Where do we go from here?

#54
#54
With respect to our coaching, when I listen to Harper my sense is that she doesn't have enough steel to build a good basketball team. At root
she seems to be a players' coach. Am I wrong about that? Being a players' coach is fine and fun when you're winning--but when you're losing being understanding and sad and "disappointed"--a word she uses often--doesn't cut it. You need brass tacks, sometimes, and she doesn't strike me as a brass tacks coach. It doesn't seem her style. Maybe I've got it wrong--maybe she's a terror on the practice court, but I don't see it during games or in the way she talks about games and player performance. Didn't see it with Warlick either. I've been around quite a few coaches in different sports, and they good ones are demanding. They don't accept or tolerate poor effort or poor play, and they'll get in a player's grill if that's what it takes to get the player to start playing harder, making fewer mistakes, etc. Good coaches are demanding. Other coaches think they're demanding--but really aren't. We've shown a little
progress in the last two/three games--but still making, as Harper said today, "too many mistakes." Teach, and be demanding as you teach.

More practically, while we certainly have offensive issues, I think this team's biggest issue is that we are not good enough defensively. We're regularly giving up point totals in the 70s to 90. That makes it hard to win. The most obvious way to improve--in any sport-- is to reduce the number of points you are giving up. We had a very good defensive second quarter today--holding Gonzaga to a meager 6 points. That was great. But we gave up more than 20 points in each of the other three quarters. Twenty points in a quarter is scoring at an 80-point clip. We're not going to beat anybody giving up 80 points--or even 75.

Problem is, I don't see a lot of good man defenders on this team. Then what? Then, Harper and Co. have to figure out how to squeeze better team defense out of a team with not a lot of great individual defenders. It starts by everybody on the floor giving maximum defensive effort--all the time. A lot of bad defense is simply individuals being lazy or lackadaisical on defense. Work hard and you can become a better defender. Communicating and playing smart are other components. For example, I see players switching defensively when they sometimes don't have to, and then we're facing a mismatch. It's a cardinal rule: Don't switch if you can avoid it. Just because you get screened doesn't mean you have to switch with a teammate; yea, you switch if there is a chance that your mark is going to dribble free with the basketball--you need the help of the teammate. But a lot of times, you have time to step around or fight through a screen and get back on your man--and you should do that if you can, because then you avoid giving your opponent a mismatch. Play harder, play smarter, keep one eye on where the ball is at all times---be better defensively. We have to do it.
 
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#55
#55
GameTime said:
Lucy, she kept the last time out just in case her player got trapped and had to call a timeout to prevent a turnover....That way we could still get a shot off...It was a gamble on her part that did not go in her favor...

Hindsight is call the timeout and advance the ball and don't worry about being trapped...
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GT, that is not quite what happened. After the LVs got the defensive stop, Kellie called timeout and she still had one left. At that point, everyone including the announcers expected her to advance the ball but she did not. . In her press conference, she said some "action" precluded the LVs from advancing and so she would have had to use her last time out to advance.

The mystery is what was "the action?" and who told her that. Either Kellie got confused or the refs messed up. He press conference did not explain it very well.
 
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#56
#56
GameTime said:
Lucy, she kept the last time out just in case her player got trapped and had to call a timeout to prevent a turnover....That way we could still get a shot off...It was a gamble on her part that did not go in her favor...

Hindsight is call the timeout and advance the ball and don't worry about being trapped...
Click to expand...

Wait a minute... She based her decision on a belief that her team would not be able to get the ball in bounds in under five seconds? Not showing much confidence in her team or her coaching. And did she realize that a lot more five second turnovers get made by players throwing the ball in under their own baskets and many fewer from in front of the scorer's table? If she had called the TO and advanced the ball it would have been easier to get the ball safely in-bounded to a good free throw shooter who could have just squeezed the ball and waited to be fouled instead of thinking they had to dribble the ball up court. During the time out she could have set up the defense she wanted for each of the three eventualities -- both free throws made, one missed, both missed, so she wouldn't have needed another timeout. She didn't "gamble." She made a bad decision and she should own up to it.
 
