beenaround
Golden Hoya (over 1000 posts)
Posts: 1,475
|
Post by beenaround on Feb 22, 2018 15:29:44 GMT -5
You can nitpick about specific moves made or that should have been made by ANY COACH out there..Coach K, Izzo, Popppovich, etc etc. In retrospect, coaches often say..Ya maybe I could have done it differently. You rarely coach a perfect game. I like the fire Patrick shows out there. I like that he is seemingly very demanding that the players do things right and will take even his best player to task for taking a bad shot. I think he really knows hoops, and talent, and what it takes to win. Is he ready to join the HOF as a coach, yet..nope. But I am optimistic he's gonna be good for us.
|
|
|
Post by HometownHoya on Feb 22, 2018 16:57:30 GMT -5
Ewing's coaching is the reason why games against teams with superior talent are as close as they are at times. Not sure what else he could do to defeat the likes of Xavier. Given our deficiencies, the last 2 games should not have even been close. That is a testament to Ewing more than Mack, imo. Heck, look at the blowouts earlier in the year compared how we compete now. How about Pickett? Looked like a redshirt candidate in the beginning of the year, but now? That is coaching. How about Ewing always demanding more from Marcus? Great coaches are hardest and expect the most out of their best players. The other players fall in line when they see that. That is coaching. Popovich did the same with Duncan. He has ways to go in some areas, no doubt. He has also done some good things this year. Bottom line Jessie sat too long on the bench with 4 fouls. He should've gone in and out of the game on defense earlier. We took Xavier to OT. Xavier was wounded coming into D.C. Under 5 to 2 minutes we made bad decisions as players and coaches. Ewing has done a good job but needs to get better at the end and during crucial situations. As a coach sometimes you can demand too much. Who's perfect? Yes, he has a ways to go no doubt. Just like Ewing mentioned we got outplayed. We should've beaten Xavier last night! WE can make all the excuses in the world but the fact remains we lost. I don't disagree with most of what you said but how was Xavier wounded? Because they lost a game to the only other team in the conference currently on their level? If anything, that game gave them more ammo to not have a let down again. I was half expecting X to come in all cylinders firing and blow us out in the first but the opposite happened. They are a savvy team and came out the second ready to win and not accepting a loss. As a coach, you should know that end of game situations are difficult. For Pat's first season EVER has a HC, he's done decent in a situation he rarely had to make the decision before. What he really needs is a PG that 1) can handle the situation and 2) demands the ball in the situation. Someone that won't let Blair take the ball there or that will let his teammates know the better decision when they make a wrong one. I know you personally have a few guys that you love but neither are here right now. Pat will find someone that he trusts and they will make him look better at the end of games. Pat will work on his deficiencies in the off-season (like any great player has) and improve his end of game decision making.
|
|
|
Post by michaelgrahmstylie on Feb 22, 2018 20:59:15 GMT -5
Xavier is simply a better team right now. I do believe we saw flashes of things to come, however. Really wanted this one, but not going to weep over the outcome.
|
|
tashoya
Blue & Gray (over 10,000 posts)
Posts: 12,326
|
Post by tashoya on Feb 22, 2018 23:53:18 GMT -5
I haven't read all that much of the thread but on first watch, and in re-watching, we were firing on all cylinders in the first while Bluitt was scoreless and the stats looked like we were in for a rough second. That said, we'd should have had a larger lead in the first if Jessie hadn't made some really poor decisions. His Carmelo like jab step that doesn't fool anyone when he pulls up from 18-19 when guarded fairly closely isn't a great shot for him when there's time to pass back out and re-post. There were at least two possessions where he took that shot (one that lead to a run-out) that it was him trying to do too much. Having said that, those only really stuck out to me because we need the very best decisions from our most senior players to take and maintain leads. I don't mean to crap on the guy at all. It's more to say that he has to even be that much better because he can be and he's expected to be because he's as good as he is.
