Bench: How do we increase production?

We've played a really short rotation all year and fatigue and foul trouble is certainly two serious issues for this team.

The freshman have not seen a ton of action all year but should they get more burn?

Who should be main guard and big off the bench?

Are there rotations of players who should or shouldn't be a combo on the floor together?

there should never be a situation where we have more than 3 guys on the floor that can't score.  which happened yesterday for a period of time. 

Ponds or Heron can never be on the bench together.  They're our only playmakers and is the only way for the rest of the team to feel comfortable.

Other than that, I would like to see a little bit more from the bench during the 2nd half of games.  We ride or die with our starters, but there has to be a way to get the starters some more rest as the game concludes.

Honestly besides that, it's all about in game management.  nothing that can be predicted. 

there should never be a situation where we have more than 3 guys on the floor that can't score.  which happened yesterday for a period of time. 

Ponds or Heron can never be on the bench together.  They're our only playmakers and is the only way for the rest of the team to feel comfortable.

Other than that, I would like to see a little bit more from the bench during the 2nd half of games.  We ride or die with our starters, but there has to be a way to get the starters some more rest as the game concludes.

Honestly besides that, it's all about in game management.  nothing that can be predicted. 

Agree. I wanted keita to start because of that. Bring LJ off the bench (still playing same minutes). Tough to do that the way he has been playing.
Wish Williams could play more PG.

there should never be a situation where we have more than 3 guys on the floor that can't score.  which happened yesterday for a period of time. 

Ponds or Heron can never be on the bench together.  They're our only playmakers and is the only way for the rest of the team to feel comfortable.

Other than that, I would like to see a little bit more from the bench during the 2nd half of games.  We ride or die with our starters, but there has to be a way to get the starters some more rest as the game concludes.

Honestly besides that, it's all about in game management.  nothing that can be predicted. 

3 guys on floor at same time is at least one too many. 2 guys is bad enough.

Agree with never sitting Heron and Ponds at the same time. That should go without saying.

Change the pace to a slow down to minimize possessions when Ponds sits.

Give some of Simon’s minutes away to Trimble. Our best offense is Ponds-Trimble-Heron-Figuerors-Clark.

The starting five play very well, but do need some bench time. Trimble, Kieta, Roberts, and William should get some minutes, but never more than one of them at one time. Last night Butler got back in the game when we had only three of our starters. One exception to this might be a 1 2 2 zone, with Kieta and Roberts on the baseline. Roberts gives us good energy in the second half and should get at least 5 minutes in the second half. On defense, Roberts and Kieta should try and double team the other teams guards. Virginia has alot of success doing this.

I like bringing in Roberts 2 min prior to a media timeout. It's a good way to give a starter an extra blow and lets him know exactly his role of being a burst of energy.

I think Williams needs to cut into Trimble's minutes. He's a better ball handler, creator, and defender. Too often Trimble is a 0 in the box score (9 times this season).

Trimble needs to shoot the ball when he's in. Make or miss his job is to keep the defense honest instead of collapsing.

Finally Keita. The knee injury has impacted him significantly. Tough to come back midseason from a leg injury and be immediately in midseason form. Just impossible ask. Until he gets back into form he needs to know his immediate and only job is to rebound. Get boards, protect the rim, and good things will happen. We need his post defense and he's vital part to the success of this team.

I like bringing in Roberts 2 min prior to a media timeout. It's a good way to give a starter an extra blow and lets him know exactly his role of being a burst of energy.

I think Williams needs to cut into Trimble's minutes. He's a better ball handler, creator, and defender. Too often Trimble is a 0 in the box score (9 times this season).

Trimble needs to shoot the ball when he's in. Make or miss his job is to keep the defense honest instead of collapsing.

Finally Keita. The knee injury has impacted him significantly. Tough to come back midseason from a leg injury and be immediately in midseason form. Just impossible ask. Until he gets back into form he needs to know his immediate and only job is to rebound. Get boards, protect the rim, and good things will happen. We need his post defense and he's vital part to the success of this team.

If you want to maximize Trimble you have to get Simon off the floor. The kid plays too many minutes. Trimble creates space for others...Simon gives it right back.

I agree with getting Roberts in before the media timeouts. Let him stay in in after too if he earns it. And they gotta feed the big fella...he’s always open at the basket after the pick, but our guys have become conditioned to ignore bigs.

If you want to maximize Trimble you have to get Simon off the floor. The kid plays too many minutes. Trimble creates space for others...Simon gives it right back.

I agree with getting Roberts in before the media timeouts. Let him stay in in after too if he earns it. And they gotta feed the big fella...he’s always open at the basket after the pick, but our guys have become conditioned to ignore bigs.

