The View From Section 241 (hoops edition)

[businesslawyer]

A number of thoughts from last night.

1. I still believe that Jim Calhoun was the greatest coach of his generation. Yes, K has overall better numbers but the two of them did not inherit equivalent basketball programs. I think it is far more likely that Calhoun would have equalled or bettered K's record at Duke than that K would have equalled or bettered Calhoun's record at UConn. Having said that, gentlemen, we have a coach for the future. KO has not only taken the desire and heart that Calhoun instilled, but he has NBA connections that, conference hell notwithstanding, is going to make recruiting explode. And, as a newbie, he already understands flexibility (we finished each of the last four games with different five man groups on the floor), preparation player development and tactics at a high level. He will only get better. The good news is that we will never lose him to another school. If the NBA comes calling for him, well, hopefully it won't be for a while.

2. The most underrated piece of winning basketball games is point guard defense. Everyone talks about how important it is to have leadership and skills at the point at the college level, and how a Kemba or a Shabazz can carry a team, but surely the opposite is true as well -- if you have a point guard who, defensively, can keep the other team's point guard from carrying his team, you are going to win a lot more than you lose. Look at whom we've defended the point with over the last 25 years: Chris Smith; Kevin Ollie; the great Ricky Moore; Taliek Brown; young Shabazz in '11; and now Ryan Boatright. That is a great list of defensive point guards, and it is no coincidence that their tenure has led to our success. I would not have put Boat in this club even in mid-February, but the defense he played this post-season was as good or better than anyone on that list with the singular exception of Ricky Moore (and Ricky Moore in 98-99 has the single best defensive season I have ever seen a perimeter player have at any level). Congrats to Ryan for putting in the effort to match his athleticism, and congrats to the entire coaching staff for helping him get there.

3. While we're talking about D, an obvious comparison needs to be made between this tournament run and '11. In '99 and '04, we won titles with teams that were as good as anyone in the country. No matter what the talking heads said. In '11, we had shown we were good enough to beat anyone in the country on a good day, but not that we would beat anyone in the country through six rounds. This year, we had the same type of season as in '11, but with a softer schedule and not as much demonstrated success. But in both '11 and this year, we are champions because, in March, we played the best defense of anyone in the country and paired it with guard play that was going to do enough offensively to win. Was the D better this year than in '11? You could make that case (although I'm not sure how much better we could have played defensively in '11. What do people think?

4. I know Kentucky made it to the national final, but don't think for a moment that experience didn't matter in this game. They played down the stretch with five freshman on the floor. We played down the stretch with two seniors with rings, one fifth year senior (and thank goodness for the glue -- not to mention the 4 and 6 -- that LK provided) and two juniors. And the experience won the game with little things. Foul shooting. Not losing site of shooters in a zone. Understanding how to play the pick and roll. Things that natural athleticism help, but that time and experience make you better at. The squid can take all the publicity he wants for succeed and proceed -- I will take my chances with building teams over 3 and 4 years and coaching less NBA-ready players up as basketball players and not just athletes.

5. The NCAA tournament is a crapshoot. We beat five outstanding basketball teams in a row, and not one of the games required last second heroics. And yet, we all know that, while we didn't play poorly at all, we came within an unlikely to be repeated Brimah 3 point play from going out in the first round. The margin for error in an NCAA tournament is miniscule these days in a way it wasn't in '99 and '04. That makes winning two national championships in a player's career unbelievably special. Congratulations to Messrs. Napier, Giffey and Olander for accomplishing something that very few NCAA basketball players will ever accomplish again.

6. I don't want to dwell on conference realignment so quickly after such a great run, but I will say one thing now before coming back to this in a while. It will be difficult to maintain our status as a top "blueblood" program in mens's hoops in this conference. But what our team did this March -- and what I am confident KO will continue to do -- is buy ourselves more time. The landscape won't stay like this forever, and eventually the money (from schools leaving us) will run out and over time the lack of funds will make recruiting, and thus winning, harder. But this has bought us time. IT NOW BECOMES IMPERATIVE THAT OUR FANBASE REALIZE THAT THEIR DONATIONS, THEIR COMING TO GAMES AND THEIR GOING TO ROAD GAMES ALSO BUYS US TIME. BECAUSE ULTIMATELY IT IS OUR FANBASE THAT MAKES US ATTRACTIVE TO OTHER CONFERENCES AND TV NETWORKS.

