I for one am happy the Rev gave us the business in the first half. I was at the game and it was so cool to see him fired up on the sideline coaching his guys. Hats off to them, they were playing inspired basketball. Hopefully we learned our lesson and this one will pay dividends in March.
Illinois 87, Valparaiso 64 Postgame
Big Jack
- Decatur
I honestly believe he does have the green light to shot anytime he is open... The issue seems to be he is to slow getting the shot off.. thus the reason he doesnt take some.. Domask is pretty much the same.. Both are good shooters but need that extra second to let it go and both have had shots blocked because of it. TSJ on the other hand is very quick and has some spring in his jump.
blackdog
- Champaign
Something I was going to comment on was the speed running the sets looked a lot faster at times last night. They actually looked like a team running an offense instead of thinking about where to go with the ball. Definitely way more split screens cutting towards the basket this game than I remeber seeing in quite awhile, it looked like they were really making reads instead of going through the motions like last year. Still a long way to go but you can see the growth coming.
Now they actually have to make the shots they generate which has still been a problem.
The FT shooting is pathetic at best and has been so for quite awhile. As we all know, FT shooting can win or lose a close game and are necessary in big games and post-season games. Coach's have responded by saying something along the lines of "yes, we practice FT shooting" and player A makes 90% or whatever in practice. Dain's mechanics are pathetic as is Ty's (biggest positive of Sincere red-shirting is we don't have to watch him shoot). How basic shooting mechanics was not addressed in High school (jr. high?) or in the offseason is a head scratcher. Proof it was not is simply the form has not changed (or the results). FT shooting is proper mechanics and then repeating it over and over (yes there are some successful FT shooters who use poor mechanics but they are very rare and the key for them is doing it the same way every time).
A lot of people will want to use Shaq as an example of a great player not being a good FT shooter because of his size, particularly his hands but there are far more players with large hands, shooting a small basketball at a clip over 70%.
You can shoot layups and jump shots in ways which have terrible form depending on the circumstances (where the player is on the court, how he is being guarded, time running out) because you have to and every once in a while make them.
Circumstances for FT shooting is the same at any time in the game and any basketball court in the country.
The announcers said the team is staying in Champaign for Thanksgiving. How about this: a 30 min open practice or filmed practice.
Show us all how the staff is addressing the FT shooting and confirm to us with our own eyes that Player A made a 172 FT's in a row in practice...but can't make 50% in a game.
Continuing to say, I don't have an answer ain't cutting it.
A lot of people will want to use Shaq as an example of a great player not being a good FT shooter because of his size, particularly his hands but there are far more players with large hands, shooting a small basketball at a clip over 70%.
You can shoot layups and jump shots in ways which have terrible form depending on the circumstances (where the player is on the court, how he is being guarded, time running out) because you have to and every once in a while make them.
Circumstances for FT shooting is the same at any time in the game and any basketball court in the country.
The announcers said the team is staying in Champaign for Thanksgiving. How about this: a 30 min open practice or filmed practice.
Show us all how the staff is addressing the FT shooting and confirm to us with our own eyes that Player A made a 172 FT's in a row in practice...but can't make 50% in a game.
Continuing to say, I don't have an answer ain't cutting it.
This feels like a team with a decent floor but not an incredibly high ceiling. We can poo poo all the standard observations because we ran them in the second half, but I see some glaring deficiencies. Our half court offense, as has been pretty standard under Brad, is...not good. If Shannon isn't getting downhill there isn't much going on. No cutting, no screening off the ball. We also have a PG that can't shoot outside the lane.
I think if we are locked in defensively, we can stay in most games but it's going to take that to overcome our offensive woes when we get into games against good competition.
I think if we are locked in defensively, we can stay in most games but it's going to take that to overcome our offensive woes when we get into games against good competition.
RichardKeenesCousin
Richard Keene's Cousin
It doesn't happen very often, but I've seen a ref call a technical for tea bagging. The hand signals for it will make you blush.
Yup. I think it looks a lot better with Coleman out there too….harder for TJ to drive when Dains in the paint/elbow.
Also thank you. Great breakdown for the board.
He played when the current students were 3 and 4 years old. I'm guessing most of them are just in the larval stage of their Illinois fandom
The problem is they never really read anything last night they just robotically split the same pretty much every time.
Chad Fleck
- Eureka, IL
Goode is 6'7 with a high release. We've seen him get off quick shots due to time constraints before. He may not have the quickest, most accurate trigger. But I like the height of his release and motion alot.
Domask shoots it way out in front of his body. Very prone to getting blocked, like we saw from a pretty small guard last night.
I've never thought of TSJ as having a quick shot. He just has time because defenders are always giving him a step because of his ability to drive.
Let's say I sort of miss Plummer. I'd like Goode to be as confident as Plummer was. I'd be up for seeing him get a shot up for every 2 minutes he is on the floor. So if he gets 20 minutes, shoot 10 3's. Run actions to make it happen.
blackdog
- Champaign
I did notice they never made the pass on the split cuts so maybe true. I just remeber last year all of the cuts were to the perimeter for a handoff and looked like they were about half speed so any cutting towards the rim got me a little excited.
Shannon jr. is basically our only player capable of beating his man off the dribble,enabling him to find the seams.
Agree. Our offensive scheme is very weak with few cuts, screens or much movement. If we don't make 3s we be in trouble. Our defense and rebounding will be keys when shots aren't falling.
I would like to see a line up of Ty, TSJ, Domask, CoHawk and Dain.
Dain gives us the high 2 point percentage option. Also relieves Coleman of trying to be a center.
Coleman better 3 point and passing option than Quincy. Can run some high low option with Dain-Coleman, possibly with mismatches with Ty and Domask. Dain needs more minutes and Quincy needs to be more assertive and find his role. Last 5 minutes of Kansas game is what we need.
Dain gives us the high 2 point percentage option. Also relieves Coleman of trying to be a center.
Coleman better 3 point and passing option than Quincy. Can run some high low option with Dain-Coleman, possibly with mismatches with Ty and Domask. Dain needs more minutes and Quincy needs to be more assertive and find his role. Last 5 minutes of Kansas game is what we need.
Have to believe DGL &Ty are also capable. DGL with quickness and Ty by overpowering them. Surprised we haven’t seen it much from DGL.
Free throw shooting is mostly mental. It’s why nba players who stay in the nba are mostly 80-90% for the good ones and even the bad are 65-75%. In college 80-85% means you’re really consistent
NASchamp
- Atlanta
True. But there’s ways to replicate some pressure in practice at least. Noise, distractions, can’t stop running until everyone makes two in a row, etc. Lots of other teams are able to figure out how to make their free throws. Can only blame the players up to a certain point…
My biggest concern at this point in the season (mid-Nov) is that it looks like we have a lot of the same weaknesses as last year. Disjointed, 3-pt dependent offense, lots of turnovers and poor fundamentals, and missing way too many free throws. I worry the coaching staff is just not able (or willing) to do what it takes to correct these.
I remember in HS the team couldn't leave practice until everyone made five free throws in a row. It took forever. I was a team manager. I made 25. Don't remember much for a couple of days after that, actually
Listening to The Rev on pre-game radio show... this is one caring and smart man. He said he’s more concerned about the kind of man that members of his team become in Life more so than wins and losses.
Lots of coaches might say something like that. But it’s clear that Rev really means it. We could use a lot more like him with that kind of attitude in organized sports at all levels.
1000 up votes.
Haven't really seen a ton of Nico but Davide was an absolutely lights out shooter. Davide didn't really operate as the primary ballhandler at TTU because they had Mooney and Culver but it nots like he was incapable of passing.
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