Gave it our all. They have Malik Monk and we don't.
We lost by 9, but it was an overtime game. UGA was right there. If we had some outside shooting in the first half against their zone, we would have blown them out. Like I said, they have Malik Monk and we don't. He can rise up over defenders and knock down shots. Monk scored 37 for the game and was 7 of 11 behind the arc.
Disappointed that we missed key free throws. Yante missed two straight that we vitally needed. Turtle missed one that would have put Georgia up three before their final possession.
All in all, no complaints here. I don't particularly care for putting KPG in without having other scorers on the floor, but even so, Geno had a nice drive and dish to Ogbeide. I suppose that it's not playing Tyree Crump earlier in the year that I have issue with. Hard to expect him to come in at Rupp and do much. Even still, Fox coached well enough to win.
J.J. didn't have his best game, struggling in the first half. Hard to take him out, though, because we just don't have many other scoring options. Frazier bounced back in the second and really toughed it out, especially after getting knocked in the head.
Really concerned that Turtle Jackson is not giving us much of a lift. Kind of dribbles it around 30 feet from the basket. Glad he can help break the press. But like I said, if he does break the press and gets fouled, then he has to be able to knock down the free throws.
Anyway, after J.J. Frazier graduates, UGA could be in trouble. Tyree Crump plays like a short two guard, and I fear that Teshaun Hightower will play like a tall one.
Yante played a great game. He had a few turnovers here and there, but he was doubled all night, so a few miscues are to be expected. Maten still outplayed the higher ranked Bam Adebayo and Wenyen Gabriel. Yante ended up with 22 points and 5 boards.
Great game for Derek Ogbeide. He's a load in the post. 18 points and 13 boards on 7 of 9 shooting is one of the best games by a UGA big man at Rupp that I can remember.
Jordan Harris, for one, was not scared. He was 3 of 5 from the field and 2 of 2 from long range. When he gets his confidence up and his turnovers down, he will score a lot of points for Georgia.
Give it to Kentucky, though. They find a way to win.
UGA is 13 and 9 overall and 4 and 5 in the SEC. In danger of sliding down into the lower reaches of the SEC if we don't steal at least one of these next two.
Showing posts with label Kenny Paul Geno. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kenny Paul Geno. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 1, 2017
Sunday, January 22, 2017
Apologies, Kudos, and Credit
My apologies to the timekeeper down at Texas A&M. From all I understand after reading the statement from the SEC, it was not the timekeeper's fault, but rather a malfunction of equipment.
Kudos to UF Basketball Coach Mike White
After Florida lost a close game to Vanderbilt, Coach White said that he "put (his player) in a difficult situation. It's my fault."
Has Coach Fox ever said anything similar? I could have missed it, of course, but humility stands out to me.
Fox has to shoulder some of the blame for UGA's late game collapse. How could you not put Turtle Jackson in? Jordan Harris is not a good ball-handler. If you have Wilridge in the game, then sub in Jackson for Geno.
Credit goes to Turtle Jackson for the good game. Instead of launching three-pointers, Jackson took the ball to the basket and shot a mid-range jumper, things I have wanted him to do. He went 2 for 2 from the floor in the contest.
Kudos to UF Basketball Coach Mike White
After Florida lost a close game to Vanderbilt, Coach White said that he "put (his player) in a difficult situation. It's my fault."
Has Coach Fox ever said anything similar? I could have missed it, of course, but humility stands out to me.
Fox has to shoulder some of the blame for UGA's late game collapse. How could you not put Turtle Jackson in? Jordan Harris is not a good ball-handler. If you have Wilridge in the game, then sub in Jackson for Geno.
Credit goes to Turtle Jackson for the good game. Instead of launching three-pointers, Jackson took the ball to the basket and shot a mid-range jumper, things I have wanted him to do. He went 2 for 2 from the floor in the contest.
Saturday, January 21, 2017
Disgraceful: Three Issues
Hard to understand being up 13 and then losing the game. We're 12 and 7 now, and 4 and 3 in the SEC. Team has a lot of good parts, but we're falling apart late in games and it's hard to make the Big Dance if we can't close these contests out.
I. Turnovers
Way too many turnovers, especially within the last two minutes.
Jordan Harris, you have to be strong with the ball. You're too good to have 6 or 7 turnovers in one game. I know you're a freshman, but you're also a starter on a D-1 team. You need to learn now. If you drive the lane, wrap it up like a fullback until you're close enough to shoot.
J.J., you can't drive the ball to the hoop during the last 90 seconds of the game, leave your feet and throw it to their guys. At least, try to make a shot.
If you make a key turnover, you have to put it behind you. You can't let a pass bounce off your chest and fall out of bounds.
You are a tough competitor and the guy with the ball late. You will most often be the hero or the goat in close games. Well, with the point guard position comes point guard responsibilities.
I understand that the pressure is on. That the press is on. Not easy to perform when the crowd is against you and athletes are running at you. We have to find a way.
II. Coaching
Mark Fox: Why play Kenny Paul Geno and not Turtle Jackson? Turtle Jackson was actually shooting well this game. I know we had guys go out with fouls, but we needed another ball handler desperately.
It's not like KPG was an incredible defender down there. He hustles for rebounds, and can sometimes take a charge. But against the press, he sets a screen and then floats around, of zero help getting the ball over the time line. Good Dawg, but it's not his skill set to break the press.
I also disagree with Yante Maten taking the ball out of bounds. Since they were letting us throw the ball into the corner, we didn't need Maten to see over the defense. We needed him in the middle to be an outlet. If you insist on playing KPG, let him take the ball out.
III. Timekeeper
Home-cooking timekeeper and refs: You are disgraceful.
We should have won the game. Bad coaching was part of the issue, but the last play was so weird and the clock error so egregious that the SEC simply has to step in. In that kind of situation, the solution is to play the last 5.6 seconds again. Otherwise, unscrupulous time-keepers will cheat to the visiting team's disadvantage.
I. Turnovers
Way too many turnovers, especially within the last two minutes.
Jordan Harris, you have to be strong with the ball. You're too good to have 6 or 7 turnovers in one game. I know you're a freshman, but you're also a starter on a D-1 team. You need to learn now. If you drive the lane, wrap it up like a fullback until you're close enough to shoot.
J.J., you can't drive the ball to the hoop during the last 90 seconds of the game, leave your feet and throw it to their guys. At least, try to make a shot.
If you make a key turnover, you have to put it behind you. You can't let a pass bounce off your chest and fall out of bounds.
You are a tough competitor and the guy with the ball late. You will most often be the hero or the goat in close games. Well, with the point guard position comes point guard responsibilities.
I understand that the pressure is on. That the press is on. Not easy to perform when the crowd is against you and athletes are running at you. We have to find a way.
II. Coaching
Mark Fox: Why play Kenny Paul Geno and not Turtle Jackson? Turtle Jackson was actually shooting well this game. I know we had guys go out with fouls, but we needed another ball handler desperately.
It's not like KPG was an incredible defender down there. He hustles for rebounds, and can sometimes take a charge. But against the press, he sets a screen and then floats around, of zero help getting the ball over the time line. Good Dawg, but it's not his skill set to break the press.
I also disagree with Yante Maten taking the ball out of bounds. Since they were letting us throw the ball into the corner, we didn't need Maten to see over the defense. We needed him in the middle to be an outlet. If you insist on playing KPG, let him take the ball out.
III. Timekeeper
Home-cooking timekeeper and refs: You are disgraceful.
We should have won the game. Bad coaching was part of the issue, but the last play was so weird and the clock error so egregious that the SEC simply has to step in. In that kind of situation, the solution is to play the last 5.6 seconds again. Otherwise, unscrupulous time-keepers will cheat to the visiting team's disadvantage.
Tuesday, January 17, 2017
Teshaun Hightower to the Dawgs (plus recruiting update)
Welcome, Teshaun!
Solid pick-up. Good shooter. Will defend and fit in the well with the guys on the roster.
I've posted about Hightower recently, so it's time now to take a look at how the 2017 class is shaping up overall.
Four current players, J.J. Frazier, Kenny Paul Geno, Houston Kessler and Brandon Young, are graduating. UGA has signatures from Rayshaun Hammonds and Nic Claxton, and now, a pledge from Teshaun Hightower.
Kessler, Geno and Young have been good Dawgs, but admittedly, they really aren't offensive threats, probably averaging four points a game between the three of them. J.J. Frazier is another matter. He's our primary ball handler, best free throw shooter and second leading scorer. Losing J.J. will hurt. Can't be helped though. Guys graduate.
