Good point. The zone buster has eluded us since Bootsy.
So Hardy, Horne and DJ didn't bust any zones? I loved Bootsy but he was way more than just a Zone buster. Let's see what the new guys can do before we get on them. Penetration is another good thing and I think we're going to be OK in that category. It's all about players and we have a lot of them. That's the key to the year.
Not like Bootsy, no. Hardy was great senior year. DJ and Horne were not what I would call zone busters. They were both erratic shooters. If they could bust a zone, they would have.
My experience is that fans are NEVER satisfied with their OWN teams shooters. Three point shooting SHOULD be a pretty fixed deal. You take x amount of shots from beyond the arc, you make a certain percentage - thats how good a shooter you are. You make 34 of 100, you're getting your team more points that if you made 50 of 100 from inside. Forty of 100 gets you f120 pts - the same as making 60 of 100 inside. 50 of 100 gets you the same as making 75 of 100 inside the arc. It's pretty easy stuff.
Fans always seem to look at OTHER teams players and say, why don't we have a shooter like that? But in the very rare occasion, you usually DO. You've got someon who's probably making the same percentage, or maybe had 3 or 4 that just ticked the rim for a miss. You remember those opponnents shots "always" going in (escpecially if you lost!) - while you tend to remember your guys shots missing - and MAYBE the occasional "big" shot that goes in.
On the Bruin boards, there has been a lament that NOT gettting a "zone" buster has been one of Ben Howland's biggest failures. He's a pound it inside guy, so good teams just zone him and he loses the big games. Bruins hadn't had a "zone buster" since Jason kapono.
Trouble is, when they went to the final Four in 2008, Darren Collison was hitting 53 of 101 three pointers for the year. The following year, Mike Roll (injured in 2008) hit 51-99. Back to back years with guys shooting FIFTY TWO percent from distance. Yet the perception was, no zone buster.
For us last year, D'lo hit 37% - as a freshman - and people are "disappointed". I'll take that all season long. If one or two of the newbies come close to that, we'll be just fine. Because th ats the same as hitting 55 1/2% from inside the arc. Folks WILL have to come out to guard them. Only this year, we have more than just Mo waiting to take advantage of the middle opening up. Chris. Orlando, Jakarr, Chrisitan.
As I said, we'd be fine if that's what we get. But I really think we do much better than that. Given this INTERIOR group we have this season, I think the perimeter shooting is gonna be fish in a barrel - opposition will have to pick their poison, and I think it will trying to protect the middle. I foresee more 3s this year, but I see far less FORCED 3s. I think we get them as a result of the offense succeeding, not desparation when it fails, as was the case quite often last year. And shots WITHIN the offense are better shots - and MORE of those tend to go in! I EXPECT we'll at least two 40+% 3 pt shooters, and at least 2 others above 35% at the end of the season.
Of course, thats part of my 40-0 overall prediction
