On the Banks Pikiell Article
- Thread starter dpwhite
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Dave thanks for the great article from Aaron. The only nitpick I have with Pikiell besides not figuring out the 1-3-1 against Hartford is not being able to get the ball in-bounds against Stony Brook on not one occasion but two. I love Pikiell and I believe he will get us back in the big boy Tourney but I couldn't believe he didn't think of throwing a baseball pass to one of our players to the other side of the court. Even if the ball was intercepted back there, it would have nearly been impossible for Stony Brook to get off a decent 3 point shot and we would have hung on.
Other than that, I thought your article was spot on, and I feel grateful that we FINALLY have a coach here that knows what he's doing on the court and off the court, and in the recruiting arena.
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Unless the coach actually says that throwing the ball into the backcourt on a BLOB is not part of his philosophy, I just don't think you ban fault any coach for that not happening. After all, the coach isn't standing there with the ball in his hands looking for the open man. Also, Corey was pointing frantically for the pass to be thrown into the backcourt
Also, after he set his screen for Geo, Eugene is sort of open near the elbow but then (below pic) he slid to his right and was wide open as Corey lifted. Williams either couldn't see him or didn't think he could get a pass to him. So I wouldn't blame the coach. I wouldn't even accept the coach taking responsibility just to take it off of his player. This looks more like a player execution issue to me. Just hope they learn from it because the situation may arise again this season.
All four of our guys were too close together and on the same side of the floor making it easier on the defense, and three of them were below the foul line where you would prefer them not to be. Can't imagine this is the way Pikiel drew it up. Kids must have screwed it up. It happens. Personally, I would have had Geo inbounding the ball. He gives you a guard's perspective of pressure, he's tall, and he's your best passer.Unless the coach actually says that throwing the ball into the backcourt on a BLOB is not part of his philosophy, I just don't think you ban fault any coach for that not happening. After all, the coach isn't standing there with the ball in his hands looking for the open man. Also, Corey was pointing frantically for the pass to be thrown into the backcourt
Also, after he set his screen for Geo, Eugene is sort of open near the elbow but then (below pic) he slid to his right and was wide open as Corey lifted. Williams either couldn't see him or didn't think he could get a pass to him. So I wouldn't blame the coach. I wouldn't even accept the coach taking responsibility just to take it off of his player. This looks more like a player execution issue to me. Just hope they learn from it because the situation may arise again this season.
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I understand what you're saying and by the looks of it, that looks like player execution and a lack of spacing. Still, if the opposition is going to sell out like that, I think a baseball pass would have been apropos. It shouldn't necessarily be a coaching style, but good old common sense.
I enjoyed the article too... thanks for writing it and providing some perspective, Aaron.
There is a minor typo in terms of the year that Bannon got them to the semifinals of the Big East Tournament. He did it in his first year (97-98) rather than 2000. In some ways, it was even more impressive since he only had a couple of his players on the team.
There is a minor typo in terms of the year that Bannon got them to the semifinals of the Big East Tournament. He did it in his first year (97-98) rather than 2000. In some ways, it was even more impressive since he only had a couple of his players on the team.
Unless the coach actually says that throwing the ball into the backcourt on a BLOB is not part of his philosophy, I just don't think you ban fault any coach for that not happening. After all, the coach isn't standing there with the ball in his hands looking for the open man. Also, Corey was pointing frantically for the pass to be thrown into the backcourt
Also, after he set his screen for Geo, Eugene is sort of open near the elbow but then (below pic) he slid to his right and was wide open as Corey lifted. Williams either couldn't see him or didn't think he could get a pass to him. So I wouldn't blame the coach. I wouldn't even accept the coach taking responsibility just to take it off of his player. This looks more like a player execution issue to me. Just hope they learn from it because the situation may arise again this season.
Thanks for this post.
I actually saw multiple posters questioning if Pikiell was a good coach because it looks like he does not know how to teach the team how to inbound a pass under your own basket.
Thanks I mixed it up
Thanks I mixed it up in my head as 2000 was when I graduated and attended the entire Big East Tournament. I was at the Georgetown game in 98 but flipped the dates in my head. I fixed it thanks for pointing out.
Sorry but the team shit the bed with Stony Brook and Hartford. You can talk about this inbounds pass or that one, but those 2 games should have never been that close. The lackluster performance against Hartford is mind boggling.
Is this team capable of beating top teams? Yes. Do they know what it takes to win consistently? No
Is this team capable of beating top teams? Yes. Do they know what it takes to win consistently? No
And that is part of the learning and development process. That and recruiting is key.