The issue for a college coach is whether he can upgrade his roster with the next signing class.
It's hard to argue that with the latest recruits Coach Fox is on track to do just that. But can he really put recruiting over the top with his last spot?
Derrick Walker, the power forward from Kansas, will be on an unofficial visit on January 28th. If he commits, that would give Georgia six bigs, two small forwards, and five guards. Walker is also considering St. Johns and Tennessee, so if he ends up choosing one of his other suitors, we need to swiftly shift focus to a small forward or another athletic guard.
Besides Walker, there are other good possibilities out there who have gone overlooked. Isaiah Banks, the rim-wrecking 6' 5" guard/small forward, only has one D-1 offer, last I checked.
Avery Wilson is an available true scoring point guard, able to help break the press and also convert from long range. Wilson, who has a little bit of J.J. Frazier in his game, is averaging 29 points a game for his Forest Park squad.
And then there is Isaiah Miller, the high-flying combo guard from just east of Atlanta. The video speaks for itself.
Of course, if we have a transfer, or Yante Maten decides to forego his senior season, then Georgia would have two more spots open, and we'd really need to close the class on an upward swing.
Stay tuned, folks.
Solid pick-up. Good shooter. Will defend and fit in the well with the guys on the roster.
I've posted about Hightower recently, so it's time now to take a look at how the 2017 class is shaping up overall.
Four current players, J.J. Frazier, Kenny Paul Geno, Houston Kessler and Brandon Young, are graduating. UGA has signatures from Rayshaun Hammonds and Nic Claxton, and now, a pledge from Teshaun Hightower.
Kessler, Geno and Young have been good Dawgs, but admittedly, they really aren't offensive threats, probably averaging four points a game between the three of them. J.J. Frazier is another matter. He's our primary ball handler, best free throw shooter and second leading scorer. Losing J.J. will hurt. Can't be helped though. Guys graduate.
The issue for a college coach is whether he can upgrade his roster with the next signing class.
It's hard to argue that with the latest recruits Coach Fox is on track to do just that. But can he really put recruiting over the top with his last spot?
Derrick Walker, the power forward from Kansas, will be on an unofficial visit on January 28th. If he commits, that would give Georgia six bigs, two small forwards, and five guards. Walker is also considering St. Johns and Tennessee, so if he ends up choosing one of his other suitors, we need to swiftly shift focus to a small forward or another athletic guard.
Besides Walker, there are other good possibilities out there who have gone overlooked. Isaiah Banks, the rim-wrecking 6' 5" guard/small forward, only has one D-1 offer, last I checked.
Avery Wilson is an available true scoring point guard, able to help break the press and also convert from long range. Wilson, who has a little bit of J.J. Frazier in his game, is averaging 29 points a game for his Forest Park squad.
And then there is Isaiah Miller, the high-flying combo guard from just east of Atlanta. The video speaks for itself.
Of course, if we have a transfer, or Yante Maten decides to forego his senior season, then Georgia would have two more spots open, and we'd really need to close the class on an upward swing.
Stay tuned, folks.
Friday, January 6, 2017
Painful to Watch
Yeah, I did it. Watched a bit of the replay of the Georgia-South Carolina game.
Feel like someone hit me with a body blow. Hurts and takes my wind away.
Offense
I guess we're committed to the 1-4 look, with J.J. at the point and four guys along the baseline. The problem is that it's too predictable. J.J. will always have the ball coming up the floor. All South Carolina needed to do was to wait on J.J., and pick him up high, and funnel him along the sidelines.
Contrast that with Kentucky's dribble drive offense. Three guys touch the ball. Any of them can drive the ball to the basket. Makes the defense react. The guards are allowed to play instinctively within the set offense. The weave action stretches the court horizontally (from side to side) and vertically (toward the basket). The defense cannot favor one side of the court, because the offense can come at them from any direction.
Okay, I know Kentucky has the athletes to make their system work. But Georgia's system would work better, too, if Fox allowed other guys to touch the ball early in the possession.
Meanwhile, the first option on UGA's offense is apparently a Yante Maten screen 25 feet from the basket. Leads to needless offensive foul calls against our best player. Sure enough, Maten was whistled for an offensive foul on our third possession.
Substitution Patterns
I knew Fox would take Ogbeide out of the game after Derek had only had two minutes on the floor. I would scream at the screen if I weren't numbed by the fact that Fox does it every game.
Not to pick on Houston, but I think it's important to state the case objectively because of what it tells us about Coach Fox.
Kessler shoots 22 percent from the field (lowest on the team), 50 percent from the free throw line (second lowest on the team), and 0 percent from behind the arc (lowest on the team). To make that 0 percent worse, half of his shots are three-pointers.
Houston averages 0.4 points per game, with just 1 rebound per contest. Though he has played in all 14 games, he has only 1 steal, 0 assists, and 0 blocked shots on the year. He has attempted just 4 free throws.
Bottom line is that Kessler isn't an offensive threat. He won't help us get bigs like Silva in foul trouble. He's not an effective distributor, nor is he a defensive stopper.
People aren't going to guard him. They'll just double up on Yante like South Carolina did.
Meanwhile, the person that Kessler replaces, Derek Ogbeide, shoots 62 percent from the field (highest on the team), has 23 blocked shots on the year (highest on the team), gets 6.4 rebounds a game (highest rebound per minute played on the team), even averages an assist per game, and finishes with authority if Yante is doubled.
Why replace one of our best players with one of our worst? Why do it game after game, early in the first half? When Derek Ogbeide does not have any fouls?
I guess every "gym is hot" (Fox's excuse for abruptly yanking Ogbeide out of the Vanderbilt game last year).
While I'm at it, bringing Kenny Paul Geno in early doesn't help. I suppose that being generous, one can say that Kenny defends well enough. He is in fact a scrappy rebounder (2 per game).
Unfortunately, Geno is also a "tweener." Not a good enough dribbler to be effective at driving the ball, and not big enough to have a legitimate post-up game. More than half of his shots are three-pointers. That propensity to loft up outside shots would be okay if Geno were a dead-eye shooter, but if you take away his performance against Division II Morehouse, Geno shoots right at 19 percent from behind the arc.
And if you do choose to play Geno, set him up for success. Please do not put him in at the 2-guard position.
It's not just Kessler and Geno. Turtle Jackson is struggling. He has just as many turnovers (13) as assists (13). He has made only 5 two-point baskets all year, and has attempted just 10 free throws. He went 0 for 3 from the field in the South Carolina game, with 0 assists.
At some point in time, Jackson needs to drive the ball to the basket and convert. Show fans and opponents alike that he has a floater or some semblance of a mid-range game.
Meanwhile, Tyree Crump, a former top 100 recruit combo guard, languishes on the bench. He's played just 63 minutes all year, which is with the exceptions of the two walk-on's, by far the fewest minutes played on the team.
Compared to Jackson, however, Crump has just as many two-point field goals made, and more free throws made, in 1/4th the minutes played. Again, if Jackson were tearing the place up, Crump's lack of playing time might make sense. But since Turtle and J.J. need breaks, and Crump is a player known for his shooting ability, why not give Tyree a chance to show what he can do? Fox plays just about everybody else.
I suppose that by leaving Crump on the bench, if Crump plays well next year, Fox can claim credit for developing him.
So there you have it. You don't have to be into fancy analytics. Objectively, measuring shooting, rebounding, blocked shots, assists, free throws, etc., the Fox substitution patterns make no sense.
Fox either doesn't know the simple metrics above, or he doesn't care. Making bad substitutions early in the first half takes our momentum away, and we end up losing games that we should win-- close contests, in which a possession or two makes all the difference.
If Fox actually believes that he is helping the team to win, then he sees something that no one else does. He may be smarter than the rest of us, but I doubt it. At some point, Georgia's Athletic Director needs to realize that the results (0 games won in the NCAA Tournament over 8 seasons) speak for themselves.
We really want UGA basketball, and even Coach Fox himself, to succeed. Right now, however, the best I can say is that the offensive structure and use of personnel make watching Georgia basketball painful. Even with decent talent on the roster, looks like our Coach is driving us toward another disappointing season.
Ugghh.
Feel like someone hit me with a body blow. Hurts and takes my wind away.
Offense
I guess we're committed to the 1-4 look, with J.J. at the point and four guys along the baseline. The problem is that it's too predictable. J.J. will always have the ball coming up the floor. All South Carolina needed to do was to wait on J.J., and pick him up high, and funnel him along the sidelines.
