From the power forward position (Morgan-Elliot and Rokkanen), we got 2 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 5 fouls, and 6 turnovers. Rokkanen seems like she has given up.

Anyone know what's wrong with Soleil Barnes? She wasn't dressed.

Just remember. Everything is fine.

(02-22-2020 04:34 PM)Dwight Wrote:  From the power forward position (Morgan-Elliot and Rokkanen), we got 2 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 5 fouls, and 6 turnovers. Rokkanen seems like she has given up.

Anyone know what's wrong with Soleil Barnes? She wasn't dressed.

I don’t think Rokkanen is a D1 player but luckily she is a senior. Elliot should be considered a huge work in progress

Will be difficult to get to 9-9 in the league. 1-3 in the last four could end up being an away game in the first round.

(02-22-2020 03:39 PM)NewMex RocketFan Wrote:  Mali Morgan-Elliott is work in progress.

What I don't get is Cullop had her starting at the beginning of the season.

(02-22-2020 06:36 PM)kazoorocket43 Wrote:  

(02-22-2020 03:39 PM)NewMex RocketFan Wrote:  Mali Morgan-Elliott is work in progress.

What I don't get is Cullop had her starting at the beginning of the season.

She started today and played 29 minutes. We have no one at her position. We're probably best off playing four guards.

(02-22-2020 07:17 PM)Dwight Wrote:  

(02-22-2020 06:36 PM)kazoorocket43 Wrote:  

(02-22-2020 03:39 PM)NewMex RocketFan Wrote:  Mali Morgan-Elliott is work in progress.

What I don't get is Cullop had her starting at the beginning of the season.

She started today and played 29 minutes. We have no one at her position. We're probably best off playing four guards.

Seems to me that at the beginning of the season we could have had Beacham at the 4 and Whitaker at the 5.

(02-23-2020 07:59 AM)kazoorocket43 Wrote:  

(02-22-2020 07:17 PM)Dwight Wrote:  

(02-22-2020 06:36 PM)kazoorocket43 Wrote:  

(02-22-2020 03:39 PM)NewMex RocketFan Wrote:  Mali Morgan-Elliott is work in progress.

What I don't get is Cullop had her starting at the beginning of the season.

She started today and played 29 minutes. We have no one at her position. We're probably best off playing four guards.

Seems to me that at the beginning of the season we could have had Beacham at the 4 and Whitaker at the 5.

I agree. I always wished that Cullop would try that. I assume she was worried about defense, which I think drives a lot of her lineup decisions.

(02-23-2020 12:07 PM)Dwight Wrote:  

(02-23-2020 07:59 AM)kazoorocket43 Wrote:  

(02-22-2020 07:17 PM)Dwight Wrote:  

(02-22-2020 06:36 PM)kazoorocket43 Wrote:  

(02-22-2020 03:39 PM)NewMex RocketFan Wrote:  Mali Morgan-Elliott is work in progress.

What I don't get is Cullop had her starting at the beginning of the season.

She started today and played 29 minutes. We have no one at her position. We're probably best off playing four guards.

Seems to me that at the beginning of the season we could have had Beacham at the 4 and Whitaker at the 5.

I agree. I always wished that Cullop would try that. I assume she was worried about defense, which I think drives a lot of her lineup decisions.

For me Beacham brings a combination of size, quickness and athletic ability which I don't recall seeing on the rocket bench in several years. But we are 4 games before the end of her third year on the team before Cullop determines to start her and play her for the major part of the game. And why did she finally do this? Because she has no one else. I don't get it. Defense may not be her strong point but I see others who have played regular shifts without being outstanding defensively. And she brings offensive potential to offset some of her supposed defensive weaknesses. My most critical assessment would be the disparity between Beacham's minutes in the previous two years, 7.0 in her freshman year and 11.3 last year, and minutes for St Fort. St Fort had 19 minutes and 23 minutes while scoring at 3 pts/game, 3 rebounds/game and averaging something like 35% of her free throws over those two years. I don't see the disparity in their minutes played justified by their relative in game performances.

I'm no basketball guru, so this is just my opinion, but the graduation of St-Fort was, IMO, a significant contributor to the defensive decline this year. She was a unique player who was quick enough to guard an opponent's PG but also strong and tough enough to bang with a true 4 or even a 5 underneath. Cullop's defenses typically like to switch a lot and St-Fort made that easy. This year, when Rok or MME or anyone other than Santucci or Black switch, they often switch into unfavorable match-ups an it shows. Sarah definitely didn't litter the stats sheet, and I am sure Cullop would have liked her to be a better offensive threat, but hers teams have typically emphasized defense first, and she fit in that mold very well. Cullop also had a similar player in Lecretia Smith, who wasn't as quick but had a bit better offensive skills. I think she sees potential to contribute that way in Morgan-Elliott, but she definitely has struggled at times this year, although has also done some good things.

Beacham for all her athletic ability still struggles a lot on the defensive end at times, even while playing the 5 where she doesn't have to roam much. Few MAC teams really play a traditional 4 ... most have a stretch-4 or even just another guard. I don't see Beacham able to keep up with a player like that for a whole game. She also has been a foul machine this year. I'm guessing at something close to 2 dozen illegal screen calls on her alone. She's a good offensive threat down low, and has had some good rebounding games, but I don't see her playing a 4 for Cullop in the MAC.

