Most on here that have read my posts over the year would tend to say I'm pro CKS. I don't think of myself as that at all, I along with everyone else was about ready for him to go after the 60pt debacle at KY when post game he says maybe hes not the coach for the team, or after the Furman loss when it appeared 2 straight yrs a talented team was crashing.
But, what I do know is, from 2003/4 through 2011/12, its the best stretch of hoops in my life time. And, over that same stretch, more talent had walked through the doors than any in that same time frame. I didn't live or was old enough during the Skinner yrs, but from the late 70's to early 2000's, its the best.
I've been scratching my head about this yrs team, how could this team, a yr older, with most of its players back, be struggling so much offensively when last year, it was one of the best 20 offensive teams in the country, according to statistics and to most "experts". And, the reason this team is 15-11, and not 18-8 or 19-7, is offense, IMO.
Also, I keep hearing from most, that this team is top 10-15 talent. I would agree, if this team was playing 20-30 yrs ago. I disagree in today's college game. Its talented, should be better than 15-11, but, its not top 10ish talent, I'm not sure its top 20 talent.
First, lets go to the way basketball is officiated. Oh, they've cut out handchecking, allowed freedom of movement, blah, blah, blah. You go watch the 93 VU team games, when the shot clock had more seconds, go watch games in the 80s, when the shot clock was at, gosh, 45 seconds!! Scoring must of been in the 40's since we had to lower the shot clock to 30 seconds to increase scoring. Guess what, scoring was quite a bit higher, because you couldn't push, shove, hold, etc, or it would be called. Skill won out over physicality and athleticism (now, if you had both, you were great). Why is it, with these new rules, that fouls are up just ever so slightly, that free throws are up ever so slightly. Have the players really adjusted that quickly? No, its because, they still don't call the large majority of fouls (again, just go watch a game from the 80's or 90s and see how different its called). You watch the MS ST game, go watch the AR game for example. MS ST got down, got desperate, and starting playing very physical on defense last night. It paid off, because very few fouls were called in relation to the times they actually fouled. VU had great trouble running their offense through contact. Yea, you will get a few calls, but, they still don't call the hacks, slaps, etc,. Post play is still brutal. Making shots through contact still hasn't changed. One reason offensive players are taught to jump into contact and hope to get a foul is if you go up normally, there is a great chance you won't get the foul called, and it will be difficult to make the shot, so lets jump into contact and hope you get the call, shooting it normal or strong a good chance you won't get the call. Also, you can keep the contact off your arms by bumping into the shot blocker or defenders body.
Now, lets get to this team, and the way its structured (and, I will make the point of the officiating). In todays game, its very important to have guys that can create their own shot. Preference is to have guards and wings that can do this. This VU team is very weak in this area. I would argue, the only 3 guys they really have that can do that in some form or fashion are Baldwin, Roberson and Toye. Lets start with Toye, against good teams it appears he's just not ready. He may be one day as a wing, but right now he's not there. Baldwin can get to the rim almost at will it seems. However, he has, to me, a very unorthodox motion of shooting his layups/floaters. His likes to extend his arms (which, is ok), but typically not away from the defender (most good finishers, for example, like to extend their arm away from their body, opposite from where the defender is [for a person going for a layup on the right side of the lane with a defender between them and the goal, they would extend their right arm out some, on the right side, away from the defender whos on their left side/hip area). He extends them kind of straight at the goal, so he gets hacked or has trouble finishing more than often than not. Then, many times when it seems he can simply flip it up, or even better get his hand when it basically touches the backboard and him perform a power or conventional layup, he will pump his arms in 2 to 3 directions, and make what should be a routine layup much more difficult than it is (is he trying to create a highlight?). But, he does this consistently and has proven so far to be a very low pct finisher. Roberson, to me, is the best driver and finisher when you combine everything on the team, but for most high level teams he would be avg or at least #3 or #4. In other words, VU really doesn't have that person (I guess I could mention Cressler, but, he's not shown it either other than the occasional flash against typically weaker competition).
