Tonight was tough . . .
- Thread starter zebnatto
- Start date
There’s been a lot of poorly executed games across the big 10 the last few weeks. It’s a physical league so to be expected. With all the tape of games now, no one surprises anyone else with schemes. Not sure where our three point shooting went. We had plenty of open looks. If I’m pike I tell the team, you have an open look shoot without hesitation and thinking, especially the next time down the court off a miss. We are out thinking ourselves.
We shoot 33.1% on 3-pointFGs and 46.3% on FGs. Which kind of field goals should we be shooting more of? If it’s 3’s, at least shoot ‘em in rhythm.
At face value, we should be shooting more threes - its modern basketball. Above percentages lead to .993 pts per shot on 3s, and .926 pts per shot on 2s. Agreed on the in rhythm comment.
As many here have stated since the calendar turned, our offensive 'sets' generally lack cutting to the basketball off ball [watch how lax our screen away work is against man d] and so when the 3s go up, our rebounding position is not great and we more frequently give up run outs - this is Pike's issue with too many threes; not to mention that the psyche of this team is incredibly fragile and a couple missed shots literally changes everything we do. When we are shooting the mid range and paint shots Pike wants to see (ala 1993), we have more bodies near the basket to rebound and we are more protected against run outs. That said, this approach flies in the face of analytics which says 3s, free throws, and layups/dunks to the exclusion of all else.
Unfortunately in Pike's system, our bigs aren't terribly adept at scoring (and RHJ has decided that he will not go inside) and our wings and guards are somewhere between below average and horrendous at entries (at least the few times that they are willing to do it), so we spend 30 seconds drifting and running weave, leading to late clock takes. We also struggle as much as any team I have ever seen at finishing through contact [we neither draw fouls nor finish at the rim at a high, or even average, clip when there are bodies around].
All to say, our current team is built to be an up and down the floor team - we have length everywhere and enough quality depth to do it - and I wish that Pike would let them be that. We need to be in transition offensively to score consistently (and those easy baskets breed confidence which our guys need ... maybe more than most). Our half court offense turns mediocre defensive teams into UVA.
Our unwillingness to 3/4 or full press except when we are down big makes no sense to me, especially against teams with smaller backcourts. I hope that Pike is keeping that in his back pocket to break out in a big spot ... i doubt it
You make a lot of good points. But what is frustrating is that the adjustment seems simple but not being done. Harper can be directed to the block but instead is allowed to float at the 3 point line. What I would give to see Ron get an offensive rebound for a put back easy layup. It would be so easy for him , help his confidence and mentally help but not cure his funk.
Cutting and moving the ball in and out in our half court sets seems really simple but not executed. The guards are horrendous at feeding the post early as ssoon as Myles gets position , and we fail to play inside out enough. Once our perimeter guys go through the weave and drift and become worthless on the 3 point line , a simple back cut, a back screen or just a simple rebounding position , would seem to me to get a good or great shot or an easy offensive rebound but instead we stand around and do not pass quick enough and due too much dribbling, especially Jacob in the half court. His dribbling is almost worthless and his handle in traffic is terrible for a guard.
Your analytics argument doesn’t work for our team because Myles, and Geo and Ron and Caleb are better 2 point shooters and shoot higher % from 2 than shooting inadequately from 3 . We do not have a big ( Myles or Cliff) that can stretch the floor and knock down a 3 and our other big Ron is in a colossal slump and frankly should be playing down low on the block or at the foul line elbow and not being lazy hanging at the 3 point line ,. Geo and Caleb but especially Geo should be taking 15-20 shots a game , primarily all of them from the 13-16 foot mid range because they are taller than most guards and can easily shoot over them and make a decent % like 45-50%. That would stop the droughts and allow us to expand leads and stop the opposition from extending leads past 10 points.
Finally , it is mind boggling how we do not finish or get fouled or make a 3 point play in transition. The loss of concentration on the hoop has to be corrected and falling down all the time also has to end and we must try really hard to stay on our feet. Having said that , our transition should be better and we should try to push the ball more. These guys are not freshman. Show more film. Correct the mistake immediately by taking player out , explain it to him , and put him right back i n the game.