where credit is due.
I have written more than once about Coach Fox and his use of talent. All too often we have had talented freshmen on the bench, when they could have done so much more on the floor.
I wanted, for example, Kenny Gaines to play with Kentavious. Not back him up, but rather, be on the court at the same time-- go to a three-guard line-up to make the best use of the talent we had on hand. I had hoped that Yante Maten would have gotten much more time as a freshman. Sure, we had Marcus and Nemi, but I wanted Coach Fox to find a way to play all three at once, or at least sub Nemi out more often.
This year, I have argued that we have to have Jordan Harris on the floor.
Well, Coach Fox actually gave Jordan right at 15 minutes of playing time in the last game. Although Coach cautioned that he did so because of match-ups, Jordan deserves minutes. He can defend and score and take his man off the dribble, something we need in the absence of Charles Mann.
Just as I complain when talent remains on the bench, I will encourage when our line-ups make more sense. I see the progress. More of the same, please, with additional minutes for Tyree Crump.
Showing posts with label Nemanja Djurisic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nemanja Djurisic. Show all posts
Sunday, November 20, 2016
Saturday, March 28, 2015
Revisiting the Kentucky Game
As painful as this is, yes, I'm going to go there.
Kentucky is just man-handling teams in the NCAA tournament. The game against West Virginia was brutal. Didn't watch it. Didn't need to. Knew Kentucky would win in convincing fashion.
Hard to believe that UGA gave Kentucky one of its toughest outs of the year. Sure, there were the games against other SEC foes. Sure, Kentucky barely outlasted a couple of teams(LSU and Missouri?), winning late or in overtime. But neither of those teams were beating Kentucky by 9 points in the second half.
Besides, I don't care about the other teams.
Georgia should have won that game. The game in Athens. The game in which we were beating them soundly, and the Kentucky guys looked confused.
We needed a few things to go our way:
1. Free throws.
Maddening to watch us go 9 of 18 in the most important game of the year. 50 percent!
2. Balanced Scoring.
By and large, we had it.
3. Good game by J.J. Frazier
Didn't get it. He went 2 of 8 from the field, 1 of 5 from behind the arc. He even missed his two free throw attempts.
4. Great Game from Our Bigs
Was so proud to see Marcus Thornton, Nemi Djurisic and Yante Maten all shoot 50 percent or better from the floor. Our three big men each outscored Dakari Johnson and Willie Cauley-Stein. Nemi played out of his mind.
5. Take away the Lob Pass
Mission accomplished. Sure they must have had a couple, but I don't remember any.
6. Great Coaching by Fox
We had it. Great game plan. We bodied their big men and made them shoot over the top. Slowed the game down. Made them defend our big men off the dribble.
7. Win the Turnover Margin
They only had 3 turnovers the entire game. We had 11.
8. Get some Home Cooking
Think the refs hurt us more than helped us.
9. Out-Shoot them from Deep
We went 3 of 17. They shot 4 of 15.
10. Be Tough on the Glass
We actually out-rebounded them, 41 to 38.
On the whole, we did what we needed to do.
Their big man, Towns, was 8 of 12 from the floor. He was hooking our defensive player with his elbow and shooting the jump hook. I was practically screaming at the t.v. for Fox to call a double-down to make Towns go to his left. Every time he bounced the ball, I would have had one of our guards running at him full speed.
In the end, we lost by 8. We were right there, though. If we had hit two more three-pointers, just 5 for 17, and shot 70 percent from the line, we would have won.
Woulda, coulda. I know. Frustrating. They'll probably go 40 and 0 and win the whole thing, but we had them.
Kentucky is just man-handling teams in the NCAA tournament. The game against West Virginia was brutal. Didn't watch it. Didn't need to. Knew Kentucky would win in convincing fashion.
Hard to believe that UGA gave Kentucky one of its toughest outs of the year. Sure, there were the games against other SEC foes. Sure, Kentucky barely outlasted a couple of teams(LSU and Missouri?), winning late or in overtime. But neither of those teams were beating Kentucky by 9 points in the second half.
Besides, I don't care about the other teams.
Georgia should have won that game. The game in Athens. The game in which we were beating them soundly, and the Kentucky guys looked confused.
We needed a few things to go our way:
1. Free throws.
Maddening to watch us go 9 of 18 in the most important game of the year. 50 percent!
2. Balanced Scoring.
By and large, we had it.
3. Good game by J.J. Frazier
Didn't get it. He went 2 of 8 from the field, 1 of 5 from behind the arc. He even missed his two free throw attempts.
4. Great Game from Our Bigs
Was so proud to see Marcus Thornton, Nemi Djurisic and Yante Maten all shoot 50 percent or better from the floor. Our three big men each outscored Dakari Johnson and Willie Cauley-Stein. Nemi played out of his mind.
5. Take away the Lob Pass
Mission accomplished. Sure they must have had a couple, but I don't remember any.
6. Great Coaching by Fox
We had it. Great game plan. We bodied their big men and made them shoot over the top. Slowed the game down. Made them defend our big men off the dribble.
7. Win the Turnover Margin
They only had 3 turnovers the entire game. We had 11.
8. Get some Home Cooking
Think the refs hurt us more than helped us.
9. Out-Shoot them from Deep
We went 3 of 17. They shot 4 of 15.
10. Be Tough on the Glass
We actually out-rebounded them, 41 to 38.
On the whole, we did what we needed to do.
