The Johnnies... Small Ball?

[DirtyRU]

Took a peek at their roster and their box score vs. BG. Also watched highlights. Although they have some decent size & length, they are REALLY small. Their starting center, who's the tallest player (Keita) on their roster, goes 6'9", but for some reason, although he started against BG, he only played 4 minutes and had one rebound. Injured perhaps? Not sure, I didn't dig deep enough.

Anyway, the only other players who played against BG were:

1. Clark (6'7")
2. Simon (6'5")
3. Ponds (6'1")
4. Heron (6'5")
5. Figueroa (6'6")
6. Dixon (6'2")
7. Trimble (6'3")

That's an awfully small lineup. Of course it means nothing if we can't exploit it, but on paper we are MUCH longer and taller. The flipside is they are smaller so perhaps quicker. Anyways, just thought it was interesting.

 

[MadRU]

Watched one game and they played 4 and sometimes 5 players above the three point line opening a lot of space for penetration. A lot of one on one and two man game.

 

[RutgHoops]

In the Shaq Carter thread I posted that high majors have to adjust when they play these mid/small major schools. For us, we see guys like Doucoure and Carter pinned to the bench. SJU went even smaller than that v. Bowling Green. Keita is playing a whole bunch of minutes for them on Friday night. You can count on it.

 

[NewJerseyHawk]

Clark Simon and Figueroa can all spot up from 3, drive baseline and finish at the basket. If we go small to matchup, we may get in foul trouble....if we play with Myles Johnson and Doorson, we will command the boards and hopefully alter some shots if they drive.

This could be a matchup where shooting isn't life or death, but we must limit them to one shot, because they are quicker off the floor as rebounders....and we must rebound our misses for putbacks and fouls.

I suspect we will see a lot of Harper Thiam, Kiss and Mathis on the floor mixed with Geo and Eugene. I don't see this as a game where Doorson, Doucoure and Carter see a lot of minutes.

 

[sct1111]

Makes me wonder if we should use a zone. It would mask the lack of quickness of our guards and take advantage of our length and size.

 

[SJScarlet]

In the Shaq Carter thread I posted that high majors have to adjust when they play these mid/small major schools. For us, we see guys like Doucoure and Carter pinned to the bench. SJU went even smaller than that v. Bowling Green. Keita is playing a whole bunch of minutes for them on Friday night. You can count on it.

Keita has a knee injury. May not even play at all.

 

[dkostus]

Took a peek at their roster and their box score vs. BG. Also watched highlights. Although they have some decent size & length, they are REALLY small. Their starting center, who's the tallest player (Keita) on their roster, goes 6'9", but for some reason, although he started against BG, he only played 4 minutes and had one rebound. Injured perhaps? Not sure, I didn't dig deep enough.

Anyway, the only other players who played against BG were:

1. Clark (6'7")
2. Simon (6'5")
3. Ponds (6'1")
4. Heron (6'5")
5. Figueroa (6'6")
6. Dixon (6'2")
7. Trimble (6'3")

That's an awfully small lineup. Of course it means nothing if we can't exploit it, but on paper we are MUCH longer and taller. The flipside is they are smaller so perhaps quicker. Anyways, just thought it was interesting.

Think Keita has a lingering knee injury

 

[Degaz-RU]

Wonder if this is the reason Pike didn't play Carter or Doucoure much in the first two games -- perhaps getting his 9-man rotation ready for the quicker, smaller SJU team?

 

[dkostus]

Wonder if this is the reason Pike didn't play Carter or Doucoure much in the first two games -- perhaps getting his 9-man rotation ready for the quicker, smaller SJU team?

And we'll still be huge, comparatively

 

[Rutgers25]

Makes me wonder if we should use a zone. It would mask the lack of quickness of our guards and take advantage of our length and size.

Seems like we should...especially with our length

 

[Degaz-RU]

Makes me wonder if we should use a zone. It would mask the lack of quickness of our guards and take advantage of our length and size.

I think we will have to play some zone this year, especially against teams with quick guards/wings. Our guys have been beat off the dribble repeatedly in the first two games, and we can't always rely on blocked shots. The dribble penetration could cause foul problems.

Plus, with the length we have all over the roster, I have to think a 2-3 (or even 1-3-1) zone would be devastating. Syracuse recruits guys like Thiam, Harper, Baker, Johnson, etc., who have this kind of length and wingspan to play the 2-3 zone. Very difficult to shoot over.

 

[dkostus]

I think we will have to play some zone this year, especially against teams with quick guards/wings. Our guys have been beat off the dribble repeatedly in the first two games, and we can't always rely on blocked shots. The dribble penetration could cause foul problems.