Contrast that with Kentucky's dribble drive offense. Three guys touch the ball. Any of them can drive the ball to the basket. Makes the defense react. The guards are allowed to play instinctively within the set offense. The weave action stretches the court horizontally (from side to side) and vertically (toward the basket). The defense cannot favor one side of the court, because the offense can come at them from any direction.
Okay, I know Kentucky has the athletes to make their system work. But Georgia's system would work better, too, if Fox allowed other guys to touch the ball early in the possession.
Meanwhile, the first option on UGA's offense is apparently a Yante Maten screen 25 feet from the basket. Leads to needless offensive foul calls against our best player. Sure enough, Maten was whistled for an offensive foul on our third possession.
Substitution Patterns
I knew Fox would take Ogbeide out of the game after Derek had only had two minutes on the floor. I would scream at the screen if I weren't numbed by the fact that Fox does it every game.
Not to pick on Houston, but I think it's important to state the case objectively because of what it tells us about Coach Fox.
Kessler shoots 22 percent from the field (lowest on the team), 50 percent from the free throw line (second lowest on the team), and 0 percent from behind the arc (lowest on the team). To make that 0 percent worse, half of his shots are three-pointers.
Houston averages 0.4 points per game, with just 1 rebound per contest. Though he has played in all 14 games, he has only 1 steal, 0 assists, and 0 blocked shots on the year. He has attempted just 4 free throws.
Bottom line is that Kessler isn't an offensive threat. He won't help us get bigs like Silva in foul trouble. He's not an effective distributor, nor is he a defensive stopper.
People aren't going to guard him. They'll just double up on Yante like South Carolina did.
Meanwhile, the person that Kessler replaces, Derek Ogbeide, shoots 62 percent from the field (highest on the team), has 23 blocked shots on the year (highest on the team), gets 6.4 rebounds a game (highest rebound per minute played on the team), even averages an assist per game, and finishes with authority if Yante is doubled.
Why replace one of our best players with one of our worst? Why do it game after game, early in the first half? When Derek Ogbeide does not have any fouls?
I guess every "gym is hot" (Fox's excuse for abruptly yanking Ogbeide out of the Vanderbilt game last year).
While I'm at it, bringing Kenny Paul Geno in early doesn't help. I suppose that being generous, one can say that Kenny defends well enough. He is in fact a scrappy rebounder (2 per game).
Unfortunately, Geno is also a "tweener." Not a good enough dribbler to be effective at driving the ball, and not big enough to have a legitimate post-up game. More than half of his shots are three-pointers. That propensity to loft up outside shots would be okay if Geno were a dead-eye shooter, but if you take away his performance against Division II Morehouse, Geno shoots right at 19 percent from behind the arc.
And if you do choose to play Geno, set him up for success. Please do not put him in at the 2-guard position.
It's not just Kessler and Geno. Turtle Jackson is struggling. He has just as many turnovers (13) as assists (13). He has made only 5 two-point baskets all year, and has attempted just 10 free throws. He went 0 for 3 from the field in the South Carolina game, with 0 assists.
At some point in time, Jackson needs to drive the ball to the basket and convert. Show fans and opponents alike that he has a floater or some semblance of a mid-range game.
Meanwhile, Tyree Crump, a former top 100 recruit combo guard, languishes on the bench. He's played just 63 minutes all year, which is with the exceptions of the two walk-on's, by far the fewest minutes played on the team.
Compared to Jackson, however, Crump has just as many two-point field goals made, and more free throws made, in 1/4th the minutes played. Again, if Jackson were tearing the place up, Crump's lack of playing time might make sense. But since Turtle and J.J. need breaks, and Crump is a player known for his shooting ability, why not give Tyree a chance to show what he can do? Fox plays just about everybody else.
I suppose that by leaving Crump on the bench, if Crump plays well next year, Fox can claim credit for developing him.
So there you have it. You don't have to be into fancy analytics. Objectively, measuring shooting, rebounding, blocked shots, assists, free throws, etc., the Fox substitution patterns make no sense.
Fox either doesn't know the simple metrics above, or he doesn't care. Making bad substitutions early in the first half takes our momentum away, and we end up losing games that we should win-- close contests, in which a possession or two makes all the difference.
If Fox actually believes that he is helping the team to win, then he sees something that no one else does. He may be smarter than the rest of us, but I doubt it. At some point, Georgia's Athletic Director needs to realize that the results (0 games won in the NCAA Tournament over 8 seasons) speak for themselves.
We really want UGA basketball, and even Coach Fox himself, to succeed. Right now, however, the best I can say is that the offensive structure and use of personnel make watching Georgia basketball painful. Even with decent talent on the roster, looks like our Coach is driving us toward another disappointing season.
Ugghh.
Friday, December 30, 2016
Georgia Beats Auburn (Seven Lessons Learned)
Great job by the Dawgs.
1. Bruce Pearl ain't all that
Lots of people love Bruce Pearl, and think that he's a terrific coach. If Georgia had lost the game, fans would have rushed to praise him.
Pearl has his merits, but he's not the kind of coach I would look for to coach up my team. His system, drive and kick basketball on offense and the press on defense, works when he has the players. He will eventually get players. With that said, I wouldn't trade him for Fox. He's just not the right guy.
2. Maten and Frazier
Enough said. When those two guys are on, Georgia is a tough out for anybody. Tonight, they were definitely on.
3. Use the Chuck Mann Strategy
Charles Mann used to keep Georgia in games by getting to the free throw line. He wasn't a great foul shooter, however, and he sometimes had too many turnovers.
The point still remains. Drive the ball to the basket and good things happen. Maten, J.J. and Jordan were terrific.
4. J.J. is one tough hombre
He got bowled over a couple of times tonight. He got back up and finished the drill. Plus, he had five steals. His defense was the catalyst that led the Dawgs to victory.
5. Juwan is knocking the rust off
Hit a couple of key baskets tonight.
6. Supporting cast came up big
We were one point shy of having all of our starters score in double figures. Derek Ogbeide scored nine for the game. We had five guys shoot 50 percent or better from the field.
Proud of KPG and Kessler for hitting two key baskets.
Turtle was off for the game. See point 3, above. I have mentioned his shooting form before, so I won't post anything about it now.
Turtle will contribute for us in future games. With that said, I'd love to see Tyree Crump get some minutes, just to see what he has.
7. The zone and press are tools
We might not want to be Syracuse, constantly in the zone, or Arkansas, trying to press all game. But these tools help us win. Fox went into the shed tonight and brought out the right equipment. He needs to do it more
Again, great game for the Dawgs. May have to watch that one again.
1. Bruce Pearl ain't all that
Lots of people love Bruce Pearl, and think that he's a terrific coach. If Georgia had lost the game, fans would have rushed to praise him.
Pearl has his merits, but he's not the kind of coach I would look for to coach up my team. His system, drive and kick basketball on offense and the press on defense, works when he has the players. He will eventually get players. With that said, I wouldn't trade him for Fox. He's just not the right guy.
2. Maten and Frazier
Enough said. When those two guys are on, Georgia is a tough out for anybody. Tonight, they were definitely on.
3. Use the Chuck Mann Strategy
Charles Mann used to keep Georgia in games by getting to the free throw line. He wasn't a great foul shooter, however, and he sometimes had too many turnovers.
The point still remains. Drive the ball to the basket and good things happen. Maten, J.J. and Jordan were terrific.
4. J.J. is one tough hombre
He got bowled over a couple of times tonight. He got back up and finished the drill. Plus, he had five steals. His defense was the catalyst that led the Dawgs to victory.
5. Juwan is knocking the rust off
Hit a couple of key baskets tonight.
6. Supporting cast came up big
We were one point shy of having all of our starters score in double figures. Derek Ogbeide scored nine for the game. We had five guys shoot 50 percent or better from the field.
Proud of KPG and Kessler for hitting two key baskets.
Turtle was off for the game. See point 3, above. I have mentioned his shooting form before, so I won't post anything about it now.
Turtle will contribute for us in future games. With that said, I'd love to see Tyree Crump get some minutes, just to see what he has.
7. The zone and press are tools
We might not want to be Syracuse, constantly in the zone, or Arkansas, trying to press all game. But these tools help us win. Fox went into the shed tonight and brought out the right equipment. He needs to do it more
Again, great game for the Dawgs. May have to watch that one again.
Saturday, December 24, 2016
Lost in all the Commotion
over the poor substitution patterns was this fact:
The Dawgs starters and key reserves had a pretty good outing against Oakland. I was particularly pleased that Juwan Parker seems to have his springs back. He shot 5 for 11 from the field, and 5 of 5 from the line, for 15 points, which was by far his best performance of the year.
