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1. Sailor Ripley said:

   January 28th, 2010 at 11:04 pm

   It is nice to have everyone all riled up over Texas basketball and the underachieving 17-2 Texas Longhorns.

   Bravo!

2. hookem625 said:

   January 29th, 2010 at 12:18 am

   “a 6′10″ guy that broke his foot and lost his bounce then cut his fro and lost his mojo.”

   Pure aweomeness.

   But to answer the question of what would I do, I say we only need a slight lineup tweak. I’m thinking we start Shawn Williams at the point despite the injury cuz like ipowers said, this guy can ball. Then get that kid from Like Mike to play the 2 cuz he’s so good he’s in the NBA at like age 12. Next move Pittman to the 3 cuz I have a feeling he’s been hiding his silky smooth jumpshot from us and can light it up from downtown. Keep DJ at the 4, he’s good. And finally get the Wabash guy to play the 5 cuz I want to see him for more than just one timeout a game.

   Sounds good right?

3. bat said:

   January 29th, 2010 at 5:35 am

   Offense and press.

4. lazer2280 said:

   January 29th, 2010 at 6:44 am

   Try and recruit one of Mack’s “tight ends” to the hardwood. They sure as hell can’t play football.

5. lazer2280 said:

   January 29th, 2010 at 6:45 am

   That may have been a little harsh. I will go get some coffee now.

6. Bob in Houston said:

   January 29th, 2010 at 7:14 am

   Press… hmmm….

   When there are any defensive liabilities, Barnes will press only when there’s about a 90 percent chance it will work. So we’ve seen it in like maybe two games the last three years.

   I’d also suggest that if some of these players can’t handle how to defend off the ball, they’d really have trouble trying to recover in a press.

7. Trips Right said:

   January 29th, 2010 at 8:30 am

   A lot of it depends on the opponent and matchups for me, Will, so it’s tough to answer the question.

   For instance, when we play Baylor we’re probably going to be okay with what we’re doing because they’re going to speed up the game and not put a premium on off the ball defense. They’ll do some post exchanges and duck ins inside and some ballscreening outside but that’s not really a problem for us because we defend that pretty well if for no other reason than we simply out athlete Baylor on the ball and for the most part inside.

   Now if they run Jones and Dunn off of downscreens and or staggered baseline screens and our kids have to read cuts, bump cutters, or help by showing we’re fucked. That typed, coaches watch film, so I fully expect all of the opponents left on our schedule to add these components to their offense in some fashion, but the good news is that there really isn’t another Tech on our schedule that spends a quarter of its practice time in the motion game with drills about cutting, screening, reading defenders, etc.

   A simple answer to your question is simplify things. You do that by implementing more switching and softening off the the ball pressure. Let your kids play with their heels on the arc off the ball and make teams beat you over the top. Hell, pop in a tape of Washington State circa 2007, and remember we have the benefit of elite on ball defenders.

   Here’s a pretty good summation of what I’m suggesting. The packline or sagging m2m defense

   http://www.coachesclipboard.net/BasketballPackLineDefense.html

   Great post by the way.

8. SkyMonkeyHorn said:

   January 29th, 2010 at 8:44 am

   General , I salute you for truly being the “Shultze” of Stalage 17 or was that “Hogan Hero’s” ?
   You have been been a little harsh but spot on in your evaluation. I like it alot.

   “The postulated theory that it is J’Covan Brown and Jordan Hamilton’s fault is a little weak though. ” They bear equal fault for our demise as a team defense. Team being the key word.

   “this defensive coach decided to play to his strengths by emphasizing and teaching man pressure basketball. That, I think, was a logical conclusion.”
   This is the key to your theory “his strengths” as in defensive coach. The emphasizing should be on his players strengths to get 100% of their athletic ability.

   12 mismatch players ,this late in the season I would go to a rotation of seven players.
   Balbay, Mase(fools gold, maybe) Bradley, James, Dex. Keep the starting 5 intact.

   This unit would play 4 out and Dex mid way up the lane. Dex dropping down to screen for James and Bradley as the team rotates on the floor.
   First option for our Offense going through Dex then James in the blocks.
   Next option finding an open wing by Dex or James in the lane and setting a screen for a driving lane to the rim.
   Option 3 swing the ball to the weak side for an open three. Repeat and repeat until the other teams adjust to it. Push tempo every chance we get.

