Defenses focusing in on Sean Kilpatrick
Junior guard has to fight for points
Feb 20, 2013


“I’ve been having lately one or two defenders every time I’ve been trying to get past one,” Sean Kilpatrick said. “It’s kind of difficult but that’s where I’ve got to be the smarter player and make smarter plays out of the double teams and recognize which one of my teammates is open. / USA Today

Written by
Bill Koch

Quote:UC at UConn

Tipoff: 7 p.m. Thursday, XL Center, Hartford, Conn.

Records: UC 19-7 (7-6 Big East); UConn 17-7 (7-5)

TV: ESPN

Radio: WLW-AM (700)

HARTFORD, Conn. - After Sean Kilpatrick averaged 14.3 points last year as a sophomore and established himself as the University of Cincinnati’s go-to scorer, UC coach Mick Cronin warned him that the open looks would not present themselves so readily during his junior year.

Opposing defenses would focus on stopping him. They would double-team him at times and be more physical to try to knock him out of his rhythm.

Everything Cronin told Kilpatrick has come true.

“It’s been 10 times worse,” Kilpatrick said.

That hasn’t stopped Kilpatrick from improving his scoring average this season to 18 points, which ranks fourth in the Big East Conference. He has averaged 19.6 over his last eight games but not without a struggle. He scored only 12 in UC’s loss to Georgetown last Saturday.

“We’ve got to do our best to get people off of Sean Kilpatrick,” Cronin said, “not let people hold and grab him. That’s been a problem for us. We’ve got to do a better job of screening for him and he’s got to do a better job of getting himself open.”

That was an emphasis in practice earlier this week as the Bearcats (19-7, 7-6 Big East) prepared for today’s game against Connecticut (17-7, 7-5) at 7p.m. at the XL Center on ESPN.

“I kind of sensed it in practice yesterday,” Kilpatrick said. “(Cronin) was like, ‘SK, get open.’ Every time we ran down, he just kept yelling, ‘Get open, get open.’”

It’s not like Kilpatrick hasn’t been trying to free himself, but as opponents have figured out that the Bearcats have trouble scoring inside, they have concentrated even more defensively on Kilpatrick and point guard Cashmere Wright, the Bearcats’ two most consistent scorers.

“I’ve been having lately one or two defenders every time I’ve been trying to get past one,” Kilpatrick said. “It’s kind of difficult but that’s where I’ve got to be the smarter player and make smarter plays out of the double teams and recognize which one of my teammates is open.

“A lot of people, when they get in situations like this where they’re getting double-teamed, they try to do too much,” Kilpatrick continued. “That’s not the type of player I am. I’m going to play within the system and play the way I’m told to play.”

Connecticut, in the first year of the post-Jim Calhoun era, is now coached by Kevin Ollie, who has done a remarkable job keeping his players interested even though NCAA sanctions prevent the Huskies from playing in the postseason, including the Big East tournament.

Led by the guard tandem of Shabazz Napier (16.3 points per game) and Ryan Boatright (15.4), the Huskies have won five of their last seven games, but are coming off a 70-61 loss to Villanova, a team the Bearcats beat by 18.

“You’ve got to make sure you keep those guys under control,” Cronin said. “They don’t have great depth and I think that affects them at times, but they seem to be playing like they are going to the postseason.

“I haven’t watched one film where I thought they look disengaged or disinterested or not committed to their program, which is a credit to Kevin Ollie and to the character of their players and the leadership of their team.”

UC, which has lost three of its last four games and has slipped into ninth place in the Big East standings, needs to gather some momentum as it heads into the final five games of the regular season.

“It’s time to do what we’ve got to do to solidify our position in March and try to go on a run,” Cronin said.

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20130...Kilpatrick

I love Sean, but with his shot selection this year, he's reminding me of Deonta Vaughn with a much better attitude and a more likable personality.

Won't work unless the screener is a threat to attack the basket. On top of that, we continue to look completely lost when opponents zone us.