J.J. had 18 points in the first half, if memory serves me. He was on target until Fox pulled him. When Oakland took the lead in the second half, he went iso-J.J., and started missing from long distance. The point is that J.J. found his touch, at least for a half.
Yante Maten didn't score much, and fouled out without hitting double figures, but Dawgs fans already know what he can do.
Derek Ogbeide is on a bit of a roll. Had a double-double for the game, 13 points on 6 of 8 shooting, and 12 rebounds. Will be a bit harder as he is matched with bigger players during the conference portion of the season, but Ogbeide is a force in the paint.
Turtle Jackson did a good job at the point. He looked fantastic, in fact, except for that air-ball three-pointer he shot when the Dawgs were trying to catch up late in the game. Still think he needs to work on his mechanics and focus on locking his elbow in tight and going straight up with his shot. Firing across his body will lead to bad misses to the left or the right.
In any case, Jackson had 10 points on 4 of 6 shooting. He was 2 of 4 from behind the arc, and had zero turnovers. That's great work for a back-up point guard.
Jordan Harris scored 9 points. Still turns the ball over too much. He needs to focus on scoring when he drives the ball. He is still getting used to added muscle, so as the season goes on, he will get better and better.
Mike Edwards had 4 points and 6 boards. Tyree Crump was only given one minute of PT.
Diatta, KPG, Kessler, and Wilridge did not play well. Thirty minutes between them, and zero points.
Bottom line: If J.J. follows the Oakland game with regained scoring ability, Yante has his normal outing, and Jordan, Derek, Juwan, Mike and Turtle keep giving solid contributions, Georgia may overcome the Fox crazy substitutions and still win its share of SEC games.
The Dawgs starters and key reserves had a pretty good outing against Oakland. I was particularly pleased that Juwan Parker seems to have his springs back. He shot 5 for 11 from the field, and 5 of 5 from the line, for 15 points, which was by far his best performance of the year.
J.J. had 18 points in the first half, if memory serves me. He was on target until Fox pulled him. When Oakland took the lead in the second half, he went iso-J.J., and started missing from long distance. The point is that J.J. found his touch, at least for a half.
Yante Maten didn't score much, and fouled out without hitting double figures, but Dawgs fans already know what he can do.
Derek Ogbeide is on a bit of a roll. Had a double-double for the game, 13 points on 6 of 8 shooting, and 12 rebounds. Will be a bit harder as he is matched with bigger players during the conference portion of the season, but Ogbeide is a force in the paint.
Turtle Jackson did a good job at the point. He looked fantastic, in fact, except for that air-ball three-pointer he shot when the Dawgs were trying to catch up late in the game. Still think he needs to work on his mechanics and focus on locking his elbow in tight and going straight up with his shot. Firing across his body will lead to bad misses to the left or the right.
In any case, Jackson had 10 points on 4 of 6 shooting. He was 2 of 4 from behind the arc, and had zero turnovers. That's great work for a back-up point guard.
Jordan Harris scored 9 points. Still turns the ball over too much. He needs to focus on scoring when he drives the ball. He is still getting used to added muscle, so as the season goes on, he will get better and better.
Mike Edwards had 4 points and 6 boards. Tyree Crump was only given one minute of PT.
Diatta, KPG, Kessler, and Wilridge did not play well. Thirty minutes between them, and zero points.
Bottom line: If J.J. follows the Oakland game with regained scoring ability, Yante has his normal outing, and Jordan, Derek, Juwan, Mike and Turtle keep giving solid contributions, Georgia may overcome the Fox crazy substitutions and still win its share of SEC games.
Friday, December 23, 2016
Ten Commandments for Mark Fox
1. If J.J. Frazier has been off, but finds his stroke, thou shalt not take him out.
2. If J.J. Frazier has 18 points in the first half, thou shalt not take him out,
3. Thou shalt never play Kenny Paul Geno and Houston Kessler at the same time.
4. Thou shalt never, nay never ever play KPG, HK and Mike Edwards at the same time.
5. Thou shalt give Tyree Crump some minutes (plural) in each game, yea, even five to ten minutes.
6. Thou shalt never subbeth out Ogbeide before the ten minute mark in the first half.
7. If Yante Maten shall start to have foul trouble, thou shalt play him with Ogbeide, and put Maten in the high post and Ogbeide down low.
8. Thou shalt always press teams which hath played three games in four days.
9. Thou shalt play zone, especially if the manneth to manneth is in trouble.
10. Thou shalt always play your best players unless UGA is in foul trouble, or we are up 20 and there are less than 2 minutes left in the game.
If through thy disobedience to these commandments, thou faileth to take the people to the Promised Land of the NCAA Tournament, thou shalt turn over the reins to young Joshua (Jonas Hayes).
If through thy disobedience to these commandments, thou faileth to take the people to the Promised Land of the NCAA Tournament, thou shalt turn over the reins to young Joshua (Jonas Hayes).
Sunday, February 21, 2016
Redicalice
I guess Coach Mark Fox does not read my Blog. Not that I expect him to, mind you, but I had hoped that somehow he would get the message:
What he is doing with player substitutions is downright "redicalice."
I basically begged him to let Derek Ogbeide start the game and play straight through for extended minutes. Even if Fox would leave Ogbeide in for the equivalent of the first quarter of the game (ten minutes or so), that would have been a significant improvement. It's a t.v. game, so you know the guys are going to get a break at the five-minute mark.
Notice the way Stallings uses his guys. Both Kornet and Jones started and played at least 8 minutes. Compare that to the way that Fox runs Ogbeide and even Yante Maten in and out of the game. Ogbeide went out before even two minutes elapsed.
By running guys in and out, you don't keep them fresh. You in fact do the opposite. Guys exert energy and then sit down. They never get into the flow of the game. By stretching their muscles out and making them sit in chairs almost immediately, you actually risk injury.
Fox said that he thought that Memorial Gym was hot. That, too, is redicalice. Vanderbilt's Coach Stallings obviously didn't think so. Further, in the game against Florida (at Stegeman), Fox yanked Ogbeide out at the three-minute mark, roughly the same point in the game as at Vanderbilt. In fact, Fox consistently runs players in at the three-minute mark, and has done so all year.
If we had a talented bench, the substitutions might make more sense. But Geno and Kessler are struggling. They're not strong enough to battle for rebounds and win. We don't get second shots, and when are guards are not hitting from the outside, our opponents grab the rebounds and run. It would be different if Kessler or Geno had the dribbling ability and foot speed to get by their man on strong drives to the basket. But that's not their skill set. So instead of working the opposing defense, Mark Fox makes their job very easy.
Why not at least let Maten and Ogbeide play long enough together to get their guys in foul trouble? Then Geno and Kessler could go in when the other team puts their reserves in. Besides, when Maten and Ogbeide score on the block, that will lead the other team to sag off of our shooters to help out. That will lead to open shots for our guards.
In the post-game interview, Mark Fox received three straight questions from reporters about his substitution patterns. And in the recap of the game, the Athens Banner Herald's headline was that "Substitution Strategy Backfires on Mark Fox in UGA's Loss to Vanderbilt."
The reporters get it, Coach Fox. Why don't you?
I even started to think that Mark Fox was intentionally jeopardizing the season, whether consciously or not, so that he would in fact get fired.
I reasoned that Fox saw the result of Georgia's decision to fire Mark Richt, a coach landing in a sunny climate with a new school and a multi-million dollar check in hand.
I know. The idea that Mark Fox is losing intentionally is redicalice.
But so is the way our players are being used. Makes you wonder.
Tuesday, October 20, 2015
Watched what I could of the live practice
Enjoyed seeing Jarvis Hayes again. Good to have the interviews, but I would have preferred to see the team do more drills. It was much more "Media Day" than "Live Stream of Practice." Guess we won't know about much about how the guys look until the exhibition game.
With that said, here are a few observations:
Kenny Gaines looks thicker. Without seeing him move around, it's hard to tell if he's put on good weight, or whether he has gained weight because he hasn't been able to participate fully in conditioning drills.
Juwan Parker has a brace on his leg. Likely means he won't play much at the beginning of the year.
Fox has Turtle Jackson learning the point. Great to be three-deep at the point guard position, especially in light of the two recruits scheduled to come in next year, but it makes me wonder what we will do this year if Kenny and Juwan don't heal completely. I guess that by learning the point, Jackson should be able to know where the two-guard is supposed to go, so it stands to reason that he could play the shooting guard position if needed.
