Ga. Tech game

[TRabinowitz]

Thought that stretch in the second half was the best stretch we played all year. We had a nice stretch last night and against Bucknell but what made today better is that we actually played into an identity as a unit, and this needs to be what we play to all year:

Pressing, rim protecting and attacking the basket.

I think its safe to say that this big lineup of Obekpa, Sampson and Sanchez all being on the floor at the same time is not working out. Obekpa needs the heaviest minutes at the 5, Sampson needs heavy minutes at the 4 and Sanchez can be the guy to give both a breather when needed. We also need to have him at the high post offensively. He isn't in a good enough position to make plays when hes playing out by the arc. I think a large part of the reason he's struggling is because his role hasn't been defined. I also think he needs to be in better shape, which is another reason why we need to stagger his minutes. He might not keep up for all that long in a pressing style. I still believe that he's highly skilled though and we need to get him a nice amount of minutes.

Jakarr was much better in the second half but there are still some highly frustrating aspects to his game. He's very soft around the rim and constantly doesn't finish plays that he should. He needs to get tougher and stronger. He also seems to be allergic to using the backboard. He would be a much higher percentage finisher if he used the glass more. He does so well when there's space for him to operate through the lane but as soon as there's a crowd in there, he really struggles.

Branch definitely showed out much better today. I think he really excels from the pressing style and that got him going.

Rysheed will get there and I also think that this style will help to spark something. It's safe to say he was overhyped coming in, especially with where his mind may be at with the stuff going on back home with his mother.

D'Lo and Dom provided the energy when we had nothing going (including intensity) during the first 25 minutes of this game. D'Lo is really good at making that little drop off pass when he gets into the lane. While he isn't a PG, he has definitely shown better playmaking abilities.

We have to keep working on our ballscreen defense. When we're in man to man we are tested with ballscreens on most possessions.

I know Lav said after the game that the press was just going to be one aspect of what we do defensively, but it really needs to be our MAIN aspect off of made baskets. It's time to stop with the experimenting of the big lineups and such and go with what our identity should be, and what we saw in the second half tonight was it. Glad we were able to play well in that stretch and have a reason to feel good about ourselves going into this week.

 

[Class of 72]

http://www.redstormsports.com/allaccess/?media=422848

The press.....we don't practice it that much.......(Jakarr Sampson)

Anything else not practiced much"??????

actually if you are going to parse a nervous 20-year-olds words and try to use them as evidence that we are poorly coached you should get it right Jakarr said we don't practice it AS much, not that much. Just saying...it could mean it is practiced a lot just not as much as some other things..

If you are going to parse my parsing by stating what Jakarr could have meant and inferring that I was using those words as "evidence" that we are poorly coached you should begin your retort with "I think, or It is my opinion" because you make an arse out of yourself when you assume something I never said.
I think you are making a Freudian slip my fellow Redman in stating as much because most folks would have gathered he was discussing "practices" and that activity is a communal one and does not necessarily fall on one coach. My intent was to make light of what I perceive as being poorly prepared before games. It could have also meant that a lot of things are practiced as much as pressing but the results my friend indicate that they, along with other facets of the game, are not practiced well and carry over into games. Why else would we surrender the first half of so many games before the "coaching" has to reign in the nervous 20 year olds who some label as stupid. If the players all looked like Max would they look like they had low BB IQ or would some say they look poorly prepared?
Hey, you want to take sides like a kid in the playground based upon "who" says what instead of what is said, knock yourself out!

 

[Class of 72]

Thought that stretch in the second half was the best stretch we played all year. We had a nice stretch last night and against Bucknell but what made today better is that we actually played into an identity as a unit, and this needs to be what we play to all year:

Pressing, rim protecting and attacking the basket.

I think its safe to say that this big lineup of Obekpa, Sampson and Sanchez all being on the floor at the same time is not working out. Obekpa needs the heaviest minutes at the 5, Sampson needs heavy minutes at the 4 and Sanchez can be the guy to give both a breather when needed. We also need to have him at the high post offensively. He isn't in a good enough position to make plays when hes playing out by the arc. I think a large part of the reason he's struggling is because his role hasn't been defined. I also think he needs to be in better shape, which is another reason why we need to stagger his minutes. He might not keep up for all that long in a pressing style. I still believe that he's highly skilled though and we need to get him a nice amount of minutes.

