GWRising wrote:

Several notes and observations:


5. Not sure if this team has turned a corner yet. It's only one game. But it beats the alternative for sure. However, one thing is for sure, we have to find a way to rebound better. A lot of you focus way too much on the X's and O's which in my opinion is misguided. Focus on our ability to rebound, guard and make shots. The coaches have put the kids in the right positions but we have to execute better. When we do those things, well the X's and O's sure look a hell of a lot better. Again, most people who have coached basketball understand that the X's and O's are often highly overrated and you need guys who can make plays on both ends. Many offensive sets can be broken down easily because they are scouted. So who can make a play when things are off schedule (as they say in football)? So far this season, we haven't had enough plays being made. Yesterday, we hopefully began to change that.  
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I hope you take this with the sincerity in which I intend it. I don't know basketball neither as well as you do. I'm a 39 year old 5'5 man who played only pickup basketball and never coached. But when you start talking about how the kids need to make plays because the script is scouted, isn't it also on the coach to help the kids learn what to do when X or Y happens? Isn't it on the coach to call a play to counteract what's being done? In the most basic of examples (that even I can understand), if a team calls a pick and roll and the defender goes under the screen, the ball handler should shoot, even if the play is called for him to pass. The coach should be teaching that,. and the players should be listening. To me, it's not SIMPLY X and O. It's not teaching the kids how to make the plays they should make. If it were only a matter of kids missing shots, cool. That happens. But it's kids not rebounding. It's kids not playing strong defense (don't we scout the other team too?). 

I don't think ALL  blame should fall on JC. And certainly yesterday I do believe JC deserves significant credit. But isn't there a line between straight X and O, and actual coaching?

danjsport wrote:

GWRising wrote:

Several notes and observations:


5. Not sure if this team has turned a corner yet. It's only one game. But it beats the alternative for sure. However, one thing is for sure, we have to find a way to rebound better. A lot of you focus way too much on the X's and O's which in my opinion is misguided. Focus on our ability to rebound, guard and make shots. The coaches have put the kids in the right positions but we have to execute better. When we do those things, well the X's and O's sure look a hell of a lot better. Again, most people who have coached basketball understand that the X's and O's are often highly overrated and you need guys who can make plays on both ends. Many offensive sets can be broken down easily because they are scouted. So who can make a play when things are off schedule (as they say in football)? So far this season, we haven't had enough plays being made. Yesterday, we hopefully began to change that.  
.

I hope you take this with the sincerity in which I intend it. I don't know basketball neither as well as you do. I'm a 39 year old 5'5 man who played only pickup basketball and never coached. But when you start talking about how the kids need to make plays because the script is scouted, isn't it also on the coach to help the kids learn what to do when X or Y happens? Isn't it on the coach to call a play to counteract what's being done? In the most basic of examples (that even I can understand), if a team calls a pick and roll and the defender goes under the screen, the ball handler should shoot, even if the play is called for him to pass. The coach should be teaching that,. and the players should be listening. To me, it's not SIMPLY X and O. It's not teaching the kids how to make the plays they should make. If it were only a matter of kids missing shots, cool. That happens. But it's kids not rebounding. It's kids not playing strong defense (don't we scout the other team too?). 

I don't think ALL  blame should fall on JC. And certainly yesterday I do believe JC deserves significant credit. But isn't there a line between straight X and O, and actual coaching?

I am glad you brought this up because it is a discussion that should (needs) to be had here. 

First of all X's and O's is largely a game of chess. I make a move, you try to counteract it. You might have some plays that you run against some teams and some plays that don't match up well. You might even run some things in game one against a team and go away from those things in any subsequent meeting.

But so much of basketball today has changed. You don't want players to be robots and you can't script everything against every possible outcome. Yes, you can definitely help your team when you see something you can exploit or adjust something that is being exploited. But you can't play like Playstation. You need to have trust that your players will make the right reads in a given situation.

So to use your example, no, just because a guy goes underneath a screen doesn't mean you always shoot. It depends on who YOU are. If YOU are a bad shooter there is a reason they are going underneath those screens. They WANT YOU to shoot. So you as a player have to know what your strengths and weaknesses are and so do the coaches. Also plays are likely not called for a player to pass. It's called for him to read the defense and then react accordingly not only to what is being done on the ball but off it as well. In the case of ball screens, are they jamming and going under, blitzing, hedging and recovering, icing, switching, etc. JC can only give them the tools on what to do in different situations but just like a QB in football you have to read the defense and apply the correct tool. I am very confident that JC knows every which way to counteract whatever you want to throw at him, but he can't be on the court with them or stop the game and walk it through. That's my point. X's and O's only get you so far. And you can do everything correctly and still miss the shot. Execution matters - the right read and the right shot and the right make..

Gwmayhem - Part of that is on Joe and part of that was on another player who did not fill a spot for spacing allowing an outlet. Joe is an incredible talent who plays with high energy and plays hard. Sometimes it is difficult to get a player like that to not act instinctively and always try and attack the defense instead of moving the ball. He really is a college freshmen in terms of playing experience. Yes, the staff is aware and working with Joe on shot selection and time/score situations. He is improving but every so often falls back on those habits. Time and experience will help.

Last edited by GWRising (1/18/2022 3:57 pm)