Collin Chandler last 2 games

[AllBall]

Chandler is going have to start working on his intermediate game.

It's his ball handling. He can't shoot off the dribble and is below average attacking off the bounce.

 

[1UKCatFan]

They have essentially double teamed him every time he gets the ball and our roster is so awful it hasn’t caused the defense to be punished over it because we don’t have a lot of offensive weapons. The focus he is getting when he gets the ball should be freeing up other guys to score.

Good thing Pope is an offensive genius and has made adjustments to make other teams pay for the double team. Nevermind, he hasn't figured it out yet.

 

[CNJ1966]

I’ll add that CC has got to develop a handle, drive game, midrange jumper and a floater.

He has one of those, but Pope likely discourages him from taking midrange jumpers…you know, analytics and all

 

[HipTer]

I’ll add that CC has got to develop a handle, drive game, midrange jumper and a floater.

I agree CC. I think all of it comes back to the handle, and the other stuff is mainly part and parcel to the lack of tight ball control and shiftiness. If I remember correctly, Chandler recognized this and emphasized the handle last offseason. Regardless, it's still not where it has to be in order for him to be much more than a spot up shooter - which is a shame give his athleticism (or at least straight-line athleticism).

 

[tjhunter]

He has one of those, but Pope likely discourages him from taking midrange jumpers…you know, analytics and all

They ran a lot of mid range for Robinson last year!

 

[anon1777473514]

He has one of those, but Pope likely discourages him from taking midrange jumpers…you know, analytics and all

Pope allows a lot more midrange in comparison to most modern coaches. Oweh and Aberdeen both shoot quite a few on this team. Go watch Oats — that’s how analytics would tell you to play. Almost zero midrange unless it’s an elite mid range shooter situationally.

 

[KyWideWes]

Lulz nobody said that. Williams was an ascending 35% 3 point shooter that we lost to injury. That 35% is kinda skewed because of how bad of a shooting start Williams started out with. He shot 42% from 3 last season. He was also starting to take people off the bounce. Having a guy like that on the opposite wing, forces the opposition to guard him and not double team CC. This isn’t a hard concept.

Solid player and we need him but don't agree he was taking people off the bounce. He struggled early because he was rushing his shot because the athletes are better at this level and his release is really low. It did get better. If he comes back we would be better off trying to add 15 pounds and make him a stretch 4.

 

[KyWideWes]

I think that’s the problem, Cornbread. Go read the post Cowtown made again. No one “hyped” anything. He just said Kam would open things up for Collin. As usual, we have battle lines drawn all over this site, so rather than hear what someone is saying we have folks hopping on radio, “We’ve got one over here saying Kam can open up the offense for Chandler.” “Yep, that’ll be a point for the Popers. Better take the shot.” Like — doesn’t have to be like that lol.

Unless you interpreted Cowtown’s post as “Kam Williams is pretty close to prime T Mac”

How does a SF with just ok ballhandling paired with a 2g with not great ballhandling on a team with no true PG and no real post offense open things up?

 

[anon1777473514]

How does a SF with just ok ballhandling paired with a 2g with not great ballhandling on a team with no true PG and no real post offense open things up?

If people are faceguarding Chandler and helping on Oweh drives, having another shooter means wide open shots from good shooters. Having Kam get wide open looks could lead to softer coverage on Chandler.

 

[CNJ1966]

Pope allows a lot more midrange in comparison to most modern coaches. Oweh and Aberdeen both shoot quite a few on this team. Go watch Oats — that’s how analytics would tell you to play. Almost zero midrange unless it’s an elite mid range shooter situationally.

They are the only 2 that do…and I have no problem with them shooting them. Just can’t understand why nobody else does. Chandler and Noah especially. Even Moreno. Moreno hits a 17ft game winner against LSU…don’t think he’s attempted one since, and teams routinely leave him open.

 

[KyWideWes]

If people are faceguarding Chandler and helping on Oweh drives, having another shooter means wide open shots from good shooters. Having Kam get wide open looks could lead to softer coverage on Chandler.

Ok in that scenario you have Williams as a stretch 4 which is different than what I was saying. Williams is a plus ballhandler as a 4 and a minues ballhandler as a 3.

