Stats Update

[jesmu84]

The part you don't seem to grasp is Derrick rarely CREATES great looks for teammates.  Watch the games closely.  Anybody can end up with 4 assists a game playing 32+ minutes per game, simply through the nature of Buzz's ball swing offense.

Count how many assists of Derrick's come from him being a catalyst - driving the lane, forcing help, dumping off for easy lay ins by our bigs/wings.  Or, how often is he driving and collapsing the defense and kicking out to open 3 point shooters?  

I'm not trying to hate on the kid, simply calling it like it is with regard to his playmaking ability.  He simply isn't a playmaker.  He's a good, solid, game manager back up type of point guard - but apparently Dawson isn't ready yet to get ahead of him in the rotation...I just happen to think Dawson would pay bigger dividends come March, if had been getting 20 minutes per game in this early/cupcake part of the schedule...

you seem to remember junior as a far different player than i do. i honestly cannot recall junior driving and "making plays" very frequently. he wasn't kicking out to 3pt shooters either. sure, he'd make the occasional "wow" pass. and i'll concede derrick doesn't make the "wow" pass. but, derrick also turns the ball over less.

i don't know the stats, but i'd like to see the non-conference stats from junior's last two years vs. derrick this year. you keep referencing junior playing against the tough big east vs. derrick's cupcakes. but if we compared non-cons, junior's SOS was easier both years compared to derrick this year.

[NersEllenson]

you seem to remember junior as a far different player than i do. i honestly cannot recall junior driving and "making plays" very frequently. he wasn't kicking out to 3pt shooters either. sure, he'd make the occasional "wow" pass. and i'll concede derrick doesn't make the "wow" pass. but, derrick also turns the ball over less.

i don't know the stats, but i'd like to see the non-conference stats from junior's last two years vs. derrick this year. you keep referencing junior playing against the tough big east vs. derrick's cupcakes. but if we compared non-cons, junior's SOS was easier both years compared to derrick this year.

Junior was brilliant in the open court - what transition game do we have this year?  Junior also was great coming off a ball screen to the right and either hitting a mid range shot, or driving to the hoop and dishing off to (usually DG) and creating a simple basket for DG.  I do recall more of that type of penetration and the great open court vision/passes, more than the kick outs to 3 point shooters, as you mention above - don't think Junior was GREAT in that regard - but he definitely was a much better penetrator and had better vision/instincts than Derrick has shown thus far.

[jesmu84]

Junior was brilliant in the open court - what transition game do we have this year?  Junior also was great coming off a ball screen to the right and either hitting a mid range shot, or driving to the hoop and dishing off to (usually DG) and creating a simple basket for DG.  I do recall more of that type of penetration and the great open court vision/passes, more than the kick outs to 3 point shooters, as you mention above - don't think Junior was GREAT in that regard - but he definitely was a much better penetrator and had better vision/instincts than Derrick has shown thus far.

Fair enough. A couple responses that I, and I don't think anyone, has the answers to:

1. I wholeheartedly agree that we have a minimal transition game this year. But why is that? Is it because Buzz has told the guys to not worry about it as he thinks we're more successful in the halfcourt? Maybe. I have no idea.
2. When talkign about Junior coming off ball screens and driving or shooting, I do recall some of that. If you're wondering why Derrick doesn't do it as much, could it be because Buzz tells him that's not his role in the offense? Again, I have no idea.

Isn't it possible, either way, that the team is currently being run as it is because that's exactly what Buzz is telling them to do? Until he tells us, none of us can know either way. So to simply say Derrick isn't doing things, it's entirely possible that's because Buzz is telling him to not do them. I don't think that it's fair to criticize his play because he doesn't play the way you want him to; especially because you don't know what he's being told to do.

[GGGG]

We don't have a transition game because we lost two guards who excelled at jumping passing lanes.  (Vander, Junior).  Derrick is more of a positional defender who isn't going to take chances.  And none of the options at 2G equal what Vander could do defensively yet.