Stats and stuff (VT game)...

[Archer2]

Now having said that, let me fuss just a little about our offense, case in point, VT got off to a 8-2 early lead, we come down and Joel takes a looong trey early n the shot clock that settles in for 3, great result. But I felt that was a bad shot because considering we didn't jump out to that early lead, what if Joel missed that and they came back down and hit a 2 or a trey, all the sudden this game may have become a nail biter to the end. But Joel hit it, it became 8-5 and we rallied back but it could have been 11-2 had Joel missed that shot. What I felt was a bad shot had a great result and Joel can make bad shots have good results! The tone for this game may have changed with the result of that shot.

Yeah, I was saying "noooooo" but then it went in.

Hicks, 4 shots guys, in a game we had a huge size advantage, our starting power forward gets total of 4 shots, makes 2 of them. VT played a tiny lineup, many times tallest guy on the floor for them was what, 6'5"? Meeks had 13 shots and 14 rebounds, I think he may have rebounded all but 1 of his own missed shots because they had no one able to match up with our size. Playing such a small team, I just find it hard to understand why Hicks finishes a game with so few ops. VT pretty much had to try to force us to take a lot of long jumpers and we did, they had to hope we would miss them, we didn't. But we have seen games when those same jumpers were not falling, we got away with doing what they wanted us to do by hitting 14 of 30 treys but it is a bit concerning if we have to rely on that for many games.

I couldn't agree more about Isaiah needing to get more FGA's. We're first in the conference in points in the paint, we should never get away from that as our primary modus operandi.

Theo was just his normal disruptive self, I swear watching that kid play is worth the price of admission alone. I felt Tony was really solid, 7th other than that 1 travel call was solid, Luke had 3 really nice assists that resulted in 9pts for his team. This is a little thing but one that stuck out to me, Theo, VT has ball out of bounds on their end, did ya notice Theo directing positioning and just being really vocal before the inbounds pass? That is a little thing but I love that kid being so vocal out there, we don't always be really vocal, Theo changes that when he is in the game. I call that a little thing but it is bigger than many realize.

Now I think all our fans can see just how important he is to our team.

I have talked, between this post and the last one about a lot of little things that don't really blow you away on the stat sheet but when totaled up dictate the out come. While many will be draw to Justin's scoring total, to Joel hitting treys, and Meeks with yet another double double (a great habit he has developed), it is the little things, that extra pass looking for your teammate, that is the blue collar stuff that stat sheets don't show as much as they should. But it is that blue collar stuff that dictate how a game flows, that sets up the more stat stuffing stuff, that allows your team to score 85+ for the last 7 games and we realize that UNC has NEVER done that before.

Indeed. I thought in the preseason that we could potentially be even better than last year if we could somehow replace Brice's routine double doubles. Guess what? Big Kennedy has stepped into the breach and is playing better than I've ever seen him play. And I think we can get even better, provided we stay healthy.

 

[trestyles]

JJ vs BC

 

[trestyles]

JJ vs VT

 

[gunslingerdick]

I'm in the middle on JJ. There are times when he takes a quick shot that I don't like. And when he gets to doing that, the ball movement isn't as good. I saw a recent mock draft that had him going to the Spurs late in the first. I promise you that Pop won't have that. You don't move the ball for the Spurs, you will not be a Spur.

With that said, he is the best guy on the team at getting his shot. So there are sometimes he's just going to have to go get us a bucket. But that should be with under 8 on the shot clock - never before.

I also agree that we need to get Hicks more than 4 shots. But he didn't really do a good job last night of fighting for post position and sealing his man off. Meeks was much more effective doing that. Meeks is just better in general at doing that. Hicks is most effective in the high post and he has seemed unwilling to take 12-15 foot jumpers recently. And he needs to embrace the roll of garbage man and go get his touches by rebounding for putbacks.

 

[coryfly]

I'm in the middle on JJ. There are times when he takes a quick shot that I don't like. And when he gets to doing that, the ball movement isn't as good. I saw a recent mock draft that had him going to the Spurs late in the first. I promise you that Pop won't have that. You don't move the ball for the Spurs, you will not be a Spur.

With that said, he is the best guy on the team at getting his shot. So there are sometimes he's just going to have to go get us a bucket. But that should be with under 8 on the shot clock - never before.

I also agree that we need to get Hicks more than 4 shots. But he didn't really do a good job last night of fighting for post position and sealing his man off. Meeks was much more effective doing that. Meeks is just better in general at doing that. Hicks is most effective in the high post and he has seemed unwilling to take 12-15 foot jumpers recently. And he needs to embrace the roll of garbage man and go get his touches by rebounding for putbacks.

