BU Basketball 08-09

[UnbiasPerspective1]

Ok, it is no secret that this team's offense is inconsistent. Not sure if it is sceme, or players.

Supposedly this team was to rely on defense, but for some reason, players that don't play consistent defense, still continue to play major minutes.

Coach Les should show he is a man of his word, and play those players that are really willing to play defense every night. Especially since we are not getting any consistent offense from any player on the team.

Some may not agree with this, but I think we should go back to pounding the ball into DC & SS, and if they don't have anything, they can kick it out. This seemed to work, the couple games we tried it, but seems as if we have gotten away from it. DC seemed to play harder when he was getting consistent touches on offense.

Simply put, play defense, pound it inside, take the open outside look, crash the boards on every shot. This will take advantage of the athletes on the team. Too bad we have not developed a perimeter player that is confident in creating his own shot, you need this to win big games. We also need to put a premium on taking care of the ball, but not to the point that players will be afraid to make a play.

 

[thefish7]

Some may not agree with this, but I think we should go back to pounding the ball into DC & SS, and if they don't have anything, they can kick it out. This seemed to work, the couple games we tried it, but seems as if we have gotten away from it. DC seemed to play harder when he was getting consistent touches on offense.

I'm all for this. Ball needs to get inside-- I realize that's difficult when people are playing zone against you, but even if you can't score off an entry pass you might be able to kick it back outside for another shot or another try inside.

 

[TheHeemyMonster]

definately agree we need to look more inside but that is a little bit more difficult when teams play zone against us.

I feel like we do not move around nearly enough on offense. I yelled at the TV multiple times on Sunday after watching Theron and a few others play one on one and watch the other players stand around the perimeter.

Also please TAKE THE OPEN SHOT. I know we are trying to be more patient on offense but I also saw multiple times where Theron, CR and EM were wide open on the perimeter, did not shoot the ball and waited of the defender to get there, made head fake and drove to the basket and were met by 2 or more defenders and take a horrible shot in the lane or lose the ball completely.

 

[thefish7]

Also please TAKE THE OPEN SHOT. I know we are trying to be more patient on offense but I also saw multiple times where Theron, CR and EM were wide open on the perimeter, did not shoot the ball and waited of the defender to get there, made head fake and drove to the basket and were met by 2 or more defenders and take a horrible shot in the lane or lose the ball completely.

Absolutely. I'm not sure if EM's comfortable yet, but TW and CR need to be putting at least some of those up. CR in particular really. He had his coming out party a few games ago, but hasn't looked confident lately, for whatever reason. Was there in BW3 yelling, "SHOOT!" Heheh.

 

[Da Coach]

DC and SS are seniors, and they have never shown the ability to pass well, and set up other players for better shots. Forcing the ball inside has only lead to more turnovers, poor shots, and worse rebounding when the big men are taking the shots.
We have coaches who see these guys every day in practices and games. I'd prefer to leave the offense up to the coaches.

 

[thefish7]

DC, I hear you... I also believe though, that the coaches would like the ball inside more often.

 

[UnbiasPerspective1]

DC and SS are seniors, and they have never shown the ability to pass well, and set up other players for better shots. Forcing the ball inside has only lead to more turnovers, poor shots, and worse rebounding when the big men are taking the shots.
We have coaches who see these guys every day in practices and games. I'd prefer to leave the offense up to the coaches.

I guess you must have missed a couple of games, because this is exactly what we did, and it worked. Specifically, the first SIU game.

 

[mrcoachdude]

Un do you have tape of that game...thinking you need to take a look.....

 

[UnbiasPerspective1]

Un do you have tape of that game...thinking you need to take a look.....

If you guys don't notice when the coach is calling plays to get the ball inside, we don't need to continue this conversation. I do, and maybe you need to watch the tape.

 

[mrcoachdude]

I have it on tape...and have watched it a couple times....the success in that game was not clearly or only putting the ball in our bigs hands......

