Why don't we just say forget it to inside play altogether, and play Ruffin, Sam, Warren, Crouch, and Wilson? Shoot 40 3's a game and see what happens?
In all seriousness...Sam is our Will Franklin this year (or the closest thing we've got). He's got the shot and the savvy that we're sorely missing. Slide him into that role when Ruffin comes back, and show TCS a seat next to Egolf and Thompson.
Another idea might be to try and slow things down a bit instead of running ourselves out of big leads and control of the game. We might not get so tired and weak on defense in the critical moments of the game if we weren't running around like wildmen taking ill-advised 20 footers 5 seconds into the shot clock or throwing cross-court passes into the stands. Notice how much better we were in the 1st half when we were running more sets and working for good shots? Notice how it completely fell apart when we started to try and run-and-gun? When we don't make the other team work on defense, we allow them to have all of their energy for offense. Conversely, we have no energy on defense and no legs left. Might have something to do with why they're shooting 60% in the 2nd half and we're shooting 29% when it matters.
I know this isn't addressed to me, but I'll give you answers to your questions...Sam Singh played a good game overall last night...but his playing time is totally dependent on the matchups from game to game...Sam's problem is not about being soft (because he isn't)...Sam's problem is that he has had so many surgeries that he simply doesn't have the foot speed, jumping ability, and overall athleticism that he needs to be able to defend post players that have any combination of size, speed, and skill.Nut,
Then explain to me O master of basketball fundamentals why a guy who scored 9 points last night and played solid d never saw the floor Saturday? Was he too soft for the mighty Coleman? If you've watched all the games this year, there have definitely been at least a few occasions that Collins has shown some ability, including early games like UIC and Loyola. As soft as he's been and out of place position-wise, he's been watched like a hawk the minute he steps on the floor by his coach and yanked the minute he screws up. No other player on this roster has been subject to the same scrutiny....if Matt Salley was subject to the same logic, he wouldn't have been given the chance to actually have a decnet game like he FINALLY had last night. Here's a fundamental for you:
1)Feed the Beast- He's 7 feet tall and when you're getting killed on the boards- SIZE CAN NEVER HURT!!!!! I don't care if he's marshmallow soft...he needs to be on the floor without fear of being yanked. Bench a guy like him fo a half if you want to send hima message...just don't punch his lights out by sitting a whole game
I also agree with ER3's well thought-out post...all except the part that says that DC doesn't "get " what we're trying to do defensively. I don't "Get" it either, and by giving up 85 points in a 32 minute span last night, it appears the team doesn't get it either. I'd like to know because I know this team can play better, it just has to get guys to know their roles and produce once they're in them.
Collins is like the backup QB on a team where the starter is struggling.....he's very popular with the fans. Austin seems to fit that category also.
I don't know the answers but I'd sure like to see a game where DC was allowed to "play through" some mistakes.
Right now we appear to be headed toward the play in round. I don't care if we are peaking by the Valley tournament.....IF we don't stay out of thursday we are in trouble.
Home court needs defended.
It starts Saturday.....whomever JL decides to play.
Go back to school and learn the basics of basketball and then you will figure out why some players get to play more then others.
I know this isn't addressed to me, but I'll give you answers to your questions...Sam Singh played a good game overall last night...but his playing time is totally dependent on the matchups from game to game...Sam's problem is not about being soft (because he isn't)...Sam's problem is that he has had so many surgeries that he simply doesn't have the foot speed, jumping ability, and overall athleticism that he needs to be able to defend post players that have any combination of size, speed, and skill.
Sam can be effective and play extended minutes against a team like MSU when a guy like Drew Richards is in the post...and he did this last night. But go back and watch the Butler game if you want an illustration of why he simply cannot play many minutes when there are quick, skilled big men on the other side...Every single time Singh entered the game against Butler, they would isolate Matt Howard in the post on Singh, give him the ball, and then run the other 4 players to the weak side...And time after time, Howard was too quick and beat Singh 1-on-1 for an easy score...
The same thing would have happened if Singh would have played minutes in the UNI game...they would have found a way to get Coleman isolated on Singh, and he simply wouldn't have been able to do anything to stop him from getting to the rim...It has nothing to do with softness because Singh is one of the few guys on this team that doesn't fall into the soft category...it has everything to do with matchups and keeping Singh away from post defensive assignments where his lack of foot speed can be exploited.
There will be enough good matchups in the Valley where Singh will be able to give us good minutes...UNI was not one of them...
As far as why DC isn't getting minutes...He is 7 feet, he is soft, and doesn't appear to have very good hands...but the biggest problem I see with him right now is that he just doesn't seem to 'get' what we are trying to do offensively and defensively...I'm not sure why this is the case...I thought it did look like he was progressing very well earlier in December, but these last 4 games he has looked totally lost to me...I hope the light goes on for him very soon because he is the only post guy that we have that actually has any idea how to set up and execute something that remotely resembles an actual post move.
Just my two cents...
I hope the light goes on for him very soon because he is the only post guy that we have that actually has any idea how to set up and execute something that remotely resembles an actual post move.
Just my two cents...
Collins is like the backup QB on a team where the starter is struggling.....he's very popular with the fans. Austin seems to fit that category also.
I don't know the answers but I'd sure like to see a game where DC was allowed to "play through" some mistakes.
Right now we appear to be headed toward the play in round. I don't care if we are peaking by the Valley tournament.....IF we don't stay out of thursday we are in trouble.
Home court needs defended.
It starts Saturday.....whomever JL decides to play.