Defense ….pay attention and seperate the issues

[Scarlet Shack]

while there is more than two diffenet things going on here ….i see two very different “catagories” ….and offer some comments for discussion

1.) slow recognition . The biggest part
We have a lot of guys (especially the frosh) learning to conquer the mental part is the defense on a new level . This included getting OVER high ball screens , proper hedging on defending ball screens , recognition of the rotation to help not just on the ball, but the wings gettinf into
Position to replace the guy helping the stop dribble penetration ( and a LOT of our rebounding issues on the defensive boards are a result of these massively late rotations )

The good news is Jwill gets it and gets it done , and I expect ace , Dylan , and derkack to eventually get there when they get the mental part and be much bwtter

The wild card is

Sommwrville …who has the lateral quickness , and agility to get it ….but when will the mental part come ?

if hayes and martini and Ogobke can at least get the mental part of it to be serviceable ….it can settle things down

I’m also concerned about Jmike …whose defnese as soon as his guy gets inside the paint has issues (lack of size is part of it ) and acuff , until I see him shake the rust, is a wild card

But I think a lot of getting the mental part will come sooner or later …and then it will settle down. Who starts to get us sooner will dictate op petition to carve out their role as bigger . Are you liateninf Latham, PJ and Zach???

2.) the sexond part …and I allude to it in part one , is breaking down who has the physical attribute to play better and who doesn’t

in short …I do think if we don’t see guys steer to gettinf the mental part of it at the four and five spot, we will need to see an introduction uo front of a guy like grant (if he gets it, and assumption on my part based on his attributes as a high school player whixh may not translate until he gets time on the court ) because we can’t have guys at the four and five play if they don’t have the attributes AND at least can’t make it up with mentally playing it perfect (an

Ogobke and Martini issues inside in not being the right place exaggerate their below average skills on interior defense ….and if they can’t sort that out soon, we will need to arrange things on who can if it means giving ip sone offense .

A lot of our rebounding issues stem from not being in the right place on defense …but if and when thar gets fixed ….its going to be about closing out the box out and then getting the rebound …and if a few of the guys can’t get it done being in the right position, they will
Need to take a back seat in the rotation to the guys who will

I have confidence that we can find guys on this roster to regularly getting us to 75-80.

Who gets the guys to the defense to also help the rebounding is going to dictate the minute when it matters most

Until then …only Jwill, (because he defends) , ace and Dylan (because they have the physical tools to be solid to good defenders once they get the metal part ) …are in

Early handicaps is Derkack will figure it out and join thar group for a regular 20 min role

I’m waiting for the others to show they get it …and at least maintain assignment defense … that will shake oht the other 95-100
Minutes of playing time …..

 

[NewJerseyHawk]

Maybe go with 3 guards (Dylan, Derkack and JWill, Ace and the Center to protect the perimeter....I don't see any way a 3 guard lineup isn't going to work in the short term....it would make Harper the 3rd guard/wing, where he can get downhill and score/draw fouls.

Derkack and JWill are not shooters, but they're by far our most competitive players on defense.....JMike is also there, but i would have him off the bench with shooters Hayes or Martini.

Acuff getting hurt this summer might be a little bit too much to overcome, I am not expecting much there for another 4 to 5 weeks, until he gets closer to 100%

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

Open ended question…with that lineup NJH…do you tell dercack and jwill they have to let open 3s fly on offense…hope at least 1/3 go in?

I am in agreement with both of you.

 

[ScarletDave]

We do not jump for rebounds period. I have never seen anything like it. Sometimes the guys even wait for the ball to bounce off the floor before grabbing it. Very un-Pike.

 

[fluoxetine]

Open ended question…with that lineup NJH…do you tell dercack and jwill they have to let open 3s fly on offense…hope at least 1/3 go in?

I am in agreement with both of you.

In modern basketball I think you need at least three people, and possibly four, that are supposed to shoot if they are wide open from three.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

I have come to that realization....I guess you have to play with the hand you are dealt.

