Syracuse Game Recap

[clkou]

Another game and another mixed bag but I felt a lot worse after this game than the Penn State one. Here’s the thing: I understand putting an emphasis on defense but it doesn’t have to be to the EXCLUSION of offense. I just don’t understand why we look so bad on offense. Even if they didn’t practice one play, they all have enough talent to be better than what we saw last night.

I played high school basketball for the late Joe Daves from Fall of 1990 to the Spring of 1993. He won a state championship at Franklin Tennessee in 1989. One thing I really learned from playing for him is that your offense is a system largely dependent on your chemistry with other players. We had a talented transfer from another school to ours who didn’t really fit in because I was playing with guys I had played with for four years. The new guy was good but he didn’t have any chemistry with us or know the offense as well as we did. So, I’m disappointed that after 4 years with the same head coach, the players act like they’ve never seen the offense. Even with Mercedes having a year off and this being Diamond’s first year, Diamond still practiced with the team last year and Mercedes was on the team 2 years ago and around the team last year. I give the Freshman a pass on offensive unfamiliarity but DANG there is really no excuse to have THAT much standing around, confusion, inefficiency, and consistent poor shooting.

This was another game we played Jasmine too much. She’s in the game with the game ON THE LINE and gets it and turns it over. What the heck?! Put in your best free throw shooters and ball handlers. That should be coaching 101. I didn’t like Moore’s performance either. I’d rather see Dunbar or Nared stretching inside than Moore. I’m also disappointed with Middleton. Early last year she seemed like a high IQ basketball player but as the season wore on and as this season has started, she seems to have regressed. I don’t know whether to blame her or the coaching staff.

I feel really lucky they got the win. It sure felt like a loss for a lot of the game in the second half. You can play elite defense all you want but if THAT offense ever shows up again, mark my words we will be lucky to win just like we were last night. Again, DEFENSE IS IMPORTANT, but not to the EXCLUSION of all other things – selecting a player like Dunbar who may be a LITTLE worse defensively than Jones but is a LOT better offensively than Jones is a SOUND decision until we see evidence to the contrary in my opinion.

Fortunately, the defense looked pretty good. Holding them scoreless for 5 minutes to close out the game certainly went a long way. I thought Syracuse hit some tough shots too but also had more open looks than the last game which was bad. Defense is another area that can be chemistry dependent.

I think Diamond and Tea continue to show high basketball IQ and generally good decision making. They MOVE the ball around very well which creates opportunities. I just wish their shots would fall. We have to have one if not BOTH of them in the game at all times if we want anything good to happen on offense. Graves is our MVP so far. Mercedes continues to improve. I prefer to see BOTH of them in the game as much as possible – no Jones and no Moore in a game that is close. That one play Mercedes ran the floor and finished was a welcome sight for sore eyes. Carter could play better but I like her on the court. She plays good defense and usually takes care of the ball. I want to see Dunbar more. She can rebound and shoot and I don’t remember her turning the ball over.

We better make the adjustments soon because Chattanooga, Texas, Oregon State, Stanford, and many other teams will beat us if we bring last night’s effort and execution to another game again.

 

[Chris89128]

Jones is a way better defender compared to Dunbar. Holly has admitted they haven't worked on offense that much. To hold a team scoreless for the last 5 1/2 minutes says a lot. We have played 3 games with many people suspended, rusty, or hurt. Give the team a chance to gel before we judge them. Mercedes, Jones and Diamond haven't played in a year. They will be a bit rusty which leads to mistakes.

 

[LVJeff]

...One thing I really learned from playing for him is that your offense is a system largely dependent on your chemistry with other players. We had a talented transfer from another school to ours who didn’t really fit in because I was playing with guys I had played with for four years. The new guy was good but he didn’t have any chemistry with us or know the offense as well as we did....

I appreciate your post. Your words re chemistry ring true. Some refer to chemistry in terms of how well the players like each other. That is not chemistry. Chemistry on the court is having five players whose skills complement each other's and who play together as a unit anticipating each other's moves. This team so far lacks that. Case in point - Cooper was bringing the ball up court and threw a bounce pass ahead to Dunbar who had her back turned and wasn't expecting the ball. Regardless of who was responsible for the turnover (Cooper shouldn't have passed or Dunbar should have been looking - I don't know which) the play is an example of the lack of time Cooper and Dunbar have had with each other.