 

[Cowtown Cat]

Solid player and we need him but don't agree he was taking people off the bounce. He struggled early because he was rushing his shot because the athletes are better at this level and his release is really low. It did get better. If he comes back we would be better off trying to add 15 pounds and make him a stretch 4.

I should rephrase that. He was beginning to take people off the bounce. You’re right, he struggled with that aspect early on. No doubt about that.

 

[true-blue1]

5 pts
2-11 (1-8 from 3)
1 of those 2 made shots was a breakaway dunk

This happens when opposing coaches do their job and actually scout unlike our coaches.

 

[HipTer]

Ok in that scenario you have Williams as a stretch 4 which is different than what I was saying. Williams is a plus ballhandler as a 4 and a minues ballhandler as a 3.

Also, we all know how the pieces fit (or overlap) is important, right? I think about how Jelavic, Williams, Hawthorne and Chandler fit and worry that you would need a strong driver AND a dependable post-up scorer with two of those guys in the lineup. Now I think the driving could probably come from the PG spot instead of the 2G or SF spot; especially if he were good at kicking it out to the 3-pt. line or dropping it off inside. I also think Moreno is going to be a pretty good post-up scorer (although he spends a lot of the time screening on the perimeter in Pope’s offense) but not sure if he puts enough pressure on the defense next season or not.

 

[Phil_The_Music2]

If people are faceguarding Chandler and helping on Oweh drives, having another shooter means wide open shots from good shooters. Having Kam get wide open looks could lead to softer coverage on Chandler.

Even my wife understands this and she's only been watching basketball for a few years.

 

[UKAlum84]

Chandler in the tourney could be like Gohlke from Oakland behind the 3 point line....

For just one tourney game, I'd like to see Coach Pope run plays for him to make a record amount of 3's.

 

[rivercatinfl]

I agree, but I really think this team would be 22-9 (at best) even with a healthy Kam and Lowe. UK beats three of Missouri, Auburn, Georgia, and A&M with those guys.

This team was still poorly constructed. I don't count JQ because he was a high-risk guy from the start with the injury.

Pope has to do an expontentially better job in the next portal cycle. Last year he added or brought back too many guys who don't fit his system (Mo D, Garrison, Lowe, Jelavic).

There are still fans thinking that "if only" Pope can get a fair shake, but I don't think the missing talent (Kam and Lowe) is the type of talent that would have ever made this a Final Four level team. We're soft in far too many areas.

Spot on! IMO Jelavic, Garrison, Mo and Lowe were not very good. Each could be a bench player but not primary guys.
This is what everyone means about our roster construction.
They gotta be replaced with better players.

 

[KyWideWes]

Also, we all know how the pieces fit (or overlap) is important, right? I think about how Jelavic, Williams, Hawthorne and Chandler fit and worry that you would need a strong driver AND a dependable post-up scorer with two of those guys in the lineup. Now I think the driving could probably come from the PG spot instead of the 2G or SF spot; especially if he were good at kicking it out to the 3-pt. line or dropping it off inside. I also think Moreno is going to be a pretty good post-up scorer (although he spends a lot of the time screening on the perimeter in Pope’s offense) but not sure if he puts enough pressure on the defense next season or not.

Moreno is a huge key. Great feel for the game but has to take a big step physically to be a low post force. Him playing outside with dribble handoffs does not do much for me. Not like he great rim roller from those sets.

 

[rivercatinfl]

They are the only 2 that do…and I have no problem with them shooting them. Just can’t understand why nobody else does. Chandler and Noah especially. Even Moreno. Moreno hits a 17ft game winner against LSU…don’t think he’s attempted one since, and teams routinely leave him open.

I think Moreno is gonna be a really good player but he needs work. His game around the basket is weak. Look at what Florida's Cbdid to him yesterday. He got the ball low and just did a quick jump hook. Moreno lacks that for now. When he gets the ball in the paint and is 4' from the basket, he should score nearly every time.

 

[HipTer]

Moreno is a huge key. Great feel for the game but has to take a big step physically to be a low post force. Him playing outside with dribble handoffs does not do much for me. Not like he great rim roller from those sets.

