PG Question?

  • After Iowa State won the Big 12, a Cyclone made a wonderful offer to We Will that now increases our match. Now all gifts up to $400,000 between now and the Final 4 will be matched. Please consider giving at We Will Collective.
    This notice can be dismissed using the upper right corner X button.

Cardinal&Gold11

Well-Known Member
Nov 6, 2007
1,954
127
48
34
The land of Eastern Iowa University
Garrett has been playing very well the last two games and has been very solid for awhile now. I am still wondering why he doesn't seem to play more. To me, it seems like the offense takes a step back when he is not in there. He had 5 assists last night to 1 TO and 1 assist and 0 TO plus 4 steals. Anyway, I think he should be starting. Does anyone else?
 

CYKXBUT

Active Member
Jul 21, 2006
462
57
28
If he can drive the lane and dish it off if the defense sags, or score (not toss the ball in the general direction of the rim), he will play more. He is making progress.
 

cyclonez7

Well-Known Member
Apr 11, 2006
6,049
1,446
113
Ankeny
Garrett played 18 minutes yesterday, and Petersen played 17 minutes. I think that's a step in the right direction for Garrett to get the start soon.
 

MJAnderson

Member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Nov 16, 2007
297
-19
18
42
Garrett has been playing very well the last two games and has been very solid for awhile now. I am still wondering why he doesn't seem to play more. To me, it seems like the offense takes a step back when he is not in there. He had 5 assists last night to 1 TO and 1 assist and 0 TO plus 4 steals. Anyway, I think he should be starting. Does anyone else?

I agree he has been playing very well lately. Looks like he's starting to get comfortable with the system and the game speed. I think he will be starting in the near future. Especially if he continues to play good defense.
 

isuno1fan

Well-Known Member
Mar 30, 2006
22,829
4,353
113
Clive, Iowa
I've been ready for him to start since game 2. GMac is starting to come around, but I think this team would be farther along had DG been getting more minutes earlier in the year even though he would've made a ton of mistakes as well.
 

Angie

Tugboats and arson.
Staff member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Mar 27, 2006
28,183
12,852
113
IA
I think last night was one of the first nights where he actually dished it out at all. He seems like he's really anxious to give the team a spark, which is great, but it seems like either he's unaware of his teammates, or he just isn't quite in the mindset yet to play team ball. There were a few times vs. Iowa where Rahshon was wide open, but DG took it up, anyway.

That being said - he had, what, four steals in that game vs. Iowa, so that was awesome.
 

snowcraig2.0

Well-Known Member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Nov 2, 2007
11,231
7,966
113
46
Cedar Rapids, IA
I think last night was one of the first nights where he actually dished it out at all. He seems like he's really anxious to give the team a spark, which is great, but it seems like either he's unaware of his teammates, or he just isn't quite in the mindset yet to play team ball. There were a few times vs. Iowa where Rahshon was wide open, but DG took it up, anyway.

That being said - he had, what, four steals in that game vs. Iowa, so that was awesome.

I agree, Garrett is a very good passer, he is now starting to learn to utilize that in the half-court, not just the open-court.
 

mwitt

Well-Known Member
Mar 23, 2006
5,834
166
63
Garrett looks really good on a basketball floor until he takes a shot that is outside of the paint. Anyone remember his uncontested 15 foot jumper last night?
 

Cyfan13

Member
Dec 14, 2007
541
0
16
39
Ames
I think last night was one of the first nights where he actually dished it out at all. He seems like he's really anxious to give the team a spark, which is great, but it seems like either he's unaware of his teammates, or he just isn't quite in the mindset yet to play team ball. There were a few times vs. Iowa where Rahshon was wide open, but DG took it up, anyway.

That being said - he had, what, four steals in that game vs. Iowa, so that was awesome.


Agree 100% :wink: DG was definitely reminding me of Stinson (and not in a good way) in the first few games. Driving too much and not looking for the open teammate. But he has played much better the last few games, so I'm all for him starting. Not to take anything away from Petey, because he has been doing a much better job too. DG is just the better all around player.
 

CyclonesRule

Well-Known Member
Apr 10, 2006
3,731
72
48
West Des Moines
I think G-Mac is doing fine with bringing DG along slowly. There have been times he's shown brilliance and times he shown immaturity. I am ok with the playing time situation.
 

