Sad State of Bearcat Basketball

[sedz]

Sedz, what do you think of Casey Alexander @
Belmont ?

He was mentioned as a possible candidate last round too. I love him offensively. His teams have always given up a ton of threes on defense though, and that scares me. One thing Wes Miller does really well is defend the three point line. It would be tough to take a complete 180 in that area with the three becoming more important each year.

[leo from jersey]

And look how Page is finally being utIlized.... Top 40 in the Country in FG%.

Arrinten Page 15.7pts, 7.0reb, 62.7fg%

Maybe Northwestern has a legit shot Dr.

[BearKatz]

Other than our baseline players, FG% is pretty poor for this current Bearcat team.

These may not be the latest stats available, but we could sure use two now I would think:

Josh Reed 23.8 minutes per game, 10.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, 0.9 assists, FG% 46
Skillings, 11.5 points per game, 6.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, FG% 45.8

And look how Page is finally being utIlized.... Top 40 in the Country in FG%.

Arrinten Page 15.7pts, 7.0reb, 62.7fg%

[leo from jersey]

Vince Lombardi, the Hall of Fame coach of the Green Bay Packers football team, was notorious for his emphasis on fundamentals. His teams won championships because they could block, tackle, and execute better than anyone else. It is said that once, frustrated by his team’s poor performance, he held up a football and said, “Gentlemen, this is a football!”

Perhaps CWM needs to see nothing in the game of BB is to be taken for granted. He must start at ground zero and start to teach and then demand the proper execution of the fundamentals. No offensive style will work until, you learn how to see the court, dribble, pass, rebound, screen and run the floor with sheer effort and enthusiasm. There are no quick fixes. The HS and AAU programs, for the most part, are not producing BB players.

I think that everyone should be able to dribble. Everyone should be able to pass. Otherwise, why are you out there?

Oscar

Not for when we hit 2 threes for every 10 shots and instead of getting back on Defense, they mug to the cameras.

[leo from jersey]

Other than our baseline players, FG% is pretty poor for this current Bearcat team.

These may not be the latest stats available, but we could sure use two now I would think:

Josh Reed 23.8 minutes per game, 10.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, 0.9 assists, FG% 46
Skillings, 11.5 points per game, 6.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, FG% 45.8

Skillings couldn't handle the urban Cincy - too much like Philly -- Waco is a religious town - lots of distractions for sure, but quite different. - There were major problems on the team in the past, but the administration has really tightened up the sports program.

[JohnFrancis]

Other than our baseline players, FG% is pretty poor for this current Bearcat team.

These may not be the latest stats available, but we could sure use two now I would think:

Josh Reed 23.8 minutes per game, 10.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, 0.9 assists, FG% 46
Skillings, 11.5 points per game, 6.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, FG% 45.8

[SKell82155]

I wanted Scott Nagy during our last coaching search. I can't believe that guy never got a high major shot. He might just not want it. Same with James Jones from Yale.

Ryan Pedon was in the mix last time and he's done an amazing job turning around Illinois St. Maybe Akron's John Groce. Depends on who's available when the time comes. Could be a high major assistant or an NBA guy too.

Sedz, what do you think of Casey Alexander @
Belmont ?

[sedz]

Sedz, do you have some coaches in mind who would fit the bill as well as play defense/rebound ?

I wanted Scott Nagy during our last coaching search. I can't believe that guy never got a high major shot. He might just not want it. Same with James Jones from Yale.

Ryan Pedon was in the mix last time and he's done an amazing job turning around Illinois St. Maybe Akron's John Groce. Depends on who's available when the time comes. Could be a high major assistant or an NBA guy too.

[longtimefan]

What really disgusted me about that Presbyterian game was the very end, even though we stunk the whole game. With UC leading, SK grabbed a long offensive rebound with under 10 seconds left. Instead of dribbling out the clock or getting fouled, he drove to the basket to try to score. His shot was blocked, with the Presbyterian guy racing down the court, everybody in the gym knew he’d hit that open 3 pointer as time expired. The game was lost not only through lack of effort, but a selfish boneheaded play at the very end. The Marshall game was nearly as bad, and I’ll never get the image of the Marshall players and their fans celebrating on the floor in our gym. Yet that was the same team who became the only team all year to beat Syracuse with Fab Melo available to play.

