A couple of observations

[Palatine]

This is NOT a complaint about the game last night. Just a couple of things that need work.

First, we need work on our fast break. These should result in easy open lay ups and dunks. We don't seem to find our lanes instead we clog the center of the court and bring the defenders with us. This results in awkward shots and turnovers. This was a problem last year as we didn't get as much from the break as was available. Time to clean this up.

Second, we need to find the right amount of one-on-one defensive pressure. We tend to overplay which leaves us vulnerable to the blow by. This was a problem early last year which was corrected over the course of the season. It may be the way Hurley like to coach defense. Overdo the pressure early on so defenders can learn their limits. There was actually improvement over the curse of the game last night.

Overall, It would be hard to see how things could have gone better. They played as a team rather than relying on talent and individula play. Almost everyone got meaningful minutes. Best of all, there were no injuries.

 

[prankster]

"....the curse of the game...."

Interesting turn of phrase.

 

[Austin316]

I want more dunkaroos!!!!

 

[gtcam]

"....the curse of the game...."

Interesting turn of phrase.

it is Halloween..................

 

[zepfan]

This is NOT a complaint about the game last night. Just a couple of things that need work.

First, we need work on our fast break. These should result in easy open lay ups and dunks. We don't seem to find our lanes instead we clog the center of the court and bring the defenders with us. This results in awkward shots and turnovers. This was a problem last year as we didn't get as much from the break as was available. Time to clean this up.

Second, we need to find the right amount of one-on-one defensive pressure. We tend to overplay which leaves us vulnerable to the blow by. This was a problem early last year which was corrected over the course of the season. It may be the way Hurley like to coach defense. Overdo the pressure early on so defenders can learn their limits. There was actually improvement over the curse of the game last night.

Overall, It would be hard to see how things could have gone better. They played as a team rather than relying on talent and individula play. Almost everyone got meaningful minutes. Best of all, there were no injuries.

Agreed. The team play looked very good. Great ball movement - many assists.

 

[Chief00]

This is NOT a complaint about the game last night. Just a couple of things that need work.

First, we need work on our fast break. These should result in easy open lay ups and dunks. We don't seem to find our lanes instead we clog the center of the court and bring the defenders with us. This results in awkward shots and turnovers. This was a problem last year as we didn't get as much from the break as was available. Time to clean this up.

Second, we need to find the right amount of one-on-one defensive pressure. We tend to overplay which leaves us vulnerable to the blow by. This was a problem early last year which was corrected over the course of the season. It may be the way Hurley like to coach defense. Overdo the pressure early on so defenders can learn their limits. There was actually improvement over the curse of the game last night.

Overall, It would be hard to see how things could have gone better. They played as a team rather than relying on talent and individula play. Almost everyone got meaningful minutes. Best of all, there were no injuries.

Excellent point about us not running the break well. We don’t fill the lanes and we do clog the middle. I do think we made progress on not over penetrating. That’s been a point of emphasis at practice.

 

[TheChamps990411]

This is going to be a very interesting team to watch this season. Seem to be playing more as a team instead of 4 guys standing around while one takes a bad shot. Anyone else keep thinking of Luol Deng every time Akok was on the court? Needs to get stronger but I'm already liking this kid.

 

[mauconnfan]

Excellent point about us not running the break well. We don’t fill the lanes and we do clog the middle. I do think we made progress on not over penetrating. That’s been a point of emphasis at practice.

There's just too much one on one thinking on all fast breaks and the alley oop which fails more than not. Wish they would all get back to the way it should be run, the most effective and organized. Outlet to the guard he immediately gets to the middle with people filling both sides to hash marks then angle in to basket. Also allows for a trailer if the defense decides to split after the dribble is picked up at the foul line by the guard. No trailer make the jump shot.

Hardly ever see one like that wish I saw it more.

 

[Doctor Hoop]

There's just too much one on one thinking on all fast breaks and the alley oop which fails more than not. Wish they would all get back to the way it should be run, the most effective and organized. Outlet to the guard he immediately gets to the middle with people filling both sides to hash marks then angle in to basket. Also allows for a trailer if the defense decides to split after the dribble is picked up at the foul line by the guard. No trailer make the jump shot.

Hardly ever see one like that wish I saw it more.

Exactly. Everyone has to run, and the guard running the break has to know who's around him and at the free throw lane make good decisions and be under control - drive, dish, pull up and pop, hit a trailer for the drive, or kick out to a 3 shooter. All of these are options, but last year we seemed to primarily use the drive or the kick out, with dish as a last resort.

 

[Psolo12]

Exactly. Everyone has to run, and the guard running the break has to know who's around him and at the free throw lane make good decisions and be under control - drive, dish, pull up and pop, hit a trailer for the drive, or kick out to a 3 shooter. All of these are options, but last year we seemed to primarily use the drive or the kick out, with dish as a last resort.

I think Dan Hurley knows how to run a fast break better than you. Lol

 

[Husky68]

I think Dan Hurley knows how to run a fast break better than you. Lol

Then why can't he get the team to run the fast break better? Look back at the UConn teams back to around the time Tony Robertson was a junior and Ben Gordon was a freshman and that was a team that would make you pay on the fast break. Last year messed up lot of fast breaks. Lose games by not converting on very high % of these opportunities.

 

[Dove]

This is NOT a complaint about the game last night. Just a couple of things that need work.

First, we need work on our fast break. These should result in easy open lay ups and dunks. We don't seem to find our lanes instead we clog the center of the court and bring the defenders with us. This results in awkward shots and turnovers. This was a problem last year as we didn't get as much from the break as was available. Time to clean this up.

