My Fiver on WVU's loss to Iowa State in Ames last night...
1. We're so incredibly bad defensively. We gave up 53 second half points last night, and when the game was on the line, gave up open look after open look. It's the scheme. We have bigs chasing bigs out on the perimeter, the lane is always wide open, and once the ball is reversed one time, we always have one many out of position, with help chasing to get into position - leaving someone open. The 2008-2010 era teams were good defensively because (a) the mixed the 1-3-1 into our scheme successfully as a holdover from Beilein; and (b) by 2010 we had a team of long, athletic players who could play this ball-denial man effectively, back when other opposing teams usually had one or two true "bigs". Nowadays, with 4-out and sometimes 5-out offenses, this defense is a fvcking sieve. Huggins masterfully went to Press Virginia after our first epic collapse with this defense. The press covered up so many of our warts. We would just make the game a freaking mess, and we'd benefit. Then, inexplicably, Huggins abandoned it - either out of necessity because they didn't recruit to it, or because he was tired of putting forth the effort and hearing complaints about it. But, the bottom line is this -- with this defense Huggins wants to play -- we are going to struggle in today's game. And, it's not just this year. It's been this way for a while.
2. We just can't inbound the ball. It's been an issue all season. One thing was clear, up one, 28 seconds left, when ISU went into that trapping press: We were not getting that ball inbounds without a quick turnover. We threw it into Sean McNeil in the coffin corner, maybe thinking they were going to foul? Instead, we were lucky to get a TO there. Then, we turn the ball over two feet from our basket to give ISU the kill shot. I don't think anyone watching this team could've been very surprised by that.
3. Isaiah Brockington obviously had a hell of a night, and schooled Taz for the most part. This is the type of play that we are missing with Deuce gone. But, what killed us were two shots - up 77-73 with 2:30 left, we gave up two clean looks from "3" to Kalscheur, and he delivered. I really thought once we got up 4, we'd switch up to a 1-3-1 like we did vs. UConn down the stretch in that close win. Something other than deny-man, which just wasn't working. Hindsight 20/20 and all that, but hated giving up those two clean looks there.
4. With the game on the line, we went to the clear out with Malik Curry. I know Curry was having a night, ending up with 19 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists, but I felt like he was on borrowed time. He had some luck with iso looks down the stretch, and got to the line, but you have to know that the refs are going to swallow their whistle on that final play - and they did (which was the complete opposite of how they had called the game all night). My sincere hope was that Huggs had something up the sleeve to get an open look for Taz there, despite Taz's relatively poor shooting night. If the game is on the line, I would much rather have the ball in his hands. Curry ended up with a look, and we played volleyball at the rim for a minute, as we do. And that was that.
5. If we can keep the nucleus of Kobe Johnson-Seth Wilson-James Okonkwo, then add Josiah Harris, Josiah Davis, Patrick Suemnick, and Fede Federiko, we will have the ability to bring back Press Virginia next year. The key will be to hit the free agent market to find a couple experienced guards who are rangy ball hawks, a la Tarik Phillip. Then, find two experienced forwards who are quick twitch guys who can run, jump, and create chaos, a la Jon Holton. Then, try to bring in a guy who can rim protect. Press Virginia 2.0 can be a thing next year, if they want it to be.
1. We're so incredibly bad defensively. We gave up 53 second half points last night, and when the game was on the line, gave up open look after open look. It's the scheme. We have bigs chasing bigs out on the perimeter, the lane is always wide open, and once the ball is reversed one time, we always have one many out of position, with help chasing to get into position - leaving someone open. The 2008-2010 era teams were good defensively because (a) the mixed the 1-3-1 into our scheme successfully as a holdover from Beilein; and (b) by 2010 we had a team of long, athletic players who could play this ball-denial man effectively, back when other opposing teams usually had one or two true "bigs". Nowadays, with 4-out and sometimes 5-out offenses, this defense is a fvcking sieve. Huggins masterfully went to Press Virginia after our first epic collapse with this defense. The press covered up so many of our warts. We would just make the game a freaking mess, and we'd benefit. Then, inexplicably, Huggins abandoned it - either out of necessity because they didn't recruit to it, or because he was tired of putting forth the effort and hearing complaints about it. But, the bottom line is this -- with this defense Huggins wants to play -- we are going to struggle in today's game. And, it's not just this year. It's been this way for a while.
2. We just can't inbound the ball. It's been an issue all season. One thing was clear, up one, 28 seconds left, when ISU went into that trapping press: We were not getting that ball inbounds without a quick turnover. We threw it into Sean McNeil in the coffin corner, maybe thinking they were going to foul? Instead, we were lucky to get a TO there. Then, we turn the ball over two feet from our basket to give ISU the kill shot. I don't think anyone watching this team could've been very surprised by that.
3. Isaiah Brockington obviously had a hell of a night, and schooled Taz for the most part. This is the type of play that we are missing with Deuce gone. But, what killed us were two shots - up 77-73 with 2:30 left, we gave up two clean looks from "3" to Kalscheur, and he delivered. I really thought once we got up 4, we'd switch up to a 1-3-1 like we did vs. UConn down the stretch in that close win. Something other than deny-man, which just wasn't working. Hindsight 20/20 and all that, but hated giving up those two clean looks there.
4. With the game on the line, we went to the clear out with Malik Curry. I know Curry was having a night, ending up with 19 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists, but I felt like he was on borrowed time. He had some luck with iso looks down the stretch, and got to the line, but you have to know that the refs are going to swallow their whistle on that final play - and they did (which was the complete opposite of how they had called the game all night). My sincere hope was that Huggs had something up the sleeve to get an open look for Taz there, despite Taz's relatively poor shooting night. If the game is on the line, I would much rather have the ball in his hands. Curry ended up with a look, and we played volleyball at the rim for a minute, as we do. And that was that.
5. If we can keep the nucleus of Kobe Johnson-Seth Wilson-James Okonkwo, then add Josiah Harris, Josiah Davis, Patrick Suemnick, and Fede Federiko, we will have the ability to bring back Press Virginia next year. The key will be to hit the free agent market to find a couple experienced guards who are rangy ball hawks, a la Tarik Phillip. Then, find two experienced forwards who are quick twitch guys who can run, jump, and create chaos, a la Jon Holton. Then, try to bring in a guy who can rim protect. Press Virginia 2.0 can be a thing next year, if they want it to be.