Jakarr was much better in the second half but there are still some highly frustrating aspects to his game. He's very soft around the rim and constantly doesn't finish plays that he should. He needs to get tougher and stronger. He also seems to be allergic to using the backboard. He would be a much higher percentage finisher if he used the glass more. He does so well when there's space for him to operate through the lane but as soon as there's a crowd in there, he really struggles.

Branch definitely showed out much better today. I think he really excels from the pressing style and that got him going.

Rysheed will get there and I also think that this style will help to spark something. It's safe to say he was overhyped coming in, especially with where his mind may be at with the stuff going on back home with his mother.

D'Lo and Dom provided the energy when we had nothing going (including intensity) during the first 25 minutes of this game. D'Lo is really good at making that little drop off pass when he gets into the lane. While he isn't a PG, he has definitely shown better playmaking abilities.

We have to keep working on our ballscreen defense. When we're in man to man we are tested with ballscreens on most possessions.

I know Lav said after the game that the press was just going to be one aspect of what we do defensively, but it really needs to be our MAIN aspect off of made baskets. It's time to stop with the experimenting of the big lineups and such and go with what our identity should be, and what we saw in the second half tonight was it. Glad we were able to play well in that stretch and have a reason to feel good about ourselves going into this week.

The big lineup has not worked because Primo does not comprende his role. He is 6'9 and stronger than Sampson and should be used as the 4 but something seems to get lost in the translation. I do not mean to make you sound contradictory when describing Jakarr but you are being contradictory in wanting him to have heavy minutes at the 4 while also saying "He's very soft around the rim and constantly doesn't finish plays that he should. He needs to get tougher and stronger. He also seems to be allergic to using the backboard."
Those are not the qualities of a 4 in my book. He is a natural 3 and on the breaks he is agile and quick enough to play like a point forward.
This team has not come together for the most part because two new players, Sanchez and Jordan, have not been integrated into the team and if, and when they do, this will be a completely different team than we have been watching.
So see, I am optimistic to the extent we have the ingredients in the kitchen. All the cooks have to do is prepare the recipes so we look sweet instead stinking.

 

[TRabinowitz]

Thought that stretch in the second half was the best stretch we played all year. We had a nice stretch last night and against Bucknell but what made today better is that we actually played into an identity as a unit, and this needs to be what we play to all year:

Pressing, rim protecting and attacking the basket.

I think its safe to say that this big lineup of Obekpa, Sampson and Sanchez all being on the floor at the same time is not working out. Obekpa needs the heaviest minutes at the 5, Sampson needs heavy minutes at the 4 and Sanchez can be the guy to give both a breather when needed. We also need to have him at the high post offensively. He isn't in a good enough position to make plays when hes playing out by the arc. I think a large part of the reason he's struggling is because his role hasn't been defined. I also think he needs to be in better shape, which is another reason why we need to stagger his minutes. He might not keep up for all that long in a pressing style. I still believe that he's highly skilled though and we need to get him a nice amount of minutes.

Jakarr was much better in the second half but there are still some highly frustrating aspects to his game. He's very soft around the rim and constantly doesn't finish plays that he should. He needs to get tougher and stronger. He also seems to be allergic to using the backboard. He would be a much higher percentage finisher if he used the glass more. He does so well when there's space for him to operate through the lane but as soon as there's a crowd in there, he really struggles.

Branch definitely showed out much better today. I think he really excels from the pressing style and that got him going.

Rysheed will get there and I also think that this style will help to spark something. It's safe to say he was overhyped coming in, especially with where his mind may be at with the stuff going on back home with his mother.

D'Lo and Dom provided the energy when we had nothing going (including intensity) during the first 25 minutes of this game. D'Lo is really good at making that little drop off pass when he gets into the lane. While he isn't a PG, he has definitely shown better playmaking abilities.

We have to keep working on our ballscreen defense. When we're in man to man we are tested with ballscreens on most possessions.

I know Lav said after the game that the press was just going to be one aspect of what we do defensively, but it really needs to be our MAIN aspect off of made baskets. It's time to stop with the experimenting of the big lineups and such and go with what our identity should be, and what we saw in the second half tonight was it. Glad we were able to play well in that stretch and have a reason to feel good about ourselves going into this week.

