For those bridge jumpers..

Quote from: cjfish on October 31, 2014, 10:51:23 PM

Will Lavin recognize that this team is best pressing for a good part of the game.  The 4 guards are all very quick as is Pointer.  WIll Lavin be smart enough to press early, not only when the game is slipping out of reach???  I don't think so,  but this is the obvious ay to utilize a skilled, quick backcourt and to put less pressure on the inexperienced, less talented, big men.

Really?  The way to take pressure off the big men is by pressing?
When you press, if you don't stop the ball or force help, you end up with odd man rushes against your big man who is pin-balled back and forth having to guard against two people coming at him.

It may sound counter-intuitive, but the strategic truth is you can hide bigmen by playing a 2-3 and packing it in.  Then, you're big is never left alone guarding someone in isolaction where he can draw fouls or be abused. 

In theory our athleticism makes you think we'd be a good trapping and pressing team, but over the last three seasons the opposite is true.  When we press we just create fast breaks for the other team.
I actually wouldn't change the ddefense at all.  Since we abandoned the quick sand, match up zone, our defense has been just fine. 
Our defensive efficiency rating was top 40 in the country last season.
Ken pom's preseason ratings predicts us to be top 15 this season .

Don't touch the defense lol.   Stick to simple  half court man and zone schemes  depending on the situation, and let the players' instincts do the rest.

Quote from: desco80 on October 31, 2014, 05:55:40 PM

Quote from: cjfish on October 31, 2014, 11:22:10 AM

far from doomed.  Our backcourt is probably in the top 3 in the country and is incredibly deep.  If the frontcourt can rebound effectively, score a little, play good D (which is as much about effort and smarts as talent) we will be fine.  I see SJU getting in the torney.  There are reasons to be optimistic, torney is usually guard dominated.

We had that exact same backcourt last season, only now our front court is weaker.   How does that equal more success?
And fwiw our backcourt isn't top 3.   Kentucky alone has 2 pairs of guards better than ours, plus Duke, plus Villanova, Gonzaga etc

Desco come on man, our back court is not exactly the same when three of them now become seniors and the other one ( the best of the group) is no longer a freshmen.

Ullis and Booker over Harrison and Rysheed?

Quote from: desco80 on October 31, 2014, 11:18:53 PM

Quote from: cjfish on October 31, 2014, 10:51:23 PM

Will Lavin recognize that this team is best pressing for a good part of the game.  The 4 guards are all very quick as is Pointer.  WIll Lavin be smart enough to press early, not only when the game is slipping out of reach???  I don't think so,  but this is the obvious ay to utilize a skilled, quick backcourt and to put less pressure on the inexperienced, less talented, big men.

Really?  The way to take pressure off the big men is by pressing?
When you press, if you don't stop the ball or force help, you end up with odd man rushes against your big man who is pin-balled back and forth having to guard against two people coming at him.

It may sound counter-intuitive, but the strategic truth is you can hide bigmen by playing a 2-3 and packing it in.  Then, you're big is never left alone guarding someone in isolaction where he can draw fouls or be abused. 

In theory our athleticism makes you think we'd be a good trapping and pressing team, but over the last three seasons the opposite is true.  When we press we just create fast breaks for the other team.
I actually wouldn't change the ddefense at all.  Since we abandoned the quick sand, match up zone, our defense has been just fine. 
Our defensive efficiency rating was top 40 in the country last season.
Ken pom's preseason ratings predicts us to be top 15 this season .

Don't touch the defense lol.   Stick to simple  half court man and zone schemes  depending on the situation, and let the players' instincts do the rest.

If we play tough man defense we win the big east. If we play any match up, zone, quick sand or gimmick defense we finish under .500 in conference.

Quote from: Amaseinyourface2 on November 01, 2014, 01:03:05 AM

Quote from: desco80 on October 31, 2014, 05:55:40 PM

Quote from: cjfish on October 31, 2014, 11:22:10 AM

far from doomed.  Our backcourt is probably in the top 3 in the country and is incredibly deep.  If the frontcourt can rebound effectively, score a little, play good D (which is as much about effort and smarts as talent) we will be fine.  I see SJU getting in the torney.  There are reasons to be optimistic, torney is usually guard dominated.

We had that exact same backcourt last season, only now our front court is weaker.   How does that equal more success?
And fwiw our backcourt isn't top 3.   Kentucky alone has 2 pairs of guards better than ours, plus Duke, plus Villanova, Gonzaga etc

Desco come on man, our back court is not exactly the same when three of them now become seniors and the other one ( the best of the group) is no longer a freshmen.

Ullis and Booker over Harrison and Rysheed?

Nobody on here is saying that the Johnnies backcourt is bad.  It's clearly one of, if not the best in the Big East conference.  All I'm saying is that they are not even close to top 3 backcourt in the country.  Harrison is a hot and cold player and Jordan is a fringe NBA prospect at this point.  There are teams out there right now that have 2 projected first round picks in their backcourt.

