Calling for jc to be fired is silly.  But I’d like to wake up tired and happy instead of tired and grumpy because gW basketball is the same as it’s been since lonergan was fired

There has been so much talk about using analytics and taking good shots by JC and his assistants, but four games in and I have yet to see us taking good shots on the offensive end (and yes that includes the Maryland game - the only difference in that game is that Bamisile and Bishop converted on some toughly contested midrange shots so it didn't look as bad). Unless we are getting out in transition, this team just looks completely lost. The lack of passing has been mentioned here, but the types of shots we are taking are horrendous.

There were very few shots if any that were open last night. Adams on several occasions had to use a jab step to even free himself a little bit from distance. I miss the ball screen offense. Losing Jamison was tough in the offseason, but I was hoping at least by committee we could replace his three point shooting. So far that's not the case.

A contested midrange shot from Bamisile in the first half and one from Adams in the second half come to mind because they were just SUCH bad shots (like automatic benching bad, but there's no depth to hold anyone accountable for such a shot). Most of our shots were either heaves or throwing something near the hoop and hoping it falls. The unfortunate comparisons to the later Mojo teams are sadly valid. Bishop bailed us out on some tough shots but 90% of his attempts were contested last night.

I like that JC gives players freedom to play on the offensive end, but I think there is a bit too much freedom right now. The dribble handoff sets seems like a step down from the ball screen offense, and reminds me of what Mason was running under Paulsen which often times hampered their efficiency on the offensive end. There was a bit more passing after halftime, but the net result was the same because we still took a bad shot. The team almost gets impatient and lets it fly even with time left on the shot clock. I would love to have us find an open shot early in the shot clock, but don't just let it fly after only a few seconds have gone off the clock.

The concern about streaky shooting on this roster is definitely showing up which is compromising spacing on the offensive end. This team has little depth, not much size down low, and despite the number of guards most cannot hit consistently from deep. Perhaps the latter could improve with better shot taking?

Defensively, I thought we did a good job limiting Fullerton's looks from deep, but far too often let their guards get into the paint and kick it out to the perimeter which spread us out quite a bit (we fortunately have good enough foot speed to prevent a real breakdown). Given the lack of depth, the team needs to learn how to defend without throwing their hands at the ball. I would almost rather be conservative defensively than be in foul trouble consistently with a thin roster. Amir still seems to be working his way back and has missed a number of layups so far, and Qwanzi does not appear to be court ready.

I thought Brayon and Noel had good games. JC was clearly signaling to the team to pass it inside after halftime, but it just wasn't consistent enough. Good to see Noel go up with it strong inside.

Rebounding has been mentioned already, but there was one play in the second half that came to mind where there were 4 GW bodies and Vincent Lee down low yet no one was able to come down with the board and Lee managed to knock the ball off a GW player so CSUF could keep possession. Those kinds of things should never happen.

It was disheartening watching JC not take part in the huddle during a timeout late in the second half. He has let his assistants call the plays out of the timeout before, but there was a frustrated and almost hopeless look on his face as he stood alone.

It's tough because outside of Anosike's active motor down low and CSUF's ball movement they weren't particularly impressive last night. It felt more like we lost the game than them winning it.

The reality is that winning just 2-3 OOC this season with this schedule would be a disappointment. Our consistent losing the past several years has made each subsequent feel like whatever, but I always think about the players and hope this gets turned around quickly before we see any potential transferring before conference play starts again.

I still believe in this team and JC (at least partly because I don't think anyone wants to go back to square 1), and still think the top guys on the team are too talented for us not to win more as the season progresses. However, the team needs to go a different route on offense in the halfcourt. There is a difference between working in a number of new players on the team/not being on the same page and just consistently playing 1 on 5 iso each possession. 
 

Right now this team is hard too watch. It's not a lack of athletic ability as much as poor fundamentals. We are consistently being out rebounded by smaller teams because we don't box out. I think Brown showed some promise on offense in the low post, but getting 3 boards the entire game while planted in the paint on defense is not acceptable. Not all his fault because he was battling multiple players on most occasions when his teammates failed to box out anyone. 

CSUF ran a weave on offense, and everybody did run fast and cut hard. They kept the ball moving, and eventually good things for happened them. By contrast, we just walked the ball up, played our no motion offense and, took too many out of control shots. Unless our players are coached into a position where they can win, and by that I mean they need to follow basic fundamentals of team offense and defense, it's going to be a long season. 

Last edited by xAC (11/17/2021 11:30 am)

GW0509 wrote:

Hey GWRising, any sense from your sources on the mood in the locker room?  I mean, obviously losing sucks but anything out of the ordinary going on?  Are the main guys still getting along?

It seemed like in the exhibition and the first half of the STFU and MD games we were picking each other up and supporting one another but the last few games I've noticed more frustration and obviously more 1 v. 5 offense.  

DMVPiranha's reference to last year's transfers before conference play has me spooked.

