Penn State Game
- Thread starter Class of 72
- Start date
Nope! No way! No how! Nada!
I've been saying the same thing, as you.
Jordan should be the starting PG, with Branch coming in spelling him. Greene should play very, very, minimal minutes at the PG spot. As, you stated.... He should be at off-guard.
I do not like Greene at the PG spot. He does a very, average job at the point guard spot. If he was similar to Marcus Hatten, then I wouldn't have so, much of a problem with him. But that isn't the case, and he needs to be behind Harrison, as you mentioned.
In overtime, basketball smarts went out the window and we reverted to the 5 ring circus act. Chris threw a 40 foot outlet pass into double coverage; had it worked it would have brought the Big Top down but the circus must go on. Di takes the game into his own hands and repeatedly drives into the trees and comes up with nothing, Di gets two fouls in OT, the 5th of which at mid court on a freshman reach in! You don't do that when you are a leader. We start the OT by taking the air out of the ball after closing down a 15 point lead with aggressive in your face offence for 15 minutes, only to have to throw up a desperation shot with 3 seconds on the shot clock. Of course, it missed. The next 2-3 trips down the court, the first guy who got the ball within 20 feet chucked it up or drove into a tightly packed paint and chucked it from there. They were letting us have the three except for Hooper who had to carry around a PSU defender in his jock after his first 3. The absolute worst was sending their best free throw shooter to the line for about 7 or 8 shots in the last 2 minutes. He made them all , of course. Maxie's intentional was not intentional but it layed the kid out on the floor for a half minute, thus the call. All you have to do is touch the guy in the last minutes to get the same result from the refs. Jakkar's foul was unfortunate in that he was focused on the block rather than a prevent from 20 feet out and that great free throw shooter just faked him out of his drawers.
We really could have won this game but we certainly won the second half for the 6th game in a row.
Were going to win some games with this crew but it will be because they learn to play as a team rather than spectacular solo performers. How the heck do you have PSU taking 30 or so shots in the deep paint when you have 3 6'9" guys in there. You don't get a dozen blocks a game if your defense isn't letting guys pour through to the middle every trip down the court.
How come we are a jump shooting team when we have a front line bigger than all of our opponents. We should get a lot more points from our bigs. This was very disappointing but they are getting better
We really could have won this game but we certainly won the second half for the 6th game in a row.
Were going to win some games with this crew but it will be because they learn to play as a team rather than spectacular solo performers. How the heck do you have PSU taking 30 or so shots in the deep paint when you have 3 6'9" guys in there. You don't get a dozen blocks a game if your defense isn't letting guys pour through to the middle every trip down the court.
How come we are a jump shooting team when we have a front line bigger than all of our opponents. We should get a lot more points from our bigs. This was very disappointing but they are getting better
There was a sequence in the 2nd half where we got it down to 4. Suddenly they went on a run and a couple of minutes later, we were down 15. Granted we came back to take the lead but when the opponent makes a run, we seem to have a hard time stopping it. The thing that we need most is a leader on the floor. A guy who is going to take control of the ball, slow things down when they are reeling, and make the right plays. Ideally, that should be your starting point guard. In our case, neither Branch or Jordan are there. Phil is the closest at this point to being that guy.
This was a disappointing loss because Penn State was a team that we should have beaten. If you look at the stats, we outplayed them in som many categories. Our three point shooting was terrific. The only stat that really stands out in their favor, and the deciding factor in this game, was the free throw differential. We really needed to find a way to keep the ball out of Frazier's hands in the end of regulation and in OT. Instead, he handled the ball almost exclusively. We were forced to foul him and he made his free throws. That was the ball game.
This was a disappointing loss because Penn State was a team that we should have beaten. If you look at the stats, we outplayed them in som many categories. Our three point shooting was terrific. The only stat that really stands out in their favor, and the deciding factor in this game, was the free throw differential. We really needed to find a way to keep the ball out of Frazier's hands in the end of regulation and in OT. Instead, he handled the ball almost exclusively. We were forced to foul him and he made his free throws. That was the ball game.
This IS a tough loss; no way around it. We should be way past moral victories and giving away games with stupid plays and the inability to make winning plays/shots. Penn State is a very plain team, certainly nothing special. We out-rebounded them, doubled their assists and still managed to lose by not playing 40 minutes, turning it on when it got desperate and then dumb, dumb, dumb with no clutch at winning time. Had 4 -5 key plays and we didn't make any of them. Blame the coaches, blame the players, whatever; their is enough basketball stupidity and lack of 40 minute effort to go around. Lavin's allegiance to the Greene/Harrison backcourt is mind boggling to me. Jordan and Sanchez get 24 minutes between them!! Great that we went to the mat to get Sanchez eligible to ride the pine and meanwhile play Greene at point while we have two years of concrete evidence he can't play the position. He is not a bad player but it is obvious to the most casual fan he is not a point; he is a back-up 2. I just don't get it; I don't have to wait until the end of the year to say I don't get it at all!!
Class of 72
Active member
Nittany Picking?