E'Torrion Wilridge does indeed have a nice stroke. Elbow is locked in tight and good follow-through.
Derek Ogbeide is a man in the post. Once again, I am reminded of Cordy Glenn, a guy who got better and better every year on the O-line for the football Dawgs. It's rare to get a stocky guy who also plays above the rim. Jeremy Price and Takais Brown were two former Dawgs hoops players who had the beef, but lacked the explosiveness. Chris Barnes of a few years ago is probably the best comparison.
Fox seems to think that Kenny Paul Geno took a significant step forward in the off-season. KPG is such a "tweener" that I really don't expect him to get a lot of minutes. He can jump and has a fairly reasonable shooting motion if he gets his feet set. However, he doesn't seem big enough for the power forward position, nor quick enough for the wing. If he scores 5 points a night, I would be surprised. I would love to be wrong.
They are referring to Mike Edwards as being 6' 10". Is that right? Whether he's 6' 9" or 10", if he runs the floor like they say he can, he will be a load for other teams to handle this year.
Looking forward to the season.
With that said, here are a few observations:
Kenny Gaines looks thicker. Without seeing him move around, it's hard to tell if he's put on good weight, or whether he has gained weight because he hasn't been able to participate fully in conditioning drills.
Juwan Parker has a brace on his leg. Likely means he won't play much at the beginning of the year.
Fox has Turtle Jackson learning the point. Great to be three-deep at the point guard position, especially in light of the two recruits scheduled to come in next year, but it makes me wonder what we will do this year if Kenny and Juwan don't heal completely. I guess that by learning the point, Jackson should be able to know where the two-guard is supposed to go, so it stands to reason that he could play the shooting guard position if needed.
E'Torrion Wilridge does indeed have a nice stroke. Elbow is locked in tight and good follow-through.
Derek Ogbeide is a man in the post. Once again, I am reminded of Cordy Glenn, a guy who got better and better every year on the O-line for the football Dawgs. It's rare to get a stocky guy who also plays above the rim. Jeremy Price and Takais Brown were two former Dawgs hoops players who had the beef, but lacked the explosiveness. Chris Barnes of a few years ago is probably the best comparison.
Fox seems to think that Kenny Paul Geno took a significant step forward in the off-season. KPG is such a "tweener" that I really don't expect him to get a lot of minutes. He can jump and has a fairly reasonable shooting motion if he gets his feet set. However, he doesn't seem big enough for the power forward position, nor quick enough for the wing. If he scores 5 points a night, I would be surprised. I would love to be wrong.
They are referring to Mike Edwards as being 6' 10". Is that right? Whether he's 6' 9" or 10", if he runs the floor like they say he can, he will be a load for other teams to handle this year.
Looking forward to the season.
Thursday, September 24, 2015
Interesting Pieces
1, News Articles
Good to see some news about the basketball Dawgs. GeorgiaDogs.com has a video featuring Houston Kessler. Here's the one on Kenny Gaines.
There's more out on the Web. If you haven't checked it out already, you should visit the Dawgs' Twitter page.
2. Roster
I'm about as curious as anyone on how Fox will develop and use his players. Sure, Charles Mann and Kenny Gaines (if healthy) will lead the charge this season. Yante Maten, as the only post with significant experience, will start.
But will we get anything from Osahen Iduwe this year? How about Mike Edwards? Derek Ogbeide? How much will Turtle Jackson play? Where will J.J. Frazier get his playing time?
The 3-position has been a mystery for Georgia since Brandon Morris left. Does Wilridge have the talent to lock it down? Will Fox go big with Edwards? Is Juwan Parker recovered from surgery enough to give us minutes? How about KPG? Did he work hard enough during the off-season to contribute on the wing?
3. Recruiting
UGA commits Tyree Crump and Jordan Harris can play. Who else will we bring in? I figure we need at least one big, but Fox may have different ideas. How many spots will we have, anyway?
As I said, lots of interesting pieces.
Getting excited about basketball.
Good to see some news about the basketball Dawgs. GeorgiaDogs.com has a video featuring Houston Kessler. Here's the one on Kenny Gaines.
There's more out on the Web. If you haven't checked it out already, you should visit the Dawgs' Twitter page.
2. Roster
I'm about as curious as anyone on how Fox will develop and use his players. Sure, Charles Mann and Kenny Gaines (if healthy) will lead the charge this season. Yante Maten, as the only post with significant experience, will start.
But will we get anything from Osahen Iduwe this year? How about Mike Edwards? Derek Ogbeide? How much will Turtle Jackson play? Where will J.J. Frazier get his playing time?
The 3-position has been a mystery for Georgia since Brandon Morris left. Does Wilridge have the talent to lock it down? Will Fox go big with Edwards? Is Juwan Parker recovered from surgery enough to give us minutes? How about KPG? Did he work hard enough during the off-season to contribute on the wing?
3. Recruiting
UGA commits Tyree Crump and Jordan Harris can play. Who else will we bring in? I figure we need at least one big, but Fox may have different ideas. How many spots will we have, anyway?
As I said, lots of interesting pieces.
Getting excited about basketball.
Tuesday, May 19, 2015
Mack to Texas
Great recruiting job by Shaka Smart. Great effort by Mark Fox and staff.
Let's move on. We have better class separation without Mack, and I never was convinced that he would defend well. Always can use a "maker", but Fox has two of those committed for 2016. If he can hold onto Crump and Harris, UGA will have a really good line-up.
As far as 2015/2016 is concerned, without Mack I'm not sure who will play well at the three position, but we may go big with Mike Edwards out there, hope that KPG holds it down, put Charles Mann or Turtle Jackson with Kenny Gaines, or maybe sign James White and put him at the three. At any rate, we have some athletic big guys for the first time in recent memory. We can adjust the starting five as needed.
Let's move on. We have better class separation without Mack, and I never was convinced that he would defend well. Always can use a "maker", but Fox has two of those committed for 2016. If he can hold onto Crump and Harris, UGA will have a really good line-up.
As far as 2015/2016 is concerned, without Mack I'm not sure who will play well at the three position, but we may go big with Mike Edwards out there, hope that KPG holds it down, put Charles Mann or Turtle Jackson with Kenny Gaines, or maybe sign James White and put him at the three. At any rate, we have some athletic big guys for the first time in recent memory. We can adjust the starting five as needed.
Thursday, April 23, 2015
Tevin Mack Speaks Recruiting
Says he doesn't have a top five. UGA has been talking to him. Plans on visiting UGA, South Carolina and Texas.
Watch the video linked below. But in case the link ever is taken down, here are a few tidbits:
Mack wants to go somewhere where the coaching staff is stable, and where he gets to play right away.
He knows he can score the ball, but he wants to work on defense and rebounding, getting stronger and being more explosive in his leaping ability.
Also says that his mother is heavily involved with the decision, although his college choice is ultimately his decision. Lots of teams talking to him, but he has five actual offers on the table.
Sounds to me like Texas is in first place (relationship with Shaka Smart), then South Carolina (hometown hero possibility), then UGA (close to home, can play right away).
If I'm Ms. Mack, I wouldn't want my son playing for Coach Martin. He's in a bit of a hot seat situation, Even if he weren't, Martin is an in your face screamer. South Carolina's version of Andy Landers. Some guys need that, but I wouldn't entrust my son to that kind of treatment.
In UGA's favor, we really don't have a wing on the roster. Fact is, we haven't had a scoring wing in a long, long time. Only guy that comes to mind right now is Jarvis Hayes.
For the present, Georgia can make do with hybrid 3/4 guys, like Wilridge and Geno, or we can stick out there a combo guard, like Mann and Parker (assuming Parker comes back healthy). Bottom line is that if Tevin Mack comes to Athens, he starts right away.
Mack's eyes must light up a bit when he considers UGA. We're offensively challenged. We need a maker. When we have guys that can score the ball, we can get them to the League. Don't remember anybody recent from South Carolina who has made it.
Interview with WISTV
Part Two
We're in the mix, but can we close?
Watch the video linked below. But in case the link ever is taken down, here are a few tidbits:
Mack wants to go somewhere where the coaching staff is stable, and where he gets to play right away.
He knows he can score the ball, but he wants to work on defense and rebounding, getting stronger and being more explosive in his leaping ability.
Also says that his mother is heavily involved with the decision, although his college choice is ultimately his decision. Lots of teams talking to him, but he has five actual offers on the table.
Sounds to me like Texas is in first place (relationship with Shaka Smart), then South Carolina (hometown hero possibility), then UGA (close to home, can play right away).