Everyone should enjoy this. I honesty thought this was possible when we started the season, given the lack of a great team this year and our potential, but thinking it was possible did not mean it was expected. This was a treat. Have a great day all.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I would give St. Joe's a little more credit and say UConn beat 6 outstanding basketball teams in a row.

The conference situation remains a priority, because I agree that winning will get harder and harder over time. UConn needs to get creative if a straightforward invitation to the Big 10 or ACC is not forthcoming.

 

[BugsyCT]

Good thoughts, BL.

It not only buys us time, but also makes us stick out like a sore thumb to the rest of the college athletics world as an enigma. More and more people will wake up today and wonder "why the heck is UConn not in a P5 conference?"

And I'm overjoyed for KO. His first crack as a head coach on any level, and in only his 2nd year at the helm wins the whole shebang. Not bad considering last year started as just a 1-year contract - basically a trial period. Guess Warde was right to cave and make the right call on extending it.

Great day to be a Husky fan today. Hopefully the ladies complete the dual-title tonight.

 

[RioDog]

Missed your write-ups Biz, thanks. You got me thinking about Doron Sheffer. How does everybody think he ranks as a defensive guard in the UConn pantheon? I thought he was pretty good at the time, but I was a newb hoops fan in the 90's, so my hoops knowledge was basically zero.

 

[upstater]

How in the world can UConn be ringfenced like this? How is it legal among public non-profit institutions who are in association with cable and broadcast networks?

 

[junglehusky]

Regarding our tradition of defensive guards, how awesome is it to have Ricky Freakin' Moore on our staff along with KO??? Our tradition of shot blocking big men and NBA-prototype scoring swingmen may wax and wane over the years, there's not an oversupply of those players at the college level. But I think we can count on great guard play for the forseeable future. Sometimes it'll be harrowing to watch in November but it'll come together in February and March.

 

[dogfan96]

Given equal talent, I'll take JC over Krizoosky any day of any week. Hell, given slightly less talent, I'll still take JC. No way K cuts down the nets with the '11 team (or even the '14 team)

 

[Ohio UConn]

A number of thoughts from last night.

1. I still believe that Jim Calhoun was the greatest coach of his generation. Yes, K has overall better numbers but the two of them did not inherit equivalent basketball programs. I think it is far more likely that Calhoun would have equalled or bettered K's record at Duke than that K would have equalled or bettered Calhoun's record at UConn. Having said that, gentlemen, we have a coach for the future. KO has not only taken the desire and heart that Calhoun instilled, but he has NBA connections that, conference hell notwithstanding, is going to make recruiting explode. And, as a newbie, he already understands flexibility (we finished each of the last four games with different five man groups on the floor), preparation player development and tactics at a high level. He will only get better. The good news is that we will never lose him to another school. If the NBA comes calling for him, well, hopefully it won't be for a while.

2. The most underrated piece of winning basketball games is point guard defense. Everyone talks about how important it is to have leadership and skills at the point at the college level, and how a Kemba or a Shabazz can carry a team, but surely the opposite is true as well -- if you have a point guard who, defensively, can keep the other team's point guard from carrying his team, you are going to win a lot more than you lose. Look at whom we've defended the point with over the last 25 years: Chris Smith; Kevin Ollie; the great Ricky Moore; Taliek Brown; young Shabazz in '11; and now Ryan Boatright. That is a great list of defensive point guards, and it is no coincidence that their tenure has led to our success. I would not have put Boat in this club even in mid-February, but the defense he played this post-season was as good or better than anyone on that list with the singular exception of Ricky Moore (and Ricky Moore in 98-99 has the single best defensive season I have ever seen a perimeter player have at any level). Congrats to Ryan for putting in the effort to match his athleticism, and congrats to the entire coaching staff for helping him get there.

