Confidence and Looking for your Shot

[BillyC80]

There’s something I noticed in our first 4 games about the demeanor of the opposing players. In every game it seemed like the other team had 3 or 4 guys who would consistently look for their shot whenever they got the ball, and they would fire away as soon as they got a good look.

Our team this year doesn’t do that enough, imo. We look too passive on offense. That tells me we lack confidence. If you wanna talk about a quality that Eugene had that we need to see from our guys this year, that’s it — confidence.

Our players have to mentally insist on winning, and not just go through the motions and expect it to happen.

 

[KnightTerrors]

It’s easier to look confident when the shots are falling.

 

[BillyC80]

It’s easier to look confident when the shots are falling.

It’s not about looking confident, it’s about being confident enough to want to find your shot and take it.

 

[KnightTerrors]

It’s not about looking confident, it’s about being confident enough to want to find your shot and take it.

I definitely agree with the sentiment of what you’re saying but geo put up ten threes. I think he was decisive it just doesn’t look like that when nothing is falling. If he hit three more of those the narrative would be how he’s such a leader and confident etc etc.

 

[BillyC80]

I definitely agree with the sentiment of what you’re saying but geo put up ten threes. I think he was decisive it just doesn’t look like that when nothing is falling. If he hit three more of those the narrative would be how he’s such a leader and confident etc etc.

Good point about Geo. He did make 3 of his 10 threes which is not great but not terrible. But even he seemed timid yesterday.

For example he took only one 2-point shot, which he made, he grabbed zero rebounds, and never took it to the hole looking to get fouled, when SB was hacking us all night long. Geo took zero foul shots, and he’s a good foul shooter.

As a team we are not matching the aggressiveness and confidence of our opponents right now.

 

[KnightTerrors]

Good point about Geo. He did make 3 of his 10 threes which is not great but not terrible. But even he seemed timid yesterday.

For example he took only one 2-point shot, which he made, he grabbed zero rebounds, and never took it to the hole looking to get fouled, when SB was hacking us all night long. Geo took zero foul shots, and he’s a good foul shooter.

As a team we are not matching the aggressiveness and confidence of our opponents right now.

I think that point is fair. I just think when shots are falling the narrative changes. Like we said Geo missed 7 threes. Even Caleb’s last three off the side of the backboard. We've gotten the looks. At some point the kids have to knock down shots. And I’m not picking on Caleb Just the first shot that came to mind.

 

[goru7]

There’s something I noticed in our first 4 games about the demeanor of the opposing players. In every game it seemed like the other team had 3 or 4 guys who would consistently look for their shot whenever they got the ball, and they would fire away as soon as they got a good look.

Our team this year doesn’t do that enough, imo. We look too passive on offense. That tells me we lack confidence. If you wanna talk about a quality that Eugene had that we need to see from our guys this year, that’s it — confidence.

Our players have to mentally insist on winning, and not just go through the motions and expect it to happen.

I think you are partially right about confidence but I think it is the failure to have a star or someone who wants to be the alpha male. These 11 players who are the interchangeable thing that Pike and us thought would be a strength , and still might be, has backfired. Geo is a junior, no longer young for college basketball. He should get 15-25 a night but he has to want to. Stop with the deferring and take over. All we hears off season is Ron Harper will be a monster, an all league player . Where is that guy. ? He has to want to score 20 a night . The rotations and quick hooks has caused no one to get into rhythm. Coach has to tighten rotations and when he subs for a blow, it should be a minute or two and not 5-6 minutes that causes that player to lose his quick start. Our leaders, Geo, Ron, Akwasi , or at least one of them , have to stop being passive and try to start out with 10 points in the first 6-8 minutes . That should get the confidence up.

 

[willisneverrana43]

RU hasn't been good at shooting. This is amateur pscyho-analysis mumbo-jumbo that avoids the issue. Just get better shooters and suddenly you'll start seeing better confidence all over the place.

 

[BillyC80]

I think you are partially right about confidence but I think it is the failure to have a star or someone who wants to be the alpha male. These 11 players who are the interchangeable thing that Pike and us thought would be a strength , and still might be, has backfired. Geo is a junior, no longer young for college basketball. He should get 15-25 a night but he has to want to. Stop with the deferring and take over. All we hears off season is Ron Harper will be a monster, an all league player . Where is that guy. ? He has to want to score 20 a night . The rotations and quick hooks has caused no one to get into rhythm. Coach has to tighten rotations and when he subs for a blow, it should be a minute or two and not 5-6 minutes that causes that player to lose his quick start. Our leaders, Geo, Ron, Akwasi , or at least one of them , have to stop being passive and try to start out with 10 points in the first 6-8 minutes . That should get the confidence up.

