Griz/cat Week

[Spanky2]

Travis is a good coach who has always been an excellent recruiter. The team I watched last night displayed little talent or depth which seems to translate to unsuccessful recruiting. Is Travis being given the necessary tools by Haslam to be effective in his recruiting efforts?

 

[fanofzoo]

Putting inferior talent he recruited on the floor is his fault

I don’t think we have inferior talent at all. This team could easily be 7-1 in conference play if they knew how to close a game. That’s not a talent issue. That’s guys panicking and rushing shots. Blame Decuire all you want, but this loss was not his fault in any way!

Not his fault ? Then who do you blame for having Bannon playing on the perimeter ? That is not his game, push up shot and way to slow to play the wing. We have regressed back to where one guy dribbles and four guys watch.

 

[BDizzle]

We had zero dunks. Not even a dunk attempt. We obviously aren’t recruiting the skilled athletes necessary to win. Nobody that can consistently create their own shot. Bannan is great but he’s not all that athletic. Playing against a solid big guy completely takes him out of his game. Whitney is actually really good at taking it to the rim but his size prohibits him from scoring more consistently and he doesn’t shoot outside. Anderson is freakishly athletic but his basketball skills are lacking. Moody is a solid shooter but can get ice cold at times. Not great at creating his own shot. And Thomas is another solid player that just isn’t very athletic.

Solid team but missing about two players that can get a bucket when needed. Cats unfortunately had those two guys last night.

 

[wbtfg]

We had zero dunks. Not even a dunk attempt. We obviously aren’t recruiting the skilled athletes necessary to win. Nobody that can consistently create their own shot. Bannan is great but he’s not all that athletic. Playing against a solid big guy completely takes him out of his game. Whitney is actually really good at taking it to the rim but his size prohibits him from scoring more consistently and he doesn’t shoot outside. Anderson is freakishly athletic but his basketball skills are lacking. Moody is a solid shooter but can get ice cold at times. Not great at creating his own shot. And Thomas is another solid player that just isn’t very athletic.

Solid team but missing about two players that can get a bucket when needed. Cats unfortunately had those two guys last night.

Not all that athletic? Clearly you haven't seen this

https://twitter.com/montanagrizbb/status/1616851097922199553?s=46&t=gW5yNNR5nclerP7mkMLGtA

 

[PhxGriz]

Don't get much of a chance to watch basketball, but why did we rarely line anyone up on the key during free throws?

 

[GrizBall]

Don't get much of a chance to watch basketball, but why did we rarely line anyone up on the key during free throws?

I believe Travis thinks the chance of getting an offensive rebound is low and prefers to have his defense set.

 

[mtgrizrule]

Don't get much of a chance to watch basketball, but why did we rarely line anyone up on the key during free throws?

I believe Travis thinks the chance of getting an offensive rebound is low and prefers to have his defense set.

Personally, I think the benefit of better defense is the better option. I actually think DeCuire is right in this philosophy.

 

[HelenaHandBasket]

We had zero dunks. Not even a dunk attempt. We obviously aren’t recruiting the skilled athletes necessary to win. Nobody that can consistently create their own shot. Bannan is great but he’s not all that athletic. Playing against a solid big guy completely takes him out of his game. Whitney is actually really good at taking it to the rim but his size prohibits him from scoring more consistently and he doesn’t shoot outside. Anderson is freakishly athletic but his basketball skills are lacking. Moody is a solid shooter but can get ice cold at times. Not great at creating his own shot. And Thomas is another solid player that just isn’t very athletic.

Solid team but missing about two players that can get a bucket when needed. Cats unfortunately had those two guys last night.

I don't know if dunking is the missing piece, but you are correct about the lack of a "go-to" guy, a pure scorer. It has been apparent over and over that they lack that type of offensive player by all the late collapses due to scoring droughts.

 

[UMFan12]

We had zero dunks. Not even a dunk attempt. We obviously aren’t recruiting the skilled athletes necessary to win. Nobody that can consistently create their own shot. Bannan is great but he’s not all that athletic. Playing against a solid big guy completely takes him out of his game. Whitney is actually really good at taking it to the rim but his size prohibits him from scoring more consistently and he doesn’t shoot outside. Anderson is freakishly athletic but his basketball skills are lacking. Moody is a solid shooter but can get ice cold at times. Not great at creating his own shot. And Thomas is another solid player that just isn’t very athletic.

