Dom Pointer

[Marillac]

I didn't say that you assign one guy in every situation. What I said was that when Dom was on the perimeter, he would have been the best option because he was never the guy taking the shot. Obviously, if he was on the baseline, he would not be the guy.

Most of the problem is the fact that he's on the perimeter all the time to begin with. He should be running the baseline, cutting through the lane, setting screens, swinging the ball and moving. That is what SFs do. I think Coach wants to use him like Brownlee,but he just doesn't have the skill set. Brownlee could hit the open three and had the size to be a mismatch on any guard and quickness to be a mismatch on any big.

When Dom is on the perimeter it makes it tougher for every other player on the team, because his man doesn't have to respect him out there and can close gaps for Jordan to drive through or cheat to the nearest shooting threat. If he's moving, he's a threat. He is one of the best athletes in the nation and a threat to finish an alley-oop or to dunk it on someone if he gets a good pass and the d is sleeping.

 

[SI1996]

I didn't say that you assign one guy in every situation. What I said was that when Dom was on the perimeter, he would have been the best option because he was never the guy taking the shot. Obviously, if he was on the baseline, he would not be the guy.

Most of the problem is the fact that he's on the perimeter all the time to begin with. He should be running the baseline, cutting through the lane, setting screens, swinging the ball and moving. That is what SFs do. I think Coach wants to use him like Brownlee,but he just doesn't have the skill set. Brownlee could hit the open three and had the size to be a mismatch on any guard and quickness to be a mismatch on any big.

When Dom is on the perimeter it makes it tougher for every other player on the team, because his man doesn't have to respect him out there and can close gaps for Jordan to drive through or cheat to the nearest shooting threat. If he's moving, he's a threat. He is one of the best athletes in the nation and a threat to finish an alley-oop or to dunk it on someone if he gets a good pass and the d is sleeping.

Amir did a pretty good job at the baseline as well.

 

[lawmanfan]

I think both sides here have it right.

I agree with Marillac that Dom spent most of his time standing in the corner or on the wing. I also agree with Marillac that he does not belong there if he isn't going to do anything with the ball, and that it puts him out of position for offensive rebounds and putbacks. And I agree that if he can't or won't shoot at all then he is a terrible handicap to the team when he stands out on the wing or in the corner, because you end up playing 4 on 5 on offense because the other team has no reason to defend him.

However, I do not entirely blame Dom for this. He doesn't decide for himself where to go and what to do when he gets there. He's going where he is told to go, for whatever reason. If that takes him out of position to do what he does best, which is to use his athleticism to grab loose balls or rebounds and get back up to the basket, then the responsibility rests with whoever designed his role.

Still, some of it does rest with Dom. He absolutely refuses to take an open shot or to even try to put the ball on the floor and get to the rim on at least 95% of his touches. While I am sure that he has been told to look for someone else first, I am sure that the staff would like to see him at least try to play offense something like 25% of the time instead of 5% of the time.

I hope he has a good year this year, because I have always felt that he has skills that could make him a valuable contributor to a winning team if he was used properly and if he got his head in the right place and was a bit more assertive about his game. It would be sad to see him waste 4 years. A strong senior campaign and an NCAA run would erase everything that came before.

 

[simplyred]

Your post is spot on, lawman. Last year, he was a terrible handicap to our offense. I would rather see him play closer to the basket and rebound more because he has no confidence in his jumpshot. I agree that he is playing the role that is given to him by the coaching staff.

 

[Amaseinyourface]

To show some of the positives that Dom brings..

 

[simplyred]

I enjoyed that. So many clips of him not just standing on the perimeter. Imagine that!

 

[beast of the east]

I think both sides here have it right.

I agree with Marillac that Dom spent most of his time standing in the corner or on the wing. I also agree with Marillac that he does not belong there if he isn't going to do anything with the ball, and that it puts him out of position for offensive rebounds and putbacks. And I agree that if he can't or won't shoot at all then he is a terrible handicap to the team when he stands out on the wing or in the corner, because you end up playing 4 on 5 on offense because the other team has no reason to defend him.

