IYO, Minor Set-Back or Glaring Issues?
- Thread starter Random UK Fan
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Not sure yet. Feels like theres something missing from being an elite title-worthy team. But still too early to tell.
I think the problem comes with switching. I think our guards always think there will be weak side help after their player drives by them. We don't do that very well.
Can it be both? Not too concerned about the loss, but the issue of perimeter defense is becoming glaring. It's one thing for a lottery pick in Ball or a really good college player in Jackson to go off. Quite another for a garbage *** player like Snider to get whatever he wants. That's going to have to change quickly.
Somewhere in the middle. Our defense against the drive is bad. Has to be cleaned up. We knew UL would muck it up. Can't let the other team dictate tempo. Poor shot selection which we have had on several other nights besides this one however we made them most other nights. Have to find someone at the 4. Hard to believe 2 5 stars and a senior 4 star can't do that but hasn't come about so far. On the other hand there isn't a faster more athletic team in the country and plenty of time to gel.
Too early too tell. We are better than the 14 team was at this stage of the season. Probably on par with the 11 team, both made it to the final four.
I think you are right. Everyone forgets we start 4 freshman. Cals teams don't gel until March...give them some time...
1. We need to clean up the perimeter defense. Bigs need to player better on ball screens but our guards aren't staying in front of ball very well.
2. Mulder has to play 15 mpg and Briscoe needs to go below 30 mpg...with Murray/Ullis...Briscoe could hide a bit better. But Fox isn't the shooter Ullis is so the team chemistry isn't going to be there with those skill sets.
3. I think it's time to move SKJ into more minutes to interior scoring. Gabriel is really doing poorly on defense (did have some shot blocks) and bring no offense right now. Maybe SKJ is the back up for Bam...but we are way to weak at the PF spot and backup C to not try him out there.
2. Mulder has to play 15 mpg and Briscoe needs to go below 30 mpg...with Murray/Ullis...Briscoe could hide a bit better. But Fox isn't the shooter Ullis is so the team chemistry isn't going to be there with those skill sets.
3. I think it's time to move SKJ into more minutes to interior scoring. Gabriel is really doing poorly on defense (did have some shot blocks) and bring no offense right now. Maybe SKJ is the back up for Bam...but we are way to weak at the PF spot and backup C to not try him out there.
Our defensive rating went up after today's game.
we are now 6th in overall efficiency.
I think we are very critical of our team because we all want to win. I think there's an issue, but i also think we can work it out.
There was small span where we played good defense, but then followed up by bad defense. We saw that swing of up 4 down 4 and up 4 and down 4.
we are now 6th in overall efficiency.
I think we are very critical of our team because we all want to win. I think there's an issue, but i also think we can work it out.
There was small span where we played good defense, but then followed up by bad defense. We saw that swing of up 4 down 4 and up 4 and down 4.
Bingo...it's a problem, but can be fixed.
These guys never did that in HS....camp Cal bout to start.
Issues. If Fox and Monk won't guard and only care about scoring it's gonna be a quick tournament because no one is gonna let Monk get easy shots the rest of the year and he's always been streaky since AAU. 35 one game. 8 the next. It's just him.
Bam needs to get the ball much more than he does and this team needs to either put out more effort on containing dribble drives or play a Big zone.
Glaring issue: our coach won't play zone when certain fukn teams struggle with it. Zone stops drives to the basket and tests their ability to pass the ball around.
Loserville sucks and you will see that when Good coaches switch to zone on them. Man then zone then man then zone and loserville loses.
The Cards had atleast 20 points off drives to the basket and probably 30+ points honestly. Zone that **** and they gotta find 30points somewhere else. Its not rocket science.
Loserville sucks and you will see that when Good coaches switch to zone on them. Man then zone then man then zone and loserville loses.
The Cards had atleast 20 points off drives to the basket and probably 30+ points honestly. Zone that **** and they gotta find 30points somewhere else. Its not rocket science.
An effective zone takes more practice and is tougher to teach. Cal chooses to play young guys that won't be around for multiple years. It's a little tougher than just yelling zone.
A bad zone looks a whole lot like guys standing in a formation and not rebounding well because they aren't good at it.
they practice against zone everyday. They can play it. Coach Cal just doesn't play zone because he is a stubborn mule...imo. If you don't play zone as a defensive technique to throw teams off you are a dumbass. A dumb freaking ***.....imo.
We gel in March until we throw in an inexplicable clunker. We did it against UCLA, again tonite, and I'm thinking Elite 8 this year. Our ceiling.
Have to disagree. I honestly think we will have as good a chance as Nova or UCLA or whomever to win the title. I can't imagine how good fox is gonna be by tournament time for example.