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#57
#57
madtownvol said:
GT, that is not quite what happened. After the LVs got the defensive stop, Kellie called timeout and she still had one left. At that point, everyone including the announcers expected her to advance the ball but she did not. . In her press conference, she said some "action" precluded the LVs from advancing and so she would have had to use her last time out to advance.

The mystery is what was "the action?" and who told her that. Either Kellie got confused or the refs messed up. He press conference did not explain it very well.
Click to expand...

Per the rulebook, you can only advance on a timeout if called after a made basket or immediately after a rebound or a change of possession.

Franklin made the rebound then passed which was deflected out of bounds, therefore no ability to advance. The part I don't think is correct is that talking another timeout would have advanced the ball. Not sure there...
 
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#59
#59
37620VOL said:
Per the rulebook, you can only advance on a timeout if called after a made basket or immediately after a rebound or a change of possession.

Franklin made the rebound then passed which was deflected out of bounds, therefore no ability to advance. The part I don't think is correct is that talking another timeout would have advanced the ball. Not sure there...
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I really don't think not advancing it was the problem. We traveled per the refs when Horston started dribbling. That could have happened in the front court just as easily. She should have simply held the ball for a couple of seconds and they would have fouled her. Instead she took off dribbling.
 
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#61
#61
Where does it go?
The good lord only knows
Seems like it was just the other day

I was down at Green Gables , a hawkin them tables
And generally blowin all my hard earned pay
 
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#62
#62
37620VOL said:
Per the rulebook, you can only advance on a timeout if called after a made basket or immediately after a rebound or a change of possession.

Franklin made the rebound then passed which was deflected out of bounds, therefore no ability to advance. The part I don't think is correct is that talking another timeout would have advanced the ball. Not sure there...
Click to expand...

Thank you for the explanation. It makes sense now.
 
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#65
#65
turbovol said:
It seems that we've made some progress since the first two losses. We had some decent numbers today--out-rebounded Gonzaga, shot
a higher percentage, fewer turnovers, shot very well from the FT line--and yet we still lost! Had two turnovers in the last 1.5 minute of the game--you can't have that.

I think fans overestimate our overall talent. We've got 2 talented offensive players in Jackson and Horston, though both can be inconsistent and I'm not sure whether either of them would be described as a good 1v1 defender (thoughts on that?). Powell is a solid/good PG.

And after those three? After those three it's a somewhat mixed bag--players who have certain attributes and certain deficiencies. And I think that's a big issue: We don't have enough solid all-around players--players who can do good things on both ends of the floor. We have bigs who aren't athletic enough, guards who are small, shooters who may lack quickness. This, along with our lack of cohesiveness and chemistry, is a thing. But we should continue to get better--if Harper coaches with a bit more of an iron fist, meaning takes a hard line on players who consistently make mistakes, don't play fundamentally--and generally holds players to a higher standard.
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It might be beneficial if our coach could recruit at a high level. Coaching ability, or lack thereof, is obvious. Maybe it’ll get better.
 
#66
#66
So ive watched ohio state, indiana, marquette, south dakota state, all teams that are not as athletic be great defensively...there is no excuse for this team to be so poor defensively we basically hve the same team as last year adding more athletic players....its clear this a coaching issue
 
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#67
#67
Deebowbear said:
Powell/Miles
Horston
Jackson
Franklin
Puckett
My starting 5 Darby just shoots the 3 no defense Walker turns overs and shoots to much Hollingshead not ready Key idk not productive enough Marta to slow
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Not a bad 5, i agree with you on Darby she is just a spot up shooter and a not good on defense. Walker is better coming off the bench, The only problem might be Franklin at 6-1 playing the 5?
 
#68
#68
GameTime said:
Lucy I have cooked a turkey a couple times....I bought the already prepared dressing...It was very good each time...I've got my Hungry Man Turkey TV dinner all ready to pop in the microwave...So simple.

My niece is trying to get me to come to their house, but I'd rather be with my dogs....I know that sounds terrible, but my dogs are always so happy to be with me, and me with them....I miss them when I'm not with them...

