UK 74 Santa Clara 60

[oldrambler]

. UK doesn't have pure shooters anymore. They have athletes they have tried to mold into good shooters; some times that isn't going to work.

Imo is that Porter is a SHOOTER along with Meeks.

[STRIKE3]

I understand that and I agree. However not every quick point guard and not every "athlete" can shoot the ball. See the UK roster this year or the last 10 years. Patrick Sparks I wouldn't consider a great athlete but could shoot. Gearld Fitch I wouldn't consider an athlete yet he could shoot. I could go on

JJ Reddick etc....

Look at every good team they have had a couple pure shooters or what I call Pure basketball players.

I think in time, Porter and Meeks, will be very good outside shooters. Being Freshman, they aren't getting a lot of sets ran for them. Bradley, is streaky and wears his emotions on his sleeve, which can be both good and bad. Crawford is a good shooter but doesn't have a quick release or utilize screens enough, he's getting accustomed to dropping and driving, to the paint.

 

Wing players, like Perry and Thomas certainly should be better shooters, but since they aren't, you have to design an offensive system around the talent which is current. Stevenson will get more consistent, as his upper body gets stronger.

 

All offensive half court sets, should run through the post for UK and then, look to kick out.

[justme2018]

Imo is that Porter is a SHOOTER along with Meeks.

 

I agree. Meeks has come up big several times this year.

I am not saying every "athlete" type player can't shoot ;just you can't always recruit athletes and expect great shooting. They are there for defense, Slashers, Rebounds etc... As bbcoach said earlier.

[oldrambler]

I have to admit I use to never miss UK games regardless who they were playing but here lately I just can't get into it. I don't think I am the only one who feels this way. It is Boring basketball!!!!!

Heck I watched the bowl game last night instead of the UK game. I mean when TCU v Northern ILL is more exciting something isn't right.

So you are no longer a U.K. fan?? I would think that watching a "poinsetta bowl" instead of a UK game that something isn't right either and it's not U.K. rather more "fair weather" or "bandwagon" fans. That is your choice though and why the good Lord made t.v. remotes.

[justme2018]

So you are no longer a U.K. fan?? I would think that watching a "poinsetta bowl" instead of a UK game that something isn't right either and it's not U.K. rather more "fair weather" or "bandwagon" fans. That is your choice though and why the good Lord made t.v. remotes.

 

Oldrambler, don't accuse me of being a "fair weather" or "bandwagon" fan. I have cheered for UK from the time I could walk and will continue until I am dead.

As far as "fair weather" or "bandwagon" fans go you have no room to talk with you're O$U buddies. How many came out after the 2002 season??

[ladiesbballcoach]

Exactly and here is the thing, I think most people are saying and I've noticed myself, regarding too much dribbling. Out beyond the arc, it seem a lot of dribbling starts with the initial cross the court pass, to the wing and then the dribbling starts, looking to break down the defense....like they are supposed to.

 

The problem, is often once they break down the defense, they aren't looking for the other options, post, wing or cutter....but rather try these one hand floaters, which aren't falling right now.

 

If you break down the defense, with dribble penetration....either dump to the post, cutter, kick out to the wing or "shoot" the ball, not the floaters.

I agree. It seems they do one option and that is it, they are done running the play. I noticed against Louisville they ran a post-post double staggered pick for shooters to set up for the 3 or cut to the basket if the defender is falling. The cuts were not hard and quick. Defense is too good and athletic to go half speed and get open. Some of those 6:00 AM practices might be encouraging to cut a little harder.

 

Also, real difficult to make a poor passer a good passer. Especially when they have gotten to that level and are ingrained with poor passing habits.

[STRIKE3]

I agree. It seems they do one option and that is it, they are done running the play. I noticed against Louisville they ran a post-post double staggered pick for shooters to set up for the 3 or cut to the basket if the defender is falling. The cuts were not hard and quick. Defense is too good and athletic to go half speed and get open. Some of those 6:00 AM practices might be encouraging to cut a little harder.

 

Also, real difficult to make a poor passer a good passer. Especially when they have gotten to that level and are ingrained with poor passing habits.

I believe you've touched on the biggest problem with this UK team, that I've always felt but haven't discussed....some of these players, are going through the motions and seem to be trying to run the offense as intended correctly, rather than trying to score as a result of the offense.

 

Once Jasper gets more time and confidence, he can be utilized to break down with dribble penetration, than either dump to post, cutters or out to Crawford, Bradley, Porter or Meeks. His size, would also allow him to finish in the paint more, than Bradley.

[justme2018]

I believe you've touched on the biggest problem with this UK team, that I've always felt but haven't discussed....some of these players, are going through the motions and seem to be trying to run the offense as intended correctly, rather than trying to score as a result of the offense.

 

Once Jasper gets more time and confidence, he can be utilized to break down with dribble penetration, than either dump to post, cutters or out to Crawford, Bradley, Porter or Meeks. His size, would also allow him to finish in the paint more, than Bradley.

 

 

I agree.. I think Jasper will do wonders for UK once he gets some experience.

