Guard Play

[mj4cy]

The last couple games go to show how valuable good and experience guard play is.

Our guards are constantly dribbling into traps, picking up their dribble with no plan in mind, penetrating but then throwing the ball away, not looking up on fast breaks, and getting the ball to post players out of position. Of course this isn't always the case. There are times where we are in unison and the team looks great. Most of the time though, we lack the chemistry really needed.

For example, Garrett had a great penetrating drive last night and just rifled it to Thompson about 2 from two feet away. Granted, Thompson probably doesn't have the best of hands, but over time, Garrett will learn how each person handles passes and that is just an experience thing coming from team chemistry.

Another example is Peterson kept dribbling into countless traps. I came to the realization he does not like going to his left it at all possible. As soon as opposing guards hassle us, we're toast. McD did a great adjustment at half and helped us out, but we really cannot afford to dribble to the corner or sidelines at this point.

I also need to remember our that we're young and have had good compitition already. From the flashes of good things I see, it leaves me with a lot of confidence that we'll get better this year and I'll look back and hopefully wonder how we were this insufficient early on!

 

[cyclonedcm]

last couple games??? how about the last couple of years!

 

[mj4cy]

I'm not going to go into the past...although I agree. Im just gonna keep it to this year.

 

[cycloneworld]

That was one of the most frustrating games I've watched in a while. Nearly everytime down the court we did the same thing (except for when we went on little runs)...dribble down, pick up dribble, get trapped, pass to next person, dribble around the outside until there are 5 seconds on the shot clock, put up a horrible shot. Repeat.

 

[erikbj]

Peterson picks up his dribble at Mid Court WAY too much. It is tough to run the offense 40 ft. from the basket. Peterson = Brock Jacobson that can hit a 3 pointer in a game. He has no business playing the point guard position. He needs to be off the ball and be a spot up shooter. He will be good to come off the bench, but there is no way he is capable of being a PG in the big 12, he is too small and can not handle any pressure.

Garrett is going to be ok, let him get use to the speed of D-I basketball and I think by January he will be fine running the point until Buckley gets here. The problem ISU has is that Clark being the swing man is not great with the ball either, so they have some serious issues when they face a team that pressures the ball with only one ball handler on the court.

WHY DOES HAULSKA continue to play???? He is 1-18 and doesn't play defense that well. I know Boozer looked a bit out of control, but you get him so more time on the court and he will become more comfortable. I think he should be the first guy off the bench with Haulska getting some garbage time.

Also don't forget Lucca was supposed to be the starting SG or the first guard off the bench. So ISU is really down two guards, Johnson and Staiger. Peterson and Haulska are supposed to be band aids until ISU gets healthy and the NCAA opens their eyes and lets Lucca come back.

 

[kg-cyclone]

We expected to be playing Taylor (dismissed), Lucca (Ineligible), Wesley Johnson (injured) as our top three gaurds...obviously, this didn't happen, so we have to make due with what we have for right now.

If you want an NCAA team...Welcome to the growing pains of getting there.

 

[snowcraig2.0]

Peterson picks up his dribble at Mid Court WAY too much. It is tough to run the offense 40 ft. from the basket. Peterson = Brock Jacobson that can hit a 3 pointer in a game. He has no business playing the point guard position. He needs to be off the ball and be a spot up shooter. He will be good to come off the bench, but there is no way he is capable of being a PG in the big 12, he is too small and can not handle any pressure.

Garrett is going to be ok, let him get use to the speed of D-I basketball and I think by January he will be fine running the point until Buckley gets here. The problem ISU has is that Clark being the swing man is not great with the ball either, so they have some serious issues when they face a team that pressures the ball with only one ball handler on the court.

WHY DOES HAULSKA continue to play???? He is 1-18 and doesn't play defense that well. I know Boozer looked a bit out of control, but you get him so more time on the court and he will become more comfortable. I think he should be the first guy off the bench with Haulska getting some garbage time.

Also don't forget Lucca was supposed to be the starting SG or the first guard off the bench. So ISU is really down two guards, Johnson and Staiger. Peterson and Haulska are supposed to be band aids until ISU gets healthy and the NCAA opens their eyes and lets Lucca come back.

Haluska is playing because even though he hasn't shown it, he does have the ability to light it up. Give him a chance, he will bust out of this slump.

 

[CY ST8T]

Not like the post players are playing much better. Sure Brackins scored plenty, but he is not rebounding or playing defense and McDermott agreed. I am very frustrated with the guard play both of GMAC's years so far. I'm not jumping ship, but just waiting to call him a great coach until he actually puts something on the floor. Right now it is just plain bad. Minnesota will not finish high in the big 10 with that team.

 

[pdxclone]

Call it growing pains, coaching, whatever ... we went away from what was working ... Brackins getting the ball. It seemed like he was not on the floor in the second half. I know he was but after 17 points in the first half and even get a couple of uncontested dunks he should touch the ball on almost every possession. I don't mean shoot everytime but they would collapse on him/double team him and someone will open up.

It's going to be a long season if Peterson remains in the lineup ... I agree with mjones34 ... too much dribbling into traps. And was that a "shot" in the closing minutes?

 

[bos]

There should also be a shock mechanism on the out of bounds. They seemed to keep walking over the line.

 

[Wesley]

BP is no Jacy holloway. The question is can he improve from here as he is older than the other guards. He is not a point guard. He does not look as good as Corey from last year. We will get clobbered in the Big 12 if he cannot dribble adequately to his left. We are guard challenged. UINI should win again at this point since Wes is probably out till mid Dec. Hope Rashon takes more shots. BP missed 9 last night. Give Boozer more face time. It cannot be worse.

 

[DaddyMac]

Not like the post players are playing much better. Sure Brackins scored plenty, but he is not rebounding or playing defense and McDermott agreed. I am very frustrated with the guard play both of GMAC's years so far. I'm not jumping ship, but just waiting to call him a great coach until he actually puts something on the floor. Right now it is just plain bad. Minnesota will not finish high in the big 10 with that team.

I'm not sure why our post players are playing so far from the basket. How often did we watch Brackins bring the ball up the court. He was constantly outside the 3 pt arc - as was Jiri.

But otherwise, I agree with most others here. Guard play last night has a crime against humanity. This looks too much like a Wayne Morgan team in that they don't value the ball. Too many ill adivised "cute" passes. To many lazy cross court passes. Whoever said it above was dead on - I lost count how many times Peterson would cross half court in the corner and pick the ball up. I'm sure it's a factor that we have no legitimate scorers- but our offense has no flow, no motion - it's dead. Our PG spends the first 20 seconds of the shot clock dribbling 35 ft from the basket, going nowhere - while the rest of the team stands around or moves from A to B setting up what amounts to be nothing.

We need to be patient. We have really only 2 players from last year who see the court in Rashon and Jiri (ok, CJ too). And lately Jiri has been playing the role of the evil Mr Hyde instead of the good Dr Jeckel.

Wes gets back, things will improve. Lucca stops getting ******* by the NCAA, all the better. We've had at least 4 losses from last year. 1 defection this year. A rash of injuries. It'll get better.

BTW, I wanted to puke when I saw Brackins on the floor holding his knee. :sad:

 

[tejasclone]

I'm not going to go into the past...although I agree. Im just gonna keep it to this year.

mjones34 is not here to talk about the past.

 

[CyBobby]

last couple games??? how about the last couple of years!

Ya Know YOu could be right and then again Ya Know YOu could be wrong!!!!