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GP1

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I'll keep it simple for you guys. "The most dangerous team is a team with confidence and momentum".....Bill Cowher.

Prior to Zeke going out with three fouls, Can't had no confidence or momentum. Zeke goes out, Can't makes some shots and gathers confidence and momentum in their offense...game over.

Zeke going out with three fouls was key to the game. Even when he came back, the Zips couldn't get back THEIR confidence and momentum.

Thank you and have a nice weekend.

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Ken+ simply did a great job of spreading the floor and beating us off of the dribble. They have a lot of guys who can do that. Then your big guys are forced to help or foul. And if they miss the shot? They have guys who can jump over you to get the rebounds. This subject comes up repeatedly on this board. It's a personnel problem. This is why a guy like Quincy can shine agianst a team like Ken+.

From a coach's perspective, should KD have left Zeke in the game at the 12 minute mark? At that point in the game, it shouldn't have been a big deal to sit him for a few minutes. If he had picked up foul #4 right after that, which was very possible considering the way Ken+ was attacking the basket, it would have put him on the bench for most of the rest of the game. Instead, we were virtually able to give him a normal rest and return a fresh guy to the game at the 8 min. mark with only 3 fouls. However, I will question why we didn't swtich to a zone at that point.

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Zeke was the key to the game, and he was excellent.

Zeke was great on defense. He needs to do two things on offense:

1. Do a better job of quickly establishing his position in the block.

2. He needs a higher release point for the ball when he shoots from the field and the foul stripe.

One other thing that makes it three. Establish a better routine on the foul stripe. He should get his arms moving by dribbling. This will establish fluid movement in his shooting. He looks stiff just flipping the ball around in his hands a little. It's a sport, relax and have fun with it.

Physically, Zeke looks great.

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I thought about making this a separate post, but I suppose I'll bury it here. After the season is over, the basketball team should put together a video of all of the fouls called on Zeke this year. Especially the ones like his third foul last night. Send the DVD to the MAC office, give them a month to watch the DVD. Request a sit down with head referees to go over the fouls. Include Zeke in the meeting. This does two things, helps Mac officials understand Zeke's game and helps Zeke better understand what the officials are going to call. Even if you don't set the meeting up, at least send the DVD to the Mac office to make the officials aware. I know an NFL team that did this after last season with a former Mac player. (Anybody that has access to the staff and wants to pass this idea on, feel free)

When Zeke was on the floor last night Akron was the better team, when he came off the floor, Ken+ was the better team. I enjoy watching the Zips when Zeke is on the floor, I want to pull my hair out when I watch and he is not. It's also fun to watch Diggs and AA penetrate. Future is bright for those two when they fine tune their game.

PS I thought the women doing commentary was good last night. She did her homework. Beats listening to Reghi's tired old cliches.

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When Zeke was on the floor last night Akron was the better team, when he came off the floor, Ken+ was the better team.

I agree 100%. Akron was able to maintain the lead the entire time Zeke was in. I was completely confident early in the second half that the Zips were going to win. Can't would make a comeback and get within two, then Akron would extend the lead again. I never thought Can't would take the lead. Zeke goes out, Can't is able to tie the game and get some confidence and things got away from Akron.

I agreed 100% with KD taking Zeke out after his third foul. They were almost 8 minutes into the second half with a lead. Even if he didn't get the third foul, it would have been a good time to rest him for a couple minutes.

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Two of the officials from last nights game also called the USO/MSU game this week. It was a poorly called game that kept MSU in the game for longer than they deserved. Zeke never even came close to fouling that guy for his third personal. Brett McKnight was body slammed while making a layup at the other end of the floor on the proceeding possession by the Zips, no call. But if Zeke even gets close to his guy away from the lane, its a foul every time.

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Zeke played an excellent game, as did Diggs. Roberts was tough too. After that...blech.

We played soft SOFT SOFT on defense. Inside and outside. I think at one point K.e.n.t. scored on 18 of 20 consecutive second half possessions! How the hell is that possible?!

This Zips team is like the playground bully. We play weaker teams...the kind you can intimidate and they immediately fork over their lunch money, and we whup 'em.

We play a team that fights back and punches us in the nose, and all of the sudden we hear our mom calling us, and we sprint off the playground.

What is the deal with Zeke kicking the ball out when he's in perfect position for his 8-foot baseline hook? I don't get it? He's had 10 looks at that shot over the past 2 games and he's kicked it out every time. KD MUST give him the green light to take that shot!

None of the lessons learned in February stuck. We're back to rotating late on defense and letting our opponent do whatever they please. We'll have a short stay in Cleveland if the guys keep their February Defense tucked-away in the closet.