Second, we need to find the right amount of one-on-one defensive pressure. We tend to overplay which leaves us vulnerable to the blow by. This was a problem early last year which was corrected over the course of the season. It may be the way Hurley like to coach defense. Overdo the pressure early on so defenders can learn their limits. There was actually improvement over the curse of the game last night.

Overall, It would be hard to see how things could have gone better. They played as a team rather than relying on talent and individula play. Almost everyone got meaningful minutes. Best of all, there were no injuries.

These Observations are not in the least funny.

 

[ctchamps]

There's just too much one on one thinking on all fast breaks and the alley oop which fails more than not. Wish they would all get back to the way it should be run, the most effective and organized. Outlet to the guard he immediately gets to the middle with people filling both sides to hash marks then angle in to basket. Also allows for a trailer if the defense decides to split after the dribble is picked up at the foul line by the guard. No trailer make the jump shot.

Hardly ever see one like that wish I saw it more.

Love Christian. He's a warrior and contributes a lot to team performance. What prevents him from being great is his inability to score around the basket. He is unable to contort his body like Jalen Adams or Bazz. He's is physically not strong enough to shield his body or get fouled like Kemba. The result is a high proportion of missed opportunities on the break.

This is one of the two reasons why Hurley has Tyler leaking versus Christian. The other of course is Christian is a better rebounder.

The fast break should significantly improve with Bouknight, Jackson, Brendan and Sid.

 

[spudzj6]

Love Christian. He's a warrior and contributes a lot to team performance. What prevents him from being great is his inability to score around the basket. He is unable to contort his body like Jalen Adams or Bazz. He's is physically not strong enough to shield his body or get fouled like Kemba. The result is a high proportion of missed opportunities on the break.

This is one of the two reasons why Hurley has Tyler leaking versus Christian. The other of course is Christian is a better rebounder.

The fast break should significantly improve with Bouknight, Jackson, Brendan and Sid.

Agree, however Christian looks for contact and is one of, if not the most reliable FT shooters we have this year. Id prefer a good fast break and easy points, but if he gets to the line, we can be ok with that too. Jalen was notorious for avoiding contact at the basket.

 

[ctchamps]

Agree, however Christian looks for contact and is one of, if not the most reliable FT shooters we have this year. Id prefer a good fast break and easy points, but if he gets to the line, we can be ok with that too. Jalen was notorious for avoiding contact at the basket.

He looks for contact but does not know how to sell it like Kemba. So relative to the number of opportunities he has to get a dunk/lay up or get fouled versus the number of times he gets blocked is quite low for an otherwise really good player.

 

[Doctor Hoop]

I think Dan Hurley knows how to run a fast break better than you. Lol

Lots of people know how to run a fast break, if you've played ball for a good coach in your past. You're correct that it is his job, not mine, to get this team to do it right.

 

[Psolo12]

Then why can't he get the team to run the fast break better? Look back at the UConn teams back to around the time Tony Robertson was a junior and Ben Gordon was a freshman and that was a team that would make you pay on the fast break. Last year messed up lot of fast breaks. Lose games by not converting on very high % of these opportunities.

You can't possibly be arguing you know how to run a fast break better than Hurley...

 

[HuskyHawk]

Then why can't he get the team to run the fast break better? Look back at the UConn teams back to around the time Tony Robertson was a junior and Ben Gordon was a freshman and that was a team that would make you pay on the fast break. Last year messed up lot of fast breaks. Lose games by not converting on very high % of these opportunities.

They haven't played a game. So how can you say he can't get the team to run a fast break? This team is a lot different than last year's team. The weak spot on the break has been Vital. He doesn't pass. Hopefully he can improve at that and others will be effective.

 

[Captbluefin]

Vital does not give up the ball on the fast break. Nothing more to say.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

First of all UConn only pick them up at half court and still turned them over at will.
Vital Ball handling and passing have improved to the point were he can get minutes on the ball
Polley of all people had a bunch of steals. (5 )Found open shooters , put the ball on the floor, and actually created his own shot once.
My most important observation is his passing.
I always taught the guy most likely to be open is the guy that just made the pass AG ‘s toss to Polley who immediately returned the pass found AG wide open.
So in effect the wing creates the shot for the PG. That’s beautiful basketball.

 

[HuskyHawk]

First of all UConn only pick them up at half court and still turned them over at will.
Vital Ball handling and passing have improved to the point were he can get minutes on the ball
Polley of all people had a bunch of steals. (5 )Found open shooters , put the ball on the floor, and actually created his own shot once.
My most important observation is his passing.
I always taught the guy most likely to be open is the guy that just made the pass AG ‘s toss to Polley who immediately returned the pass found AG wide open.
So in effect the wing creates the shot for the PG. That’s beautiful basketball.

I didn't see the game but last season Polley would get the ball via a pass and immediate return it. Over and over an over. Almost every time he did that without even considering whether he could do anything with the ball. It was awful basketball. Aside from rebounding it was his worst trait. It forced the guy getting the ball back to do all the work, often going one on two. Meanwhile, in many of those cases Polley could have looked for his shot or looked for other teammates.

 

[intlzncster]

You can't possibly be arguing you know how to run a fast break better than Hurley...

It's pretty simple to run a fast break. It's another matter to get a group of kids, this one in particular, to actually do it.

 

[boba]

These Observations are not in the least funny.

You are one of the few that remember GO's Friday observations. That and profanity Friday...

 

[Psolo12]

It's pretty simple to run a fast break. It's another matter to get a group of kids, this one in particular, to actually do it.

I mean this guys acting like it’s so simple and that our coaching staff is stupid for not being able to do it, which is just simply not the case.

 

[imno1]

It's pretty simple to run a fast break. It's another matter to get a group of kids, this one in particular, to actually do it.

So what your saying is it’s not that simple to run a fast break correct?