The big lineup has not worked because Primo does not comprende his role. He is 6'9 and stronger than Sampson and should be used as the 4 but something seems to get lost in the translation. I do not mean to make you sound contradictory when describing Jakarr but you are being contradictory in wanting him to have heavy minutes at the 4 while also saying "He's very soft around the rim and constantly doesn't finish plays that he should. He needs to get tougher and stronger. He also seems to be allergic to using the backboard."
Those are not the qualities of a 4 in my book. He is a natural 3 and on the breaks he is agile and quick enough to play like a point forward.
This team has not come together for the most part because two new players, Sanchez and Jordan, have not been integrated into the team and if, and when they do, this will be a completely different team than we have been watching.
So see, I am optimistic to the extent we have the ingredients in the kitchen. All the cooks have to do is prepare the recipes so we look sweet instead stinking.

Maybe not to you, but he is very capable of being a wing 4. He does need to work on being tougher underneath but he is capable of finishing some of these plays that he isn't. I think the big lineup wouldn't work in our press because Primo doesn't seem to be in the type of shape to play heavy stretches of time because I don't think he's in that type of shape. And I don't think he's playing the high post because he's not being instructed to play there. He played back to the basket heavily in JUCO (I watched a number of his games) in the high post while also turning and squaring and that was where he was most effective.

 

[SJUISBACK]

Stating obvious, must, must win v. GT. It is likely we lose to Cuse & don't consider Fordham a lock. Essentially in a very competitive BE, based on current play, how likely is it we do better than going .500? That outcome, in concert with terrible out of conference production, equates to NIT at best. Boy, we have put our backs to the wall. Hope we can surprise in BE play, but can't garner confidence about that. Maybe not "Doomed", but loss today equates to a poor prognosis. Very disheartening to all who really care about Johnnies.

Lastly, erratic, poor play & disappointment certainly can prove harmful to your "recruiting health". With 2015 being a critical recruiting year, that concerns me. Sorry, just a bit down.

Cheer up it could have been much much worse!
We, for all intents, should have lost the exhibition game to a D2 team and barley beat a couple of low D1 teams, all at home. Last night was just another example of eclectic offense and no-show defense against a team whose entire offense was guard-driven. Neither Greene or Harrison have the lateral quickness to stay with other guards and that is where I was hoping Jordan was going to make a difference. Having both in the game is, and has been, counter-productive going into their 3rd season. Opposing coaches have been salivating seeing that combo and just have their defense sit back.

I know a couple of coaches who, though not recruiting the same players, agree with you about what they would be saying to recruits and that is that the SJU staff will not develop you. Harkless was a fluke recruit with God given natural talent who was never even coached by Lavin. No other players have shown any growth and playing time is erratic at best. I firmly believe that most of what we have been seeing is the result of poorly structured practices and game preparation. Others with far better credentials than I agree. Teams with much less talent come into games better prepared.
As for your recruiting worries, they are very valid and I share your concerns. With 2014 a bust and 2015 a big ?, the 5th and 6th years of the wizards world are shaping up very similar to those of Jarvis and Roberts.

Please, Jarvis and Roberts never came close is assembling any type of recruiting class. Not a publication in the world acknowledged as much.

Yeah everyone know about his big time recruits, but so what if we can`t do anything with them. Yes, nice 24-4 run in the 2nd half, but with all that talent why do we only have 6pnts at the 7:40 mark? That`s only 12minutes and to just score 6pnts? WOW

For the Fordham I`d like to see us get out of the gate fast. Take the 2nd half from today and continue it, but knowing these guys, they might not score a point for the first 7minutes just like against Longwood.

And to Dinkins saying in the Penn St thread: "You say, they aren't any better than last season. That's conjecture no matter how you wanna put it. We won't really know that for a couple more months."
Yeah, no doubt we could turn it around in a big way in a few months, but I wasn`t talking about in a few months. I`m talking about right at this point in the season, we are not better then last year.

 

[ZanMan]

This team is going to be very dangerous when it all comes together. You can see major glimpses of it yesterday. Coach says February, but he is giving the worse case time frame for the public to hear. My guess is when conference play starts, these boys are going to be GOOD. One player I'm looking to is Jordan...when he finally gets it going after making the adjustment of going from HS to D1 ball...lookout.

A major benchmark will be Dec. 15. If they come out and show Syracuse who truly owns NYC, season on. Fingers crossed they get it together by then, I'm soooooo tired of losing to those fools in our house.