Agree. Moreno is impressive for a freshman Center. That's asking a lot of a freshman to battle those SEC Bigs, but if he makes a jump physically he'll give UK an advantage most nights.

 

[KentuckyFan1965]

this is a silly arguement. the "if we didnt have X we would be way worse".

this is a true statement of everyone on the team. if we didnt have abderdeen we would have 5-6 more loses. if we didnt have moreno we would have 5-6 more loses. there is no margin of error on this team. as proven by the last 2 games when aberdeen, chandler, and moreno played like garbabe. that doesnt mean player X is amazing, it means the team is poorly constructed.

Which was my exact point. This team was very poorly constructed. Forget the injuries. These guys never seemed to buy in on team ball. I’d like to see an emphasis placed on leadership, talent and maturity. But then I’m not sure Pope knows he to catch a team like that. His pattern of subbing in players in the first 5-8 minutes has produced disastrous results. Worst two year stretch in 37 years….man it’s hard just saying that. I just have no hope for the future of Ketucky Basketball right now.

 

[theBlues]

I’ll add that CC has got to develop a handle, drive game, midrange jumper and a floater.

Yes, he gets into the lane pretty easily but clearly has no clue about what to do when he gets there. CC has a lot of room for improvement.

 

[theBlues]

I think coaches who don't want mid range shots because of analytics need to break it down a little further. Of course you don't want guys shooting 2 point shots within a foot of the 3 point line; the player just needed to spot up a little further back for 50% more points. But an open 12-16 foot jumper for a good shooter is not a tougher shot than a contested 6 footer. A good shooter will shoot well over 50% on those while eliminating the possibility of a turnover. When we start hitting 40% of our threes and 2/3 of our layups most of the time I'll start considering an open 15 foot jumper a bad shot.

 

[CNJ1966]

I think coaches who don't want mid range shots because of analytics need to break it down a little further. Of course you don't want guys shooting 2 point shots within a foot of the 3 point line; the player just needed to spot up a little further back for 50% more points. But an open 12-16 foot jumper for a good shooter is not a tougher shot than a contested 6 footer. A good shooter will shoot well over 50% on those while eliminating the possibility of a turnover. When we start hitting 40% of our threes and 2/3 of our layups most of the time I'll start considering an open 15 foot jumper a bad shot.

Spot on! There are some players who are NOT going to make contested shots from 4’ at a very high rate. A much easier shot for them is a pull-up 12 footer (Chandler, Noah, probably Kam too). Conversely, some guys can make the acrobatic driving shots better than the open pull-ups. One size does not fit all, and a coach has to be able to figure out what his guys are best at!

 

[CrimsonCats_rivals]

He has been a let down I was expecting much more than what we all have seen.

I’ve been skeptical of his shooting from the beginning after seeing that he was at or below 30% from 3 and 70% at the free throw line for every one of his seasons in Europe that had readily accessible stats. I did hope though that there might be more to his game after seeing some analysts compare him to another stretch big who didn’t actually put up big shooting numbers in Grant Nelson.

Unfortunately, I see pretty little similarity between them after actually seeing Jelavic play this year. Nelson was actually proficient at attacking off the dribble and could finish above the rim in addition to being a better rebounder and shot blocker. Whether it’s entirely his fault or has some element of coaching involved, so far Jelavic mostly just hangs around the perimeter hoping for a catch and shoot opportunity even though he’s not proficient enough at it for that to be a priority for us. He’s not the only one who has this year, but he’s definitely underwhelmed compared to preseason expectations.

 

[BlueBloodKyFan73]

I’ve been skeptical of his shooting from the beginning after seeing that he was at or below 30% from 3 and 70% at the free throw line for every one of his seasons in Europe that had readily accessible stats. I did hope though that there might be more to his game after seeing some analysts compare him to another stretch big who didn’t actually put up big shooting numbers in Grant Nelson.

Unfortunately, I see pretty little similarity between them after actually seeing Jelavic play this year. Nelson was actually proficient at attacking off the dribble and could finish above the rim in addition to being a better rebounder and shot blocker. Whether it’s entirely his fault or has some element of coaching involved, so far Jelavic mostly just hangs around the perimeter hoping for a catch and shoot opportunity even though he’s not proficient enough at it for that to be a priority for us. He’s not the only one who has this year, but he’s definitely underwhelmed compared to preseason expectations.

