01-02-2009, 05:41 PM
as the blazers are about to start conference play, I was looking at some of their stats and looking through some of the games where they lost closely and I found the reasons why they can't seem to close at games and it;s been said a lot of this board. No, it's not depth and the lack of scholarship players...there a "couple of things wrong with this basketball team and I would like to share with you what I know UAB has to do to be successful in CUSA.
1. PD3 NEEDS to shoot/drive more. He has taken the 3rd most shots on this team. Infact Robert Vaden has shot the ball 230 times this year and PD3, who some argue as our best players has taken only 120 shots. Even more PD3 is shooting 60 Percent on the season!!! Are you kidding me 60 percent.
2. Channing Toney. I know he's playing out of position but he is a lot more talented than 20 mins and 6 points per game. Nobody is expecting him to play power forward. But maybe some plays should be drawn up for, particularly isolation plays, to take advantage of him being guarded by a slower, bigger defender. Have him slash to the basket and take it to the hoop or dish it to number 3 problem when the weak side defense comes to help out.
3. Howard Crawford. Good God Howard Crawford. Jesus Christ Howard Crawford. Here's the season statistics for our only chance at a post presence this year. 5.4 ppg, 1.8 rpg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, and zero assists the whole year!!! What is this kid's problem?? that being said without him UAB has no offense. Mike Davis' offensive system can NOT be ran without a post presence. If you guys haven;t noticed in the last couple of games, the offense looks lathargic. It's 5 guys standing outside the 3-point line and having robert Vaden throw up a ridiculous contested 3, granted he makes them alot.
4. AJ. The kid is a good little point guard. The inly thing he needs to understand is that he's the fifth scoring option on the team but he also needs to playing his game...whatever that is. The kid can shoot and needs to be alowed to shoot. He's shooting 50 percent on 3's this year granted that he hasn't taken a lot but pretty good considering if he misses he knows he's gonna get chewed out by davis.
so that's my take.
1. PD3 NEEDS to shoot/drive more. He has taken the 3rd most shots on this team. Infact Robert Vaden has shot the ball 230 times this year and PD3, who some argue as our best players has taken only 120 shots. Even more PD3 is shooting 60 Percent on the season!!! Are you kidding me 60 percent.
2. Channing Toney. I know he's playing out of position but he is a lot more talented than 20 mins and 6 points per game. Nobody is expecting him to play power forward. But maybe some plays should be drawn up for, particularly isolation plays, to take advantage of him being guarded by a slower, bigger defender. Have him slash to the basket and take it to the hoop or dish it to number 3 problem when the weak side defense comes to help out.
3. Howard Crawford. Good God Howard Crawford. Jesus Christ Howard Crawford. Here's the season statistics for our only chance at a post presence this year. 5.4 ppg, 1.8 rpg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, and zero assists the whole year!!! What is this kid's problem?? that being said without him UAB has no offense. Mike Davis' offensive system can NOT be ran without a post presence. If you guys haven;t noticed in the last couple of games, the offense looks lathargic. It's 5 guys standing outside the 3-point line and having robert Vaden throw up a ridiculous contested 3, granted he makes them alot.
4. AJ. The kid is a good little point guard. The inly thing he needs to understand is that he's the fifth scoring option on the team but he also needs to playing his game...whatever that is. The kid can shoot and needs to be alowed to shoot. He's shooting 50 percent on 3's this year granted that he hasn't taken a lot but pretty good considering if he misses he knows he's gonna get chewed out by davis.
so that's my take.