Carino Interview of Pike

[new jersey1]

Rutgers basketball: Steve Pikiell on roster-building, a GM, and scheduling

Steve Pikiell discussed Rutgers basketball's changed approach to the 2025 offseason and has a message for fans

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Some good insights into his thinking.

 

[Degaz-RU]

Pike seems way more comfortable talking (in print, LOL) about going back to his defensive roots and getting portal transfers who can defend and be two-way players. His foray into being an "offensive" team was clearly a square peg into a round hole.

 

[darkcheck]

Still don’t think frosh are a long term investment

 

[koleszar]

It's fine to be a defense first team, but you have to run some type of offense to create easy points. Doing an iso offense with guys who can't create or aren't great outside shooters is going to be his downfall. Virginia used to have a stifling defense and Bennett's motion offense got them their points. There's no comparison of his offense to Pike's, where 4 guys watch one dribble. Now I'm not saying we'll ever be as good as Virginia but the offense he employed made for easy baskets. We don't' get those, because nobody on staff can teach it.

 

[AdventureHasAName]

“We’re going to try to get guys that really fit what we want to do,” Pikiell said. “I want to get back to defending like crazy. I want to play full court. The athleticism that we’re going to bring back and hopefully find in the portal will get us to play at a different pace in his league. We ran a lot this year, but we didn’t defend full-court as much as I’d like.”

The one time we did a full court press, we looked like world beaters (and Ace went from lost to best defensive player on the team). So who's fault is it that we only did it once?

 

[bac2therac]

Pike seems way more comfortable talking (in print, LOL) about going back to his defensive roots and getting portal transfers who can defend and be two-way players. His foray into being an "offensive" team was clearly a square peg into a round hole.

Pike did an interview with Breitman before the season in June 2024 where he raved about how he couldn't wait to see this team play D with Ace at the top of the press

 

[koleszar]

Pike did an interview with Breitman before the season where he raved about this past teams defense

I can't wait for the Pike hype train next year and see who buy's tickets to get on it for the third straight year.

 

[RRRRUUUU]

Definitely encouraging for me to hear they have an actual analytics dept looking at players and value to moneyball this thing.

I was worried it would guys that are from NJ or have a connection to the staff. A much wider net has to be cast and using an analytical framework is key.

 

[Mholinko]

Pike did an interview with Breitman before the season in June 2024 where he raved about how he couldn't wait to see this team play D with Ace at the top of the press

i cannot believe with how bad the defense looked in the half court why we didnt try this more

if it failed and we gave up 90 points instead of 80 you couldve at least humored me that we were trying something different than watching lathan try to move his feet in the paint and guys getting beat off the dribble like they were standing still or being out of place in a zone

 

[RUDivision]

We don’t have a PG and Pike didn’t seem to think we need one., I hope Lino is a stud or it will go sideways quickly.

 

[higgins3]

Seems like he understands he's got to change and is confident in it. He wants to embrace a GM.

I give him credit for taking on a challenge he's not comfortable with. Good luck, coach! I'd feel bad if he wasn't making millions doing this, lol.

 

[Salvi's Headband]

“We’re going to try to get guys that really fit what we want to do,” Pikiell said. “I want to get back to defending like crazy. I want to play full court. The athleticism that we’re going to bring back and hopefully find in the portal will get us to play at a different pace in his league. We ran a lot this year, but we didn’t defend full-court as much as I’d like.”

The one time we did a full court press, we looked like world beaters (and Ace went from lost to best defensive player on the team). So who's fault is it that we only did it once?

In my admittedly amateur opinion, our youngsters didn't have the conditioning for it.

 

[Bayonnebomber79]

I can't wait for the Pike hype train next year and see who buy's tickets to get on it for the third straight year.

Sounds like the 2025-26 hype train has already left the station.
ALL ABOARD!

 

[RUFan20231]

So back to trying to win games 52-50?

Can he not watch any game tonight and just try to replicate any of the teams’ offenses?

