Post by therc on Jan 12, 2009 12:22:05 GMT -5
A few thoughts following the Duquesne game. (Also, for those of you that are wondering, The Points Game for St. Joe's will be posted tonight).
1. We will struggle against teams with quicker guards all year. This is, unfortunately, something we're going to have to live with. Eleby was routinely getting beat off the ball, Blackburn struggled both offensively and defensively, and when we're using Tyler Benson to guard Aaron Jackson, then things are getting pretty bad.
2. Speaking of Blackburn, did anyone else notice the conversation he and coach had before the end of the first half? Basically, while we were shooting free throws, coach called Blackburn over to have a talk. Blackburn began to talk back, and coach immediately told Malcolm to come into the game. This was only half of it though. From across the court, one of Blackburn's family members (I'm guessing) started chewing out Schmidt, saying that we would need to find "a different PG, because Ray's the only one who can play." There were other words said, but I don't believe I'd be allowed to post them on this message board, nor would I want to. It was loud, and I'm almost 100 percent that coach heard it.
I only mention this because I'm interested in what will happen. Blackburn played in the second half, but not nearly as much as he usually does. Hopefully everything is alright. Either way, I know that coach doesn't stand for any of that, and I'm sure they both had words in the locker room following the game.
3. I was pleased with the crowd. I thought we had a great turnout given the weather, and I thought it was as loud as I've heard it without the students in a while.
4. I'm sure that I'm going to take some heat for this, but I really do call it as I see it. This is the first game in two years that I've seen Coach Schmidt get outcoached.
Defensively, I was stunned that we didn't play more zone, especially at the beginning of the game. Our goal, as Schmidt said many times before the game, was to slow it down and play a Bona style of basketball. Well we failed that pretty badly. Duquesne was flying all over on offense, and we couldn't even get close to them on the perimeter. We started in a 1-3-1, switched to a 1-2-2 and then settled into man-to-man. I'm all for trapping defenses and stuff, but that usually gives the opposition more openings at the perimeter.
Why not the 3-2 zone? It slows the game down, and we pretty much dare them to beat us inside, which I really don't think they can do.
And, speaking of inside, that should have been the focus of every single offensive possession. Every single one. I know it's hard to play in the paint when you're down 8-10 points, but there was no stopping Thomas or Nicholson. Now, to his credit, Schmidt was SCREAMING for the ball to go inside on a lot of possessions. The guards - especially Blackburn - just simply weren't listening. They missed Andrew and Grease on a NUMBER of one-on-one post situations. That's frustrating, and it's got to change. We're NOT going to beat teams playing a guard-oriented style ... it just won't happen.
5. Finally, I don't believe that we are as bad as we showed Saturday, nor is Duquesne that good. However, I'm really eager to see how this team responds. It seems like the wheels came off just a little bit last game, and they need to be fixed very, very soon, because we all know that St. Joe's will not back down.
1. We will struggle against teams with quicker guards all year. This is, unfortunately, something we're going to have to live with. Eleby was routinely getting beat off the ball, Blackburn struggled both offensively and defensively, and when we're using Tyler Benson to guard Aaron Jackson, then things are getting pretty bad.
2. Speaking of Blackburn, did anyone else notice the conversation he and coach had before the end of the first half? Basically, while we were shooting free throws, coach called Blackburn over to have a talk. Blackburn began to talk back, and coach immediately told Malcolm to come into the game. This was only half of it though. From across the court, one of Blackburn's family members (I'm guessing) started chewing out Schmidt, saying that we would need to find "a different PG, because Ray's the only one who can play." There were other words said, but I don't believe I'd be allowed to post them on this message board, nor would I want to. It was loud, and I'm almost 100 percent that coach heard it.
I only mention this because I'm interested in what will happen. Blackburn played in the second half, but not nearly as much as he usually does. Hopefully everything is alright. Either way, I know that coach doesn't stand for any of that, and I'm sure they both had words in the locker room following the game.
3. I was pleased with the crowd. I thought we had a great turnout given the weather, and I thought it was as loud as I've heard it without the students in a while.
4. I'm sure that I'm going to take some heat for this, but I really do call it as I see it. This is the first game in two years that I've seen Coach Schmidt get outcoached.
Defensively, I was stunned that we didn't play more zone, especially at the beginning of the game. Our goal, as Schmidt said many times before the game, was to slow it down and play a Bona style of basketball. Well we failed that pretty badly. Duquesne was flying all over on offense, and we couldn't even get close to them on the perimeter. We started in a 1-3-1, switched to a 1-2-2 and then settled into man-to-man. I'm all for trapping defenses and stuff, but that usually gives the opposition more openings at the perimeter.
Why not the 3-2 zone? It slows the game down, and we pretty much dare them to beat us inside, which I really don't think they can do.
And, speaking of inside, that should have been the focus of every single offensive possession. Every single one. I know it's hard to play in the paint when you're down 8-10 points, but there was no stopping Thomas or Nicholson. Now, to his credit, Schmidt was SCREAMING for the ball to go inside on a lot of possessions. The guards - especially Blackburn - just simply weren't listening. They missed Andrew and Grease on a NUMBER of one-on-one post situations. That's frustrating, and it's got to change. We're NOT going to beat teams playing a guard-oriented style ... it just won't happen.
5. Finally, I don't believe that we are as bad as we showed Saturday, nor is Duquesne that good. However, I'm really eager to see how this team responds. It seems like the wheels came off just a little bit last game, and they need to be fixed very, very soon, because we all know that St. Joe's will not back down.
