Villanova Game - Player of the Game

I'll say Ponds, but I couldve gone with pretty much any of the starters.

Ahmed was at the game today?

DiVincenzo

Since no one really stood out I'll go with Yakwe because for him he at least seemed engaged.

Since no one really stood out I'll go with Yakwe because for him he at least seemed engaged.

1 rebound was engaged ?

Quote from: Celtics11 on January 14, 2017, 07:20:40 PM

Since no one really stood out I'll go with Yakwe because for him he at least seemed engaged.

1 rebound was engaged ?

Yes. Recall a crowd pleasing block underneath and he made a dunk shot. Actually moved around on offense and defense. Looked less disinterested than usual.

Quote from: mjmaherjr on January 14, 2017, 07:26:56 PM

Quote from: Celtics11 on January 14, 2017, 07:20:40 PM

Since no one really stood out I'll go with Yakwe because for him he at least seemed engaged.

1 rebound was engaged ?

Yes. Recall a crowd pleasing block underneath and he made a dunk shot. Actually moved around on offense and defense. Looked less disinterested than usual.

the block was nice. I'l give him that

I was at the Game today at the Garden and was happy they didn't get completely blown out. I am in no way backing up Yakwe or any of our other bigs, but I have noticed this from attending the Creighton game as well. After our bigs screen the guard with he ball (Ponds, Lovett, Ellison) and our bigs (Williams,Yakwe, Owens) roll they are always always wide open and our guards never even look for it. I coach high school basketball and have been around the game for a bit and by no means am I an expert but these screens are basically useless because all the on ball defender has to do is hedge and help. I know our bigs lack some skill but owens can hit a 10-15ft jumper. This would open up way more things if they actually used these correctly IMHO. Just an observation.

I was at the Game today at the Garden and was happy they didn't get completely blown out. I am in no way backing up Yakwe or any of our other bigs, but I have noticed this from attending the Creighton game as well. After our bigs screen the guard with he ball (Ponds, Lovett, Ellison) and our bigs (Williams,Yakwe, Owens) roll they are always always wide open and our guards never even look for it. I coach high school basketball and have been around the game for a bit and by no means am I an expert but these screens are basically useless because all the on ball defender has to do is hedge and help. I know our bigs lack some skill but owens can hit a 10-15ft jumper. This would open up way more things if they actually used these correctly IMHO. Just an observation.

The guards don't throw it to them because the bigs wouldn't be able to catch and finish on the move when the help side arrives

Quote from: Aknel79 on January 14, 2017, 08:24:25 PM

I was at the Game today at the Garden and was happy they didn't get completely blown out. I am in no way backing up Yakwe or any of our other bigs, but I have noticed this from attending the Creighton game as well. After our bigs screen the guard with he ball (Ponds, Lovett, Ellison) and our bigs (Williams,Yakwe, Owens) roll they are always always wide open and our guards never even look for it. I coach high school basketball and have been around the game for a bit and by no means am I an expert but these screens are basically useless because all the on ball defender has to do is hedge and help. I know our bigs lack some skill but owens can hit a 10-15ft jumper. This would open up way more things if they actually used these correctly IMHO. Just an observation.

The guards don't throw it to them because the bigs wouldn't be able to catch and finish on the move when the help side arrives

I agree but the help side doesn't even worry about them at all. Owens can hit that jump shot and out guards don't even look. Offensively its basically 4 on 5 always. Yak does have hands of stone.

Quote from: Aknel79 on January 14, 2017, 08:24:25 PM

I was at the Game today at the Garden and was happy they didn't get completely blown out. I am in no way backing up Yakwe or any of our other bigs, but I have noticed this from attending the Creighton game as well. After our bigs screen the guard with he ball (Ponds, Lovett, Ellison) and our bigs (Williams,Yakwe, Owens) roll they are always always wide open and our guards never even look for it. I coach high school basketball and have been around the game for a bit and by no means am I an expert but these screens are basically useless because all the on ball defender has to do is hedge and help. I know our bigs lack some skill but owens can hit a 10-15ft jumper. This would open up way more things if they actually used these correctly IMHO. Just an observation.

