last night's game

[bigzipguy]

Just saw 2 posts on Bobcatattack, stating that Diggs was carying the ball quite a bit last night!!!!

[72 Roo]

He probably was, but the refs look the other way on that infraction nowadays. The game has changed and the OU fans need to find something else to complain about.

[Dr Z]

He probably was, but the refs look the other way on that infraction nowadays. The game has changed and the OU fans need to find something else to complain about.

The Zips were called for it in the Marshall game.

[jupitertoo]

The Zips were called for it in the Marshall game.

Ohio was called for it at a particularly inopportune time late in regulation.

I thought Dambrot had a GREAT analogy in the post game presser: he said he had told the Zips that they had to be like Joe Frazier, not Ali. That was very much how the game played out - OU showed some flash at certain times in building leads of 8 points in regulation and 6 in the first overtime, but the Zips kept coming back with the same approach of muscling the ball down low. It was fun to watch…after a brutal first half during which both teams were very tight. BTW, I think Diggs needs to be point guard from here on out - Carmelo is a turnover machine and Evans is young.

[Dave in Green]

@jupitertoo, Nyles is a junior and a year older than Melo, who's a sophomore. Even though Nyles' added experience over Melo is at the juco level, he's not younger than Melo in any sense of the word. That's why there were higher expectations for him. I agree with you that Q needs to be the primary ball handler, especially toward the end of close games. But he can't run that pace the whole game. Nyles and Melo have to carry some of that load, if only early in the game. The Zips can't afford to run Q into the ground and have him playing at half speed in crunch time.

On the issue of carrying the ball, Q has a unique style that makes it appear that he's carrying the ball more than other players. Q has such long strides that his dribbles are much longer than typical ball handlers, who are usually smaller. Throw in his speed and ability to change directions quickly, and the illusion of carrying the ball more than smaller ball handlers is magnified.

[Derrt]

Diggs learned one of his crossover moves from my highschool teammate. Its crazy that the move still works.

[Zipmeister]

@jupitertoo, Nyles is a junior and a year older than Melo, who's a sophomore. Even though Nyles' added experience over Melo is at the juco level, he's not younger than Melo in any sense of the word. That's why there were higher expectations for him. I agree with you that Q needs to be the primary ball handler, especially toward the end of close games. But he can't run that pace the whole game. Nyles and Melo have to carry some of that load, if only early in the game. The Zips can't afford to run Q into the ground and have him playing at half speed in crunch time.

On the issue of carrying the ball, Q has a unique style that makes it appear that he's carrying the ball more than other players. Q has such long strides that his dribbles are much longer than typical ball handlers, who are usually smaller. Throw in his speed and ability to change directions quickly, and the illusion of carrying the ball more than smaller ball handlers is magnified.

Q is the David Copperfield of dribbling.

[skip-zip]

But he can't run that pace the whole game. Nyles and Melo have to carry some of that load, if only early in the game. The Zips can't afford to run Q into the ground and have him playing at half speed in crunch time.

This is the primary reason why I don't want Quincy handling the ball, full court. We need his contributions in so many more areas. It's a waste to have him tired on the floor with everything else that he could be contributing. There's no reason why Nyles and Carmelo can't be bringing the ball up into the half court, while Quincy is walking up the floor.

[bigzipguy]

skip-zip, It would be great if Melo and or Nyles could get it done, at least most of the time. But it currently is NOT HAPPENING.

[skip-zip]

skip-zip, It would be great if Melo and or Nyles could get it done, at least most of the time. But it currently is NOT HAPPENING.

I can't disagree with you, but what else are we losing because of it? You're only true perimeter guy who can finish at the rim, and he'd be doing all of the full-court ball handling too?

Lets just hope things change so we don't have to have this discussion anymore. Carmelo and Nyles aren't the first Akron point guards to struggle early in their tenure. Even Abreu, who some people rave about, had his starting assignment and his role diminished significantly as a freshman because he wasn't getting the job done.

[zippy5]

I can't disagree with you, but what else are we losing because of it? You're only true perimeter guy who can finish at the rim, and he'd be doing all of the full-court ball handling too?

Lets just hope things change so we don't have to have this discussion anymore. Carmelo and Nyles aren't the first Akron point guards to struggle early in their tenure. Even Abreu, who some people rave about, had his starting assignment and his role diminished significantly as a freshman because he wasn't getting the job done.

Did you watch the last five minutes of regulation and the overtimes when Q was the point guard? What part of his game suffered?

[Dave in Green]

Heck, Reggie or Nick are perfectly capable of bringing the ball upcourt one-on-one as long as the defense isn't pressing or trapping. So is Deji, for that matter. And if the defense does go to press or trap, Q could become the outlet. Let Q come upcourt without the added responsibility of protecting the ball. Let one of the others dribble the ball upcourt and hand it to Q after he's had a chance to survey the defensive set. Then let Q trigger the offense with a pass, drive and dish, drive and shoot or shoot from the outside. Conserve Q's energy for doing what he does best, especially near the end of close games.

[skip-zip]

Heck, Reggie or Nick are perfectly capable of bringing the ball upcourt one-on-one as long as the defense isn't pressing or trapping. So is Deji, for that matter. And if the defense does go to press or trap, Q could become the outlet. Let Q come upcourt without the added responsibility of protecting the ball. Let one of the others dribble the ball upcourt and hand it to Q after he's had a chance to survey the defensive set. Then let Q trigger the offense with a pass, drive and dish, drive and shoot or shoot from the outside. Conserve Q's energy for doing what he does best, especially near the end of close games.

Bingo