CYdTracked

Well-Known Member
Mar 23, 2006
16,950
7,650
113
Grimes, IA
I think he may keep coming off the bench but gradually take PT away from Peterson if he keeps up the good play. It's not who starts the game but who finishes it and we do kind of need his offense off the bench right now. If you start him who is going to bring that because Peterson can't, Haluska and Thompson aren't and CJ has been streaky.
 

Angie

Tugboats and arson.
Staff member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Mar 27, 2006
28,183
12,852
113
IA
Agree 100% :wink: DG was definitely reminding me of Stinson (and not in a good way) in the first few games. Driving too much and not looking for the open teammate. But he has played much better the last few games, so I'm all for him starting. Not to take anything away from Petey, because he has been doing a much better job too. DG is just the better all around player.

That's the exact comparison I made when I watched the first few games!! I think the team ball is starting to shape up a lot more. He is really quick-on-his-feet, which is fantastic - it's just a little of the Stinson syndrome, where you would be excited when he launched down the court, but then groan when he floated up an ugly shot rather than dishing it out.

Hopefully it's a little like Jiri - it took him a little while last season to come around to GMac's style of play, and that seems like how DG is slowly turning.
 

copenhagen

Member
Apr 23, 2007
768
18
18
The man who can do no wrong!

Good grief ever seen his jump shots? Have they ever come within a foot of hitting the rim? So what if someone penetrates if they dont do anything once they get there. I like Garrett too but every game theres the group head nodding on how incredible and perfect he was, then the obligatory dark sinister conspiracy as why he isnt playing every second of every game, its silly.
 

CyRocket

Member
Jan 31, 2007
313
19
18
Re: The man who can do no wrong!

Good grief ever seen his jump shots? Have they ever come within a foot of hitting the rim? So what if someone penetrates if they dont do anything once they get there. I like Garrett too but every game theres the group head nodding on how incredible and perfect he was, then the obligatory dark sinister conspiracy as why he isnt playing every second of every game, its silly.

A good point. Driving to the basket is fine but (and its a big but) if it only ends in a wild shot that doesn't go down of what use is it. When he starts finding the open man and making a few he will start. Until then he needs to continue to be brought along slowly. The coach is doing whats best and we can see the result in the better play by everyone.
 

isuno1fan

Well-Known Member
Mar 30, 2006
22,829
4,353
113
Clive, Iowa
As I posted in another thread, good things still tend to happen even if he does miss the layups when he drives. The defense collapses and often it frees up another on our team for an offensive putback. I'd rather have the guy drive and miss a layup than pass the ball around the 3pt line playing "who's gonna shoot the last second 3".
 

ajk4st8

Well-Known Member
Mar 27, 2006
16,483
737
113
41
Ankeny
I think he has missed several layups also.

Just like Mike Taylor.. you have to take the bad with the good. Do I choose the one guy who doesn't turn it over or misses many layups, but consistently shows an inability to distribute the ball and create offense for the rest of the team? Or do I choose the guy who missed a few layups, but can D up and create for his teammates?

Easy choice for me.
 

ajk4st8

Well-Known Member
Mar 27, 2006
16,483
737
113
41
Ankeny
As I posted in another thread, good things still tend to happen even if he does miss the layups when he drives. The defense collapses and often it frees up another on our team for an offensive putback. I'd rather have the guy drive and miss a layup than pass the ball around the 3pt line playing "who's gonna shoot the last second 3".


You read my mind.
 

necromancy

Active Member
Sep 11, 2007
326
66
28
Des Moines, Iowa
Garrett looks really good on a basketball floor until he takes a shot that is outside of the paint. Anyone remember his uncontested 15 foot jumper last night?
I'm not worried about his shot. It will start falling. He's only played about 3 hours total of D-I basketball, 1/3rd of the way through his first season. He'll be fine.

He's also hit some really nice drives. He can hit the running bank shot from around 8 feet pretty well, which is really tough to defend. With experience and maturity, he'll start hitting his shots much more consistently and become a much greater offensive threat, which will create opportunities to pass the ball to open teammates when defenses have to help on him.