1/9 Pjs

[Big Mike]

http://www.pjstar.com/stories/010908/BRA_BFENLKJ6.077.php

http://www.pjstar.com/stories/010908/BRA_BFEOSG1F.W02.php

[LG281]

I like Lowery's quote from the first article about how the Saluki's play has been unacceptable.

I know its been said before - but that is what I want to hear from JL. Ooh, he doesn't believe they believe...gimme a break...I'm reminded of an episode of Saved By the Bell where Mr. Belding is filling in for the Bayside basketball coach and tells his team to "shoot their hopes and dreams". JL, someone needs to light a fire for this team...we need it to be you.

From the stat lines it looks like our team did a little better in some glaring areas (rebounding almost the same amount as SIU, less threes taken) - I hope that means we'll see more bigs more often and maybe getting to the hoop a little more regularly.

My ideal lineup has DC and/or RA getting more minutes with MS/SS, TW at the three, with AW and SM guardin' it up. Thats right...no JC. He hasn't shown the leadership this season on the court (when it matters) to warrant getting the minutes he has. I've been hearing all year long how teams have been smothering him. Let the opposition have to switch their gameplans when he comes in off the bench.

Ah well, happy hump day everyone!

[onetuffshot]

Post reply

Now let me see if I have this right. Bench JC so that whoever replaces him forces the other team to change their game plan. Then sneak JC in the game. The opponent won't know it's him, and therefore won't guard him the same as they would if he had started. His replacement would cause our bigs to stop missing lay-ups and, all of a sudden stop our too small bigs from giving up offensive rebounds. The rest of the team would automatically start playing good defense and stop making so many turnovers. His replacement would, also, inspire the leadership that JC is supposedly lacking, because he doesn't run all around yelling and pumping his fist.
If all that occurs by benching JC, I'm for it.

[LG281]

OK guy...easy...JC isn't giving us the leadership or production we need. Less minutes from JC opens up more minutes for DC/WE/RA to work the kinks out.

It also brings a rested guard off the bench...we could cut down on AW's minutes but that won't do anything for his confidence, we could pull TW's minutes but if he actually gets to play the 3 instead of the 4 then I think we'd see great things from him (he is way over-matched), we could have JC run the point and take out SM but he can't handle the ball under pressure (his upper and lower body move at different speeds - watch closely - you'll see it).

Now if you rationally think about it instead of choking on JC flavored koolaid - bringing a rested/ready scoring threat off the bench and allowing our bigs to work out the kinks and get into a flow that lasts longer than a half doesn't sound like a bad idea to me.

No, pulling JC won't effect the other players directly...he can't make SM hold on to the ball and pulling JC doesn't assure us that Salley will make his bunnies. But just becuase JC shot the lights out last year doesn't mean that is his role on THIS team.

Again, happy Hump day to you sir.

[squirrel]

I don't think JC needs to start for this team to be successful.

I have proposed on several occasions bringing Crouch or Warren off the bench as energy guys or for sustained offense.

With JC, you are getting your guys for the future some experience, while he can still be a key contributor coming off the bench.

There was a guy who used to play for Dayton by the name of Andy Meyer. For 4 years, he led the Flyers in scoring as their 6th man. Was an all-conference performer.

[houstontxbrave]

I do not really care if JC starts or comes off the bench but for the love of god no more playing the point. His ball handling and carelessness is horrible.

Also, if he is on the court it really is a good idea to hide him as much defensively as possible, he can not guard anyone one on one and stop the dribble anymore. He has no quickness.

It will not happen but when Ruffin returns JC's minutes should decrease in favor of SM playing more of JC's minutes.

[ER3]

I think that AW and JC are redundant players...and having them on the floor together for extended periods of time really limits what this team can do...offensively and defensively. They both have pretty much the same set of strengths and weaknesses...and it seems to me that when you have both of them on the floor at the same time, it makes us a much, much easier team to defend against...
I think if you had one of those guys in the game and had Theron playing the 3 instead of the 4, that would make it a lot harder to defend the perimeter against us...Instead of having 2 6'5" guys standing around the 3 point line that are just looking to take jumpers and really don't show much ability to penetrate and finish strong or much of a willingness to be a factor on the boards...you'd have Theron in one of those perimeter spots who is quick enough to slash and get to the rim and shows a willingness to crash the boards...and the defense would have to adjust to that different dimension of athleticism that TW would bring on the perimeter...
Of course, the only way this type of lineup could work is if two of our bigs showed that they would be capable of playing effective minutes together...and that hasn't happened yet...

[Braves4Life]

I think that AW and JC are redundant players.......Instead of having 2 6'5" guys standing around the 3 point line that are just looking to take jumpers and really don't show much ability to penetrate and finish strong or much of a willingness to be a factor on the boards...you'd have Theron in one of those perimeter spots who is quick enough to slash and get to the rim and shows a willingness to crash the boards...and the defense would have to adjust to that different dimension of athleticism that TW would bring on the perimeter...

I don't agree that they are similar players. AW was driving to the hoop on several occasions against SIU. In fact, I believe he will be a major factor on this team soon.

As for Theron, I'd like to see the team make him a focal point of the offense. I'd like to see him getting the ball on the wing (ala the JJ Anderson days) and have the rest of the team clear out and allow him to create as he drives to the hoop. He could drive the lane and either create a shot for himself or kick it out to someone for a three.