   First big off the bench is Gary Johnson for Dex or Mason. Push tempo more and keep the ball in front type of defense. Dog continues to deny the other PG the ball and stays in his jock until Barnes gives him a rest.
   I know but its either Brown or Lucas. As right now it would be Brown at the SG and Bradley pushing with the PG responsibility 60 % of the time when Brown is in the game.
   This would be my rotation for the rest of the year.

   Chapman in for a big after Johnson, for 3-4 minutes or more if he is hitting his shots.
   Alex if we need more rebounds and match up to the other team.
   Lucas if we are seeing a zone if Brown and Bradley, James ,Dog are not breaking down the zone with 3’s or drives to midrange area for a 10-13 footer.

   The rotation is 7 unless we get in foul trouble then we go to 9 for better or worse.
   We play up tempo as much as possible and teach all five guys on the floor that defense is keeping your eye on the ball and checking where your man is. Never turn your back to the ball.

   Mr.Knight said that any defense will improve 10-15 % just with all the defensive players knowing where the ball is and shifting to the side where the ball is , weak side within a step of the lane or so. Anticipate the skip pass and challenge the shot.

   Just to throw off the other team (doubt that Barnes considers this) press off of free throws and out of bounds plays then fall back and keep that sucker in front of you. Something to pick up a easy basket or to have the other team turn over the ball.

   I would throw a Luau and roast some pig. Have a great blow out and have a few refreshments, and aroma therapy for the players. Invite the female student body and have a roman holiday to start. Image an Animal House setting.

9. Al Davis said:

   January 29th, 2010 at 8:47 am

   Just win baby…

10. Art Vandelay said:

    January 29th, 2010 at 9:19 am

    I’d call Jim Boeheim and learn to coach zone. I don’t understand why more college coaches don’t play more zone. They are probably afraid that Bobby Knight will make fun of them.

    Zone seems like a logical thing to run when most teams you will be facing don’t have more than one good outside shooter, are infatuated with one on one play, and in most cases don’t understand how to attack a zone. Playing zone doesn’t mean guys like Balbay and Avery have to dial down their pressure, they just learn to apply it differently during periods that we go this route. It would also allow Dexter to play more minutes, as well as start utilizing more of Chapman’s skill sets.

11. OldTimeHorn said:

    January 29th, 2010 at 10:07 am

    “mentioned on the post mortem (to hyphenate or not hyphenate, that is the question)”

    Arrrrgh! Hyphenate! Hyphenate! (Except, oddly enough, your impulse to hyphenate “post mortem” is erroneous.)

    What is it with sports writers’ aversion to hyphens? I end up rereading sentences two and three times cuz you’re afraid to throw in a little -.

    You immediately go on to ignore such great hyphen opportunities as “on ball” “foul prone” and “man pressure.” At least squeeze them together into a new word as you do with “shotblocking.” Try to make reading easy for us, your rock-solid fans.

12. captainsubtext said:

    January 29th, 2010 at 10:18 am

    Can Sean Sutton coach defense like his daddy? I don’t like either one of them as people, but I loved the way Eddie’s teams defended. Once upon a time, i loved the way Barnes teams played defense.

    Do you think anyone would notice if we just switched Chapman for Boddicker? Boddicker could get his hair cut and just slip in on the bench.

13. raoulduke said:

    January 29th, 2010 at 4:29 pm

    The paucity of responses shows the depth of the problem.

    Great post, general.

14. kafka said:

    January 30th, 2010 at 12:16 am

    More matchup zone, especially when Dex and Jordan are playing. Play intense pressure man only when there are 5 good man defenders on the floor. Send 5 guys to the boards on D against good bounding clubs. Be open to box and 1 or triangle and two when matchups dictate. Simplify things as much as possible for Jordan. Really teach rebounding out of the zone. Be aware of your opponent’s tendencies and weaknesses. Protect your big man if you get beat. Make your fouls count (it is a physical game). Disrupt O motion whenever possible. If the opponent is stronger with one hand, force him in the other direction. Physically intimidate whenever possible.

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