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Some Thoughts on the loss to Nebraska

Posted by Trips Right on February 9th, 2009 under Basketball

Sorry this is so late. Someone mentioned that they were afraid I was passed out in a Mexican prison in Juarez. If you’ve met my wife, you know how ironic that assertion could be. In any event, I was able to finally watch the game late last night and here are some random thoughts on the tragedy.

The way Nebraska attacked the Horns coupled with how Texas countered, epitomized what is wrong with Barnes’ squad. It’s been talked about all year long, but never was the problem more apparent than this past Saturday afternoon. Thanks to the Huskers for making it crystal clear. No matter what the Longhorns do from one end of the personnel spectrum to the other, there’s always huge downside. There’s always a weakness that’s easily exploitable. Always outs for the opposing team if that team has any sort of talent. If Texas goes big to take advantage of interior offensive superiority with Dexter Pittman inside, teams simply isolate the Big kid by taking him away from the bucket. If Texas tries to hide him with zone, the opponent exploits the lack of length on the perimeter and general misunderstanding of zone principles from a novice zone team. Put in shooters to shoot the opposing team out of the zone? The opponent just applies pressure because our shooters can’t handle and our handlers can’t shoot. It’s frustrating but it’s reality.

Another thing that stuck out was the lack of communication this Texas team displays. They don’t seem to talk on defense. They don’t huddle during dead balls. I counted one time I saw a non-bench dead ball huddle. Texas doesn’t look like a team that likes each other. It might be a function of losing, but their lack of interaction with one another was striking.

Aside from general musings, the game itself was again an excercise in frustration. Texas did terrific work offensively when they attacked the basket and the glass. When they settled for jumpers they became a piss poor offensive basketball team. Rewatch the game from about the 8 minute mark on in the second half. Texas took two shots inside of 10 feet. One was a follow up dunk off of, shockingly, a deep jumper, and the other was a missed running floater by Abrams. Other than Gary Johnson, this was a tired team down the stretch. Texas didn’t move well without the ball, they didn’t cut hard, they didn’t pass crisply. They did what tired players do which is take bail out jumpshots because it’s the easy way out.

I’m not sure what we’re doing in our press offense. You have what amounts to a one man press breaker in Dogus Balbay, the only player that can back dribble out of a trap or split a trap with any success, and you have him inbound the basketball? Why wouldn’t you have Mason inbound it and have JM play the runner’s role in the middle of the press since he becomes a significantly better ball handler when he catches the ball on the move heading to the basket. It’s a gross misallocation of scarce ballhandling resources.

Speaking of gross. High ballscreens with players that can’t shoot or turn the corner with elite quickness are an exercise in futility. At best they bleed precious shot clock seconds, and at worst they court turnovers if the defense decides to trap the ball screen. This is one of the reasons our offense in the final 5 minutes of the ballgame utilized the high ballscreen for AJ Abrams. He can shoot. Others can’t.

Now, if you can tell me why the high ball screen for AJ Abrams was the entirety of our offense down the stretch, you’ll receive a singned Connor Atchley “Go Big or Go Home” slumpbuster T-shirt. Connor hit his second 3 in conference play. Welcome back Connor.

Damion James once again settled for way too many jumpers eventhough Nebraska was guarding him with a 6-3 forward named Sek. In fairness to DJ, 5-7 guard Cookie Miller and 5-11 guard Steve Harley cast a pretty big shadow helpside.

Doge Balbay played well when he played aggressively. Daganduro played a one man zone when Texas took the ball out of Doge’s hands down the stretch. Texas needs to start using Balbay as a screener when opposing defenders are playing him in the paint. This will open up some drive opportunities for the kid when his player comes out to hedge screens.

Mason needs to get more than 2 rebounds in a game like this. Nebraska is shooting jumpers which lead to long rebounds and on the other end, Mason is being blocked out by a shrimp. Justin’s play was indicative of the entire team’s performance. Texas lost the majority of loose balls and hustle plays. That’s not a good sign for an ostensibly proud team that had lost two straight going into Saturday.

I think Barnes is making a huge mistake hammering Varez Ward for taking open jumpshots against a zone. Varez has a nice stroke and can certainly shoot it better than the team average of 26% from 3. Who else besides AJ Abrams do you want shooting the ball this year? Ward should have some chits left, don’t you think?

