Defensive intensity, understanding, and effort

[DanMcQ]

The last two games have been lost because this team just hasn't had it. In the first 7 or 8 games of the season they had it, the last three looked like what you'd expect the first three games of the season to look like.

Constructive thoughts on how they should change to address it? Please no whining about the coaching staff, there's already a thread or more on that.

[beenaround]

I don't think any of us are remotely smart enough to have an answer to this question.

[tashoya]

Blown assignments from time to time are going to happen. They are teachable moments. Lack of hustle is inexcusable. A coach can't make a kid go all-out but he can certainly sit a kid that won't.

[SFHoya99]

I have no clue.

I honestly suspect there is something else going on. Illness. Chemistry issues. Partying. Personal issues. No idea, but when you see a group seemingly stop playing to their potential like this something usually comes out.

And if it were a player or two, it'd be one thing. But how do you fix the mindset when the majority of the group seems like it doesn't care?

[Hoyas4Ever]

I remember JT3 stating to the media before the season started that this team was so deep that outside of DSR, he had no idea who would start and was really considering starting different lineups to matchup with teams this year. 10 games in, we have had the same starters and outside of playing the teams with a big name (Duke, Wisconsin, Twerps, and Cuse) this team has had horrible starts (first TV timeout) in terms of energy and execution. When you play teams you should beat you need to jump on them immediately and let them know they have no shot to win this game. We actually do the opposite and feed their confidence with our lack of energy, enthusiasm and pace, and their confidence just grows and grows as the game goes on until the point they not only think they can play with you, but they should beat you. If UNC Asheville would have loss this game the narrative could easily have been "UNCA Lets One Get Away" instead of Georgetown flexed its muscle and pulled away from scrappy team. That is truly an indictment on where this team is right now.

Getting back to my original point about the different starting line ups. If we are playing a team where all 5 players can put the ball on the deck and has a quickness advantage, like Monmouth and UNC Asheville you may want to match up better. In those match ups I don't think we can start Derrickson and Hayes or Govan. It has to be 1 of the 3 in the line up. You can't play Govan consistent minutes because he is not a physicall rebounder yet. Too many times Govan gets his hands on the ball but fails to control the board. If it wasn't the fact that Hayes was the only player consistently rebounding, I would have loved to see a front court of White, Copeland and Derrickson to maximize my space and offensive flow. I know injuries a the beginning of the season limited all options but now as we are getting closer to being healthy, I think JT3 needs to revisit the idea switching up starting lineups based on opponent match ups!

Note: I posted this earlier in another thread but I think it fits better here

[drquigley]

Gotta be intensity. Look at UNCW game. A team that scores 89 points a game was held to 28 in the first half. We swarmed that whole half. But then with about 8 minutes left we reverted to what we've seen the last two games. Lazy, D, stupid fouls, awful offense. UNCW scored 54 POINTS IN THE SECOND HALF! Almost half of that in the last 6 minutes! It is intensity. How to instill that in these guys is beyond me. But as I've said in other threads you can almost smell it when these guys have it and when we lose it.

[njhoya78]

Dec 19, 2015 17:31:28 GMT -5 tashoya said:

Blown assignments from time to time are going to happen. They are teachable moments. Lack of hustle is inexcusable. A coach can't make a kid go all-out but he can certainly sit a kid that won't.

Hear, hear.

A reduction in playing time as a disincentive to continued lack-of-hustle is something we haven't seen to date. I think we would be a bit more sanguine about the results, win or lose, if we saw the type of hustle to which we have been accustomed on a forty-minute basis. I don't want to call it a lack of heart, or desire, but something does seem to be missing with this team.

[Hoyas4Ever]

Dec 19, 2015 17:31:28 GMT -5 tashoya said:

Blown assignments from time to time are going to happen. They are teachable moments. Lack of hustle is inexcusable. A coach can't make a kid go all-out but he can certainly sit a kid that won't.

I think JT3 did that for the most part with Tre Campbell today.

[njhoya78]

Dec 19, 2015 17:33:27 GMT -5 SFHoya99 said:

I have no clue.

I honestly suspect there is something else going on. Illness. Chemistry issues. Partying. Personal issues. No idea, but when you see a group seemingly stop playing to their potential like this something usually comes out.

And if it were a player or two, it'd be one thing. But how do you fix the mindset when the majority of the group seems like it doesn't care?

You may be onto something. I was thinking along these lines during the game, but hesitated to posit it as a rationale/excuse.