I disagree with you about Carter. Carter is a career 41% shooter. Reynolds is a career 37% shooter. It's not impossible to improve of course, but for this team to compete for a championship, at least two players have to be shooting around 45% from the perimeter. I don't see Carter or Reynolds improving that much. But in Carter's favor is that she shot 45% in 2013. She seemed to benefit from Simmons' wild shooting that year. Maybe the same can happen with her and Cooper or Deshields.

 

[governmentmule]

I think your right on the team chemistry ,of course the only fix for that is some playing time

 

[Sandvol]

Another game and another mixed bag but I felt a lot worse after this game than the Penn State one. Here’s the thing: I understand putting an emphasis on defense but it doesn’t have to be to the EXCLUSION of offense. I just don’t understand why we look so bad on offense. Even if they didn’t practice one play, they all have enough talent to be better than what we saw last night.

I played high school basketball for the late Joe Daves from Fall of 1990 to the Spring of 1993. He won a state championship at Franklin Tennessee in 1989. One thing I really learned from playing for him is that your offense is a system largely dependent on your chemistry with other players. We had a talented transfer from another school to ours who didn’t really fit in because I was playing with guys I had played with for four years. The new guy was good but he didn’t have any chemistry with us or know the offense as well as we did. So, I’m disappointed that after 4 years with the same head coach, the players act like they’ve never seen the offense. Even with Mercedes having a year off and this being Diamond’s first year, Diamond still practiced with the team last year and Mercedes was on the team 2 years ago and around the team last year. I give the Freshman a pass on offensive unfamiliarity but DANG there is really no excuse to have THAT much standing around, confusion, inefficiency, and consistent poor shooting.

This was another game we played Jasmine too much. She’s in the game with the game ON THE LINE and gets it and turns it over. What the heck?! Put in your best free throw shooters and ball handlers. That should be coaching 101. I didn’t like Moore’s performance either. I’d rather see Dunbar or Nared stretching inside than Moore. I’m also disappointed with Middleton. Early last year she seemed like a high IQ basketball player but as the season wore on and as this season has started, she seems to have regressed. I don’t know whether to blame her or the coaching staff.

I feel really lucky they got the win. It sure felt like a loss for a lot of the game in the second half. You can play elite defense all you want but if THAT offense ever shows up again, mark my words we will be lucky to win just like we were last night. Again, DEFENSE IS IMPORTANT, but not to the EXCLUSION of all other things – selecting a player like Dunbar who may be a LITTLE worse defensively than Jones but is a LOT better offensively than Jones is a SOUND decision until we see evidence to the contrary in my opinion.

Fortunately, the defense looked pretty good. Holding them scoreless for 5 minutes to close out the game certainly went a long way. I thought Syracuse hit some tough shots too but also had more open looks than the last game which was bad. Defense is another area that can be chemistry dependent.

I think Diamond and Tea continue to show high basketball IQ and generally good decision making. They MOVE the ball around very well which creates opportunities. I just wish their shots would fall. We have to have one if not BOTH of them in the game at all times if we want anything good to happen on offense. Graves is our MVP so far. Mercedes continues to improve. I prefer to see BOTH of them in the game as much as possible – no Jones and no Moore in a game that is close. That one play Mercedes ran the floor and finished was a welcome sight for sore eyes. Carter could play better but I like her on the court. She plays good defense and usually takes care of the ball. I want to see Dunbar more. She can rebound and shoot and I don’t remember her turning the ball over.

We better make the adjustments soon because Chattanooga, Texas, Oregon State, Stanford, and many other teams will beat us if we bring last night’s effort and execution to another game again.

Another good synopsis. I think Middleton seems like a player who has been confused by coaching. Just appears that way to me. And, yes with Jones, have her in on the defensive end but she had a chance to put her ball handlers in and didn't. I hope Holly wakes up. Chattanooga, Texas, Oregon State and Stanford will be a tough stretch.