Guards

W

we are sju

Active member
We lost games early to decent teams and people were bitching that the guards were shooting too much. People wanted them particularly Lovett to get others involved. Now who exactly these others are I don't know and really don't want them involved. We were actually fun to watch in the beginning of the season. Going forward I would live and die with Ponds and Lovett. Let them take 75% of the shots for the rest of the season. At least it will be entertaining and honestly no one else on the team is any good.
 
We lost games early to decent teams and people were bitching that the guards were shooting too much. People wanted them particularly Lovett to get others involved. Now who exactly these others are I don't know and really don't want them involved. We were actually fun to watch in the beginning of the season. Going forward I would live and die with Ponds and Lovett. Let them take 75% of the shots for the rest of the season. At least it will be entertaining and honestly no one else on the team is any good.
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You missed the point then and you still are. No one said they wanted them to shoot less. What has been said is that the shot selection was poor and that there was no ball movement. Ball movement improves the available shots. Ponds and Lovett are the guys that should be starting that. The problem is what people are calling "hero ball." Both of these guys devolved into the playground hero ball stuff yesterday as did Bashir. If you look at the Tulane and Fordham games you will see Ponds scoring prodigiously but also the ball movement is excellent especially in the Fordham game. When we play like that it is a team sport and this builds chemistry and a team becomes more than just the sum of its parts. When you play hero ball it is just a bunch of parts.

You'll also see higher assist numbers, increased shooting percentages with good ball movement as well as increased turnovers and charging calls with hero ball.
 
Paul not sure how to say this but what I've notice they don't recognize significant moments. Against Penn State up 7 and heaved up a 3 where as an opportunity existed go up 10 by moving the ball for a opened 3
 
We lost games early to decent teams and people were bitching that the guards were shooting too much. People wanted them particularly Lovett to get others involved. Now who exactly these others are I don't know and really don't want them involved. We were actually fun to watch in the beginning of the season. Going forward I would live and die with Ponds and Lovett. Let them take 75% of the shots for the rest of the season. At least it will be entertaining and honestly no one else on the team is any good.
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You missed the point then and you still are. No one said they wanted them to shoot less. What has been said is that the shot selection was poor and that there was no ball movement. Ball movement improves the available shots. Ponds and Lovett are the guys that should be starting that. The problem is what people are calling "hero ball." Both of these guys devolved into the playground hero ball stuff yesterday as did Bashir. If you look at the Tulane and Fordham games you will see Ponds scoring prodigiously but also the ball movement is excellent especially in the Fordham game. When we play like that it is a team sport and this builds chemistry and a team becomes more than just the sum of its parts. When you play hero ball it is just a bunch of parts.

You'll also see higher assist numbers, increased shooting percentages with good ball movement as well as increased turnovers and charging calls with hero ball.
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I am not missing the point. Their "supporting cast" is much worse than anything Marcus Hatten had to deal with. I want one of those guys taking the first good shot that presents itself. I would not count yesterday as proof of anything. The team got frustrated and quit.
Ball movement is great if you have shot makers or at least guys down low that will catch the ball. Let Ponds and Lovett do their thing then when you over play them you might get open looks for Owens and Yakwe. Not real confident anything comes from those open looks....
 
Yesterday was the first game I attended this season and I was struck by how small the guards are. Far more so than what comes across on TV. Ponds is TINY. I don't know if the size disadvantage yesterday was far worse than in other games but it must have played a role in their sub-par play.
 
Paul not sure how to say this but what I've notice they don't recognize significant moments. Against Penn State up 7 and heaved up a 3 where as an opportunity existed go up 10 by moving the ball for a opened 3
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I agree and I think it is a maturity thing and I don't mean that as a knock just a fact. Ponds is super smart and both guys are really skilled. They both lack some experience and maturity. Why Mullin didn't call a timeout or two at significant moments yesterday is also a valid question. I'm not even sure that is a maturity thing (coaching maturity) since it was pretty obvious to everyone much less a guy who has been involved in thousands of basketball games. Maybe he is pushing for a floor leader who can gather the guys and push for discipline/execution. Somehow this complete collapse that we've seen in almost every game has to change. Trusting the process OK but the optics are really bad including those last two "in the huddles." He needs to deal with that it is a big part of the job.
 
Is Mullin using this season as a testing ground to let guys learn on the floor?
 
Is Mullin using this season as a testing ground to let guys learn on the floor?
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Just look at his face after losses, no "testing ground" reactions there.
 
Is Mullin using this season as a testing ground to let guys learn on the floor?
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Just look at his face after losses, no "testing ground" reactions there.
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Good point taken. After games, I'm usually so pissed I don't take note of CM.
 