What this team really lacks right now is a superstar that can take the team on his shoulders and be counted on to score 20 points per game. Until someone steps up to be "the man" this team will continue to struggle. Sam M. tried to do this against SIU and Ruff tried before he was hurt, but these guys are just too small. The only candidates on the current team that I see as being capable of 20+ per game and of being "the man" that can change the complexity of the game are Wilson and Warren.

I can only hope that one of them gets this chance and develops this confidence and swagger. Once they do I think it will become a habit - ala Hersey during his soph. year.

[ER3]

I don't agree that they are similar players. AW was driving to the hoop on several occasions against SIU. In fact, I believe he will be a major factor on this team soon.

I think Warren already is a major factor on this team...
AW did attempt to get to the rim a lot against SIU...which was a good thing to see...but just like JC, he didn't finish strong on any of those moves to the basket...he gets inside, anticipates the contact before it happens, and as a result, he's fading and ducking away from the contact before he can finish the shot. He's only a sophomore, so I think he has a good chance to develop a little more toughness around the rim and learn how to become a better finisher over the next two years, and if he does, he will be a great, great player for BU...but he (much like JC) just doesn't have a "finisher's mentality" when he gets inside right now...

[Guinness]

Leader wise Warren will be the next Ruffin.

[Scouter]

Leader wise Warren will be the next Ruffin.

That doesn't sound like a vote of confidence. And as much as I like AW as a player, I have to agree with you. This team desperately needs an emotional leader.

[onetuffshot]

Post reply

Wow, we frustated coaches have all got our simplistic theories on how to turn this thing around. Bring JC off the bench so that our new bigs can work the kinks out. If that were going to happen, 16 games and 3 months of practice would have been plenty of time. Having said that, for this team to fulfill its potential, any or all of those three(DC,WE,RA) have to become more of a force, along with MS, in the paint both offensively and defensively. I just don't think bringing JC off the bench is going to cause that to happen. In fact, you can bet JC would be the greatest benefactor, if opponents had to pay a little more attention to our inside players.
Play TW at the 3. Good idea defensively. Bad idea offensively. When opponents determine his main offensive threat is slashing to the basket(they already have) they'll just back off him and force him to beat them from the perimeter. Defensively, I'd love to have him guard the 3. Right now he busts his butt trying to guard the 4, but he's just not big enough.
Never play JC at the point. "his upper body and lower body move at different speeds". He must have had a little better coordination and was a lot less careless and a better ball handler with those 9 assists against WSU.
More importantly, who would play the point when SM sits, if not for Jeremy. The last time I looked at our roster/bench, he's the only one who can come close to running things while poor Sam catches a breather. JC plays the point out of necessity and it certainly does not help his numbers when you factor the fatigue situation in. He's just trying to hold things together until Ruff gets back. I'm sure he would relish the situation when he and Sam can share the 2 spot with Ruff at the point.
And finally, call it cool aid if you wish, but JC's defense is vastly under rated. I've heard the coaches say he is our best off the ball defender. He sometimes looks bad when he frequently has to help when team mates get beat. Sure he gets beat now and then. Unfortunately, that's a huge problem for everyone on his team. But, he does cause more than his share of opponent turnovers and gets steals like no one else except Ruff.
My apologies for the length of this. And instead of kool aid, could you make it Jack Daniels. I think I need it to get us through this.





and

[LG281]

Can't work out the kinks if you don't have playing time tough guy. How do you expect newbies to get any better if they aren't allowed on the court.

Our current offense has all of our players out of their element save Sammy. I'm not trying to over engineer anything - just want to play our players where they'd be more comfortable playing.

If you haven't checked we've more post players than we currently know what to do with - in a sense, you could view not playing them as straining Crouch. Being down a guard it makes sense to bring in the bigs (let em get comfy) and rotate your guards a little more regularly. I believe Crouch is the guy to come off the bench and create some offense to keep us from falling asleep on O. This frees him up from "trying to hold things together until Ruff gets back", alleviates any fatigue issues that may be plaguing him, and allows the kid to shoot the way we all know he can.

Love on JC all you want...he is a great player and an assett to our team...I just feel he is in the wrong roll and that he hasn't produced the way a senior, captain, and returning conference high-scorer should.

Don't worry your Jeremy Crouch autographed poster will be just as valuable if he comes off the bench and sees a little less PT.

[Scouter]

Love on JC all you want...he is a great player and an assett to our team...I just feel he is in the wrong roll and that he hasn't produced the way a senior, captain, and returning conference high-scorer should.

Don't worry your Jeremy Crouch autographed poster will be just as valuable if he comes off the bench and sees a little less PT.

JC is a good player, but the reason he shot so well last year was because of the penetration and kick-outs from Ruffin and Franklin. How is that so hard to understand?

I think your idea for JC to come off the bench is silly. He's been one of the three best players on this team this season. Why would you not have him out there at the start of the game? There's no reason to change his "roll."

[InMnBob1]

Bench JC. He's too slow, can't dribble (etc. off his foot or out of bounds), can't shoot on the run and gets taken off the dribble by everyone allowing them to penetrate and dish off.

Last year was last year. Remeber the year before--he was benched then too.

I don't care if it's not popular--it's the right decision. Once again I will repeat. WHAT WE ARE DOING ISN'T WORKING.....MORE OF THE SAME ISN'T GOING TO WORK EITHER.