Their big man, Towns, was 8 of 12 from the floor. He was hooking our defensive player with his elbow and shooting the jump hook. I was practically screaming at the t.v. for Fox to call a double-down to make Towns go to his left. Every time he bounced the ball, I would have had one of our guards running at him full speed.
In the end, we lost by 8. We were right there, though. If we had hit two more three-pointers, just 5 for 17, and shot 70 percent from the line, we would have won.
Woulda, coulda. I know. Frustrating. They'll probably go 40 and 0 and win the whole thing, but we had them.
Saturday, March 14, 2015
Ugly Game
Wish we would have put up more of a fight against Arkansas. UGA loses 60 to 49.
We needed something from Nemi and Yante. I think they each hit a bucket, but that was it. As a team we shot 32 percent from the field and around 55 percent from the line. Just won't get it done.
Maybe it's best that we lost and didn't go up against Kentucky with a depleted squad. With our offensive woes, UK would have whupped us by 60.
I am extremely happy, however, for
1) Taylor Echols
Great game for him. The highlight of his college playing career, no doubt. National t.v., hits three threes and scores in double figures.
2) Cameron Forte
Played a good game. Didn't give us much in the second half, but he was all we had early in the first. Finished 5 of 9 from the field and 3 of 5 from the line.
3) Juwan Parker
Strongly disagree with the decision to send him back out there after his ankle injury. He is done for the year. No matter who we play. No matter who else is injured. Don't jeopardize a guy's future like that.
I am happy that he didn't injure the ankle again.
4) UGA Squad
As bad as we played, I am happy that no one else was injured.
5) UGA Squad
We played well enough this year to make the Big Dance. 21 and 11 is a good season. Not what could have been, but I think we represented ourselves well. Let's win at least one in the tourney.
We needed something from Nemi and Yante. I think they each hit a bucket, but that was it. As a team we shot 32 percent from the field and around 55 percent from the line. Just won't get it done.
Maybe it's best that we lost and didn't go up against Kentucky with a depleted squad. With our offensive woes, UK would have whupped us by 60.
I am extremely happy, however, for
1) Taylor Echols
Great game for him. The highlight of his college playing career, no doubt. National t.v., hits three threes and scores in double figures.
2) Cameron Forte
Played a good game. Didn't give us much in the second half, but he was all we had early in the first. Finished 5 of 9 from the field and 3 of 5 from the line.
3) Juwan Parker
Strongly disagree with the decision to send him back out there after his ankle injury. He is done for the year. No matter who we play. No matter who else is injured. Don't jeopardize a guy's future like that.
I am happy that he didn't injure the ankle again.
4) UGA Squad
As bad as we played, I am happy that no one else was injured.
5) UGA Squad
We played well enough this year to make the Big Dance. 21 and 11 is a good season. Not what could have been, but I think we represented ourselves well. Let's win at least one in the tourney.
Saturday, March 7, 2015
Proud of the Dawgs!
Great season. 20 wins. Will make the NCAA Tourney.
Great game. Beat a tough Auburn team at home. Shot 90 percent from the free throw line. If we made 90 percent against Kentucky, we would have beat them, if you count the second end of the one-and-ones that would have followed. Would have won a number of the other games, too.
Great coaching. Fox kept the team together despite all the energies. Sure, we could have won a couple more, here and there, but on the whole, I say, good job, Coach Fox!
How about Charles Mann! Hit 3 for 5 from the field and an amazing 9 for 9 from the free throw line. That's what we've been hoping for from him.
Yante has come along nicely. J.J. Frazier, Marcus Thornton and Nemi Djurisic made huge strides this year. Kenny Paul Geno, Juwan Parker and J.J. Frazier have given incredible effort, considering their injuries. Same for Kenny Gaines.
Let's make some noise this month!
Great game. Beat a tough Auburn team at home. Shot 90 percent from the free throw line. If we made 90 percent against Kentucky, we would have beat them, if you count the second end of the one-and-ones that would have followed. Would have won a number of the other games, too.
Great coaching. Fox kept the team together despite all the energies. Sure, we could have won a couple more, here and there, but on the whole, I say, good job, Coach Fox!
How about Charles Mann! Hit 3 for 5 from the field and an amazing 9 for 9 from the free throw line. That's what we've been hoping for from him.
Yante has come along nicely. J.J. Frazier, Marcus Thornton and Nemi Djurisic made huge strides this year. Kenny Paul Geno, Juwan Parker and J.J. Frazier have given incredible effort, considering their injuries. Same for Kenny Gaines.
Let's make some noise this month!
Tuesday, March 3, 2015
Free Throws!
Arggghh!
We didn't get the key call when the Dawgs were up and they clearly hacked Mann across the arms. They went down and scored.
Marcus and Nemi were getting fouled going to the hole and the refs didn't call that either. Karl Anthony Towns used his elbows to create space and the refs let it go. The foul-calling disparity was a key to the game,
But the larger issue was that UGA went 50 percent from the line! A number of those misses were one-and-ones toward the end of the game when we could have pulled close and tied the game.
Proud of the team in any case. Coach Fox coached a great game. We needed big games from Mann and Gaines, and we didn't get it. We shot 3 for 17 from behind the arc. That won't cut it against Kentucky.
The team fought hard, so perhaps it will all come together in the tourney.
Disappointed, but UGA played a whale of a game.
We didn't get the key call when the Dawgs were up and they clearly hacked Mann across the arms. They went down and scored.
