Point Guard

I know people are probably sick of point guard threads over the last 5 or 6 years but I think I might actually have a solution.

Anyone who saw the game last night and has watched this team consistently can see that Malik Boothe is absolutely killing us. I don't even think he is serviceable at this point. You look at him and he has to be the strongest guy on the team pound for pound, but he gets stripped 90% of the time he goes into the lane. The other 10% he throws it away. He has 34 assists and 25 turnovers this season. And quite honestly I can't remember one of those going down the lane, drawing in the defense and finding the open man. They're all swinging the ball around the perimeter and Hardy or DJ happens to hit a 3 pointer. And why would he be able to get in the lane, his shot has not improved at all over 3 years, any coach who watches any film knows that he is zero threat to shoot.

My question is, in his junior year, what is he bringing to the table? He plays hard defense, but his man still goes right by him.

The only thing I think we can use him for is 10 minutes a game where we press the hell out of the other team. Not this BS trap that we're running where as soon as they inbound the ball the whole team drops back. I mean a 2-2-1 full court TRAPPING and double teaming press.

I think Stithe needs to get a few more minutes. At least in limited minutes he's shown the ability to sneak by his man and get in the lane once in a while. And while he didn't do anything spectacular he showed me last night he is a guy who can comfortably (relatively speaking) break the press. Hardy can not, you can tell he is scared, we need another option

Another option I think is giving Omari some time at the point. Some people might think I'm nuts but at South Kent last year he played point guard and I saw him a bunch and I have to say, he is an outstanding passer (about 8 assists per game). At this point if I didn't see it with my own two eyes I probably wouldn't believe it either but he has great court vision and is very unselfish. Isn't he a better option at this point than Boothe. He also plays good defense (still needs to shed some weight and get quicker), he stripped Lance a couple times last night and always seems to get a hand on loose balls and can only get better with time

PG rotation minutes:

Stithe: 18-20
Omari: 10-12
Boothe: 10 (when we press)
Hardy: 0

DJ can fill in if he absolutely must as well.

Another option I think is giving Omari some time at the point.

Sure. And if that doesn't work out we can try Coker.

good idea

good idea

My point exactly.

think we should throw Rob Thomas in there and just make it an all South Kent PG rotation?

omari has no business being on the court this year.  he will be needed in years to come, but right now he belongs on the bench.

stith shouldnt be in the game for more than 5ish garbage mins a game. if you have a problem with how hardy handles the press, stith just throws the ball to someone else (dj's turnover), or bum rushes down the court and then sets up the offense. at least when hardy turns the ball over it is trying to make the type of play that gets teams to abandon the press.

boothe should be playing 25mins a night a point because at least he paces the offense and doesnt look to norm while he is dribbling up every time.

boothe- 25-30
hardy-  10-15
dj/unconventional line up- 5

If anybody questions Boothe again after the 15 point debacle at home to Providence in his absence, they need to have their heads checked. 

The most fundamental aspect of basketball is getting the ball from your end to the other.  If you can't do that, you cannot worry about other aspects of the game.  The teams ball handling deteriorates little by little in his absence.  He cannot go more than a few minutes at a time on the pine. 

marillac, it sounds like you watched the providence game. im sure you know as well as anybody on this board how to break a press. did you see what we were doing that game, you had to be pulling your hair out i know i was. we would have one inbounder (burrell or brownlee) and hardy in the back court, with no other players, let alone another guard. meanwhile, the other 3 players would run down court while we got pressed by 3 guys. bob cousy couldn't break a press that way. for god sakes, put our guards, whoever they are in the backcourt, pass the ball in, big guy flash to the middle, find a guard streaking down the wing.

my point is i dont think boothe not being in there was as big of a problem as the way this team (pure coaching) was trying to break the press.

and i couldn't disagree more about hardy running the point. watch him when get the ball against the press. he will pass it to the first person that he sees, even when he is the "point guard". i love him, and right now he's our best weapon, but a point guard, he aint

marillac, it sounds like you watched the providence game. im sure you know as well as anybody on this board how to break a press. did you see what we were doing that game, you had to be pulling your hair out i know i was. we would have one inbounder (burrell or brownlee) and hardy in the back court, with no other players, let alone another guard. meanwhile, the other 3 players would run down court while we got pressed by 3 guys. bob cousy couldn't break a press that way. for god sakes, put our guards, whoever they are in the backcourt, pass the ball in, big guy flash to the middle, find a guard streaking down the wing.

my point is i dont think boothe not being in there was as big of a problem as the way this team (pure coaching) was trying to break the press.

and i couldn't disagree more about hardy running the point. watch him when get the ball against the press. he will pass it to the first person that he sees, even when he is the "point guard". i love him, and right now he's our best weapon, but a point guard, he aint

You break a press with passing.  We did it a few times very well against Louisville.  You can also break a press with a very, very talented ball-handler.  Boothe, with all of his other shortcomings, has a phenominal handle. 

Teams that have been coached well, know that they need to break a press with passing.  We are not one of those teams.  It's almost like they luckily discovered the angular passes from side to side against Louisville.  If they come at you with an odd # attack them with an even #....simple as that.  If they come at you in pairs go up the middle. 

omari has no business being on the court this year.  he will be needed in years to come, but right now he belongs on the bench.

boothe- 25-30
hardy-  10-15
dj/unconventional line up- 5

I think we have no business being 1-3. The only thing that is clear is that both Maliks are not getting the job done. Lawrence at the point might be a good option.  Always plays good D and looks a step faster.  I also agree with queensfinest that he is an extremly good passer. missed some shots but he looked good last night.  Would like to see omari, hardy, mase/brownlee, kennedy, and burrell on the court at the same time. If Lawrence is passing thats a good thing.  Afterall they can't all take 20 shots a night!

If anybody questions Boothe again after the 15 point debacle at home to Providence in his absence, they need to have their heads checked. 

The most fundamental aspect of basketball is getting the ball from your end to the other.  If you can't do that, you cannot worry about other aspects of the game.  The teams ball handling deteriorates little by little in his absence.  He cannot go more than a few minutes at a time on the pine.

I agree..we still need Boothe on the court regardless of his other short comings.

Boothe looks injured.  I don't think his groin has been right since Philadelphia.

booth is a horror show who'll cost us many more games.  that being said, he's the best norm has...
stith is learning and other than a better show has shown nothing.
hardy isn't a point guard.  period.
omari might turn out to be one and norm should work him out against the depauls and south florida's so he can contribute next year.  we can't afford to experiment against the syracuse and pitts of the world.

that's other than a better shot...not show.  sorry!

I actually think Stith might be alright when it comes down to it, hes a freshman. Anyways, it looks like he'll be battling this kid Grace for the job when Boothe is gone

think we should throw Rob Thomas in there and just make it an all South Kent PG rotation?

Thomas deserves a chance to take some of Sean's minutes.

Thomas has not shown anything to make him deserving of Sean's minutes, IMO.

Thomas has not shown anything to make him deserving of Sean's minutes, IMO.

Dele Coker should be getting more of Sean's minutes

Lawrence at the point might be a good option.

He shouldn't even be playing, much less playing point guard. Get a grip.

If anybody questions Boothe again after the 15 point debacle at home to Providence in his absence, they need to have their heads checked. 

Take it easy Coach Wooden...

Say what ever you like, Boothe is not a starter in this league and never was. He brings ZERO to the offensive end and is nothing more than adequate defensively.

To be honest, I don't think Omari could do much worse but the major drawback would be that he couldn't handle the position defensively.