Duke goes 1-13 from 3P & has two players we absolutely couldn’t guard 1x1…why not try a zone? I know the answer is “Cal doesn’t like zone” but damn for $9M/year you would think he’d try to make adjustments.
Why not try a zone?
- Thread starter rockout1
- Start date
Not gonna happen. Cal is too stubborn!
I can’t imagine what a Calipari zone would look like in November wait yea I can we’d be a laughing stock.
Because UK has a stubborn coach who really can't coach much in the way of basketball, if he doesn't have the superior talent on the floor chances are he will lose because he will get out coached.
We get these threads every single year, and the answer is always the same: Cal doesn’t do zones (and he doesn’t press). His defensive philosophy is very simple: basic half-court man to man played hard …and at nearly all times.
You’d think after 12-plus years we would’ve all figured it out. There’s no point in continuing to call for him to play zones and/or press. It ain’t ever gonna happen. No coach in the country is more anti-zone than Cal.
You’d think after 12-plus years we would’ve all figured it out. There’s no point in continuing to call for him to play zones and/or press. It ain’t ever gonna happen. No coach in the country is more anti-zone than Cal.
A coach makes in game adjustments..that's what a coach does.Cal fails to recognize in game flow or makes any adjustments.Same ol same ol... rinse lather and repeat
Maybe he gets tossed and we go to zone and put Allen in to save the day?
Exactly!!!! This 100 times.
Change Dukes game plan. Make them go sideways.
Stop the straight line drives and pick and roll.
Allows us to play/ hide more players like Allen and Grady and get their offense.
Disgraceful Cal is a one trick pony. Allows other teams such an easy prep for UK.
mix it up and be able to throw more than one pitch.
Change Dukes game plan. Make them go sideways.
Stop the straight line drives and pick and roll.
Allows us to play/ hide more players like Allen and Grady and get their offense.
Disgraceful Cal is a one trick pony. Allows other teams such an easy prep for UK.
mix it up and be able to throw more than one pitch.
Funny but I had thought exactly the same of this entire thread while watching the second half. We don't have the defenders in the middle and Duke scored so many lay-ups that it was hard to keep track of the totals. Oscar was great but is not a shot blocker or that type of Anthony Davis defender. Maybe Collins will be one day but is not yet ready physically. We already saw in our first exhibition game our interior being worked over by a much lesser team than Duke. So, to expect that defensively we could somehow stop the drives to the basket seemed like poor planning. But, I equally thought that Cal just won't do it and there will be teams that beat Duke because they will.
Zone doesn't prepare players for the NBA.
Its Cals way or find another team Cal is ky basketball dont you know
Its all about the draft greatest night in uk history
Don't care about winning...still get's paid $10 million per year. One the bright side, we may still get someone drafted next year.
No. The answer isn't that "Cal doesn't like zone." The answer is: Calipari doesn't know how to run an effective half-court zone defense, and he doesn't know how to run an effective full-court zone-trap press. Because he doesn't know how to run either, he doesn't know how to coach either one. And of course, nobody "likes" to do what they really don't know how to do !
As another poster said, Calipari "really can't coach much in the way of basketball." His stubbornness is certainly a factor, but, basically, he's a snake-oil salesman. It was all smoke and mirrors - all shuck and jive (and WWW ?) - to get Wall, Boogie, Bledsoe, Brandon Knight, Anthony Davis, MKG, WCS, Randle, Booker, et al). Who couldn't win with those players? But we have recently seen the age-old truth played out in Kentucky basketball -- You can fool all of the people some of the time, and you can fool some of the people all of the time ... but you can't fool all of the people all of the time ! Calipari's schtick has run its course.
Alas !
I'm not buying we haven't had time to put in a zone either. These guys have been playing basketball their entire life. We have experienced players. They know how to play a simple zone defense! They have probably been playing it since elementary school.
He has a young team! Youngest team in America!Oh wait. Can't use that excuse this year.
Not sure a zone stops them but it was worth a shot considering they had very few 3pt (maybe 1?) makes.
Not sure a zone stops them but it was worth a shot considering they had very few 3pt (maybe 1?) makes.
I agree with this criticism of cal. And under the opponents basket when they have the ball outofbounds we stay in man-to-man instead of zone and get burned time after time for layups. My dad would say 'here comes 2' and he was right most of the time. It is okay to rely mostly on man defense, but not to throw in defensive wrinkles for a few minutes here and there is almost criminal
I definitely do think if we should have at least tried the zone. Could have worked or maybe not. Keels roach and banchero & Moore can hit threes but on that night not so much.
Great question but it's so old to even ask as we all know the answer.
In the end, he's a good coach at certain things not so very adaptable/good in other areas so until the Lifetime contract runs it course....just accept it or tune out until he's gone.