Marcus and Nemi were getting fouled going to the hole and the refs didn't call that either. Karl Anthony Towns used his elbows to create space and the refs let it go. The foul-calling disparity was a key to the game,
But the larger issue was that UGA went 50 percent from the line! A number of those misses were one-and-ones toward the end of the game when we could have pulled close and tied the game.
Proud of the team in any case. Coach Fox coached a great game. We needed big games from Mann and Gaines, and we didn't get it. We shot 3 for 17 from behind the arc. That won't cut it against Kentucky.
The team fought hard, so perhaps it will all come together in the tourney.
Disappointed, but UGA played a whale of a game.
Yante and Nemi Playing Huge
Great to see. Our big men have 28 of our 32 points at the half. Owning their bigs. Willie Cauley-Stein, 2 points. Karl Anthony Towns, 2 points. Trey Lyles, 2 points.
Meanwhile, Nemi has 14 points on 5 of 7 shooting, Yante has 6 on 2 of 3 from the floor, and Marcus has 8 on 3 of 6 shooting. Wish our guards would get hot! Please, no more careless passes and dumb fouls!
UGA, you gotta win this game.
Hunker Down One More Time!
Meanwhile, Nemi has 14 points on 5 of 7 shooting, Yante has 6 on 2 of 3 from the floor, and Marcus has 8 on 3 of 6 shooting. Wish our guards would get hot! Please, no more careless passes and dumb fouls!
UGA, you gotta win this game.
Hunker Down One More Time!
Just what the Doctor Ordered
Derek Ogbeide had five dunks and 17 rebounds in the Class AAAAAA semi-final game against Shiloh. Pebblebrook won the contest by 10. Final score: 57 to 47.
Ogbeide
Meanwhile, Jaylen Brown and Wheeler High defeated Tucker. Brown finished with 29 points. Great player, great attitude.
Wheeler and Pebblebrook will meet in the 6A championship game on Saturday.
Hated to see Athens Christian come up just short, 57 to 56, against Greenforest in the Class A private school semi-finals. Turtle Jackson ended his high school career with 15 points in the contest.
Ogbeide is just what the doctor ordered for a UGA team graduating senior post players, Nemi Djurisic and Marcus Thornton. Don't know how Derek will do against SEC talent, but he'll surely get the chance to play right away.
Provided that Turtle Jackson's knees hold up, he'll give UGA valuable minutes at the point. Seems like such a long-shot, but if Coach Rosemond can seal the deal with Jaylen Brown, discharge the patient, UGA basketball is healthy and ready to make some noise.
Ogbeide
Meanwhile, Jaylen Brown and Wheeler High defeated Tucker. Brown finished with 29 points. Great player, great attitude.
Wheeler and Pebblebrook will meet in the 6A championship game on Saturday.
Hated to see Athens Christian come up just short, 57 to 56, against Greenforest in the Class A private school semi-finals. Turtle Jackson ended his high school career with 15 points in the contest.
Ogbeide is just what the doctor ordered for a UGA team graduating senior post players, Nemi Djurisic and Marcus Thornton. Don't know how Derek will do against SEC talent, but he'll surely get the chance to play right away.
Provided that Turtle Jackson's knees hold up, he'll give UGA valuable minutes at the point. Seems like such a long-shot, but if Coach Rosemond can seal the deal with Jaylen Brown, discharge the patient, UGA basketball is healthy and ready to make some noise.
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
Dawgs Beat Vandy
Final score, 70 to 62.
Didn't see the game, but I might try to watch the replay. In any case, I like having J.J. Frazier starting and the move to put Mann at the 3. Takes pressure off of Mann and gets another scorer on the court to begin the game.
Still worried about bench strength, but we seem to be managing with Yante Maten and Cameron Forte being the key subs, and Taylor Echols coming in for spot minutes. Good game for Nemi, with 15 points and 9 boards.
Nice win last night.
Didn't see the game, but I might try to watch the replay. In any case, I like having J.J. Frazier starting and the move to put Mann at the 3. Takes pressure off of Mann and gets another scorer on the court to begin the game.
Still worried about bench strength, but we seem to be managing with Yante Maten and Cameron Forte being the key subs, and Taylor Echols coming in for spot minutes. Good game for Nemi, with 15 points and 9 boards.
Nice win last night.
Sunday, January 11, 2015
Ten Questions for UGA Basketball (Post Double OT Loss to LSU)
1. Can Marcus Thornton appeal for another year?
There has to be some rationale for an appeal, given his health issues and knee surgeries, right?
Sure hope so. A UGA squad with sophomore Yante Maten, freshman Derek Ogbeide, and a returning Marcus Thornton in the post would be formidable.
Thornton might have played one of his best games against LSU. Missed key free throws, but he was a warrior against a tough LSU front court. Finished the night with 16 points and 16 rebounds. Bad foul against Quarterman in the first overtime, but their guys were fouling him and he wasn't getting the calls. He's won more games for us than he's lost.
2. With Charles Mann on the free throw line, why pull potential offensive rebounders from the lane?
Fox knows that Mann is not a good free throw shooter. As might be expected, Mann missed two foul shots late, and the second miss bounced off the rim and up the lane some. Marcus Thornton or even Kenny Gaines might have been able to corral it if Fox had not pulled them away.