VU has Jones. Feed him in the post, and, he will consistently score in 1-1 scenarios. Or, if they double team, VU will light you up with 3's. Well, Jones has proven over and over, outside a few games, if the offense doesn't get him set up in the right positions, a shorter but stronger post player can make him struggle, as he did the last 10 minutes of the MSU game yesterday. Kornet also has proven ineffective in the post. And, post players by themselves cannot win games consistently in this era of college basketball. Its a guards league.
So, now, its basically up to the offense to get the shots.
So, as most teams have done that have beaten VU, you play press man to man against VU, Refs almost always allow teams to be very handsy/physical with VU, and outside of a backcut every now and then, or the occasional foul, VU struggles to get good shots or even get shots in the half court. If you had this team in the 90's or 80s, I firmly believe its a top 10 team, because they would kill you on offense. But, its not the 90's or 80's, you need athletic, quick finishers. VU doesn't have that.
But how were they 19th last year on offensive efficiency.
Missing from last yr, James Siakam and Shelton Mitchell. Lets start with Mitchell. The starter at the beginning of last yr. After the 1st game, CKS said it was the best PG play he'd had in yrs. VU doesn't beat Yale last yr without him (made a similar type of driving layup to tie the game late and send it to OT that Baldwin missed this yr that would of done the same against Dayton). He played important roles in several games down the stretch, including Ole Miss for sure. SM could get to the rim and finish. If Baldwin needed a break, VU had a different type, and talented PG to come in. There was not the drop off VU has had this year (at least in terms of a PG capable of creating). Mitchell was a better finisher than Baldwin, and IMO had better court/passing ability (though Baldwin is not bad at that). But, the big thing was, there was not the dropoff. If Baldwin was off, CKS could set him down. If Mitchell is on the team, no way they lose that MSU game. Baldwin would of been sitting and he would know the only way he could get back in and stay in was to do things differently.
Siakam, do I really have to say anything. Billy Donavan called him the most underrated player in the SEC last year. He made so many bad offensive possessions good by grabbing the offense rebound and scoring, many times with and an 1. He was a very solid freethrow shooter. and, I think I heard CKS say he never ran a play for Siakam. Yet, he was the 3rd leading scorer on the team. VU has no one like that this year, no one.
If I took a vote, just for this year, would you take Justice, Toye, Sehic and Cressler, or would you take Siakam and Mitchell. My guess is the vote would be 100% for the latter.
The fact that this team, does not have folks that can create their own shot and finish, that has only one really true PG that can create at all, and the the way the game is officiated makes it very difficult for players that don't have that ability to score, especially in crunch time, when most teams have those type of players (especially top 20 teams), and you look at the difference in last years roster vs this year, I just can't agree in this age of college bball that this team is a top 10-15 talented team. Its up to the offense to take advantage of the strengths of this team, which is shooting and dunking by the big guys. But, if you are allowed to play physical, and slap/hack at this team, it makes it difficult to get those shots.
By setting better screens, by posting up stronger and demanding the ball, by taking the first good shot and being aggressive, you can overcome some of this (oh, and cutting with a purpose). But, its outworking your opponent to get to your strengths that would make this team great. Not the pure talent.
Saying all of this, I'm not trying to say this team hasn't underachieved. I'm not saying CKS has done a good job. But, there are reasons this team is struggling, and maybe expectations were too high. Maybe the schedule was too tough. Kornet injury really hurt, I think was the direct reason they lost to Dayton. But, I am saying I don't agree with the folks that say this team has top 10 talent. Yea, individually you have some pros. But, this team needs another guard/wing or two that can penetrate and finish or dish. Or a guy that can score without plays being run for him. This doesn't have to be a pro.