 

[dee]

This team is going to be very dangerous when it all comes together. You can see major glimpses of it yesterday. Coach says February, but he is giving the worse case time frame for the public to hear. My guess is when conference play starts, these boys are going to be GOOD. One player I'm looking to is Jordan...when he finally gets it going after making the adjustment of going from HS to D1 ball...lookout.

A major benchmark will be Dec. 15. If they come out and show Syracuse who truly owns NYC, season on. Fingers crossed they get it together by then, I'm soooooo tired of losing to those fools in our house.

yes hopefully that is the plan. the cuse will have acc on the back of their uniform jerseys and nothing will be finer than to send them back to carolina with a loss.

 

[usguard]

hope you are right but I think we should have come together by now WE have most of the team back added Jordan who needs more time Hooper who played college ball with a high BBIQ and Sanchez and gift who worked out with the team plenty
Our guard get taken off the dribble way to much against supposedly lesser talented players the reason why we have all those block
I said before there is no reason our guards can not dribble penetrate for closer jumpers or dish Sanchez should not be putting up 30 footers keep him inside the arc he will get more rebounds Also what erks me is our defense (mainly our guards) works thru the picksthan lets the picker slide thru and no one covers him until they realize and the run to cover him by that time they have recd a pass and put up uncontested shots
Look what Nova is doing Are they more talented than us? Better coached? I am glad we are 5-2 but I think most are disappointed with the product thus far. Not saying that in a month we can not be really goof but we better start moving to make the NCAA we will have to knock off ranked teams Right now that seems dubious

 

[MJDinkins]

And to Dinkins saying in the Penn St thread: "You say, they aren't any better than last season. That's conjecture no matter how you wanna put it. We won't really know that for a couple more months."
Yeah, no doubt we could turn it around in a big way in a few months, but I wasn`t talking about in a few months. I`m talking about right at this point in the season, we are not better then last year.

You can't say, the team isn't any better than the team last season when they've only played a handful of games. No offense, but that doesn't make any sense. I stand by what I said.... That's conjecture. There is a reason that definition exists, 'ya know?

 

[Class of 72]

Thought that stretch in the second half was the best stretch we played all year. We had a nice stretch last night and against Bucknell but what made today better is that we actually played into an identity as a unit, and this needs to be what we play to all year:

Pressing, rim protecting and attacking the basket.

I think its safe to say that this big lineup of Obekpa, Sampson and Sanchez all being on the floor at the same time is not working out. Obekpa needs the heaviest minutes at the 5, Sampson needs heavy minutes at the 4 and Sanchez can be the guy to give both a breather when needed. We also need to have him at the high post offensively. He isn't in a good enough position to make plays when hes playing out by the arc. I think a large part of the reason he's struggling is because his role hasn't been defined. I also think he needs to be in better shape, which is another reason why we need to stagger his minutes. He might not keep up for all that long in a pressing style. I still believe that he's highly skilled though and we need to get him a nice amount of minutes.

Jakarr was much better in the second half but there are still some highly frustrating aspects to his game. He's very soft around the rim and constantly doesn't finish plays that he should. He needs to get tougher and stronger. He also seems to be allergic to using the backboard. He would be a much higher percentage finisher if he used the glass more. He does so well when there's space for him to operate through the lane but as soon as there's a crowd in there, he really struggles.

Branch definitely showed out much better today. I think he really excels from the pressing style and that got him going.

Rysheed will get there and I also think that this style will help to spark something. It's safe to say he was overhyped coming in, especially with where his mind may be at with the stuff going on back home with his mother.

D'Lo and Dom provided the energy when we had nothing going (including intensity) during the first 25 minutes of this game. D'Lo is really good at making that little drop off pass when he gets into the lane. While he isn't a PG, he has definitely shown better playmaking abilities.

We have to keep working on our ballscreen defense. When we're in man to man we are tested with ballscreens on most possessions.

I know Lav said after the game that the press was just going to be one aspect of what we do defensively, but it really needs to be our MAIN aspect off of made baskets. It's time to stop with the experimenting of the big lineups and such and go with what our identity should be, and what we saw in the second half tonight was it. Glad we were able to play well in that stretch and have a reason to feel good about ourselves going into this week.