However, I do not entirely blame Dom for this. He doesn't decide for himself where to go and what to do when he gets there. He's going where he is told to go, for whatever reason. If that takes him out of position to do what he does best, which is to use his athleticism to grab loose balls or rebounds and get back up to the basket, then the responsibility rests with whoever designed his role.

Still, some of it does rest with Dom. He absolutely refuses to take an open shot or to even try to put the ball on the floor and get to the rim on at least 95% of his touches. While I am sure that he has been told to look for someone else first, I am sure that the staff would like to see him at least try to play offense something like 25% of the time instead of 5% of the time.

I hope he has a good year this year, because I have always felt that he has skills that could make him a valuable contributor to a winning team if he was used properly and if he got his head in the right place and was a bit more assertive about his game. It would be sad to see him waste 4 years. A strong senior campaign and an NCAA run would erase everything that came before.

I don't pretend to know as much as the coaches or anywhere close to it, but don't you think even for a second that he positioned himself on the wing or corner because it was part of n offensive set? In a schema, you just don't freelance and go where you want. Admittedly he is a pretty bad shooter, and admittedly like most of our guys, they act like they are wearing cement boots when a shot goes up, but Dom may actually have been doing what he was told as part of an offensive set.

 

[lawmanfan]

I think both sides here have it right.

I agree with Marillac that Dom spent most of his time standing in the corner or on the wing. I also agree with Marillac that he does not belong there if he isn't going to do anything with the ball, and that it puts him out of position for offensive rebounds and putbacks. And I agree that if he can't or won't shoot at all then he is a terrible handicap to the team when he stands out on the wing or in the corner, because you end up playing 4 on 5 on offense because the other team has no reason to defend him.

However, I do not entirely blame Dom for this. He doesn't decide for himself where to go and what to do when he gets there. He's going where he is told to go, for whatever reason. If that takes him out of position to do what he does best, which is to use his athleticism to grab loose balls or rebounds and get back up to the basket, then the responsibility rests with whoever designed his role.

Still, some of it does rest with Dom. He absolutely refuses to take an open shot or to even try to put the ball on the floor and get to the rim on at least 95% of his touches. While I am sure that he has been told to look for someone else first, I am sure that the staff would like to see him at least try to play offense something like 25% of the time instead of 5% of the time.

I hope he has a good year this year, because I have always felt that he has skills that could make him a valuable contributor to a winning team if he was used properly and if he got his head in the right place and was a bit more assertive about his game. It would be sad to see him waste 4 years. A strong senior campaign and an NCAA run would erase everything that came before.

I don't pretend to know as much as the coaches or anywhere close to it, but don't you think even for a second that he positioned himself on the wing or corner because it was part of n offensive set? In a schema, you just don't freelance and go where you want. Admittedly he is a pretty bad shooter, and admittedly like most of our guys, they act like they are wearing cement boots when a shot goes up, but Dom may actually have been doing what he was told as part of an offensive set.

Thank you for repeating what I wrote.

 

[Marillac]

I enjoyed that. So many clips of him not just standing on the perimeter. Imagine that!

These are Dom's career highlights. I freely admit he was pretty good his first two years--which makes his junior season that much more baffling when taken with his #35 rsci ranking and insane athletic ability.

90% of the video is him scoring in transition--where he is a completely different player. The rest of it is him shooting jumpers or driving from the perimeter. I have no problem with him driving when it's there. I don't want him shooting in close games....ever.

As for others' contention that maybe the staff is putting him out there, I don't disagree with it. At the very least they enable him to be out there, and that is just as bad. We do other teams a favor keeping him posted on the perimeter. He's not a threat to shoot at all and he doesn't have the handle to consistently kill a team off the dribble either. It allows them to defend us 5-4. Now, if he was constantly moving and crashing the glass, he'd be a real force. He can rebound...he's done it earlier in his career and he does it well on the defensive end.

