Game 4- South Carolina Upstate

[akronzips71]

1 hour ago, NWAkron said:

Also looks like the AK Rowdies are starting to rejuvenate.  For some reason, they got really excited when Enrique Freeman entered the game.

I want to see him play too.

I know this board has already declared him to be no more than an end of the bench extra.

But he is long and athletic and had a nice stroke on that free throw.

Remember, Everson Walls was a walk on. Sometimes there is a diamond in the rough.

[clarkwgriswold]

2 minutes ago, akronzips71 said:

I want to see him play too.

I know this board has already declared him to be no more than an end of the bench extra.

But he is long and athletic and had a nice stroke on that free throw.

Remember, Everson Walls was a walk on. Sometimes there is a diamond in the rough.

 

Here's hoping!  It would be a nice story.

[akronzips71]

38 minutes ago, clarkwgriswold said:

 

Here's hoping!  It would be a nice story.

The thing is, if he redshirts he could solicit a scholarship from someone and play next year. We should burn that redshirt right away so just in case he is good we can keep him.

[zippy5]

This is the next level walk-on analysis that keeps me coming back

[zippypitt]

Upstate with two point lead in the second half against #2 Louisville?!!

 

Edit: Jinxed Upstate, as Cardinals blitzed them after post...UL up 21 now. LOL

Edited November 21, 2019 by zippypitt
Updated

[Hilltopper]

On 11/19/2019 at 9:35 AM, Illini Zip said:

I have a theory that Groce uses a theorem when it comes to shot selection and who is taking them. I have never heard him straight out say this, but contextual clues leaves me to believe that players earn their right to shoot in practice. Their practices are designed with competition built in and everything is graded out. I'm sure if Ali gets a rebound under the basket he is green lighted to go right back up with it. But I would not be surprised if the freshman, Riak, Sayles, Reece all have certain restrictions placed on them. Remember Groce a former math teacher and stat junkie. And my guess is that those restrictions were lifted for the freshman and walk-ons during garbage time.

You're overthinking it. If somebody is open and has a good look they need to take the shot if it is within their role. Probably not going to see Reece firing up 3 pointers. Nor will you see LCJ trying to post up a defender.

[Illini Zip]

4 hours ago, Hilltopper said:

You're overthinking it. If somebody is open and has a good look they need to take the shot if it is within their role. Probably not going to see Reece firing up 3 pointers. Nor will you see LCJ trying to post up a defender.

 

I hear you and maybe I am overthinking it. But let me try again because we are not far off. I am suggesting that each player's role in games is determined by how well they perform in practice and that there is little room for freelancing on game day. That said, those practice performance metrics are fluid throughout the season and off-season. If Sayles practices a ton on the basketball shooting gun and improves his proficiency at mid-range, the coaching staff is going to green-light Sayles taking some of those shots in scrimmages. And if he hits them consistently in scrimmages he will be green-lighted in games. I have seen Ali wide open beyond the arc in the natural flow of the offense and he doesn't even look to shoot. And he is actually a decent shooter from range. Taking those open threes will be part of his role soon enough. So my thought is that it's more than a confidence issue. He is likely not grading high enough in practice to take them yet. There are only so many shots in a game and it's my opinion that Groce plays the odds/statistics not only with quality of shot within the offense, but with the quality of the shooter as well.

 

Edited November 21, 2019 by Illini Zip

[ZZZips]

10 hours ago, Illini Zip said:

 

I am suggesting that each player's role in games is determined by how well they perform in practice and that there is little room for freelancing on game day. 

 

So on the floor matchups don't matter! 

 

Groce subsitiutes all the time for matchups and any DI coach does the same thing.  Ill give you that a player who is lackadaisical in practice will get few if any minutes, but a coach who would insert a player into a terrible mismatch because he practiced well this week will be unemployed next  season.

 

 

[clarkwgriswold]

I think he's still working at figuring out what combinations work best together.  I think what will be most telling is who the Zips have in the game at crunch time.  That's when you will see who the real top five are.  I think it's LCJ, Cheese, Banks, X and Reece are your crunch time 5.

[akronzips71]

28 minutes ago, clarkwgriswold said:

I think he's still working at figuring out what combinations work best together.  I think what will be most telling is who the Zips have in the game at crunch time.  That's when you will see who the real top five are.  I think it's LCJ, Cheese, Banks, X and Reece are your crunch time 5.

For now but I think Banks is the weak link and the first to go.

[Illini Zip]

44 minutes ago, ZZZips said:

So on the floor matchups don't matter! 

 

Groce subsitiutes all the time for matchups and any DI coach does the same thing.  Ill give you that a player who is lackadaisical in practice will get few if any minutes, but a coach who would insert a player into a terrible mismatch because he practiced well this week will be unemployed next  season.

 

 

 

I agree with you that match ups matter. But that is on defense. I was engaged in a conversation of who, when and where players were taking shots on offense. 

 

Players (and their parents/friends) always want to know why someone isn't playing as much as another guy. Or who is handling and shooting more than the next teammate. The way I understand it, Groce's practices are all merit based and if you think you are better than the next guy, even as a freshman, the stats in practice are going to show it. And effort is not negotiable.

[kreed5120]

Outside of Cheese, who Groce seems to want to utilize as Manu Ginobili type 6th man, Banks is the only one who can consistently knock down an open jumper. He's not going anywhere. In fact, when we get into conference play and the bench shortens, I expect his minutes to go up.

[NWAkron]

1 hour ago, akronzips71 said:

For now but I think Banks is the weak link and the first to go.

Hell no.  Only one making 3s

[clarkwgriswold]

Banks is also one of the Zips better perimeter defenders.