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Zero chemistry and it shows.

I am sure my memory is faulty, but I can’t remember a single time our point guard Noah played pick & roll with Cliff. It is one of the most basic plays in basketball that just about everyone uses and plays to Cliff’s strengths, and I can recall us running it once.
There was a play I recall where Noahprobably made the right play not lobbing it, but I know he wasn't aware of where Cliff was.

There appears only one guy on the roster (right now) who can drive to the basket and have a dual purpose of scoring or passing.
 
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Regarding chemistry.....big picture....

Do you think the players know what each player is making? How much they are getting paid from a collective? If so, that has to be tough for chemistry purposes throughout all of college basketball.
 
It’s not a chemistry problem. It’s a rebounding issue. A massive one. Check how many second point chances Wake got yesterday. Everyone keeps talking about Paul and Cam and the offense. Cliff is lost without a physical body who isn’t clueless (aka Wolf) out there boxing out. The loss of Caleb and no Mag out there is more than just their own rebounding stats. It’s a loss of physical presence. Cliff clearly is unable to dominate as a stand alone feature player. He needs a surrounding cast of body bangers crashing the glass because he can’t fight through 2 on 1s.
Cliff is also lost without a capable guard like Mulcahy who is able to pass him the ball at point-blank range.
 
Maybe I'm in the minority but while I don't want the team to get embarrassed, I don't have a lot of angst about it, when I know next year the RAC is going to be Disney Land.
Yes we all hope it'll be Disney land. If that team next year doesn't make the sweet sixteen for any reason, there is going to be hell to pay and answers that need answering.
 
Yes we all hope it'll be Disney land. If that team next year doesn't make the sweet sixteen for any reason, there is going to be hell to pay and answers that need answering.
Well, if they make the sweet 16 and are in the east region, the next two games are at the Pru Center.
 
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To me the game ended when it was about 56-48? We defended great for the entire possession. Our guards harrassed them and they were trying to initiate offense 30 feet from basket. They take a last second shot that missed. The ball slipped out of Cliff's hand. They missed again. Cliff didn't get rebound again and they made the 3 from the corner.

I knew it was officially over.
Thought the same. That play was an absolute back breaker and sums up the season so far
There appears only one guy on the roster (right now) who can drive to the basket and have a dual purpose of scoring or passing.
That one player is the player you don't want playing bc of his defense
 
Thought the same. That play was an absolute back breaker and sums up the season so far

That one player is the player you don't want playing bc of his defense
He can cook, but he doesn't do the dishes when he is done. Unfortunately he did burn his last dish. I hope he doesn't get Chopped.
 
Mag is the dishwasher set to deep clean. Detergent pod inserted. Just need to press start
2022 i won fantasy baseball league (roto)
2022 i lost in finals of hockey (HTH)
2023 baseball name changed to Mawot Mags and finished 8th
2023 hockey name changed to Mawot Mags and am in 5th

I am thinking of changing my team name.
Suggestions?

Mawot mags
 
Just seems like this team has a lack of cohesion and it shows. Call it chemistry, or whatever, it just seems like they aren’t blending. It’s “feels” off.

Thought the Africa trip might have brought them closer, get to know each other, but it’s like they are not on the same page.
My concern is that it's talent (and in one or two cases experience) more than chemistry.
 
My concern is that it's talent more than chemistry.

You are probably right but there are fixes. Our guards need to think pass first rather than shoot. Don’t drive to shoot, drive to kick. Also, as we all know, we need to rebound a lot better. It’s actually shocking how bad we are at it.
 
My concern is that it's talent (and in one or two cases experience) more than chemistry.
I find it hard to be believe there are over 300 college basketball programs with more talented rebounders than what we’ve got. Pike has to figure this out. Right?
 
I find it hard to be believe there are over 300 college basketball programs with more talented rebounders than what we’ve got. Pike has to figure this out. Right?
Maybe. But Pike has a long history of putting strong rebounding teams on the floor, so I can respond with my own "I find it hard to believe" that he suddenly forgot how to coach rebounding. That said, I suspect that the rebounding will improve at least some this year. But that isn't nearly the only problem with the team.
 