Is Mullin using this season as a testing ground to let guys learn on the floor?
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Just look at his face after losses, no "testing ground" reactions there.
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Good point taken. After games, I'm usually so pissed I don't take note of CM.
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Apologies for being obtuse, but I don't get the point. I don't look at Mullin's face after games either. Care to elaborate, Pautz?
 
I wonder if our best players are starting to think "hey if we're not going to win anyway, then I'm going to start auditioning". I felt that with some of Lavin's kids, especially Sampson and Sanchez. Or maybe it's just frustration. On a number of occasions this year Yakwe was fed the ball in perfect scoring position, only to either hesitate, turn away from the basket and/or miss a bunny. Has to be so frustrating for our guards.
 
I wonder if our best players are starting to think "hey if we're not going to win anyway, then I'm going to start auditioning". I felt that with some of Lavin's kids, especially Sampson and Sanchez. Or maybe it's just frustration. On a number of occasions this year Yakwe was fed the ball in perfect scoring position, only to either hesitate, turn away from the basket and/or miss a bunny. Has to be so frustrating for our guards.
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We at St. John's do not have the luxury or the players to showcase.  Only John Calipari has that luxury with all 5 star  players auditioning for the NBA. Most of our players are 3 star high school projects who need intensive coaching. Even our 4 star players lack a fundamental defensive mindset.  Defense is molded into players and involves intensive drills focusing on footwork.  Our guards are so far behind the curve on footwork that watching someone like Federico Mussini is almost comical. Shamorie and Marcus are not being aggressive on defense either and Yakwe is routinely beaten by his man one on one.   Coach Hurley at St. Anthony's would have instilled those drills and you would have seen a tremendous improvement.  Pay him 2-3K per day a couple of days per week until March. Hire a limo to drive him.
Mullin and staff need all the tutoring they can get.   Mullin needs to put his ego aside.  If he wins less than 10 games my fear is he will just walk away.
 
I wonder if our best players are starting to think "hey if we're not going to win anyway, then I'm going to start auditioning". I felt that with some of Lavin's kids, especially Sampson and Sanchez. Or maybe it's just frustration. On a number of occasions this year Yakwe was fed the ball in perfect scoring position, only to either hesitate, turn away from the basket and/or miss a bunny. Has to be so frustrating for our guards.
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We at St. John's do not have the luxury or the players to showcase.  Only John Calipari has that luxury with all 5 star  players auditioning for the NBA. Most of our players are 3 star high school projects who need intensive coaching. Even our 4 star players lack a fundamental defensive mindset.  Defense is molded into players and involves intensive drills focusing on footwork.  Our guards are so far behind the curve on footwork that watching someone like Federico Mussini is almost comical. Shamorie and Marcus are not being aggressive on defense either and Yakwe is routinely beaten by his man one on one.   Coach Hurley at St. Anthony's would have instilled those drills and you would have seen a tremendous improvement.  Pay him 2-3K per day a couple of days per week until March. Hire a limo to drive him.
Mullin and staff need all the tutoring they can get.   Mullin needs to put his ego aside.  If he wins less than 10 games my fear is he will just walk away.
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I did not say "auditioning for the NBA".
 
I wonder if our best players are starting to think "hey if we're not going to win anyway, then I'm going to start auditioning". I felt that with some of Lavin's kids, especially Sampson and Sanchez. Or maybe it's just frustration. On a number of occasions this year Yakwe was fed the ball in perfect scoring position, only to either hesitate, turn away from the basket and/or miss a bunny. Has to be so frustrating for our guards.
Click to expand...

We at St. John's do not have the luxury or the players to showcase.  Only John Calipari has that luxury with all 5 star  players auditioning for the NBA. Most of our players are 3 star high school projects who need intensive coaching. Even our 4 star players lack a fundamental defensive mindset.  Defense is molded into players and involves intensive drills focusing on footwork.  Our guards are so far behind the curve on footwork that watching someone like Federico Mussini is almost comical. Shamorie and Marcus are not being aggressive on defense either and Yakwe is routinely beaten by his man one on one.   Coach Hurley at St. Anthony's would have instilled those drills and you would have seen a tremendous improvement.  Pay him 2-3K per day a couple of days per week until March. Hire a limo to drive him.
Mullin and staff need all the tutoring they can get.   Mullin needs to put his ego aside.  If he wins less than 10 games my fear is he will just walk away.
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I did not say "auditioning for the NBA".
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What else would a basketball player "audition"? A part in the musical Hamilton? :whistle:
 
I wonder if our best players are starting to think "hey if we're not going to win anyway, then I'm going to start auditioning". I felt that with some of Lavin's kids, especially Sampson and Sanchez. Or maybe it's just frustration. On a number of occasions this year Yakwe was fed the ball in perfect scoring position, only to either hesitate, turn away from the basket and/or miss a bunny. Has to be so frustrating for our guards.
Click to expand...