(02-21-2013 01:28 AM)BearcatShane09 Wrote:  I love Sean, but with his shot selection this year, he's reminding me of Deonta Vaughn with a much better attitude and a more likable personality.

I don't think it is quite that bad (plus he is a much better defender), but he has taken a lot of poor shots. He is almost automatic when he is in good position and has his feet set underneath him. He gets in trouble when he rushes a shot before getting set. Sometimes he does that even when he is wide open.

(02-21-2013 02:47 AM)subflea Wrote:  

(02-21-2013 01:28 AM)BearcatShane09 Wrote:  I love Sean, but with his shot selection this year, he's reminding me of Deonta Vaughn with a much better attitude and a more likable personality.

I don't think it is quite that bad (plus he is a much better defender), but he has taken a lot of poor shots. He is almost automatic when he is in good position and has his feet set underneath him. He gets in trouble when he rushes a shot before getting set. Sometimes he does that even when he is wide open.

I probably shouldn't have said that. I don't even want to think where this team would be without Sean. He is a well above average D-1 player but I wish he would attack the basket more.

(02-21-2013 02:36 AM)eroc Wrote:  Won't work unless the screener is a threat to attack the basket. On top of that, we continue to look completely lost when opponents zone us.

The screener doesnt necessarily have to be a threat, he does have to make good sound decisions with the basketball if the player who he screens for passes him the ball, see the court somewhat, make a crisp pass, he doesnt even have to put the ball on the ground. UC's problem is the guards act as though they've never ran the pick and roll in their lives. Cash refuses to pass the ball to a screener and if he does he wouldnt know what to do off a screen/pass which is roll with the screener. Back in the 60's we called it Pick and Roll, Give and Go.

Hopefully this means both Kilpatrick and Wright will at least look inside to pass the ball. Even if the big man isn't going to score it causes the defense to rotate and will allow the aforementioned guards to step into open shots--with their feet set.

(02-21-2013 07:14 AM)icehole3 Wrote:  

(02-21-2013 02:36 AM)eroc Wrote:  Won't work unless the screener is a threat to attack the basket. On top of that, we continue to look completely lost when opponents zone us.

The screener doesnt necessarily have to be a threat, he does have to make good sound decisions with the basketball if the player who he screens for passes him the ball, see the court somewhat, make a crisp pass, he doesnt even have to put the ball on the ground. UC's problem is the guards act as though they've never ran the pick and roll in their lives. Cash refuses to pass the ball to a screener and if he does he wouldnt know what to do off a screen/pass which is roll with the screener. Back in the 60's we called it Pick and Roll, Give and Go.

The broader point, which you echoed and filled in, was that the screener needs to be a threat of some kind, be it pass or score. The ball handlers rarely/never make the pass making the screener a non-entity since the defense seemingly always choose to hedge leaving the ball handler to face a double team and, in general, forcing the offense to reset.

Mick has gone with a three guard offense, for the most part, and it's beaten most of the teams that we should beat but we've lagged against teams where it's a toss up type match up. i think we need to go 4 out 1 in, and either play Sanders or Guyn in the lineup and spread out the other teams D to create more space. We aren't a screen-roll team, let's try and clear the lane for our smaller players and see if dribble penetration can lead to more open shots. Yes, we will probably get outrebounded but hopefully we can press more and balance out rebounding with increased possessions by turning over our opponents. i just don't see us winning too many more games with the lineup as currently constituted.

The pick and roll (screen) is the simplest play in organized basketball. The offensive man runs his defender into the screen/pick. The screener sets a solid base and then turns with the ball. How damned hard is that? C'mon man!

(02-21-2013 05:08 PM)ctipton Wrote:  The pick and roll (screen) is the simplest play in organized basketball. The offensive man runs his defender into the screen/pick. The screener sets a solid base and then turns with the ball. How damned hard is that? C'mon man!

Cash isnt the only problem but he is the main problem, he has no confidence in a screen role, he'd rather pound the rock or shoot a out of his range 3.