To say that we "should have beaten Xavier" is pure crazy. They are one of the best teams in the country and, even before the game, some had expectations of beating them. Our guys even looked like they would for a good part of the game. That says more about our team than it does about the game we all watched. The team picked second to last in the BE and that most thought would actually finish there were "expected" by their most ardent fans to win that game. We're a bad match for Xavier but, even knowing that, it's not like we're a bad match because there's some gimmick in play. We're a bad match for them because we have talented, improving players that other teams can't handle. Jessie is one of those. Marcus is probably the most problematic across the board. Jamorko is becoming one. This is more than any of us could have hoped for in November. I said it after last game and I feel it even more after this last one. I'm very proud of our team again. Thank you to the guys for all of their work and to Coach Ewing and the entire coaching staff. I officially feel like we're on the right track for the first time in quite a while and I didn't expect to say that this early in Big Pat's career as a HC.
|
|
|
Post by michaelgrahmstylie on Feb 23, 2018 1:40:26 GMT -5
I haven't read all that much of the thread but on first watch, and in re-watching, we were firing on all cylinders in the first while Bluitt was scoreless and the stats looked like we were in for a rough second. That said, we'd should have had a larger lead in the first if Jessie hadn't made some really poor decisions. His Carmelo like jab step that doesn't fool anyone when he pulls up from 18-19 when guarded fairly closely isn't a great shot for him when there's time to pass back out and re-post. There were at least two possessions where he took that shot (one that lead to a run-out) that it was him trying to do too much. Having said that, those only really stuck out to me because we need the very best decisions from our most senior players to take and maintain leads. I don't mean to crap on the guy at all. It's more to say that he has to even be that much better because he can be and he's expected to be because he's as good as he is. To say that we "should have beaten Xavier" is pure crazy. They are one of the best teams in the country and, even before the game, some had expectations of beating them. Our guys even looked like they would for a good part of the game. That says more about our team than it does about the game we all watched. The team picked second to last in the BE and that most thought would actually finish there were "expected" by their most ardent fans to win that game. We're a bad match for Xavier but, even knowing that, it's not like we're a bad match because there's some gimmick in play. We're a bad match for them because we have talented, improving players that other teams can't handle. Jessie is one of those. Marcus is probably the most problematic across the board. Jamorko is becoming one. This is more than any of us could have hoped for in November. I said it after last game and I feel it even more after this last one. I'm very proud of our team again. Thank you to the guys for all of their work and to Coach Ewing and the entire coaching staff. I officially feel like we're on the right track for the first time in quite a while and I didn't expect to say that this early in Big Pat's career as a HC. As you can tell from my above comments, I totally agree with you. Our time will come--soon--as in next year!
|
|
seaweed
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
Posts: 4,669
|
Post by seaweed on Feb 23, 2018 9:42:50 GMT -5
Um, what? You keep telling me to let it go then post this? You've got issues my man, serious issues.
|
|
saxagael
Platinum Hoya (over 5000 posts)
Posts: 6,898
|
Post by saxagael on Feb 23, 2018 9:43:39 GMT -5
By no means do I think that Govan is a good defensive player, and he definitely needs another year to continue to develop and hopefully learn to play faster and stronger,but in fairness to the kid, without any credible back-up on this team, when he gets two early fouls he does have to back off even more than usual to avoid the cheap call. Last night he had three fouls early in the second half and that does affect his play. Against another team loaded with big posts, Ewing has very limited options with Govan in foul trouble. Yes this team needs a slick pg for next year, but I am still hopeful they can find another game-ready post. LeBlanc is a 4 from what I can tell and I believe that Carter, Trey and Walker are also more suited for the 3-4 positions. The last few years I have been thinking about roles in the ballhandler, shooters, and rebounder model and / or guards, forwards, bigs (also the www.wired.com/2012/04/analytics-basketball/), which also needs a point role in the trimmed down models. Govan is a big / rebounder and Derrickson fills that role, but also works well as shooter / forward. Aside from those two there aren't bigs / rebounder focussed players, they fall into the shooters / wings roles. The ability to box out and control the paint to get rebounds is helpful on the defensive end, but should also help actually help with defense in the middle, which Govan lacks (he really does need to put focus on that to get a passable level of help there. I don't see much coming yet, other than maybe LeBanc in a Derrickson type role.
|
|
|
Post by glidehoyas (Inactive) on Feb 23, 2018 10:12:46 GMT -5
Um, what? You keep telling me to let it go then post this? You've got issues my man, serious issues. [/quote] Had to throw you in there since you LIKED it. Hahahaha... The only issues I have is the Hoyas getting a true point guard. Yes, it's that serious with me. Thanks!
