After sleeping on it.....

[therc]

Thoughts about the game last night, while still trying to comprehend how we just handed Fordham their third win of the season.

I'm a huge Mark Schmidt fan. Still am after last night's game. However, he was absolutely awful last night. Nicholson gets two massive dunks (in between a three point play) and you take him out of the game right after it happens. At first, I thought it was rest, but how in the world do you justify keeping him out until the 2:10 mark? Are you kidding me? Half of me thinks that Schmidt just forgot about him.

His reason in the press conference was that Fordham was playing good defense against Andrew in the second half. We must have been watching two completely different second halves, because I'm pretty sure that Drew had 12 points in 13 minutes and only missed one shot in the second stanza. Hopefully coach sees this in the tape.

Then, there's the whole Eleby thing. Offensively, we're most successful when Malcolm is on the end of the bench twittling his thumbs. Matthews runs the point, Davenports at the 2, Hall at 3, Thomas at 4 and Nicholson at 5. That's the way it was when we made our huge run to take a 57-52 lead in the second half.

So then why put him back in? He had something like a 2-5 assist to turnover ratio. Matthews was 7-1. Why is Eleby on the court?

Let's compare Eleby to Davenport? Defensively, when Michael is in, he guards the opposing team's best player. So he gets the ege there. He's CERTAINLY a better rebounder, he turns the ball over less, and he's got a better shot. So, I ask again, WHY WAS ELEBY ON THE COURT?

Finally, there's this issue. First of all, let me say that mistakes are going to happen. EVERY PLAYER is going to make mistakes throughout the course of the game. But picture yourself as a Bona player. You make a mistake on the court, you KNOW you did it, and Schmidt is looking at you like you've got some serious physical deficiency and immediately STORMS down the bench to find your replacement. If I'm a player, I'm upset. I want my coach to TEACH me ... I want my coach to MOTIVATE me, but I don't want my coach to look at me like I'm some foreign entity every time I make a mistake. And, for the rest of the game, I'm playing scared out of my mind, because I don't want to make another mistake and find my replacement immediately ready to come in at the scorers table.

Again, let me reiterate that I'm a fan of Schmidt, but I really think these things need to be fixed. Let's hope he realizes it before our season becomes completely derailed.

[avonfan]

Totally agree. These kids are kids and some probably have fragile psyches.

[commie21]

Not to totally back Eleby right now, as that is not my intention, but you can see this when he plays. The minute he throws one risky pass for a back door cut and the ball travels out of bounds, he doesn't clap his hands and think "I'll get the next one," his head immediately jerks to the bench to see who's subbing in for him. There is no way any player, especially the point guard, can play or even develop with the fact that every mistake he makes will reward him with a seat on the bench.

[triple302]

I do agree that Eleby seems mentally broken right now. That is the only possible way that a D1 level basketball player can put a decent move on a guy and then blow a wide open layup. However you can't be worried constantly about the psyche of your players. That is why the big time coaches like coach k, roy williams and the like always preach about mental toughness in the kids that they bring in. Both of these coaches are quick to pull players when they make dumb mistakes, even chewing them out to the point where i think I might cry for them. But for some reason, a solid, mentally tough player can walk back on the court and perform. they want to prove everyone wrong and have what it takes when they are down. Also, its not the head coaches job during the game to stroke egos and spend time with players. He needs to coach the game. It is hard to see on the web feeds, but the games that I have been to, it seems that the assistants are doing the job. Thats what they are there for and thats the way it happens with almost all teams. Eleby and some other guys on this team have been given more than enough chances to succeed. After as bad as he has been he had the chance to be the hero last night, but he wasn't mentally there. Its a tough game and sometimes you have to not be the nice guy and call it as you see it. He is hurting the team right now in all aspects and shouldn't be out there. Who knows, maybe he can find his niche as a bench guy.

[homersbu]

"Then, there's the whole Eleby thing. Offensively, we're most successful when Malcolm is on the end of the bench twittling his thumbs. Matthews runs the point, Davenports at the 2, Hall at 3, Thomas at 4 and Nicholson at 5. That's the way it was when we made our huge run to take a 57-52 lead in the second half."


I totally agree, therc. That is our best lineup, I don't think there's much question about that. But let's be fair: That was not the lineup on the floor when we turned a 4-point deficit into the 57-52 lead. It was Matthews, Davenport, Benson, Carter and Hall. Not sure why Thomas didn't come in until 28 seconds left, and Nicholson probably should have come back with about 5 to play. But facts are facts: The MDBCH lineup (and switch to a zone) turned the game around in the second half.

[hamrucker]

RC, I'm in total agreement with about 80 percent of your post. It's nice to read a thought out post and not just a knee-jerk reaction, although I don't blame the hasty reactions after last night.

The one part that I somewhat disagree with, and it's not even really a disagreement, but when Schmidt looks at these kids like they are total idiots and storms down the sideline, it's usually after a BASIC, fundamental mistake that should have been corrected in their freshman year of high school. Now I know it falls on Schmidt to drive home fundamentals and these mistakes should have been nipped in the bud a long, long time ago, but at some point, these kids needs to start producing. Their mistakes are so, so absurd at this level.

One play that stands out to me, and maybe it's been mentioned, is the fast break early in the second half when Eleby LEFT HIS FEET in the middle of the floor and threw a 90 mph pass over Jon Hall's head off the sign behind the basket. How is THAT your point guard? These types of mistakes are dumbfounding and inexcusable. I don't blame Schmidt for being shocked that these guys are still making these boneheaded plays. As far as their psyches, if you don't want your coach looking at you like you have three heads, then stop making unforced mistakes.

Also, the lineup you mentioned is no doubt our best right now and I sure hope that it's the starting lineup Saturday night in Duquesne.

[therc]

To address a couple of points:

Triple302,

I agree with your overall statement, but consider the fact that those guys are playing for Duke and North Carolina precisely because they are mentally tough. At the major level, everyones got talent. The one's that separate themselves are, as you say, mentally tough. That's why Duke and North Carolina are so good.

That said, since our players apparently aren't very tough mentally, you HAVE to adjust as a coach. If you don't, your players are going to regress, big time.

Case in point: Eleby. How do you think his progression is going right now? I'm not even coming close to saying that he's not playing well because of Schmidt, but if you were a starting point guard, how would you like to be playing scared for 40 mintues each night? Think it might affect your game? That's why I think Schmidt has to get better. I'm not saying leave guys in that make mistake after mistake after mistake. I firmly believe Eleby should have been riding pine the ENTIRE second half, simply because he doesn't play well. But you can't keep playing with him like that.

homersbu,

You are indeed correct. My memory was wrong on Benson/Carter being in, but my general point was that Nicholson and Thomas were the two that got us to a point where we could re-gain the lead in the first place.

hamrucker,

I too hope that Eleby isn't in the starting lineup against Duquesne. Matthews is putting up GREAT numbers for a point guard, and is running the offense well. Therefore, put him at point and have Davenport play the 2.

In regard to your comments on Eleby, I COMPLETELY agree. So why keep putting him in the game? If you're going to sit him, sit him. Don't pull him in, yank him out, pull him in, yank him out again, etc.