We would be a different team if he had a new role. We have the deepest and most talented back court in the conference and one of the most in the nation...why do we need an athletic forward with sub-par offensive skill handling the ball or standing on the perimeter? I am a big proponent of Dom at the four in a small lineup, but for that to work they need to knock of this token pressure and go after teams all game baseline to baseline. The benefit of that type of pace isn't always felt in the first half, but over the course of 40 minutes it will lead to several more easy baskets if done right.

 

[Marillac]

To add, the whole team was a mess with roles to start the season. Lavin not only called Dom costco but publicly stated he would play some point. Why? We had two top 50 point guards, a top 50 combo guard, and three-year starter that filled in at point. That was just stupid.

Greene, was misused--largely out of necessity--for three years. He showed how dangerous he could be as a shooting guard last season and he could breakout further this year if he sticks to that. He can really score the ball and he can create space at will.

Sampson wanted to showcase his SF skill and Sanchez did a little bit of everything--which was the last thing that team needed.

This year, the roles seem so much more defined. Jordan is the PG from day one. Sampson and Sanchez will be replaced by a front court of Keith Thomas and Chris Obekpa--two guys who embrace their positions and the responsibilities that come with them. Greene should be thinking of scoring of the ball and playing the kind of defense he saves for the last few minutes of close games. Pointer is really the only one that concerns me. We could really take off if he embraces a slashing forward role instead of trying to be a point-forward. The 2011 team needed a point-forward, this team doesn't. This team needs a spark plug to create fast breaks and extra possessions.

 

[JackofVirginia]

I've been a critic of our team rebounding. How many times did a shot go up and not one frontcourt player attempted to rebound or even try to get position for a rebound. With our sharp shooting team it wouldn't hurt to get some easy putbacks.

 

[Marillac]

I've been a critic of our team rebounding. How many times did a shot go up and not one frontcourt player attempted to rebound or even try to get position for a rebound. With our sharp shooting team it wouldn't hurt to get some easy putbacks.

There is nothing more frustrating to me. The worst was the NCAA game against Gonzaga. They were all over the glass on both ends and had something like 20 points off put-backs in the first half. When our guys missed a shot, there wasn't anywhere near it. It's one thing to lose a rebound but to not see a guy within five to seven feet of it is just awful.

Our best teams were beasts on the glass. Those Bootsy-Barkley-Postell teams always amazed me with how many easy points they created out of thin air. A missed shot for that team was often better than a pass. Duke would run a perfect set and get a hard-earned jumper and they'd respond with a miss or two and put-back. That stuff breaks the will of your opponent. Providence was just playing volleyball against our guys in the B.E.T. last year and we couldn't return the favor.

 

[paultzman]

,

I've been a critic of our team rebounding. How many times did a shot go up and not one frontcourt player attempted to rebound or even try to get position for a rebound. With our sharp shooting team it wouldn't hurt to get some easy putbacks.

There is nothing more frustrating to me. The worst was the NCAA game against Gonzaga. They were all over the glass on both ends and had something like 20 points off put-backs in the first half. When our guys missed a shot, there wasn't anywhere near it. It's one thing to lose a rebound but to not see a guy within five to seven feet of it is just awful.

Our best teams were beasts on the glass. Those Bootsy-Barkley-Postell teams always amazed me with how many easy points they created out of thin air. A missed shot for that team was often better than a pass. Duke would run a perfect set and get a hard-earned jumper and they'd respond with a miss or two and put-back. That stuff breaks the will of your opponent. Providence was just playing volleyball against our guys in the B.E.T. last year and we couldn't return the favor.

Hire Tyrone Grant for this and many reasons when opportunity presents itself.

 

[Marillac]

,

I've been a critic of our team rebounding. How many times did a shot go up and not one frontcourt player attempted to rebound or even try to get position for a rebound. With our sharp shooting team it wouldn't hurt to get some easy putbacks.