The big lineup has not worked because Primo does not comprende his role. He is 6'9 and stronger than Sampson and should be used as the 4 but something seems to get lost in the translation. I do not mean to make you sound contradictory when describing Jakarr but you are being contradictory in wanting him to have heavy minutes at the 4 while also saying "He's very soft around the rim and constantly doesn't finish plays that he should. He needs to get tougher and stronger. He also seems to be allergic to using the backboard."
Those are not the qualities of a 4 in my book. He is a natural 3 and on the breaks he is agile and quick enough to play like a point forward.
This team has not come together for the most part because two new players, Sanchez and Jordan, have not been integrated into the team and if, and when they do, this will be a completely different team than we have been watching.
So see, I am optimistic to the extent we have the ingredients in the kitchen. All the cooks have to do is prepare the recipes so we look sweet instead stinking.

Maybe not to you, but he is very capable of being a wing 4. He does need to work on being tougher underneath but he is capable of finishing some of these plays that he isn't. I think the big lineup wouldn't work in our press because Primo doesn't seem to be in the type of shape to play heavy stretches of time because I don't think he's in that type of shape. And I don't think he's playing the high post because he's not being instructed to play there. He played back to the basket heavily in JUCO (I watched a number of his games) in the high post while also turning and squaring and that was where he was most effective.

What PRESS? We use it rarely. Primo looks in great shape to me.
AND....you say "And I don't think he's playing the high post because he's not being instructed to play there. He played back to the basket heavily in JUCO (I watched a number of his games) in the high post while also turning and squaring and that was where he was most effective"...
So you are inferring he is being misused?
Hey, I happen to agree 100%!

 

[bobre45]

This could be a season changing win. They got it together at 1/2 time

I agree. Fact is that we have a lot of pretty good basketball players. The "getting to know you" period is almost over and I expect to see some good things happen going forward. The 2010 team basically coached itself after they settled in and I hope this year's bunch reaches that point soon.

 

[salty dog]

but who is this years Evans?

 

[Las Vegan]

This could be a season changing win. They got it together at 1/2 time

I agree. Fact is that we have a lot of pretty good basketball players. The "getting to know you" period is almost over and I expect to see some good things happen going forward. The 2010 team basically coached itself after they settled in and I hope this year's bunch reaches that point soon.

That 2010-11 team had great maturity, chemistry and leaders like Hardy and Kennedy. That Sunday national TV rout of Duke may have been the best game I've watched in 30 years. I actually watched the game with the local Duke alumni association, as a guest of my realtor, who was the president. They were completely shocked by the results, but pretty gracious, all things considered. They liked the rivalry with the redmen and didn't understand why we were down for so long. I replied that it was a product of long-running incompetence.

 

[mjmaherjr]

This could be a season changing win. They got it together at 1/2 time

The 2010 team basically coached itself after they settled in

Nope

 

[simplyred]

This could be a season changing win. They got it together at 1/2 time

The 2010 team basically coached itself after they settled in

Nope

^5

 

[Amaseinyourface]

http://www.redstormsports.com/allaccess/?media=422848

The press.....we don't practice it that much.......(Jakarr Sampson)

Anything else not practiced much"??????

Welp. There's our answer.

The team doesn't practice the full court press much.

I can't believe I just heard that.

Maybe that why it looked so good

 

[Amaseinyourface]

Thought that stretch in the second half was the best stretch we played all year. We had a nice stretch last night and against Bucknell but what made today better is that we actually played into an identity as a unit, and this needs to be what we play to all year:

Pressing, rim protecting and attacking the basket.

I think its safe to say that this big lineup of Obekpa, Sampson and Sanchez all being on the floor at the same time is not working out. Obekpa needs the heaviest minutes at the 5, Sampson needs heavy minutes at the 4 and Sanchez can be the guy to give both a breather when needed. We also need to have him at the high post offensively. He isn't in a good enough position to make plays when hes playing out by the arc. I think a large part of the reason he's struggling is because his role hasn't been defined. I also think he needs to be in better shape, which is another reason why we need to stagger his minutes. He might not keep up for all that long in a pressing style. I still believe that he's highly skilled though and we need to get him a nice amount of minutes.

Jakarr was much better in the second half but there are still some highly frustrating aspects to his game. He's very soft around the rim and constantly doesn't finish plays that he should. He needs to get tougher and stronger. He also seems to be allergic to using the backboard. He would be a much higher percentage finisher if he used the glass more. He does so well when there's space for him to operate through the lane but as soon as there's a crowd in there, he really struggles.