Dexter Pittman once again played like a man amongst boys, and the game will get even easier for him next year with all the creative talent coming to the 40. The 4 fouls he was saddled with were about the cheapest 4 fouls I’ve ever seen called on a player. Officials are starting to anticipate fouls on Dex. They’re reputation fouls and they’re total bullshit. The Commissioner’s office needs a copy of the tape. It didn’t matter in the outcome of the game, but it might down the road.

Overall, an uninspired performance from a team that isn’t talented enough to play uninspired and still win. We’ve hit rock bottom. But I’m out of jail

Thoughts?

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36 Responses

  1. ponderos said:

    February 9th, 2009 at 12:27 pm

    Thought Nebraska did as good a job as anybody this season on Blake when OU played them, despite them not having anybody even in the ballpark of 6′10″ on the floor. What they lacked in size, they made up for in quicks with effective trapping and off-ball rotation.

  2. TRAPPED IN MONTREALDR P said:

    February 9th, 2009 at 12:36 pm

    Why are they always out 2 get Dexter?

  3. The General said:

    February 9th, 2009 at 12:38 pm

    I was about to completely give up on AJ when he took that shot on the next to last possession, until I realized nobody else on the floor was moving.

  4. TRAPPED IN MONTREALDR P said:

    February 9th, 2009 at 12:38 pm

    Oh…I think I know…

  5. Loadholt's Lost Money said:

    February 9th, 2009 at 12:38 pm

    Ward can hit better than the team average of 26%? Not sure where you came up with that. Certainly not from the kid’s stat sheet — Ward has hit 1 of 17 on the year. That’s a little bit lower than 26%. Lower than 10% even — 5.9%, actually.

  6. Nordberg said:

    February 9th, 2009 at 12:42 pm

    In retrospect, loading up on guards who can’t shoot probably wasn’t the best recruiting plan.

  7. Trips Right said:

    February 9th, 2009 at 12:47 pm

    I suppose you had better hit your first jumper. Cuz if you miss, that’s like zero percent and shit.

  8. RansomStoddard said:

    February 9th, 2009 at 1:09 pm

    I look forward to meeting Connor next year in his job as an accountant. I hope AJ hit the books hard this year because his degree is how he will be making money in a few weeks. The NBA scouts quit watching Damion weeks ago. He’s not big or tough enough to play power forward and not a good enough shooter or handler to play shooting forward. That attempt at a spin move near mid-court was really painful to watch.

    As for Balbay, all I can say is ‘really’? He’s a college-level player…REALLY? I have twin 7 year old girls on my Y team that are so cute when they get the ball. They dribble fiercely and move alot but its always around in circles. They never shoot, don’t even think about shooting. They just dribble frantically in circles. They are the twin spawn of Dogus Balbay.

    Johnson is a good athlete who wandered mistakenly on to a basketball court. Mason’s pictures are on milk cartons. Pittman just ordered a new XXXL size Snuggie, having spilled cookies and Doritos on his first one while watching Peter Pan marathons on the Lifetime channel.

    You are correct, this team doesn’t call out screens or otherwise communicate. It’s weird.

    Oh well, we still have that top 25 ranking so we’ve got that going for us. Which is nice.

  9. Nordberg said:

    February 9th, 2009 at 1:10 pm

    No we don’t.

    And you’re too hard on Balbay. He’s one of the few guys right now I’d like to see more of.

  10. The General said:

    February 9th, 2009 at 1:32 pm

    RS,

    That shit is funny.

    Damion James is drafted and makes an NBA Roster next year.

  11. dedfischer said:

    February 9th, 2009 at 2:32 pm

    I didn’t see the game, but saw the score and I thought to myself, I bet Trips Right works in a couldn’t beat Clarendon College joke here. I’m glad to see things haven’t got that bad. We’re a lost cause right now on the bb court, so I’m quietly rooting for you.

  12. Loadholt's Lost Money said:

    February 9th, 2009 at 2:56 pm

    What are you getting so sarcastic about? The numbers say he can’t shoot, much less at a level more than four times the rate at which he currently hits. Notice actually, that were you to take out Ward’s shooting, the percentage goes up. Rick Barnes acts like he doesn’t like Ward shooting and the numbers tell a horrid story, too. Those are the facts. It’s also a fact that his stroke looks fine besides the lack of elevation or knee bend, but that doesn’t explain your pissiness.

  13. Loadholt's Lost Money said:

    February 9th, 2009 at 2:58 pm

    And to answer your question, yeah, if you miss the first one nearly every single time maybe you shouldn’t shoot it.

  14. RRR said:

    February 9th, 2009 at 3:05 pm

    Juarez jail – reminds of the good times like getting clocked in front of the Derby and almost going to jail for my troubles.