3. Is it time to bring Nemi Djurisic off the bench?
He did have 15, and I know Nemi is a senior, but Georgia might hit the ground running better if Maten becomes a starter in Nemi's stead.
4. Did Cameron Forte just earn a start at the 3 position?
Played well last night. I said in a previous post that if Forte changes his shooting stroke, he can put up big numbers. Good hands, crafty with the ball, good enough defense. Liability away from the basket. Clean that up, and Georgia has its small forward for the rest of the season. Had 10 points on 5 of 8 shooting. I say, start him next game.
5. Why not press?
Arkansas does it, LSU does it. So does Kentucky. Gets you a few turnovers as guys get rattled.
6. Did Fox make a serious effort to recruit Tim Quarterman?
I know I asked that question a couple of years ago, and I guess it's a moot point now, but I sure would like to know the answer. Some fans argued back in 2013 that by signing Frazier, Fox had successfully recruited the best point guard recruit in the state. Problem is that Fox hadn't. Tim Quarterman was better, and UGA fans now see why.
Frazier had an off-night, and that's allowed, but the fact remains that he was 0 for 7 from the floor and finished with 2 points. Meanwhile, Quarterman was 10 for 16, with 27 points, hitting clutch baskets, one after the other. Quarterman will be a star in the league. He lets the game come to him, but when LSU needs a big basket, Quarterman has become the guy.
Quarterman delivered for LSU last night. Would have been nice to have him at UGA, but from what I could tell, Fox never seemed interested.
7. What's up with Juwan Parker?
Is it a confidence thing? Maybe he just needs to get in the gym and shoot. He's not looking for his shot these days. Defends and rebounds well, but if he's going to be our starting small forward, it would be nice to see him attempt a shot every now and then. With his free throw stroke, one would think that that would translate into a nice mid-range game. That's not happening. Just wondering whether Fox told him not to shoot.
8. Can we expect anything from Osahen Iduwe this year?
Didn't get any minutes. Could be a communication barrier. He's not a native English speaker, and even guys born here take a while to learn where to be in the Fox offense. All the same, if he isn't going to play, why didn't we red-shirt him? And I guess the bigger question is whether we can expect him to contribute at any point, this year or next. I'm not familiar with his game, but you have to hope that Jonas Hayes is working with him to get him ready.
9. Will Charles Mann learn a floater?
He's a 6' 5" point guard who has some muscle. I get that. I also get that he does not shoot free throws that well, and he turns the ball over on charges. Can he keep his head up and use a floater or jump stop to shoot the ball? Would love to see him add that to his arsenal.
10/ How will Georgia fare in a much tougher SEC?
We're 0 and 2 in the SEC and 9 and 5 on the season as a whole. Hate to judge based on just a couple of games, but it's hard to see Georgia ending up in the top 5 of the SEC this year. Our competition is tougher.
Alabama seems much improved. They stomped Tennessee. Missouri has talent. LSU is better this year, even without Johnny O'Bryant. Florida started slow, but they are improving. South Carolina has taken a step forward. Kentucky is a beast. Texas A and M gave them trouble. Arkansas has already beaten us.
There are no easy victories on the schedule. If we're not careful, the season could get away from us.
There has to be some rationale for an appeal, given his health issues and knee surgeries, right?
Sure hope so. A UGA squad with sophomore Yante Maten, freshman Derek Ogbeide, and a returning Marcus Thornton in the post would be formidable.
Thornton might have played one of his best games against LSU. Missed key free throws, but he was a warrior against a tough LSU front court. Finished the night with 16 points and 16 rebounds. Bad foul against Quarterman in the first overtime, but their guys were fouling him and he wasn't getting the calls. He's won more games for us than he's lost.
2. With Charles Mann on the free throw line, why pull potential offensive rebounders from the lane?
Fox knows that Mann is not a good free throw shooter. As might be expected, Mann missed two foul shots late, and the second miss bounced off the rim and up the lane some. Marcus Thornton or even Kenny Gaines might have been able to corral it if Fox had not pulled them away.
3. Is it time to bring Nemi Djurisic off the bench?
He did have 15, and I know Nemi is a senior, but Georgia might hit the ground running better if Maten becomes a starter in Nemi's stead.
4. Did Cameron Forte just earn a start at the 3 position?
Played well last night. I said in a previous post that if Forte changes his shooting stroke, he can put up big numbers. Good hands, crafty with the ball, good enough defense. Liability away from the basket. Clean that up, and Georgia has its small forward for the rest of the season. Had 10 points on 5 of 8 shooting. I say, start him next game.
5. Why not press?
Arkansas does it, LSU does it. So does Kentucky. Gets you a few turnovers as guys get rattled.
6. Did Fox make a serious effort to recruit Tim Quarterman?
I know I asked that question a couple of years ago, and I guess it's a moot point now, but I sure would like to know the answer. Some fans argued back in 2013 that by signing Frazier, Fox had successfully recruited the best point guard recruit in the state. Problem is that Fox hadn't. Tim Quarterman was better, and UGA fans now see why.
Frazier had an off-night, and that's allowed, but the fact remains that he was 0 for 7 from the floor and finished with 2 points. Meanwhile, Quarterman was 10 for 16, with 27 points, hitting clutch baskets, one after the other. Quarterman will be a star in the league. He lets the game come to him, but when LSU needs a big basket, Quarterman has become the guy.
Quarterman delivered for LSU last night. Would have been nice to have him at UGA, but from what I could tell, Fox never seemed interested.