I wasn't in the locker room so I can't say for sure but frustration on the court was visible last night. Probably guys upset with their own play more than anything. Nobody played great.

danjsport wrote:

Calling for jc to be fired is silly. But I’d like to wake up tired and happy instead of tired and grumpy because gW basketball is the same as it’s been since lonergan was fired

Very brief but interesting post, dan.    Yes, firing the coach 4 games into a season is indeed silly, but after 2 years of no discernable improvement, along with the start of this season, it is hardly silly for the fanbase to be wondering if Christian is the right man for the job.     As for Lonergan, clearly we are long past the should he or shouldn't he have been fired, but I remember posting after he was let go that it would take us 5 years to recover from his loss.   Little did I realize at that time that a five year recovery period was overly optimistic.     
 

Could it be as simple as these guys don't trust each because they were not joining a team with all the transfers OUT and instead showed up and found themselves sharing a locker room? They might think they are all good guys, but they lack experience of winning together.

Long Suffering Fan wrote:

Yes, they are athletic, and so many of them are capable of a highlight reel play (or even a great game) at any time, but they seem to have a selfish, "me first" attitude that does not translate into wins...Frankly, in the end, I would swap anyone on the team (other than maybe Lindo or Bamasile) to have Battle back.   

This is where recruiting meets coaching.  Every one of our Power 5 transfers likely had some notion that a move to GW and the A-10 would enable them to show off their alpha dog skills that likely never would materialized at their P5 schools.  I'm not sure what they were told individually, but it's ultimately the coach's job to convince them that working together as a team is the best way to showcase their game and be successful beyond GW if they possess the talent to play at another level. 

I just don't know what these kids signed up for.  On a pure x's and o's coaching level, I know that ML never tolerated selfish play.  Even if a kid made a selfish winning shot, ML would point out that the shot was not what they intended to do on that play.  I think everyone here wouldn't quibble with the suggestion that the team often lacks discipline and appears to lack accountability. 

I also think I'd like to see a deeper bench.  I know that JC prefers an 8 man rotation, but I also believe we rely on too many minutes from a limited number of players and I'm having a hard time seeing where get exploited defensively (or offensively) by mixing in a few more folks for a minute or two and giving them a game shot.           

LSF, I added the Battle quote because I know how pained you were at times by his slow foot speed on defense.  Have we come to that with this team?  You are indeed a LSF--but enjoy that you are always with us.
 

Empty stands may encourage the administration to move up Christian's departure. How many times before have we been in this exact situation? Too many to count. Why are we here: Because the school has NEVER paid an experienced, successful head basketball coach the kind of serious money that might lead to great success. NEVER!  Jarvis came relatively cheap and they got real lucky. Penders was a big-time coach who was in a bit of trouble at Texas and knew Jack Kvancz, so he probably was a bargain. Look up and down the list. The school has one revenue-producing sport and still won't commit to getting the job done. Maybe a lesser league would better fit our goals and finances.

Joel Joseph wrote:

JC isn't going anywhere until the end of his 5 year contract which ends in 2024. That will put us at the 8th year of this misery. After the ML debacle, I said our program would suffer for the next decade. It looks like my prediction may have been a little short (it will be very difficult for a new hire to raise this sunken ship in 2 years, even assuming we find the right coach this time).

I said from the beginning that JC was not the right choice for this program. It was just too early for him to come into an A-10 program and try to fix the institutional challenges and bad decisions made by the Nero/Knapp/Maltzman trio. He had a .500% winning percentage as coach at MSM and Siena. Great guy and hard worker. Like Mojo before him, just a bad hire because it was too early for him. Had JC stayed at Siena these last 3 years, I believe he would have had that program clicking in the MAAC and been more ready for this type of job (like ML was after 5 years at UVM). Boy wonder Coach Carm is now stuck with his players and his coaching and the results show it - just blown out by Yale with a record of 0-3. With the bright decision makers we have here at GW, maybe we can get Coach Carm to replace JC in 2 1/2 years - he should be available and very cheap!

Lets stop talking about firing JC after every loss. It's getting tiresome. Let's also stop mentioning ML in every other post after he's been gone for 5 years. He's not walking back on our campus to save us. 

We need to blow this thing up before rebuilding it. That starts with getting rid of Tanya Vogel as soon as her contract is up. Our athletic programs are all shit. She was another unqualified hire who was cheap and convenient after the Nero disaster.

If our school isn't willing to support basketball and all athletics, just bite the bullet, go to the Patriot League and let us beat the AU's of the world.

 Raise High! - or at least pretend to be trying.

You forgot she backed Nero too, but nobody wants to remember that ugly mess. That alone shows me she's not the right fit to lead the future

Tanya Vogel's teams are not doing too well this  year. Men soccer 5-10-2, Women's soccer 3-12-3, women's vollyball 2-25, even our good waterpolo team was 10-13.  Basketball? Sad.