Great post! Wish I could have liked it twice (consider this the second time, lol).

When you said alpha male the first guy I thought of was Myles Powell. The guy took 28 shots and missed 16 times for crissakes, but he never lacked confidence and was always willing to be the man, to take every one of his team’s shots if necessary, to carry them to victory.

Maybe what Pike needs to do is install an offense that caters to only our best shooters, say, Caleb, Ron, Geo and Kwasi. Tell every guy on the team that their sole purpose is to set those guys up. Then I bet we’d see an offense that operates with a purpose, and those guys shooting with confidence.

 

[HeavenUniv.]

All guards should be able to shoot pretty well. It is like having guys on defense in football. It is usually a good thing if they can tackle.

 

[BillyC80]

RU hasn't been good at shooting. This is amateur pscyho-analysis mumbo-jumbo that avoids the issue. Just get better shooters and suddenly you'll start seeing better confidence all over the place.

Gotta disagree with you there Willis. Ask any professional athlete what separates them from hundreds of guys they played with growing up, who had equal or better physical skills, and they’ll tell you the difference is between the ears. More confidence, drive to succeed, competitiveness, etc., is most certainly not psychoanalysis mumbo jumbo. It’s probably what makes those better shooters you alluded to the better shooters that they become.

Edit: I believe we already have some good shooters, they just need the focus of an offensive scheme that allows them to fire away with confidence.

 

[goru7]

Great post! Wish I could have liked it twice (consider this the second time, lol).

When you said alpha male the first guy I thought of was Myles Powell. The guy took 28 shots and missed 16 times for crissakes, but he never lacked confidence and was always willing to be the man, to take every one of his team’s shots if necessary, to carry them to victory.

Maybe what Pike needs to do is install an offense that caters to only our best shooters, say, Caleb, Ron, Geo and Kwasi. Tell every guy on the team that their sole purpose is to set those guys up. Then I bet we’d see an offense that operates with a purpose, and those guys shooting with confidence.

Billy, they are all so tentative so far, from Geo, Caleb, Ron, Montes, and Akwasi. The only guy that tried early was Young , who was so out of control early , even looking selfish. I wish Geo or Ron or Caleb were more selfish. That will help their confidence.

 

[willisneverrana43]

Gotta disagree with you there Willis. Ask any professional athlete what separates them from hundreds of guys they played with growing up, who had equal or better physical skills, and they’ll tell you the difference is between the ears. More confidence, drive to succeed, competitiveness, etc., is most certainly not psychoanalysis mumbo jumbo. It’s probably what makes those better shooters you alluded to the better shooters that they become.

Edut: I believe we already have some good shooters, they just need the focus of an offensive scheme that allows them to fire away with confidence.

And, with that, you have mused out of existence any argument that, you know, maybe RU doesn't have good shooters--despite the fact that they've been near or worse than 300th in shooting as a team over the last 3 years.

 

[BillyC80]

And, with that, you have mused out of existence any argument that, you know, maybe RU doesn't have good shooters--despite the fact that they've been near or worse than 300th in shooting as a team over the last 3 years.

That may be, but since we’re stuck with whatever shooting talent we do have (as I referenced in the edited portion of my last post) wouldn’t it be best to install an offensive scheme that allows them to fire away with confidence?

 

[willisneverrana43]

Unless that's not their strengths as players, you know.

For certain, though, he better get the D back to where it has been in the past or this will just got worse.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

Peter Kiss finally gets in to the game. He gets a wide open 3 and instead of taking it drives in to the basket and take a low percentage shot.

Caleb all season has turn down shot opportunities to pass to guys who can't shoot as good as he can (in theory).

At some point the staff has to take some blame here

 

[BillyC80]

Peter Kiss finally gets in to the game. He gets a wide open 3 and instead of taking it drives in to the basket and take a low percentage shot.

Caleb all season has turn down shot opportunities to pass to guys who can't shoot as good as he can (in theory).

At some point the staff has to take some blame here

Agreed. Two good examples of what prompted my OP. I do wonder what the coaches are telling our guys to make them hesitant to shoot wide open threes.

 

[JQRU91]

Agreed. Two good examples of what prompted my OP. I do wonder what the coaches are telling our guys to make them hesitant to shoot wide open threes.

Maybe they're just not that comfortable with the new three-point line.

 

[BillyC80]

Maybe they're just not that comfortable with the new three-point line.

Could be part of it. Then again, isn’t that the distance they’ve been practicing on since the NCAA announced the new distance back in June? And why do our opponents seem so comfortable with it already? Gotta be da shoes.