Vescovi needs to step up

[volfeeva]

It could only happen to Barnes. Find a guy like DK and your leading scorer from recent seasons decides to retire from playing offense.

I've seen years when we had decent outside shooters but no big men down on the post to clean up , rebound and block shots. This year we have the big men under the basket, but our outside shooters disappeared except DK. I still think this team can make a run. I hate to see an opportunity slip away with DK and other talented players because we don't have anyone who can be consistent hitting shots besides DK

 

[Stoerner Fumbles]

Barnes should make him practice doing jump shots and stuff like that. Honestly, If I wanted to play guard on a top rated team, I would be embarrassed to not contribute more than he does. It would motivate me to spend every waking hour of my life practicing . You want your point guards begging for the ball because they have uber confidence in making a basket.

Practicing shots sounds like a good idea. Have you shared this idea with anyone outside your parents’ basement?

 

[Vols till I fall]

SOMEONE SEND THIS GUY SOME PLATINUM BLONDE HAIR DYE AND LETS ROLL.

 

[Vols till I fall]

Practicing shots sounds like a good idea. Have you shared this idea with anyone outside your parents’ basement?

I think we should tell the coaches this first. This is a totally new revelation to them. Who would have thought practicing your shot would help you make shots? Totally effing baffling!

 

[Stoerner Fumbles]

I have brought this up before and got clobbered from his fan base, but Vescovi is one of the most overrated players I've seen in a long time. I've never seen him take control of a game, or be the winning drive/score. He seems to be able to score only when a game is out of reach and we got a nice lead. He won't take an open shot for whatever reason--gotta be shooting in the low 30%. Vescovi is why you use the portal to improve each season--if someone is not adding to the team, go find a player who can hit shots.

Not to introduce information into your home, but Santi averaged 14 points a game on 40% shooting over the last two seasons, and was a two time All SEC performer. No one will deny he’s struggling this year shooting, but that profile isn’t one you typically try to replace from the portal.

 

[Stoerner Fumbles]

I think we should tell the coaches this first. This is a totally new revelation to them. Who would have thought practicing your shot would help you make shots? Totally effing baffling!

I’m on my CB radio right now talking to truckers to get this information to Knoxville by Monday.

 

[Vols till I fall]

I’m on my CB radio right now talking to truckers to get this information to Knoxville by Monday.

With any luck, the truckers can pass this information to Jeff Johnson, one of the security guards at TBA. I heard he's good friends with the concession stand workers who knows Barnes's water boy

 

[calban]

I've seen years when we had decent outside shooters but no big men down on the post to clean up , rebound and block shots. This year we have the big men under the basket, but our outside shooters disappeared except DK. I still think this team can make a run. I hate to see an opportunity slip away with DK and other talented players because we don't have anyone who can be consistent hitting shots besides DK

It's been a great season. I don't think the chemistry between the core of this team and the new additions ever became consistent for these guys. I hate it for Barnes. He deserves better.

 

[Vols till I fall]

I’m on my CB radio right now talking to truckers to get this information to Knoxville by Monday.

For the love of everything, just please make sure this information does NOT get to Calipari

 

[wmcovol]

Vescovi and James are the key to this team being able to make a run in the tournament. They combined for 8 points yesterday (0 by SV) They combined for 37 against UK the first time we played them. They don't have to get 37 between them every game, but around 20 would be nice.

Ky @ Rupp set their defense to defend Knecht. It worked to a point but they let everyone else go crazy and lost. Yesterday, they defended the others & let DK have his shots. Until late, Ky never offered to double on DK. This is the same strategy Pearl & Paris used. Their teams couldn’t score enough to win but Ky can.

Expecting more offensively from SV at this point is like expecting a WR to have 10 catches per game in a wishbone offense. SV is best in a motion offense where he can run his defender off screens & get open shots in his best spots. The offense this year is far more freelance & dribble-drive oriented. His shot opportunities are way down and very sporadic.

Despite the lack of production, I’d predict the +\- for SV is among the best on the team. I know it’s not when Gainey comes in.

 

[amorange]

I don’t know if it has to do with another player being in the spotlight this season, but Santi has probably had his worst season of offensive production. Let me be clear, he has played outstanding defense, and has been able to force turnovers and get steals, but having zero points yesterday is unacceptable..

He needs to get his shooting touch. Extra practice would help with the shooting. As a lefty he should tuck his left elbow in more.

 

[BigOrangeFanatic]

Based on tourney history, I'm not confident that will happen. Probably need Aidoo and Awaka to be the Key.

I have a little more confidence in JJJ. He can hit an occasional three and he still rebounds.

Vescovi has been lost all year with a couple of exceptions.

Aidoo has been double digits scoring for most of the yeae. Awaka doesn't play enough minutes to contribute as much on offense. JJJ and SV are starters and play a lot of minutes. Those guys have to be more consistent.

 

[BigOrangeFanatic]

Ky @ Rupp set their defense to defend Knecht. It worked to a point but they let everyone else go crazy and lost. Yesterday, they defended the others & let DK have his shots. Until late, Ky never offered to double on DK. This is the same strategy Pearl & Paris used. Their teams couldn’t score enough to win but Ky can.