I agree with you on the "D" although I am not sure who is not playing "D".....I really like TB and would like to see him get more minutes....but he may be one of the guys you are refering to....

 

[UnbiasPerspective1]

It makes the game easier when you start the game out by trying to get it inside. I agree, it was not the sole purpose for winning, but it got us headed in the right direction, and I believe made the bigs play harder.

Not going to single out any players on this board, that is the coach's job. It is pretty obvious who is lacking on defense.

 

[mrcoachdude]

Not going to single out any players on this board, that is the coaches job. It is pretty obvious though, just look at who the coaches yell at about not playing defense.

its ok to single a player out...especially when you enjoy his play......TB is going to be a good one.....

 

[real fan]

This team struggles to score because it does not have consistent shooters, when we shoot the ball well we win, when we don"t we lose.

 

[Braves4Life]

This team struggles to score because it does not have consistent shooters, when we shoot the ball well we win, when we don"t we lose.

That's the bottom line. BU has always won (or at least been able to score) without any real bigs or post play.

 

[Da Coach]

I guess you must have missed a couple of games, because this is exactly what we did, and it worked. Specifically, the first SIU game.

Because you are new here, I'll overlook this naivity. Do you think you have some better knowledge than all the coaches do? If what you believe is true, then you have to believe none of the coaches know what they are doing?
I haven't missed any games this year, I have seen every one of them, and this team is never going to get much more scoring out of the center position. And more often than not something bad happens if they try to force the ball inside.

 

[MacabreMob]

I think we DROVE the ball inside more (in the SIU game in Peoria) rather than pounding the ball inside.

After the first minute or so I heard Coach Les yell to "Drive the Ball"... next play down, he drove and got fouled.

That seemed to be the game plan that game to me.

 

[UnbiasPerspective1]

I am confident the coaches agree and that's why they went to it for a fews games. You don't have to have a big time scorer inside to make the other team respect it, and loosen up on your shooters. I stick by my opinion, how quickly you guys forget 2006. That big was not doing the greatest at first, but we kept going to the well.

This is why we all have our own opinions and agree to disagree. Naive, highly doubt it.

 

[houstontxbrave]

I would have to say rather then unbiasperspective, seems like a very biasperspective. But whatever everyone has an opinion.

Mine is we are most successful when we get the ball to the rim but that almost always means a dribble drive. There is a reason Theron has as many ft attempts as he has and it is also the reason we as a team have a high number of ft attempts this season.

Obviously it is a much easier game when you can put the ball on the block with a pass and then let that person make decisons on either taking it to the basket or making passes out of the block. Singh occasionally can make the pass but isnt great at it and is very limited in his post moves, well limited in his ability to get off the ground when he makes a post move.

So that leaves us with an offense that is best when our guards get into the lane, problem is we dont have a guard who can or believes he can pull up in the lane and stick a 10 foot jumpshot. Many times our guards get hung up in the air with no place to go. The important thing though is our guards can get by other guards and get to the lane. They just need to develop/have confidence in a running mid range jumper.

The bottom line with this team is when we make baskets we are a very dangerous team, but that making baskets also includes ft's. When we shoot poorly IE SIU and CU we struggle... because we just do not have a shooter who can step up and knock in a jumpshot consistantly. The one thing that must stay or get consistant is defense, we have to continue to get into passing lanes and cause easy transition baskets. I also would really like to see McCain specifically stop passing up open shots and have a little confidence in his game and take that shot... atleast keep zones honest.

It would be great to pound the ball inside but really do we want the ball consistantly going through DC in a situation where he is required to make decisions?

 

[Da Coach]

I agree. The problems with inside scoring this year relate mostly to personnel. We simply don't have another Patrick O'Bryant on this team.
Next year we will have Milos Knezevic and Jordan Prosser, 2 inside players with outstanding passing and scoring skills. In addition, we should get more playing time from a more experienced Anthony Thompson and Taylor Brown, and we hope they add to the inside game. I look for Bradley to change their offense over the next couple yaers to incorporate these skilled big men.