We at St. John's do not have the luxury or the players to showcase.  Only John Calipari has that luxury with all 5 star  players auditioning for the NBA. Most of our players are 3 star high school projects who need intensive coaching. Even our 4 star players lack a fundamental defensive mindset.  Defense is molded into players and involves intensive drills focusing on footwork.  Our guards are so far behind the curve on footwork that watching someone like Federico Mussini is almost comical. Shamorie and Marcus are not being aggressive on defense either and Yakwe is routinely beaten by his man one on one.   Coach Hurley at St. Anthony's would have instilled those drills and you would have seen a tremendous improvement.  Pay him 2-3K per day a couple of days per week until March. Hire a limo to drive him.
Mullin and staff need all the tutoring they can get.   Mullin needs to put his ego aside.  If he wins less than 10 games my fear is he will just walk away.
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I did not say "auditioning for the NBA".
Click to expand...

What else would a basketball player "audition"? A part in the musical Hamilton? :whistle:
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Europe? D leaque? Another school? Hope none of those, but certainly wouldn't rule anything out
 
Paul not sure how to say this but what I've notice they don't recognize significant moments. Against Penn State up 7 and heaved up a 3 where as an opportunity existed go up 10 by moving the ball for a opened 3
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I agree and I think it is a maturity thing and I don't mean that as a knock just a fact. Ponds is super smart and both guys are really skilled. They both lack some experience and maturity. Why Mullin didn't call a timeout or two at significant moments yesterday is also a valid question. I'm not even sure that is a maturity thing (coaching maturity) since it was pretty obvious to everyone much less a guy who has been involved in thousands of basketball games. Maybe he is pushing for a floor leader who can gather the guys and push for discipline/execution. Somehow this complete collapse that we've seen in almost every game has to change. Trusting the process OK but the optics are really bad including those last two "in the huddles." He needs to deal with that it is a big part of the job.
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Not that Lovett isn't one of our best 2 or 3 players (okay 2), but during the Fordham game with only one point guard on the floor, Ponds whipped the ball around and ball movement was the best I'd seen in 2 years at least.
 
I'm not an expert, and that's pretty poor as I sit next to monte and Paultzman at many games, but even I can see the poor defense is mostly on our guards. And I'm not seeing moose or Ellison as the main culprits.

Our big men can't be too pleased when they constantly get burned by penetrating guards dishing off to a man when they had to cover the guy our guards failed to guard.

Forget about Ponds and Lovett shooting 75% of the field goal attempts. How about getting in their faces over their failures to guard their man?
 
Yesterday was the first game I attended this season and I was struck by how small the guards are. Far more so than what comes across on TV. Ponds is TINY. I don't know if the size disadvantage yesterday was far worse than in other games but it must have played a role in their sub-par play.
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size was never a disadvantage to Calvin Murphy for those of you who recall the guard from Niagra These kids today think they should be in the NBA before they have played one college game. Murphy played 4 years if I recall correctly. They are all showcasing themselves for the pros with the advice of the handlers. It is a different world and I blame the NBA for starting to draft these young kids. The play in the NBA has also regressed as we have more and more players who should be playing in college.
 
I'm not an expert, and that's pretty poor as I sit next to monte and Paultzman at many games, but even I can see the poor defense is mostly on our guards. And I'm not seeing moose or Ellison as the main culprits.

Our big men can't be too pleased when they constantly get burned by penetrating guards dishing off to a man when they had to cover the guy our guards failed to guard.

Forget about Ponds and Lovett shooting 75% of the field goal attempts. How about getting in their faces over their failures to guard their man?
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None of us are experts, but all of us thankfully have pretty good eyesight. ;) Offense is fun, defense is work. Hard work. What our eyes tell us is that our guards are lazy defenders. I've seen plenty of drives to the hoops which result in 5 on 3 and 5 on 4 breaks for the opposition. We also gamble to much on D, and at this point with little results. Lovett and Ponds are quick, but most opposing guards are equally as quick, and are also bigger and stronger. You gamble, you often get burned. And unfortunately the guards do not have big men behind them to cover up their mistakes. I don't care what anyone says, our backcourt has not consistently exhibited the kind of defensive intensity that they need to. Blowouts are rarely a result of poor offense, they are almost always a result of bad/lazy D. Just as we saw against Penn State.
 
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