True. I would like them to use him more post because he has good footwork the issue with that is Moreno can’t shoot from 12-15 feet out so middle is clogged. Would love a player like Ridder or Mirkovic not likely to enter but who knows it’s all about money.

 

[*Fox2Monk*]

5 pts
2-11 (1-8 from 3)
1 of those 2 made shots was a breakaway dunk

He needs to work on scoring other ways in the offseason. Improve his handle. Start being more aggressive. I think the makeup of the team hurts him but we need Aberdeen and Oweh to carry so much of the load because we have so few options to consistently score.

 

[Kyhoward1]

Chandler is going have to start working on his intermediate game.

He has the quickness and jumping ability to get his shot off over most defenders. If he gets the confidence to use a shot fake and get towards the lane and take 10 to 15 ft jumpers or get to the rim, he becomes a defensive nightmare. With his great free throw percentage, he needs to ba a 3-tier threat.

We need another player or 2 to be 3-point threats also (Kam, Jelly?) and maybe a transfer or 2 to add to the arsenal. Collin will be drawing a lot of attention on the perimeter to help others become open.

Need good decisions by the staff with new additions plus a mostly full roster for next season.

I like Pope and think he can become the coach we need, but he has to do a lot of personal soul searching. Learn from your mistakes and eliminate them. He does not have 2-3 more years to figure it out but needs marked improvement next season

 

[Kyhoward1]

He does not have the handle to punish defenders for crowding him.

At present, I agree. But he has 2 more years and I think a point of emphasis this coming offseason will be handling and penetration, not just looking for the 3’s.

 

[megablue]

having chandler and moreno as starters next year who are to be counted on being major contributors is a scary proposition.

10000000% this ^^^^^

 

[megablue]

I think Chandler is s good player and I hope he is back next year, but I think his 3pt shooting for several weeks was a bit of an anomaly. He was automatic for awhile. He may never be that hot from 3pt range again. That doesn't mean he can't be a major factor, but I think people are expecting too much based on a hot streak.

Chandler is a 10-15 minute back-up on a final four level team. He is a 20-30 minute player on the type of team we have this year.

 

[Kyhoward1]

Great, we would have scored:
25 points
and went
10-55 (5-40 from 3)!!!
Yeah baby!!!!

Granted he didn’t play well the last 2 games so my response is:
Go Collin!!!!!!!!!!!
Love your game, hustle, and team play!

 

[Kyhoward1]

Yeah, man. I take an absolute beating on here over nothing. It’s pretty damn wild. Nobody is happy with this season. No real fan anyway. However, why can we not just have civil discussions and agree upon things that are beyond obvious? Idk but this board has gone to hell.

Civil! Certainly you jest Cowtown!

Great posters on this forum that know the game but don’t act like know-it-alls.
Conversely, the opposite is also true.

 

[anon1777473514]

Civil! Certainly you jest Cowtown!

Great posters on this forum that know the game but don’t act like no-it-alls.
Conversely, the opposite is also true.

I actually do think a lot of it is just frustration. As fans, we have want to feel like we have made some kind of change to improve the product. These days, the common man’s voice is quieter than ever before, so now the common folk just blame each other and that’s what most of the arguments have really become.

 

[JasonRDunn]

Chandler reminds me of Brea. Both were / are very good spot up shooters that can get hot. Brea had a decent handle but didnt do a lot (until the end of the season) to create his own shot. Chandler struggles to create his own shot. Only Denzel and Oweh can do that.

If Chandler comes back, he will need to become a 3-level scorer ala Antonio Reeves.

 

[Wildcat_in_DC]

Chandler reminds me of Brea. Both were / are very good spot up shooters that can get hot. Brea had a decent handle but didnt do a lot (until the end of the season) to create his own shot. Chandler struggles to create his own shot. Only Denzel and Oweh can do that.

If Chandler comes back, he will need to become a 3-level scorer ala Antonio Reeves.

to put chandler anywhere near the same category as brea/reeves is insane to me.