I agree with you Tiger on Spalding needing to get more touches and the offense going through him, but I know it was times that he doesn't demand the ball either. He doesn't necessarily post up hard, especially if you bump him coming across the block. Hence he needed to touch the ball more, but as a 6'10" athletic player, he can tend to get more rebounds and put backs as well, but that takes a certain amount of aggression that he doesn't possess at this point.

I agree with you Tiger on Spalding needing to get more touches and the offense going through him, but I know it was times that he doesn't demand the ball either. He doesn't necessarily post up hard, especially if you bump him coming across the block. Hence he needed to touch the ball more, but as a 6'10" athletic player, he can tend to get more rebounds and put backs as well, but that takes a certain amount of aggression that he doesn't possess at this point.

 

6 of his 10 points were on putbacks. In fact most of his point production at Trinity came from putbacks. I don't know how many games you have seen him play for Trinity but I would guess not many. On the not posting hard, we can agree to disagree. Some plays he post extremely hard multiple times in one possession and never touches the ball which leads to frustration and discouragement in posting again. Not excusing him not constantly posting hard, but if you were 6'9 and showed hard three times in a row only to get looked off how would feel?

 

Also regardless of how hard he "demands" the ball. At the end of the day he is a big man and can't make the guards pass him the ball.

6 of his 10 points were on putbacks. In fact most of his point production at Trinity came from putbacks. I don't know how many games you have seen him play for Trinity but I would guess not many. On the not posting hard, we can agree to disagree. Some plays he post extremely hard multiple times in one possession and never touches the ball which leads to frustration and discouragement in posting again. Not excusing him not constantly posting hard, but if you were 6'9 and showed hard three times in a row only to get looked off how would feel?

 

Also regardless of how hard he "demands" the ball. At the end of the day he is a big man and can't make the guards pass him the ball.

 

 

That's 3 putbacks for a 6'10" 4 or 5 star player. He could've averaged 10-12 points per game easy off putbacks alone. It's only 2 players in the city of Louisville that's 6'8" or taller, and he only played one of them once I know (Douglas). If he's aggressive there's no way he doesn't average at least 18. He has a future NBA skill set, but his motor isn't always going. Agree with the posting up sometimes, and why I said that they should feed him the ball more. I've seem him at least 7 games (probably 10). When I say demand the ball, he can simply tell his teammates to give him the ball. I've never seen him really talk to much on the court (which a bunch of kids don't. not relegated to only him). He's a great player, and he has the skillset and talent to make the NBA, but he won't make it off the bench at UofL is he doesn't get tougher and a better motor. Especially since their bigs don't get the ball a lot offensively anyway.

I would really love to see how some "experts" would fare if they actually coached

That's 3 putbacks for a 6'10" 4 or 5 star player. He could've averaged 10-12 points per game easy off putbacks alone. It's only 2 players in the city of Louisville that's 6'8" or taller, and he only played one of them once I know (Douglas). If he's aggressive there's no way he doesn't average at least 18. He has a future NBA skill set, but his motor isn't always going. Agree with the posting up sometimes, and why I said that they should feed him the ball more. I've seem him at least 7 games (probably 10). When I say demand the ball, he can simply tell his teammates to give him the ball. I've never seen him really talk to much on the court (which a bunch of kids don't. not relegated to only him). He's a great player, and he has the skillset and talent to make the NBA, but he won't make it off the bench at UofL is he doesn't get tougher and a better motor. Especially since their bigs don't get the ball a lot offensively anyway.

 

He is always talking on the court. Always. Especially on defense. His defense and athleticism alone will allow him to get off the bench. As far as the motor, go back and review my first couple posts on the site about him. Motor is spotty but getting better. Definitely needs to get more aggressive, but he's so unselfish it hurts him at times.

 

Played 6'9 Aric Holman and scored 22.

I would really love to see how some "experts" would fare if they actually coached

 

Doesn't take an expert to know that if you have a 6'9 4 or 5 star he should get more than 6 touches on offense if he's more than capable of excelling.

He is always talking on the court. Always. Especially on defense. His defense and athleticism alone will allow him to get off the bench. As far as the motor, go back and review my first couple posts on the site about him. Motor is spotty but getting better. Definitely needs to get more aggressive, but he's so unselfish it hurts him at times.

 

Played 6'9 Aric Holman and scored 26 or 28.

 

My point exactly. He was locked in because it was better competition. It's not abnormal. Most high school players play down to competition. If he can give a 6'9" 4 star kid 28 when he's locked in, he should destroy all the 6'3" kids with less talent trying to contain him in the state. I agree with your assessment that coach should've made sure he touched the ball more, but not all on him. Heck they may should have gotten up and down the floor more offensively with Stafford & West pushing it, and all the wealth of shooters that he had, with Ray running the floor. But like UofL football when Coach Strong was here, that's all part of the defense. If he takes time off the clock offensively, that limits the other teams possessions. Plus they couldn't get up and down with a lot of teams (the shooters at least). Their advantage was to slow it down with the size. It's all here say now though. Those are great and high character kids at T, and I hope they all succeed basketball-wise at the next level, because they're bound to succeed in life because they're great young men.