    Which reminds me I need to apologize for getting drunk and posting high expectations for the Horns this year. I really thought they’d play better as a team without Durant or Augustine.

    But they haven’t. Unless they’re in Lubbock. In which case Damion James becomes decisive to the basket and actually makes long jumpers. Bizarre.

    Just do me a favor and pummel Eaton tomorrow night. Hopefully you’ll have a ref that understands that you can’t pivot after a jump stop.

  15. Texoz said:

    February 9th, 2009 at 4:00 pm

    This just in – the refs have already given Dexter two fouls prior to Tuesday’s game.

    I don’t know what mood the crowd will be in, or how many people will even show up, but for Dexter’s future in the Big 12 I think our fans and our Coach need to start riding the refs if the fouls are really ticky-tack on Dex.

    There’s a been a few instances where I wanted to see Barnes get T’d up for the sake of making a point.

    Regarding the end of the last two games. It was idiotic. As The General mentioned, AJ was doubled teams in the final secs of Nebraska and it appeared as though the other 4 were just waiting for something to happen, as opposed to making something happen. Really poor decision making going on lately.

  16. Scipio Tex said:

    February 9th, 2009 at 5:51 pm

    Good thoughts all.

    There is no “right lineup” that we can put on the floor. That’s all there is to it.

  17. srr50 said:

    February 9th, 2009 at 6:10 pm

    Texas doesn’t look like a team that likes each other.

    They don’t like each other, in part because they know Barnes doesn’t like them.

    And I think a driving force behind Barnes’ distaste for this squad is because he doesn’t have a mini-me on this team.

    There is no Royale Ivey, T.J. Ford, P.J. Tucker or D.J. Augustin, no one who can be an SOB to fellow players, because he has their respect, but also has Barnes respect enough to stand up for his teammates and let coach know when enough is enough.

    Right now there isn’t anyone who can act as the leader on the court, organize those dead ball huddles, bitch out teammates, while also helping Barnes chill out at key moments.

  18. Wulaw Horn said:

    February 9th, 2009 at 6:32 pm

    Ransom- you are way to pessimistic (and this is coming from someone who posted that he hates this team on another forum).

    AJ Abrams will make money playing basketball and will have a long career in Europe I would bet. Damion James will get drafted and it will be in the first round. Balby doesn’t suck near as much as you think he does.

    Now, this team is infuriating to me to watch, but a lot of what you said was quite simply talking out of your ass, and ignorant in a lot of ways. This team is not very good right now, I was dead wrong about them being the class of a weak big 12, but you go to far in your criticism of them as individual players.

  19. Trips Right said:

    February 9th, 2009 at 6:33 pm

    Perfectly put, srr50. I wish you’d write more basketball, your takes are always dead on.

  20. Trips Right said:

    February 9th, 2009 at 6:36 pm

    By the way, Damion James has been telling his high school coach he’s coming back. I don’t know that we have room, but I do know that this year’s performance has done anything but enhanced DJ’s draft position.

  21. Justaguy said:

    February 9th, 2009 at 6:46 pm

    Watching this team trying to execute a half-court offense is like watching a toddler put together a puzzle. They grab the pieces that they think fit together and then pound away. Problem is that not only are they the wrong pieces, but by the time they are done pounding the pieces won’t fit anywhere.

    One question, if Barnes won’t change his offensive scheme and his offense needs at least one guy who can dribble and create why in the world would you only recruit a kid that can’t even get out of high school let alone into UT and no one else?

  22. SizzleChest said:

    February 9th, 2009 at 6:49 pm

    To srr’s excellent point, Justin Mason should be that guy, but he’s been almost as flaky in his play as Atchley.

    As for DJ, I think Barnes is destined to have a very uncomfortable chat with him which will culminate in the door hitting DJs ass.

  23. DBH said:

    February 9th, 2009 at 7:36 pm

    Nice analysis from Trips and great comments. Ransom’s were especially amusing. Better to laugh than cry.

  24. Texoz said:

    February 9th, 2009 at 9:22 pm

    Great observation, sr50.

    I don’t know if he has the personality for it, but I would start Dexter and tell him that it’s his show from here on out. Yes, I know it sounds nuts to ask the big fella to be your team leader, but honestly who is playing better now, and consistently? Who is bringing the passion and the desire?

    However, there’s at least one major flaw with that idea – Dexter’s amount of time on the floor.

    I know I sound like a broken record, but I see great things ahead for Dexter and one way to get there is to give him the keys to the car.

