- jf
- Buff & Blue Club
Offline - Registered: 11/14/2019
- Posts: 2,206
Re: GW vs Navy Game Thread
It's just odd after turning down, a polite term, any opportunity to play zone last year when it was called
for, we announce we are sticking with (a badly operated) zone for this year after Game 1. In which we were destroyed because our zone wasn't working.
As LSF pointed out, there is a reason for the term "shooting someone out of a zone," or something like that.
Wonder if JC doesn't have the maturity of an older coach to know when it's time to change things up?
It doesn't seem like a good look to announce you are sticking for a season to a defense that was shredded by a Patriot League team in game 1 of the season.
- Gwmayhem
- Buff & Blue Club
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- Registered: 7/22/2019
- Posts: 2,694
Re: GW vs Navy Game Thread
Much of the frustration about the Navy loss stems from the decision to remain in an ineffective zone defense all game but let's not overlook a few other things as well. First, this is now very clearly JC's team with Maceo Jack being the lone player who once suited up for MoJo. Related to this, this team has supposedly upgraded it's level of talent. Newcomers James Bishop and Matt Moyer are starters. Sloan Seymour is now eligible. Gone are Armel Potter (the only loss of real consequence given how the others were either injured and/or utilized), Arnaldo Toro (who played sparingly most of the year), Mezie Offerum, Justin Williams, and Javier Langarica. Plus, sophomores Battle, JNJ and Paar are all expected to improve based on experience alone.
With this presumed upgrade in talent came the assumption that we would stop losing to teams that quite frankly, we really should not be losing to. I say this from the standpoint that A10 talent is supposed to be more skilled than Patriot League talent or really most any lesser ranked conference. It was very frustrating a season ago watching a team that was good enough to defeat Davidson and Duquesne lose to Towson, American, and Morgan State. Yes, those losses were early in the season, as was the loss to Navy, but all were just as early in the season for the winning teams too.
To give an idea of what I'm talking about, Navy plays in The Patriot League. Boston University won the Patriot League last season and is favored to win the league again this season. GW has won 19 of 21 meetings against BU over the years. By contrast, last year, you wouldn't find much outrage here in losing to South Carolina, Harvard or Vermont (though maybe after the Vermont game due to how terribly we played). The reason is that we knew full well that these would all be tough games to win due to how solid each of these programs is.
Yes, the Navy loss is just one game. And, maybe Navy will be better than expected this year, good enough to win the Patriot League. Nevertheless, it's a loss that continues to extend a troubling trend. GW fans will not have a leg to stand on if they decide to complain after losses to say SLU and Richmond this season. Not at all the same thing as losing to teams like Navy where the more talented team needs to take care of business.
- russianthistle
- Buff & Blue Club
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- Registered: 12/03/2019
- Posts: 167
Re: GW vs Navy Game Thread
I think what leads to most of the reactions is that we lost. A Defense can be tightening up. Zone is to get more of the taller shooters onto the floor. I saw a lot of guys who aren't ready to do the running required. There is no mayhem without conditioning. A couple of the new players were at sea as far as assignments. I look at that game as a first run. We should see improvements. I saw a lot of bricks chucked up frim 3 all around the country in the first round of games, Navy was hot. I saw a lot more subs for GW that we may see in the next few games.
It is also nice to see you guys ware watching a lot of games!!!! Not as much coaching experience, however. A coach has a number of goals, which you manage through as you try to win a game. One of the hardest thing is cooling off hot shooters in a zone. Expect more 1-3-1 in the next game.
Speaking of outcomes driving fan reactions, see how comfort we all are with the Women!!! Count me amongst the converts.