Memo to our guards

[Cheesehead]

Dee has a huge heart and Myles is most improved player this season but please stop driving one against 2 or 3, for the love of God! Players have to be able to recognize and analyze game situations. That means understanding what is a good shot and what is not a good shot. Stop padding shot block stats for the other team.

[xsteve1]

Maybe the coaches need to relay this message to them, if they have they sure aren't getting through.

[drudy23]

Been happening all year...Dee hasn't done it nearly as much the second half of the year, but did it today is situations where we needed buckets.

[waggy]

Inexcusable that this late in your career you are still wasting possessions like this.

[xu82]

Inexcusable that this late in your career you are still wasting possessions like this.

It does hurt, and we are about to find out what the next generation looks like. Expect some growing pains there as well.

[Backyard Champ]

There is an art to drawing contact in those situations, unfortunately our guards haven't learned that art.

[joe titan]

Unfortunately, they watched SC (and Tu before that) effectively complete those plays

[paulxu]

I wish we could recruit some 6'3" point guards.

[xu82]

I wish we could recruit some 6'3" point guards.

That sounds about right. Is Sumner really in the 6'5" neighborhood (and maybe still growing)? Pros and cons with that from here behind the curtain.

[Titanxman04]

Unfortunately, they watched SC (and Tu before that) effectively complete those plays

Watching those guys complete those plays and doing it oneself is not that simple. Body size, ability, individual situations.... We cannot simplify those three, mass them together, and say they are on equal footing.

It's incredibly frustrating, but to say that since Tu could do it, Dee should, isn't fair. Though, Dee should know he's not Tu or Semaj.

[joe titan]

I wish we could recruit some 6'3" point guards.

The difficulty is most 6'3" kids in high school/AAU do not play PG thus lack handle, distribution skills and lateral agility.

[joe titan]

Watching those guys complete those plays and doing it oneself is not that simple. Body size, ability, individual situations.... We cannot simplify those three, mass them together, and say they are on equal footing.

It's incredibly frustrating, but to say that since Tu could do it, Dee should, isn't fair. Though, Dee should know he's not Tu or Semaj.

That's why I said "unfortunately" and certainly did not imply Dee/Myles were supposed to become SC/Tu. But it is really tough to watch SC be coached to break his man down, get to the rim etc and then have Dee hold back and work it around, etc. And the guards would benefit greatly if JP, Trevon could learn to cut & finish plays (Remy is fairly good there); that is where Dez was so valuable. I am not saying Dee/Myles should not see the play develop better when they dribble into the lanr, but I will stress it is a team game and other players need to work their own roles on such plays to make it work.

[XUMIOH12]

That sounds about right. Is Sumner really in the 6'5" neighborhood (and maybe still growing)? Pros and cons with that from here behind the curtain.

Sumner is (allegedly) 6-6.5 now....lets hope he can get his body together and start making a difference next season.

[Frambo]

Dee has a huge heart and Myles is most improved player this season but please stop driving one against 2 or 3, for the love of God! Players have to be able to recognize and analyze game situations. That means understanding what is a good shot and what is not a good shot. Stop padding shot block stats for the other team.

I don't know what happened to the old fast break drill where the ball handler stopped around the elbow and the runners used spacing to get to the blocks, making the outnumbered defenders choose who to defend. Now, EVERYTHING has to go to the rim. This ruins spacing and can get some calls...but too often for us it ends with a charge, a bad throw up leading to an opponent fast break, or no foul call. We seem to have lost the art of the pull up jumper which I saw 'Nova use effectively yesterday.

[paulxu]

The mid range jumper is a dying art in college basketball.

[drudy23]

I don't know what happened to the old fast break drill where the ball handler stopped around the elbow and the runners used spacing to get to the blocks, making the outnumbered defenders choose who to defend. Now, EVERYTHING has to go to the rim. This ruins spacing and can get some calls...but too often for us it ends with a charge, a bad throw up leading to an opponent fast break, or no foul call. We seem to have lost the art of the pull up jumper which I saw 'Nova use effectively yesterday.