No, but I had instructed the staff at no consulting cost, unlike Keady, to push the ball inside and let Rysheed run the show and penetrate. What does Lavin do? The complete opposite!
I said not to let Harrison take any shots in the first 10 minutes of each half and guess what, he throws up prayers!
Now, I cannot complain about the atmosphere at the game since my 10 inch IPad just did not do our tremendous home court advantage justice. My guess that in our original home borough of Brooklyn and sandwiched between our two campuses with 20,000 students and 50,000 alums, it surely looked like we had at least 237 fans at the Barclay Center.....note to self....give away tomorrow's tickets to relatives I dislike.
Let me start with some good news---we will not play Ole Miss tomorrow! My source tells me that was all part of the Wizard of Lavinwood's plan. Why? Because Ole Miss would have beat the crap out of us inside much much worse than Penn St. (yes, the Penn St picked 11th in the BIG) beat us from the outside tonight.
The other good news is that a team well coached by a friend, Villanova, is up 29-22 over the #2 team in America, Kansas and Norm Roberts. I hope they pull the upset in front of a reported 2,000 KU fans reportedly that made the trip. Did I mention 237 SJ fans made the trip to Brooklyn?
For the game itself, it basically played out as expected. Come out and play the opponents game. Bone head shot selection, worse substitution patterns and a couple of Lavin surprises.
Now I have read through the in-the-know optimists comments that the player of the game, Chris Obekpa, lost the game with a bad pass. Well folks, to me that was his only bad play while Harrison and Greene played El Matadors with the Nittany guards. In fact, the tandem of Phil and D'Lo were not even on the same skill level of the Nittany backcourt. How bad was the mismatch? Phil and D went to the line 6 times all game while the two Penn State NBA first rounders went to the line 25 times. In fact, that was the game, match, set point! PennState went to line 25 more times than the home team.
While the cognoscenti here blame Chris I need to remind them that we also missed SIXTEEN layups!! Sampson being the prime culprit.
As for the substitution pattern----why, when Rysheed played well with 3 assists in 6 minutes of the first half and Phil and D being scorched, did the Wizard bench him? Was it his apparent look of disgust on the bench? Did he fart at halftime? Only the wizard knows. But I smell a mid-semester transfer.
Props to Hooper, who after being used in the last seconds of meaningless games, where he got no burn or experience, played 26 minutes and was the second leading scorer. Desperation by the wizard---well, I think so!
But it is sad that after all the PR, the Time Square billboards, the Keady Hall of Fame, being picked as the deepest team in the Big East, only one other Vincentian school sucks more than us out of 10 teams, DePaul.
From the attendance and general lack of buzz, I hope the fans have not given up already. If there ever was a must win, it is tomorrow or I truly would advise our last real coach to stay home for his health.
No, but I had instructed the staff at no consulting cost, unlike Keady, to push the ball inside and let Rysheed run the show and penetrate. What does Lavin do? The complete opposite!
I said not to let Harrison take any shots in the first 10 minutes of each half and guess what, he throws up prayers!
Now, I cannot complain about the atmosphere at the game since my 10 inch IPad just did not do our tremendous home court advantage justice. My guess that in our original home borough of Brooklyn and sandwiched between our two campuses with 20,000 students and 50,000 alums, it surely looked like we had at least 237 fans at the Barclay Center.....note to self....give away tomorrow's tickets to relatives I dislike.
Let me start with some good news---we will not play Ole Miss tomorrow! My source tells me that was all part of the Wizard of Lavinwood's plan. Why? Because Ole Miss would have beat the crap out of us inside much much worse than Penn St. (yes, the Penn St picked 11th in the BIG) beat us from the outside tonight.
The other good news is that a team well coached by a friend, Villanova, is up 29-22 over the #2 team in America, Kansas and Norm Roberts. I hope they pull the upset in front of a reported 2,000 KU fans reportedly that made the trip. Did I mention 237 SJ fans made the trip to Brooklyn?
For the game itself, it basically played out as expected. Come out and play the opponents game. Bone head shot selection, worse substitution patterns and a couple of Lavin surprises.
Now I have read through the in-the-know optimists comments that the player of the game, Chris Obekpa, lost the game with a bad pass. Well folks, to me that was his only bad play while Harrison and Greene played El Matadors with the Nittany guards. In fact, the tandem of Phil and D'Lo were not even on the same skill level of the Nittany backcourt. How bad was the mismatch? Phil and D went to the line 6 times all game while the two Penn State NBA first rounders went to the line 25 times. In fact, that was the game, match, set point! PennState went to line 25 more times than the home team.
While the cognoscenti here blame Chris I need to remind them that we also missed SIXTEEN layups!! Sampson being the prime culprit.
As for the substitution pattern----why, when Rysheed played well with 3 assists in 6 minutes of the first half and Phil and D being scorched, did the Wizard bench him? Was it his apparent look of disgust on the bench? Did he fart at halftime? Only the wizard knows. But I smell a mid-semester transfer.
Props to Hooper, who after being used in the last seconds of meaningless games, where he got no burn or experience, played 26 minutes and was the second leading scorer. Desperation by the wizard---well, I think so!