 

[Degaz-RU]

So back to trying to win games 52-50?

Yeah, I think we’re getting off the Autobonn and getting back on the Garden State Parkway and establishing a 65 MPH speed limit.

 

[darkcheck]

Yeah, I think we’re getting off the Autobonn and getting back on the Garden State Parkway and establishing a 65 MPH speed limit.

Maybe 35 mph

 

[BIGRUBIGDBIGredmachine]

In my admittedly amateur opinion, our youngsters didn't have the conditioning for it.

Who knew possibly R most talented BBall recruits ever would both have asthma? #RutgersGonnaRutgers

 

[RUFan20231]

Yeah, I think we’re getting off the Autobonn and getting back on the Garden State Parkway and establishing a 65 MPH speed limit.

65? The offense next year will be the equivalent of people driving 20 in 25 mph zones.

 

[NickRU714]

Rutgers offense: RT 18 at rush hour

 

[RUJMM78]

Still don’t think frosh are a long term investment

Especially when most Rutgers recruits are project type players who don't get better.

 

[RU MAN]

After reading that interview, I'm glad he recognizes he needs a GM with a background in finance, contracts, understanding the NCAA, and basketball. What I don't like is this defense-first BS, although I understand that's how he's been successful in the past.

What I don't get is why he can't admit (never to us) to himself that Brandin Knight's offensive sets are awful. Why can't they adapt something similar to what Fran ran at Iowa or what Hurley runs at UCONN and still have a stifling defense? Instead of winning games 63-60, how about we win 77-63? In this day and age there is no reason not to find scorers and then emphasize defense. And there is no excuse not to change on the offensive side of the ball. None.

Going back to the same old way of thinking is why I believe Pike will fail here, and we will be looking for a new coach after next season.

 

[RUJMM78]

Rutgers offense: RT 18 at rush hour

Lots of bumps/barriers on the road along with traffic lights.

 

[RUDivision]

So back to trying to win games 52-50?

Can he not watch any game tonight and just try to replicate any of the teams’ offenses?

I think we will have to win 28-26 next year

 

[BigEastPhil]

Any talk of implementing a 4 corner offense?

 

[Bobbydigital_83]

Pike did an interview with Breitman before the season in June 2024 where he raved about how he couldn't wait to see this team play D with Ace at the top of the press

A little mind boggling. You think it was a conditioning thing with the freshies that we didn’t press more?

 

[ancienthooper]

A little mind boggling. You think it was a conditioning thing with the freshies that we didn’t press more?

They couldn’t guard at 24’ much less 94’.

 

[AdventureHasAName]

In my admittedly amateur opinion, our youngsters didn't have the conditioning for it.

They could have been asleep on a cot on the baseline and they still wouldn't have been worse than our standard half court defense.

 

[AdventureHasAName]

Definitely encouraging for me to hear they have an actual analytics dept looking at players and value to moneyball this thing.

If they wanted to do true moneyball, the value is in getting 10 guys from Rucker Park that can run up and down the court for 40 minutes and play a full court press. Just 10 guys who can run, rebound and dunk. You can find them all over NYC and they would play for nothing.

On a collegiate level, it would look a lot like what the University of Houston has been for the last two or three years.

 

[NickRU714]

If they wanted to do true moneyball, the value is in getting 10 guys from Rucker Park that can run up and down the court for 40 minutes and play a full court press. Just 10 guys who can run, rebound and dunk. You can find them all over NYC and they would play for nothing.

On a collegiate level, it would look a lot like what the University of Houston has been for the last two or three years.

I doubt Pike wants to rebound and run.
That just gives the other team the ball back sooner.
I would imagine we'll see a lot of walking the ball upcourt next year.

 

[PSAL_Hoops]

Pike did an interview with Breitman before the season in June 2024 where he raved about how he couldn't wait to see this team play D with Ace at the top of the press

Don’t know for sure, but my guess would be Dylan was a big reason we didn’t press much. He looked beyond exhausted when we were running it those last few games.