What is going to be fascinating (at least to me) is to watch what B1G coaches will do defensively with some of the lineups like the above one. Will some coach completely leave a JMike wide open ( as in ignore him and go double Ace or Dylan)and beg him to shoot? I think not, but you never know

 

[NewJerseyHawk]

Open ended question…with that lineup NJH…do you tell dercack and jwill they have to let open 3s fly on offense…hope at least 1/3 go in?

I am in agreement with both of you.

If I am scouting RU as an opponent, I am playing off Derkack and JWill and defending both players softly (giving them the open looks).....if I am an opponent, I would take my chances there, vs trying to stop Derkack and JWill from driving and kicking to a open shooter (even if the shooter isn't a high percentage 3PT guy).....dribble drives are death for any defense.

What kills teams aren't the first drives into the paint, it just creates driving lanes if a pass is made...an off balance defense having to stop Derkack, opens up driving lanes for Harper, Ace off the dribble, or dives to the basket by the 4 or 5 man.....which is where I'm advocating for Grant to be that player to quickly elevate and finish plays in traffic off of Derkack drive.

In a way, if we rewind back to the Purdue game where Harper had buzzer beating shot, the 2 possessions before had a cutting Mag for a baseline dunk and a turnover on the possession before or after where Caleb thought Mag was cutting (or vice versa).....those plays are much more likely to be dunks or layups with a more mobile and leaping PF, to take advantage of space......standing at the 3 point line in the corner provides space for the initial drive, but the corner PF shooter, has to be able to drive, elevate and score too, so the offensive sets maximize the 1 on 1 abilities of JWill and Derkack to bulldoze into the paint.

 

[Loyal_2RU]

Open ended question…with that lineup NJH…do you tell dercack and jwill they have to let open 3s fly on offense…hope at least 1/3 go in?

I am in agreement with both of you.

Rotate Hayes in so defense can't get comfortable

 

[FAT MOON]

Team need to figure out it's identity.

Are we going to be a team that wants to score in the mid 80s and just outscores people? More Hayes, Martini, Lathan and less JMike, Ogbole, JWill.

Or are we going to try and be a typical Pike hard nosed type team with Dylan being a better Geo and Ace being Ron. If that's the case then you'll need to see more JWill, Derkack, and maybe Grant.

Right now it seems like we are just throwing guys out there and not really doing either.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

Team need to figure out it's identity.

Are we going to be a team that wants to score in the mid 80s and just outscores people? More Hayes, Martini, Lathan and less JMike, Ogbole, JWill.

Or are we going to try and be a typical Pike hard nosed type team with Dylan being a better Geo and Ace being Ron. If that's the case then you'll need to see more JWill, Derkack, and maybe Grant.

Right now it seems like we are just throwing guys out there and not really doing either.

I think we are figuring out our identity. The question is how long will it take for what Shack outlined for players to get it and who are players that aren't capable.

In 3 1/2 weeks we are going to play 6 games that COULD, depending on the outcomes, determine the course of the season. This team is capable, I think/hope, of finishing out the regular season at 12-6. I would rather not have every game in January and February mean so much where Pike is playing Ace and Dylan too much and we can't afford players to play through mistakes. Rather not be in a hole that we are fighting out of and needing to go 12-6.

 

[satnom]

Really like Derkack’s athleticism, size and hustle. If he could develop a consistent outside shot his drives wouldn’t seem like he’s going through three defenders.

Him and JWill are not confident outside shooters.

GO RU

 

[FastMJ]

It all boils down to Ogobke

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

It all boils down to Ogobke

😐

 

[RU84]

If I am scouting RU as an opponent, I am playing off Derkack and JWill and defending both players softly (giving them the open looks).....if I am an opponent, I would take my chances there, vs trying to stop Derkack and JWill from driving and kicking to a open shooter (even if the shooter isn't a high percentage 3PT guy).....dribble drives are death for any defense.

What kills teams aren't the first drives into the paint, it just creates driving lanes if a pass is made...an off balance defense having to stop Derkack, opens up driving lanes for Harper, Ace off the dribble, or dives to the basket by the 4 or 5 man.....which is where I'm advocating for Grant to be that player to quickly elevate and finish plays in traffic off of Derkack drive.

