The big improvements were in DJ's and Mathews's changed in the delivery of their perimeter shots (per Murf's numerous comments to that effect for the last two years)----both now letting the ball go properly from the tip of their foreheads rather than further back on their forhead enabling a pushing motion rather than a throwing motion-----only saw the first scrimmage-----but they were a combined 3 for 3 from the arc.
Hazel was supposed to have improved so much-----well if he has I didn't see it----made numerous errors takiing the ball to the hoop as is STILL realeasing his perimeter shot on the way up instead of at the height of his jump causing him to hit the back part of the apparatus ----same as he did all last year!
Acker is very good should get plenty of minutes----Cubilan is strictly a role player (defender & trey shooter)----very limited otherwise.
Mbaukwe has loads of talent/athleticism, but he's an inside guy------I hope they don't try to make him out to be what he isn't . All the pregame drills were perimeter orientated----no postup concept whatsoever!
Only one postup attrempt in the first scrimmage and it was by Barro as he got called for traveling.
Fitz has bulked up -----he's where he was at this time last year looking to drive or pass first instead of putting up the trey----took him more than half a season to get the picture and that is to look for the trey first while the opening is there.
McNeal kept trying to take it to the hoop, but more often than not got his head handed to him as the shot was blocked, he charged, or put up an off balanced shot.
Too much emphaisi on the running game----may enable us to beat Little Sisters of the Poor by 40 points instead of 25----but why we spend so much time on something that we can't/don't use gainst the better teams, I just don't understand-----against the better teams it almost always comes down to a half court game!
Also disconcerting was the lack of emphasis on the inside postup game---NIL !
after the practice was over, everyone but Fitz cleared the court. Fitz grabbed a ball and started hoisting up 3-pters. I'm guessing he was not happy in how he was shooting which is why he wasn't hoisting up numerous 3's in the scrimmages. It didn't look like he had tons of open looks either.
Quote from: Murffieus on August 29, 2007, 08:06:59 AM
The big improvements were in DJ's and Mathews's changed in the delivery of their perimeter shots (per Murf's numerous comments to that effect for the last two years)----both now letting the ball go properly from the tip of their foreheads rather than further back on their forhead enabling a pushing motion rather than a throwing motion-----only saw the first scrimmage-----but they were a combined 3 for 3 from the arc.
Hazel was supposed to have improved so much-----well if he has I didn't see it----made numerous errors takiing the ball to the hoop as is STILL realeasing his perimeter shot on the way up instead of at the height of his jump causing him to hit the back part of the apparatus ----same as he did all last year!
Acker is very good should get plenty of minutes----Cubilan is strictly a role player (defender & trey shooter)----very limited otherwise.
Mbaukwe has loads of talent/athleticism, but he's an inside guy------I hope they don't try to make him out to be what he isn't . All the pregame drills were perimeter orientated----no postup concept whatsoever!
Only one postup attrempt in the first scrimmage and it was by Barro as he got called for traveling.
Fitz has bulked up -----he's where he was at this time last year looking to drive or pass first instead of putting up the trey----took him more than half a season to get the picture and that is to look for the trey first while the opening is there.
McNeal kept trying to take it to the hoop, but more often than not got his head handed to him as the shot was blocked, he charged, or put up an off balanced shot.
Too much emphaisi on the running game----may enable us to beat Little Sisters of the Poor by 40 points instead of 25----but why we spend so much time on something that we can't/don't use gainst the better teams, I just don't understand-----against the better teams it almost always comes down to a half court game!
Also disconcerting was the lack of emphasis on the inside postup game---NIL !
Hazel? Do you me Hayward?
I don't know if anybody was touting how much a frosh. improved.
Murf made the Hazel/Lazar error in at least 3 posts in three different threads on two different boards. So the world knows. But kudos to you, Murf. Your countless hours as the personal shooting mentor to the Three Amigos is paying off. I trust they will reimburse you for all of the time you spent in close contact giving them hands on lessons when they get to the next level.
You can taunt Murf all you want but in March when we need a half court basketball and it's nowhere to be found; remember what he said about, too much running game and not enough passes into the post.
Quote from: DamonKeysContactLens on August 29, 2007, 08:52:45 AM
You can taunt Murf all you want but in March when we need a half court basketball and it's nowhere to be found; remember what he said about, too much running game and not enough passes into the post.
Because these practices are for March not the trip to Cananda. ::) I think once October hits they can work on the big men getting into position to recieve passes since that needs to be done before the pass can be made.
Quote from: muwarrior87 on August 29, 2007, 08:16:42 AM
I'm guessing he was not happy in how he was shooting which is why he wasn't hoisting up numerous 3's in the scrimmages. It didn't look like he had tons of open looks either.
::) That didn't stop us from hoisting up those types of shots last year!! Progress is a funny thing! ;D
I don't think Murf is wrong, and I appreciate his honest commentary (from his perspective).
I know murf knows a lot about the game, but I'm also not convinced that he knows everything about the current players and program.
His commentary is often pretty good and also insiteful (see above), but quite often that incite is lost in his approach and communication style (see previous posts). Repeating the same thing over and over again with more exclamation points doesn't make it true.
To watch, comment, and speculate on player/team performance is what fans do by nature (its fun, and its what makes us fans). However, to act like a fans commentary (especially your own) should be gospel is not only misguided but arrogant.
The coaching staff gets paid a lot of money to teach, coach and develop players. They see the players everyday during the year. I'm sure they have a good handle on what the team/players need to be working on.
Now, I'm not blindly following what the coaching staff is doing, but as an outsider (a fan), I have to admit that the coaches are far more informed than I am, so I have to trust that they are doing the "right" thing. I may question what the "right" thing is, but to pretend like I have all of the answers would be silly.
