5 changes I'd make this week if I were Stans

[Irondawg]

1) Offensive focus on getting dribble penetration to get layups or better 3 points attempts. Every guard would try to penetrate into the lane and create something - this would change our mindset and hopefully lead to more scoring and a more aggressive mindset. If we're going to use a pick and roll we do it with Kodi/Osby since they're a threat to pop out and hit the jumper off the screen.

2) Bench Kodi - insert Osby at the 4 and give it a shot. Kodi wouldn't really lost much PT overall though (see further below).

3) Play more Zone defense. While I know Rick is a man-to-man guy, the truth is we've seemed to play better defense out of our zone plus it helps Jarvis catch his breath and allows him to camp out in the middle.

4) Find a way to get Ravern 15 shots a game. Implement one set play designed to get him coming off screens and hopefully point #1 will free him up on the outside a little as well.

5) Take a look at substiution patters. Here's how I'd revise Lineup and PT:

PG - Bost - 35 min
SG - Barry - 33 min
SF - Ravern - 32 min
PF - Osby - 25 min
C - Varnado - 35 min

Bench:

Phil - spells Ravern and Barry and thus gets about 20 min (b/c Barry spells Bost)\
Kodi - spells Osby and Varnado and thus gets 20 min a game (which is about what he's getting now)
Riley - situational only - maybe if we're not shooting well and team is playing a zone we'll see if he's hot
Wendell - situation if Kodi is in doghouse or we get into foul trouble
Riek - blowouts only

So basically we have a 7 man rotation.

 

[boomboommsu]

1) won't that just lead to Kodi and Ravern fouling out from charges and Randy blowing several layups?

2.) no objection, but start Turner.

4.) how about find a way to get ANYONE 15 good LOOKS a game? you tell anyone on this team you want to find them more shots, and they'll just take worse shots.

how about banning the super-long 3? banning non-wide-open shots with 20 secs or more on the shot clock? telling Kodi he gets one shot for every rebound he grabs? you know, things real coaches do, those that aren't for some reason obsessed with being 'buddies' with teenagers?

 

[Irondawg]

If Kodi and Ravern foul out, they foul out but they'll also shoot more FT's. Remember all those bail out calls Fortson got against us?

Agree we need to emphasize better shot selection, but Ravern needs to take more shots than anyone else on the floor since he's out best shooter. I just don't like 4-guard lineup unless we're really going to get out and try to run.

 

[ckDOG]

But, name one person on our team that can effectively penetrate other than Dee Bost. He's about our only option for penetration. The rest either weight 170lbs or can't effectively dribble. I don't know if this is because they are just limited in ability or they just suck at it because they are being held back by lack of coaching (scheme or talent development). Either way, our players do not appear to be capable of beating their man off the dribble or setting technically sound screens to free up some space. I wish they could, but at this point, it's almost a lost cause. I think we just have to cross our fingers and hope we get hot shooting 3s again. It's our only hope.

 

[Irondawg]

True Dee is the only guy, but Ravern has had some recent success with some pull up jumpers and what I'm looking for is some more pentrate and kick. If you watch a lot of the other teams that are perimeter oriented they set up most of their open 3's with some sort of dribble drive and kick.

The issue is that we're not getting any good looks because we just stand around and pass the ball around until we jack up a fadeaway NBA 3-ptr. I think we'd have an increase in turnovers, but at this point we cleary have to try something.

 

[mjh94]

those point-blank shots during the Florida game practice those point-blank shots a billion times.. that's inexcusable. we missed at least a dozen points worth of easy layups and finger rolls.

 

[4suredog]

2 Problems here. First, penetration only is affective if we can make the free throws. If we can't its a lost possesion. 2nd, The first step to fixing a problem is admitting you have one and Stans hasn't seen a problem in years now.