Expecting more offensively from SV at this point is like expecting a WR to have 10 catches per game in a wishbone offense. SV is best in a motion offense where he can run his defender off screens & get open shots in his best spots. The offense this year is far more freelance & dribble-drive oriented. His shot opportunities are way down and very sporadic.

Despite the lack of production, I’d predict the +\- for SV is among the best on the team. I know it’s not when Gainey comes in.

I agree thats what UK did on defense yesterday and it worked.

SV has opportunities to score. He just doesn't look to shoot. He's not playing confident right now. JJJ is up and down but has been inconsistent in Bigger games more times than not.

I think we may start to see teams do what UK did yesterday...DK can get 40 and still not beat you if other people arent chipping in. Our offense just doesn't flow as well if we're not assisting on most offensive possessions. It means the ball isn't moving around as much.

 

[bleedingTNorange]

JJJ has somewhat of an ability to finish at the rim, and also shows a midrange game, Santi doesn’t have this, for that reason….and it hasn’t happened yet so not optimistic it will, but Santi should be told you’re expected to take 6-8+ attempts every game from 3, if you pump fake it better be to slide step into a 3 and not driving unless you damn sure got a kick. He seems to “confused/hesitant” on what to do and it too often leads to a bad possession that starts with what should have been a 3 point attempt.

 

[firedog28]

I saw Santi shoot an air ball from the corner which went over the rim by a foot ! Why would you want him shooting more, when he has lost his confidence

 

[volsarelife1]

Not to introduce information into your home, but Santi averaged 14 points a game on 40% shooting over the last two seasons, and was a two time All SEC performer. No one will deny he’s struggling this year shooting, but that profile isn’t one you typically try to replace from the portal.

That’s a nonsense comment. This team hasn’t played in an NCAA tournament before. It’s not a costume parade. These guys will show up.

To use your own comments from yesterday. You can't use what happened in previous years. Santi isn't shooting close to 40% on this season

 

[Stoerner Fumbles]

To use your own comments from yesterday. You can't use what happened in previous years. Santi isn't shooting close to 40% on this season

Read the thread. There’s no conflict. His argument was that we should’ve replaced Santi with a portal player last offseason. You want me to use data from the future to make that call? Were you ready to replace a two time all SEC player with an NIL replacement player last Summer? No future trends were available at the time.

 

[OrangeInKy]

I saw Santi shoot an air ball from the corner which went over the rim by a foot ! Why would you want him shooting more, when he has lost his confidence

You don’t get confidence back unless you hit a few and you can’t hit a few if you stop shooting

 

[VolsSportsFan]

At this point the criticisms of Vescovi are more than fair. He simply has to play much better if we're going to make any kind of run.

 

[vol94]

Read the thread. There’s no conflict. His argument was that we should’ve replaced Santi with a portal player last offseason. You want me to use data from the future to make that call? Were you ready to replace a two time all SEC player with an NIL replacement player last Summer? No future trends were available at the time.

Nobody, including Barnes or Santi himself, could have predicted his shooting woes this season. I thought he would be better this yr than last with the addition of Knecht.


I can’t recall who it was but a coach recently said he “didn’t adjust his game plan for Santi.”

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

IMO not taking as many shots has affected him. He might have been making one of his first 6 in previous years and then go 3 of 4. Now he’ll be 0-5 and then he stops shooting.

 

[BigOrangeFanatic]

JJJ has somewhat of an ability to finish at the rim, and also shows a midrange game, Santi doesn’t have this, for that reason….and it hasn’t happened yet so not optimistic it will, but Santi should be told you’re expected to take 6-8+ attempts every game from 3, if you pump fake it better be to slide step into a 3 and not driving unless you damn sure got a kick. He seems to “confused/hesitant” on what to do and it too often leads to a bad possession that starts with what should have been a 3 point attempt.

I don't buy that 100%, he's shown a craftiness at times to get to the rim and score. He just has to know the right moment and pick his spots. I do agree most of attempts should come from 3 though. The difference this year is kind of like you said. In the past he would move more with the ball in hand to create his own shot. He's still doing that but just not shooting the ball.

 

[Stoerner Fumbles]

IMO not taking as many shots has affected him. He might have been making one of his first 6 in previous years and then go 3 of 4. Now he’ll be 0-5 and then he stops shooting.

He had a nagging injury earlier in the season and he was shooting line drives. By all accounts he’s better, and his stroke and arc look good again. Who knows. A shot can be a hard thing to get back without downtime to recover. Obviously he wants to hit the shots. He just isn’t hitting them.

 

[volsarelife1]

I've said it all season, Vescovi's biggest issue I feel like is his need to that dumb ass pump fake about 492921 times a game. Just stop pump faking every time he touches the ball and actually shoot it.

 

[Pride85]

His last 10 games offensively he is averaging 4 ppg, 2 assists, and 1 turnover. On what planet is that even remotely good for a starting guard on top 10 team in the nation? Defensively he is averaging 1 steal and two fouls per game in that same stretch. Those are abysmal numbers for a player with his experience

How many points is the person he is guarding scoring per game? You can play AWESOME defense and not have a single stat stand out. If your man doesn't have any stats that stand out, you have done your job. It is a TEAM sport, remember?