(01-19-2019 02:03 PM)Seahawk2010 Wrote:  

(01-19-2019 01:54 PM)82hawk Wrote:  Worst beating NU has put on a team this year.

Uhh they beat W&M by 20pts. Not saying 17pts is any better, but that statement is false.

Northeastern's record is deceiving. They were missing Puisca and Occeus for a good part of the non-conference with injuries. Northeastern is finally looking like the preseason favorite team that they were predicted to be.

My bad, I quit watching and thought it was 27 points, not 17. Regardless, we were beat by 15+ in both games.

(01-19-2019 04:45 PM)82hawk Wrote:  

(01-19-2019 03:43 PM)surfsalot Wrote:  Clearly need more offensive threats on the court.

Our schemes suck on offense and defense. We don't need better players we need better coaches.

Jaylen Fornes was a dynamic scorer in HS and was a rising star under Keatts. Under McGrath he has regressed as much as any player i've ever seen at UNCW. His confidence has been destroyed and every minute on the court he's waiting to get pulled for a mistake. I will be shocked if he stays next year.

Ty Gadsden is THE best three point shooter in the conference. But, we seem to have nothing in our plan to get him open from 3. He takes about the same number of threes as anyone else.

Cacok is a great scorer deep in the paint, outside of that, any other player should take the shot. But, for some reason, we have him at the top of the key passing the ball around in the middle of the shot clock. His ONLY option is to pass, and everyone knows it. He's not even rolling to the basket off a pick, he's just there as an outlet.

Cylla is a really good scorer, period.

Jay Estime' is a really good scorer as well, but today he took a total of two shots. Missed them both, so I guess that put him on the bench most of the game, even though he started.

Sims shoots 39.4% and 33% from three, and he shoots and plays as much as Estime(45% and 41%) and Gadsden (51.6% and 56.9%), I don't care what anyone says, he is NOT a three point threat. He may be one day, but with a shot that flat, he won't be consistent until he changes his trajectory.

Defensively, I guess it's Keatts fault since he never taught his players to defend and McGrath inherited players he THOUGHT had been taught to defend. He's still overcoming that......

I am not convinced that we are lacking the players to win and compete on offense or defense.

So you proved my point 82. We have the threats but as you point out those players aren't getting the minutes. The point you made about Jaylen holds true for Ty Taylor as well.

Sims has shot 37% from 3 over the past 9 games which is very good. He can handle/pass well for a bigger player, has a positive assist/TO ratio, he plays within the team concept and has a seemingly great attitude. His release is very nice with tons of rotation. Blizzard didn't have a ton of height and I'm not saying that Jaylen is too flat either. Hey, if you think he sucks, you're on an island. Every CAA coach would take him today and 2x on Sunday because you're only seeing the tip of the iceberg with him and he has 3 more years. And, btw...he was recruited by Minnesota, Rhode Island et al if you need it and I can now see why.

(01-19-2019 07:31 PM)billthebighawksfan Wrote:  Sims has shot 37% from 3 over the past 9 games which is very good. He can handle/pass well for a bigger player, has a positive assist/TO ratio, he plays within the team concept and has a seemingly great attitude. His release is very nice with tons of rotation. Blizzard didn't have a ton of height and I'm not saying that Jaylen is too flat either. Hey, if you think he sucks, you're on an island. Every CAA coach would take him today and 2x on Sunday because you're only seeing the tip of the iceberg with him and he has 3 more years. And, btw...he was recruited by Minnesota, Rhode Island et al if you need it and I can now see why.

Bill is obviously joking or has just completely lost his mind if he is comparing Simms to Blizzard. Craziest thing I have ever heard.

Nobody’s doing that.

(01-19-2019 07:31 PM)billthebighawksfan Wrote:  Sims has shot 37% from 3 over the past 9 games which is very good. He can handle/pass well for a bigger player, has a positive assist/TO ratio, he plays within the team concept and has a seemingly great attitude. His release is very nice with tons of rotation. Blizzard didn't have a ton of height and I'm not saying that Jaylen is too flat either. Hey, if you think he sucks, you're on an island. Every CAA coach would take him today and 2x on Sunday because you're only seeing the tip of the iceberg with him and he has 3 more years. And, btw...he was recruited by Minnesota, Rhode Island et al if you need it and I can now see why.

