Well, the announcer, with about 14 minutes left in the second half, said the game was setting back fundamental basketball. I've said this many times, "Don't hire someonethat you can't fire". Mullin, simply put, is a dreadful coach. I recently had a debate with an old well-known Redmen point guard, who told me he likes what he sees, because the team was getting some balance in their scoring. I couldn't disagree more. Here's a short list of issues I think corrupts our ability to win. (1) Mullin's doesn't know what he's doing. He's a great basketball player, but is really poor at assessing what is going on in front of him. His teams continue to make the same mistakes game after game. In his final four year (1985), his mentor, Lou Carnesseca, beat Georgetown heads up for 3 and a half quarters. One GT adjustment, a press and a box and one later, we lost the next three games in "identical fashion with identical tactics". It is obvious that Chris didn't learn much about adaptation and correction from his college yoda. (2) Debatably, the Nebraska game was the best one we played this year. Primary in preparation was the notion that the the Big Ten school was going to "kill us on the boards". We gang rebounded in that game like there was no tomorrow. We got to loose balls and headed off down court. That was the team I thought we would see all year. Instead, we've become the "block the shot" gang. This was the idiotic scenario we used to play with Sima and Yakwe. Lead the Big East in blocks, and place near the bottom in rebounds. Against Georgetown, Owens set a personal best in blocks for the first half, and Georgetown was outrebounding us 32-16.My point?...Blocks look great for the crowd, but the primary intent is to gain possession. There is no substitute for good solid positioning and boxing out on defense. An obsession with blocking...and again for that matter, stealing, compromises solid positioning. Owens twice fouled a GT jump shooter yesterday (once on a three). That was collective loss of 5 points. There has also been a falloff in loose ball intensity. Too many are watching and not hustling. (3) Mullin needs to reign in the NBA threes. There were five of them yesterday, and we missed them all as we usually do. And please explain why it seems like every player has the "green light" to shoot it? We lost several possessions yesterday with long range attempts by Owens (the worst thing that could've happened was that he hit two against Creighton), Alibegovic (you must be kidding!), and Yakwe (ugh..now you're really kidding me). This team's lack of players who fundamentally understand their own limitations goes to the very root of the problem. Alibegovic loves to set a pick and come off it for a three. Teams leave him open. Why do you suppose? The only players shooting the three should be...Ponds (from the college three...not the NBA!), Clark, Trimble, and I hate to say it...Ahmed (he is SO erratic!). (4) In the absence of Lovett, there are only 5 playable big time division one players on this roster....Ponds, Owens, Clark, Simon, and Ahmed. Given the influences of foul trouble and exhaustion, that needs to be your core five. Anyone else playing represents a huge drop off in defensive quality...and when Alibegovic is on the court...it's four on five on offense. Many say we can't play with a core of six, but....we getting killed when substitutions enter the game. As such, getting our primary players back in the game should be a priority. Also, what the hell is wrong with Yakwe? I would love to watch a practice. This guy is probably out there practicing long jump shots. God almighty kid! Take 150 baby hooks a day! Have someone leaning on you when you do it! This is your gravy! Why does it look like you've never taken that shot before, every time I watch you play? What is the coaching staff looking at? (5) Why is Ponds struggling so? What happened to the player I saw before, who had a deft shooting touch and more importantly, court savvy? For the last 4-5 games he's disappeared for the entire first half. In the second half we see almost an urgent need to score, highlighted by forced shots and bad passes...particularly yesterday. We have two dependable scorers....Ponds and Clark...and Mullin needs to find a way to accent that fact with plays that enable good looks for both. It's nice to expect them to score in the flow, but there aren't enough quality scorers to promote that as an offensive plan.This schoolyard, free-lance. "I'll shoot it from anywhere, in any contorted reverse spin I can come up with" really needs to be put in the rear view mirror. Once again, success in basketball is directly proportional to the number of quality open looks you can manufacture for your best shooters. This is in complete contrast to the way St. John's is currently playing basketball. (6) Honoring the ball. For reasons that are hard to fathom, this Mullin team simply doesn't respect their possessions. We are plagued with all manner of foolish turnovers. They are tough to eliminate completely, but this team is currently an insult to basketball IQ. There are dumb, forced and telegraphed passes, bad spacing, football-like hand offs, idiotic charges, illegal picks, walking calls.....you name it! Let's face it freinds...well disciplined teams cut these game killers to a minimum, and you saw St. John's court every one of them up close and personal against Georgetown. (7) Against GT we twice fell asleep on inbounds plays that they converted for points...nothing less than pitiful!
All in all, the product that Mullin is currently putting on the floor is sad. I can't believe that we are paying millions for this level of poor basketball on display. Admittedly, we are better when Lovett plays. Anyone know a good orthropedist?
All in all, the product that Mullin is currently putting on the floor is sad. I can't believe that we are paying millions for this level of poor basketball on display. Admittedly, we are better when Lovett plays. Anyone know a good orthropedist?
