I think K really did a great job of coaching given the youth of the team. 5 freshman, 4 starting freshmen, two sophomores (one who has been injured a lot), and one Sr.
K noted that he had to switch to zone this year b/c they just couldn't learn the "team man-to-man" concepts fast enough to be effective (all the communication necessary, switching, footwork, etc.). Takes time. It's especially tough, imo, with top 10 calibre recruits largely b/c in high school, those guys are so good, and such uber athletes, they can get away with some poor habits that they can't at the college level; and generally aren't learning intricate elements of the game.
What's amazing, is that in spite of horrendous 3 point shooting, some still sketchy defense, we not only made it to the elite 8 but we went to over-time against a #1 seed and were centimeters from winning on the Grayson Allen bank shot at the end. Just not a good bounce.
How we stayed in that game, I don't know - K magic, imo.
We were out shot overall: 43.9% to 42.5%.
We were out shot from 3: 36% to 24%.
Out shot in FT %: 80% to 77.8% (but Duke had 3 more attempts and made two more).
And, out rebounded 47 to 32!
Yet, we still had a couple of really big opportunities to win (with Allen at the end, and if Duval gets the steal before their tying 3 or doesn't go for the steal and just plays man up D they may not have found that open 3 so easily).
And, when you look at Allen and Trent - they went 4 for 19 from 3 (2 for 9; 2 for 10). When your two best 3 point shooters shoot basically 20% from 3 that should be a loss. Yet, we went to OT.
If somehow Trent or Allen had just a bit of a hot streak shooting over the weekend, we win both games and they aren't nearly as close. Allen and Trent each make one more of those open 3s, we win. If one of them makes two and the other makes one, it's not nearly as close.
Disappointing loss, but, still amazing to have such poor shooting from the outside and be so out rebounded, yet still go to OT.
This is the up and down kind of trouble with so many underclassmen. Too bad we could not have coaxed Luke Kennard to have stayed one more year (or if he had not blown up so much last year). Kennard on this team with his shooting and experience? And, I think we're in the FF with a great shot at a title.
K noted that he had to switch to zone this year b/c they just couldn't learn the "team man-to-man" concepts fast enough to be effective (all the communication necessary, switching, footwork, etc.). Takes time. It's especially tough, imo, with top 10 calibre recruits largely b/c in high school, those guys are so good, and such uber athletes, they can get away with some poor habits that they can't at the college level; and generally aren't learning intricate elements of the game.
What's amazing, is that in spite of horrendous 3 point shooting, some still sketchy defense, we not only made it to the elite 8 but we went to over-time against a #1 seed and were centimeters from winning on the Grayson Allen bank shot at the end. Just not a good bounce.
How we stayed in that game, I don't know - K magic, imo.
We were out shot overall: 43.9% to 42.5%.
We were out shot from 3: 36% to 24%.
Out shot in FT %: 80% to 77.8% (but Duke had 3 more attempts and made two more).
And, out rebounded 47 to 32!
Yet, we still had a couple of really big opportunities to win (with Allen at the end, and if Duval gets the steal before their tying 3 or doesn't go for the steal and just plays man up D they may not have found that open 3 so easily).
And, when you look at Allen and Trent - they went 4 for 19 from 3 (2 for 9; 2 for 10). When your two best 3 point shooters shoot basically 20% from 3 that should be a loss. Yet, we went to OT.
If somehow Trent or Allen had just a bit of a hot streak shooting over the weekend, we win both games and they aren't nearly as close. Allen and Trent each make one more of those open 3s, we win. If one of them makes two and the other makes one, it's not nearly as close.
Disappointing loss, but, still amazing to have such poor shooting from the outside and be so out rebounded, yet still go to OT.
This is the up and down kind of trouble with so many underclassmen. Too bad we could not have coaxed Luke Kennard to have stayed one more year (or if he had not blown up so much last year). Kennard on this team with his shooting and experience? And, I think we're in the FF with a great shot at a title.