My gut tells me its time for a change. But, then I think, the womens tennis coach has been at VU what, 21 or 22 yrs. Was there a ton of success in that sport before last year, when they won the national championship? I really don't know the answer, maybe someone can let me know. But, it does make me wonder.
But, what I do know is, from 2003/4 through 2011/12, its the best stretch of hoops in my life time. And, over that same stretch, more talent had walked through the doors than any in that same time frame. I didn't live or was old enough during the Skinner yrs, but from the late 70's to early 2000's, its the best.
I've been scratching my head about this yrs team, how could this team, a yr older, with most of its players back, be struggling so much offensively when last year, it was one of the best 20 offensive teams in the country, according to statistics and to most "experts". And, the reason this team is 15-11, and not 18-8 or 19-7, is offense, IMO.
Also, I keep hearing from most, that this team is top 10-15 talent. I would agree, if this team was playing 20-30 yrs ago. I disagree in today's college game. Its talented, should be better than 15-11, but, its not top 10ish talent, I'm not sure its top 20 talent.
First, lets go to the way basketball is officiated. Oh, they've cut out handchecking, allowed freedom of movement, blah, blah, blah. You go watch the 93 VU team games, when the shot clock had more seconds, go watch games in the 80s, when the shot clock was at, gosh, 45 seconds!! Scoring must of been in the 40's since we had to lower the shot clock to 30 seconds to increase scoring. Guess what, scoring was quite a bit higher, because you couldn't push, shove, hold, etc, or it would be called. Skill won out over physicality and athleticism (now, if you had both, you were great). Why is it, with these new rules, that fouls are up just ever so slightly, that free throws are up ever so slightly. Have the players really adjusted that quickly? No, its because, they still don't call the large majority of fouls (again, just go watch a game from the 80's or 90s and see how different its called). You watch the MS ST game, go watch the AR game for example. MS ST got down, got desperate, and starting playing very physical on defense last night. It paid off, because very few fouls were called in relation to the times they actually fouled. VU had great trouble running their offense through contact. Yea, you will get a few calls, but, they still don't call the hacks, slaps, etc,. Post play is still brutal. Making shots through contact still hasn't changed. One reason offensive players are taught to jump into contact and hope to get a foul is if you go up normally, there is a great chance you won't get the foul called, and it will be difficult to make the shot, so lets jump into contact and hope you get the call, shooting it normal or strong a good chance you won't get the call. Also, you can keep the contact off your arms by bumping into the shot blocker or defenders body.
Now, lets get to this team, and the way its structured (and, I will make the point of the officiating). In todays game, its very important to have guys that can create their own shot. Preference is to have guards and wings that can do this. This VU team is very weak in this area. I would argue, the only 3 guys they really have that can do that in some form or fashion are Baldwin, Roberson and Toye. Lets start with Toye, against good teams it appears he's just not ready. He may be one day as a wing, but right now he's not there. Baldwin can get to the rim almost at will it seems. However, he has, to me, a very unorthodox motion of shooting his layups/floaters. His likes to extend his arms (which, is ok), but typically not away from the defender (most good finishers, for example, like to extend their arm away from their body, opposite from where the defender is [for a person going for a layup on the right side of the lane with a defender between them and the goal, they would extend their right arm out some, on the right side, away from the defender whos on their left side/hip area). He extends them kind of straight at the goal, so he gets hacked or has trouble finishing more than often than not. Then, many times when it seems he can simply flip it up, or even better get his hand when it basically touches the backboard and him perform a power or conventional layup, he will pump his arms in 2 to 3 directions, and make what should be a routine layup much more difficult than it is (is he trying to create a highlight?). But, he does this consistently and has proven so far to be a very low pct finisher. Roberson, to me, is the best driver and finisher when you combine everything on the team, but for most high level teams he would be avg or at least #3 or #4. In other words, VU really doesn't have that person (I guess I could mention Cressler, but, he's not shown it either other than the occasional flash against typically weaker competition).
