2016-2017 Season

[waterhead]

Cumberland leads the team in EFG%. That's a guy you generally want to have in the game if he's a capable defender.

 

[WAITE HOYT 2]

I'm okay with starting KJ for a couple of reasons. He is a senior and SHOULD be more ready for hostile environments. Cumberland is proving to be a gamer though. Second would be KJ can guard one of the top two perimeter players on the other team along with Evans. Starting Washington and Cumberland might give us two soft spots on D.

However, if KJ loses his recent found confidence in shooting, he becomes a cog in the wheel on offense. Cumberland offers a better shooting %, much better passing to the interior, and much better creating/driving ability. He's better at rebounding, assists, and getting to the line as well.

All in all KJ just has to keep playing great D and making his 3's at a clip of 33% or better. If he can do that...we have other play makers on offense...but the offense will just not flow nearly as well as when Cumberland is in.

If KJ doesn't have it Mick puts in Cumberland. If Evans doesn't have it Mick puts in Cumberland. Pretty simple. If Washington is in foul trouble and we go small Mick puts in Cumberland. JC is a huge weapon off the bench. Mick also has the luxury of using him when the match up is very favorable. The other teams coach can't play a sub on him.

 

[WAITE HOYT 2]

Cumberland leads the team in EFG%. That's a guy you generally want to have in the game if he's a capable defender.

His role is increasing every game. Mick is handling him perfectly. I said at the beginning of the year if JC gives us what Evans did as a freshman I would be happy. I'm very Happy.

 

[waterhead]

Sooo. This dynamic of KJ starting and Cumberland being a scorer off the bench is working.

Why the hell would you change what's working ?

I mean if Cumberland starts and KJ comes of the bench then we have no really reliable scorer in when they do a mass sub. Tre, nysier, justin, KJ aren't gonna hold down the fort on the offensive end.

This dynamic that we have works. Cumberland will be a 3 year starter, but right now it works.

I'm not suggesting it should be changing right now...just if KJ regresses.

Last year we kept Cobb on the bench and started Troy both halves and Cobb would come in around 5 minutes in. This was basically to ensure we would have a PG in the case of foul trouble. So there were basically 10 guaranteed minutes of each game when they weren't playing together. When we switched to Cobb starting WITH Troy we started playing better as a team.

There is no reason we have to do "mass subbing" either. Anyway, I am happy with the way things are going...just something to consider if we need it down the road.

 

[jacobkdoyle]

KJ is a great defender. Pointing to a few things he's done wrong is not convincing. We have the reigning Defensive POY in conference and that guy didn't even win the award on our own team and coach says "It wasn't even close".

Now, with that being said. I'm not sure I prefer the "subbing to strength" philosophy since we often get off to slow starts. As long as KJ keeps up his recent play and doesn't regress to the start of the season KJ...I am fine with subbing to Cumberland. However, if KJ regresses, we definitely need to start Cumberland. He's so much better at just about everything other than on ball defense.

Cumberland was a little shy in the beginning so I think coach has brought him along nicely and his confidence is probably through the roof right now. He's ready for a bigger role it seems!

He's entitled to his opinion. There are other examples too, he's obviously not going to spend all day reviewing every defensive lapse. It seems like he wanted stats supporting great defense but was "overruled" by just other opinions. I'm not saying Johnson is good or great (probably somewhere in-between) but your response isn't convincing either.

Cumberland will not start this year. No chance without injury.

 

[jacobkdoyle]

a lot of Cumberland's minutes come situationally. He plays the 2 and the 3. He gives the coach a very nice fall back if Evans or KJ get in foul trouble. He also is rotated late in game offense to defense. If we go small he is out there with KJ. Freshman also have a penchant for picking up fouls. Using him the way that Mick does not only safeguards him but he fills in for others if they get in foul trouble. If you start him and he picks up two quick ones you've lost you flexibility. He is getting his minutes and just like the X game they have been valuable minutes. In my opinion Coach is using him very well. I think you'll see his role grow but his additional minutes will come from lots of places not just KJ's.

His role is much more than that at this point.

 

[WAITE HOYT 2]

His role is much more than that at this point.

Sure is Jake and the better he plays the bigger it gets. JC is a huge asset. Not only his scoring but his versatility.

