Putting aside the free throw shooting and general shooting and finishing issues, the thing that has jumped out at me each time watching this time is how uncharacteristically soft they are for a Pike team on D, and how small they are in matching up with a phsyical B10 team. Yes losing Caleb is huge. But Paul was very tough and Cam had excellent hands and instincts. A shot goes up but the other team and if Cliff doesn't get it, no one else looks to get the rebound. That's a big change. A lot of floating to "get out on the break" by smaller players.
Everyone is looking for the steal, the deflection, but no one wants to body their man and defend deep in to the shot clock. It's striking to me to see, and it appears some of it is manpower. There does not appear to be sturdy defenders. Mag will be a guge boost if he can move well.
But there are both manpower (willing but not able at times) as well as D toughness issues. Pike can work on the second and need sto start over re D with THIS group. Much to retool re the O also but the soft D needs to be a focus or the season will be long.
Everyone is looking for the steal, the deflection, but no one wants to body their man and defend deep in to the shot clock. It's striking to me to see, and it appears some of it is manpower. There does not appear to be sturdy defenders. Mag will be a guge boost if he can move well.
But there are both manpower (willing but not able at times) as well as D toughness issues. Pike can work on the second and need sto start over re D with THIS group. Much to retool re the O also but the soft D needs to be a focus or the season will be long.