Glaring..by a mile !! This team is one "out of his mind" performance by Monk from being 0/3 vs. UL, UCLA, and UNC. Giving up 270 points combined to the only real competition we've played is glaring..by A LOT. No defensive chemistry whatsoever. Cal's hard headed ways with his in game defensive coaching. Terrible rebounding, terrible defense, terrible half court offense, terrible at guarding the three, bad free throw shooting, etc..very glaring. A TON of talent..but not a very good TEAM. No chemistry.
Porque no los dos?
Took Monk playing awful and Bam + willis missing some FTs down the stretch to lose.
OTOH, our perimeter D is hot runny ****.
Took Monk playing awful and Bam + willis missing some FTs down the stretch to lose.
OTOH, our perimeter D is hot runny ****.
Played like freshman and struggled with their composure in the chaotic environment. The result, subpar game performances and a loss. Time to Grow-up, Step-up, Man-up.
Might start here!
Might start here!
Good news is we won't see teams and coaches like UL and UCLA again till march...bad news is those types of coaches and teams are exactly what will make it a short trip for us...
I've said it before and I'll say it again, athlete ball is good enough to get through 95% of our schedule, but Cal needs to find a basketball team out of all that "talent".
At some point "being an athlete" simply wont be enough. Not when the other team has comparable athletes who also are very good basketball players with specific skills, and a pretty good coach who can x and o.
UCLA and UL both had comparable talent, though I would say overall we are more athletic and talented. However, both teams had the advantage in specific basketball skill and fundamentals.
Our lead guards are not great shooters, and they aren't great from the stripe. That is a recipe for disaster.
Our 4 is a thin project freshmen.
Our big man has all the makings of an absolute beast but isn't very efficient, and we really don't have anyone to help him in the front court.
Cal wants to showcase the lottery picks in an NBA style, open court, rim running fest which doesn't leave a lot of room for guys who aren't perfectly fit for that tempo to get some run, develop, and contribute significantly.
I don't know if Platooning is the answer, but there are 6 other guys who need to get some run and who all bring something to the table that is needed.
Cal needs to see what SKJ, Hump, and Tai can do. Mulder and Willis both need to play because they are both shooters and efficient from the stripe. Hawk needs to play because he is just solid, disciplined, can defend, can hit free throws.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, athlete ball is good enough to get through 95% of our schedule, but Cal needs to find a basketball team out of all that "talent".
At some point "being an athlete" simply wont be enough. Not when the other team has comparable athletes who also are very good basketball players with specific skills, and a pretty good coach who can x and o.
UCLA and UL both had comparable talent, though I would say overall we are more athletic and talented. However, both teams had the advantage in specific basketball skill and fundamentals.
Our lead guards are not great shooters, and they aren't great from the stripe. That is a recipe for disaster.
Our 4 is a thin project freshmen.
Our big man has all the makings of an absolute beast but isn't very efficient, and we really don't have anyone to help him in the front court.
Cal wants to showcase the lottery picks in an NBA style, open court, rim running fest which doesn't leave a lot of room for guys who aren't perfectly fit for that tempo to get some run, develop, and contribute significantly.
I don't know if Platooning is the answer, but there are 6 other guys who need to get some run and who all bring something to the table that is needed.
Cal needs to see what SKJ, Hump, and Tai can do. Mulder and Willis both need to play because they are both shooters and efficient from the stripe. Hawk needs to play because he is just solid, disciplined, can defend, can hit free throws.
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It also cost us the Wisconsin game 2 years ago. Cal basically lets the opponents coach choose the match ups . Most times we have enough athletic ability to compensate for this flawed strategy.
It would be glaring if the issues we have weren't fixable, or if it were too late in the year to fix them. The perimeter defense issues we have mostly pertain to not understanding how to defend the puck and roll. That will get fixed soon.
I had a bad feeling today, and actually feel better now. I didn't know we'd play about as bad as we can and they'd play about as good as they can (at least on the offensive end) and we'd lose by 3.
Mostly now I think this was just bad scheduling. UNC and Louisville back to back. Monk is not a shooter, he's a scorer, so it figures he'd have a bad game.
I will say, maybe this new gracious Cal (complimentary of Rick, love fest with K on his podcast), while healthier, may be worse for the W/L record. Hyper combative Cal might be better. Heh
I had a bad feeling today, and actually feel better now. I didn't know we'd play about as bad as we can and they'd play about as good as they can (at least on the offensive end) and we'd lose by 3.
Mostly now I think this was just bad scheduling. UNC and Louisville back to back. Monk is not a shooter, he's a scorer, so it figures he'd have a bad game.
I will say, maybe this new gracious Cal (complimentary of Rick, love fest with K on his podcast), while healthier, may be worse for the W/L record. Hyper combative Cal might be better. Heh
Glaring issues. We usually know what kind of team we have by end of December. Hope I'm wrong but it has the feeling of another 'meh' season.