Branch definitely showed out much better today. I think he really excels from the pressing style and that got him going.

Rysheed will get there and I also think that this style will help to spark something. It's safe to say he was overhyped coming in, especially with where his mind may be at with the stuff going on back home with his mother.

D'Lo and Dom provided the energy when we had nothing going (including intensity) during the first 25 minutes of this game. D'Lo is really good at making that little drop off pass when he gets into the lane. While he isn't a PG, he has definitely shown better playmaking abilities.

We have to keep working on our ballscreen defense. When we're in man to man we are tested with ballscreens on most possessions.

I know Lav said after the game that the press was just going to be one aspect of what we do defensively, but it really needs to be our MAIN aspect off of made baskets. It's time to stop with the experimenting of the big lineups and such and go with what our identity should be, and what we saw in the second half tonight was it. Glad we were able to play well in that stretch and have a reason to feel good about ourselves going into this week.

The big lineup has not worked because Primo does not comprende his role. He is 6'9 and stronger than Sampson and should be used as the 4 but something seems to get lost in the translation. I do not mean to make you sound contradictory when describing Jakarr but you are being contradictory in wanting him to have heavy minutes at the 4 while also saying "He's very soft around the rim and constantly doesn't finish plays that he should. He needs to get tougher and stronger. He also seems to be allergic to using the backboard."
Those are not the qualities of a 4 in my book. He is a natural 3 and on the breaks he is agile and quick enough to play like a point forward.
This team has not come together for the most part because two new players, Sanchez and Jordan, have not been integrated into the team and if, and when they do, this will be a completely different team than we have been watching.
So see, I am optimistic to the extent we have the ingredients in the kitchen. All the cooks have to do is prepare the recipes so we look sweet instead stinking.

There is nothing about Jakarr's game that screams "natural 3" or "point forward".

 

[paultzman]

Thought that stretch in the second half was the best stretch we played all year. We had a nice stretch last night and against Bucknell but what made today better is that we actually played into an identity as a unit, and this needs to be what we play to all year:

Pressing, rim protecting and attacking the basket.

I think its safe to say that this big lineup of Obekpa, Sampson and Sanchez all being on the floor at the same time is not working out. Obekpa needs the heaviest minutes at the 5, Sampson needs heavy minutes at the 4 and Sanchez can be the guy to give both a breather when needed. We also need to have him at the high post offensively. He isn't in a good enough position to make plays when hes playing out by the arc. I think a large part of the reason he's struggling is because his role hasn't been defined. I also think he needs to be in better shape, which is another reason why we need to stagger his minutes. He might not keep up for all that long in a pressing style. I still believe that he's highly skilled though and we need to get him a nice amount of minutes.

Jakarr was much better in the second half but there are still some highly frustrating aspects to his game. He's very soft around the rim and constantly doesn't finish plays that he should. He needs to get tougher and stronger. He also seems to be allergic to using the backboard. He would be a much higher percentage finisher if he used the glass more. He does so well when there's space for him to operate through the lane but as soon as there's a crowd in there, he really struggles.

Branch definitely showed out much better today. I think he really excels from the pressing style and that got him going.

Rysheed will get there and I also think that this style will help to spark something. It's safe to say he was overhyped coming in, especially with where his mind may be at with the stuff going on back home with his mother.

D'Lo and Dom provided the energy when we had nothing going (including intensity) during the first 25 minutes of this game. D'Lo is really good at making that little drop off pass when he gets into the lane. While he isn't a PG, he has definitely shown better playmaking abilities.

We have to keep working on our ballscreen defense. When we're in man to man we are tested with ballscreens on most possessions.

I know Lav said after the game that the press was just going to be one aspect of what we do defensively, but it really needs to be our MAIN aspect off of made baskets. It's time to stop with the experimenting of the big lineups and such and go with what our identity should be, and what we saw in the second half tonight was it. Glad we were able to play well in that stretch and have a reason to feel good about ourselves going into this week.

