Zach Martini - most impactful defensive player? Most important metric says so

[PSAL_Hoops]

I definitely went to far with the title...need to get clicks for advertising.

I do think you can take something from the numbers when looking at martini vs. grant on the defensive end. I think the reason Grant sat on bench early in the year was he wasn't ready for how pike asks to defends screens/switches. I think he still isn't where he needs to be. Dortch and Grant have all the tools and need to play to get experience, but most nights Martini helps our defense (despite his poor DREB #s) more

Possibly - but if so, that’s probably more about Grant (being a green frosh) than it is about Martini being an asset on D. DG started the season 0-8 from the floor in the early games Pike used him in. My guess is that, in general, he just wasn’t ready to help us at that point.

in my opinion, our best defensive line up would’ve been Davis, Harper, J Will, Ace and Ogbole (before he got hurt). No Zach in it.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

Possibly - but if so, that’s probably more about Grant (being a green frosh) than it is about Martini being an asset on D. DG started the season 0-8 from the floor in the early games Pike used him in. My guess is that, in general, he just wasn’t ready to help us at that point.

in my opinion, our best defensive line up would’ve been Davis, Harper, J Will, Ace and Ogbole (before he got hurt). No Zach in it.

I think Martini over Ace, but that isn't even worth discussing....and the differential isn't much given Ace is a shot blocker and a much better DREB as +s and his off the ball D and bad switching and breakdowns are -

 

[RUChoppin]

Attack the post not the poster

To a certain extent... but when the critical mass of dumb posts from a given poster gets large enough, it's a better bet to just cut them off entirely. Every so often I click on "show hidden posts" - and almost invariably it's a bunch of swill.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

To a certain extent... but when the critical mass of dumb posts from a given poster gets large enough, it's a better bet to just cut them off entirely. Every so often I click on "show hidden posts" - and almost invariably it's a bunch of swill.

who the heck are we talking about? not me right

 

[RUChoppin]

who the heck are we talking about? not me right

No, I can still see you 😁

I've got plenty of guys on ignore though.... so far, none have posted in this thread, since there's no link for me to 'view ignored posts'

 

[PSAL_Hoops]

I think Martini over Ace, but that isn't even worth discussing....and the differential isn't much given Ace is a shot blocker and a much better DREB as +s and his off the ball D and bad switching and breakdowns are -

No line up without Ace in it could possibly be the best across the entire season. For all the frosh mistakes he makes on close outs, our post defense is just so much worse without him in the game.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

No line up without Ace in it could possibly be the best across the entire season. For all the frosh mistakes he makes on close outs, our post defense is just so much worse without him in the game.

talking just D...we know you can't change on the fly so the discussion is moot

 

[DRC79]

Put them on ignore?? No. Thats what a 12 year old does. You can choose not to read someone's opinion instead of turning your message board into an echo chamber.

I'm ok with well-explained opinions that challenge my own, or those of posters I agree with, but your slur against disabled people seemed unnecessary--especially coming from an ordinarily reasonable poster with ties to RU athletics.

 

[PSAL_Hoops]

talking just D...we know you can't change on the fly so the discussion is moot

I meant to say no defensive line up without him could be the best. We are just so weak in the post on D without him. Completing unintimidating. There is no stat to point to to say otherwise considering he logs so many critical minutes.

You can’t tell me our D was at its best throughout the entire season with any 3 guards, Zach and either Lathan or Ogbole on the floor. Maybe in some early games against mid-majors that could’ve been true. But not in BIG play.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

Ace just makes so many mistakes. Half the possessions he has no idea where his man is. He makes poor decisions with switching too.

 

[PSAL_Hoops]

Ace just makes so many mistakes. Half the possessions he has no idea where his man is. He makes poor decisions with switching too.

Let's put it this way. Point well taken. If the 5 slot was filled by Cliff, I’d agree with you completely. The D would be a bit better in that case having a less talented player who is out of position less often on the perimeter because we’d have someone in there who protects the rim. Unfortunately, we are so weak in the post to begin with that taking Ace out for long stretches even with his mistakes is rate limiting on this team on D as well as O.