Solid team but missing about two players that can get a bucket when needed. Cats unfortunately had those two guys last night.

I don't know if dunking is the missing piece, but you are correct about the lack of a "go-to" guy, a pure scorer. It has been apparent over and over that they lack that type of offensive player by all the late collapses due to scoring droughts.

Dunking is absolutely a representation of a teams ability to play above the rim. It’s a part of basketball. Cats had 3 guys capable of blocking shots, catching lobs, or drop step dunking. We had 0. Absolutely plays a part in games when they are changing or blocking shots around the rim and getting easy buckets on lobs and we’re not.

 

[HelenaHandBasket]

I don't know if dunking is the missing piece, but you are correct about the lack of a "go-to" guy, a pure scorer. It has been apparent over and over that they lack that type of offensive player by all the late collapses due to scoring droughts.

Dunking is absolutely a representation of a teams ability to play above the rim. It’s a part of basketball. Cats had 3 guys capable of blocking shots, catching logs, or drop step dunking. We had 0. Absolutely plays a part in games when they are changing shots around the rim and getting easy buckets on lobs and we’re not.

So a guy that can dunk is all this teams needs to put it over the top....or maybe a guy that is a pure scorer and can continually create his own offense? And understand, that having one shouldn't exclude you from the other, but I would pick the scorer over the dunker in my list of priorities.

 

[UMFan12]

Dunking is absolutely a representation of a teams ability to play above the rim. It’s a part of basketball. Cats had 3 guys capable of blocking shots, catching logs, or drop step dunking. We had 0. Absolutely plays a part in games when they are changing shots around the rim and getting easy buckets on lobs and we’re not.

So a guy that can dunk is all this teams needs to put it over the top....or maybe a guy that is a pure scorer and can continually create his own offense? And understand, that having one shouldn't exclude you from the other, but I would pick the scorer over the dunker in my list of priorities.

Never said I wouldn’t. Said it was an aspect of basketball that is an extreme weakness for the Griz. Cats blocked 3 shots to our 1, changed multiple shots around the rim. The Vazquez shot that was an easy layup changed into a up and under by Cat athleticism was a big one that stopped a run. They had more easy baskets created by lobs or just muscling to the rim on plays that often end in dunks by Belo, just not last night. Having a guy like Akoh or Mike Oguine, even a Timmy Falls type playmaker who is faster and creates looks that way, is huge. Obviously you want the scorer over the dunker if that’s all they do. But a lot of times those should overlap like they do for the Cats, and like they used to for us. We were athletically outmatched last night.

 

[PhxGriz]

Don't get much of a chance to watch basketball, but why did we rarely line anyone up on the key during free throws?

I believe Travis thinks the chance of getting an offensive rebound is low and prefers to have his defense set.

Thank you. I was thinking along the same lines, but when I never saw one Griz player I was started to wonder if the rules changed and I was that out of touch with the game. :lol:

 

[HelenaHandBasket]

So a guy that can dunk is all this teams needs to put it over the top....or maybe a guy that is a pure scorer and can continually create his own offense? And understand, that having one shouldn't exclude you from the other, but I would pick the scorer over the dunker in my list of priorities.

Never said I wouldn’t. Said it was an aspect of basketball that is an extreme weakness for the Griz. Cats blocked 3 shots to our 1, changed multiple shots around the rim. The Vazquez shot that was an easy layup changed into a up and under by Cat athleticism was a big one that stopped a run. They had more easy baskets created by lobs or just muscling to the rim on plays that often end in dunks by Belo, just not last night. Having a guy like Akoh or Mike Oguine, even a Timmy Falls type playmaker who is faster and creates looks that way, is huge. Obviously you want the scorer over the dunker if that’s all they do. But a lot of times those should overlap like they do for the Cats, and like they used to for us. We were athletically outmatched last night.

However you boil it down, we all agree that the last few Griz rosters have been lacking.

 

[griznative24]

Agree with a lack of athleticism on this team. That just is what it is. Recruiting is an issue, but Travis could help this team with a newer age identity for offense.

 

[Colter_Nuanez56]

https://twitter.com/SkylineSportsMT/status/1617240957392670720

 

[mtgrizrule]

Agree with a lack of athleticism on this team. That just is what it is. Recruiting is an issue, but Travis could help this team with a newer age identity for offense.