|
|
seaweed
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
Posts: 4,669
|
Post by seaweed on Feb 23, 2018 10:19:49 GMT -5
Um, what? You keep telling me to let it go then post this? You've got issues my man, serious issues. Had to throw you in there since you LIKED it. Hahahaha... The only issues I have is the Hoyas getting a true point guard. Yes, it's that serious with me. Thanks! Nice that you find insulting others so amusing. I see you are on a tear today, calling out anyone who doesn’t respect your authority. Good luck w that
|
|
|
Post by glidehoyas (Inactive) on Feb 23, 2018 10:22:53 GMT -5
Had to throw you in there since you LIKED it. Hahahaha... The only issues I have is the Hoyas getting a true point guard. Yes, it's that serious with me. Thanks! Nice that you find insulting others so amusing. I see you are on a tear today, calling out anyone who doesn’t respect your authority. Good luck w that How sickening of you you cannot speak on any level of basketball only to complain. Who insulted you? How old are you, really? Calling out anyone who doesn't respect my authority??? Who are you??? Where did you come from? Never mind.
|
|
|
Post by glidehoyas (Inactive) on Feb 23, 2018 10:24:03 GMT -5
This should be locked because of you seaweed LMAO!
|
|
DanMcQ
Moderator
Posts: 30,591
|
Post by DanMcQ on Feb 23, 2018 10:48:13 GMT -5
MODERATOR NOTE: this thread is for discussing the most recent Xavier game. Any more posts arguing between posters will be deleted.
|
|
smokeyjack
Golden Hoya (over 1000 posts)
Posts: 1,300
|
Post by smokeyjack on Feb 23, 2018 11:34:03 GMT -5
Just want to completely disagree with Glide re: Ewing and Govan.
Govan played perhaps the worst defensive game I can remember from a GU big against Xavier. He couldn’t guard O’Mara. He couldn’t guard Kanter. He couldn’t keep anyone off the boards.
Yes, he had a decent offensive game, but he was literally atrocious on the defensive end. His benching with 4 fouls had nothing to do with the outcome. And you can’t play Offense/Defense effectively for 10 minutes. That’s silly. Even with all the TV timeouts, there aren’t enough stoppages for that. And it wouldn’t have mattered a bit. Our only hope in the second half against X was to hope MD caught fire, and that just one of our posse of mid-major guards would catch fire with him.
Against X, you have to be able to play tough, and that has Never been JG’s game. Now, as lousy as MD was defensively on Wed night, and he was vomitous (still chuckle at the kid running up his back for a comical and-one - easily worst defensive play I’ve seen all year from any player on any team at any level), he can actually occasionally impersonate a defender. From a frontcourt D perspective, he was our only hope against X.
I honestly think Govan’s D will keep him from ever playing in the NBA. Unless he improves tremendously on that end of the floor, he simply isn’t draftable because he can’t guard anyone in the NBA. Kanter ate him alive. Let that sink in.
|
|
|
Post by hoyasaxa2003 on Feb 23, 2018 12:06:26 GMT -5
Good points, smokeyjack. My biggest concern going forward is that we are returning mostly the same personnel, and that personnel has done a pretty poor job under both the old coach and staff, and now. Ewing did plug a major hole in that our defense isn't fouling nearly as much as it did last year, which does help a lot. But ultimately, I just don't think this is high-level defensive group.
I have read a lot about LeBlanc being a great defender; I am sincerely hoping that's true because we really need it. I also hope Carter/McClung will be plus defenders, as well.
It does make you wonder, given that we are relativity tall, whether it would make sense to implement a zone next season. To Ewing's credit he's tried a zone at times, and it doesn't work well, which is presumably why we haven't done it a whole lot. One interesting thing is that Duke had awful defensive numbers, and in the last month or so, Coach K has relied almost exclusively on a zone, and they've substantially improved their defense - their KenPom defense rating went from 100+ to about 30 in about a month or so, which is impressive.
|
|
smokeyjack
Golden Hoya (over 1000 posts)
Posts: 1,300
|
Post by smokeyjack on Feb 23, 2018 12:20:08 GMT -5
Exactly right '03. As much as we need a PG to stabilize ball security and late-game decision making on the offensive end, this entire group will have to make a quantum leap defensively if we are going to compete at the top of the league next season. Right now Kaleb is the only guy I see who routinely makes the grinding hustle plays that define teams like Xavier, Villanova and Providence. And as much as I love his heart, if Kaleb is starting next season, we are in big trouble. I think the good news is that Govan might be the only key contributor who lacks the tools to be solid-to-above average defensively. He has very solid straight-line speed for a big and hustles, but his lateral/change-of-direction quickness (or lack thereof) is quite shocking. He honestly needs to spend his entire offseason working on that end of the floor, because otherwise I see a very nice offensive player who is completely undraftable.
|
|