In a way, if we rewind back to the Purdue game where Harper had buzzer beating shot, the 2 possessions before had a cutting Mag for a baseline dunk and a turnover on the possession before or after where Caleb thought Mag was cutting (or vice versa).....those plays are much more likely to be dunks or layups with a more mobile and leaping PF, to take advantage of space......standing at the 3 point line in the corner provides space for the initial drive, but the corner PF shooter, has to be able to drive, elevate and score too, so the offensive sets maximize the 1 on 1 abilities of JWill and Derkack to bulldoze into the paint.

Those drives into the paint is one of the areas that have hurt us defensively so far. Too many times our perimeter defender gets beat off the dribble and it either results in an uncontested layup or a pass to the player the help defender was guarding for an easy layup. Need to tighten up both our perimeter defense and help/rotations.

 

[Scarlet Shack]

If I am scouting RU as an opponent, I am playing off Derkack and JWill and defending both players softly (giving them the open looks).....if I am an opponent, I would take my chances there, vs trying to stop Derkack and JWill from driving and kicking to a open shooter (even if the shooter isn't a high percentage 3PT guy).....dribble drives are death for any defense.

What kills teams aren't the first drives into the paint, it just creates driving lanes if a pass is made...an off balance defense having to stop Derkack, opens up driving lanes for Harper, Ace off the dribble, or dives to the basket by the 4 or 5 man.....which is where I'm advocating for Grant to be that player to quickly elevate and finish plays in traffic off of Derkack drive.

In a way, if we rewind back to the Purdue game where Harper had buzzer beating shot, the 2 possessions before had a cutting Mag for a baseline dunk and a turnover on the possession before or after where Caleb thought Mag was cutting (or vice versa).....those plays are much more likely to be dunks or layups with a more mobile and leaping PF, to take advantage of space......standing at the 3 point line in the corner provides space for the initial drive, but the corner PF shooter, has to be able to drive, elevate and score too, so the offensive sets maximize the 1 on 1 abilities of JWill and Derkack to bulldoze into the paint.

This is why , if hayes can step up his defense and be serviceable …and acuff can get healthy , we can mix and match and have one of acuff and hayes on the floor wjen to match when at least one of Jwill and Derkack are on the floor so we have three of the four guys at the one to four to be credible from the outside when ace and Dylan are out there

What we can’t have is three weak shooter on the floor when ace and Dylan take a blow

To me …if Hayes (and he really shows a lot of effort, I think her gets positional serviceable as the year goes on ) and get Acuff healthy …it fixes a lot

It potentially pushes Jmike to a smaller role …especially if grant gets up to spped
And deserves the minute

As long as pike is consistent with “I play the best and fair to the rest”….we see good

But …getting our best offensice unit is conditional on getting derkack , hayes and a healthy acuff up to speed to play better positional defense (which will help the DReb percentage )

I’m ignoring the five spot here …that’s a whole separate issue and who plays there will
Be depending on who plays the defense rotations and spacing better over time

 

[Scarlet Shack]

I think we are figuring out our identity. The question is how long will it take for what Shack outlined for players to get it and who are players that aren't capable.

In 3 1/2 weeks we are going to play 6 games that COULD, depending on the outcomes, determine the course of the season. This team is capable, I think/hope, of finishing out the regular season at 12-6. I would rather not have every game in January and February mean so much where Pike is playing Ace and Dylan too much and we can't afford players to play through mistakes. Rather not be in a hole that we are fighting out of and needing to go 12-6.

This . Which is why we need to start getting sone W here and not make every game in 2025 a life or death struggle to climb into the ncaa bubble

to avoid this need a split in the next four to get to 6-3….and then defend home turf (including Newark ) and enter 10-3….being 9-4 means being in 10-8 in the rast of the big ten, and being 8-5 means being 11-7 on the rest of the big ten …Possible for sure with our talent …but a lot of pressure to (see 2021-2022 whwee the entire season was playing catch up and I think it ran us out of gas in March even with a 4 seed in the big ten tourney )

It makes tonight inportant