3. While we're talking about D, an obvious comparison needs to be made between this tournament run and '11. In '99 and '04, we won titles with teams that were as good as anyone in the country. No matter what the talking heads said. In '11, we had shown we were good enough to beat anyone in the country on a good day, but not that we would beat anyone in the country through six rounds. This year, we had the same type of season as in '11, but with a softer schedule and not as much demonstrated success. But in both '11 and this year, we are champions because, in March, we played the best defense of anyone in the country and paired it with guard play that was going to do enough offensively to win. Was the D better this year than in '11? You could make that case (although I'm not sure how much better we could have played defensively in '11. What do people think?

4. I know Kentucky made it to the national final, but don't think for a moment that experience didn't matter in this game. They played down the stretch with five freshman on the floor. We played down the stretch with two seniors with rings, one fifth year senior (and thank goodness for the glue -- not to mention the 4 and 6 -- that LK provided) and two juniors. And the experience won the game with little things. Foul shooting. Not losing site of shooters in a zone. Understanding how to play the pick and roll. Things that natural athleticism help, but that time and experience make you better at. The squid can take all the publicity he wants for succeed and proceed -- I will take my chances with building teams over 3 and 4 years and coaching less NBA-ready players up as basketball players and not just athletes.

5. The NCAA tournament is a crapshoot. We beat five outstanding basketball teams in a row, and not one of the games required last second heroics. And yet, we all know that, while we didn't play poorly at all, we came within an unlikely to be repeated Brimah 3 point play from going out in the first round. The margin for error in an NCAA tournament is miniscule these days in a way it wasn't in '99 and '04. That makes winning two national championships in a player's career unbelievably special. Congratulations to Messrs. Napier, Giffey and Olander for accomplishing something that very few NCAA basketball players will ever accomplish again.

6. I don't want to dwell on conference realignment so quickly after such a great run, but I will say one thing now before coming back to this in a while. It will be difficult to maintain our status as a top "blueblood" program in mens's hoops in this conference. But what our team did this March -- and what I am confident KO will continue to do -- is buy ourselves more time. The landscape won't stay like this forever, and eventually the money (from schools leaving us) will run out and over time the lack of funds will make recruiting, and thus winning, harder. But this has bought us time. IT NOW BECOMES IMPERATIVE THAT OUR FANBASE REALIZE THAT THEIR DONATIONS, THEIR COMING TO GAMES AND THEIR GOING TO ROAD GAMES ALSO BUYS US TIME. BECAUSE ULTIMATELY IT IS OUR FANBASE THAT MAKES US ATTRACTIVE TO OTHER CONFERENCES AND TV NETWORKS.

Everyone should enjoy this. I honesty thought this was possible when we started the season, given the lack of a great team this year and our potential, but thinking it was possible did not mean it was expected. This was a treat. Have a great day all.

very good summary for an 'off-the-top-of-my-head exercise' (at least to me). While on the surface the Kemba run and this year seem magically similar, under that surface the dynamics were much different. But to your query, RyanB really was tremendous. Napier really matured and showcased himself as a leader. I kept saying to anyone who would listen, there is a new sheriff in town ...it is RyanB. His defensive complement to Napier was a technical basketball thing of beauty. But the entire defensive scheming in 2011 and this tourney were coaching as well as player execution masterpieces. This is post=PhD level hoops we saw in 2011 and this tourney run. Technical books could be written about the brilliant scheming by Calhoun and company as well as Ollie and company. But at the end, schemes are nothing more than plans, the kids have to understand and execute.

Last, congratulations to Olander, Giffey and Napier for sticking it out. Your reward?: 2 rings.

 

[Ohio UConn]

I would give St. Joe's a little more credit and say UConn beat 6 outstanding basketball teams in a row.

The conference situation remains a priority, because I agree that winning will get harder and harder over time. UConn needs to get creative if a straightforward invitation to the Big 10 or ACC is not forthcoming.

In my humble estimation, St Joe's was the only team to effectively neutralize UConn. Coach Phil did a great job, at least to my amateur but analytical eye.

 

[businesslawyer]

Missed your write-ups Biz, thanks. You got me thinking about Doron Sheffer. How does everybody think he ranks as a defensive guard in the UConn pantheon? I thought he was pretty good at the time, but I was a newb hoops fan in the 90's, so my hoops knowledge was basically zero.

Doron had an outstanding career at UConn, and was a competent defender -- played hard, made the right decisions. But he did not have the footspeed to neutralize a good point guard mano a mano.