[ladiesbballcoach]

{quote}ladiesbballcoach At the DI level, you either have to have athletes that can shoot or pure shooters who are going to have to rely on athletes to break the defense down and create defensive rotation that opens the floor for a pure shooter.

 

Thus, the design of the tok pick by post player. Ran correctly, (of which defenses, especially good defenses have become pretty good at defending but still is ran by a lot of good teams ran by good coaches) has the post player show or have to switch in which the guard gets past and the wings have to drop to help, opening up the shot for the wing.

 

You have a quick point guard who can get in the lane and it opens it up for the pure shooters. {quote}

 

 

I understand what you are saying and I agree. However not every quick point guard and not every "athlete" can shoot the ball. See the UK roster this year or the last 10 years. Patrick Sparks I wouldn't consider a great athlete but could shoot. Gearld Fitch I wouldn't consider an athlete yet he could shoot. I could go on

JJ Reddick etc....

Look at every good team they have had a couple pure shooters or what I call Pure basketball players.

I am agreeing with you. Pure shooters are not necessarily athletes. And athletes are not necessarily pure shooters. Tubby and most coaches, Ricky P included, seemed to favor athletes who can do several things besides poor shooters. Remember Mills was a walk on.

[justme2018]

I am agreeing with you. Pure shooters are not necessarily athletes. And athletes are not necessarily pure shooters. Tubby and most coaches, Ricky P included, seemed to favor athletes who can do several things besides poor shooters. Remember Mills was a walk on.

 

Sorry I guess I read it wrong.

[ladiesbballcoach]

I believe you've touched on the biggest problem with this UK team, that I've always felt but haven't discussed....some of these players, are going through the motions and seem to be trying to run the offense as intended correctly, rather than trying to score as a result of the offense.

 

Once Jasper gets more time and confidence, he can be utilized to break down with dribble penetration, than either dump to post, cutters or out to Crawford, Bradley, Porter or Meeks. His size, would also allow him to finish in the paint more, than Bradley.

Let me also point out that cuts can't always be hard and quick. If an offensive players is ALWAYS moving at the same speed whether fast or slow, they are easy to defend because they are predictable. When the offensive player is the hardest to defend is when they change pace and speeds. I was at a clinic by Laura Pirtle and Bob Huggins and they both talked on that. They had to work with players everyday in changing their speeds. You can 1/2 speed cut to the pick and then explode off of the pick. That is setting the pick up and something they seem to do poorly.

[Wireman]

To hit open shots you need to recruit people who can SHOOT. UK doesn't have pure shooters anymore. They have athletes they have tried to mold into good shooters; some times that isn't going to work.

 

While you are mostly correct, I will have to say that I believe Porter might be the pure shooter we've been needing. Now, we just have to get him to shoot.

[ladiesbballcoach]

While you are mostly correct, I will have to say that I believe Porter might be the pure shooter we've been needing. Now, we just have to get him to shoot.

I agree and was even more encouraged when Tubby said last week that defensively, he had made the most progression as far as the freshmen were concerned and had worked his way into the subbing progression and would get more minutes.

[Wireman]

I have never seen a team like this season's team. Tubby seems to be killing himself trying to get them to run the ball up the court, but they still just walk the ball up and rarely ever look for the pass up the court. I've never seen young kids that didn't want to run the ball up the court. I heard him screaming to run the ball up the court last night during a timeout and the first thing Porter does is start to slowly jog the ball up the court. They have enough players to increase the tempo significantly - not sure what hte problem is there.

 

Another observation is that I really believe Obrzut could be a nice offensive threat if he is allowed to play his style of basketball. He is deadly on the short- to mid-range jump shots but he is perhaps the worst back-to-the-basket player I've ever seen. I say put him in the high post and let him fire away.

[ladiesbballcoach]

I have never seen a team like this season's team. Tubby seems to be killing himself trying to get them to run the ball up the court, but they still just walk the ball up and rarely ever look for the pass up the court. I've never seen young kids that didn't want to run the ball up the court. I heard him screaming to run the ball up the court last night during a timeout and the first thing Porter does is start to slowly jog the ball up the court. They have enough players to increase the tempo significantly - not sure what hte problem is there.

 

Another observation is that I really believe Obrzut could be a nice offensive threat if he is allowed to play his style of basketball. He is deadly on the short- to mid-range jump shots but he is perhaps the worst back-to-the-basket player I've ever seen. I say put him in the high post and let him fire away.

I agree. I have repeatedly held the position that the biggest thing that separates the offensive teams of the 90's and Tubby's teams has been the 4 position. The 90's teams had McCarty, Pope, Padgett that were all deadly threats at the TOK from the 4 spot. Defenses had to guard them which opened up the middle for drives from Walker, Mercer, Anderson, etc. as well as post play.

 

Now Woo, Thomas, Stevenson, etc, etc are not those threats and the defenses can lag off of them and clog the middle for drives as well as deny cuts to the middle of the floor and the movement that so many fans are desiring.