I didn't say he sucks, I said he isnt a consistent three point shooter when the discussion was about offense. He has a very flat shot, and until he fixes that, he won't be consistent. You know that. My bigger point is that Estime and Gadsden are two of our best offensive players, and they're logging too few minutes based on their capabilities.

And,I don’t agree!!!!!!!!!The numbers are there,especially lately. He shot 4 today and hit 2 of them.

Ty G is great and needs minutes. Estime can shoot it but needs to keep working on his D which isn’t bad. I like them out there but Sims deserves decent minutes.

(01-19-2019 08:45 PM)billthebighawksfan Wrote:  Ty G is great and needs minutes. Estime can shoot it but needs to keep working on his D which isn’t bad. I like them out there but Sims deserves decent minutes.

Have lost all respect for Bill's basketball knowledge!

If someone has a different take than yours,get over it and stop the insults. And, I'm not against Taylor getting minutes. I've always felt that he could help because he has the quicks. He's got to believe in himself on both ends. And, the same can be true of Fornes too. Ball security has been an issue with them at times with over dribbling, especially early in the year. To go a bit further, our guards have been burned from 3. That is partly positioning and on the players too. Close outs don't work well if you don't stay connected-see all guards/wings except I'll add that Gadsden defends pretty well. Too much space has been an issue and even "hand down/man down" too.

Defense is the key for them now that they've improved the TO situation- see attached stats for player A/TO ratio. There's a lot more season and time to get better. Each will have their shot to showcase improvement in practice. Coach has been forced to play several guys to give each a chance. And, if you look at the minutes distribution that's the case. I think that Sims gives you added perimeter length,someone you can put at the top on a press, and somebody that can switch on ball screens (if they're doing that in a particular game) so that's another reason that he gets 15 to 20 minutes. All of the guys have time to improve and they need to come together. Let's give them a little more time and get behind them.

https://static.uncwsports.com/custompage...amcume.htm

When you have the nation's leader in double-doubles, a national leader in assists, and the conference's leading 3 point shooter on your team - and you are getting results like this - for whatever reason the whole is less than the sum of its parts.

It's up to coaches to figure out how to make a team into more than the sum of its parts. That's why they get paid a lot of money at the division 1 level...they are supposed to know Xs and Os, be able to recruit, to motivate, to put the right pieces together on the floor, and make adjustments along the way as necessary.

If they can't do then , unless you were Michael Jordan's roomate, you go coach at Claflin....

(01-19-2019 09:43 PM)billthebighawksfan Wrote:  If someone has a different take than yours,get over it and stop the insults. And, I'm not against Taylor getting minutes. I've always felt that he could help because he has the quicks. He's got to believe in himself on both ends. And, the same can be true of Fornes too. Ball security has been an issue with them at times with over dribbling, especially early in the year. To go a bit further, our guards have been burned from 3. That is partly positioning and on the players too. Close outs don't work well if you don't stay connected-see all guards/wings except I'll add that Gadsden defends pretty well. Too much space has been an issue and even "hand down/man down" too.

Defense is the key for them now that they've improved the TO situation- see attached stats for player A/TO ratio. There's a lot more season and time to get better. Each will have their shot to showcase improvement in practice. Coach has been forced to play several guys to give each a chance. And, if you look at the minutes distribution that's the case. I think that Sims gives you added perimeter length,someone you can put at the top on a press, and somebody that can switch on ball screens (if they're doing that in a particular game) so that's another reason that he gets 15 to 20 minutes. All of the guys have time to improve and they need to come together. Let's give them a little more time and get behind them.

https://static.uncwsports.com/custompage...amcume.htm

With all due respect Bill, time is running out now. The goal should always be a CAA championship and a trip to the NCAA tournament. Seeding in the CAA tournament is paramount in that goal. A play in game or last out of the play in games is almost impossible to overcome. If Sims is the guy, play him more than 20 minutes. If Estime is the guy, play him more than 20 minutes. If Gadsen is the guy, get him more shots. We've got to pick our players and go with it. We're tinkering with our lineup as we move to a six or seven seed in the tournament.

As far as defense, duh. That's been our problem for a year and a half and there is no solution in sight.

