Game 22- PCCC

[clarkwgriswold]

The Zips head off to Ravenna Friday night to renew their rivalry with Mr. Pinky and the Golden Flushes.  The Flushes come into the game at 15-6, fresh off of a nice comeback win at Toledo.  6th year junior Danny Pippen leads the Flushes with 16 ppg and nearly 7 rpg.  PCCC had a little drought losing 3 in a row, but have rebounded with nice wins at Buffalo and Toledo in the last week.

[kreed5120]

Where is game #21? ?

[clarkwgriswold]

Just so that we can all take a deep breath and not be concerned that the sky will fall today after the Zips recent woes, I did a little quick count of the Zips records after 21 games since the 2010-2011 season.  The records were:

 

2019-2020-  16-5

2018-2019-  13-8

2017-2018-  10-11

2016-2017-  18-3

2015-2016-  17-4

2014-2015-  16-5

2013-2014-  15-6

2012-2013-  17-4

2011-2012-  14-7

2010-2011-  12-9

 

The last seven years of Dambrot, which I think we can all agree were very good, the Zips averaged 15.6 wins  and 5.4 losses over the first 21 games.  They are there now.  They are 3 games better than last year and last year was 3 games better than the year before.   RELAX.

 

[clarkwgriswold]

11 hours ago, kreed5120 said:

Where is game #21? ?

 

Last night counted as 2!

[zippy5]

Zips come out with the W here. Game 21 was the turning point

[NWAkron]

Ready to put last night out of my mind.  They look tired and worn out.  And now a quick turn around for Streetsboro State this Friday.  From here on out this is about seeding for the tournament.   Need the bottom-feeders to keep losing.  Tie breakers over NIU and Ball State.  CMU game looms large.

[clarkwgriswold]

38 minutes ago, zippy5 said:

Zips come out with the W here. Game 21 was the turning point

 

There was no game 21.  We had two 18's and no 21.  LOL.

 

I don't share your confidence on Friday.  History tells us we beat the Flushes at home and lose to them at the Ravenna Rec Center.  Since 2010, there's been only one year where the Zips went 2-0 against them in the regular season and have split every other year.  I hope to hell the Zips kill them, but they seem to be rebounding from their slump while the Zips are struggling a little bit.   In any event, I think it's another nail biter.

[NWAkron]

5 minutes ago, clarkwgriswold said:

 

There was no game 21.  We had two 18's and no 21.  LOL.

 

I don't share your confidence on Friday.  History tells us we beat the Flushes at home and lose to them at the Ravenna Rec Center.  Since 2010, there's been only one year where the Zips went 2-0 against them in the regular season and have split every other year.  I hope to hell the Zips kill them, but they seem to be rebounding from their slump while the Zips are struggling a little bit.   In any event, I think it's another nail biter.

But in this topsy turvy year Zips win in Brimfield but lose at The JAR.  (Running out of PCCC branches)

[kreed5120]

Akron's playing better on the road than at home during conference play.

[zippy5]

1 hour ago, clarkwgriswold said:

 

There was no game 21.  We had two 18's and no 21.  LOL.

 

I don't share your confidence on Friday.  History tells us we beat the Flushes at home and lose to them at the Ravenna Rec Center.  Since 2010, there's been only one year where the Zips went 2-0 against them in the regular season and have split every other year.  I hope to hell the Zips kill them, but they seem to be rebounding from their slump while the Zips are struggling a little bit.   In any event, I think it's another nail biter.

That was just a game 20 attempt at humor. I don't know how I feel about this one. Hoping the intensity of a rivalry game gets their butts in gear. I sense we got a little overconfident. 

[clarkwgriswold]

5 minutes ago, zippy5 said:

That was just a game 20 attempt at humor. I don't know how I feel about this one. Hoping the intensity of a rivalry game gets their butts in gear. I sense we got a little overconfident. 

 

Oh, I got it.  Good call and a good jab!

[MDZip]

4 hours ago, NWAkron said:

But in this topsy turvy year Zips win in Brimfield but lose at The JAR.  (Running out of PCCC branches)

Keep East Liverpool in your back pocket. They really do have one there. East Liverpool North Campus? 

[Captain Kangaroo]

5 hours ago, clarkwgriswold said:

... they seem to be rebounding from their slump while the Zips are struggling a little bit. 

Are the Zips struggling, or simply playing better competition? And maybe wearing down a little as we grind into February?

 

I remain amazed at what little our bench brings to the stat sheet.  If I was one of those people that can't enjoy the present because they're worried about next year, I'd have an ulcer.  

 

Our "Big 4" will continue to shoulder a heavy heavy load through the remainder of the season.  How long can they hold up? Hopefully through late March.?

[zippy5]

15 minutes ago, Captain Kangaroo said:

Are the Zips struggling, or simply playing better competition? And maybe wearing down a little as we grind into February?

 

I remain amazed at what little our bench brings to the stat sheet.  If I was one of those people that can't enjoy the present because they're worried about next year, I'd have an ulcer.  

 

Our "Big 4" will continue to shoulder a heavy heavy load through the remainder of the season.  How long can they hold up? Hopefully through late March.?

Eric Musselman of the Warriors, err Kings, err Nevada, err Arkansas had a quote about the NBA season being 82 vs NCAA having 35 or so and how he doesn't worry about guys playing 35 minutes a night because it's a short season and these are 20 year old kids. I agree, and don't see these guys wearing down as the season goes.. However I do worry about 3 games in 3 nights with such short of a bench. Fingers crossed.