  25. Trips Right said:

    February 9th, 2009 at 9:29 pm

    Texoz, wait until he’s our big finisher on the weakside block next year. There’s no way to help on dribble penetration and still keep Dex off the weakside glass. He’ll make Joey Dorsey look like Dennis Kucinich minus the neck tat.

  26. Trips Right said:

    February 9th, 2009 at 9:43 pm

    Loadholt’s lost money, sorry man, I didn’t mean to come across pissy. My point about Varez was to illustrate the “coaching mad” problem with Barnes. You’ve got a young guard that’s getting a good look against the zone. A good look in general and also relative to the looks his teammates are getting and taking.

    What’s Ward supposed to do? Reverse the basketball so James can take a contested 15 footer or “the sleave” can jack a contested 3 from 20 as he’s falling out of bounds. It was a shitty move to pull Ward because I suspect had Varez made the shot, he would have remained in the game. Now you’ve got 3 tentative guards in Mason, Balbay, and Ward. At some point you have to stop mindfucking your players and let them play basketball.

  27. Texoz said:

    February 9th, 2009 at 10:10 pm

    Here’s a clip from the Mizzou game that is a microcosm of the madness that is our offense. UT has the ball and is passing it inbounds. Dex is near the basket. Notice that he is double, then tripled.

    http://www.deadgiveaway.com/Horns/20090204-Dex1.wmv

    The big question, what is everyone else doing??? There was a ton of open paint and in a perfect world someone cuts to the basket, which Dex expects and he tosses a nice pass for a layup or slam. Varez eventually scores on the possesion, but it’s frustrating to not exploit our biggest asset.

    And no, I don’t normally sit that close. Just lucked into to some sweet seats.

  28. Callkevin said:

    February 9th, 2009 at 10:24 pm

    Sizzlechest, I completely disagree with this: “As for DJ, I think Barnes is destined to have a very uncomfortable chat with him which will culminate in the door hitting DJs ass.”

    Why would you believe that?

  29. Bob in Houston said:

    February 10th, 2009 at 6:53 am

    Texoz, what was nice about that play is when the defender went too far, Ward took it right to the hoop. Nobody stopped him, in part, because he would have dished for a Dexter slam.

    But Ward also was the one who was in best position to cut for the layup in the first place.

  30. Texoz said:

    February 10th, 2009 at 7:52 am

    Bob, agreed. Varez will make you pay if you don’t respect him. It was a pretty quick move as well.

    Still, why didn’t we have a set play on the inbound where either -
    A) Dexter takes it to the hoop if he’s singled
    B) Dexter looks for open man if he’s doulbe (or almost tripled in that play).

    If Dexter passes to cutter, but the defender recovers in time then the cutter can probably find an open man on the perimenter. Going forward, it’s likely that teams will double down on Dex and I hope our team takes advantage of that.

  31. The General said:

    February 10th, 2009 at 8:43 am

    “Sizzlechest, I completely disagree with this: “As for DJ, I think Barnes is destined to have a very uncomfortable chat with him which will culminate in the door hitting DJs ass.””

    I think Clint Chapman transfers. He is unhappy. Barnes actively loathes his prescence in the state of Texas. Also, he is a poor man’s Connor Atchley.

  32. coach Callahan said:

    February 10th, 2009 at 9:09 am

    The thing that stuck out to me while at the game Saturday was that in the last two minutes Texas decided to stand around and watch Nebraska play. TU has alot of athletic players that just don’t play very hard.

  33. Callkevin said:

    February 10th, 2009 at 9:43 am

    Chapman is 13-43 (.302) from the floor with only one 3-pt shot, and he’s 1-14 from the line.

    Connor’s hitting .388 overall (.288 from 3, .50 from inside the arc), and he’s 20-23 from the line. Conner’s having a crappy season, but I’m not sure words have been found to describe what Clint’s gone through.

    Ward is 1-17 from 3, Clint is 1-14 from the line, and Balbay, Chapman, Hill & Smith have played 620 minutes and given us 85 points. Yeesh.

  34. Bob in Houston said:

    February 10th, 2009 at 11:03 am

    Reprise Barnes: “These things have a way of working themselves out.”

  35. Art Vandelay said:

    February 10th, 2009 at 12:28 pm

    Texoz, great video and very telling. Looks like an NBA team playing out the string.

    Maybe standing around and watching Durant and DJ the last couple of years has caught up to us???

  36. Houstonearler said:

    February 10th, 2009 at 1:07 pm

    We could have used Wangmene this year.

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