Athletic wings?

[ZachTheZip]

Do you remember a few years ago when several MAC teams had big, athletic Wing players that we just couldn't stop on defense? We were lucky because they usually didn't have much of a team surrounding them, but they were more dynamic than the players we had, who were playing more traditional roles. Dambrot changed his recruiting philosophy in response to that.

Jake Kretzer and Reggie McAdams are the only active players on the roster listed as wings. However, neither are playing the way one would assume, given their listed position. A Wing is supposed to be able to make his jump shots, sure, but he is also supposed to be able to use his quickness to get to the hoop. 51 of Jake Kretzer's 58 shot attempts were from beyond the 3-point arc. 45 of Reggie McAdams' 53 shot attempts have been 3-pointers. At least one of these two need to step up and become something more than a spot shooter on offense. It's great that they're good at doing that, but it's very easy to gameplan for if they don't present the threat to do more than that. With a player that just stands behind the arc waiting for the ball you don't have to defend the player, just the passing lane and that allows the defense to play tighter.

I'm calling you guys out, Reggie and Jake. When you guys first got here, I thought you would bring so much more to the table on offense. You're bigger than average shooting guards, and you're faster than average small forwards, and I thought you would use that to your advantage. Drive to the hoop. Work on shooting floaters. Be a threat from more than one spot on the floor. I know you can. I know that you or someone you know will see this.

[skip-zip]

It's not a new problem either. Quincy was a wing or small forward with the ability to get to the rim and score, before he gradually started taking on more duties in the backcourt. Before him, when was the last time we had a "wing" with that kind of athletic ability? Maybe never? M. Boyce in 85 thru 87 maybe? At one time, it appeared like B. McKnight might be headed in that direction. Sorry, I just can't think of a player at that position with the ability to excel at both.

[LZIp]

Quincy and Harney are the closest thing we have to true wings on the team.

[ZachTheZip]

My post was not about the Zips not having those kinds of players. It was about having players who can fill that role to a degree, but aren't. Q has too many roles on offense right now. Harney could do it, but like Krezter and McAdams he's playing a more limited role. We just need one of them to step up and play with a little more variety on offense.

[Dave in Green]

My first question would be whether Jake and Reggie shoot almost exclusively 3s because they want to or because Coach Dambrot instructs them to do so. If the latter, then the request to develop other shots needs to go to the coach and not the players. It's not unusual for teams to have players who predominately shoot 3s. Creighton has a player who leads the country in percentage of points scored on 3s at more than 92%. Closer to home in the MAC, OU has always had 3-point specialists who got most of their points from beyond the arc. But it's true that occasionally being able to fake the defender and move in for a mid-range shot or drive all the way to the bucket can help loosen things up. If you almost exclusively shoot 3s, you'd better be darn good at it. Jake and Reggie are respectively hitting 37% and 39% of their 3s, which is the equivalent in points scored of hitting more than 55% and 58% of 2-point field goals.

[ZachTheZip]

But it's true that occasionally being able to fake the defender and move in for a mid-range shot or drive all the way to the bucket can help loosen things up.

This is my primary reason for the post. I want to see opposing defenses loosen up. Loosen things up for the big guys, loosen things up for the PGs trying to get the ball to someone with an open look. There are many ways to do that, but I think having our three-point shooters be more dynamic by occasionally driving to the hoop is the simplest approach.

Remember, they're much taller and stronger than your typical shooting guard.

[Valpo Zip]

Jake and Reggie are faster than the average SF but they are not fast enough to consistently beat their defenders off the dribble. If you want them to drive on a half court offense, a play needs to be drawn to them: back door pass or screen of some sort. It doesn't look like KD has drawn such plays for our wings, ever.

KD prefers the inside out approach which requires 2 or 3 sharp shooters to camp at the arc and punish the opposing team if they collapse to help inside.

My point is rather than calling the two wings, the call should be directed to whoever draws and calls the plays.

[ZachTheZip]

Jake and Reggie are faster than the average SF but they are not fast enough to consistently beat their defenders off the dribble. If you want them to drive on a half court offense, a play needs to be drawn to them: back door pass or screen of some sort. It doesn't look like KD has drawn such plays for our wings, ever.

KD prefers the inside out approach which requires 2 or 3 sharp shooters to camp at the arc and punish the opposing team if they collapse to help inside.

My point is rather than calling the two wings, the call should be directed to whoever draws and calls the plays.

Maybe so. But they don't need to do it consistently, they just need to do it occasionally enough that defenses have to respect the possibility. The best weapon is one your opponent does not expect, and a drive would catch them off guard.

[Dave in Green]

Coach Dambrot addressed this issue in tonight's postgame interview when he specifically stated that Jake and Reggie are not the type of players who are good at creating their own shots. Their style of play and physical abilities make them best at knocking down open 3s. Having said that, in the midst of raining 3s tonight, Reggie at one point took advantage of a charging defender by stepping around him and moving in for a nice open 15-foot jumper. This may be about the most we can hope for.

[ZachTheZip]

Having said that, in the midst of raining 3s tonight, Reggie at one point took advantage of a charging defender by stepping around him and moving in for a nice open 15-foot jumper. This may be about the most we can hope for.

I guess I'll have to settle for more of that.

However, if they can't create their own shots, they shouldn't be listed as wings. Harney and Q fit the definition better.

[Dave in Green]

The fundamental definition of a wing (or swingman) is someone who can play both the 2 and 3 positions, which both Jake and Reggie can do. There's nothing in the definition of a wing that says they must to be able to create their own shots, though many of the best all-around wings can. Realistically, Jake and Reggie are solid but not great wings who are important to the team but not capable of taking over games on their own.

[phil]

I think Reggie and Kretzer are good Mac players. However, they do not have speed or athleticism when playing tournament level teams to be impact players. They were recruited as 3 point specialist. When they are on, they really help the team. When there shot is off, they are not going to drive to the hoop like Chauncy, the Serb, or some of the other past players. Nitro was the same type of player. Rarely went to the basket. I don't believe that Keith will keep recruiting these types of players in the future because they are one dimentional. Ferry was the same type of player with the Cavs in the NBA. Stood at the 3 point line and rarely drove to the hoop. He would never foul out and hardly ever shoot foul shots.