 

[ckDOG]

The suggestions you are making are covered in Basketball 101. We really suck (or don't even try) at the things covered by coaches at the junior high level. Why we can't at least put some wrinkles in the offense that at least attempt to create an open look is beyond my comprehension. The fact that we are so bland offensively can only be attributed to two things:

1) Our players are physically limited
2) Stansbury is clueless.

I'd put my money on #2. I can't buy into #1 simply because we are so good on defense. If we have athletes good enough to be successful on defense in this league, then certainly they should be effective in properly executing a well designed offensive game plan. Instead, our game plan relies on us making a high percentage of low percentage shots. I don't care how good our shooters are - that's dumb basketball and sets you up for disappointment.

 

[8dog]

ran a series of staggered screens down low--the little set where you see someone come off the screen and if not open the staggered resets for someone else.

I can't remember who we ran off the screen, but what made no sense is that we ran our shooters off the right side, as opposed to the left side where (b/c they are all right handed) it much easier to catch and shoot or catch and drive.

We moved a little better saturday the first 10 minutes or so I thought. After that, it was the same old same old.

 

[Original48]

DSku

 

[Coach34]

.

 

[Bulldog Backer]

...I liked this one:

"3) Play more Zone defense. While I know Rick is a man-to-man guy, the
truth is we've seemed to play better defense out of our zone plus it
helps Jarvis catch his breath and allows him to camp out in the middle."

We came from behind in the Arkansas game playing almost what amounted to a "Box and 1." We put Jarvis in the middle and moved the zone box around to put pressure on the ball handler. Jarvis needs more rest than anyone else and the zone gives him that chance. I'd also rest Dee and Barry a little more, by giving Phil some minutes at the 2, and moving Barry to the point, and, when Barry is out, I'd run Dee and Phil at the 1 and 2.

We went to the Final Four in 1996 with a rotation of primarily 7 players, two of them true freshmen.

 

[8dog]

d

 

[rugbdawg]

nm.

 

[LR1400]

If Kodi and Ravern foul out, they foul out but they'll also shoot more FT's. Remember all those bail out calls Fortson got against us?

Agree we need to emphasize better shot selection, but Ravern needs to take more shots than anyone else on the floor since he's out best shooter. I just don't like 4-guard lineup unless we're really going to get out and try to run.

Imo too much of number one with the wrong players lead to MORE
TURNOVERS because we have very few decent dribblers - Bost, Barry,
Ravern at times can drive into the lane not many others, no Phil imo.

We don't have ANYONE CLOSE to Fortson in ability to drive and make the shot and get fouled. We are turnover machines in that aspect.

 

[Coach34]

we are long and athletic and should be able to do a pretty good job in using it at times...

But then again, it has to be coached well

 

[Bulldog Backer]

...sincere apologies.

 

[paindonthurt_]

Apparently some fans haven't seen a problem either.

 

[Irondawg]

I fully realize we don't have the best ball-handlers in the world which makes the request to do more dribble penetration a little risky. But we all agree that we need to get better shots. There are only two ways to do this. Execute half courts sets well (which I think would be even harder for us) or attack the defense more and try to create better shots.

Teams are closing out on the 3pt shot which really leaves driving more as the best option to attempt to change things. I'm not saying it's a magic bean that will definately work - just what we're doing now clearly isn't working so we need to at least try a different approach.

 

[fishwater99]

The suggestions you are making are covered in Basketball 101. We really suck (or don't even try) at the things covered by coaches at the junior high level. Why we can't at least put some wrinkles in the offense that at least attempt to create an open look is beyond my comprehension. The fact that we are so bland offensively can only be attributed to two things:

1) Our players are physically limited
2) Stansbury is clueless.

I'd put my money on #2. I can't buy into #1 simply because we are so good on defense. If we have athletes good enough to be successful on defense in this league, then certainly they should be effective in properly executing a well designed offensive game plan. Instead, our game plan relies on us making a high percentage of low percentage shots. I don't care how good our shooters are - that's dumb basketball and sets you up for disappointment.