Plus, with the length we have all over the roster, I have to think a 2-3 (or even 1-3-1) zone would be devastating. Syracuse recruits guys like Thiam, Harper, Baker, Johnson, etc., who have this kind of length and wingspan to play the 2-3 zone. Very difficult to shoot over.

Difficult to shoot over, definitely. Also shuts down passing lanes...

 

[Proud NJ Sports Fan]

Where is Lovett?

 

[DirtyRU]

Where is Lovett?

https://redstormsports.com/news/201...mp_8217_s_Basketball_Program.aspx?path=mbball

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

5 minutes left in a tie ball game who is guarding Ponds?

 

[Mr_Twister]

Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Walton and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, if collegians these days, would go for 50 points a game. No telling how many Pete Maravich would have averaged.

 

[RUChoppin]

May be another game where we don't see a lot of burn from Doucoure/Carter, especially if Keita doesn't play due to his knee.

Could see Omoruyi spending some time at center this game - with Baker, Kiss, Thiam, and Harper.

 

[RUPete]

Clark Simon and Figueroa can all spot up from 3, drive baseline and finish at the basket. If we go small to matchup, we may get in foul trouble....if we play with Myles Johnson and Doorson, we will command the boards and hopefully alter some shots if they drive.

This could be a matchup where shooting isn't life or death, but we must limit them to one shot, because they are quicker off the floor as rebounders....and we must rebound our misses for putbacks and fouls.

I suspect we will see a lot of Harper Thiam, Kiss and Mathis on the floor mixed with Geo and Eugene. I don't see this as a game where Doorson, Doucoure and Carter see a lot of minutes.

I agree- erasing the second chance possessions will be key. This team will miss some, but they are quick to the rim and can frustrate you with offensive rebounds and second chance points. Either way, we have to defend the lane better. Penetration was too easy the last two games.

 

[Scangg]

I think we will have to play some zone this year, especially against teams with quick guards/wings. Our guys have been beat off the dribble repeatedly in the first two games, and we can't always rely on blocked shots. The dribble penetration could cause foul problems.

Plus, with the length we have all over the roster, I have to think a 2-3 (or even 1-3-1) zone would be devastating. Syracuse recruits guys like Thiam, Harper, Baker, Johnson, etc., who have this kind of length and wingspan to play the 2-3 zone. Very difficult to shoot over.

Thiam Harper Johnson would be really a longggg armed bottom to a 2-3 for sure. I wonder if coach is hiding it until we need it.

How good are St. John's at shooting 3's?

 

[zebnatto]

I don’t know about going small. Seems too much like we’re playing their game.

I think that Myles could give them real problems, offensively and defensively.

It’ll be interesting to see if coach goes with a long lineup (maybe Geo, Ron, Issa, Gene, and Myles) in a zone.

 

[RUChow]

Watched one game and they played 4 and sometimes 5 players above the three point line opening a lot of space for penetration. A lot of one on one and two man game.

Not great to hear considering how we're struggling to stop penetration. A little zone might not hurt.

 

[mikefla]

Vs the Johnnies is our 1st REAL test
We have height at every position...even guard...(my fav)Kiss is 6'5, Geo & Mathis are 6'4
We have 2 centers that are big> 7ft. Doorson & 6'10' Fr Myles Johnson( will be a keeper IMO)
Eugene is 6'7'' but plays bigger !(to me)
Thiam 6'10'
Shack Carter 6'10'
Doucore 6'9'

I look forward to how our guys do vs St Johns

 

[80RU]

I don’t know about going small. Seems too much like we’re playing their game.

I think that Myles could give them real problems, offensively and defensively.

It’ll be interesting to see if coach goes with a long lineup (maybe Geo, Ron, Issa, Gene, and Myles) in a zone.

No expert here, but I never believed in going small just to match the other guy’s small lineup. It always seems better to me to try to exploit their lack of size first, even if it means throwing a zone or a few junk defenses at them to compensate for their quickness. I want to see us try to exploit the matchups on our offensive end first. Now that we have some perimeter shooters and big guys who can pass out of the post, we could have a nice inside/outside game against a team like this. They are going to double down on the bigs.

This does bring back a sketchy, but bad memory of the game that I thought was Kevin Bannon‘s worst game as a coach. It was against Seton Hall, and all their big guys fouled out with RU holding the lead. When the last of their big men fouled out, we immediately subbed to match their size, even though they had more skilled perimeter players, handing the advantage back to them. I could not believe it; if SHU really had an advantage playing all parameter players, they would’ve just done it BEFORE the big guys all fouled out. I am curious if anyone remembers this in any more detail.