If I'm Ms. Mack, I wouldn't want my son playing for Coach Martin. He's in a bit of a hot seat situation, Even if he weren't, Martin is an in your face screamer. South Carolina's version of Andy Landers. Some guys need that, but I wouldn't entrust my son to that kind of treatment.
In UGA's favor, we really don't have a wing on the roster. Fact is, we haven't had a scoring wing in a long, long time. Only guy that comes to mind right now is Jarvis Hayes.
For the present, Georgia can make do with hybrid 3/4 guys, like Wilridge and Geno, or we can stick out there a combo guard, like Mann and Parker (assuming Parker comes back healthy). Bottom line is that if Tevin Mack comes to Athens, he starts right away.
Mack's eyes must light up a bit when he considers UGA. We're offensively challenged. We need a maker. When we have guys that can score the ball, we can get them to the League. Don't remember anybody recent from South Carolina who has made it.
Interview with WISTV
Part Two
We're in the mix, but can we close?
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
Derek Ogbeide
The guy that Ogbeide reminds me most of is not a hoops player. It's Cordy Glenn from UGA's football team a few years back. The first time I saw Glenn, I said, "this guy is going to be a player."
Sure enough, Glenn later starred on the offensive line for Georgia. Cordy is now in the NFL, playing offensive tackle for the Buffalo Bills.
In the same way, I am projecting good things for Ogbeide. He has a large frame, big hands and feet, and for a big man, good athleticism. Catches the ball well. Is a true post player. Doesn't float around on the perimeter.
I liked what I saw of Ogbeide in Pebblebrook's game against Laney of Augusta. Pebblebrook doesn't run many plays, and Ogbeide rarely gets passes. However, in an up and down, guard-oriented game, Ogbeide had 16 points, 18 boards and 7 blocks.
I wouldn't call Ogbeide skilled. Not in the same way that Tony Parker was skilled at the same point in high school. However, if Ogbeide continues to grow physically and athletically, he may end up as the better NBA prospect.
Next year could be a good one for UGA basketball. Charles Mann, J.J. Frazier, and Turtle Jackson playing point; Kenny Gaines and Juwan Parker at the shooting guard spots, Iduwe (here's hoping he bulks up and learns a few moves), Yante Maten, and Ogbeide in the post, and Kenny Paul Geno and E'Torrion Wilridge on the wing. If we somehow bring in Jaylen Brown, that looks like a definite NCAA team to me.
Sure enough, Glenn later starred on the offensive line for Georgia. Cordy is now in the NFL, playing offensive tackle for the Buffalo Bills.
In the same way, I am projecting good things for Ogbeide. He has a large frame, big hands and feet, and for a big man, good athleticism. Catches the ball well. Is a true post player. Doesn't float around on the perimeter.
I liked what I saw of Ogbeide in Pebblebrook's game against Laney of Augusta. Pebblebrook doesn't run many plays, and Ogbeide rarely gets passes. However, in an up and down, guard-oriented game, Ogbeide had 16 points, 18 boards and 7 blocks.
I wouldn't call Ogbeide skilled. Not in the same way that Tony Parker was skilled at the same point in high school. However, if Ogbeide continues to grow physically and athletically, he may end up as the better NBA prospect.
Next year could be a good one for UGA basketball. Charles Mann, J.J. Frazier, and Turtle Jackson playing point; Kenny Gaines and Juwan Parker at the shooting guard spots, Iduwe (here's hoping he bulks up and learns a few moves), Yante Maten, and Ogbeide in the post, and Kenny Paul Geno and E'Torrion Wilridge on the wing. If we somehow bring in Jaylen Brown, that looks like a definite NCAA team to me.
Saturday, December 6, 2014
Prediction: Dawgs win big over Colorado
KPG? What you got?
I think we get production from K squared. A little bit of Kenny Paul Geno and a big game from Kenny Gaines.
Hopefully can watch the game after church.
I think we get production from K squared. A little bit of Kenny Paul Geno and a big game from Kenny Gaines.
Hopefully can watch the game after church.
Wednesday, July 16, 2014
May the Best Man Win at Small Forward
I decided to edit my post about the dismissal of Brandon Morris, and keep it fairly short, meanwhile adding to my post about the line-up for the fall.
So, now that Morris will no longer be around to hold down the starting position at small forward, UGA's options going into the 2014/2015 season appear to be:
Yante Maten, 6' 8" freshman.
Kenny Paul Geno, 6' 6" sophomore.
Juwan Parker, 6' 4" sophomore.
Nemi Djurisic, 6' 8" senior.
Cameron Forte, 6' 7" junior.
Maten has talent and appears to be very versatile, having played some point guard in high school. His issues are learning the offense and getting in shape. I had Maten replacing Donte Williams at the power forward position, helping out Marcus Thornton, who is an under-sized post.
Kenny Paul Geno, a late recruiting pick-up last season after Kentavious Caldwell-Pope opted for the NBA, played some last year against Mississippi State and actually looked pretty good, scoring six points. Otherwise, Geno averaged a point and a rebound per game over the course of the year. Is he ready to start at the small forward position? I don't think so, but he'll get his share of minutes.
Juwan Parker can play. The problem is that he is our one option behind Kenny Gaines at the two-guard. I say, keep bringing Parker off the bench.
Nemi has played a lot. When he's hot, he's fun to watch. When he's not, not so much. I wouldn't regard him as an elite defender or ball-handler, which is what you want from a small forward. I like Nemi providing a spark as sixth man.
Forte has good hands and is crafty around the basket. He led Georgia in field goal percentage, almost shooting 60 percent from the floor (.591). The only team members who came close to that percentage were Donte Williams and John Cannon, both of whom moved on. Forte's biggest issue is that he can't shoot (Sounds harsh, but anyone who shoots 30 percent from the free throw line for a D-1 team, can't shoot, okay?). Fox was quoted once as saying that Forte "has an ugly game, but good instincts."
Result? Who's our best man for the job?
If Forte's game goes from ugly to decent-looking, he is the best option. He doesn't need to be a three-point ace, but he simply must get to the point where he can convert from as far out as 15 feet, and at least shoot better than 60 percent from the line. Forte, who looks more like 6' 5" than his listed 6' 7", is a decent rebounder, averaging 2 boards per game in 9 minutes. He is not an explosive leaper, and probably won't ever be, but I would hope that he can increase his vertical a few inches over the summer.
If Forte doesn't improve, then Parker probably gets the start. A lot of teams use three-guard sets, and Parker is probably the best match-up for those situations. Fox hopefully is scouring the AAU circuit looking for a late-blooming two-guard, with size. I'd rather save the ship than save the 'ship at this point.
So, now that Morris will no longer be around to hold down the starting position at small forward, UGA's options going into the 2014/2015 season appear to be:
Yante Maten, 6' 8" freshman.
Kenny Paul Geno, 6' 6" sophomore.
Juwan Parker, 6' 4" sophomore.
Nemi Djurisic, 6' 8" senior.
Cameron Forte, 6' 7" junior.
Maten has talent and appears to be very versatile, having played some point guard in high school. His issues are learning the offense and getting in shape. I had Maten replacing Donte Williams at the power forward position, helping out Marcus Thornton, who is an under-sized post.
Kenny Paul Geno, a late recruiting pick-up last season after Kentavious Caldwell-Pope opted for the NBA, played some last year against Mississippi State and actually looked pretty good, scoring six points. Otherwise, Geno averaged a point and a rebound per game over the course of the year. Is he ready to start at the small forward position? I don't think so, but he'll get his share of minutes.
Juwan Parker can play. The problem is that he is our one option behind Kenny Gaines at the two-guard. I say, keep bringing Parker off the bench.
Nemi has played a lot. When he's hot, he's fun to watch. When he's not, not so much. I wouldn't regard him as an elite defender or ball-handler, which is what you want from a small forward. I like Nemi providing a spark as sixth man.
Forte has good hands and is crafty around the basket. He led Georgia in field goal percentage, almost shooting 60 percent from the floor (.591). The only team members who came close to that percentage were Donte Williams and John Cannon, both of whom moved on. Forte's biggest issue is that he can't shoot (Sounds harsh, but anyone who shoots 30 percent from the free throw line for a D-1 team, can't shoot, okay?). Fox was quoted once as saying that Forte "has an ugly game, but good instincts."
Result? Who's our best man for the job?