[SKell82155]

Looked at the advanced box score from the Presbyterian game. We took 26 midrange shots and only 10 free throws! 54 points. Some things never change here no matter who the coach is.

I would love to hire someone, anyone who understands modern basketball. We've got to stop acting like the style of play that brought us success 30 years ago is still going to work now.

Sedz, do you have some coaches in mind who would fit the bill as well as play defense/rebound ?

[SKell82155]

Looked at the advanced box score from the Presbyterian game. We took 26 midrange shots and only 10 free throws! 54 points. Some things never change here no matter who the coach is.

I would love to hire someone, anyone who understands modern basketball. We've got to stop acting like the style of play that brought us success 30 years ago is still going to work now.

Sedz, do you have some coaches in mind who would fit the bill as well as play defense/rebound ?

[sedz]

Wes needs to hire an assistant with a mind for offensive strategy. Like what Phil Martelli has done for Michigan.

[zykarious]

I don't think either of those are true. I do think with the Advent of NIL, coaching has gotten harder. You almost have a new team every year and I think getting a bunch of new guys who make a million or so a year to gel is hard. Wes didn't sign up for this. NIL wasn't a thing when he took the job.

Even out west Cronin took a season to figure out the NIL thing at UCLA. A lot of older successful coaches just plain retired because of NIL. It kind of like your boss coming in after you've been in a position for a while and telling you "we're rewriting all your job responsibilities going forward. Good luck"

Yeah, I think Wes was recruited to be a developmental type of coach, look at UNCG it took him 5 years to get going. He's a coach who gets to know guys, builds comradery and a desire to help the team and develops them over years. I know some will say he doesn't develop players, but look at Day Day, McKinley and Dzellat all have shown significant improvement. Most (if not all) of us would prefer that NCAA basically in a way that benefited those types of coaches, but sadly the opposite is the case right now.

He's been thrust into a world where most of the guys are one-and-done and hasn't figured it out. Everything is different with those types of guys, from motivating them to building culture and getting everything out of them in games.

I feel like he may also have bought into fans desires for five stars and high rankings a bit too much. Services don't rate the intangibles, but those often matter more.

[Lobot]

I have a question. Is Coach Miller at UC because of the money? It does not appear that he is in coaching to get better.

I don't think either of those are true. I do think with the Advent of NIL, coaching has gotten harder. You almost have a new team every year and I think getting a bunch of new guys who make a million or so a year to gel is hard. Wes didn't sign up for this. NIL wasn't a thing when he took the job.

Even out west Cronin took a season to figure out the NIL thing at UCLA. A lot of older successful coaches just plain retired because of NIL. It kind of like your boss coming in after you've been in a position for a while and telling you "we're rewriting all your job responsibilities going forward. Good luck"

[Rufus]

We can blame the NIL or the transfer portal, or even that these players are all new ( some freshmen ) and others coming from other programs comprising a whole new team every year. But this problem is not unique to UC. Other programs make it work to different extents each year. Wes Miller has had his players, those he hand selected now for four years and hasn't done anything to brag on as of yet. Each year we end up at the bottom of the conference in standings, win some games we are supposed to win, but also lose some that were not supposed to lose, but never, never, I can't think of one time a Miller team has upset anyone. I think we need to come to the conclusion that Miller and the staff that he has assembled cannot coach in a power conference. They are way in over their head. It's a shame because there have been some good players committed to UC the last few years but just couldn't seem to get it together under Miller, and continues still now. It's throwing good NIL money away when you stop to think about it. I don't understand how Miller can promise the fans and the players he recruits of a running style of game but game plans the same tempo game in and game out. The same thing can be said about Satterfield too. The art of coaching is getting the most out of every potential and these two just can't seem to do that.