My point exactly. He was locked in because it was better competition. It's not abnormal. Most high school players play down to competition. If he can give a 6'9" 4 star kid 28 when he's locked in, he should destroy all the 6'3" kids with less talent trying to contain him in the state. I agree with your assessment that coach should've made sure he touched the ball more, but not all on him. Heck they may should have gotten up and down the floor more offensively with Stafford & West pushing it, and all the wealth of shooters that he had, with Ray running the floor. But like UofL football when Coach Strong was here, that's all part of the defense. If he takes time off the clock offensively, that limits the other teams possessions. Plus they couldn't get up and down with a lot of teams (the shooters at least). Their advantage was to slow it down with the size. It's all here say now though. Those are great and high character kids at T, and I hope they all succeed basketball-wise at the next level, because they're bound to succeed in life because they're great young men.

 

Yeah i'm not arguing they should've got in a track meet with most teams because they weren't that athletic. All i'm saying is regardless if he is scoring or not, the ball should be in Spalding's hands more times than 6. He has the ability to create for others out of the post, but most of his talents weren't utilized in Szabo's system.

 

*to destroy those 6'3 kids, he has to have the ball*

 

It is all heresay now. Congrats to Ballard and goodluck on the run to state.

Video | Trinity vs. Ballard in the 7th Region semifinals | USA Today High School Sports | USA Today High School Sports

 

You can rewatch the game here. If anyone was interested in how the game went.

When I say demand the ball, he can simply tell his teammates to give him the ball.

 

Trinity is the Cobra Kai dojo, and Szabo is Sensai Creese.

 

You don't question your sensai. Johnny Lawrence didn't question his sensai when he said "Sweep The Leg" did he? Coach Szabo says kick it out and rebound and you do it or it's 100 pushups on your knuckles.

What I was surprised I did not see more of to get the ball into Spaulding's hands were motion plays with off ball picks & screens. What I saw was Ray going to the block and trying to post up hard and call for the ball, or simply try to get position to go snare an offensive rebound. You can run plays for big men against man or zone that work more effectively than just posting on the low block. I never saw that from Trinity last night which really surprised me. With the way Ray moves why not get some motion with off ball screens and picks, some slips on screen action, even some pick and roll with the ball. I am not sure who to blame, but I thought you needed and could have had more offensive plays designed to get Ray the ball.

 

As to Stafford, I was thinking he played much better in the Trinity win last season over Ballard. Last night he and West rotated which may have been the way they did all year. West and Stafford hardly ever played together which I would have done more of against the Ballard speed advantage. West should have played more, he was substantially more effective last night and sat way too long.

What I was surprised I did not see more of to get the ball into Spaulding's hands were motion plays with off ball picks & screens. What I saw was Ray going to the block and trying to post up hard and call for the ball, or simply try to get position to go snare an offensive rebound. You can run plays for big men against man or zone that work more effectively than just posting on the low block. I never saw that from Trinity last night which really surprised me. With the way Ray moves why not get some motion with off ball screens and picks, some slips on screen action, even some pick and roll with the ball. I am not sure who to blame, but I thought you needed and could have had more offensive plays designed to get Ray the ball.

 

As to Stafford, I was thinking he played much better in the Trinity win last season over Ballard. Last night he and West rotated which may have been the way they did all year. West and Stafford hardly ever played together which I would have done more of against the Ballard speed advantage. West should have played more, he was substantially more effective last night and sat way too long.

 

Agree with all. West should have definitely played more.

This may be getting off topic a bit, but I was at the game trying to figure out if it was selfishness on Trinity's guards or stupidity on Trinity's coach. You have a 6'-10" D1 center that nobody else in the state has and you don't even let him touch the ball?

 

Why would anybody want to play the center position these days? Is every guard out there afraid that if they throw the ball to the post, then they won't get it back? Why do coaches go bananas when a center misses a chippie after getting bumped, grabbed and pushed, but don't even react when a guard jacks up a bad 3 or dribble drives the lane and throws up crap?

 

Somebody said Spalding didn't have a motor. Let me tell you, if I was playing a pick up game and ran up and down the court 4 or 5 times without touching the ball, you wouldn't see much of a motor from me either. Does he run up and down the floor just to get in shape for track? He got plenty of practice last night.

This may be getting off topic a bit, but I was at the game trying to figure out if it was selfishness on Trinity's guards or stupidity on Trinity's coach. You have a 6'-10" D1 center that nobody else in the state has and you don't even let him touch the ball?

 

Why would anybody want to play the center position these days? Is every guard out there afraid that if they throw the ball to the post, then they won't get it back? Why do coaches go bananas when a center misses a chippie after getting bumped, grabbed and pushed, but don't even react when a guard jacks up a bad 3 or dribble drives the lane and throws up crap?

 

Somebody said Spalding didn't have a motor. Let me tell you, if I was playing a pick up game and ran up and down the court 4 or 5 times without touching the ball, you wouldn't see much of a motor from me either. Does he run up and down the floor just to get in shape for track? He got plenty of practice last night.

 

:lol: Whoa there, you are entering a forbidden zone.

I should have clarified that I think all coaches are stupid when it comes to post play. I shouldn't have just singled out Trinity's coach, but if it makes you feel good, go ahead and bash me for the comment.