Anyways, I couldn't make it to the scrimmage last night, so I appreciate the notes submitted by everybody on the board. Sounds like the team played hard and got up and down the floor (which about what I expected to hear given the time of year).
Not sure where Murff was last night; but, several of the pre-scrimmage drills were directed at half-court plays. Obviously, this is August, so there is a limited amount that can be worked on at this point. Hayward's jumper did not drop (he took maybe two treys and mostly was posting up), but he played very well otherwise except for two ill-advised shots late in the scrimmage. I'm very optimistic about Lazar's contributions this year.
Now that Murff has straightened out DJ, we can expect much better shooting from our point guard. Please.
How come nobody has mentioned Christopherson. I was there last night up until about quarter to ten and Scott looked good during the drills. I didn't see him in any of the scrimmages when i took off. Any word on how he was looking during that period? I've got pretty high hopes for the Blonde Bomber.
SC touched the ball twice during the scrimmage.
Maybe a red jersey would look better on him?
did anyone else hear TC calling Lazar "Czar last night?" I wasn't sure if I was hearing things right, but thats what it sounded like to me, and come to think of it the nickname "Czar" would be pretty cool.
If Murf is right (again), and DJ has improved his technique, it's a blessing- because he STILL won't pass. He was stuffed, blocked, missed badly, made one, but kept on shooting. the best was by Blackledge, whose D looked to be the biggest improvement of all from last year's team. D Burke seemed slimmed down a little- didn't play much. Interesting matchups and lots of running, not much Offense plan. TC had the doors open to keep it hot (less injuries, better 'game simulation')
Sorry, I meant Hayward not Hazel.
Nuke em----most of the 5 on 0 pregame drills were centered around the break and the secondary options off that. Looked good without a defense----but in the scrimmage the secondary break wasn't very successful-----the primary break was however.
Even in the half court offensive drills (again 5 on 0) the postup game wasn't there.
IMO, had OB and Burke been schooled on the postup game from day 1 we'd have something there by now----have to bite the bullet sometime on that-----hope Mbaukwe is handled differently as his skills appear to be inside orientated----hope we don't try to turn him into something he isn't (a perimeter guy)-----i was very impressed with his ball handling on the dribble drill and his overall athleticism and quickness-----very good wide/low postup prospect!
re Mbakwe's potential: now we need Majerus back as a special 'post player consultant' to coach him.
Umm, Murff, you may want to re-read my post. There were three half court drills for the half-court. Again, its only August.
I was at the scrimmage and I think that Matthews looked the best, he had a smooth stroke, and his team (which I think was a less talented team) won the first scrimmage (I didn't stay for the second).
Mo looked like a decent PG, he had a good shot but was sporadic at times.
James' shot looked better, but he still made some bad decisions toward the end of the game.
TB has a lot of potential, i liked his defensive presence
All in all its still August and they aren't really allowed to practice for another month and a half. Any negative thing that happened last night is better to happen now rather then later. It's not worth getting your balls in a bundle over it.
Murff is right. More post-up drills. Because when TC wants to create excitement for the new students and others, who doesn't think of post-up drills?
In regard to Christopherson, I was saying that if all the pieces returned from last year, with the addition of Acker, we really don't need Scott this year. It would be better, imho, if he was red shirted. Let him learn the game more and not lose a year where he's stuck on the bench because of our depth. Also, it seems he's gotten quite a bit bigger since the state tourney when I last saw him. just a side note.
Quote from: marqptm on August 29, 2007, 01:12:42 PM
Murff is right. More post-up drills. Because when TC wants to create excitement for the new students and others, who doesn't think of post-up drills?
hahhahahaha...
More post ups and and jumpers from the wide post... that will build up excitement in August.
Are these practices to "create excitement" or are they to prepare the team for the BE season? If it's to "create excitement" it's a waste of time!
Quote from: Murffieus on August 29, 2007, 07:28:57 PM
Are these practices to "create excitement" or are they to prepare the team for the BE season? If it's to "create excitement" it's a waste of time!
It was an open practice to prepare for the upcoming trip to Canada, thus the extended 3 pt line and international shaped lane. Also, a recruit was there so the team wants to showcase how they can run and the intensity they bring to try and bring in a couple of the top recruits at their positions.
i agree with murf on this topic; against the better teams with equal athleticism it comes down to the half court. i could care less if we beat sacramento st by 15 or 45. go back and watch the UW and MSU games last year,; MU had few fast break opportunities. instead, we're stuck with the point guard dribbling just inside the half-court line and the shot clock running down. which led to many of DJ's 3-point attempts.
Quote from: Murffieus on August 29, 2007, 07:28:57 PM
Are these practices to "create excitement" or are they to prepare the team for the BE season? If it's to "create excitement" it's a waste of time!
Actually, reading the majority of your posts are a waste of my time. It was an open practice for the public, if you want to go and watch post plays, you are the very vast minority.
I can see it now!
"ATTENTION STUDENTS! Tonight at the Al McGuire Center, a FREE open practice!
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SEE YOUR MARQUETTE GOLDEN EAGLES RUN POST-UP DRILLS, FREE THROW DRILLS, AND SHOOT FROM THE WIDE POST!
disclaimer: listerine gargling, proper ankle wrapping, and flu remedy drills may take place."
I do have concerns with the front court, but with the Three Amigos still there I think Crean has "no other option" but to continue to run as it works to the strengths of those players.
Settling into a half-court offense will only expose the weaknesses (shooting and front court offense). It sounds like Crean's going to use the same approach this year as last - only to add some wrinkles now that he has more athletic forwards in Mbakwe, Hazel, and an improved Trend.
I'm not holding my breath on offensive points from the post, but I am excited to see more rebounding and defensive challenges from the young bucks!