calhoya
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
Posts: 4,356
Member is Online
|
Post by calhoya on Dec 20, 2023 23:30:42 GMT -5
As one of the aging Alums on this site, I have to admit that games like last night are deflating. It gets increasingly more difficult to wait until next year. However, it should not be necessary to wait until next year to see some improvement in this team. More movement on both ends of the court is essential. Defense can be taught and while there may be limits as to what a player can do, the Hoyas would improve significantly just by having players focus on assignments, like help defense in either the zone or man. Too many easy baskets inside and it cannot be all Cook's fault. On offense we know that they are capable of ball movement, but too often it is abandoned or fails because of careless passes or players trying to dribble through a crowded lane. More movement of the ball and the players please. It is frustrating to watch a player trying to dish the ball while his teammates are standing frozen next to an opponent waiting for the pass. We do not need a guard dribbling around the perimeter and then struggling to heave up a shot before the clock runs. Move. Make the opponent defend all five players and not just the ballhandler. It's easy for opponents to extend their defense when they are not worried about any inside threat. However, if Cook cannot provide that then Massoud and Fielder must. They are as valuable to this team if they can hit the shots in the lane or the top of the key as when shooting from beyond the arc. Maybe more so considering that the Hoyas are struggling to get open shots from deep. Styles gets it and should be the model for Massoud and Fielder. Not expecting a sudden turnaround in fortunes but games like last night make you question how much progress is actually being made. Really? I don't really get this at all. We have 7.5 players, and all other than DS and Cook are basically frosh or guys nobody else wanted. So, you have two players that are physically mature and BE-level talents. Two. We have one true big in Cook, so we are getting slaughtered on the glass in every game. That's not going to change. Butler was playing at home with a deeper, more mature roster led by a guy like Posh. That was actually not a bad game at all. Prepare to endure FAR worse this season. We're playing essentially 3-on-5. I look at a game like last night and see many correctable mistakes that have little to do with being outmanned or too young and more to do with focus.. And yes I know the competition will get much tougher—which is why the careless unnecessary mistakes are frustrating. Cook cannot grow taller but I agree with others here who say that even a smaller team can rebound better. Not sure which of our “7.5 players “ you think that no one else wanted. Epps, Heath, and Massoud all have experience at the high major level. Bristol has played at a mid major and an high major. Only Rowan and Fielder are basically frosh and both were highly recruited. Styles also was highly recruited. All have enough credentials and experience to know not to make careless passes, stare down the teammate being passed to and not to stand still watching a teammate get trapped off the dribble. A good team? No, but they could be better than they showed by simply cleaning things up and staying focused on running the offense and defense.
|
|
SFHoya99
Blue & Gray (over 10,000 posts)
Posts: 17,765
|
Post by SFHoya99 on Dec 21, 2023 2:44:12 GMT -5
I'm hopeful for the future. I think it's a good thing that the players I am most frustrated with (with the exception of Cook) will be moving on. That's a cold thing to say, but in particular, I question what a couple of them do culture wise. I see inconsistent buy in. I would say the lack of consistent defensive effort and the inconsistency in running our offense are concerns for me with Cooley. I somewhat expected him to be a bit more of a hammer with this crew in terms of execution. I get there's no depth, but when I watch Massoud, for example, do some of these things, I really wonder where the hook is. People complain about Epps, but at least his heat checks are usually open. And when they biggest problems seem to be fifth year seniors, it's doubly frustrating. I am excited about the future set of players. Freshmen will be freshmen but the increase in size, strength and athleticism will be noticeable. The shooting will drop, though. I agree, though, if we can add the four for next year AND a couple of real transfers AND retain important players, we will have a full team next year. That's two "ands" we haven't seen in a while, though. The initiation of offense is a double edged sword. We're actually better at initiating offensive sets when Epps is at the 1. The defense overhelps on PnR and off ball screens because the scouting report keys on Epps. But I think we're a better overall team with Epps off the ball and Rowan getting run for the future. Defense I think gets a little bit of a bad rap (granted it's not good on multiple facets) because we so often can't finish off a possession 1 and done by getting the board. I'd be curious what are Defensive efficiency #s would look if we improved our D-Rebounding by even 10%. Rebounding and transition D and our defense improves immensely.
|
|
jwp91
Platinum Hoya (over 5000 posts)
Posts: 6,025
|
Post by jwp91 on Dec 21, 2023 13:51:58 GMT -5
Upon reflection, I had underestimated Butler.
I thought we could get a win, but I was pretty impressed by what I saw from Butler. Any team with Posh as the lead guard is a dynamic defensive team. He gave us problems. That should be no surprise.
I thought overall Butler played great defense- the kind of defense I wish the Hoyas would play. Telfair was an absolute problem. He was a bit unpolished offensively, but man do I wish he has a Hoya.
I thought Screen gave them a great big to match up with the other bigs in the conference. Something we lack. For several minutes, we had no answer for him. I don't know why they went a different direction, but we couldn't stop him.