Yet, Brown is athletic and riding the bench. A few successful coaches recruit athletic players over fundamentally sound players. Why is that? Athleticism can't be coaches, but the fundamental, skills, and philosophy can be coached. It's easier to coach a competitive athletic player up, than teaching a player to be athletic. The exception, overweight guys that have athleticism, but weight is limiting them. Losing weight helps with athleticism.

I'd take more chances with a few more athletic players, and mix in the gym rats. The likes of Bannan and Gregory are gym rats. The likes of Oguine, Rorie, Pridgett are the perfect blend we need. Speaking of Bannan, he's leaner now, and he has become more athletic since arriving.

We definitely need to mix in more athleticism.

 

[fanofzoo]

Agree with a lack of athleticism on this team. That just is what it is. Recruiting is an issue, but Travis could help this team with a newer age identity for offense.

Yet, Brown is athletic and riding the bench. A few successful coaches recruit athletic players over fundamentally sound players. Why is that? Athleticism can't be coaches, but the fundamental, skills, and philosophy can be coached. It's easier to coach a competitive athletic player up, than teaching a player to be athletic. The exception, overweight guys that have athleticism, but weight is limiting them. Losing weight helps with athleticism.

I'd take more chances with a few more athletic players, and mix in the gym rats. The likes of Bannan and Gregory are gym rats. The likes of Oguine, Rorie, Pridgett are the perfect blend we need. Speaking of Bannan, he's leaner now, and he has become more athletic since arriving.

We definitely need to mix in more athleticism.

Maybe a touch more athletic but let's' not get carried away he's still WAY to slow to be playing a wing, and why is he playing out on the perimeter ?

 

[poorgriz]

Flagship. :thumb:

Haha! Now that's some funny sh*t right there.

Just keeps getting better and better. What’s that, 7 years in a row where Cats win the all sports trophy?

 

[oldrunner]

Yet, Brown is athletic and riding the bench. A few successful coaches recruit athletic players over fundamentally sound players. Why is that? Athleticism can't be coaches, but the fundamental, skills, and philosophy can be coached. It's easier to coach a competitive athletic player up, than teaching a player to be athletic. The exception, overweight guys that have athleticism, but weight is limiting them. Losing weight helps with athleticism.

I'd take more chances with a few more athletic players, and mix in the gym rats. The likes of Bannan and Gregory are gym rats. The likes of Oguine, Rorie, Pridgett are the perfect blend we need. Speaking of Bannan, he's leaner now, and he has become more athletic since arriving.

We definitely need to mix in more athleticism.

Maybe a touch more athletic but let's' not get carried away he's still WAY to slow to be playing a wing, and why is he playing out on the perimeter ?

I would say that the two most athletic teams in the BSC have been PSU and UNCo. So, how are they doing this year? EWU is certainly not the most athletic team, probably less so than UM, but look at what they are doing. I feel that we need a ballance of both skill and athleticism. If I had to choose, I would take the highly skilled, less athletic guy over the highly athletic, but less skilled.

At Weber we have had some guys who could really fly and were impressive in a pickup game. However, when it came time to play in an actual D1 game, running a real offense, having to get real rebounds, make real jump shots, and defending other skilled players, they simply could not do it. Some of those guys went on to be good D11 players.

The problems we have at our level is that the players we can get rarely are both athletic and skilled. We often take the chance on an athletic guy and try to develop a skill level adequate to our needs.

 

[mtgrizrule]

Maybe a touch more athletic but let's' not get carried away he's still WAY to slow to be playing a wing, and why is he playing out on the perimeter ?

I would say that the two most athletic teams in the BSC have been PSU and UNCo. So, how are they doing this year? EWU is certainly not the most athletic team, probably less so than UM, but look at what they are doing. I feel that we need a ballance of both skill and athleticism. If I had to choose, I would take the highly skilled, less athletic guy over the highly athletic, but less skilled.

At Weber we have had some guys who could really fly and were impressive in a pickup game. However, when it came time to play in an actual D1 game, running a real offense, having to get real rebounds, make real jump shots, and defending other skilled players, they simply could not do it. Some of those guys went on to be good D11 players.

The problems we have at our level is that the players we can get rarely are both athletic and skilled. We often take the chance on an athletic guy and try to develop a skill level adequate to our needs.

Most definitely, a mixture of both is ideal. The GRIZ need more athleticism this season. We're lacking some.