Quote from: DoodyNY33 on November 01, 2014, 10:40:07 AM

Quote from: Amaseinyourface2 on November 01, 2014, 01:03:05 AM

Quote from: desco80 on October 31, 2014, 05:55:40 PM

Quote from: cjfish on October 31, 2014, 11:22:10 AM

far from doomed.  Our backcourt is probably in the top 3 in the country and is incredibly deep.  If the frontcourt can rebound effectively, score a little, play good D (which is as much about effort and smarts as talent) we will be fine.  I see SJU getting in the torney.  There are reasons to be optimistic, torney is usually guard dominated.

We had that exact same backcourt last season, only now our front court is weaker.   How does that equal more success?
And fwiw our backcourt isn't top 3.   Kentucky alone has 2 pairs of guards better than ours, plus Duke, plus Villanova, Gonzaga etc

Desco come on man, our back court is not exactly the same when three of them now become seniors and the other one ( the best of the group) is no longer a freshmen.

Ullis and Booker over Harrison and Rysheed?

Nobody on here is saying that the Johnnies backcourt is bad.  It's clearly one of, if not the best in the Big East conference.  All I'm saying is that they are not even close to top 3 backcourt in the country.  Harrison is a hot and cold player and Jordan is a fringe NBA prospect at this point.  There are teams out there right now that have 2 projected first round picks in their backcourt.

Not sayin top 3, but pretty damn good. Would you take either of the two pairs over ours? I wouldnt

Quote from: desco80 on October 31, 2014, 11:18:53 PM

Quote from: cjfish on October 31, 2014, 10:51:23 PM

Will Lavin recognize that this team is best pressing for a good part of the game.  The 4 guards are all very quick as is Pointer.  WIll Lavin be smart enough to press early, not only when the game is slipping out of reach???  I don't think so,  but this is the obvious ay to utilize a skilled, quick backcourt and to put less pressure on the inexperienced, less talented, big men.

Really?  The way to take pressure off the big men is by pressing?
When you press, if you don't stop the ball or force help, you end up with odd man rushes against your big man who is pin-balled back and forth having to guard against two people coming at him.

It may sound counter-intuitive, but the strategic truth is you can hide bigmen by playing a 2-3 and packing it in.  Then, you're big is never left alone guarding someone in isolaction where he can draw fouls or be abused. 

In theory our athleticism makes you think we'd be a good trapping and pressing team, but over the last three seasons the opposite is true.  When we press we just create fast breaks for the other team.
I actually wouldn't change the ddefense at all.  Since we abandoned the quick sand, match up zone, our defense has been just fine. 
Our defensive efficiency rating was top 40 in the country last season.
Ken pom's preseason ratings predicts us to be top 15 this season .

Don't touch the defense lol.   Stick to simple  half court man and zone schemes  depending on the situation, and let the players' instincts do the rest.

If we play tough man defense we win the big east. If we play any match up, zone, quick sand or gimmick defense we finish under .500 in conference.

It is true that when you beat the press big men are exposed.  Remember, although we are weak on the front line generally, hopefully for most of the game we will have a more experienced Obekpa back there for the opposition to think about.  When a press is not beaten it gives the big men more time to adjust to the defensive end, shortens effective offensive possessions and, of course, leads to easy buckets off turnovers.  We have 5 really quick guys in the first 8, lets use them to mess with the other team.  Last year our desperation last 10 minute presses were effective.  If the press is a routine tool, practiced  and used often, it will be even more effective

Quote from: Amaseinyourface2 on November 01, 2014, 10:50:39 AM

Quote from: DoodyNY33 on November 01, 2014, 10:40:07 AM

Quote from: Amaseinyourface2 on November 01, 2014, 01:03:05 AM

Quote from: desco80 on October 31, 2014, 05:55:40 PM

Quote from: cjfish on October 31, 2014, 11:22:10 AM

far from doomed.  Our backcourt is probably in the top 3 in the country and is incredibly deep.  If the frontcourt can rebound effectively, score a little, play good D (which is as much about effort and smarts as talent) we will be fine.  I see SJU getting in the torney.  There are reasons to be optimistic, torney is usually guard dominated.

We had that exact same backcourt last season, only now our front court is weaker.   How does that equal more success?
And fwiw our backcourt isn't top 3.   Kentucky alone has 2 pairs of guards better than ours, plus Duke, plus Villanova, Gonzaga etc

Desco come on man, our back court is not exactly the same when three of them now become seniors and the other one ( the best of the group) is no longer a freshmen.

Ullis and Booker over Harrison and Rysheed?

Nobody on here is saying that the Johnnies backcourt is bad.  It's clearly one of, if not the best in the Big East conference.  All I'm saying is that they are not even close to top 3 backcourt in the country.  Harrison is a hot and cold player and Jordan is a fringe NBA prospect at this point.  There are teams out there right now that have 2 projected first round picks in their backcourt.

Not sayin top 3, but pretty damn good. Would you take either of the two pairs over ours? I wouldnt

Depends on Jordan's development. He could go for 17 and 7 with 3.5 steals per game for all we know.