There is nothing more frustrating to me. The worst was the NCAA game against Gonzaga. They were all over the glass on both ends and had something like 20 points off put-backs in the first half. When our guys missed a shot, there wasn't anywhere near it. It's one thing to lose a rebound but to not see a guy within five to seven feet of it is just awful.

Our best teams were beasts on the glass. Those Bootsy-Barkley-Postell teams always amazed me with how many easy points they created out of thin air. A missed shot for that team was often better than a pass. Duke would run a perfect set and get a hard-earned jumper and they'd respond with a miss or two and put-back. That stuff breaks the will of your opponent. Providence was just playing volleyball against our guys in the B.E.T. last year and we couldn't return the favor.

Hire Tyrone Grant for this and many reasons when opportunity presents itself.

Agreed. That whole team. I'd love to see Postell work with Dom on this.

Just a little reminder of how those guys attacked the glass: #2 Duke v. #8 St. John's 1998-1999:


That team was so physical and intense...it's crazy to watch that after seeing our guys the last few years.

 

[romiSJU]

That was awesome! Thanks for posting that even tho we lost.

,

I've been a critic of our team rebounding. How many times did a shot go up and not one frontcourt player attempted to rebound or even try to get position for a rebound. With our sharp shooting team it wouldn't hurt to get some easy putbacks.

There is nothing more frustrating to me. The worst was the NCAA game against Gonzaga. They were all over the glass on both ends and had something like 20 points off put-backs in the first half. When our guys missed a shot, there wasn't anywhere near it. It's one thing to lose a rebound but to not see a guy within five to seven feet of it is just awful.

Our best teams were beasts on the glass. Those Bootsy-Barkley-Postell teams always amazed me with how many easy points they created out of thin air. A missed shot for that team was often better than a pass. Duke would run a perfect set and get a hard-earned jumper and they'd respond with a miss or two and put-back. That stuff breaks the will of your opponent. Providence was just playing volleyball against our guys in the B.E.T. last year and we couldn't return the favor.

Hire Tyrone Grant for this and many reasons when opportunity presents itself.

Agreed. That whole team. I'd love to see Postell work with Dom on this.

Just a little reminder of how those guys attacked the glass: #2 Duke v. #8 St. John's 1998-1999:


That team was so physical and intense...it's crazy to watch that after seeing our guys the last few years.

 

[beast of the east]

I think both sides here have it right.

I agree with Marillac that Dom spent most of his time standing in the corner or on the wing. I also agree with Marillac that he does not belong there if he isn't going to do anything with the ball, and that it puts him out of position for offensive rebounds and putbacks. And I agree that if he can't or won't shoot at all then he is a terrible handicap to the team when he stands out on the wing or in the corner, because you end up playing 4 on 5 on offense because the other team has no reason to defend him.

However, I do not entirely blame Dom for this. He doesn't decide for himself where to go and what to do when he gets there. He's going where he is told to go, for whatever reason. If that takes him out of position to do what he does best, which is to use his athleticism to grab loose balls or rebounds and get back up to the basket, then the responsibility rests with whoever designed his role.

Still, some of it does rest with Dom. He absolutely refuses to take an open shot or to even try to put the ball on the floor and get to the rim on at least 95% of his touches. While I am sure that he has been told to look for someone else first, I am sure that the staff would like to see him at least try to play offense something like 25% of the time instead of 5% of the time.

I hope he has a good year this year, because I have always felt that he has skills that could make him a valuable contributor to a winning team if he was used properly and if he got his head in the right place and was a bit more assertive about his game. It would be sad to see him waste 4 years. A strong senior campaign and an NCAA run would erase everything that came before.

I don't pretend to know as much as the coaches or anywhere close to it, but don't you think even for a second that he positioned himself on the wing or corner because it was part of n offensive set? In a schema, you just don't freelance and go where you want. Admittedly he is a pretty bad shooter, and admittedly like most of our guys, they act like they are wearing cement boots when a shot goes up, but Dom may actually have been doing what he was told as part of an offensive set.

Thank you for repeating what I wrote.

