The most successful overall teams were the ones where each player filled a role and did what they needed to for the success of the team. This is obviously a very talented group of players but they have suffered through a lot of growing pains.
The thing that always amazes me is the fact that so often these kids are totally unaware of it. They’ve seen it with other teams, they watch it on film, they have to talk about it in practice but it takes them an entire season to figure it out.
It is that aspect of it that makes me wonder if they really get it or not? It seems like it is trending in the right direction. We will see when it comes to next season.
I was listening to the Sports Bros comment about the BYU basketball offense. They were frustrated that BYU doesn’t know how to properly run a pick and roll. Our players don’t know how to setup a defender to get picked-off. Then, they leave too much space so the defender can get through the pick. You have to go shoulder-to-shoulder so defender has to go around the pick. The other thing they wanted to see was Mika setting a pick at the top of the key and rolling to the basket. Mika has such good hands he would be able to catch those tough passes as he rolls to the basket. The other good point made was that maybe BYU plays so poorly on the road because they walk into what looks like a high school gym and they think they are going to play a high school team. They used as an example the picture Emery took of a gym and then sent it to friends to show what a dinky venue. The players don’t have the right mentality going into the game. Yet, we always play Gonzaga tough at their gym…maybe because we take that game seriously. Anyway, food for thought.
Ha ha!. Yes, you brought that up long ago. Now you have more members of your choir. You should feel validated! So do you buy into the idea that BYU has problems on the road because they go into those tiny gyms and subconsciously think there is no way this is a serious basketball program (except for Gonzaga)?
[quote=“Glenn, post:42, topic:7351”]
The other thing they wanted to see was Mika setting a pick at the top of the key and rolling to the basket. [/quote]
Kaufusi’s pretty good at the high pick…his “game winning” rebound and score in the Kennel came of one.