I also have an orange tabby cat that I rescued too...He is wonderful.....Sometimes the cat gets to chasing the dogs through my house....Talk about joy to the world....They really have fun with each other...

I thought the girls looked much better today....It was a good loss.
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GT you gotta do what brings you joy! Maybe you can take your niece to lunch one day soon to thank her for her lovely invitation.
Regarding your Hungry Man dinner. That’s a lot of food!! Looks like your dogs and kitty might get a bit of that too. I’m sure they will be thankful!
We had a dog, sadly gone now, who figured out the overwhelming activity in the kitchen meant the slippery fingered man would be carving a Turkey the next day. She parked herself where the Turkey carving happens and did not move the whole day until she got several generous “drops”. Dogs are smart!
 
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#69
#69
Lucy said:
GT you gotta do what brings you joy! Maybe you can take your niece to lunch one day soon to thank her for her lovely invitation.
Regarding your Hungry Man dinner. That’s a lot of food!! Looks like your dogs and kitty might get a bit of that too. I’m sure they will be thankful!
We had a dog, sadly gone now, who figured out the overwhelming activity in the kitchen meant the slippery fingered man would be carving a Turkey the next day. She parked herself where the Turkey carving happens and did not move the whole day until she got several generous “drops”. Dogs are smart!
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Yes they are! We have one that is battling old age and she knows exactly what's going on in the kitchen.
 
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#74
#74
Rickster said:
Yes they are! We have one that is battling old age and she knows exactly what's going on in the kitchen.
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Rickster, I know you will, but love that dog a little more everyday....Give the pup all the turkey it can eat...

This past year I lost one of my little dogs...One day she just stopped eating...I would beg her to eat...Took her to the vet, you know the rest....Still hurts!

I rescued a couple dogs that needed a home...I sure needed them...Actually they rescued me....

I still miss that little dog...
 
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#75
#75
I've been thinking about my original post and if you had to force me to pick a lineup today, I would stick by it. Here are my thoughts on the roster allowing for a little more flexibility.

6 players have proven themselves and deserve the bulk of the minutes: Powell, Jackson, Franklin, Horston, Key, Darby.

3 players have proven to my eyes that they are not ready and I wouldn't play them anymore unless there is vast improvement: Miles, Wynn, Edie. (I haven't seen Edie but I think she falls here anyway.)

That leaves 6 players in limbo: Puckett, Suarez, Walker, Hollingshead, Pissott, and Striplin.

Puckett - has not been very good this year but I still believe in her based on the strength of her play last season and overall versatility. Could her dropoff be because she was playing 21 min/g last year and only 9 min/g this year? Bottomline, I'd like to see her get back to at least 15 min/g because she is a cog. She comes in, plays within herself, doesn't screw up or want to take all the shots, and she rebounds and runs the court well. Good teams need to have a few cogs.

Suarez - has not been very good this year but I still think she could eventually contribute significantly. At some point, you have to pick Puckett or Suarez because there are not enough minutes for both. Statistically, Puckett played much better last year than Suarez did two years ago. Plus, I think Suarez tries to do too much. Sometimes I think she is trying to be Luka Doncic out there, and while she does have some craftiness, I'm not comfortable with her out there in anything other than a blowout situation.

Walker - I'm honestly ready to write Walker off. TO machine, can't shoot, suspect decision-making. Does rebound and play decent defense, but I think we would be better off developing the younger players early in the season. If they can't get the job done go back to Walker. Because with Walker, you already know what you're getting.

Hollingshead - clearly has some skills, she actually shoots and handles the ball quite well. For this year I would encourage her to dominate the boards. In the future, I could see her becoming a double-double machine. The ceiling is really high and I think she should get more minutes.

Pissott - I'd like to see a lot of her in the next 2 games. I can't really say anything more than that because she has played only 17 minutes and I think I've only seen about 3 of them.

Striplin - I think she has a strong future but not this year. Barring injury, there is just too much in front of her.

There's a lot of room to debate these 6 so I'd be interested to read what others think and what I might be missing in my observations.
 
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