7. What's up with Juwan Parker?
Is it a confidence thing? Maybe he just needs to get in the gym and shoot. He's not looking for his shot these days. Defends and rebounds well, but if he's going to be our starting small forward, it would be nice to see him attempt a shot every now and then. With his free throw stroke, one would think that that would translate into a nice mid-range game. That's not happening. Just wondering whether Fox told him not to shoot.
8. Can we expect anything from Osahen Iduwe this year?
Didn't get any minutes. Could be a communication barrier. He's not a native English speaker, and even guys born here take a while to learn where to be in the Fox offense. All the same, if he isn't going to play, why didn't we red-shirt him? And I guess the bigger question is whether we can expect him to contribute at any point, this year or next. I'm not familiar with his game, but you have to hope that Jonas Hayes is working with him to get him ready.
9. Will Charles Mann learn a floater?
He's a 6' 5" point guard who has some muscle. I get that. I also get that he does not shoot free throws that well, and he turns the ball over on charges. Can he keep his head up and use a floater or jump stop to shoot the ball? Would love to see him add that to his arsenal.
10/ How will Georgia fare in a much tougher SEC?
We're 0 and 2 in the SEC and 9 and 5 on the season as a whole. Hate to judge based on just a couple of games, but it's hard to see Georgia ending up in the top 5 of the SEC this year. Our competition is tougher.
Alabama seems much improved. They stomped Tennessee. Missouri has talent. LSU is better this year, even without Johnny O'Bryant. Florida started slow, but they are improving. South Carolina has taken a step forward. Kentucky is a beast. Texas A and M gave them trouble. Arkansas has already beaten us.
There are no easy victories on the schedule. If we're not careful, the season could get away from us.
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.
Friday, November 22, 2013
Dawgs lose to Temple
Why did we inbound the ball to Donte? I don't think the three-point cast by Donte is what Fox had in mind, but darned if I could see what play Fox wanted to run. Why not throw it in to Morris, Mann or Gaines? All those guys can catch it and drive the ball.
Anyway, we lost 83 to 81. We're 1 and 3 on the season. The good news is that for the first time this year, we looked like we can play.
Brandon Morris is the key to this team. He can handle, drive the ball and defend. He missed crucial free throws late, but that's to be expected for a guy who hasn't played all year.
Kudos to Kenny Gaines and Charles Mann. They both played well and scored 21 and 19 points, respectively. We'll pick up a few victories this year. All is not lost. Even Marcus Thornton looked good.
Fox finally let his starters stay on the court during the second half. You test your deep bench in practice or during exhibition games. If Fox will stick with a limited rotation, the Dawgs can get in games and stay there.
Please, Fox. Play Mann, Gaines, Morris, Williams, Thornton, Djurisic and Forte. Sub in Parker and Frazier when necessary. Stop pulling guys when they hit a basket.
Thank you.
Anyway, we lost 83 to 81. We're 1 and 3 on the season. The good news is that for the first time this year, we looked like we can play.
Brandon Morris is the key to this team. He can handle, drive the ball and defend. He missed crucial free throws late, but that's to be expected for a guy who hasn't played all year.
Kudos to Kenny Gaines and Charles Mann. They both played well and scored 21 and 19 points, respectively. We'll pick up a few victories this year. All is not lost. Even Marcus Thornton looked good.
Fox finally let his starters stay on the court during the second half. You test your deep bench in practice or during exhibition games. If Fox will stick with a limited rotation, the Dawgs can get in games and stay there.
Please, Fox. Play Mann, Gaines, Morris, Williams, Thornton, Djurisic and Forte. Sub in Parker and Frazier when necessary. Stop pulling guys when they hit a basket.
Thank you.
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Ten Requests
I know Fox doesn't read my blog, but if he did, I would have some requests of him:
1) If teams press us, then get your ball-handlers out on the floor.
2) Don't make the first pass to the corner. Too easy to double team.
3) Do not let Nemi take the ball out of bounds. The guy who takes it out of bounds is the first recipient of the pass out of a trap. Therefore that guy needs to be able to advance the ball on the dribble.
4) Use Brandon Morris to take the ball out of bounds. Brandon has both the height and the ball-handling ability to play that role.
5) Have a big man in the middle of the floor who can catch a lob pass, then turn and distribute the ball.
6) Since both John Cannon and Donte Williams have good hands, make either one of those guys the man in the middle.
7) Please play John Cannon, Kenny Gaines, Donte Williams and Brandon Morris more. I don't understand why Gaines gets only 5 minutes and John Cannon didn't get any.
8) Work with Charles Mann on his mid-range game. He can use that floater more often, and he would avoid having offensive fouls called against him.
9) Somehow let Tony Parker know that he'd have gotten a lot more than three minutes of playing time tonight if he were at Georgia.
10) Please, please, no more "O My Heart".
That has to be the worst written theme song I have ever heard. We can surely do better.
1) If teams press us, then get your ball-handlers out on the floor.
2) Don't make the first pass to the corner. Too easy to double team.
3) Do not let Nemi take the ball out of bounds. The guy who takes it out of bounds is the first recipient of the pass out of a trap. Therefore that guy needs to be able to advance the ball on the dribble.
4) Use Brandon Morris to take the ball out of bounds. Brandon has both the height and the ball-handling ability to play that role.
5) Have a big man in the middle of the floor who can catch a lob pass, then turn and distribute the ball.