Watched most of yesterday’s game. Same old same old. Cacok plays fantastic minus a few bonehead effort fouls. Defense gives up too much and team losses complete focus on that end when they stall on offense. Good teams buckle down in those scenarios. We’re not a good team. We have equal (at worst) talent that is just not geling.

We’ve played the toughest teams in the conference the last couple of weeks. Clear differentiation in level of play when the game comes down to the final 12 minutes or so. As great as Kai is, he still plays like a freshman at some really inopportune times. Not all on him but that position is going to make or break you down the stretch.

I’d like to see more Gasden and Cacok on the high pick and roll. He has the quick trigger/release and consistency to force defenders to hedge out further and open Cacok up for more opportunities. Poor man’s analysis but can’t help but think that’s what helped set up the success of Ingram and the pick and roll a couple of years ago.

(01-20-2019 09:18 AM)getmhawks Wrote:  Watched most of yesterday’s game. Same old same old. Cacok plays fantastic minus a few bonehead effort fouls. Defense gives up too much and team losses complete focus on that end when they stall on offense. Good teams buckle down in those scenarios. We’re not a good team. We have equal (at worst) talent that is just not geling.

We’ve played the toughest teams in the conference the last couple of weeks. Clear differentiation in level of play when the game comes down to the final 12 minutes or so. As great as Kai is, he still plays like a freshman at some really inopportune times. Not all on him but that position is going to make or break you down the stretch.

I’d like to see more Gasden and Cacok on the high pick and roll. He has the quick trigger/release and consistency to force defenders to hedge out further and open Cacok up for more opportunities. Poor man’s analysis but can’t help but think that’s what helped set up the success of Ingram and the pick and roll a couple of years ago.

Bingo. Nothing complicated but very effective. Gadsden is a deadly shooter and Cacok a devastatiing finisher on the roll.

(01-19-2019 08:52 PM)surfsalot Wrote:  

(01-19-2019 08:45 PM)billthebighawksfan Wrote:  Ty G is great and needs minutes. Estime can shoot it but needs to keep working on his D which isn’t bad. I like them out there but Sims deserves decent minutes.

Have lost all respect for Bill's basketball knowledge!

Coming from someone who thinks Kalina should be playing over O'Connell. Now that's too funny.

I would like add a little empirical evidence and perhaps some perspective to the conversation. In spite of slightly differing opinions on the cause of the Hawks poor performance on this discussion board, the main topics are consistent. It's not a difficult assessment is it? Defense. In particular the inability to defend the 3pt line in a league that is renowned for excellent guard play. How many times does this team need to be buried by a barrage of 3s from a team not known for that. And then in the case of Hofstra, when you have done that exceedingly well in the first half, change your tact and drive to the basket continuously for layups. It's called 1 on 1 contain and it's a non-negotiable staple at the High Major level. Guys get pulled for consecutive 'blow bys'.

Then there is the case of Toews. Someone suggested more Gadsen/Cacok Pick & Rolls. Not a bad idea indeed but consider this: There are only 3 players in D1 that have used the pick more efficiently than Toews according to SYNERGY. #260 out of 4027 players. Scoring 1.65 PPP and 56% of those assists are on kick out 3pt shots. This puts him in the 94th percentile in P & R situations if you include assists. This kid has accumulated the 2nd most TOTAL assists and 2nd best average assists in D1 this year as a Freshman. At UNCW.

I guarantee there are P6 teams right now working behind the scenes to get this kid to transfer in spite of his flaws. Keep in mind this is one of the most unimaginative offenses around since 61.4% of Toews Offensive possessions involve a TOP ball screen. His propensity for turning over the ball is a result of inexperience and 'trying to make something happen' but also a flaw in the system and the consistency of the players around him to be in the right position.

NE started to ICE him to keep him from his right hand but he made some high level inside/out moves going left including ‘snaking’ to the basket to take some nice middle jumpers which he missed. Which brings me to my next point. As amazing as his P & R offense including assists are it’s his P & R offense as the primary scorer that is lacking. He ranks in the bottom 10% in the country in that category. But how much do you want out of a Freshman playing the most minutes on his team as well as assisting on 46% of the teams points??

His shooting mechanics and instincts are good but he is certainly going through a crisis of confidence when it comes to outside shooting. He was an excellent shooter and especially from the FT line before coming to UNCW according to stats and the video I have seen.