 

[justinhub2003]

His role is increasing every game. Mick is handling him perfectly. I said at the beginning of the year if JC gives us what Evans did as a freshman I would be happy. I'm very Happy.

Agree. I mean its KJ's senior year and yet Cumberland was given crucial minutes in the crosstown shootout. That is Mick managing his player effectively.

If Jarron only played 5 minutes in the shootout, I'd be pissed but Mick didn't do that. Im pretty sure we can trust the way he is handling this group of guys.

And team Chemistry is through the roof. These guys cheer for each other.

 

[waterhead]

He's entitled to his opinion. There are other examples too, he's obviously not going to spend all day reviewing every defensive lapse. It seems like he wanted stats supporting great defense but was "overruled" by just other opinions. I'm not saying Johnson is good or great (probably somewhere in-between) but your response isn't convincing either.

Cumberland will not start this year. No chance without injury.

I agree on Cumberland.

I was offering my opinion on KJ not overruling his...lol. When you have a coach who is a perennial top 10 defensive coach...and he calls KJ "hands down" the best defensive player on a top 10 defense. I'm not sure what else you can offer. We have Jacob Evans on the team who coach called the best freshman defender he had ever coached to that point, the reigning defensive POY in conference in Clark...but coach doesn't even blink an eye to call KJ the best defender last year on the team and it "wasn't even close".

I would say Cronin knows a thing or two about defense coming from Huggins and Pitino. I could probably listen to arguments about Cronin's offensive thoughts...but it's hard to question him on his thoughts on defense. Good and great are subjective I get it...but there is little other reason to be playing KJ if it's not actually true in the coaches eye...maybe Cronin is wrong...IDK.

 

[WAITE HOYT 2]

I agree on Cumberland.

I was offering my opinion on KJ not overruling his...lol. When you have a coach who is a perennial top 10 defensive coach...and he calls KJ "hands down" the best defensive player on a top 10 defense. I'm not sure what else you can offer. We have Jacob Evans on the team who coach called the best freshman defender he had ever coached to that point, the reigning defensive POY in conference in Clark...but coach doesn't even blink an eye to call KJ the best defender last year on the team and it "wasn't even close".

I would say Cronin knows a thing or two about defense coming from Huggins and Pitino. I could probably listen to arguments about Cronin's offensive thoughts...but it's hard to question him on his thoughts on defense. Good and great are subjective I get it...but there is little other reason to be playing KJ if it's not actually true in the coaches eye...maybe Cronin is wrong...IDK.

You not wrong. I agree with everything you wrote.

 

[jacobkdoyle]

I agree on Cumberland.

I was offering my opinion on KJ not overruling his...lol. When you have a coach who is a perennial top 10 defensive coach...and he calls KJ "hands down" the best defensive player on a top 10 defense. I'm not sure what else you can offer. We have Jacob Evans on the team who coach called the best freshman defender he had ever coached to that point, the reigning defensive POY in conference in Clark...but coach doesn't even blink an eye to call KJ the best defender last year on the team and it "wasn't even close".

I would say Cronin knows a thing or two about defense coming from Huggins and Pitino. I could probably listen to arguments about Cronin's offensive thoughts...but it's hard to question him on his thoughts on defense. Good and great are subjective I get it...but there is little other reason to be playing KJ if it's not actually true in the coaches eye...maybe Cronin is wrong...IDK.

I wish we had access to the deflection stats. Not doubting Cronin, I just thought it was funny that he asked for stats on Johnson and didn't get any. Johnson has the most steals on the team this year. That's a huge step. I think he's been much better this year than any other. A big part of that may be our defense. He's only 1 STL away from his career high, which was last year. He's also tied at his career high in blocks and only 2 defensive rebounds away. He may have been a good defender on tape last year, but Clark blew him away in counting stats. Much better argument for Johnson this year imo (but I don't watch defense the way our Coach does).

 

[waterhead]

I wish we had access to the deflection stats. Not doubting Cronin, I just thought it was funny that he asked for stats on Johnson and didn't get any. Johnson has the most steals on the team this year. That's a huge step. I think he's been much better this year than any other. A big part of that may be our defense. He's only 1 STL away from his career high, which was last year. He's also tied at his career high in blocks and only 2 defensive rebounds away. He may have been a good defender on tape last year, but Clark blew him away in counting stats. Much better argument for Johnson this year imo (but I don't watch defense the way our Coach does).