 

[BellyFullOfWhiteDogCrap]

I don’t know about going small. Seems too much like we’re playing their game.

I think that Myles could give them real problems, offensively and defensively.

It’ll be interesting to see if coach goes with a long lineup (maybe Geo, Ron, Issa, Gene, and Myles) in a zone.

Agree. No way we're going small. Shaq and Myles are both playing well. Let the Johnnies worry about matching up to our size. I don't expect anything to change with our lineup and substitutions.

Would be shocked if we didn't see Pike go to a zone at some point.

 

[RUHouston]

I remember the days when we WISHED we had more size...not anymore!

We have length, we have size....may the blocks be thunderous and plentiful!

 

[RUChoppin]

By "going small", I'm thinking only having one guy on the court at a time in the 6-9/220+ category. Omoruyi would get the lion's share of the minutes at PF, and the rest would go to Harper/Thiam.

 

[RutgHoops]

5 minutes left in a tie ball game who is guarding Ponds?

Was thinking about this today, Thiam? I actually think it’s Geo with Thiam on Herron, but I don’t think it’s an awful idea.

We are not playing much zone. We don’t do it and I am fine with that.

If Keita doesn’t play Clark isn’t skilled enough/doesn’t shoot it well enough to make us take our big off the floor. Our post play becomes a legit advantage for us in the game.

 

[dkostus]

Was thinking about this today, Thiam? I actually think it’s Geo with Thiam on Herron, but I don’t think it’s an awful idea.

We are not playing much zone. We don’t do it and I am fine with that.

If Keita doesn’t play Clark isn’t skilled enough/doesn’t shoot it well enough to make us take our big off the floor. Our post play becomes a legit advantage for us in the game.

Clark actually hits from the outside a decent amount in highlights I've seen, but hes also really slow... like, I think Shaq or Myles can guard him even on the perimeter

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

100% about not playing much zone.

You have to put Geo on the worst perimeter player. He can not run the team, play 36 minutes and have a real tough matchup.

I don't know anything about Ponds. What happens when he beats his man off the dribble? Is there a dual threat or is he just taking it to the rim. We have length and our guards will get beat off the dribble. What happens next will determine how much of a liability our guards will be defensively.

Still think Mathis could get an important assignment

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

They were 141st in offensive efficiency and Ponds shot 45-179 25.1% from 3. This looks familiar to me.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

herron 43-130 33.1%

 

[dkostus]

They were 141st in offensive efficiency and Ponds shot 45-179 25.1% from 3. This looks familiar to me.

Lot of Corey?

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

One things from last year's team is they dont rebound, especially offensively. That tells me there is a chance we play some zone because we may not get killed on the glass. Given the fact that we are young my fear is that we wouldnt close out good enough on the perimeter...length does help though

 

[RutgHoops]

Kiss guards the worst perimeter player when he is in. Of that I have no doubt. This is a pretty big game after a full week off, I think Geo is going 36/37 Friday. Plus Eastern Michigan (we play after SJU) beat Drexel by 4 and Rochester by 10.

Ponds is the complete package. His normal level is B1G tournament Corey. He and Herron are as good a 1-2 as we’ll face. The rest of the cast can be limited.

Mathis is going to draw an important defensive assignment for this one, no doubt.

Be surprised if we play any zone. Would LOVE SJU to try to zone us (can’t believe I just typed that!)

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

i think you are wrong. baker has to be fresh. kiss can play 26 minutes. baker has to play 34+

agree about zone...we played a grand total of zero zone possessions so far. now a lineup that can switch 1 to 5 can look like a zone

 

[goru7]

Pike does not like playing zone. If we play it , it will only be for a few possessions. I agree Montes will be asked to d up on Ponds and Heron. St, John’s is a tough matchup because our defense is not up to snuff just yet. Can we outscore them? Can we post up Shaq or My,es and Eugene and take advantage of our size and if they collapse and double down , I am looking forward to the dish out for three.

 

[dkostus]

As Mullin pointed out after their mediocre game versus Bowling Green, both Ponds and Herron are used to being ball dominant. They haven't played well together as a duo yet, either one has the ball or the other does. Will be interesting to see how the D matches up with them.

 

[RUTravesty]

Hopefully Omoruyi can draw a few charges Ponds/Herron. Foul trouble could be a big problem for St Johns

 

[zebnatto]

Is it likely that Jacob Young is playing the role of Ponds in this week’s practice?

 

[TobyTyler1]

Read somewhere Simon looks better shooting from deep this year, possibly giving them a third scorer.

We are going to have a ton of trouble keeping Ponds and Heron out of the paint. both will get to the line, particularly Heron. both iso players though.