Defensive pressure and other observations

[Zagsker]

Why is it that teams absolutely hound us defensively in zones and make it where offensive fluidity struggles whereas our zones end up in open shots for the other team? Why does it take us so long to figure out how to beat zone pressure whereas other teams seem to be able to do it at ease with any zone we throw out there

I also am baffled by how completely useless our on the ball screens are...Rob leaves so damn quick when setting a screen that it does not even create a good amount of room for the guards.

And what the hell are we doing offensively anyways? Watch our O, I can't count how many times I have seen Rob/Elias go out to set a pick and look like they don't even know what side they want to set the pick on.

I would like to see both Gary and Edi to start taking it to the rim more...they show glimpses of wanting to do it but then they pull it back out

[Vanzagger]

one word

Why is it that teams absolutely hound us defensively in zones and make it where offensive fluidity struggles whereas our zones end up in open shots for the other team? Why does it take us so long to figure out how to beat zone pressure whereas other teams seem to be able to do it at ease with any zone we throw out there

I also am baffled by how completely useless our on the ball screens are...Rob leaves so damn quick when setting a screen that it does not even create a good amount of room for the guards.

And what the hell are we doing offensively anyways? Watch our O, I can't count how many times I have seen Rob/Elias go out to set a pick and look like they don't even know what side they want to set the pick on.

I would like to see both Gary and Edi to start taking it to the rim more...they show glimpses of wanting to do it but then they pull it back out

playing guys out of position makes us too short to shoot over good zones. Yes dribble penetration to the soft spot is good, just don't know if you absolutely need 3 point guards out there to accomplish this.

[DZ]

I think that we have not used our zone enough.

If you think about the terrible second halves in SMC/BYU - we could not get stops at all, finally we went to a zone and were getting more stops.

A zone is not the answer, throwing it in earlier and more sporadically so an offense doesn't get into a rhythm doing the same thing each time would help us, I believe.

[jim77]

I think that we have not used our zone enough.

If you think about the terrible second halves in SMC/BYU - we could not get stops at all, finally we went to a zone and were getting more stops.

A zone is not the answer, throwing it in earlier and more sporadically so an offense doesn't get into a rhythm doing the same thing each time would help us, I believe.

yup.


I'd even try playing 3 forwards if I thought I could get away with it .....E....Hart.....EDI...with a PG and Rob. Can you imagine what it would do to Bennett's plan.....he'd have to press it....things would definately get interesting.....Hart is a good ball handler....Edi is so so. Nice to throw things at a team that THEY haven't planned for.

[U Zig, I Zag]

All I know is that bringing Sam/Rob to the top of the box with their back to the basket against the zone does not work. It's a bad pivot point because neither one has a great feel for the defenders around them.

The only thing that really works against a good zone is fast, fast, fast perimeter passing then a guard either penetrating and taking a good shot or kicking it. The bigs can be open on the weak side if you pass fast enough and the D doesn't shift all the way over. Sam can shoot that shot 3-7 feet away relatively quick. Rob sometimes can. Neither is a great passer looking back out (Spangler maybe?).

Not sure why we look so inept against the zone. Really, we could lose to any of the top6 WCC teams on any given night if they played zone on us the whole game....

[SageOfZagville]

One observation.

It is up to the man with the ball to set up a good screen. They need to wait for the screen and not start dribbling to soon. You then jab-step to get the defense moving one way, and then take your man the other way into the screen that is already there. Our guards start dribbling too soon, and they don't set their man up for the bigs. If you want to see a master at it, watch Delly from SMC. He sets up his screeners better than anyone I have seen this year. When we are all yelling don't switch, it is because he has set up his man perfectly. Our guards must be more patient and do the little things to sit up the defense for the screener. And yes, I think our bigs do slip the screens too soon as well. Beat SMC.

[allnet59]

I think one word sums it up.. COACHING.... isn't that why they have a head coach and several assistant coaches on the bench. Our fundamental basketball skills are not that good imo terrible at setting screens and actually finding a body and blocking out on rebounding is even worst. That to me is all on coaching