Press

I have always hated Lavins press to just "slow down" opponents.  Think it is just a waste of energy for our guys and pointless in the grand scheme of things. 

On Friday we looked to run a more aggressive 2-2-1 3/4 court press.  I loved Dom and Sheed at the top of it and I hope the 2 of them eventually run and jump from there to trap all over.  I like Obekpa as the back line defender and just hope the staff has explained to him the importance of fouls and staying out of foul trouble this season.  Sometimes giving up a basket will be better than him picking up a stupid foul.  I didn't like the middle 2 guys.  I think Phil Greene is just way too passive.  He always looks scared of getting beat and never makes an aggressive play on the ball (just like how he doesn't turn the ball over on offense).  DLo/Branch looked to read a lot of plays right but was just a step too slow.  To try and still make a play, lots of hands were used and too many resulted in fouls.  We can't afford for DLo to play only 20 minutes against any opponents.  I think improving this area of the press is vital for the success of our defense.

Overall, for the first game of the year I liked what I saw of the defense and am excited because with some subtle improvements think this can be dominant.  For us, playing small is our only real option so hopefully we keep this style up and don't revert back to the uesless press. 

A St.John's press should be ferocious. I couldn't make it on Friday, so IDK.
In previous years, it looked like we weren't a team that understood how a press should be executed.

VCU knows. We once knew.

I have always hated Lavins press to just "slow down" opponents.  Think it is just a waste of energy for our guys and pointless in the grand scheme of things. 

On Friday we looked to run a more aggressive 2-2-1 3/4 court press.  I loved Dom and Sheed at the top of it and I hope the 2 of them eventually run and jump from there to trap all over.  I like Obekpa as the back line defender and just hope the staff has explained to him the importance of fouls and staying out of foul trouble this season.  Sometimes giving up a basket will be better than him picking up a stupid foul.  I didn't like the middle 2 guys.  I think Phil Greene is just way too passive.  He always looks scared of getting beat and never makes an aggressive play on the ball (just like how he doesn't turn the ball over on offense).  DLo/Branch looked to read a lot of plays right but was just a step too slow.  To try and still make a play, lots of hands were used and too many resulted in fouls.  We can't afford for DLo to play only 20 minutes against any opponents.  I think improving this area of the press is vital for the success of our defense.

Overall, for the first game of the year I liked what I saw of the defense and am excited because with some subtle improvements think this can be dominant.  For us, playing small is our only real option so hopefully we keep this style up and don't revert back to the uesless press. 

Agree on Greene in the press but to his credit I saw him attempt to help on the boards more than I can remember. And fwiw 4 of Dlo's 5 fouls could have easily gone the other way. And they were attempts to make big plays, not 80 ft from the basket fouls for no reason.

Agree with scobby, dont get pressing just to waste shot clock. Dont think we will ever really press though. Defense and rebounding was great. Big part of that was NJIT really sucked.

I never understood teams that press "sometimes"


Its something you either do or your don't....    you need make it so teams are forced to prepare for it.

Look a team like Louisville...   they are coming no mater what and if you are not ready, you will get eaten up.