I don't disagree but there wasn't a strong contrast between the two games. Berry also does it at times, thus halting the offense from moving. Technically, in general the ball movement isn't as good with a quick shot. Sometimes quick shots are ok though. I'm honestly ok with either of them doing it. Both did it last night some as well.

 

[Archer2]

I'll sum my feelings up this way. While I want to minimize "bad shots" as much as possible, we need our two most prolific scorers to aggressively seek their shots. With that mindset, there are going to be some heatchecks from time to time, and we shouldn't be surprised or dismayed. As long as the majority of our shots are quality looks, and they are or we wouldn't have scored 85+ points in 7 ACC games in a row for the first time, I'm very content.

 

[gary-7]

This from JJ re: getting good shots in the VT game.

“Anytime we get the ball moving, you have way more space to shoot. The way we moved the ball tonight and the way we were able to work it inside, the bigs did a good job kicking it back out, because a lot of times they doubled. Whenever we got it inside, it made them collapse, and then we kept moving the ball and it helped out.”

There it is Arch.
Also, one of the points I hammered on last game, and a coach's bane --- was the failure to reverse the ball. As I said, the old adage is that most defenses are pretty good against the first couple of passes, but continual ball movement and especially reversals stress them, and it's true of Zones and Man.
Well, against VT we did a turn-around and it was obvious the coaches made that a point of emphasis. I already posted one GIF of that. Here's another:
In this play the zone offense has already initiated off transition and the movement is excellent. When JB gets the ball for the potential overload the defense focuses is on that. Meanwhile Kenny has cleared on the backside interchange. With the diagonal post entry to Meeks deemed too risky, JB reverses to Buckets right in his trigger zone and the defense has no chance of defending that 3.

Below, here's a prime example of the principle we forgot vs BC. With nothing shaking off our offensive iterations and late in the clock, the ball should always come back to JB. Catching off the reversal here gives him the opportunity to attack a reacting defense and even though it's late in the clock, it's like taking candy from a baby:

Against BC that late reversal wasn't being made. but here vs VT Justin doesn't force anything, he reverses as taught and that's when the magic happens! Drive, Dime, 2 pts.

 

[gary-7]

Everyone did. The entire offense ran better. Justin being the primary culprit is an arguable point, which is why you are arguing about it. Justin's shots in both games were pretty similar. I have no need to claim it is not arguable though. That isn't necessary when one's point stands on its own. Justin's inability to pass the ball around wasn't the reason other people didn't get the assists you feel they deserved. You be you though.

Seriously? It's not a matter anything anybody "deserved", it's a matter of playing better team basketball. I made the accurate point. You're the one arguing about it. But then maybe that's you being you.

 

[coryfly]

Everyone did. The entire offense ran better. Justin being the primary culprit is an arguable point, which is why you are arguing about it. Justin's shots in both games were pretty similar. I have no need to claim it is not arguable though. That isn't necessary when one's point stands on its own. Justin's inability to pass the ball around wasn't the reason other people didn't get the assists you feel they deserved. You be you though.

Seriously? It's not a matter anything anybody "deserved", it's a matter of playing better team basketball. I made the accurate point. You're the one arguing about it. But then maybe that's you being you.

You didn't. That's ok though. I'm not mad. I don't need to use absolutes that close down any reasonable discussion. I'm confident in my opinion (which is what this is even though you can't see that). Is it about the team playing better, though they played pretty well in both games, especially since one was on the road. I disagree with you and am ok with that. You seem pretty rustled though. Perhaps there is a reason.

 

[gary-7]

You didn't. That's ok though. I'm not mad. I don't need to use absolutes that close down any reasonable discussion. I'm confident in my opinion (which is what this is even though you can't see that). Is it about the team playing better, though they played pretty well in both games, especially since one was on the road. I disagree with you and am ok with that. You seem pretty rustled though. Perhaps there is a reason.

Again, you're the one arguing against the obvious, calling it "nonsense" when it clearly isn't. And all the passive-aggressive little jabs in the world won't change that. But, hey, if it makes you feel better...

 

[DSouthr]

Seriously? It's not a matter anything anybody "deserved", it's a matter of playing better team basketball. I made the accurate point. You're the one arguing about it. But then maybe that's you being you.

gary, man, don't ya reckon just letting folks know what you see is enough and maybe more important than proving you are right? I don't mean this to offend you but if someone does not see it completely as you do, your trying to prove you are right is as well an attempt to prove them as wrong. It becomes a bit of gas on the spark of conflict and draws that me vs you reaction. Saying what you see does not have to be about proving someone else wrong, if folks want to see it another way why not let them?

