Coaching, Player Development & Shot Selection

[catfans5]

IMO, player development and shot selection are due to coaching. Tonight, I saw two matters that are indicative of those issues which I attribute to the coaching:

1) Player development: We have two players at 6 ft 9in or bigger, but both have a limited inside game. Beran, I think has no inside short game. When shooting is bad, as his has been, an inside game should help out. An inside game can also get a player to the free throw line. If you are taller, you should at least try to post up your opponent, but we rather look to stand around on the perimeter. If Beran is unable to do it, that is on the coaches. If he and the team fail to recognize the mismatch, that is a coaching failure. The complete lack of an inside game or the development thereof which only Young has, or not employing one at all, is a coaching failure; and,

2) Shot selection. A good amount of out of control play. The head scratcher tonight was Nance launching a three less than 8 seconds after he returned to game action. I will not even address some of the other shots. Again, shot selection is a function of coaching.

I forgot to add one thing: I changed to the Hallmark Channel again to watch "A Country Wedding." It least it had a happy ending.

 

[SDakaGordie]

Pardon? Skelly? McIntosh? Law? Taphorn? Sanjay? Collins was great at developing them and now he sucks? I don’t buy that’s it on Collins. It’s about Buie right now. His poor play has taken this whole team down. There’s no rhythm or confidence, and that affects guys like Beran. We saw him make shots earlier this year.

 

[PurpleFaze]

Collins needs to get Boo under control- too many dumb plays and low pct shots. This was a game that should have been much closer. Boo and to some extent audige take too many shots which has the secondary effect of freezing out guys like Kopp and Beran. Kopp, Nance, and Young should be the top options on this team.

I thought Hummel did a great job tonight commenting on the wasted possessions due to Boo.

 

[GatoLouco]

Buie played extremely poorly for several games with no correction in game of playing time. It’s not personal, it’s just coaching. Players understand spending time on the bench if they don’t produce. Did it happen? Nope.

Catfans5 is on point. It’s on Collins. He’s the manager, he makes decisions, he’s not the guy sitting on the sideline watching a game at the Y

 

[PurpleFaze]

Boo had several bad decisions in a short time frame and Collins really needed to pull him for Greer. Greer is decent this year, at least he’s not a negative drag like Boo is atm.

We’ve got lots of offensive weapons- need someone to be a true point guard and distribute the ball. Boo is just out of control during this stretch. Play Greer next game and let Boo come off the bench. Greer at least understands what he can and can’t do.

It’s frustrating watching this team kill itself via self inflicted wounds.

 

[xxxbobxxx]

Pardon? Skelly? McIntosh? Law? Taphorn? Sanjay? Collins was great at developing them and now he sucks? I don’t buy that’s it on Collins. It’s about Buie right now. His poor play has taken this whole team down. There’s no rhythm or confidence, and that affects guys like Beran. We saw him make shots earlier this year.

Six out of how many scholarship players?

 

[xxxbobxxx]

Collins needs to get Boo under control- too many dumb plays and low pct shots. This was a game that should have been much closer. Boo and to some extent audige take too many shots which has the secondary effect of freezing out guys like Kopp and Beran. Kopp, Nance, and Young should be the top options on this team.

I thought Hummel did a great job tonight commenting on the wasted possessions due to Boo.

Audidge dumb things is really adding up too.

 

[DaCat]

Does anyone make more odd mental mistakes than Audige? He can do things no one else on our team can do. The way he can create his own shot and get hot has so much value, but his decision making is horrendous.

Audidge dumb things is really adding up too.

Audige and Buie are going to drive me crazy. Audige literally cost us points with brain farts - after hitting the three, he gets hit with a technical for talking trash to the Wiskey bench, resulting in 2 points for them. Then he goaltends on his own teammate's shot, turning an "and-one" for Kopp into 2 free throws. Just bizarre stuff that I don't ever remember seeing. Audige also goes for a spectacular dunk that gets blocked yet again for like the third consecutive game. Geezus, enough already. I like his energy and passion but he needs to get his **** together.

 

[7th Cir. Cat]

Audige and Buie are going to drive me crazy. Audige literally cost us points with brain farts - after hitting the three, he gets hit with a technical for talking trash to the Wiskey bench, resulting in 2 points for them. Then he goaltends on his own teammate's shot, turning an "and-one" for Kopp into 2 free throws. Just bizarre stuff that I don't ever remember seeing. Audige also goes for a spectacular dunk that gets blocked yet again for like the third consecutive game. Geezus, enough already. I like his energy and passion but he needs to get his **** together.

At what point is it on the coaches to teach, mentor and improve the players? We are Northwestern not Duke. We don’t get polished NBA ready prospects. We get players who still need to be coached up and taught. All of this griping is not about talent, but rather things that can taught. Shot selection is a prime example of this.

We all agree that the athleticism and talent have been upgraded. But now is when Collins needs to earn his keep. We are the tipping point in the season, let see how this team responds.

 

[Sec_112]

This thread is also ignoring how much a mediocre shooting team wants to shoot the 3 and ignores any inside game. It's getting to the point where the ball rarely even goes inside, much less actually shoots a high percentage shot.

Buie and Audige also need to see the whole court when they drive the lane. It's pretty automatic they are shooting the ball in this situation, and not that difficult to defend.

The last aspect is three-point defense. I don't have a solution for this one, but it's obvious this team is horrible defending the three. Team after team lights it up against them.

 

[GatoLouco]

This thread is also ignoring how much a mediocre shooting team wants to shoot the 3 and ignores any inside game. It's getting to the point where the ball rarely even goes inside, much less actually shoots a high percentage shot.

Buie and Audige also need to see the whole court when they drive the lane. It's pretty automatic they are shooting the ball in this situation, and not that difficult to defend.

The last aspect is three-point defense. I don't have a solution for this one, but it's obvious this team is horrible defending the three. Team after team lights it up against them.

Agreed that it’s getting ridiculous how little the ball goes inside.

It’s just my perception but I don’t see as many open shots as others do here. Or CC does. I see a lot of “open” shots that seem rushed, player not straight/balanced. If you have to get away from your natural motion speed and balance to be “open” that’s almost as bad as having a hand in your face.

 

[willycat]

Agreed that it’s getting ridiculous how little the ball goes inside.

It’s just my perception but I don’t see as many open shots as others do here. Or CC does. I see a lot of “open” shots that seem rushed, player not straight/balanced. If you have to get away from your natural motion speed and balance to be “open” that’s almost as bad as having a hand in your face.

Could that be because they don't have a big time scorer at the 5?

 

[Sec_112]

... It’s just my perception but I don’t see as many open shots as others do here. Or CC does ...

Count me among those who see plenty of good, unrushed, square-to-the-basket, open shots.

But at some point, you need to realize you're not the Golden State Warriors. You're not even the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Shooting a three may improve your scoring efficiency, but that's not what the final score is based on. With this group, I'd rather take my chances with Kopp from 15 and a drive in the lane by Buie in the span of six possessions, rather than the inevitable 0-6 in those possessions against good teams.

Also, make a couple in the lane, and suddenly those threes are more open.