6) Since both John Cannon and Donte Williams have good hands, make either one of those guys the man in the middle.
7) Please play John Cannon, Kenny Gaines, Donte Williams and Brandon Morris more. I don't understand why Gaines gets only 5 minutes and John Cannon didn't get any.
8) Work with Charles Mann on his mid-range game. He can use that floater more often, and he would avoid having offensive fouls called against him.
9) Somehow let Tony Parker know that he'd have gotten a lot more than three minutes of playing time tonight if he were at Georgia.
10) Please, please, no more "O My Heart".
That has to be the worst written theme song I have ever heard. We can surely do better.
Friday, January 18, 2013
Dave Bliss
I was informed that one of the basketball message boards responded to my mentioning of Dave Bliss as part of a good haul of big men for UGA during the Felton years. Bear in mind that I said that Dave was part of the mix. In any case, a more detailed look at Dave's individual production may help explain my reasoning.
It's been a while, given that Bliss graduated five years ago. Let's review the stats to refresh our memories.
In his senior year Dave averaged 8 points and 6 boards, shooting 54 percent from the field and 71 percent from the line.
Bliss vs. UGA Current Posts
Sad to say, but UGA's current team doesn't have a big man anywhere near Dave's stats. Here are the averages, scoring, rebounding and field goal percentage, for our post players. I include this year's partial season and full season production from last year to capture the impact of SEC competition.
Dave Bliss: 8 and 6 (54 percent)
John Florveus: 3 and 3 (57 percent). 2 and 2 last year (43 percent).
Tim Dixon: 2 and 2. 0 and 1 last year (43 percent).
Donte Williams: 5 and 5 (47 percent). 40 percent from the line. 8 and 5 last year (47 percent).
John Cannon: 4 and 2 this year. 1 and 1 last year (38 percent).
Nemanja Djurisic: 8 and 4 (37 percent). 7 and 4 last year (40 percent).
Marcus Thornton: 4 and 4 (36 percent). 3 and 5 last year (28 percent).
Out of our six post players, the guy wirh production closest to Dave's is Nemi. Keep in mind that Nemi shoots a lot poorer percentage and and does not defend as well. For example, Nemi had 7 blocks for the full year last year. Dave had five times as many (34).
Bliss vs. Today's SEC Bigs
To not make the post too long, I'll spare readers the details, but suffice it to say that if you examined Dave's production against the 25 or so other post players in the SEC today, Dave would arguably be somewhere near the top five. He would trail Nerlens Noel and Willie Cauley-Stein (Kentucky), Robert Chubb (Auburn), Reginald Buckner (Ole Miss) and Patric Young (Florida),-- but not by much.
For example, compare Patric Young, starting center for an elite Florida team. Young gets 11.5 and 6 so far in this young season. He averaged 10 and 6 for the full season last year. That's just one bucket more per game than Dave.
Bottom Line
Was Dave as skilled as Trey Thompkins? No. Thompkins would get you 17 points and 8 rebounds a game, while shooting close to 50 percent. Thompkins not only scored twice as much, he also was more versatile. Trey hit 79 3-pointers in three years, shooting 36 percent from behind the arc. Dave didn't shoot any. Thompkins and Jeremy Price were better finishers and rebounders. Was Bliss the best post player that Felton recruited? The answer is obviously, no.
However, when you look at Dave's production and compare it to the other guys on our team now and around the league this season, it's clear that Dave was a quality big. Especially so when you add in the fact that Dave achieved his production while battling chronic back issues (herniated disc) that limited him to around 20 minutes a night. Throw in the intangibles (co-captain, graduated with honors in three years) and his leadership when UGA was coming off of NCAA sanctions, hitting key buckets to help UGA win the SEC Tournament championship, and you have yourself one heck of a player.
It's been a while, given that Bliss graduated five years ago. Let's review the stats to refresh our memories.
In his senior year Dave averaged 8 points and 6 boards, shooting 54 percent from the field and 71 percent from the line.
Bliss vs. UGA Current Posts
Sad to say, but UGA's current team doesn't have a big man anywhere near Dave's stats. Here are the averages, scoring, rebounding and field goal percentage, for our post players. I include this year's partial season and full season production from last year to capture the impact of SEC competition.
Dave Bliss: 8 and 6 (54 percent)
John Florveus: 3 and 3 (57 percent). 2 and 2 last year (43 percent).
Tim Dixon: 2 and 2. 0 and 1 last year (43 percent).
Donte Williams: 5 and 5 (47 percent). 40 percent from the line. 8 and 5 last year (47 percent).
John Cannon: 4 and 2 this year. 1 and 1 last year (38 percent).
Nemanja Djurisic: 8 and 4 (37 percent). 7 and 4 last year (40 percent).
Marcus Thornton: 4 and 4 (36 percent). 3 and 5 last year (28 percent).
Out of our six post players, the guy wirh production closest to Dave's is Nemi. Keep in mind that Nemi shoots a lot poorer percentage and and does not defend as well. For example, Nemi had 7 blocks for the full year last year. Dave had five times as many (34).
Bliss vs. Today's SEC Bigs
To not make the post too long, I'll spare readers the details, but suffice it to say that if you examined Dave's production against the 25 or so other post players in the SEC today, Dave would arguably be somewhere near the top five. He would trail Nerlens Noel and Willie Cauley-Stein (Kentucky), Robert Chubb (Auburn), Reginald Buckner (Ole Miss) and Patric Young (Florida),-- but not by much.