 

[Dooley]

Good summary. About the CR: I really hope MBB and WBB get behind football this season and beyond. We really need to sellout the Rent (Yankee Stadium too) and have good numbers at road games. Until we do this, we will be stuck in the AAC and the money disparity between us and our regional rivals in P5 conferences will really hurt.

 

[nomar]

I think people are finally waking up to the fact that guard play wins championships, but I wonder when other coaches will catch on to our tried and true strategy of starting 2 PGs.

1999: KEA & Ricky
2004: Taliek & Gordon
2011: Kemba & Shabazz
2014: Shabazz & Boat

Of those players, Gordon is the only one who was more a combo guard than a point guard. None of those guys were pure SGs, that's for sure.

Also, look at the "small forwards": Rip, Rashad, Lamb & Giff/Kromah. More guards.

Of course the tradition didn't start in 1999: long before that, we had Smith & Tate, and KO and Sheffer.

(As an aside, this is a corollary to my "Why we lost in 2006" argument, which is that we lost not because of egos, but because on that team, Marcus was the only rotation player with PG skills.)

 

[businesslawyer]

I think people are finally waking up to the fact that guard play wins championships, but I wonder when other coaches will catch on to our tried and true strategy of starting 2 PGs.

1999: KEA & Ricky
2004: Taliek & Gordon
2011: Kemba & Shabazz
2014: Shabazz & Boat

Of those players, Gordon is the only one who was more a combo guard than a point guard. None of those guys were pure SGs, that's for sure.

Also, look at the "small forwards": Rip, Rashad, Lamb & Giff/Kromah. More guards.

Of course the tradition didn't start in 1999: long before that, we had Smith & Tate, and KO and Sheffer.


(As an aside, this is a corollary to my "Why we lost in 2006" argument, which is that we lost not because of egos, but because on that team, Marcus was the only rotation player with PG skills.)

Marcus was the only point guard, and he was not particularly good defensively.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Great write up (per usual) BL.

I love these kids, this coach and this program. They truly give all of us so much every fall into every spring. I couldn't be happier for these kids or more proud as a fan.

 

[Pudge]

I think the POWERS (P5 and in Indianapolis) go far beyond the line to tag UConn as undeserving. The entire Conference Realignment crap looks very spurious when a University, like ours, is so clearly excellent in choosing coaches and competing. In Men's Soccer/Field Hockey/Baseball in the Northeast/Track. I simply am amazed at the sales job that has Syracuse as NYC strong (while it is actually a Townie fanbase) & Rutgers having cable power. Your FANS across time zones like the Brand as winners (Dan Patrick - you dick)

Then ... this chart going around that Kentucky graduates 82% of its Basketball players and we graduate 8%.

I call BS on that. BS BS BS. It simply cannot be allowed to be put out there without total contempt. How do you graduate anyone in one year>? Are they just counting walk-ons? And further, as a parent, I want my kids to graduate ... and even if it takes 10 years. But, far more importantly (Harvey Araton) is for Student Athletes to succeed in life. I am willing to bet - and some Horde writer should do the research - that UConn has mentally tough competitive guys in this world that are succeeding. They are Teachers in CT - some. Some are in the court system or in communities helping. Then we have an unbelievable great admirable group who played in the NBA ... and internationally. We are somehow tagged as being deficient ...whereas I think the true story is that the Calhoun era has unearthed 50 plus solid humans. And as Kevin Ollie says .,.. they love each other.

 

[intlzncster]

A number of thoughts from last night.

1. I still believe that Jim Calhoun was the greatest coach of his generation. Yes, K has overall better numbers but the two of them did not inherit equivalent basketball programs. I think it is far more likely that Calhoun would have equalled or bettered K's record at Duke than that K would have equalled or bettered Calhoun's record at UConn. Having said that, gentlemen, we have a coach for the future. KO has not only taken the desire and heart that Calhoun instilled, but he has NBA connections that, conference hell notwithstanding, is going to make recruiting explode. And, as a newbie, he already understands flexibility (we finished each of the last four games with different five man groups on the floor), preparation player development and tactics at a high level. He will only get better. The good news is that we will never lose him to another school. If the NBA comes calling for him, well, hopefully it won't be for a while.