 

[DaveSNJ]

Look Pike built a program that was 6 feet under to average levraging player development and plugging a hole here and there. The question I have in the nil era can he plug and play 3 to 5 or more players a year.

Can he take a new roster year in and out and get them to play at ncaa tourney level and do it such that expectations are sweet 16 year in and out. I'm not sold, the staff needs to prove they can get back to the tourney and I don't think they can do that. I hope I'm wrong.

 

[seansherm]

If they wanted to do true moneyball, the value is in getting 10 guys from Rucker Park that can run up and down the court for 40 minutes and play a full court press. Just 10 guys who can run, rebound and dunk. You can find them all over NYC and they would play for nothing.

On a collegiate level, it would look a lot like what the University of Houston has been for the last two or three years.

Houston has always been Pike's role model

 

[DHajekRC84]

i cannot believe with how bad the defense looked in the half court why we didnt try this more

if it failed and we gave up 90 points instead of 80 you couldve at least humored me that we were trying something different than watching lathan try to move his feet in the paint and guys getting beat off the dribble like they were standing still or being out of place in a zone

Because he's a limited thinker who basically knows just a few things he sticks to. Very uncreative as evidenced by his inbound plays and last second shot thinking.

Same deal for the offense. That's my opinion.

 

[AdventureHasAName]

I doubt Pike wants to rebound and run.
That just gives the other team the ball back sooner.
I would imagine we'll see a lot of walking the ball upcourt next year.

I personally suspect the reason we run no offense is intentionally because Pike just wants to rest for 20 seconds in between having to play defense again - just stand around for 20 seconds then shoot a contested three. However, if he had a 10 or 12 man rotation of guys that were of similar ability (or lack of ability), there's no reason not to run up and down the court. You could just constant sub in full squads when they got tired.

The problem has been we've never had the depth to do that. That's why (in my opinion), if he wants to run no offense, he needs to fill the bench with guys who can just run up and down the court all day. As I explained earlier, these guys are a dime a dozen in parks all over NYC. Guys with endless motors who know how to play full court defense. Pike should go find them; they would play for peanuts.

 

[winfield102]

Time for Pike to drop down a level. Can't ignore offense and expect to have success. With NIL, it looks like teams will be turning over rosters every year.

I know we had great defensive efficiency in the previous year. Was that due to us pummelling the crappy teams? What was our conference ranking against conference opponents?

 

[dpwhite]

I personally suspect the reason we run no offense is intentionally because Pike just wants to rest for 20 seconds in between having to play defense again - just stand around for 20 seconds then shoot a contested three. However, if he had a 10 or 12 man rotation of guys that were of similar ability (or lack of ability), there's no reason not to run up and down the court. You could just constant sub in full squads when they got tired.

The problem has been we've never had the depth to do that. That's why (in my opinion), if he wants to run no offense, he needs to fill the bench with guys who can just run up and down the court all day. As I explained earlier, these guys are a dime a dozen in parks all over NYC. Guys with endless motors who know how to play full court defense. Pike should go find them; they would play for peanuts.

This is not and never has been what RU does. They run sets... they are very simple sets and a lot of times they get blown up and we don't reset, but we don't just take a contested 3 at the end of the shot clock. I know it's easy to say that. Everyone has been saying that about every single coach that has been here since Gary Waters.

 

[soundcrib]

Teams are now putting up 80, 90, 100 points and Steve wants to play Schiano ball and win 42-40. 😂

 

[RAC93]

65? The offense next year will be the equivalent of people driving 20 in 25 mph zones.

Pike’s offense is known as the Speed Bump Offense

 

[LotusAggressor]

Great. Let's see it on the court when the games count.

 

[needmorecowbell]

I doubt Pike wants to rebound and run.
That just gives the other team the ball back sooner.
I would imagine we'll see a lot of walking the ball upcourt next year.

He 100% wants to rebound and run. He has said it for years. Let’s see what roster he builds but I fully expect a team that pressures the ball and pushes the tempo. But we’ll see.