For example, compare Patric Young, starting center for an elite Florida team. Young gets 11.5 and 6 so far in this young season. He averaged 10 and 6 for the full season last year. That's just one bucket more per game than Dave.
Bottom Line
Was Dave as skilled as Trey Thompkins? No. Thompkins would get you 17 points and 8 rebounds a game, while shooting close to 50 percent. Thompkins not only scored twice as much, he also was more versatile. Trey hit 79 3-pointers in three years, shooting 36 percent from behind the arc. Dave didn't shoot any. Thompkins and Jeremy Price were better finishers and rebounders. Was Bliss the best post player that Felton recruited? The answer is obviously, no.
However, when you look at Dave's production and compare it to the other guys on our team now and around the league this season, it's clear that Dave was a quality big. Especially so when you add in the fact that Dave achieved his production while battling chronic back issues (herniated disc) that limited him to around 20 minutes a night. Throw in the intangibles (co-captain, graduated with honors in three years) and his leadership when UGA was coming off of NCAA sanctions, hitting key buckets to help UGA win the SEC Tournament championship, and you have yourself one heck of a player.
Saturday, December 22, 2012
Nemi is Struggling
Coach Fox: Do not put Nemi in during crunch time. For the first half, Nemi is shooting 0 for 1 with 0 points, 0 rebounds and 3 turnovers (half of UGA's turnover total).
Note: I'm not trying to be unfair to Nemi, because I didn't want people analyzing my every move either. What I am suggesting is a way to get Nemi's confidence back.
In that light, if Coach Fox must play him a lot more minutes than Brandon Morris (hint: Coach Fox, you don't), at least give Nemi a chance to break out of his slump by playing him spot minutes during the middle of the half, not the end.
Coach Fox should play the percentages. Brandon shoots 50 percent from the floor, and 74 percent from the line. He gets 2 free throw attempts per game, and even better, averages 1 free throw attempt for every shot attempt.
In contrast, Nemi is shooting 30 percent from the floor. Although Nemi shoots the same percentage from the line as Morris, Nemi gets to the line a lot less (right at 1 free throw for every 4 shot attempts).
The bottom line is that Morris puts more pressure on the defense and is a lot more efficient offensively. In that light, why would Coach Fox give Nemi 2 1/2 times the minutes that Brandon gets?
Nemi can help in the right situation. I like him playing the top in our pressure package. Since he's struggling on offense, flip the roster utilization and let Brandon play twice the minutes that Nemi gets, at least until Nemi gets his confidence back.
Note: I'm not trying to be unfair to Nemi, because I didn't want people analyzing my every move either. What I am suggesting is a way to get Nemi's confidence back.
In that light, if Coach Fox must play him a lot more minutes than Brandon Morris (hint: Coach Fox, you don't), at least give Nemi a chance to break out of his slump by playing him spot minutes during the middle of the half, not the end.
Coach Fox should play the percentages. Brandon shoots 50 percent from the floor, and 74 percent from the line. He gets 2 free throw attempts per game, and even better, averages 1 free throw attempt for every shot attempt.
In contrast, Nemi is shooting 30 percent from the floor. Although Nemi shoots the same percentage from the line as Morris, Nemi gets to the line a lot less (right at 1 free throw for every 4 shot attempts).
The bottom line is that Morris puts more pressure on the defense and is a lot more efficient offensively. In that light, why would Coach Fox give Nemi 2 1/2 times the minutes that Brandon gets?
Nemi can help in the right situation. I like him playing the top in our pressure package. Since he's struggling on offense, flip the roster utilization and let Brandon play twice the minutes that Nemi gets, at least until Nemi gets his confidence back.
Saturday, December 15, 2012
We're Up at Half-Time
Great news!
Even better news: Fox cannot possibly misunderstand the box score. The guys who should get minutes (Mann, Gaines, KCP, Donte Williams and Brandon Morris) are a combined 14 of 19.
Meanwhile, the guys who should play a support role (Brantley, Djurisic, Dixon and Vincent Williams) are a combined 0 for 9.
If Fox utilizes his roster accordingly, we have a shot at turning the season around.
Even better news: Fox cannot possibly misunderstand the box score. The guys who should get minutes (Mann, Gaines, KCP, Donte Williams and Brandon Morris) are a combined 14 of 19.
Meanwhile, the guys who should play a support role (Brantley, Djurisic, Dixon and Vincent Williams) are a combined 0 for 9.
If Fox utilizes his roster accordingly, we have a shot at turning the season around.
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Full Video from Mark Fox Press Conference
Here's the link to the video posted on Georgiadogs.com.
Italy Trip
Lots of good stuff on there, including the following:
Donte Williams apology
Update on Marcus Thornton
Progress of the freshmen
Link to player interviews with Vincent Williams and Nemanja Djurisic
Great job Georgiadogs.com!
Italy Trip
Lots of good stuff on there, including the following:
Donte Williams apology
Update on Marcus Thornton
Progress of the freshmen
Link to player interviews with Vincent Williams and Nemanja Djurisic
Great job Georgiadogs.com!
Monday, July 30, 2012
11-Alive Interview with Mark Fox
Saw this a couple of days ago. There isn't anything particularly new to be gleaned from the interview, but the conversation does give some sense of the optimism that Coach Fox has going into the season.