I don't think anyone is disputing that these were horrible losses and that the team played poorly....bad team play and bad individual performances by key players.
What is up for debate is why some on this board view the last two games as the "New Normal" while disregarding how well the team played in many of the other 12 games....including very good games against a top 5, a top 15 and a very good FSU team.
What is up for debate is why some on this board view the last two games as the "New Normal" while disregarding how well the team played in many of the other 12 games....including very good games against a top 5, a top 15 and a very good FSU team.
Stfu..only a moron wouldn't see that we're improving incrementally as a program. Are you that much of the resident bitcher here?
its the new normal because its back to back losses to mediocre low major schools at home no less, what have you done for me lately, one loss excusable, two losses same performance not
Unless the coach actually says that throwing the ball into the backcourt on a BLOB is not part of his philosophy, I just don't think you ban fault any coach for that not happening. After all, the coach isn't standing there with the ball in his hands looking for the open man. Also, Corey was pointing frantically for the pass to be thrown into the backcourt
Also, after he set his screen for Geo, Eugene is sort of open near the elbow but then (below pic) he slid to his right and was wide open as Corey lifted. Williams either couldn't see him or didn't think he could get a pass to him. So I wouldn't blame the coach. I wouldn't even accept the coach taking responsibility just to take it off of his player. This looks more like a player execution issue to me. Just hope they learn from it because the situation may arise again this season.
What I don't get is why take Thiam out just for this play, and then insert him immediately once the ball went out of bounds? Pike specifically wanted Freeman in the game on this one BLOB play, for some reason.
In this situation, SB is guaranteed to foul if the ball comes in bounds... but we have two of our worst FT shooters on the court (Omoruyi and Freeman). We also have no one on the court taller than 6-7 for any high passes, and we have the shortest player on the court and one of the best FT shooters inbounding the ball.
Seems this wasn't the best-designed BLOB play for this situation.
I am a realist.
Statistically we are not improving year over year. I am just stating facts.
Again, I think history shows I am anything but a moron.
I like Pikiell. I am not saying he will fail. I don't yet have enough evidence that tells me he is the one. As a realist there are many question marks.
Those are really good questions/points.
Lots of basketball to be played, and games to be won. Good luck to RU.
Given how you feel about this team, the fact that you have been to every game doesn't make you a moron. More like a masochist.
I honestly believe a Jordan-led team would have gotten beaten by double digits against the last 2 teams. The fact that we can nitpick coaching last second coaching decisions as the "deciding" factor in losing makes it clear to me that we are making progress with the personnel we have.
The biggest problems during these games: bad shooting, lack of intensity, mediocre rebounding. 2 of those 3 things are concerning or new. How do we react after a few days off? That will show what this team is capable of the rest of the season.
The biggest problems during these games: bad shooting, lack of intensity, mediocre rebounding. 2 of those 3 things are concerning or new. How do we react after a few days off? That will show what this team is capable of the rest of the season.
Happy New Year Greene...
Question for you....
You were one of the few that actually thought RU would beat Seton Hall a couple of weeks ago, perhaps even mentioned by 5 points....(RU won by 6).
While RU may not be any better based on kenpom on January 1st from last year to this year, we played at Miami, at Seton Hall, at Stony Brook and vs Fordham at MSG last year.
This years team played Florida State at home, Stony Brook at home, Seton Hall at home, Michigan State at home and Minnesota on the road.
Common sense would say that playing 4 of your first 5 B1G games against Michigan State, Purdue and Minnesota, with 3 of those on the road, should have your kenpom numbers factoring those in.
Wouldn't RU's kenpom look better, if we didn't play MSU and Minnesota??
I know we see a LOT of the same things from a larger perspective on how the program runs on gamedays, but truthfully, all Pike had to do is start Corey against Hartford and not have the 2 B1G games in November and we would be further ahead on paper.
This is a limited roster and while I believe you believe the trio of Sanders Williams and Freeman are going to be difficult to replace, basketball is a game where sometimes teams get better when other players aren't in the way....while Nigel Johnson may have made potentially those 2 losses wins (more depth at guard perhaps), the program would learn and develop less for the future after this season.
I'm willing to take the learning curve and pick up some wins along the way. You don't compete with a very talented FSU, battle #1 Michigan State and defeat SHU and get to throw those games out as if they were 20 point losses and a phantom lucky win. Those steps forward happened....
The roster mix next year will not be limited to the current signed newcomers....there will be at least 1 if not 2 changes that will help transform the roster....on paper it may not look as attractive but it will be better regardless. Enjoy the next 2 plus months, this is where you find out about a lot more than the 1st 2 months.
