Offensiveness of WSU offense

[WuDrWu]

Seeing Taylor's article this morning with video of our players misusing screens makes me want to puke. You need next to zero talent to come tight off your screens.

Great point, and let me add this. Early in Gregg's tenure as coach (but hardly first year), he hosted at least one open practice where you could pay to watch practice then get a meet and greet with the players followed by a Q&A. Pretty sure I met Kung Wu at one of these. Anyway, during one of these Q&As someone asked about the high screen and roll and how it didn't appear we were using the screen properly and maybe it had more to do with the user of the screen and not the setter (setting the screen up). It was an excellent observation, but the person asking the question clearly was not aware of HCGM's ability to reach down a person's throat and extract their spinal column for asking stupid questions. I froze in horror, knowing the response from Gregg was forthcoming, and I wasn't looking forward to seeing a Shocker fan die in front of me.

To my complete surprise, Gregg's eyes opened wide, he complimented the guy on the question and said it was a good point and that he was going to look into that further and correct that particular skill set if it was as bad as the fan had suggested. Gregg even turned to Dom (I think it was Dom) and told him to remind him about this.

My point is A)Coaches are NOT infallible. They are humans like everyone else and they make mistakes and can't see everything. It's one reason why having strong assistants that can question ideas are so important (but that flies in the face of what always has been the most important quality of assistants, loyalty). Also, this was (is) a HOF coach, and he was still learning at that moment, after MANY years of successful coaching.

[abdullah_sharif]

Seeing Taylor's article this morning with video of our players misusing screens makes me want to puke. You need next to zero talent to come tight off your screens.

my buddy and i broke this down in columbia.. it’s glaring

[ShockTalk]

HCIB wanting "more movement, less dribbles" makes my day. Now, can actually get them to do that, I can only hope.

[WuDrWu]

HCIB wanting "more movement, less dribbles" makes my day. Now, can actually get them to do that, I can only hope.

I realize your "hope" is based on the fact you can't yet see it.....I get that consternation.

But these guys get after it defensively like nobody's business. That takes heart and effort and dedication AND discipline.

It seems more unlikely that they fail to get these concepts and adapt. Doesn't it? If we're being fair?


Getting athletes to do the hard stuff (effort, defense, fight, discipline) is much more difficult than getting them to score. At least that's how I see it.

[Stickboy46]

Seeing Taylor's article this morning with video of our players misusing screens makes me want to puke. You need next to zero talent to come tight off your screens.

This is something I've commented on in games over multiple years now ... We rarely seem to use screens well. Either screener slips too early trying to get to the basket quickly, or the ball handler just leaves 3 feet between him and the screener.

[BOBB]

This is something I've commented on in games over multiple years now ... We rarely seem to use screens well. Either screener slips too early trying to get to the basket quickly, or the ball handler just leaves 3 feet between him and the screener.

Yeah, this isn't all new.

Just so you don't question my bona fides I took a Jordanless Bulls to the NBA Championship in NBA '96 on SNES.

[SubGod22]

Speaking of screens and the poor use of them, most illegal screens are the fault of the person not using the screen properly which tends to force the screener to adjust and therefore not be legal.

I'm astonished at how bad so many are at using screens. That was something that was pounded into us even before middle school and continually done so during middle and high school.

[WuDrWu]

I'm astonished at how bad so many are at using screens. That was something that was pounded into us even before middle school and continually done so during middle and high school.

Yeah, we're old.


We also would have likely been suspended for pounding our own heads in celebration after making a three in the first quarter of a game against a team we should handle every day.

Suspended, made to run laps for an hour or told to seek professional help. Perhaps all 3.


You aren't setting a screen today, you're putting the defense in a tough situation where they are forced to make a decision, and it's imperative that as the screener, you either dive to the rim for a #TOP10 dunk or fade to the 3 to show off your length.

[Shockm]

Screen problems not new. Our fundamentals suck. We have set “slip screens”, not screens, the entire year. But we’ve been hearing all preseason, how great we will be on the fast break, and that’s turned out great.

[RoyalShock]

There no excuse for misusing an off-ball screen. I do wonder if the problem with the ball screens is that the screeners defender (the hedge) gets to their spot soon enough that the ball handler can't use the screen effectively. Even so, that's a timing and hustle issue (the screener sprinting to their spot so their defender has to catch up).

[WuDrWu]

The real truth is the "slip screen" is more of a read than a call. And it's a learned skill. Until a player is capable of "reading" the defenders, his "slip screen" is little more than a guess. In fact that's all it is, a guess.

[Shockm]

The real truth is the "slip screen" is more of a read than a call. And it's a learned skill. Until a player is capable of "reading" the defenders, his "slip screen" is little more than a guess. In fact that's all it is, a guess.

Our slip screen this year has been a quick screen act, followed by a move toward the basket at the same time they raise their arms, and yell “I’m open” as they move to the basket. :)

[shox7]

Another problem with our offense is; I don’t think we have run one backdoor play this year, at least that I remember. Additionally FHCGM used to run a few set plays using the Wooden UCLA high post offense. Ron and Fred scored numerous times on that set play. Wish IB would try a few plays with that set to see if we could get our guards an easy basket.

[SubGod22]

We also would have likely been suspended for pounding our own heads in celebration after making a three in the first quarter of a game against a team we should handle every day.

Suspended, made to run laps for an hour or told to seek professional help. Perhaps all 3.

I think in all the years I played, I never gave more than the occasional fist pump after a big play. And I'm pretty sure I could count the times I did that on one hand and have fingers left over.

I'll also confess that it's simply not in my nature to do things like that. I'm not someone who has ever enjoyed extra attention/spotlight and outside of just trying to play to the best of my ability and help my team win games, I just never cared to standout on or off the court, or any other playing surface.

I'm not condemning those who are more outgoing by nature and naturally react to certain plays. I don't hate on it. But those who celebrate every little thing no matter how unimportant said play was does annoy me. That strikes me as nothing more than look at me.

I wouldn't be everyone's favorite fan as I'm generally not one of the loud ones. I enjoy the games a great deal, but yelling and screaming isn't in my nature. There have been a few exceptions when I've genuinely gotten caught up in the moment and cheered loudly or been more expressive, but in all the years I've attended games, I can once again say I could count those moments on one hand and probably have fingers left over. We're all a different and I get that.

Sorry for the rambling. I've had a long day and am trying to not go to bed this early.