I would suggest going back to his strengths which are pushing the ball in transition to find shooters and getting to the rack like he did early in the season to get the Hawks easy baskets and where the defense is still not set and trying to matchup. Also, empty corner side P & R with Cacok as the roll man or Cylla popping to the corner would cause absolute fits for defenses. It’s called 2-Man Side/3-Man Side in the modern basketball vernacular. Again, not something in the UNC coaching tree lexicon.

Good read Hawking! I think that Kai will start hitting soon because he does have nice form.

(01-21-2019 08:32 AM)HAWKING Wrote:  I guarantee there are P6 teams right now working behind the scenes to get this kid to transfer in spite of his flaws.

I don't doubt that. And I can't blame he and his family considering a move up. But this is one of the things that I hate about college basketball culture.

Where were these P6's 1-2 years ago? Should we just accept that this is the way things are now? Mid-Majors as minor league programs? I get that its a business, and don't blame the kids for making that call. And I don't really even blame the P6's for being vultures! It's just part of the culture in general.

I hope he's smart about his future. Whatever P6's are out there could very easily be making false promises. Coach McGrath has his flaws and they're out there in the open here. But no P6 out there is going to give the kid the keys to the program like he has here for the next 3.5 years. He has the freedom and flexibility to be creative here that he won't necessarily get at a P6. I also think as he continues to grow into his role, the coaches will let him have some say in how the offense is run. After all, its his show at the point for as long as he's here.

I appreciate Toews and what he's done for us already. I certainly want what's best for him but I know he also has a chance to see his name in the rafters here at UNCW some day. That's not something that should be taken lightly, or tossed aside for a business decision. And working your way through adversity is, of course, a character-builder. I think that's worth adding.

(01-21-2019 09:14 AM)Seahawk Nation 08 Wrote:  

(01-21-2019 08:32 AM)HAWKING Wrote:  I guarantee there are P6 teams right now working behind the scenes to get this kid to transfer in spite of his flaws.

I don't doubt that. And I can't blame he and his family considering a move up. But this is one of the things that I hate about college basketball culture.

Where were these P6's 1-2 years ago? Should we just accept that this is the way things are now? Mid-Majors as minor league programs? I get that its a business, and don't really even blame the P6's for being vultures! It's just part of the culture in general.

I hope he's smart about his future. Whatever P6's are out there could very easily be making false promises. Coach McGrath has his flaws and they're out there in the open here. But no P6 out there is going to give the kid the keys to the program like he has here for the next 3.5 years. He has the freedom and flexibility to be creative here that he won't necessarily get at a P6.

I appreciate Toews and what he's done for us already. I certainly want what's best for him but I know he also has a chance to see his name in the rafters here at UNCW some day. That's not something that should be taken lightly, or tossed aside for a business decision.

This ^^^^^^^^^^^

(01-21-2019 09:14 AM)Seahawk Nation 08 Wrote:  

(01-21-2019 08:32 AM)HAWKING Wrote:  I guarantee there are P6 teams right now working behind the scenes to get this kid to transfer in spite of his flaws.

I don't doubt that. And I can't blame he and his family considering a move up. But this is one of the things that I hate about college basketball culture.

Where were these P6's 1-2 years ago? Should we just accept that this is the way things are now? Mid-Majors as minor league programs? I get that its a business, and don't blame the kids for making that call. And I don't really even blame the P6's for being vultures! It's just part of the culture in general.

I hope he's smart about his future. Whatever P6's are out there could very easily be making false promises. Coach McGrath has his flaws and they're out there in the open here. But no P6 out there is going to give the kid the keys to the program like he has here for the next 3.5 years. He has the freedom and flexibility to be creative here that he won't necessarily get at a P6. I also think as he continues to grow into his role, the coaches will let him have some say in how the offense is run. After all, its his show at the point for as long as he's here.

I appreciate Toews and what he's done for us already. I certainly want what's best for him but I know he also has a chance to see his name in the rafters here at UNCW some day. That's not something that should be taken lightly, or tossed aside for a business decision. And working your way through adversity is, of course, a character-builder. I think that's worth adding.

For the most part I agree with you. Especially, the play time opportunity he has here compared to any High Major or Higher Mid-Major. But losing games you should win, a program going in the wrong direction or a lack of individual development gets old fast for those with potential.