(08-30-2019 09:32 PM)Seahawk Nation 08 Wrote: Simmons has watched a ton of basketball in his life. When someone devotes himself to time to something as he has, I'll listen to what he says. I certainly won't take his word as gospel, but I'll listen. His Big Book of Basketball was an entertaining read.
He has a lot opinions based om watching basketball but that hardly makes him an expert on anything related to the game. Just think about every team in the NBA playing without the best player on the team for a length of time. How many teams would be better? The answer has to be l zero or the guy is not the best player. Being the leading scorer does not make a guy the best player.
Wait just a minute here...are you implying that having better players gives you a better chance of winning games? That's a great concept man! So if UNCW say has a Florida transfer that really athletic and good, does that give them a better shot to win now? And, if they have a terrific freshmen class and a talented JUCO now, does that help? Who is responsible for getting this talent anyway? Is it the coaching staff or did they just show up like Flemmings did?
The defensive stats were definitely bad the past 2 years so the staff has to take responsibility for that. The question will now be how does those stats change with much better athleticism? If it does, you make want to rethink things. If it doesn't, we have a problem-especially if UNCW doesn't score more points (but they will, no problem).
At the end of the day, NO SPORT is more predictable than basketball. You either have better players or you don't. And, experience does matter.
(This post was last modified: 08-31-2019 12:58 PM by billthebighawksfan.)
(08-31-2019 12:57 PM)billthebighawksfan Wrote: At the end of the day, NO SPORT is more predictable than basketball. You either have better players or you don't.
Alot of Gray area with that comments. We HAD the players with Buzz but couldn't win until someone else coached them
(This post was last modified: 09-01-2019 06:29 AM by Seahawkhoops.)
Buzz did get a decent nucleus of Big Ced, Freddie, Addison and Ponder but not enough depth. Big Ced, Freddie and Addison were seniors in Keatts first year and Keatts added Talley. They became decent, but not quite NIT level decent. They still lacked needed depth and overall length and quickness, but had a few players for sure.
(This post was last modified: 09-01-2019 12:31 PM by billthebighawksfan.)
Coaching still impacts a ton. You can have future all conference players performing like all conference players and idiot coaches still playing them 20 minutes a game behind scrubs. I've seen it many times.
Yep, but you have no chance without talent (that obviously wins their position), none. Talent is also buying in and playing good defense too plus being good guys on and off the court and playing in a team concept. That kind of talent wins. UNCW has traditionally gotten guys that are good guys, but not always enough talent. It's a combination of talent and coaching for sure.
All 6 of the UNCW NCAA teams had a killer 2 or 3 man or both and good PG's. And, most had balanced scoring as well. You cannot get to the Dance unless you have that. You simply can't squeeze blood out of a turnip. I like stops and not trading more than anybody, but you had better be able to score it if you want to win, especially on the road. The past 2 UNCW teams were challenged offensively and on defense as well. I'm almost positive UNCW will score more this year and we shall see how the defense works out. There is more overall athleticism now so we can compare defensive FG percentage, 3 ball percentage, rebounding (biggest concern) and steals to last year. If it's the same, then you have a problem unless the offense is overwhelming (not the best scenario-see UNCW vs Duke and UVA blowing leads in both NCAA games).
(This post was last modified: 09-01-2019 06:57 PM by billthebighawksfan.)
This thread is PURE comedy. Of course having the best players usually equates to having the best team. Can we get a DUH? If you are a Duke, UNC, Kansas, etc., you have the luxury of tossing those players on the court and having a pretty good idea you'll win.
Newsflash!!!!! We aren't any of those teams. We will NEVER have the best players. We are a top team in the CAA and have had a total of THREE players ever put on an NBA uniform, and the latest one may or may not actually play an NBA game. Duke and Carolina have had single team with more NBA players than we've had in our history.
We have midmajor level talent. Which means we MUST do something different if we want to compete. THAT is where it becomes vital for a midmajor team to have a coach and scheme that NEGATES the talent imbalance if we are ever going to compete. We have had two "seasons" of success at UNCW. Both times we didn't just line up our players and hope we had the best talent on the court. We slowed the game down, played lock down defense, and kept it close so we had a chance. We also pressed, ran clock and used pressure to negate the talent disadvantage.
In other words, at the midmajor level, coaching is as important...if not more important...than talent.
(09-02-2019 03:22 PM)82hawk Wrote: This thread is PURE comedy. Of course having the best players usually equates to having the best team. Can we get a DUH? If you are a Duke, UNC, Kansas, etc., you have the luxury of tossing those players on the court and having a pretty good idea you'll win.
Newsflash!!!!! We aren't any of those teams. We will NEVER have the best players. We are a top team in the CAA and have had a total of THREE players ever put on an NBA uniform, and the latest one may or may not actually play an NBA game. Duke and Carolina have had single team with more NBA players than we've had in our history.
We have midmajor level talent. Which means we MUST do something different if we want to compete. THAT is where it becomes vital for a midmajor team to have a coach and scheme that NEGATES the talent imbalance if we are ever going to compete. We have had two "seasons" of success at UNCW. Both times we didn't just line up our players and hope we had the best talent on the court. We slowed the game down, played lock down defense, and kept it close so we had a chance. We also pressed, ran clock and used pressure to negate the talent disadvantage.
In other words, at the midmajor level, coaching is as important...if not more important...than talent.
I agree with what you are saying. But for facts sake, we have had 6 to put on an NBA uniform. Three have played in the NBA. Cacok would be the fourth to play in the NBA. We had two that were drafted, but never played a season.
82, you can't run and play fast without the players and you can't press or even half court defend on the perimeter well without athleticism. That's what this was and is about. If they don't improve with better players, then you can really vent.
Also, level of talent talk was relative to top tier CAA level. You have to win the CAA to get to Dance in most occasions. That's the only points I was trying to make.
(09-01-2019 06:18 PM)billthebighawksfan Wrote: I like stops and not trading more than anybody, but you had better be able to score it if you want to win, especially on the road.
We were the NINTH WORSE SCORING DEFENSE IN AMERICA last year.
I am all for scoring, but if that doesn't improve - a lot - scoring more won't help.
Old news, but we will take it. What a lift! That's big for UNCW hoops for this year because he creates so many problems offensively and is also a very good defender with elite quickness.
My big thing is why haven't they said something about JB? He should be given a waiver too you would think. That could be big for UNCW this year giving them another viable big with length and some skill. Hope they come through at some point soon.
(This post was last modified: 09-13-2019 11:23 PM by billthebighawksfan.)