Game 27- PCCC

[zipnetter1951]

3 minutes ago, zipnetter1951 said:

There is no double standard, you play D or you sit. Once Nate returns you won't see much of Tavari. 

 

[Illini Zip]

5 hours ago, LoyalZIP said:

Reggie Bass...wow. Emoni Bates type loser. Tackled Shammah and sold it as a flop. If Pinky had a spine he'd ditch him like Groce did with Trimble. 

I can’t believe the refs went to the monitor and still got the call wrong. Total thug move. 

[akzipper]

6 hours ago, Zippy87 said:

Great game and atmosphere overall. A few quick thoughts:

 

- Probably the smallest Kent crowd I've ever seen at the JAR. Almost non-existent. 

- Great to see Dawson finally get going. Him shooting at just a decent clip would be huge for this team.

- Teams are going right at Freeman, trying to get him in foul trouble. They know how important he is to us on both ends. With no real front court depth, he's got to find ways to stay on the court. We become very average when he's out.

- Loved seeing Thornton take it to the hoop aggressively a few times. He's far too passive on offense at times.

- Bummed we didn't see more of Tavari. 

- I can't say enough about the leap Tribble has taken offensively. He shot 1-12 from deep last season and is currently 36% on 58 attempts. 

- Payton has learned the hard way that sometimes it's better to keep your mouth shut. Freeman dominated him. He ended up with 14 but most seemed like they came when Enrique was sitting.

- I can very easily see a scenario where our 2024-25 season looks like Kent's this year. I'm going to enjoy every bit of this group and Freeman in particular while I have the chance.

- Speaking of Kent, there's a realistic scenario that they don't make it to Cleveland at all. They have Buffalo next (should be a win) but then have CMU at home and Ball State and Toledo on the road. 

 

 

My favorite part of the game was when Payton made a very mediocre play and then flexed his arms like an idiot. Then the Zips went on like a 10-0 run. Is he still the best player in the MAC? Most of his points came from the free throw line or when Freeman just let him have a shot to avoid fouling. Trash. 

[Westie]

Coach said after the game Nate has been cleared but needs to get his conditioning back. So hopefully he can get some games in before Cleveland. 

[NWAkron]

9 hours ago, Illini Zip said:

 

I thought Tavari was locked in on defense much of the game. And he looked good and is improving. But he took that specific play off. And then went "Oh Crap!!" and tried to recover, but it was too late. Then he fouled and added insult to injury. Groce is likely handing the keys to his offense over to Tavari next season. Tavari will get a lot of playing time and a high volume of shots, but Groce has to trust him. Tavari is doing it to himself. You can't take plays off.

 

 

Please explain.   What's "take plays off?"  not getting back on defense?

[Illini Zip]

12 minutes ago, NWAkron said:

Please explain.   What's "take plays off?"  not getting back on defense?

 

Taking plays off is kind of like just going through the motions, but not truly exerting yourself. Being lackadaisical. I rewatched that play and Kent State did run a nice screen on Tavari. But Tavari wasn't alert and didn't see it coming. I don't know if he is still learning the defense or what, but something is still off there. And it's keeping him off the court. I still think he has a high ceiling.

[Illini Zip]

You will know Akron has an elite defensive point guard when Groce plays him well above the arc. He calls that having a front porch on your defense.

[GP1]

I love beating Kent. That school is a blight on the Ohio public university system. I really mean that too. 

[johnnyzip84]

16 hours ago, zippy5 said:

That's a fallacy. Bring those punks on back 

Exactly - when you beat a team twice in a season, particularly if neither victory was by a single point or in OT, then that's a strong indicator that you're simply the better team and should win again if the third match up materializes. 

Edited February 24, 2024 by johnnyzip84

[Blue & Gold]

 

[Let'sGoZips94]

 

Edited February 24, 2024 by Let'sGoZips94

[Illini Zip]

44 minutes ago, Blue & Gold said:

 

 

I like what Groce says at the 6:40 - 6:52 mark, directed at Dawson. I would call that a coach re-recruiting his player for his final year of eligibility. Come on Dawson, run it back. Welcome back and run it back!!
 

 

[clarkwgriswold]

At least Mr. Pinky didn't go with "the game wasn't important" schtick to put a gloss on his @$$ kicking this year.

 

Tavari is still an immature player.  Some nights, he'll play under control and intelligently and earn more time on the floor, other nights he'll be out of control and lack attention to detail and settle in on the bench.The good news is that he is growing up as a player and gets closer to a 30 minute a game player every day.