The bottom line is that Butler is better than we are this year. We don't have anyone the quality of Alexander r Screen, and they were playing pretty good team basketball. I like Butler to over-achieve the pre-season ranking. Thad Motta seems to still be a great coach..
|
|
SFHoya99
Blue & Gray (over 10,000 posts)
Posts: 17,765
|
Post by SFHoya99 on Dec 21, 2023 13:54:46 GMT -5
Upon reflection, I had underestimated Butler. I thought we could get a win, but I was pretty impressed by what I saw from Butler. Any team with Posh as the lead guard is a dynamic defensive team. He gave us problems. That should be no surprise. I thought overall Butler played great defense- the kind of defense I wish the Hoyas would play. Telfair was an absolute problem. He was a bit unpolished offensively, but man do I wish he has a Hoya. I thought Screen gave them a great big to match up with the other bigs in the conference. Something we lack. For several minutes, we had no answer for him. I don't know why they went a different direction, but we couldn't stop him. The bottom line is that Butler is better than we are this year. We don't have anyone the quality of Alexander r Screen, and they were playing pretty good team basketball. I like Butler to over-achieve the pre-season ranking. Thad Motta seems to still be a great coach.. Butler is better than us and at home. We still could've won. The reality is that this team needs to play fairly well to get wins, though. Off shooting nights or too many lapses and we will easily lose. We're not talented enough to play poorly and win against Big East competition.
|
|
|
Post by professorhoya on Dec 21, 2023 13:57:43 GMT -5
Upon reflection, I had underestimated Butler. I thought we could get a win, but I was pretty impressed by what I saw from Butler. Any team with Posh as the lead guard is a dynamic defensive team. He gave us problems. That should be no surprise. I thought overall Butler played great defense- the kind of defense I wish the Hoyas would play. Telfair was an absolute problem. He was a bit unpolished offensively, but man do I wish he has a Hoya. I thought Screen gave them a great big to match up with the other bigs in the conference. Something we lack. For several minutes, we had no answer for him. I don't know why they went a different direction, but we couldn't stop him. The bottom line is that Butler is better than we are this year. We don't have anyone the quality of Alexander r Screen, and they were playing pretty good team basketball. I like Butler to over-achieve the pre-season ranking. Thad Motta seems to still be a great coach.. Telfort reminds me of Jae Crowder and to a lesser extent Jimmy Butler. Tough athletic physical muscular forwards that Marquette used to get under Buzz Williams.
|
|
CTHoya08
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
Bring back Izzo!
Posts: 2,868
Member is Online
|
Post by CTHoya08 on Dec 21, 2023 19:09:08 GMT -5
SFHoya99Agree with much of your long form thoughts. And while I do think the team would benefit in a vacuum from less Massoud and Heath - we simply don't have the bodies to make that a reality. I think this is also why I'm so bullish for next season. Upgrade Heath and Massouds scholarships with top of the funnel level NIL/Transfer portal guys. Probably a third portal guy for a spot yet to be determined. Add in the development and added S&C of guys like Fielder, Rowan, Epps and Styles (without losing any of that core) as well as the 2024 recruiting class and you can see the makings of a legitimate tournament level team or bubblish at worst. Mayne better said after yesterday - while built differently - I expect a Butler esque 2nd year jump I'm hopeful for the future. I think it's a good thing that the players I am most frustrated with (with the exception of Cook) will be moving on. That's a cold thing to say, but in particular, I question what a couple of them do culture wise. I see inconsistent buy in. I would say the lack of consistent defensive effort and the inconsistency in running our offense are concerns for me with Cooley. I somewhat expected him to be a bit more of a hammer with this crew in terms of execution. I get there's no depth, but when I watch Massoud, for example, do some of these things, I really wonder where the hook is. People complain about Epps, but at least his heat checks are usually open. And when they biggest problems seem to be fifth year seniors, it's doubly frustrating. I am excited about the future set of players. Freshmen will be freshmen but the increase in size, strength and athleticism will be noticeable. The shooting will drop, though. I agree, though, if we can add the four for next year AND a couple of real transfers AND retain important players, we will have a full team next year. That's two "ands" we haven't seen in a while, though. On those “ands”: Given that almost all of the key players were inbound transfers, I think chances are pretty good that we'll retain them. And the fact that Cooley has been able to build from the portal (at PC and assembling the guys on this roster), I think that he’ll be able to reel in a real transfer or two. The returning core plus the incoming class is a much more enticing roster to join than the bare cupboard he was recruiting to this summer. I’m taking the MCIGuy approach and getting very optimistic about next year.
|
|
hoyarooter
Blue & Gray (over 10,000 posts)
Posts: 10,215
|
Post by hoyarooter on Dec 22, 2023 13:46:35 GMT -5
As one of the aging Alums on this site, I have to admit that games like last night are deflating. It gets increasingly more difficult to wait until next year. However, it should not be necessary to wait until next year to see some improvement in this team. More movement on both ends of the court is essential. Defense can be taught and while there may be limits as to what a player can do, the Hoyas would improve significantly just by having players focus on assignments, like help defense in either the zone or man. Too many easy baskets inside and it cannot be all Cook's fault. On offense we know that they are capable of ball movement, but too often it is abandoned or fails because of careless passes or players trying to dribble through a crowded lane. More movement of the ball and the players please. It is frustrating to watch a player trying to dish the ball while his teammates are standing frozen next to an opponent waiting for the pass. We do not need a guard dribbling around the perimeter and then struggling to heave up a shot before the clock runs. Move. Make the opponent defend all five players and not just the ballhandler. It's easy for opponents to extend their defense when they are not worried about any inside threat. However, if Cook cannot provide that then Massoud and Fielder must. They are as valuable to this team if they can hit the shots in the lane or the top of the key as when shooting from beyond the arc. Maybe more so considering that the Hoyas are struggling to get open shots from deep. Styles gets it and should be the model for Massoud and Fielder. Not expecting a sudden turnaround in fortunes but games like last night make you question how much progress is actually being made. Really? I don't really get this at all. We have 7.5 players, and all other than DS and Cook are basically frosh or guys nobody else wanted. So, you have two players that are physically mature and BE-level talents. Two. We have one true big in Cook, so we are getting slaughtered on the glass in every game. That's not going to change. Butler was playing at home with a deeper, more mature roster led by a guy like Posh. That was actually not a bad game at all. Prepare to endure FAR worse this season. We're playing essentially 3-on-5. Yes, far worse, for example tonight.
|
|