Yah...the old "on the ball" defense doesn't really relate to stats very well...lol! He's so good at getting above the high screen...we probably don't have to switch as much as when other players go below it. He does a pretty good job of sagging down to help when someone gets in the lane...he gets his hands in there pretty good...that's where a lot of his steals come from. He stays in front of his man all the way to the hole most of the time...not trailing behind. When you are trailing you need help...when you stay in front our shot blockers don't have to be the primary defender at the rack risking fouls.

IDK...I'm not sure much of that shows up in the stat sheet.

 

[jacobkdoyle]

Yah...the old "on the ball" defense doesn't really relate to stats very well...lol! He's so good at getting above the high screen...we probably don't have to switch as much as when other players go below it. He does a pretty good job of sagging down to help when someone gets in the lane...he gets his hands in there pretty good...that's where a lot of his steals come from. He stays in front of his man all the way to the hole most of the time...not trailing behind. When you are trailing you need help...when you stay in front our shot blockers don't have to be the primary defender at the rack risking fouls.

IDK...I'm not sure much of that shows up in the stat sheet.

I don't feel like Johnson was nearly as active last year. Again, might be bc of the defense, but he wasn't really a defensive playmaker at all. And our biggest weakness last year was allowing dribble penetration...While he may have been better than his teammates, he doesn't completely get a free pass there. Idk I just don't get how Coach can act like it wasn't even close. That's seriously selling Clark short.

 

[waterhead]

I don't feel like Johnson was nearly as active last year. Again, might be bc of the defense, but he wasn't really a defensive playmaker at all. And our biggest weakness last year was allowing dribble penetration...While he may have been better than his teammates, he doesn't completely get a free pass there. Idk I just don't get how Coach can act like it wasn't even close. That's seriously selling Clark short.

Yah...not sure I would have played down Clark's accomplishment like that. However, Clark gets a big bump in voting from shot blocks I'm sure.

Obviously coach has a lot more that he's watching for on D...and KJ must be doing more of the right things than anyone else.

 

[david aka the TYZ]

KJ doesn't lose his man on switches and double teams. Your job as an offense is to find a mismatch, find an open man, etc. When KJ is in there the team defense is much better. Last year Cobb started and KJ came off the bench. The combo of troy/cobb/Shaq led to a lot of open threes by our opponents. When KJ is in there he runs the defense, his job is to make sure no one gets open. He does an amazing job at that. Sure he gets beat here and there or commits a dumb foul. But possession in and possession out, KJ is the glue to the defense. That's why Mick says he's hands down the best defender and why he'll continue to start. Mick runs a complicated defense and KJ works it to perfection. There's no stats other than opponent team score that will reflect the difference of KJ being in and being out. Steals/blocks/rebounds are great and needed but that's not KJ's primary role. He runs the defense. KJ probably isn't our best on the ball defender, but we never play straight man to man and never will.

As far as Blueitt the other day, wasn't anybody going to stop him. Use to you could get away with grabbing and holding a guy to keep him from getting the ball. Nowadays you cant. Once the ball was in his hands you can't bear hug a guy to keep him from shooting. Half his threes his feet weren't set and he had a hand in his face. Kid was just on fire. I will credit Evans for disrupting him better once he got put on him. He saw the little stutter step dribble he would take and just got in his face when he did it to keep him from getting his shot up. Forced him to drive and forced several turnovers.

 

[GoCats88]

Didn't see it anywhere but may have been posted. Jacob Evans has been named as one of the ten finalists for the Jerry West award (Best SG) this year. Quite the accomplishment for the young fella, getting some national recognition. I love it.

 

[Madman81]

have we seen anything about brooks?

 

[WAITE HOYT 2]

have we seen anything about brooks?

BONE BRUISE.

 

[Madman81]

BONE BRUISE.

says who

 

[waterhead]

I was looking through some old coaching data for UC basketball. Did anyone realize we had a coach actually named Rip Van Winkle? Are you FKM...lol!!