The big lineup has not worked because Primo does not comprende his role. He is 6'9 and stronger than Sampson and should be used as the 4 but something seems to get lost in the translation. I do not mean to make you sound contradictory when describing Jakarr but you are being contradictory in wanting him to have heavy minutes at the 4 while also saying "He's very soft around the rim and constantly doesn't finish plays that he should. He needs to get tougher and stronger. He also seems to be allergic to using the backboard."
Those are not the qualities of a 4 in my book. He is a natural 3 and on the breaks he is agile and quick enough to play like a point forward.
This team has not come together for the most part because two new players, Sanchez and Jordan, have not been integrated into the team and if, and when they do, this will be a completely different team than we have been watching.
So see, I am optimistic to the extent we have the ingredients in the kitchen. All the cooks have to do is prepare the recipes so we look sweet instead stinking.

There is nothing about Jakarr's game that screams "natural 3" or "point forward".

Jakarr fan, but don't point forwards pass? Not his inclination or forte.

 

[Class of 72]

Thought that stretch in the second half was the best stretch we played all year. We had a nice stretch last night and against Bucknell but what made today better is that we actually played into an identity as a unit, and this needs to be what we play to all year:

Pressing, rim protecting and attacking the basket.

I think its safe to say that this big lineup of Obekpa, Sampson and Sanchez all being on the floor at the same time is not working out. Obekpa needs the heaviest minutes at the 5, Sampson needs heavy minutes at the 4 and Sanchez can be the guy to give both a breather when needed. We also need to have him at the high post offensively. He isn't in a good enough position to make plays when hes playing out by the arc. I think a large part of the reason he's struggling is because his role hasn't been defined. I also think he needs to be in better shape, which is another reason why we need to stagger his minutes. He might not keep up for all that long in a pressing style. I still believe that he's highly skilled though and we need to get him a nice amount of minutes.

Jakarr was much better in the second half but there are still some highly frustrating aspects to his game. He's very soft around the rim and constantly doesn't finish plays that he should. He needs to get tougher and stronger. He also seems to be allergic to using the backboard. He would be a much higher percentage finisher if he used the glass more. He does so well when there's space for him to operate through the lane but as soon as there's a crowd in there, he really struggles.

Branch definitely showed out much better today. I think he really excels from the pressing style and that got him going.

Rysheed will get there and I also think that this style will help to spark something. It's safe to say he was overhyped coming in, especially with where his mind may be at with the stuff going on back home with his mother.

D'Lo and Dom provided the energy when we had nothing going (including intensity) during the first 25 minutes of this game. D'Lo is really good at making that little drop off pass when he gets into the lane. While he isn't a PG, he has definitely shown better playmaking abilities.

We have to keep working on our ballscreen defense. When we're in man to man we are tested with ballscreens on most possessions.

I know Lav said after the game that the press was just going to be one aspect of what we do defensively, but it really needs to be our MAIN aspect off of made baskets. It's time to stop with the experimenting of the big lineups and such and go with what our identity should be, and what we saw in the second half tonight was it. Glad we were able to play well in that stretch and have a reason to feel good about ourselves going into this week.

The big lineup has not worked because Primo does not comprende his role. He is 6'9 and stronger than Sampson and should be used as the 4 but something seems to get lost in the translation. I do not mean to make you sound contradictory when describing Jakarr but you are being contradictory in wanting him to have heavy minutes at the 4 while also saying "He's very soft around the rim and constantly doesn't finish plays that he should. He needs to get tougher and stronger. He also seems to be allergic to using the backboard."
Those are not the qualities of a 4 in my book. He is a natural 3 and on the breaks he is agile and quick enough to play like a point forward.
This team has not come together for the most part because two new players, Sanchez and Jordan, have not been integrated into the team and if, and when they do, this will be a completely different team than we have been watching.
So see, I am optimistic to the extent we have the ingredients in the kitchen. All the cooks have to do is prepare the recipes so we look sweet instead stinking.

There is nothing about Jakarr's game that screams "natural 3" or "point forward".

Jakarr fan, but don't point forwards pass? Not his inclination or forte.

I agree about the "inclination" observation. I said "on the breaks he is agile and quick enough to play like a point forward" and he is if he was coached up to do so .........so it would become a "forte" to prepare him for the "pros".
Aside from his height, does anything about his current game scream a 4 to you guys? If so, please provide examples.
Do you think he has been shooting 3s and mostly mid-range shots to impress scouts about an opening at the 4 in Chicago? If he ever works on his free throw shooting he can be a major threat because a prototypical SF Is defined in the literature as a player who, "shares One common thread ........an ability to "get to the line" and draw fouls by aggressively attempting post-up plays, lay-ups, or slam dunks."
Our team plays absent a power forward role as is evidenced by Mr. Sanchez and Mr. Sampson rarely venturing offensively close to the basket except in fast break opportunities.
Just being 6'9 does not a power forward make.
Jayson Williams may have been our last true PF at St. John's.