The guards don't throw it to them because the bigs wouldn't be able to catch and finish on the move when the help side arrives

Marvin Clark

I was at the Game today at the Garden and was happy they didn't get completely blown out. I am in no way backing up Yakwe or any of our other bigs, but I have noticed this from attending the Creighton game as well. After our bigs screen the guard with he ball (Ponds, Lovett, Ellison) and our bigs (Williams,Yakwe, Owens) roll they are always always wide open and our guards never even look for it. I coach high school basketball and have been around the game for a bit and by no means am I an expert but these screens are basically useless because all the on ball defender has to do is hedge and help. I know our bigs lack some skill but owens can hit a 10-15ft jumper. This would open up way more things if they actually used these correctly IMHO. Just an observation.

Our guards are afraid to pass to bigs due to the drops.

Ellison is probably my vote, but the unforced errors are incredibly frustrating. He's stepped on the paint like ten times already in only like 40 games. Ponds is so much more aware than he is. Most kids his height are limited by lack of guard skills...he's not. He can shoot, he can dribble, he can pass and he's 6'5-6'6.

DiVincenzo

Picking the guy on the other team never gets old

Quote from: Celtics11 on January 14, 2017, 07:35:54 PM

Quote from: mjmaherjr on January 14, 2017, 07:26:56 PM

Quote from: Celtics11 on January 14, 2017, 07:20:40 PM

Since no one really stood out I'll go with Yakwe because for him he at least seemed engaged.

1 rebound was engaged ?

Yes. Recall a crowd pleasing block underneath and he made a dunk shot. Actually moved around on offense and defense. Looked less disinterested than usual.

the block was nice. I'l give him that

Sportscenter block.

Quote from: goredmen on January 14, 2017, 05:45:53 PM

DiVincenzo

Picking the guy on the other team never gets old

DiVincenzo was the player of the game was he not? Only voting for players from your own team in losses is like giving out participation trophies. We should have given out rings to all players and had a ceremony last year after the DePaul win

Quote from: Aknel79 on January 14, 2017, 08:24:25 PM

I was at the Game today at the Garden and was happy they didn't get completely blown out. I am in no way backing up Yakwe or any of our other bigs, but I have noticed this from attending the Creighton game as well. After our bigs screen the guard with he ball (Ponds, Lovett, Ellison) and our bigs (Williams,Yakwe, Owens) roll they are always always wide open and our guards never even look for it. I coach high school basketball and have been around the game for a bit and by no means am I an expert but these screens are basically useless because all the on ball defender has to do is hedge and help. I know our bigs lack some skill but owens can hit a 10-15ft jumper. This would open up way more things if they actually used these correctly IMHO. Just an observation.

Our guards are afraid to pass to bigs due to the drops.

Sad but very true. Its also sad that we never ever run and sorry of out of bounds plays at all. Creighton scored a good 10-12 points on us simply on out of bounds plays. Mind boggling.

Quote from: mjmaherjr on January 14, 2017, 07:45:29 PM

Quote from: Celtics11 on January 14, 2017, 07:35:54 PM

Quote from: mjmaherjr on January 14, 2017, 07:26:56 PM

Quote from: Celtics11 on January 14, 2017, 07:20:40 PM

Since no one really stood out I'll go with Yakwe because for him he at least seemed engaged.

1 rebound was engaged ?

Yes. Recall a crowd pleasing block underneath and he made a dunk shot. Actually moved around on offense and defense. Looked less disinterested than usual.

the block was nice. I'l give him that

Sportscenter block.

it made it ?  Anyone have a link to a tv clip of the block ?

Quote from: Foad on January 15, 2017, 05:28:34 PM

Quote from: goredmen on January 14, 2017, 05:45:53 PM

DiVincenzo

Picking the guy on the other team never gets old

DiVincenzo was the player of the game was he not? Only voting for players from your own team in losses is like giving out participation trophies. We should have given out rings to all players and had a ceremony last year after the DePaul win

I've explained this before....
Last year we (the JJ community) discussed whether opposing players should be inluded in the POG poll.  The consensus was no.   

The rest of us aren't blind.  We know the best players on the court yesterday were wearing blue.  But that's not what all the other posts in this thread are discussing. 

By the way, +1 Marillac.  Spot on about our guards being afraid to pass to the bigs.  I know there's good reason for their trepidation.  But sometimes you just have to make the right basketball play.  On a lot of our pick and rolls we need to be looking for Yakwe and Owens.
I believe that's what setup Yakwe's dunk through the lane.