98% agree on point one. JC further cemented his legacy by bequeathing the HC position to an inexperienced/untested young coach. One of JC's greatest skills was being able to see things (and develop them) in young men that others could not. Looks like it extended to coaching assistants as well. One of the greatest mentors I've seen in sports in my lifetime.

The only part I disagree with (and this is more a general comment rather than at the OP) is that I don't see Ollie willingly leaving UCONN for the NBA. Everything I know and have heard about KO's character and actions lead me to that conclusion. Firstly it's not about money for KO, and he has said as much.

He's an incredibly loyal man, and I think that will be in evidence in how he makes decisions about his future with regards to UCONN. You can tell he feels that he owes Calhoun and UCONN a great debt, and that he'd do whatever it took to honor it. I know it sounds over the top with praise, but it is fitting with KO's character that he would sacrifice or put second his future for the betterment of the program and the university. Kevin is the type of man who lives what he preaches.

Lastly, you can see the joy he takes in being a mentor, coach, friend and father to these young men, exactly the same way his predecessor has done.

I know that's all supposition, and you can never say never, but that is my perspective.

 

[gars44]

I think people are finally waking up to the fact that guard play wins championships, but I wonder when other coaches will catch on to our tried and true strategy of starting 2 PGs.

1999: KEA & Ricky
2004: Taliek & Gordon
2011: Kemba & Shabazz
2014: Shabazz & Boat



(As an aside, this is a corollary to my "Why we lost in 2006" argument, which is that we lost not because of egos, but because on that team, Marcus was the only rotation player with PG skills.)

Question: wasn't AJ Price supposed to be the second point on that team?

 

[nomar]

He sure was, gars44. We needed him. Austrie had to step up but he wasn't good enough to play starter minutes.

 

[Pudge]

Developing young men ... I think KO sees that as part of his worldly commitment. I think he is incredibly focused on achievement of this goal. College is a better fit for that.

 

[intlzncster]

Defensively (if you include rebounding), and team wise, we were better in 2011. The exception is the superlative individual defense of Ryan Boatright. You could see the teachings of Ricky Moore rubbing off on him. I think RM being on staff and Ryan's maturation are no small coincidence.

You could make an argument that this year's run was more difficult, though I think SDSU, UK, Arizona was a tremendous stretch as well. The last game was far more difficult this year.

I am more surprised after this run. I didn't think Shabazz would be in the same breath as Kemba, but they are right next to each other in my mind. And Shabazz's story puts him in such a unique context, that you can't help feel great emotion when thinking of him.

 

[gars44]

He sure was, gars44. We needed him. Austrie had to step up but he wasn't good enough to play starter minutes.

That was laptop year? Or was it arteriovenous malformation year?

 

[businesslawyer]

That was laptop year? Or was it arteriovenous malformation year?

That was laptop suspension. The prior year was the hospitalization

 

[Rondogg]

Biz,

Last night you wrote that any conference that contains UConn is a power conference "Period" you said. Now you are worried about conference affiliation? Typical bizdouchiness.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

As far as the conference situation goes, our training facility is being built and if we can lock up KO, I don't see us fading away. Football on the other hand and it's uneven playing field will be tougher.

Regardless, UConn basketball has given us memories for a lifetime. I'll continue to go to basketball and football games and let the chips fall where they may.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

A number of thoughts from last night.

4. I know Kentucky made it to the national final, but don't think for a moment that experience didn't matter in this game. They played down the stretch with five freshman on the floor. We played down the stretch with two seniors with rings, one fifth year senior (and thank goodness for the glue -- not to mention the 4 and 6 -- that LK provided) and two juniors. And the experience won the game with little things. Foul shooting. Not losing site of shooters in a zone. Understanding how to play the pick and roll. Things that natural athleticism help, but that time and experience make you better at. The squid can take all the publicity he wants for succeed and proceed -- I will take my chances with building teams over 3 and 4 years and coaching less NBA-ready players up as basketball players and not just athletes.

This was a treat. Have a great day all.

Just because noone has yet commented on this one:

In the final game, it was LK instead of TSam.
An embarrassment of riches that KO had both to choose from and chose with such skill.
How fortunate as fans we have been this year, this decade, this millennium, this quarter century.