I think due to experience his margin of error increases with time on the floor. It's a balance of getting confidence and experience vs exposing inexperience.

I like bringing in Roberts 2 min prior to a media timeout. It's a good way to give a starter an extra blow and lets him know exactly his role of being a burst of energy.

I think Williams needs to cut into Trimble's minutes. He's a better ball handler, creator, and defender. Too often Trimble is a 0 in the box score (9 times this season).

Trimble needs to shoot the ball when he's in. Make or miss his job is to keep the defense honest instead of collapsing.

Finally Keita. The knee injury has impacted him significantly. Tough to come back midseason from a leg injury and be immediately in midseason form. Just impossible ask. Until he gets back into form he needs to know his immediate and only job is to rebound. Get boards, protect the rim, and good things will happen. We need his post defense and he's vital part to the success of this team.

Agree 100% on Williams but to be fair his confidence in the jumper is not there yet. If he can start knocking down the three ball at even an average rate, Trimble will never see the court. Really see him making a big leap next year.

Agree 100% on Williams but to be fair his confidence in the jumper is not there yet. If he can start knocking down the three ball at even an average rate, Trimble will never see the court. Really see him making a big leap next year.

What makes you say his confidence isn't there?

I like bringing in Roberts 2 min prior to a media timeout. It's a good way to give a starter an extra blow and lets him know exactly his role of being a burst of energy.

I think Williams needs to cut into Trimble's minutes. He's a better ball handler, creator, and defender. Too often Trimble is a 0 in the box score (9 times this season).

Trimble needs to shoot the ball when he's in. Make or miss his job is to keep the defense honest instead of collapsing.

Finally Keita. The knee injury has impacted him significantly. Tough to come back midseason from a leg injury and be immediately in midseason form. Just impossible ask. Until he gets back into form he needs to know his immediate and only job is to rebound. Get boards, protect the rim, and good things will happen. We need his post defense and he's vital part to the success of this team.

Keita averaged like a point and a rebound at S Carolina so how do we even know the form he will round into?

Keita averaged like a point and a rebound at S Carolina so how do we even know the form he will round into?

Nobody knows what sort of form he'll round into. But he was a 4 star top 100 recruit with offers from five BE schools (including Villanova) and Tennessee and Syracuse and Auburn a bunch of other big five schools. And if he'd gone somewhere else everyone would be saying why can't be get a guy like Sedee Keita, he's just what we need. Because the players we don't get are all better than the ones we do, because we are Saint John's.

What makes you say his confidence isn't there?

He's tentative when he spots up. Its actually an improvement from earlier in the season when he would flat out pass up shots. Now he just hesitates a little. I'm sure you've watched enough basketball to know when a kid is letting it rip as opposed to a kid who's almost guiding it when he lets it go. I'm seeing the latter, thats all. (Hence the 17% from downtown)

 He's been pretty aggressive attacking the rim though so thats good. Like I said, expecting a big jump from him next year.

He's tentative when he spots up. Its actually an improvement from earlier in the season when he would flat out pass up shots. Now he just hesitates a little. I'm sure you've watched enough basketball to know when a kid is letting it rip as opposed to a kid who's almost guiding it when he lets it go. I'm seeing the latter, thats all. (Hence the 17% from downtown)

 He's been pretty aggressive attacking the rim though so thats good. Like I said, expecting a big jump from him next year.

I have to watch a little closer but haven't noticed that hesitation. Thought he puts the ball on the floor and takes it to the hoop with confidence. Seems like he hits decent amount of outside shots.

I've loved what I've seen from Roberts in his limited minutes. Hustles. and quite a few times, I've seen him pretty open off of pick and rolls, but our guards didn't dish him the ball. I'd like to see him more involved on offense going forward.

Unfortunately, our bench is limited in terms of scoring ability. Trimble is good for a wide open 3 every now and then, but nothing else.

Keita is horrible around the rim and isn't much of an outside threat. Williams shows the most potential, he should be getting more minutes than Trimble at this point.

bumping this thread after the bench production in Seton Hall game. Are these guys finally turning the corner? Is the staff trusting bench more? Or pump the brakes?

It will be interesting to see if Keita's knee is 100% finally like it looked on Saturday; the bench will get a pretty good boost if so.

Also could we potentially look back at the @Providence blowout as a blessing in disguise as it unleashed MARCELLUS? We will see.

Need to give them a few minutes at least to keep the starters fresh and out of foul trouble

Give Earlington some more minutes against Xavier and see how he holds up. He surprised everyone the other night. He uses his body well to get position on bigger guys so let's see if he can do it against Jones and their other bigs. Looks to be a heady, tough player.