[MCIGuy]

Dec 19, 2015 17:24:33 GMT -5 DanMcQ said:

The last two games have been lost because this team just hasn't had it. In the first 7 or 8 games of the season they had it, the last three looked like what you'd expect the first three games of the season to look like.

Constructive thoughts on how they should change to address it? Please no whining about the coaching staff, there's already a thread or more on that.

Just like with football there are two sides of the ball. If your defense isn't clicking then sometimes your best defense is a good, aggressive offense that puts the opponents back on their heels and cause them to make mistakes as they try to play catchup on the scoreboard. Get a good enough lead and that could take that fight out of an opponent who remembers that they are the heavy underdog and weren't expect to win anyway. Xavier does this to opposing teams when it scores in the 90s. In the previous game these Hoyas couldn't make it to 30 points by the end of the first half. I'm sorry when you lose games like these on your own home court it is both the defense and the offense that is suspect.

[jester]

This is a young team, and the sophomores are suddenly expected to be leaders. DSR can't do it alone. Maybe they just don't have it yet. This team has potential, but can it focus when the limelight of playing in a marquee game like Duke/Maryland/Syracuse isn't on and adrenaline can get one through a game? So far the answer is no.

I always think coaching is an issue (good or bad), but by now this team needs to fix a lot of things only a player can commit to. I do think coach his frustrated by it, is still figuring out lineups, and how to maximize the talent he has. As young as this team can be (in age or starting playing time) they owe it to themselves much less us to find the way. I am hopeful though - I mean it's the defining trait of our fans by now:)

[tashoya]

Dec 19, 2015 17:36:33 GMT -5 njhoya78 said:

Dec 19, 2015 17:31:28 GMT -5 tashoya said:

Blown assignments from time to time are going to happen. They are teachable moments. Lack of hustle is inexcusable. A coach can't make a kid go all-out but he can certainly sit a kid that won't.

Hear, hear.

A reduction in playing time as a disincentive to continued lack-of-hustle is something we haven't seen to date. I think we would be a bit more sanguine about the results, win or lose, if we saw the type of hustle to which we have been accustomed on a forty-minute basis. I don't want to call it a lack of heart, or desire, but something does seem to be missing with this team.

Honestly, after the past 2 games, I don't care as much as I did prior to those about the record. I realize that's fairly stupid of me but no one should have to watch DSR leave his man time after time. It's infuriating for fans and it's worse than just the wide open looks. It's deflating to the rest of the team when you're trying to mount a comeback. Today was a perfect time for the coach to make an example of his senior captain as a shot over the bow for the whole team. Even DSR can and will be pulled and nailed to the bench. Especially today when he was also shooting the offense in the foot at times. I don't think it would have been too severe to sit him the entire second half.

That's not at all to say that DSR is the lone reason we lost or, really, to single him out as a player. I only mean to pick on his performance today. Not him as a player. As a player, he's much better than he showed today and everyone knows it. If he wasn't, it wouldn't be so infuriating to watch.

Similarly, while Kaleb is a freshman and makes mistakes, his effort and aggressiveness today should have earned him more PT as long as he keeps playing that way.

When the head coach's brother is on TV questioning the motor of players (by name too, not in general), something needs to be done. Something drastic and in a hurry.

[Hoyas4Ever]

I also feel that this team seems much more energized and engaged defensively when we press. Even if the press is just to slow down the other team and take time off the shot clock it's a good thing because this team has proven all season long that they can't defend for 30 seconds in the half court. So maybe they can defend for 20-24 seconds. We hav the bodies, depth and length to press the entire game or at lead a large part of the game. I don think it was a coincidence in the Wilmington game that we were able to build a large lead after pressing for pretty much the entire 1st half and almost the first 10 minutes of the 2nd half. As soon as we stopped, the defensive energy dissapered and we blew almost all of a 25 point lead in the last 8 minutes of the game.

[Deleted]

1) Play hard and with purpose. Effort on defense is always number one you can overcome a lot of deficiencies by simply giving a max effort.

2) Loafing on Defense should lead to and immediate substitution... There's many ways to send a message to a kid you don't have to get in his face to do it.

