Strategy.

[UNC-75]

With 4 seconds left on the clock up 1 and Berry shooting his second who would have moved his players off the rebound areas?

Possible outcomes:
1)Missed shot Oregon gets ball with now less than 4 seconds needing to score. I thought they were out of timeouts for what that matters but the big guy is not going to go the length of the court and score so he would have needed to find someone else. A 3 or 2 doesn't matter
2)Missed free throw and Meeks fouls over the back (which he did not) and they have foul shots to win it
3)Berry makes the free throw and a three still wins it for the Ducks if they run something in 4 seconds. (Nightmares of Vilanova of course)
4)Missed free throw and Meeks gets the rebound as happened and we win.

Hindsight, our strategy worked but I wonder what the odds of getting that rebound and risking the foul vs a helter skelter Oregon play to get a buzzer beater. Think Roy had thoughts of last year's title game running in his head. I've seen plenty of coaches that would have called he guys to half court. Any thoughts??

 

[UNC-75]

Interesting, nobody wants to give his/her 2 cents.

 

[GoNtheDistance]

Our strategy was correct. Much like not guarding the inbound pass last year, in a free throw situation with less than 5 seconds you want to put pressure on the initial passer (big man in this case) or make the big dribble the ball up court or force a guard to come all the way back to get it. The chaos of a contested rebound is good for 2-3 seconds.

 

[UNC-75]

Our strategy was correct. Much like not guarding the inbound pass last year, in a free throw situation with less than 5 seconds you want to put pressure on the initial passer (big man in this case) or make the big dribble the ball up court or force a guard to come all the way back to get it. The chaos of a contested rebound is good for 2-3 seconds.

I think I agree with your thoughts. Perhaps there is a middle of the road play here and that would be to put your guys in place but not to go after the rebound thus causing some delay just being there. I don't know, I'm just glad it worked out but what I was saying is other coaches in similar situations have played it the other way. I hate to have the zebras decide the game and if they would call a questionable over the back call it could have been devastating. Kennedy played it perfectly as he was aggressive but clearly did not foul. Perhaps maturity and being a senior has its benefits.

 

[Heelicious]

In hindsight it was a correct strategy..... did Meeks bulldoze Bell under the rim a bit at the end? Sure, a little, but not enough for a foul in that situation. Bell was on his way under the rim, Meeks just helped him along .

I'm not sure if Roy and staff picked this up, and I certainly didn't until watching the replays of last few minutes.....Oregon was 100% dead, out of gas, late in game, especially in the paint. On both tipouts, everyone on the blocks for OU was flat footed, watching. I know Bell turned his ankle in first half, I wonder if that impacted him through the rest of the game? There were just very noticeable times when the Heels were just quicker and higher to getting the rebounds, even on the offensive end.

From that perspective we definitely needed to have our guys in for offensive rebounds. If we're going to move and jump and OU is going to be flat footed and watch, definitely crashing the boards was the best strategy. They practice the tipouts on FTs literally every day, or so I've heard.

 

[UNC-75]

Yes, but that last rebound was not a tip out and I've seen a number of times the Heels get called for a foul when attempting even a tip out. So, I'm still not convinced what is the best strategy but so happy it worked out for the Heels.
And you're right, Bell did nothing to get the rebound. I'm really thinking it was his ankle turn effected him.

 

[Prof C]

Agree with GNtD's assessment. With 5 seconds left, I don't think the refs would call a foul (and the game) on a free throw unless it was blatantly obvious. It was risky, but a calculated one which Coach Williams deserves credit.

 

[imajericho]

Sorry. Did he do... this?



Jordan Bell didn't seem to think it was much of a foul in his post game comments and a rebound he should have had.

 

[notashelbyfan]

Sorry. Did he do... this?

View embedded media

Jordan Bell didn't seem to think it was much of a foul in his post game comments and a rebound he should have had.

Everyone can see that was a foul on Paige!

 

[TarHeelMark]

Everyone can see that was a foul on Paige!

apparently not everyone... sheesh, I forgot about that ridiculousness

 

[GoNtheDistance]

Damn I forgot about that one. That was shameful

 

[notashelbyfan]

apparently not everyone... sheesh, I forgot about that ridiculousness

No Paige fouled the Texas player.

 

[zell06]

Not saying that it affected the rebound, but Bell was not the same after turning that ankle.