If Forte's game goes from ugly to decent-looking, he is the best option. He doesn't need to be a three-point ace, but he simply must get to the point where he can convert from as far out as 15 feet, and at least shoot better than 60 percent from the line. Forte, who looks more like 6' 5" than his listed 6' 7", is a decent rebounder, averaging 2 boards per game in 9 minutes. He is not an explosive leaper, and probably won't ever be, but I would hope that he can increase his vertical a few inches over the summer.
If Forte doesn't improve, then Parker probably gets the start. A lot of teams use three-guard sets, and Parker is probably the best match-up for those situations. Fox hopefully is scouring the AAU circuit looking for a late-blooming two-guard, with size. I'd rather save the ship than save the 'ship at this point.
Monday, November 4, 2013
Wapo on Fox and the Dawgs
Can Fox make the Dawgs relevant? With lackluster recruiting and losing seasons in 3 out of his 4 years, the Washington Post points to five items to watch.
1) Fox Future
How patient will McGarity be? The Post points out that UGA didn't wait very long with other unsuccessful coaches (Jirsa, Felton).
2) Marcus Thornton
Can Marcus play above the rim? Dawgs fans wonder if Thornton is more like Blake Griffin, who regained his explosiveness after knee surgery, or the myriad other hoops players who didn't.
3) Donte Williams
Will Donte finish strong in his senior year?
4) Freshman Class
Will the freshmen help this year? How well will Parker, Frazier, Forte and Geno play?
5) Early Schedule
Georgia really struggled last year in the pre-SEC portion of the schedule.
Post Article
My take on it:
Fox has the support of McGarity. Fox will lose it if the Dawgs struggle. Do not expect for Fox to get a contract extension. McGarity likes the improved academics with the team. But let's face it. If winning isn't the goal, let one of the Honors English professors coach the team. We'd save a heck of a lot of money.
If Fox follows 3 out of 4 losing seasons with 4 out of 5, he will be let go. That's my best guess for why Fox used 4 scholarships last year on players who were not high-ranked. You save scholarships if you think you will be around to offer them. If not, you bring on the best players you can now.
Not expecting much from Thornton. His game is predicated on his ability to jump. If he can't jump and attack the rim, then won't score a lot of points. I'm hoping he will return to form, but realistically, I think we will see about what we saw the last couple of years-- decent effort and rebounding, but not much else.
Donte had a rough start last year with the drug allegations. He'll do much better this year.
The freshmen guards have to play. We don't have anybody else. Forte and Parker could be incredible, or they could be average. I expect them to contribute, but this team belongs to Gaines, Mann and Morris.
The Dawgs could go 10 and 0 in the early season. The key game is Georgia Tech. If we beat Tech, it will be such a huge boost to the team that we could go undefeated early or 9 and 1. If we lose, things could go downhill fast for Fox.
1) Fox Future
How patient will McGarity be? The Post points out that UGA didn't wait very long with other unsuccessful coaches (Jirsa, Felton).
2) Marcus Thornton
Can Marcus play above the rim? Dawgs fans wonder if Thornton is more like Blake Griffin, who regained his explosiveness after knee surgery, or the myriad other hoops players who didn't.
3) Donte Williams
Will Donte finish strong in his senior year?
4) Freshman Class
Will the freshmen help this year? How well will Parker, Frazier, Forte and Geno play?
5) Early Schedule
Georgia really struggled last year in the pre-SEC portion of the schedule.
Post Article
My take on it:
Fox has the support of McGarity. Fox will lose it if the Dawgs struggle. Do not expect for Fox to get a contract extension. McGarity likes the improved academics with the team. But let's face it. If winning isn't the goal, let one of the Honors English professors coach the team. We'd save a heck of a lot of money.
If Fox follows 3 out of 4 losing seasons with 4 out of 5, he will be let go. That's my best guess for why Fox used 4 scholarships last year on players who were not high-ranked. You save scholarships if you think you will be around to offer them. If not, you bring on the best players you can now.
Not expecting much from Thornton. His game is predicated on his ability to jump. If he can't jump and attack the rim, then won't score a lot of points. I'm hoping he will return to form, but realistically, I think we will see about what we saw the last couple of years-- decent effort and rebounding, but not much else.
Donte had a rough start last year with the drug allegations. He'll do much better this year.
The freshmen guards have to play. We don't have anybody else. Forte and Parker could be incredible, or they could be average. I expect them to contribute, but this team belongs to Gaines, Mann and Morris.
The Dawgs could go 10 and 0 in the early season. The key game is Georgia Tech. If we beat Tech, it will be such a huge boost to the team that we could go undefeated early or 9 and 1. If we lose, things could go downhill fast for Fox.
Saturday, October 12, 2013
How to fix recruiting, attendance and pick up 5 wins
Recruiting for UGA basketball coach Mark Fox has not been going well. It does not figure to get better in the near future.
Let's face it, hoops fans. We have missed out on every recruit we tried for this year. Gant ain't and Lee is lee-ning elsewhere (interpreted, Jakeenan Gant is committed to Missouri, and William Lee will likely end up at Alabama). Fisher-Davis picked Vandy, Tadric Jackson chose Tech, Ahmed Hill has apparently turned us down, Turman committed to Tennessee. Guards, forwards, centers. Didn't matter. The answer to the Fox recruiting pitch was "No thanks."
Truly is stunning to me. I have never seen a Georgia coach in any sport go "0-for" in a recruiting season, but that's exactly what Mark Fox has done so far for 2014 players.
Unfortunately, Fox didn't do much better for 2013, either, missing out on every high level recruit, and ending up with what some fans would consider four "diamond in the rough"-types (two 3-star players and two un-ranked guys). Could be good players, but they are not the heralded recruits that our SEC competitors like Florida, Alabama and Kentucky are bringing in.
2012 was better, and Fox managed to attract three 3-star players, Kenny Gaines, Brandon Morris and Charles Mann. Still, Fox missed out on elite big men from the state of Georgia, Tony Parker, Robert Carter, Charles Mitchell, and Shaq Goodwin.
I have posted similar information before, but it bears repeating:
Fox Recruiting Classes
Vincent Williams, 2009
Marcus Thornton, Donte Williams, Sherrard Brantley, 2010
John Florveus, Nemanja Djurisic, Caldwell-Pope, Tim Dixon and John Cannon, 2011
Brandon Morris, Kenny Gaines, Charles Mann, 2012
Kenny Paul Geno, J.J. Frazier, Juwan Parker and Cameron Forte, 2013
Nada, 2014
Said another way, Fox has during his tenure brought in 16 signees, who were given a total of 41 stars according to Rivals.com. That's 2.5 stars per recruit.
In those 5 classes and 16 recruits, only one signee was above 3-stars. Performance on the court generally follows performance in recruiting classes. Of the 16 recruits who have played so far, only one has managed over 8 points per game (KCP). None of the big men Fox has recruited have averaged over 4.5 boards a game. Not surprisingly, Fox has managed 3 losing seasons out of a total of 4. His one winning season was with his predecessor's recruits.
Attendance at UGA hoops games has sagged. Fans want to see an exciting brand of basketball, and the Fox teams have not delivered. According to one source, Georgia has the worst home attendance in the SEC.
How can Fox recover? How can he get a decent recruit for 2014? How can he win games and boost attendance? The answer to these questions, in the author's opinion, may lie at Northwest Florida Junior College.
Why Northwest Florida? Because Tevin Glass and Shaq Johnson are there.
Fox can make a big step forward by bringing in Glass and Johnson. I don't see anybody else on the recruiting horizon. I say, if we can get both players, do it. The two recruits would have to take a chance on Fox, that he'll be around next year. At the same time, we'd be taking a chance on them. They are juco players and Johnson has a mark on his basketball resume, since he was dismissed from Auburn, allegedly after getting arrested for marijuana possession.
Fox would have a different appeal to make to Glass and Johnson, one that may ultimately be successful. Come to UGA and get back on track. Johnson would readily understand that he'd be on a short lease and would have to toe the line. The big recruiting carrot is that both players would get to suit up with Charles Mann, the point guard that helped Glass, Johnson and Milton High School win the Georgia 5A state championship in 2012.
Glass is a player who can score and rebound. He's not a traditional big power forward, but he's 6' 7" and can put the ball on the floor. In the absence of a true big man recruit, Glass would be perfect. Shaq Johnson is a Travis Leslie clone. 6' 5" and jumps out of the gym. Shoots 70 percent from the line.
Fox got Leslie into the NBA. Tell Johnson that he'll do the same for him.
If we can field a versatile line-up with Kenny Gaines, Juwan Parker and Shaq Johnson as two-guards, Chuck Mann and J.J. Frazier at the point, Brandon Morris and KPG at small forward, and Forte and Glass as power forwards, we'd be exciting to watch. Throw a few lobs to Kenny Gaines and Shaq Johnson and the attendance issue would go away.
