Simple Request to Pope

[I’m The Village Idiot]

Our offense needs the jolt of seeing a basket or two. We begin each game in a hole and usually play much better with a more aggressive defensive approach in half two?

Can we just begin the game with extremely aggressive defense until we get a couple of easy baskets?

 

[Anony Moose]

No! We can only adjust after we get the first half metrics.

 

[PastorofMuppets82]

Mark Fox in the lockerroom before the game trying to get Jobu to allow us to hit a curveball... I mean not dig ourselves a 20 point hole in the first half.

 

[MdWIldcat55]

Can we just begin the game with extremely aggressive defense?

Yeah, that would be nice. Forty minutes ought to be enough. 45 max.

 

[FLBBNFAN]

Our offense needs the jolt of seeing a basket or two. We begin each game in a hole and usually play much better with a more aggressive defensive approach in half two?

Can we just begin the game with extremely aggressive defense until we get a couple of easy baskets?

Agree, maybe do a real press and see if that can kickstart us.

 

[AJBlue]

Our offense needs the jolt of seeing a basket or two. We begin each game in a hole and usually play much better with a more aggressive defensive approach in half two?

Can we just begin the game with extremely aggressive defense until we get a couple of easy baskets?

I think this is clearl part of the equation. Energy level and the level of aggression is the #1 key in any game for any team anywhere. And aggressive defenese leads to energy and the occasional turnover and run out and easy basket. And baskets fuel energy on the defensive side so its a circle effect. Obviously they cant play all out on defense for 40 minutes but it makes all the sense in the world to come out that way when all legs are fresh and nobody has any fouls

 

[Kyfan27]

I wonder if Pope makes the initial game plan too complicated (or they can't understand basic fundamentals) and the guys start overthinking everything. Once they're down big the initial game plan goes out the window and they simply start playing with some desperation and just "ball." I really don't know what it is though that's just a guess.

 

[CELTICAT]

Yeah but you can’t play possum and lull the other team asleep if you come out that way.

 

[I’m The Village Idiot]

I wonder if Pope makes the initial game plan too complicated (or they can't understand basic fundamentals) and the guys start overthinking everything. Once they're down big the initial game plan goes out the window and they simply start playing with some desperation and just "ball." I really don't know what it is though that's just a guess.

I can’t be absolutely certain the “why” but we almost certainly will begin every game with less on-ball pressure, soft hedges or gap defense. I think the rationale is to begin with a soft base (think football like a Cover 2), see how the opposition wants to attack and then adjust.

^ I could be wrong but that’s my read. And if that’s what’s going on, I loathe it. I’d rather come out and try to put game pressure on the other team immediately. Before they’ve built any momentum, let them second guess every dribble and pass before they settle down.

 

[JHBr]

I can’t be absolutely certain the “why” but we almost certainly will begin every game with less on-ball pressure, soft hedges or gap defense. I think the rationale is to begin with a soft base (think football like a Cover 2), see how the opposition wants to attack and then adjust.

^ I could be wrong but that’s my read. And if that’s what’s going on, I loathe it. I’d rather come out and try to put game pressure on the other team immediately. Before they’ve built any momentum, let them second guess every dribble and pass before they settle down.

If that's the approach it carries over to the offensive end, too. Don't work hard enough to get a decent look and we take bad, contested shots which helps dig the ever present first half hole.

 

[preston-lemasterpiece]

I can’t be absolutely certain the “why” but we almost certainly will begin every game with less on-ball pressure, soft hedges or gap defense. I think the rationale is to begin with a soft base (think football like a Cover 2), see how the opposition wants to attack and then adjust.

^ I could be wrong but that’s my read. And if that’s what’s going on, I loathe it. I’d rather come out and try to put game pressure on the other team immediately. Before they’ve built any momentum, let them second guess every dribble and pass before they settle down.

i believe you are correct, and yeah we need to ditch it asap. some teams can pull that off, but with us we just look lackadaisical for a big early portion of the game.
schedule is about to get tough. gotta clean this up. no sense making these games tougher than they already are.

 

[preston-lemasterpiece]

14 games left, 9 against ranked teams. Only ranked team we've defeated was SJ. Absolutely have to reverse that trend if we wanna be playing in March

there is a new season, starting on Saturday. it's boutta get real

i'm hoping they are thinking in advance about the difficulty of conference play down the stretch and that explains the rather slow, conservative start. that may very well be wishful thinking

 

[Crestcat]

Our offense needs the jolt of seeing a basket or two. We begin each game in a hole and usually play much better with a more aggressive defensive approach in half two?

Can we just begin the game with extremely aggressive defense until we get a couple of easy baskets?

If we would start with an aggressive defense it would probably lead to more effort on the boards. We always get killed on the boards early.

 

[MegaBlue05]

Put a little meth in the Gatorade.

Very fast paste (and why is Colin Chandler trying to sell parts he stole off the scoreboard?)

 

[wildcat111]

Our offense needs the jolt of seeing a basket or two. We begin each game in a hole and usually play much better with a more aggressive defensive approach in half two?

Can we just begin the game with extremely aggressive defense until we get a couple of easy baskets?

Sounds reasonable....the first half always leaves me wondering WTF happened. How can a team be this bad in the first half almost every game against a decent team??

 

[Trinity45]

Our offense needs the jolt of seeing a basket or two. We begin each game in a hole and usually play much better with a more aggressive defensive approach in half two?

Can we just begin the game with extremely aggressive defense until we get a couple of easy baskets?

That and actually move the ball and cut, at the beginning of almost every game, they stand around and look at each other like they don't know what to do.

 

[ChiefPaducah]

I would love to see them start out in that 3/4 court press, if nothing else to shake up the other team and control the tempo.

 

[UKAlum84]

everybody wants guard heavy plays, i'd like to see more posting on the block.

 

[chroix]

No! We can only adjust after we get the first half metrics.

We just need to add an extra half and we will be good to go.

 

[Kyhoward1]

I think this is clearl part of the equation. Energy level and the level of aggression is the #1 key in any game for any team anywhere. And aggressive defenese leads to energy and the occasional turnover and run out and easy basket. And baskets fuel energy on the defensive side so it’s a circle effect. Obviously they cant play all out on defense for 40 minutes but it makes all the sense in the world to come out that way when all legs are fresh and nobody has any fouls

I have been preaching for a month to press. I like the 1-2-2 fullcourt as it forces the opponent to beat it with crisp passing and does not expose the back defenders. As you described in your post AJ, a press leads to aggressive and energetic play. Get a few turnovers and easy baskets, milks the shot clock which helps our Halfcourt defense, and creates physical AND mental fatigue. Team that defensive philosophy with fast breaking off the missed shot and put pressure on their defense. We have the numbers to play this way and most of our opponents don’t. Wear them down!