The main take-away for me is that Coach Fox expects Marcus Thornton to make a contribution this year. We can only hope. It's hard to come back from knee surgery, Thornton is not healthy enough to play during the Italy trip, and I realistically cannot see him doing much offensively in November and December. We'll see.
1-on-1
The main take-away for me is that Coach Fox expects Marcus Thornton to make a contribution this year. We can only hope. It's hard to come back from knee surgery, Thornton is not healthy enough to play during the Italy trip, and I realistically cannot see him doing much offensively in November and December. We'll see.
1-on-1
Friday, March 9, 2012
Dawgs beat Miss State
Best game of the year in my opinion. Gerald Robinson pushed the ball up the floor, Donte Williams had several two-handed flushes, Nemi played huge with a double-double, and Dustin Ware was on target from deep. KCP was solid for the most part, and we neutralized their big men.
Nemi Receives Props from Stansbury
Proud of our squad.
Now, can we do it again? Upset Vandy? Anything is possible. Vandy is a complete team with shooters from deep and athletic 3 and 4 men. Let's lace 'em up and see what happens. I'd love for UGA to get into the NCAA's again.
Nemi Receives Props from Stansbury
Proud of our squad.
Now, can we do it again? Upset Vandy? Anything is possible. Vandy is a complete team with shooters from deep and athletic 3 and 4 men. Let's lace 'em up and see what happens. I'd love for UGA to get into the NCAA's again.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Dawgs Lose to Auburn
Final score: 59 to 51.
Awful display for the Dawgs. Scored 15 points in the first half. Been watching a lot of Georgia basketball over the years. Don't remember any game that bad.
We shot 22% from the field. KCP, 1 for 8; Marcus Thornton, 0 for 3; Nemi, 0 for 4; Vincent Williams, 0 for 3; Dustin Ware, 2 for 13 (all three-pointers). Total futility. No way to make the performance pretty.
Box Score
To play that pitifully after a bye week... To lose to Auburn. My one hope is that Donte Williams and John Florveus go into the weight room next year and emerge looking like Takais Brown.
We are in sole possession of last place. This year will get worse.
Awful display for the Dawgs. Scored 15 points in the first half. Been watching a lot of Georgia basketball over the years. Don't remember any game that bad.
We shot 22% from the field. KCP, 1 for 8; Marcus Thornton, 0 for 3; Nemi, 0 for 4; Vincent Williams, 0 for 3; Dustin Ware, 2 for 13 (all three-pointers). Total futility. No way to make the performance pretty.
Box Score
To play that pitifully after a bye week... To lose to Auburn. My one hope is that Donte Williams and John Florveus go into the weight room next year and emerge looking like Takais Brown.
We are in sole possession of last place. This year will get worse.
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Dawgs Win! Finish Winthrop in OT
I'm not that excited about having to go to overtime to beat Winthrop, but I'll take it. Georgia can't afford a loss during this stretch of the season.
I wouldn't call Winthrop a "cupcake." They have some players. But they don't have the depth and physicality that Georgia will face during the SEC portion of the schedule. Wins now are critical.
Proud of Nemi. Great game. Seventeen points, nine boards. That's the kind of production we need from one of the bigs. Of course, I would like to see more scoring from in the paint, because we can't get it done relying on behind the arc shooting. But if Nemi is hot, let him shoot it and see what happens.
By the way, I'm not down on our post players. They are not ready for big production right now, but they can run the floor, and key to their future progress, they can catch the ball. A lot of big men never get to score because they can't make clean catches. By the time you fumble the ball, recover and get your feet set, it's too late.
So if Georgia's post players take their current skills and get physical enough to grab some rebounds and score off of put-backs, then that would be a huge contribution. Joakim Noah made it to the pro's doing just that, beating other players down the floor and getting easy baskets. John Cannon, Donte Williams and John Florveus should take a page from Noah, get in absolute top physical condition, and take advantage of the rotation that Fox will use now that Marcus Thornton is out with an injury.
By the time next year rolls around, Georgia could have a stable of big guys to insert into the game when needed.
As for the Winthrop contest, we got balanced scoring, clutch shots and escaped with a win. Let's build some momentum.
Dawgs Over Winthrop
I wouldn't call Winthrop a "cupcake." They have some players. But they don't have the depth and physicality that Georgia will face during the SEC portion of the schedule. Wins now are critical.
Proud of Nemi. Great game. Seventeen points, nine boards. That's the kind of production we need from one of the bigs. Of course, I would like to see more scoring from in the paint, because we can't get it done relying on behind the arc shooting. But if Nemi is hot, let him shoot it and see what happens.
By the way, I'm not down on our post players. They are not ready for big production right now, but they can run the floor, and key to their future progress, they can catch the ball. A lot of big men never get to score because they can't make clean catches. By the time you fumble the ball, recover and get your feet set, it's too late.
So if Georgia's post players take their current skills and get physical enough to grab some rebounds and score off of put-backs, then that would be a huge contribution. Joakim Noah made it to the pro's doing just that, beating other players down the floor and getting easy baskets. John Cannon, Donte Williams and John Florveus should take a page from Noah, get in absolute top physical condition, and take advantage of the rotation that Fox will use now that Marcus Thornton is out with an injury.
By the time next year rolls around, Georgia could have a stable of big guys to insert into the game when needed.
As for the Winthrop contest, we got balanced scoring, clutch shots and escaped with a win. Let's build some momentum.
Dawgs Over Winthrop
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