 

His quote was more towards transfers sitting and redshirts but still applies to depth and big minutes.

 

https://247sports.com/college/arkansas/Article/Eric-Musselman-Arkansas-Razorbacks-roster-management-142240070/

[NWAkron]

19 minutes ago, Captain Kangaroo said:

Are the Zips struggling, or simply playing better competition? And maybe wearing down a little as we grind into February?

 

I remain amazed at what little our bench brings to the stat sheet.  If I was one of those people that can't enjoy the present because they're worried about next year, I'd have an ulcer.  

 

Our "Big 4" will continue to shoulder a heavy heavy load through the remainder of the season.  How long can they hold up? Hopefully through late March.?

Excellent summary.  Tougher competition and wearing down.  Tyler was coming off the bench at first.  Even Channel would be a good 6th man.  

[kreed5120]

13 minutes ago, Captain Kangaroo said:

Are the Zips struggling, or simply playing better competition? And maybe wearing down a little as we grind into February?

 

I remain amazed at what little our bench brings to the stat sheet.  If I was one of those people that can't enjoy the present because they're worried about next year, I'd have an ulcer.  

 

Our "Big 4" will continue to shoulder a heavy heavy load through the remainder of the season.  How long can they hold up? Hopefully through late March.?

Even outside of the stat sheet, it's hard for me to see what they bring. All I see is offensive turnovers, ill-timed fouls, and lackadaisical defense. 

[NWAkron]

6 minutes ago, kreed5120 said:

Even outside of the stat sheet, it's hard for me to see what they bring. All I see is offensive turnovers, ill-timed fouls, and lackadaisical defense. 

More talented guys have been shown the door that leads out of the JAR.  They don't want to be sitting in the transfer portal with Jeremy Roscoe late this Spring or at Valdosta Junior College next December.

[kreed5120]

12 minutes ago, NWAkron said:

Excellent summary.  Tougher competition and wearing down.  Tyler was coming off the bench at first.  Even Channel would be a good 6th man.  

 

Groce staggers the minutes so you're going to always see at least 2 of the 4 on the court at a time. The issue isn't whether Cheese 16 points comes from the starting lineup or the bench. It's the fact there are x-minutes of the game that LCJ, Xeyrius, Cheese, and Banks need rest and in those minutes we're getting little to no positive production out of anyone.  

Edited January 29, 2020 by kreed5120

[clarkwgriswold]

5 minutes ago, NWAkron said:

Excellent summary.  Tougher competition and wearing down.  Tyler was coming off the bench at first.  Even Channel would be a good 6th man.  

 

Speaking of Channel, I sure wish he'd focus on letting his game do his talking.  He got a warning last night for jabbering at an opponent.

[kreed5120]

3 minutes ago, clarkwgriswold said:

 

Speaking of Channel, I sure wish he'd focus on letting his game do his talking.  He got a warning last night for jabbering at an opponent.

Reece got T'd up earlier in the year and there have been 2-3 dunks since that I was concerned he might get T'd up for based off his immediate reaction afterwards.

[clarkwgriswold]

I'll take on the role of Captain Obvious here.  It's more important who's in at crunch time than who's in at the start of the game. 

 

The problem is that when the bench is unproductive, or even worse a liability, the coaches can't commit to using them much as they cost the team points.  The only place where a sub doesn't cause a significant dropoff right now is Riak to Reece.  Tribble shows promise and tries hard but is a work in progress for an outside game.  Ali tries hard and generally makes good decisions but he's obviously still learning and has no shot yet, and as such is a huge dropoff from X.  Dawson is lost and a non-factor thus far.  Sayles looks like Shaquille O'Neal one possession and Tip O"Neill the next.  I think with some minutes under them, at least two of them will be valuable by MAC tournament time.  

[kreed5120]

I remember seeing a few posts earlier in the year saying how much better we're off without Utomi, but I think he's exactly the type of player we're missing. He could have started at the 3, opening up the opportunity for Cheese or Banks to be the 6th man. He'd also be able to spell Xeyrius at the 4. Not to mention in late game offense for defense substitutions you could roll out a LCJ, Cheese, Banks, Xeyrius, and Utomi lineup. All 5 would be a threat from deep and have shown the ability to drive to the hoop. Obviously Utomi didn't want to be here so that ship sailed.

[Captain Kangaroo]

6 minutes ago, kreed5120 said:

I remember seeing a few posts earlier in the year saying how much better we're off without Utomi, but I think he's exactly the type of player we're missing. 

It was probably me that wrote it. ?

 

I think Utomi's departure allowed Cheese and Banks to flourish. It helped us play the up-tempo, "Groce style of play." But you're right, having him in the rotation instead of the "Freshman 3" would be a huge upgrade. 

[Captain Kangaroo]

25 minutes ago, clarkwgriswold said:

Sayles looks like Shaquille O'Neal one possession and Tip O"Neill the next.  

Tip was a bad man in the low post. Team Captain to boot! Source

[NWAkron]

1 hour ago, kreed5120 said:

 

Groce staggers the minutes so you're going to always see at least 2 of the 4 on the court at a time. The issue isn't whether Cheese 16 points comes from the starting lineup or the bench. It's the fact there are x-minutes of the game that LCJ, Xeyrius, Cheese, and Banks need rest and in those minutes we're getting little to no positive production out of anyone.  

I agree.  You can't do what Pinky did and start the bottom 5 and hope they won't put us in a 12-20 point hole within 3 minutes.

Edited January 29, 2020 by NWAkron