But it is sad that after all the PR, the Time Square billboards, the Keady Hall of Fame, being picked as the deepest team in the Big East, only one other Vincentian school sucks more than us out of 10 teams, DePaul.
From the attendance and general lack of buzz, I hope the fans have not given up already. If there ever was a must win, it is tomorrow or I truly would advise our last real coach to stay home for his health.
ManhattAn1
Active member
Just got in from game- here are Bucknasty's thoughts:
- Again we did not start strong in the beginning and were down at one point 15. This is coaching, kids should be ready to play and not constantly be playing to the level of the competition.
- I've had enough of watching this match up zone defense. Opponents constantly getting wide open threes.
- Rysheed Jordan needs to play more than five minutes. If he does not me more PT he will transfer. This whole team will be back next year and if he feels he is getting screwed this year what makes that change next year.
- Hooper played great but he should not be playing the full 2nd half. Need to spot him once he missed a few you need to take him out and cool out. I would have liked to see Jordan and hooper in at the same time, when hooper was in they played man and rysheed could have benefited from that. When hooper was out they went zone.
- - we make free throws we win- plain simple.
- Finally decent crowd support for a non season ticket game, the fans in attendance were loud and it is a shame we could not get some momentum for the fan base and get a bigger showing tomorrow.
Peace.
Bucknast.
- Again we did not start strong in the beginning and were down at one point 15. This is coaching, kids should be ready to play and not constantly be playing to the level of the competition.
- I've had enough of watching this match up zone defense. Opponents constantly getting wide open threes.
- Rysheed Jordan needs to play more than five minutes. If he does not me more PT he will transfer. This whole team will be back next year and if he feels he is getting screwed this year what makes that change next year.
- Hooper played great but he should not be playing the full 2nd half. Need to spot him once he missed a few you need to take him out and cool out. I would have liked to see Jordan and hooper in at the same time, when hooper was in they played man and rysheed could have benefited from that. When hooper was out they went zone.
- - we make free throws we win- plain simple.
- Finally decent crowd support for a non season ticket game, the fans in attendance were loud and it is a shame we could not get some momentum for the fan base and get a bigger showing tomorrow.
Peace.
Bucknast.
Actually 3 threet times
Jakarr hit 1 of 2, and the 2 you mention. If Jakar or Harrison makes both we win.
I need to know this answer. Was Jordan injured, I hope so because if not and only got 6min of game time, then Lavin is a freaking idiot. Maybe the UCLA are 100% right about this guy.
They better beat GT tomorrow or I`m done. Just so frustrated with these guys and can`t take this crap any longer, yeah and it`s not even December right? But we supposed to let the season play on right? psssssssss
They aren`t any better then last year.
Bottom line free throws wins games. We gave this game away. We just can't have anymore bad losses to the resume. If we can beat Syracuse then this loss won't hurt at all
My thoughts:
1. PennState is not a good team. Penn State is projected to finish 10 of 12 Big Ten schools this season. It is questionable whether Penn State will even finish this season with a winning record.
2. A disappointing final season record of 17 - 13 for St.John's this season is a possibility.
3. I am tired of hearing fans on this site posting about how talented the St.John's players are. Many of the St.John's players are better athletes than they are basketball players. Talent, by itself, does not win games.
4. A basketball season is a 30+/- game marathon. St. John's still has an time to turn around the season an qualify for the NCAA but as time goes by it is questionable whether meaningful changes will occur.
1. PennState is not a good team. Penn State is projected to finish 10 of 12 Big Ten schools this season. It is questionable whether Penn State will even finish this season with a winning record.
2. A disappointing final season record of 17 - 13 for St.John's this season is a possibility.
3. I am tired of hearing fans on this site posting about how talented the St.John's players are. Many of the St.John's players are better athletes than they are basketball players. Talent, by itself, does not win games.
4. A basketball season is a 30+/- game marathon. St. John's still has an time to turn around the season an qualify for the NCAA but as time goes by it is questionable whether meaningful changes will occur.
I forgot about Sampson hitting 1 of 2 FTs.
Jordan should be logging most of the minutes, as the lead guard. I'm not particularly concerned about who starts with this group. It's about who should be logging x-amount of minutes and who's on the floor at crunch time. I feel Jordan will be more beneficial in the long run, if he's getting most of the minutes at the point guard spot.
As, far as the season playing out.... You have no choice but to let it play out. It's either you wait for the season to play itself out or you just move on whenever you feel our next loss turns your stomach.
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.
They may very, well not be a good team. But I don't particularly care about where a team is projected in the preseason. There is always a team who plays better than their projection, as there is a team who plays below their projection. Time will tell.
That would be very, disappointing. That particular record is a possibility. The same as a 21-9 record is possible. Time will tell.
Why do you continue to allow other fans to dictate your thinking about our players? This is a St. John's fan message board, so do you expect the board to not have some kinda good feeling about the players? Go to any, message board on the internet, and there are fans who feel their players are up to snuff prior to the start of a season.
What do you think about the players?
Totally agree!