t he taught anything this year?
I think it’s interesting 3 of the final 4 teams are top 10 in rebound %. UConn is the worst at 22nd. I think rebounding and size are extremely important. Especially playing final fours in football arenas/domes. Think of Cal’s best teams. Besides being super talented they were huge. ESPN used to have graphics comparing the starting lineup average height to NBA teams 
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Cal’s best teams were rebounding machines.I think it’s interesting 3 of the final 4 teams are top 10 in rebound %. UConn is the worst at 22nd. I think rebounding and size are extremely important. Especially playing final fours in football arenas/domes. Think of Cal’s best teams. Besides being super talented they were huge. ESPN used to have graphics comparing the starting lineup average height to NBA teams
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Especially offensive rebounds.
And shot blocking. Cal loves the blocked shot. He will give up interior passes if 2 guys go for the block.
It’s frustrating to watch when other teams pump fake and dish. But it’s his MO.
He’s won over 900 games so it works for him.
John Thompson believed in that even more than Cal. He would tell Ewing, Mourning and Motumbo to just go after every shot. If they called goal tending then so be it. Keep going after them. It did affect guys. Even if it was goal tending it made shooters adjust over 40 minutes.
Especially one that can’t/wont shoot the three. Also having guys that flat out refuse to cut sure doesn’t help. Haha
. I watched every game feeling upset and blood pressure raised. Very hard to enjoy watching this season and I hate that. Hopefully things change next season because I really want to believe in and enjoy watching my Cats.
Who said he wasn't? Malachi's performance dipped as Garrison's improved because Malachi was facing the opposing ones versus Garrison getting the twos. Garrison was a junior and a former MCDAA going against scrubs and MM was a MCDAA freshman going against grown SEC starting bigs.
From his last high school game to the end of this season, MM has improved his body composition, reads, and confidence. The moves, strength, and everything else will come with time.
There was a lot of hooey on the floor last season, but MM wasn't part of it, IMO. The kid is just growing and learning like a freshman should. Not everyone is a John Wall or an Anthony Davis or a KAT. We hopefully get more years with Malachi – this wasn't his final ride unless the a-holes run him off.
Garrison was more often bad then average. He had a couple decent games but decent is about as best you could describe. There were countless much better centers on other teams. We need a big bruiser and keep Moreno as well.
Moreno is not good enough, he does not profile to be a successful modern big, he's slow and doesn't jump. Many are blinded by his high school ranking and that he's from KY.
The Purdue big was slow and couldn't jump but was effective
CMP either must get players that fit what he wants to do or adjust to what they can do. That was hard this year because most of them were limited in their skill set
It always bugged me that they never had MM turn and face from inside the key .. guys wouldn't even be up on him but he never turned because he was a system robot this year. Hope he stays and hope that changes
I didn't know that about John Thompson but I've always thought goaltending a few likely makes around the basket each game wouldn't be the worst thing (assuming you are also getting legitimate blocks). Just the mental thing of seeing your shot blocked rather than watching it go through the hoop, 2 points either way but mentally I think it affects you.
I think Larry Bird once said something about always wanting to block the dead ball shot an opponent took after a whistle for that very reason.
Look at Uconns last 3 final 4 teams. Every year they have at least 2 BIG guys. Not tall slender guys but big bulky guys that move people out of the eay downtown. He has had at least one GOOD shot blocker on each team. We have had 1 AT most so.etimes none in the last 8 years. If Pope wants to stay here he needs to pay more attention to HOW Hurley constructs his lineups instead of slathering about " movement".
Of course having talented big men help. Pope needs extremely top tier talent to win. Can he get it?
Yeah, I can’t believe two years ago that I bought into all the UK propaganda about the great offense that Pope runs.
tomislav buljin just entered 6’10 250 someone to look at a bruiser with post moves, doesnt shoot the 3 well or a lot but ACTIVE around the basket.
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Tomislav Buljan - New Mexico Lobos Forward - ESPN
View the profile of New Mexico Lobos Forward Tomislav Buljan on ESPN. Get the latest news, live stats and game highlights.
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Agree 100%. You've got a freshman big, and a very average ball handler (Garrison) trying to thread the needle with passes against aggressive, hacking perimeter defenses (Iowa State). Prescription for turnovers.
Would it kill us to post up Moreno and Garrison once in a while? They had a total of ONE field goal attempt in the tourney loss. Inexcusable.
Correct, we did that to much, when Moreno was at the top of the key his man could have walked off the court and he would have never known it. Anytime your big man is at the top of the key he needs to be a threat to score whether he is or not. They knew he was there to pass and didn’t guard him and it took him out of rebounding position too. It might be ok if we had other big men who could rebound, there was a lot of one and outs in those sets.