If I did, I did it in a lot fewer words, and without a surly retort.

 

[Ottrando23]

I think there is way too much hate on Pointer going around. His career is not even over and we're saying things like "we know how that worked out" about him. He still has another year to prove himself. Hypothetically, what if he has a great year and we make the tourney and do great or whatever. Are we going to say we know how that worked out. I'm not trying to bash anyone but it's too early to say something like that about a guy on our team. I know SO FAR he hasn't lived up to expectations, but he didn't make the rankings, you can't blame that on him. He plays hard every game and wants to win for us and all we do is say how bad he is. Then were saying he threw a hissy fit beacuse Alibegovic almost took out his knee on accident. This could of been a terrible injury for the team and for a guy in his senior season. He could of missed out on a season with the teammates that he came here with 3 years ago. Imagine, his knee got caught somehow and he missed this season with the other seaniors. I don't see that as a hissy fit. I see that as reasonable in the heat of the moment. Meanwhile, we're saying he threw a hissy fit while we cry and complain everyday about him. I just don't think all of the hate on Dom is the right way to look at him.

 

[JackofVirginia]

I think there is way too much hate on Pointer going around. His career is not even over and we're saying things like "we know how that worked out" about him. He still has another year to prove himself. Hypothetically, what if he has a great year and we make the tourney and do great or whatever. Are we going to say we know how that worked out. I'm not trying to bash anyone but it's too early to say something like that about a guy on our team. I know SO FAR he hasn't lived up to expectations, but he didn't make the rankings, you can't blame that on him. He plays hard every game and wants to win for us and all we do is say how bad he is. Then were saying he threw a hissy fit beacuse Alibegovic almost took out his knee on accident. This could of been a terrible injury for the team and for a guy in his senior season. He could of missed out on a season with the teammates that he came here with 3 years ago. Imagine, his knee got caught somehow and he missed this season with the other seaniors. I don't see that as a hissy fit. I see that as reasonable in the heat of the moment. Meanwhile, we're saying he threw a hissy fit while we cry and complain everyday about him. I just don't think all of the hate on Dom is the right way to look at him.

Regarding a so called hissy fit it sounds just about right for Sir Dom. Just like his poor judgments of committing a foul at half court when he has four fouls on him. Pointer must get control of himself and why not after three years of BE play.

 

[monte]

I think there is way too much hate on Pointer going around. His career is not even over and we're saying things like "we know how that worked out" about him. He still has another year to prove himself. Hypothetically, what if he has a great year and we make the tourney and do great or whatever. Are we going to say we know how that worked out. I'm not trying to bash anyone but it's too early to say something like that about a guy on our team. I know SO FAR he hasn't lived up to expectations, but he didn't make the rankings, you can't blame that on him. He plays hard every game and wants to win for us and all we do is say how bad he is. Then were saying he threw a hissy fit beacuse Alibegovic almost took out his knee on accident. This could of been a terrible injury for the team and for a guy in his senior season. He could of missed out on a season with the teammates that he came here with 3 years ago. Imagine, his knee got caught somehow and he missed this season with the other seaniors. I don't see that as a hissy fit. I see that as reasonable in the heat of the moment. Meanwhile, we're saying he threw a hissy fit while we cry and complain everyday about him. I just don't think all of the hate on Dom is the right way to look at him.

Regarding a so called hissy fit it sounds just about right for Sir Dom. Just like his poor judgments of committing a foul at half court when he has four fouls on him. Pointer must get control of himself and why not after three years of BE play.

These have been very undisciplined teams seriously lacking anyone close to a floor general. I don't see Dom's behavior and poor judgement being much different than most of the other kids on the teams he's played on. Hoping there will be a much increased level of maturity and discipline seen on the court this year.

 

[redfazed]

Jon Rothstein ‏@JonRothstein · 1h1 hour ago
St. John's has been at its best over the past 2 years when Dom Pointer roamed as an undersized PF. Should now see it plenty in 14-15. #SJUBB