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I guess another observation is we are a better team than what played last night. It was the first time I've seen Can't play this season. They are a shell of the program they once were....kind of shocking to see. They are the talent level of a team we should beat or at least be better than at this point.

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Zeke played an excellent game, as did Diggs. Roberts was tough too. After that...blech. We played soft SOFT SOFT on defense. Inside and outside.
I agree. For some reason, I turned on the Cavs game on after the Zips last night. Their coach has them defending hard on every trip down the floor. I wish our coach did. This was my thought while watching the Cavs game. The Cavs won the game on a defensive play. Abreu needs to learn footwork on defense. He is simply not fighting hard enough to get in front of his man. As a team I think we get sideways too much. We look tired. I know Alex is young and he will get better, but for now I think he can up his intensity on D and be successful. I said this last season and I seen it again last night, why do we have Zeke defend a man at the top of the key? IMO that is a waste of energy and talent. I like him squared up close to the hoop on D. That's where he makes our team good.
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Zeke never even came close to fouling that guy for his third personal.

While watching the replay, the female ESPN commentator said there was no foul there. If I remember correctly, Zeke didn't even make contact with the Can't State player, let alone enough contact to warrant a foul call.

And, in all honesty, that was the turning point in the game. Greene really struggles against Zeke, but not while Zeke's on the bench.

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CK is absoultely correct regarding Zeke and his hook. First of all it is not necessary for Zeke to receive the ball in the paint to score. Secondly, when Zeke gets the ball near the lane, a decision must be made quickly as to whether to shoot the hook, or kick it back out.

I think in the next year or two you will see Zeke develop by wanting and demanding the ball more on offense analogous to his desire to now play tough D. I don't think you can coach that...it comes with maturity, confidence, and passion. KD could tell Zeke to take those shots knowing that his mind and heart aren't totally in it or KD can get him more comfortable with the offense by just giving him the touches in the low block and letting Zeke decide for himself. I don't think there is a right answer here other than we have to be patient with his development. In any case, I am glad Zeke plays for us.

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What I couldn't understand is why we didn' go to the zone defense after Zeke picked up his third foul. Can't is not a good three pt shooting team and I have to believe that the zone would have shut down th ose drives to the hoop we were giving up.

I mentioned that also. I'm really surprised that we let the onslaught continue like it did. KD mentioned that we beat them the first time playing man. Maybe so. But it's a different game, and they possibly had a different game plan. We should have taken away something that was really hurting us, and taken a chance that they couldn't find another way to score.

I also thought we should have fouled immediately on the Ken+ possession where Holt hit the 3-pointer to put them up by 9 with about 50 second left in the game. Not only did they score, but they took a good chunk of time off of the clock. Instead, with well over a minute to play, we could have fouled them when we were only down 6, and given ourselves a chance.

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What I couldn't understand is why we didn' go to the zone defense after Zeke picked up his third foul. Can't is not a good three pt shooting team and I have to believe that the zone would have shut down th ose drives to the hoop we were giving up.

Congrats on being the first guy to pinpoint the problem in this game. Could have mixed in a zone while Zeke was still in the game. Instead we kept with the man-to-man/wide-open lane defense.

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What I couldn't understand is why we didn' go to the zone defense after Zeke picked up his third foul. Can't is not a good three pt shooting team and I have to believe that the zone would have shut down th ose drives to the hoop we were giving up.

Congrats on being the first guy to pinpoint the problem in this game. Could have mixed in a zone while Zeke was still in the game. Instead we kept with the man-to-man/wide-open lane defense.

Notre Dame lost their main player yesterday and the switched to a 2-3 zone after giving up a nice lead to UCONN. Changed the game the final 4 minutes because UCONN depends on driving the lane. ND got back the lead and won the game playing a zone. Great college basketball game if anyone saw it.

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What I couldn't understand is why we didn' go to the zone defense after Zeke picked up his third foul. Can't is not a good three pt shooting team and I have to believe that the zone would have shut down th ose drives to the hoop we were giving up.

That would have required an Akron coach (other than CP) to observe the obvious and make an adjustment accordingly. Now you understand why it didn't happen.

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We played soft SOFT SOFT on defense. Inside and outside. I think at one point K.e.n.t. scored on 18 of 20 consecutive second half possessions! How the hell is that possible?!

Looking at the PD today, I see we actually let K.e.n.t. waltz their way to scoring on 21 of 23 consecutive possessions!?

That is the worst defensive stretch I can recall in the history of Zips basketball. And for it to come against K.e.n.t. is boarderline unforgivable. What happened to the team I saw in February? Fool's Gold, I guess...

My final comment on that game. :john:

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