Finally, use the resulting line-up to go to a pressure defense for 90 feet. We'll get easier buckets and pick up at least 5 more wins on the season. That performance might be enough for Fox to be retained and for an elite big man recruit to sign on early for next year.
Let's face it, hoops fans. We have missed out on every recruit we tried for this year. Gant ain't and Lee is lee-ning elsewhere (interpreted, Jakeenan Gant is committed to Missouri, and William Lee will likely end up at Alabama). Fisher-Davis picked Vandy, Tadric Jackson chose Tech, Ahmed Hill has apparently turned us down, Turman committed to Tennessee. Guards, forwards, centers. Didn't matter. The answer to the Fox recruiting pitch was "No thanks."
Truly is stunning to me. I have never seen a Georgia coach in any sport go "0-for" in a recruiting season, but that's exactly what Mark Fox has done so far for 2014 players.
Unfortunately, Fox didn't do much better for 2013, either, missing out on every high level recruit, and ending up with what some fans would consider four "diamond in the rough"-types (two 3-star players and two un-ranked guys). Could be good players, but they are not the heralded recruits that our SEC competitors like Florida, Alabama and Kentucky are bringing in.
2012 was better, and Fox managed to attract three 3-star players, Kenny Gaines, Brandon Morris and Charles Mann. Still, Fox missed out on elite big men from the state of Georgia, Tony Parker, Robert Carter, Charles Mitchell, and Shaq Goodwin.
I have posted similar information before, but it bears repeating:
Fox Recruiting Classes
Vincent Williams, 2009
Marcus Thornton, Donte Williams, Sherrard Brantley, 2010
John Florveus, Nemanja Djurisic, Caldwell-Pope, Tim Dixon and John Cannon, 2011
Brandon Morris, Kenny Gaines, Charles Mann, 2012
Kenny Paul Geno, J.J. Frazier, Juwan Parker and Cameron Forte, 2013
Nada, 2014
Said another way, Fox has during his tenure brought in 16 signees, who were given a total of 41 stars according to Rivals.com. That's 2.5 stars per recruit.
In those 5 classes and 16 recruits, only one signee was above 3-stars. Performance on the court generally follows performance in recruiting classes. Of the 16 recruits who have played so far, only one has managed over 8 points per game (KCP). None of the big men Fox has recruited have averaged over 4.5 boards a game. Not surprisingly, Fox has managed 3 losing seasons out of a total of 4. His one winning season was with his predecessor's recruits.
Attendance at UGA hoops games has sagged. Fans want to see an exciting brand of basketball, and the Fox teams have not delivered. According to one source, Georgia has the worst home attendance in the SEC.
How can Fox recover? How can he get a decent recruit for 2014? How can he win games and boost attendance? The answer to these questions, in the author's opinion, may lie at Northwest Florida Junior College.
Why Northwest Florida? Because Tevin Glass and Shaq Johnson are there.
Fox can make a big step forward by bringing in Glass and Johnson. I don't see anybody else on the recruiting horizon. I say, if we can get both players, do it. The two recruits would have to take a chance on Fox, that he'll be around next year. At the same time, we'd be taking a chance on them. They are juco players and Johnson has a mark on his basketball resume, since he was dismissed from Auburn, allegedly after getting arrested for marijuana possession.
Fox would have a different appeal to make to Glass and Johnson, one that may ultimately be successful. Come to UGA and get back on track. Johnson would readily understand that he'd be on a short lease and would have to toe the line. The big recruiting carrot is that both players would get to suit up with Charles Mann, the point guard that helped Glass, Johnson and Milton High School win the Georgia 5A state championship in 2012.
Glass is a player who can score and rebound. He's not a traditional big power forward, but he's 6' 7" and can put the ball on the floor. In the absence of a true big man recruit, Glass would be perfect. Shaq Johnson is a Travis Leslie clone. 6' 5" and jumps out of the gym. Shoots 70 percent from the line.
Fox got Leslie into the NBA. Tell Johnson that he'll do the same for him.
If we can field a versatile line-up with Kenny Gaines, Juwan Parker and Shaq Johnson as two-guards, Chuck Mann and J.J. Frazier at the point, Brandon Morris and KPG at small forward, and Forte and Glass as power forwards, we'd be exciting to watch. Throw a few lobs to Kenny Gaines and Shaq Johnson and the attendance issue would go away.
Finally, use the resulting line-up to go to a pressure defense for 90 feet. We'll get easier buckets and pick up at least 5 more wins on the season. That performance might be enough for Fox to be retained and for an elite big man recruit to sign on early for next year.
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
McGarity Wants Improvement
I guess that's why Fox used up his 'ships this year, instead of holding one or two back.
McGarity Expectations
I'll be honest, I don't like using up four scholarships in one year unless you're bringing in a very talented class. Think about it, of the four recruits, most commentators would call them possible contributors. No four-star players. No five-star players. Is that right? Key year for Fox to make headway in recruiting, and we have four players and a total of six total stars among them (average of 1.5)?
I don't want to get too caught up in the math or in the ranking systems of the various web sites. It is possible that Fox has managed to find players who have been overlooked and underranked. But my confidence level has been shaken by 3 out of 4 losing seasons. As I look back at the Fox program of work, the one recruit who was expected to be really talented was, and the guys who were lower ranked and weren't expected to be difference-makers weren't.
My larger concern about the decisions made by Fox has to do with the future of UGA basketball.
Only one scholarship was awarded to a kid from the state of Georgia, and that one was handed out to a small player from a small school in a small town. Kid might be talented out of his mind, given, but don't expect the boosters to stand up and do the wave. Georgia-area high school and AAU coaches won't either.
Coach Fox's recruiting strategy does not set the table for recruiting in coming years. He has almost no scholarships left for 2014, and I would argue that he still has made no inroads with the key guys who can help Fox get 4 and 5-star players in the future. I can't think of a talented recruit in the 2014 or '15 class who is from the same school as the players we're bringing in.
A coach at the flagship university from a state rich in basketball talent which is also located just an hour from Atlanta ought to bring in a fair share of the wealth. If you can't do that, and you must take a chance on a project or a diamond-in-the-rough kind of guy, don't you roll the dice on in-state players?
The logical conclusion to be drawn from this year's recruiting class is that Fox brought in the players he wanted, without much thought to the future. He has to win now. But can these guys perform? There isn't a single low post player in the bunch. That's a head-scratcher, particularly since the obvious need on the roster is a bruiser who can rebound the ball and finish around the basket.
Will the four new guys help in year one? They'd better.
McGarity Expectations
I'll be honest, I don't like using up four scholarships in one year unless you're bringing in a very talented class. Think about it, of the four recruits, most commentators would call them possible contributors. No four-star players. No five-star players. Is that right? Key year for Fox to make headway in recruiting, and we have four players and a total of six total stars among them (average of 1.5)?
I don't want to get too caught up in the math or in the ranking systems of the various web sites. It is possible that Fox has managed to find players who have been overlooked and underranked. But my confidence level has been shaken by 3 out of 4 losing seasons. As I look back at the Fox program of work, the one recruit who was expected to be really talented was, and the guys who were lower ranked and weren't expected to be difference-makers weren't.
My larger concern about the decisions made by Fox has to do with the future of UGA basketball.
Only one scholarship was awarded to a kid from the state of Georgia, and that one was handed out to a small player from a small school in a small town. Kid might be talented out of his mind, given, but don't expect the boosters to stand up and do the wave. Georgia-area high school and AAU coaches won't either.
Coach Fox's recruiting strategy does not set the table for recruiting in coming years. He has almost no scholarships left for 2014, and I would argue that he still has made no inroads with the key guys who can help Fox get 4 and 5-star players in the future. I can't think of a talented recruit in the 2014 or '15 class who is from the same school as the players we're bringing in.
A coach at the flagship university from a state rich in basketball talent which is also located just an hour from Atlanta ought to bring in a fair share of the wealth. If you can't do that, and you must take a chance on a project or a diamond-in-the-rough kind of guy, don't you roll the dice on in-state players?
The logical conclusion to be drawn from this year's recruiting class is that Fox brought in the players he wanted, without much thought to the future. He has to win now. But can these guys perform? There isn't a single low post player in the bunch. That's a head-scratcher, particularly since the obvious need on the roster is a bruiser who can rebound the ball and finish around the basket.
Will the four new guys help in year one? They'd better.
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