Don’t even have to zone - pack your man defense in below the 3pt line
Don’t let them get straight line drives
Make them shoot jumpers
Cal sucks at adjusting and his dead ball out of bounds offense and defense is flat out embarrassing
He’s a used car salesman anymore - I just don’t see the Coaching on the floor
Don’t let them get straight line drives
Make them shoot jumpers
Cal sucks at adjusting and his dead ball out of bounds offense and defense is flat out embarrassing
He’s a used car salesman anymore - I just don’t see the Coaching on the floor
Just because they drove into the lane at will all night long for easy scores while simultaneously shooting 1-13 on threes doesn’t mean you should in any way consider a change in defensive strategy. Microwave fan
We do this every year. Anybody can play a half assed zone. That’s why you use them in church league. Duke would have crushed us if we had gone to a zone.
Rule of thumb. If a team can’t play man to man, they have NO CHANCE to play zone. An outstanding zone is hard work. Requires excellent communication and polished team defensive skills. Our players must have great footwork and move their feet or they will reach and get in foul trouble. They struggle with that in man to man. No way the can play a good zone.
We have 1 or maybe 2 players with the kind of defensive skills to run a zone. Learn the game.
Rule of thumb. If a team can’t play man to man, they have NO CHANCE to play zone. An outstanding zone is hard work. Requires excellent communication and polished team defensive skills. Our players must have great footwork and move their feet or they will reach and get in foul trouble. They struggle with that in man to man. No way the can play a good zone.
We have 1 or maybe 2 players with the kind of defensive skills to run a zone. Learn the game.
Thank you. People act like running a zone is the most easy thing in basketball. It really isn’t. Defense is hard work in this sport because you can’t hit your guy and even if you guard him well, Sid he’s good, he can just shoot over you.
I do miss seeing the old 1-3-1. Does anyone really run that anymore in the modern game?
I haven’t seen a legit 1 3 1 in years. Not sure why other than cross court passing was its Achilles heel. Coaches used to beat you for a cross court pass. Not so much these days. The zones you see are the 2 3 or some variation of that.
A good passing team will shred a zone. if Krychitski does anything, he can teach passing. We were in no way ready to through a zone at them.
Was just trying to think of a way to stop bulldozing bully ball. Putting three guys in the lane would have to put a dent in that I would think.
Shrugs. Gotta move your feet and get in front of them. You put three guys in the lane with no particular target against a team that can pass, you are dead.
You are absolutely correct about about defense being hard work. Oscar, Brooks and Wheeler had some idea what’s expected on defense. Minz was ok. Was pretty obvious Ty had never been expected to defend anybody of consequence. Chalk that up to AAU ball.
I know when we do try zone, we have a hard time rebounding out of it and surrender open corner 3s and layups at will.
I don’t mind throwing it out there for a few possessions to change pace, maybe employ a matchup zone occasionally. But, I’d prefer not to zone for entire games. Man is easily the best defense IF it’s played by a 5-man team as opposed to 5 individuals.
I don’t mind throwing it out there for a few possessions to change pace, maybe employ a matchup zone occasionally. But, I’d prefer not to zone for entire games. Man is easily the best defense IF it’s played by a 5-man team as opposed to 5 individuals.
Duke wasn’t passing much. One drop pass to either freshman and they went to the rim. No outside shooters. Roach? Cmon.
They will get zoned every game and struggle.
We win last night if we go zone. They showed their shooting prowess 1-12. 8%.
Not having another defense is like a pro pitcher with one pitch.
We needed to change their mindset and game plan. Make them adjust and go sideways not north /south
They will get zoned every game and struggle.
We win last night if we go zone. They showed their shooting prowess 1-12. 8%.
Not having another defense is like a pro pitcher with one pitch.
We needed to change their mindset and game plan. Make them adjust and go sideways not north /south
And while it won’t be Dukes game…they will surely hit more than that eventually.
When a crappy team beats Duke this year with a zone, I am taking names of those saying it wouldn't have worked. Of course we will never know given there was no effort to change a defense where our interior was outclassed (and it was believed Duke's strength before the game so it wasn't some huge shock). Our obvious strength was the guard play and outside shooting which was hardly done because the guards like Ty Ty were obviously told to drive the paint and put up floaters or had to do rushed shots. When we did catch and shoot we hit a number of 3's and also sped up our offense, and when we did dribble drive we missed and/or turned the ball over. Wasn't that hard to see.
In all honesty it cant be that damn hard to do a zone.I mean any college player knows what a zone is.I know these kids played a damn zone in high school..its not that complicated unless your coach refuses to have one in the playbook...Syracuse is known for it.I mean that's about all they play..it cant hurt to have one ready when you need to go to it.
Haven’t been on this board in a while, glad to see some things haven’t changed like your “I know everything” “we would got crushed by a zone” (even though there is zero evidence of that. Posters like you are like hemorrhoids…they won’t go away.