You are probably right but there are fixes. Our guards need to think pass first rather than shoot. Don’t drive to shoot, drive to kick. Also, as we all know, we need to rebound a lot better. It’s actually shocking how bad we are at it.
I don't know that there are fixes. Certainly, there can be improvements by some coaching and definitely by experience. But you may have noticed in general that some players pass much better, or much worse, than others regardless of coaching. And when you drive to kick, the kickee needs to shoot well. Another area where we need improvement and that coaching doesn't necessarily fix. Unless you think all players are the same and coaching is all that's needed.
 
I find it hard to be believe there are over 300 college basketball programs with more talented rebounders than what we’ve got. Pike has to figure this out. Right?
Have our 3 DREB like Caleb and we are almost there compared to last year.
 
I don't know that there are fixes. Certainly, there can be improvements by some coaching and definitely by experience. But you may have noticed in general that some players pass much better, or much worse, than others regardless of coaching. And when you drive to kick, the kickee needs to shoot well. Another area where we need improvement and that coaching doesn't necessarily fix. Unless you think all players are the same and coaching is all that's needed.
we aren't kicking...that needs to be fixed and should be fixable. Our guards have ridiculously low shooting percentage at the rim. We have a 4/5 star recruit that has those stars because of his shooting. Sick of watching 6'2'' guards trying to be heroes and beat 6'8'' shot blockers
 
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It could be that the players got it in their heads that we’re a running team, so guys are thinking about getting out on the break versus securing a defensive rebound first. They may have been coached that way in practice.

I noticed that we push it hard until we cross midcourt, then slow it down in the half court when an open look isn’t immediately available.
 
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Have our 3 DREB like Caleb and we are almost there compared to last year.

Some of our fans were excited to be done with Caleb and finally get us some offense.

Caleb wouldn’t just be leading the team in steals and second in rebounding after Cliff on the current roster. He’d also be leading us in assists by a comfortable margin based on last years numbers. His overall shooting percentage on the season has most of the guards on this roster (Simpson, Noah and Davis) beat by 4%.

Fools
 
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we aren't kicking...that needs to be fixed and should be fixable. Our guards have ridiculously low shooting percentage at the rim. We have a 4/5 star recruit that has those stars because of his shooting. Sick of watching 6'2'' guards trying to be heroes and beat 6'8'' shot blockers
Sure, some of that stuff might get fixed. And Buddy Holly will develop. But the roster may simply have significant limitations. There are reasons, like losing a good number of our key players, including some that we didn't expect to lose. But that doesn't change the limitations of the current team.

All that said, I hope Pike turns them into a viable tournament team. It's just hard to see right now.
 
It could be that the players got it in their heads that we’re a running team, so guys are thinking about getting out on the break versus securing a defensive rebound first. They may have been coached that way in practice.

I noticed that we push it hard until we cross midcourt, then slow it down in the half court when an open look isn’t immediately available.
We always push the ball up the court quickly but it never amounts to anything

Guards are leaking out like we are going to get a fast break. We need to be team rebounding where everyone is crashing. That's how you can try to limit getting destroyed on the boards. It's not like the leaking out is getting us buckets
 
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Some of our fans were excited to be done with Caleb and finally get us some offense.

Caleb wouldn’t just be leading the team in steals and second in rebounding after Cliff on the current roster. He’d also be leading us in assists by a comfortable margin based on last years numbers. His overall shooting percentage on the season has most of the guards on this roster (Simpson, Noah and Davis) beat by 4%.

Fools
Right now the guy playing with grit and determination is Oskar. That's great but Oskar playing hard isn't going to lead and make others follow. Caleb is a different story.
 
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Sure, some of that stuff might get fixed. And Buddy Holly will develop. But the roster may simply have significant limitations. There are reasons, like losing a good number of our key players, including some that we didn't expect to lose. But that doesn't change the limitations of the current team.

All that said, I hope Pike turns them into a viable tournament team. It's just hard to see right now.
rebounds like Mary Tyler Moore
 
Supposedly mag is considering sitting out the year as a business decision despite the fact we already ****ing paid him
 
They do not have to like each other but they need to learn how to play together if they want any chance of a winning season. Lots of teams have had players that do not like each other, but they put aside those differences when playing as winning is what they want most. And the issue is not really talent. Just look at the NCAA Tournament each year. Lots of teams with mostly or all guys that are not pro basketball players win games in part because they come together to play team basketball and that collective sum is able to get it done.
 
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