Yeah, I know, coming from me right? LOL But I say a lot and get in to back & forth debate a lot but I am more looking to make sure folks understand exactly what I am saying and understand my line of reasoning, more so than proving them wrong. Now if I don't agree with someone I do say that I don't and do best I can to explain why, some at times take that as my challenging them, it rarely if ever is my intent. Granted, have had more than my fair share of STFU drop the mic moments and most every time that happens when I have already let things go to far in to the you are wrong notion. I am trying to temper that because I do not enjoy the conflict that to often arises. I may not agree with folks but am trying to be respectful in explaining my side of things. I like things that become discussions and not whizzing contests.

This is after all a discussion format, not a lecture, even if reading my posts are considered by one poster as "oh crap, I got home work"! By the way, maybe the most enjoyable reply I have ever had to one of my posts! I think it was rasingheel that shot that reply to me and I nearly busted a rib laughing at it! LOL

 

[coryfly]

You didn't. That's ok though. I'm not mad. I don't need to use absolutes that close down any reasonable discussion. I'm confident in my opinion (which is what this is even though you can't see that). Is it about the team playing better, though they played pretty well in both games, especially since one was on the road. I disagree with you and am ok with that. You seem pretty rustled though. Perhaps there is a reason.

Again, you're the one arguing against the obvious, calling it "nonsense" when it clearly isn't. And all the passive-aggressive little jabs in the world won't change that. But, hey, if it makes you feel better...

I always feel great. In your world what is obvious to you is a fact and we should all acquiesce because...well, who really knows why? Because you say so I guess. I'm not really into that. That isn't the way it works.

 

[Heelicious]

One thing about last night and Joel Berry. First half about 8 minutes in I think..... Joel had hit his third straight three - and right there at the scorer's table was 7th ready to check in for him. Obviously not because of how JB was playing - he was on fire- but "it was just time for the planned / scheduled sub".

I thought (for a split second) "Roy will you pull 7th back, and let JB stay in his hot groove? He's not tired." It was just a split second because I know Roy would never pull a guy back. Not a complaint, its just reality. One of those stubborn things that Roy would never change because he sees it as working / successful for him. But I wonder if it causes a guy like Joel to cool off. JB did shoot just fine upon returning.

Almost every other coach would take that player and ride his hot hand in the game til the player is totally gassed. Just a different philosophy, and a luxury Roy had with the pretty deep bench and the game being pretty in control.

I wonder if thoughts of wanting to stay in creep into JB's head in those situations, though.....

 

[coryfly]

Doubt that bothered Berry at all. If it was a game in March Joel may stay in. We also don't know if Joel didn't give the signal or whatever. I think the players trust Roy completely though.

 

[gary-7]

I always feel great. In your world what is obvious to you is a fact and we should all acquiesce because...well, who really knows why? Because you say so I guess. I'm not really into that. That isn't the way it works.

What you apparently are into is arguing for the sake of arguing. I'm not. All that does is muck up a good thread. I made and illustrated my point which was correct. Believe what you want. This is tiresome and I'm done with it.

 

[soap - new and improved]

Lot of it is a confidence thing with Kenny but I have noticed he has let some bad habits creep in to his shooting motion. He seems to have slide a little bit in to guiding the shot more than stroking it with confidence and at times he falls off a little bit. I would like to see him have just a slight bit more of his balance be forward rather than backwards on his shot and have a bit more follow thru. Notice where his momentum takes him as his feet hit the court, have noticed his momentum taking him backwards a slight bit on a lot of his misses, I would like it to be slightly forward with more follow thru.

Dave, I have noticed the change in Kenny's form as well. To me it appears to begin with his feet. He does not seem to be getting his feet under him and set nearly as well as he was earlier this season. He also seems to be taking some shots off of a "hop", and not making many of those. I definitely have noticed his current tendency to "fall backwards" during his follow through, and I never see that as a good thing.

WRT Justin, I have not used the word "selfish". It did seem to me as I was watching the BC game that Justin was going "one on one" via the drive more often than usual. The ball did appear to me to "stop" with him more than usual that game as well.

At any rate, both our passing and our defense was much better vs VT. I loved the way our bigs were defending the screens used out around the 3 point line and denying the drive to the ball-handler.

 

[coryfly]

What you apparently are into is arguing for the sake of arguing. I'm not. All that does is muck up a good thread. I made and illustrated my point which was correct. Believe what you want. This is tiresome and I'm done with it.

It wasn't and I doubt you are. If so, it will just be until the next time you make some erroneous point and can't handle someone not acknowledging how insightful you are. GMAFB,C.

 

[mikeirbyusa]

Dang Gary! Give it a stinkin rest!

 

[heelmanwilm]

Dang Gary! Give it a stinkin rest!

Lol