One summer long ago I learned a lot from a Serbian center who had played for Fordham. He had 3 inches, 50 lbs, and 10 years on me, but what made him a very good player was filth. If you watched the old Mahorn, Lambeer, Sally, Rodman Pistons you'd see many of the same tricks. To start with, as soon as a shot went up, if he had the backside position (aka out-of-position), he'd collapse the opponents knee. I don't mean injure. I mean just drive his own knee into the back of the other guys leg to make it bend unexpected so he isn't ready when it comes time to jump two seconds later. He'd constantly find away to step on the other guys toes. On the inside, offense or defense, he would find a way to keep his elbow near the opponents throat . It's very imposing way of keeping your guy grounded and redirecting them away from the basket. He'd pretend to be unaware of a developing pick behind him and use it to deliver an elbow or knock on the picker. On runouts, he would follow through and hit the shooters sneakers. Technically it's a foul but it doesn't get called. It does nothing to the shot that just went up but it definitely is a distraction for the next runout. If a guy was playing him close, he'd use his inside hand to grab his waistband and pull him closer. It's a mind F that got guys to swing on him and he'd just laugh. On any contact, his foul or the opponents, he'd throw a hip check at the point of contact that would send skinny guys flying.
You don't see these senior moves in the college game much any more. One and dones? Instant replay? Thousand points of light? Whatever, but you don't really see the skills that used to be part of the game. I bring it up because I see Cliff pushed out of position and think he could use more of these in his tool box.
You don't see these senior moves in the college game much any more. One and dones? Instant replay? Thousand points of light? Whatever, but you don't really see the skills that used to be part of the game. I bring it up because I see Cliff pushed out of position and think he could use more of these in his tool box.