3) You play defense with your feet not your hands I'm looking at you LJ

4) Centers stop leaving your feet on the drive before the shot.. Some "centers" are more guilty of this than others. Please wait for the offensive player to commit to either the pass or shot before you leave your feet and take yourself out of the play. Neither one of these kids are shot blockers so what are you waiving at? And how many time do you see our "centers" leave their feet only to have the offensive player dish for an easy layup.. They need to focus on playing solid fundamental position defense. This is basic stuff folks N.N. was all over this on twitter

5) Coaching Adjustments:

a: Coach needs to consider going small against these small team with (Trey at Center or White) Better pnr defense and more ability to swith everything on the perimeter.. Every body would have to crash boards though

b: More switching Defenses a couple different zone looks and man.. Maybe keeping teams guessing a bit can help us slow teams down. Teams look way too comfortable for long stretches against our D

c: 1-3-1? Couldn't be worse than our 2-3 or man right now. Think it could be one of our better defenses tbh but rebounding is always an issue in that zone

d: Use your bench to motivate players definsively. If you start sitting kids for not caring on Defense they will most likely start caring on defense...Kids that are dedicated to bringing it on that end should be rewarded for it with more playing time. Every kid on this team can score.

[sleepy]

Honestly point 3 is applies to every player. They just don't have it.

on switching defenses they played multiple zones along with a couple of varieties of matchups zones over the last 2 games It worked for about 3 possesions against Monomouth

You will never rebound effectively when you have 1 or 2 players continually rotating to stop penetration.

I'm still waiting until Mid January before I make any serious comments on this team but what disturbs me is the total regression of the soph class which was expected to carry them.

[vv83]

It is really painful to watch this defense. They give up good shots on almost every possession.

Unfortunately, there may not be any real answers here. Maybe kaleb and white getting more time would help. But unless we start playing small (someone other than Hayes/Govan at center) and switching everything, the D is likely to remain a mess. this team has a lot of defensive issues, but Hayes and Govan are really poor defenders on all levels right now - and that is not likely to change quickly. their inability to hedge screens or defend the rim serves as the starting point for the complete breakdown of many defensive possessions. With time and experience, maybe Govan will learn how to play competent D - he has some physical tools. But he has a long, long way to go.

I am really not looking forward to seeing what the offenses of Nova, Xavier and butler do to our defense in conference play. triple digits are definitely in play if something does not change quickly.

[Nevada Hoya]

I think this team has been spending too much time studying and not enough time practicing. What kind of student-athletes are they?!

[lucky]

I wonder if anyone has showed these kids the DVDs from the the 84 Final Four and said, that's how we used to play defence at Georgetown. I'm going to put on the Kentucky semi and have a drink. My answer for defence, press till you puke, next 5 be ready and press some more. Can't be any worse than what we are doing now.

[hoya137]

I'm not sold on the lack of intensity argument. I think our guys are generally playing hard.

Our defense has a lot of problems:
1) we overhelp continually -- which ends up leading to wide open 3s. This is especially catastrophic against smaller teams that depend on the 3
2) our 2 big men are clearly sub-par defenders -- and thus, completely unable to make up for mistakes made by our perimeter defenders
3) we have a few really poor perimeter defenders. This includes LJ until he learns to adjust to the new rules (which are painful to watch)

Right now I would say Kaleb, Derrickson, and Copeland are (+/neutral) defenders.

Wish I had a solution. We know in the past that JT3 has put together some pretty good defenses, so I'm hoping that some of the issues are due to how young we are, and how many combinations of guys are playing. Hopefully White can help add length / solidify our porous 2-3 zone once he gets back in full swing.

But even more troubling than our D -- who is providing our leadership on the floor?
--

[professorhoya]

Dec 19, 2015 17:24:33 GMT -5 DanMcQ said:

The last two games have been lost because this team just hasn't had it. In the first 7 or 8 games of the season they had it, the last three looked like what you'd expect the first three games of the season to look like.

Constructive thoughts on how they should change to address it? Please no whining about the coaching staff, there's already a thread or more on that.

They basically need to tighten the rotation. Too many guys come in and are not warmed up or in rhythm. And it takes a while for some guys to get in that rhythm.

Cameron and Hayes are still limited athletically so you have to pick and choose when and against which teams to use them.

Kaleb needs to play a lot because him and DsR are the only ones who can really board or steal.

Tre Campbell though has been the biggest disappointment. He has regressed so much from last season. Isn't a scoring threat, bad defense, no rebounds (he used to jump up for some) and a lot of mental mistakes. Whether it's sickness or something else he's hurting the team right now and we were playing better when he was out and LJ and kaleb were helping with the point guard duties.