(02-23-2020 08:41 PM)northcoastRocket Wrote:  I'm no basketball guru, so this is just my opinion, but the graduation of St-Fort was, IMO, a significant contributor to the defensive decline this year. She was a unique player who was quick enough to guard an opponent's PG but also strong and tough enough to bang with a true 4 or even a 5 underneath. Cullop's defenses typically like to switch a lot and St-Fort made that easy. This year, when Rok or MME or anyone other than Santucci or Black switch, they often switch into unfavorable match-ups an it shows. Sarah definitely didn't litter the stats sheet, and I am sure Cullop would have liked her to be a better offensive threat, but hers teams have typically emphasized defense first, and she fit in that mold very well. Cullop also had a similar player in Lecretia Smith, who wasn't as quick but had a bit better offensive skills. I think she sees potential to contribute that way in Morgan-Elliott, but she definitely has struggled at times this year, although has also done some good things.

Beacham for all her athletic ability still struggles a lot on the defensive end at times, even while playing the 5 where she doesn't have to roam much. Few MAC teams really play a traditional 4 ... most have a stretch-4 or even just another guard. I don't see Beacham able to keep up with a player like that for a whole game. She also has been a foul machine this year. I'm guessing at something close to 2 dozen illegal screen calls on her alone. She's a good offensive threat down low, and has had some good rebounding games, but I don't see her playing a 4 for Cullop in the MAC.

I generally disagree with the assessment of St Fort's defensive skills. I heard that about her and therefore watched her closely the past two years. In her defense she was always assigned to one of the leading scorers on the other team so she always had a tough assignment. But, particularly last year she was often in foul trouble. Good defense is defensive pressure applied without fouling. Defenders can disrupt a lot of high quality offensive opportunities if they can hack their way through the opponent. So, I would agree that St Fort's strong points were defensive, her offensive shortcomings made it easy for opponents to ignore her on the offensive end of the court and double team the ball or offensive threats e.g. McIntyre. I agree that Lecretia Smith was an outstanding defensive player but she had a more balanced game and therefore justified more playing minutes.. Anyway my criticism of the coaching staff is that IMO 11 minutes for Beacham and 23 for St Fort just was't justified. Beacham does have a problem with the moving screen no doubt but that's not a defensive issue. Regarding your fear that Beacham couldn't keep up defending a smaller player … she has athletic ability and quickness which would allow her to stay with a smaller, agile offensive opponent. Whether she would actually do that effectively we will never know since Cullop only plays her in the post and now she is the only option to play the 5. So IMO we have wasted a potential high quality player sitting on the bench.

(02-24-2020 05:08 PM)kazoorocket43 Wrote:  

(02-23-2020 08:41 PM)northcoastRocket Wrote:  I'm no basketball guru, so this is just my opinion, but the graduation of St-Fort was, IMO, a significant contributor to the defensive decline this year. She was a unique player who was quick enough to guard an opponent's PG but also strong and tough enough to bang with a true 4 or even a 5 underneath. Cullop's defenses typically like to switch a lot and St-Fort made that easy. This year, when Rok or MME or anyone other than Santucci or Black switch, they often switch into unfavorable match-ups an it shows. Sarah definitely didn't litter the stats sheet, and I am sure Cullop would have liked her to be a better offensive threat, but hers teams have typically emphasized defense first, and she fit in that mold very well. Cullop also had a similar player in Lecretia Smith, who wasn't as quick but had a bit better offensive skills. I think she sees potential to contribute that way in Morgan-Elliott, but she definitely has struggled at times this year, although has also done some good things.

Beacham for all her athletic ability still struggles a lot on the defensive end at times, even while playing the 5 where she doesn't have to roam much. Few MAC teams really play a traditional 4 ... most have a stretch-4 or even just another guard. I don't see Beacham able to keep up with a player like that for a whole game. She also has been a foul machine this year. I'm guessing at something close to 2 dozen illegal screen calls on her alone. She's a good offensive threat down low, and has had some good rebounding games, but I don't see her playing a 4 for Cullop in the MAC.

I generally disagree with the assessment of St Fort's defensive skills. I heard that about her and therefore watched her closely the past two years. In her defense she was always assigned to one of the leading scorers on the other team so she always had a tough assignment. But, particularly last year she was often in foul trouble. Good defense is defensive pressure applied without fouling. Defenders can disrupt a lot of high quality offensive opportunities if they can hack their way through the opponent. So, I would agree that St Fort's strong points were defensive, her offensive shortcomings made it easy for opponents to ignore her on the offensive end of the court and double team the ball or offensive threats e.g. McIntyre. I agree that Lecretia Smith was an outstanding defensive player but she had a more balanced game and therefore justified more playing minutes.. Anyway my criticism of the coaching staff is that IMO 11 minutes for Beacham and 23 for St Fort just was't justified. Beacham does have a problem with the moving screen no doubt but that's not a defensive issue. Regarding your fear that Beacham couldn't keep up defending a smaller player … she has athletic ability and quickness which would allow her to stay with a smaller, agile offensive opponent. Whether she would actually do that effectively we will never know since Cullop only plays her in the post and now she is the only option to play the 5. So IMO we have wasted a potential high quality player sitting on the bench.

So we will disagree and that's fine. I will just say that there's way more to being a good defender than just athletic ability. It's court positioning, footwork, knowing when to switch, when to help, when to press, when to sag, how to fight through screens, how to communicate with your teammates, etc. etc. There's less of those things to worry about when you defend the post (although strength and other things come into play there). Some players are much better at those things than others, and it isn't always the most athletic players who are the best team defenders.