 

[paultzman]

Thought that stretch in the second half was the best stretch we played all year. We had a nice stretch last night and against Bucknell but what made today better is that we actually played into an identity as a unit, and this needs to be what we play to all year:

Pressing, rim protecting and attacking the basket.

I think its safe to say that this big lineup of Obekpa, Sampson and Sanchez all being on the floor at the same time is not working out. Obekpa needs the heaviest minutes at the 5, Sampson needs heavy minutes at the 4 and Sanchez can be the guy to give both a breather when needed. We also need to have him at the high post offensively. He isn't in a good enough position to make plays when hes playing out by the arc. I think a large part of the reason he's struggling is because his role hasn't been defined. I also think he needs to be in better shape, which is another reason why we need to stagger his minutes. He might not keep up for all that long in a pressing style. I still believe that he's highly skilled though and we need to get him a nice amount of minutes.

Jakarr was much better in the second half but there are still some highly frustrating aspects to his game. He's very soft around the rim and constantly doesn't finish plays that he should. He needs to get tougher and stronger. He also seems to be allergic to using the backboard. He would be a much higher percentage finisher if he used the glass more. He does so well when there's space for him to operate through the lane but as soon as there's a crowd in there, he really struggles.

Branch definitely showed out much better today. I think he really excels from the pressing style and that got him going.

Rysheed will get there and I also think that this style will help to spark something. It's safe to say he was overhyped coming in, especially with where his mind may be at with the stuff going on back home with his mother.

D'Lo and Dom provided the energy when we had nothing going (including intensity) during the first 25 minutes of this game. D'Lo is really good at making that little drop off pass when he gets into the lane. While he isn't a PG, he has definitely shown better playmaking abilities.

We have to keep working on our ballscreen defense. When we're in man to man we are tested with ballscreens on most possessions.

I know Lav said after the game that the press was just going to be one aspect of what we do defensively, but it really needs to be our MAIN aspect off of made baskets. It's time to stop with the experimenting of the big lineups and such and go with what our identity should be, and what we saw in the second half tonight was it. Glad we were able to play well in that stretch and have a reason to feel good about ourselves going into this week.

The big lineup has not worked because Primo does not comprende his role. He is 6'9 and stronger than Sampson and should be used as the 4 but something seems to get lost in the translation. I do not mean to make you sound contradictory when describing Jakarr but you are being contradictory in wanting him to have heavy minutes at the 4 while also saying "He's very soft around the rim and constantly doesn't finish plays that he should. He needs to get tougher and stronger. He also seems to be allergic to using the backboard."
Those are not the qualities of a 4 in my book. He is a natural 3 and on the breaks he is agile and quick enough to play like a point forward.
This team has not come together for the most part because two new players, Sanchez and Jordan, have not been integrated into the team and if, and when they do, this will be a completely different team than we have been watching.
So see, I am optimistic to the extent we have the ingredients in the kitchen. All the cooks have to do is prepare the recipes so we look sweet instead stinking.

There is nothing about Jakarr's game that screams "natural 3" or "point forward".

Jakarr fan, but don't point forwards pass? Not his inclination or forte.

I agree about the "inclination" observation. I said "on the breaks he is agile and quick enough to play like a point forward" and he is if he was coached up to do so .........so it would become a "forte" to prepare him for the "pros".
Aside from his height, does anything about his current game scream a 4 to you guys? If so, please provide examples.
Do you think he has been shooting 3s and mostly mid-range shots to impress scouts about an opening at the 4 in Chicago? If he ever works on his free throw shooting he can be a major threat because a prototypical SF Is defined in the literature as a player who, "shares One common thread ........an ability to "get to the line" and draw fouls by aggressively attempting post-up plays, lay-ups, or slam dunks."
Our team plays absent a power forward role as is evidenced by Mr. Sanchez and Mr. Sampson rarely venturing offensively close to the basket except in fast break opportunities.
Just being 6'9 does not a power forward make.
Jayson Williams may have been our last true PF at St. John's.

Agree he is not built for PF play.