VU has Jones. Feed him in the post, and, he will consistently score in 1-1 scenarios. Or, if they double team, VU will light you up with 3's. Well, Jones has proven over and over, outside a few games, if the offense doesn't get him set up in the right positions, a shorter but stronger post player can make him struggle, as he did the last 10 minutes of the MSU game yesterday. Kornet also has proven ineffective in the post. And, post players by themselves cannot win games consistently in this era of college basketball. Its a guards league.
So, now, its basically up to the offense to get the shots.
So, as most teams have done that have beaten VU, you play press man to man against VU, Refs almost always allow teams to be very handsy/physical with VU, and outside of a backcut every now and then, or the occasional foul, VU struggles to get good shots or even get shots in the half court. If you had this team in the 90's or 80s, I firmly believe its a top 10 team, because they would kill you on offense. But, its not the 90's or 80's, you need athletic, quick finishers. VU doesn't have that.
But how were they 19th last year on offensive efficiency.
Missing from last yr, James Siakam and Shelton Mitchell. Lets start with Mitchell. The starter at the beginning of last yr. After the 1st game, CKS said it was the best PG play he'd had in yrs. VU doesn't beat Yale last yr without him (made a similar type of driving layup to tie the game late and send it to OT that Baldwin missed this yr that would of done the same against Dayton). He played important roles in several games down the stretch, including Ole Miss for sure. SM could get to the rim and finish. If Baldwin needed a break, VU had a different type, and talented PG to come in. There was not the drop off VU has had this year (at least in terms of a PG capable of creating). Mitchell was a better finisher than Baldwin, and IMO had better court/passing ability (though Baldwin is not bad at that). But, the big thing was, there was not the dropoff. If Baldwin was off, CKS could set him down. If Mitchell is on the team, no way they lose that MSU game. Baldwin would of been sitting and he would know the only way he could get back in and stay in was to do things differently.
Siakam, do I really have to say anything. Billy Donavan called him the most underrated player in the SEC last year. He made so many bad offensive possessions good by grabbing the offense rebound and scoring, many times with and an 1. He was a very solid freethrow shooter. and, I think I heard CKS say he never ran a play for Siakam. Yet, he was the 3rd leading scorer on the team. VU has no one like that this year, no one.
If I took a vote, just for this year, would you take Justice, Toye, Sehic and Cressler, or would you take Siakam and Mitchell. My guess is the vote would be 100% for the latter.
The fact that this team, does not have folks that can create their own shot and finish, that has only one really true PG that can create at all, and the the way the game is officiated makes it very difficult for players that don't have that ability to score, especially in crunch time, when most teams have those type of players (especially top 20 teams), and you look at the difference in last years roster vs this year, I just can't agree in this age of college bball that this team is a top 10-15 talented team. Its up to the offense to take advantage of the strengths of this team, which is shooting and dunking by the big guys. But, if you are allowed to play physical, and slap/hack at this team, it makes it difficult to get those shots.
By setting better screens, by posting up stronger and demanding the ball, by taking the first good shot and being aggressive, you can overcome some of this (oh, and cutting with a purpose). But, its outworking your opponent to get to your strengths that would make this team great. Not the pure talent.
Saying all of this, I'm not trying to say this team hasn't underachieved. I'm not saying CKS has done a good job. But, there are reasons this team is struggling, and maybe expectations were too high. Maybe the schedule was too tough. Kornet injury really hurt, I think was the direct reason they lost to Dayton. But, I am saying I don't agree with the folks that say this team has top 10 talent. Yea, individually you have some pros. But, this team needs another guard/wing or two that can penetrate and finish or dish. Or a guy that can score without plays being run for him. This doesn't have to be a pro.
My gut tells me its time for a change. But, then I think, the womens tennis coach has been at VU what, 21 or 22 yrs. Was there a ton of success in that sport before last year, when they won the national championship? I really don't know the answer, maybe someone can let me know. But, it does make me wonder.