It's stupid , low IQ basketball. Every player would rather do a euro-step than make the right play.

[D-West & PO-Z]

The mid range jumper is a dying art in college basketball.

I think Trevon is pretty good at the mid range game. I think he will be a great player.

[paulxu]

I think Trevon is pretty good at the mid range game. I think he will be a great player.

I hope you are right. With defending the 3 and the paint, there just seems to be such an opportunity for people who can do that.

[Cheesehead]

The mid range jumper is a dying art in college basketball.

Agreed and it's pretty much true at all levels.

[boozehound]

Sumner is (allegedly) 6-6.5 now....lets hope he can get his body together and start making a difference next season.

Man, that seems really tall for a PG. Hope he doesn't outgrow the position.

[BandAid]

How tall is Austin? 6'2"? That's not bad at all for a collegiate pg. It may take the first half of next year for the game to slow down for him, but I'm excited about his future.

[Cheesehead]

Man, that seems really tall for a PG. Hope he doesn't outgrow the position.

6'5" PG would be awesome and present a matchup problem. Hell, Magic is 6'9"

[Muskie in dayton]

Man, that seems really tall for a PG. Hope he doesn't outgrow the position.

The required skills for the position are ball handling and court vision (a good long range jumper sure helps too). Height doesn't hinder those skills, so the taller the better.

[bleedXblue]

We have an open scholarship for next year. We better not make another late addition to a class and reach for another guy. We have a serious issue next year at PG. Sumner is a big question mark. Both back ups this year look very pedestrian to me. If I'm Mack, I'm looking Juco or 5th year transfer for a solid guy to bridge the gap until Sumner is ready.

[Juice]

The mid range jumper is a dying art in college basketball.

Because it's a dumb shot.

[waggy]

Because it's a dumb shot.

That DWest made a career of.

[LA Muskie]

The required skills for the position are ball handling and court vision (a good long range jumper sure helps too). Height doesn't hinder those skills, so the taller the better.

Actually, height absolutely can affect ball handling and quickness. It could affect him on both ends of the floor. There's definitely a risk that he outgrows the position (in which case he probably becomes a tough matchup stretch 2/3).

There's only been 1 Magic.

[RoseyMuskie]

Actually, height absolutely can affect ball handling and quickness. It could affect him on both ends of the floor. There's definitely a risk that he outgrows the position (in which case he probably becomes a tough matchup stretch 2/3).

There's only been 1 Magic.

Rare breed, but if Sumner could be a Kyle Anderson type player, I'd consider it a huge success.

[Xfan5667]

I am really disappointed with the turnovers with the guards. Really believe we need to throw it in on the block and move for a better shot #zipemup #bobchuggins

[xu82]

The required skills for the position are ball handling and court vision (a good long range jumper sure helps too). Height doesn't hinder those skills, so the taller the better.

That's only half the game, and I'm mildly concerned about that. I am seriously concerned about being able to stay in front of a quick opposing PG. Defense is always hard for young guys, especially if you're at a physical disadvantage. Length is great, but lateral quickness is a huge PG requirement. I hope he can handle that, because the upside seems terrific.

[boozehound]

That's only half the game, and I'm mildly concerned about that. I am seriously concerned about being able to stay in front of a quick opposing PG. Defense is always hard for young guys, especially if you're at a physical disadvantage. Length is great, but lateral quickness is a huge PG requirement. I hope he can handle that, because the upside seems terrific.

That's the part I'm a little concerned about. If he stays quick enough to guard other PG's then his length can be a huge asset. We are asking for a lot of ball handling from a guy who is grown a lot in a short time. If he retains his ability to control his body, he could be a matchup nightmare.

[xu82]

That's the part I'm a little concerned about. If he stays quick enough to guard other PG's then his length can be a huge asset. We are asking for a lot of ball handling from a guy who is grown a lot in a short time. If he retains his ability to control his body, he could be a matchup nightmare.

If Sumner has grown too much, we can always try London! He was a PG not too long ago... Imagine THAT!

[DoubleD86]

Because it's a dumb shot.

So true, especially for guards.