[Blue & Gold]

 

[1981 grad]

2 hours ago, Illini Zip said:

 

Taking plays off is kind of like just going through the motions, but not truly exerting yourself. Being lackadaisical. I rewatched that play and Kent State did run a nice screen on Tavari. But Tavari wasn't alert and didn't see it coming. I don't know if he is still learning the defense or what, but something is still off there. And it's keeping him off the court. I still think he has a high ceiling.

After your post, I wanted to see that play and had finally found it and Tavari was not taking the play off or being lackadaisical but was late fighting through a big man screen.  Certainly not worthy of being benched the entire half.  However, when searching for that play I saw a player not box out his man which lead to an easy Kent rebound and then a drive to the basket and an Ali foul.  Watch at  the 17 minute mark of the 2nd half and Dawson not box out his man.  My point being is that other players make mistakes on D and do not get pulled.  If I am Tavari I have to wonder why other players get free passes and I get pulled the entire half.

[Blue & Gold]

1 hour ago, Blue & Gold said:

Update on Nate Johnson from 12:25 - 13:20.

[LoyalZIP]

Akron beat Kent by 13 last night, sweeping them for the season series to sit alone in first place with 2 weeks to go. But the coach has a vendetta against the 3rd string PG. Message boards are hilarious. 

[NWAkron]

15 minutes ago, LoyalZIP said:

Akron beat Kent by 13 last night, sweeping them for the season series to sit alone in first place with 2 weeks to go. But the coach has a vendetta against the 3rd string PG. Message boards are hilarious. 

OMG.  Love it.

[Blue & Gold]

14 minutes ago, 1981 grad said:

After your post, I wanted to see that play and had finally found it and Tavari was not taking the play off or being lackadaisical but was late fighting through a big man screen.  Certainly not worthy of being benched the entire half.  However, when searching for that play I saw a player not box out his man which lead to an easy Kent rebound and then a drive to the basket and an Ali foul.  Watch at  the 17 minute mark of the 2nd half and Dawson not box out his man.  My point being is that other players make mistakes on D and do not get pulled.  If I am Tavari I have to wonder why other players get free passes and I get pulled the entire half.

Some players have longer leashes than others and there are many variables which contribute to that. For the record, I also wish Tavari got more PT in the second half... but I've got to trust this veteran coaching staff.  

 

[Zippy87]

3 hours ago, akzipper said:

 

My favorite part of the game was when Payton made a very mediocre play and then flexed his arms like an idiot. Then the Zips went on like a 10-0 run. Is he still the best player in the MAC? Most of his points came from the free throw line or when Freeman just let him have a shot to avoid fouling. Trash. 

His botched dunks were my favorite

[clarkwgriswold]

13 minutes ago, Blue & Gold said:

Some players have longer leashes than others and there are many variables which contribute to that. For the record, I also wish Tavari got more PT in the second half... but I've got to trust this veteran coaching staff.  

 

The coaches see every minute of a player's life with the team, from team meals to interactions on the bus to practice to play in the games.  You have to trust what they're seeing over what we see 80 minutes a week.

[Zippy87]

3 hours ago, Westie said:

Coach said after the game Nate has been cleared but needs to get his conditioning back. So hopefully he can get some games in before Cleveland. 

 

This is fantastic news. I'd assume he was able to do conditioning throughout given the nature of his injury, so hopefully it doesn't take him long to get back out there, especially with 4 regular season games left.

[Zippy87]

5 minutes ago, clarkwgriswold said:

The coaches see every minute of a player's life with the team, from team meals to interactions on the bus to practice to play in the games.  You have to trust what they're seeing over what we see 80 minutes a week.

 

This is 100% correct. It's the reason Groce stuck with Dawson through his prolonged shooting slump.

 

I do wish Tavari would get more time because he's already a better offensive player than Thornton (too passive) and Scott (can't knock down open shots), but to be fair those two do play better defense and don't have as many mental lapses. 

 

I'd personally still rather see Tavari and live with some of those growing pains to see if he can lead this team next year as starting PG, but as you said, you have to trust they know what they're doing.

[Westie]

Nate was not allowed to run while the cast was on. So it will be a progression but it sure sounds like he’s moving toward a return during the regular season. Would love to at least see him play the final 2-3 games before the tourney even if it’s 12-15 minutes per game

[Zip JD]

13 hours ago, 1981 grad said:

I think Groce has a double standard when it comes to Tavari.   I see other players miss assignments or not box out and stay in the game.   He benched him the entire half for giving up a 4 point play to a hot shooter.   

Tavari has blown assignments EVERY time he is on the floor for more than one offensive set.  Watch the assistant coaches when he gets pulled.  They spend a lot of time going over the rotations with him on the bench.  Earlier in the season he got in the doghouse for what appeared to be lack of effort.  He is hustling much more now, and he has really improved his defense but he as long way to go.  I think it is a point of emphasis more than a double standard.  Lyles is in the same boat.