Happy New Year to you too!
Kenpoms overall numbers and overall offense and overall defense are adjusted for competition. kenpom has some flaws, but I think overall it is a very good indicator. Our offensive adjusted number is frighteningly bad at #247.
It is tough not to get emotional after the 2 loses. As a guy who is trained at the glass half empty it is only natural to look at negatives after the losses.
I think I (and some others) are not discounting enough how much Seton hall game took out of our team.
You really bring up the BIG DEBATE. Quite frankly I don't wish to get in to it all that much. Without getting in to it to much...what does V2.0 Baker, Ducoure and Thaim look like without our 2 most talented players? Overall team?
Switching gears...Mensah and Bullock (and to a lesser extent others) have me really scratching my head. Tough to feel too confident in future recruiting when they passed this staff's eye test. i suppose they get a pass on Bullock because how do you know a guy isn't going to be in shape, but mensah?
Kenpoms overall numbers and overall offense and overall defense are adjusted for competition. kenpom has some flaws, but I think overall it is a very good indicator. Our offensive adjusted number is frighteningly bad at #247.
It is tough not to get emotional after the 2 loses. As a guy who is trained at the glass half empty it is only natural to look at negatives after the losses.
I think I (and some others) are not discounting enough how much Seton hall game took out of our team.
You really bring up the BIG DEBATE. Quite frankly I don't wish to get in to it all that much. Without getting in to it to much...what does V2.0 Baker, Ducoure and Thaim look like without our 2 most talented players? Overall team?
Switching gears...Mensah and Bullock (and to a lesser extent others) have me really scratching my head. Tough to feel too confident in future recruiting when they passed this staff's eye test. i suppose they get a pass on Bullock because how do you know a guy isn't going to be in shape, but mensah?
I also give a bit of a pass on Bullock. Was partly a political pick due to his HS, and also a bit of a reach as a tweener in size... but freshmen frequently don't work out, and end up transferring somewhere else. Not all freshmen are going to be hits, and sometimes you take a guy to fertilize the garden for future options.
Mensah, though.... that was a real head-scratcher at the time, and even more of one now. I never saw the benefit he would bring, and was told over and over that Pike must see something in him beyond his stats. Well, that something is clearly not there. He's not going to transfer, so we're stuck with what amounts to a dead spot on the roster for another year unless he suddenly has an epiphany before next season.
Having Kiss/Johnson redshirt this year really shortens the bench with those two misses, and puts more pressure on the team - especially the guards. Assuming Bullock goes somewhere he'll see the court, we should have 12 active scholarship players next season to work with.
The only player who has had significant minutes over the course of the year, was not on the floor for that inbounds play and who is a better FT shooter than Freeman is Thiam (.667 for Thiam, .641 for Freeman). IMO, if anything, Thiam should have been in for Eugene.
Two things that were odd about that play.
#1 is that Mike Williams was inbounding. He's one of our best FT shooters, he's our shortest guard, and he isn't one of our best passers (just 6 assists to 8 turnovers in 306 min). If we're going to take a good FT shooter off the court, it should have been Geo... he's 3 inches taller and a much better passer.
#2 was having both Omoruyi and Freeman on the court together. With just 4 players to inbound to, that made 50% of the passing targets poor FT shooters in a situation where a successful inbound would result in an immediate foul. Prior to the inbound (and assuming Williams is still the inbounder), the targets were Sanders/Baker/Thiam/Omoruyi. Freeman was told to come in for Thiam for just that play.... why not for Omoruyi?
Those were two decisions on the coaches, not on the players. The players failed to execute, but the coaches didn't put them in the best position to succeed, imo.
At this stage of the season I don’t see a lot of difference between this years and last years team so the numbers Green posted seem to add up to me. Are we moving in the right direction? I still say yes, but we still need better recruiting. The 2019 class will tell me what I need to know. What I think these last two games proved is that much better talent is needed to make the tourney. Pike has proven to me that he can coach. We are no longer handicapped by our coach like we were with EJ and Freddy. All that does though is put us on par with other teams in our league. Next step is better recruiting. We can analyze inbounds plays all we want but the bottom line is we need WAY more Mathis level and above recruits.
In todays newspaper article Pikiell mentioned the team must get back to rebounding, defense and motivation to overcome the lack of talent.His honesty in expressing the obvious strengths and weaknesses of the team is refreshing .It will be a grind in future games to reach the goal of a winning season.Recruiting higher level talent is the ultimate solution but in a power conference, league members aren't standing still waiting for Rutgers to catch up.
