Morris Udeze is a Shocker

[ShockingButTrue]

AG has 1 of the 2 keys we have been missing for a while. A PG that can break down the first defender which requires the defense to have to adjust. The second key is knowing what to do with it at that point (drive, dish, pull it back out). Fred had both Keys....AG is still looking for the second.

Hear, hear.

With AG at the point of attack the wheels don't run off the track; it's just that simple. With AG at the point a press defense doesn't work too well (just ask Haith), either full or quarter. A zone defense doesn't appear to either. He doesn't have to score to be of value to the team.

In national field goal percentage defense WSU is ranked 19th at 38.74% (Memphis is 41st), with an emphasis on 3 pt. % defense, where the Shocks are 12th (I thought they were higher). Our perimeter D is playing good this year, and AG is a big part of that.

All he has to do is be steady, and to me he seems to have done that. Porter needs a little more experience but is obviously talented enough to contribute at the D1 level. So is Wade.

[shock]

Is it AG who isn't making good decisions, or is it the players without the ball who are not moving to undefended spots when the D collapses on AG? I've noticed that AG has been making much better decisions now that Udeze is moving to undefended spots in a position where it's possible for AG to get the ball to him.

It's possible that Gilbert and Udeze are just now figuring out how to interact with each other in ways that make them both better. Opponents will study film and adjust coverage, so AG and MU will have to continue to evolve in how they interact. It takes some familiarity to get all that worked out.

It's a little like Mahomes and Kelce. Mahomes knows every move Kelce is going to make depending on what the defense does. Mahomes can look at the defensive coverage and he knows how Kelce will react and where he's going to go. AG and MU need the same kind of mutual understanding and that takes some time to develop.

Have ya noticed any progress in that part of the game from the beginning of the season?

That is a good point I had not considered.

[pogo]

A question here. How is it that Mo struggled for two years at the free throw line and a personal trainer from Shoot it Better figures out what is wrong and corrects it in short order. Where was our coaching staff and why weren't they able to recognize his poor technique and fix it themselves? Bring in this guy as a consultant at the least.

[Dan]

A question here. How is it that Mo struggled for two years at the free throw line and a personal trainer from Shoot it Better figures out what is wrong and corrects it in short order. Where was our coaching staff and why weren't they able to recognize his poor technique and fix it themselves? Bring in this guy as a consultant at the least.

I kinda thought the same thing. You would think with all the coaching they get at WSU, some video of shooting form should not be that difficult to add to the process.

[SubGod22]

A question here. How is it that Mo struggled for two years at the free throw line and a personal trainer from Shoot it Better figures out what is wrong and corrects it in short order. Where was our coaching staff and why weren't they able to recognize his poor technique and fix it themselves? Bring in this guy as a consultant at the least.

You can't teach someone that doesn't want to be taught. I'm guessing it has more to do with Mo's want to than it did the staffs ability to.

[SHOXAAC]

I kinda thought the same thing. You would think with all the coaching they get at WSU, some video of shooting form should not be that difficult to add to the process.

It's like the golf swing. The golf swing isn't a beauty contest, like the free throw stoke. A successful golf swing produces a good shot based on the club face being square at impact. The release of the free throw is similar. If the ball comes off the hand square to the basket with a sense of flow and touch the ball has a better chance to go in. Golfers like Lee Trevino and Paul Azinger didn't have aesthetic looking swings, but they produced consistently successful shots. Hell, nobody has repeated shooting free throws like Rick Berry (except Granny Ledbetter). Why...he is the 7th best free throw shooter in NBA history.

[TheShocktocles]

Just curious, what's a cross court pass from inside the lane. I didn't know that was possible.

Well good point. I guess technically he really is not in the lane. But sometimes they will pass him the ball right outside the paint lane area and then he tries to make a one dribble step into the lane and he will get doubled team. He sometimes then holds it too long and tries to pass it across court to the other side for an open shooter and most of the time it is picked off for a layup. I hope this better explains what I was talking about. Go Shocks.

[pogo]

It's like the golf swing. The golf swing isn't a beauty contest, like the free throw stoke. A successful golf swing produces a good shot based on the club face being square at impact. The release of the free throw is similar. If the ball comes off the hand square to the basket with a sense of flow and touch the ball has a better chance to go in. Golfers like Lee Trevino and Paul Azinger didn't have aesthetic looking swings, but they produced consistently successful shots. Hell, nobody has repeated shooting free throws like Rick Berry (except Granny Ledbetter). Why...he is the 7th best free throw shooter in NBA history.

Beg to differ here. You (or rather I) can have the face of the club square to the target and I can hit it thin or hit it fat or chunk it or whiff. You know this is true because you have seen me do this sometimes all on the same hole.

[SHOXAAC]

Beg to differ here. You (or rather I) can have the face of the club square to the target and I can hit it thin or hit it fat or chunk it or whiff. You know this is true because you have seen me do this sometimes all on the same hole.

And I still haven't recovered from it. At least that is what Dr. Phil tells me.

[TheShocktocles]

Grab the freaking ball with two hands and stop fumbling it like a hot potato.

[Atxshoxfan]

Well good point. I guess technically he really is not in the lane. But sometimes they will pass him the ball right outside the paint lane area and then he tries to make a one dribble step into the lane and he will get doubled team. He sometimes then holds it too long and tries to pass it across court to the other side for an open shooter and most of the time it is picked off for a layup. I hope this better explains what I was talking about. Go Shocks.

I don't mind that pass because it shifts the ball to the weak side defense. But that dribble drives me nuts if he doesn't actually move when he dribbles. That's when he normally gets doubled.
but all in all, Mo is starting to come around. His progress will boost his confidence and vise versa.

[TheShocktocles]

I don't mind that pass because it shifts the ball to the weak side defense. But that dribble drives me nuts if he doesn't actually move when he dribbles. That's when he normally gets doubled.
but all in all, Mo is starting to come around. His progress will boost his confidence and vise versa.

Lol. Ok he doesn't actually move when he dribble. Thats funny.. My free advice to MU grab the freaking ball with TWO HANDS.

[Atxshoxfan]

Lol. Ok he doesn't actually move when he dribble. Thats funny.. My free advice to MU grab the freaking ball with TWO HANDS.

Watch him. In every game I have seen him get the ball inside, immediately take a dribble without moving. Total waste of a dribble and time plus it's an invitation for a drop down help by the defense.

[SHOXAAC]

Watch him. In every game I have seen him get the ball inside, immediately take a dribble without moving. Total waste of a dribble and time plus it's an invitation for a drop down help by the defense.

But there is one SN member who thinks we should run our offense through Mo. The great majority of his points are when a guard penetrates the lane, Mo's defender helps leaving Mo a clear way to the basket. He occasionally makes a post move for a bucket and rarely gets an offensive rebound. Hell, he hardly gets any rebounds at all for as many minutes as he plays.

[Dan]

Mo was destined to score close to zero points last night with traditional post up offense. He had no physical advantages over the Memphis defenders. In hindsight, we probably woulda been better off letting PB and JB take all the minutes at center last night.