Shooters

Clearly its not secret its what we lack.  I think there has to be a change in recruiting strategy.  Was reading a recent interview with Rick Pitino in ESPN Magazine and this question and answer stood out.  Enough athletes.  Get guys who can shoot.

What type of player do you recruit to fit your style?

- This last couple of years, we had defensive intensity, but more than any other time in 35 years- pro or college- I didn't have any shooters.  I made up my mind to get guys who could shoot the basketball consistently.  I think we've done that with our recruiting.

Clearly its not secret its what we lack.  I think there has to be a change in recruiting strategy.  Was reading a recent interview with Rick Pitino in ESPN Magazine and this question and answer stood out.  Enough athletes.  Get guys who can shoot.

What type of player do you recruit to fit your style?

- This last couple of years, we had defensive intensity, but more than any other time in 35 years- pro or college- I didn't have any shooters.  I made up my mind to get guys who could shoot the basketball consistently.  I think we've done that with our recruiting.

+100

Agree, which is why Louisville took Hancock.  Not sure who they have coming in next year.

Question for the board though -- If our roster next year includes Harrison, Bourgault and Hooper, is that enough "shooters"?  Or, if we have a schollie to fill for 2013-2014, do we target a transfer/incoming frosh who can shoot (going forward we clearly should).

Need a rebounder

Just take a look at our abysmal 3point shooting % since the inception of the rule. Year after year we lack such an important element of the game. Enough of the athletic slashers, at the expense of some semblance of outside shooting.

Clearly its not secret its what we lack.  I think there has to be a change in recruiting strategy.  Was reading a recent interview with Rick Pitino in ESPN Magazine and this question and answer stood out.  Enough athletes.  Get guys who can shoot.

What type of player do you recruit to fit your style?

- This last couple of years, we had defensive intensity, but more than any other time in 35 years- pro or college- I didn't have any shooters.  I made up my mind to get guys who could shoot the basketball consistently.  I think we've done that with our recruiting.

+9999

The question is can guys like Phil, Dom & Jamal improve their jumper for next year?

Need a rebounder

Sanchez?

The question is can guys like Phil, Dom & Jamal improve their jumper for next year?

Absolutely, that's the question we need to wait on - as their jumpers go - so goes how happy will we be about next season.

I don't have a problem with recruiting athletic wings, but it would be nice to get some who can actually hit some 3's. It would do wonders for the offense. Most of the time (not counting Harrison) our best 3pt shooter on the floor is Greene, and that's scary. Marco is good to have, but I'm not convinced he's anything more than a spot up shooter, and to be honest he hasn't shown me he's great at that either.

Need a rebounder

Sampson, Obekpa, Sanchez, Gift, Pointer?

We are set there. We need pure shooters who can make open shots at a high percentage. Can't tell you how maddening it is seeing Marco or Greene miss open 3's all game.

Phil Greene is currently shooting 35%. Let's put that in perspective. Since the 2001-02 season only these guys have been at that level or worse and played more than 15 games:
09-10 Omari Lawrence 35% in 9.3 mpg
08-09 Malik Boothe 34%
07-08 Geno 34%
05-06 Ricky Torres 34% in 9.3 mpg
04-05 Geno 33%
04-05 Ced Jackson 34%
03-04 Curtis Johnson 35% in 15 mpg
03-04 Tyler Jones 34% in 12 mpg
01-02 Willie Shaw 34%

Phil Greene is currently shooting 35%. Let's put that in perspective. Since the 2001-02 season only these guys have been at that level or worse and played more than 15 games:
09-10 Omari Lawrence 35% in 9.3 mpg
08-09 Malik Boothe 34%
07-08 Geno 34%
05-06 Ricky Torres 34% in 9.3 mpg
04-05 Geno 33%
04-05 Ced Jackson 34%
03-04 Curtis Johnson 35% in 15 mpg
03-04 Tyler Jones 34% in 12 mpg
01-02 Willie Shaw 34%

Willie was that bad?

I think that was his soph year. Shot real well as a frosh, then never again.

Whit the way our guys shoot from outside I do need a bunch of the "Liquid shooters".  Moose I thought you were becoming a mixologist.

When you have two guards who can get to the basket at will like Siva & Smith, guys like Hancock can be made to look like stars.

Guys like Marco & Hooper can be put in great positions to get wide open looks if our guards can break down the opponents or if our point guards are a remote threat to hit an open jumper.

Two most important positions in college ball: point and center.

Believe we have a point.

Believe we have a center on D.

Now we need a center on O.

Gurantee you the shootin will improve wit the current personnel if Jamal remains healthy and someone can score in the post.

Why you think the problem is Greene is shooting contested shots? That is the scary thing he misses open shots. Greene is going to be the starting two. I think Branch will improve but if you have Branch, Greene and Pointer as your guard / wings I don't care if they recruit the reincarnation of Hakeem Olajuwon, we will not be a strong shooting team.

When you have two guards who can get to the basket at will like Siva & Smith, guys like Hancock can be made to look like stars.

Guys like Marco & Hooper can be put in great positions to get wide open looks if our guards can break down the opponents or if our point guards are a remote threat to hit an open jumper.

+1.  Under our current offense, we don't just need good shooters, we need good shooters who can create their own shot.

Quote from: Marco Baldi on March 03, 2013, 08:46:08 PM

Need a rebounder

Sampson, Obekpa, Sanchez, Gift, Pointer?

We are set there. We need pure shooters who can make open shots at a high percentage. Can't tell you how maddening it is seeing Marco or Greene miss open 3's all game.

I expect the rebounding to be a little bit better next year with JaKarr and Oblockpa having a season under them and expected improvements in their body to help them bang and grab more boards, plus the addition of Orlando and re-addition of Gift (although I'm not certain how much Gift will help on the boards), but I still don't think it's going to be a team strength, it just won't be nearly as abysmal. So I agree the team could still use some help rebounding. And definitely needs some help on the perimeter. Gotta spread the floor better and more consistently so that the athletic slashers have better and more opportunities to get to the hole. The current team spends way too much time passing the ball around the perimeter and not getting the ball inside. So many shots are contested and low percentage. That has to change.