Georgetown - DePaul 2/8/20 Discussion
Feb 9, 2020 11:52:11 GMT -5
JohnnyJones, saxagael, and 2 more like this
Post by RockawayHoya on Feb 9, 2020 11:52:11 GMT -5
I feel like this thread is a test to find the most synonyms for "guts". This team is giving everything it has and it's been fun to root for them. Hope they can keep momentum and earn a bid because these 7 guys deserve it.
For Blair, it's less about the 3 pt shooting (which was great) but more about the ability to improve his dribbling and be herky-jerky just enough to draw fouls and make mid range floaters. Obviously we're in the thick of it for this year, but this burst has me thinking about next year. Can Mac and Blair be a backcourt together? Feels like a stretch but maybe.
Credit to Ewing for going with the twin towers lineup the second that Paul Reed went to the bench. DePaul didn't have a backup PF to make us pay so it was smart to rest Pickett and play Wahab / Yurt7 together.
Pickett basically didn't give Ewing a choice in that regard. He was absolutely lost. No rhythm on his jumper, could tell he didn't want to take any more. Will absolutely give him credit for some clutch rebounding down the stretch and the 3 he hit at the end was huge.
While Ewing is showing more variability with defensive schemes, I just can't stand the hard hedge and he's showing no variability within his man defense. Charlie Moore is a 30% 3pt shooter and Butz is not a pick and pop threat. The hard hedge let Moore split too easily. He also rejected the screen a few times so there's no help in that situation. And he was quick enough that he was able to beat the guard going under to the other side of the screen and still drive to the hoop. Butz was also able to slip a screen because Yurt7 was anticipating so out too high. Yurt7 injury forced us to play zone which was a smarter decision than continuing to play man that way.
Great defensive performance by Wahab. The blocks have been more helpside and it will make players think twice about driving. Butz was able to bully into him for an and-1 but that's where the strength he'll add over offseason will be critical. Sky is the limit for him
Why in the world would Blair double Butz in the post to leave a 3 pt shooter on the perimeter? It's those little mistakes and attention to detail that continue to plague the defense.
Very happy that George had his moment and delivered. The broadcast showed his dad in the stands and you could tell he was a little emotional. Great moment.
The week off comes at a great time for Yurt7 but "bad" ankle sprains usually are a couple of weeks. Fingers crossed.
Single biggest difference to Blair's game the last 7 days vs. the previous 2.5 seasons. His handle used to be ultra-shaky and he was virtually almost a non-threat to penetrate in the halfcourt. He said in the post-game presser yesterday that the mid-range/floaters are things he's been working on, and you can see that work paying off. The ability to drawl fouls and get to the line is just an added bonus.
If he can continue to shore up ball security (still some bad habits with the one handed passes) and make some small strides defensively, I think he'll definitely enter the summer as the frontrunner to start at the 1 next season. Again, not a small feat considering where he was just even 8 days ago.