HCPM dilemma #1: PG - Bell vs Cortes

[BostonWu]

Carl Hall doesn't get near enough credit for his undersized toughness. He was the epitomy of Shocker basketball.

He'd have a career game against our current guys.

[WuShock16]

He'd have a career game against our current guys.

Doc and me texting during LaSalle game when Carl dominated the early part of the game.

Me: LaSalle looks satisfied.
Doc: I don’t think they have much say in the matter.

[Shockm]

I hate to leave off names of players who really took to the "toughness" and "winning" ways of Marshall. So I'll bring in a few that really flouished by the end of their careers by becoming tough players even though most of them weren't geared that way when they came, but they all left with a good amount of it. There are others that I probably failed to mention. Many of these guys showed it in the NIT Championship.

JT. Durley
Garrett Stutz
Joe Ragland
Demetrick Williams
Toure Murry
Ben Smith
EO
Graham Hatch
Gabe Blair
PJ Cousinard

[WstateU]

He'd have a career game against our current guys.

Carl was one player that had the 'hair' I could live with... if you're going to wear it, you better bring it every day and he did. His dreads looked like the 'Predators' until he decided to cut them before our final four run... Carl was a tough dude! I fondly recall visiting with him and one of his assistant coaches at the Juco tournament prior to his commitment; let's just say ole WstateU might have 'assisted' in bringing Carl to the "U"...

[RoyalShock]

Was just looking at Cortes' stats compared with last year, seeing as how his minutes per game is almost identical.

Last year compared to this year:

FG%: 44% to 25% (Goodness, that's a serious drop. About the same number of makes per game)
3FG%: 38% to 28% (About the same number of makes per game)
Turnovers: 1.4 to 2.5 (Could the defense in the AAC be that much better than the B12, or was he playing a bit more conservatively last year?)
Asissts: 2.0 to 1.6 (Probably a reflection of the turnovers and having teammates at OU better at making shots)

I'm as frustrated with his performance as anyone, but I do think he's a better player than what we've seen. Not an AAC-caliber starting PG by any means, but at least a capable backup if he can play within himself. But that seems to be a hurdle he struggles to clear.

Bell's numbers are almost universally better than last year, albeit with double the minutes per game. His turnovers are much worse than double (quadruple, actually), but that's clearly because he's having to be a primary ball handler. He shot 39% from three his two years at Drexel, but only 25.6% at WSU. I suspect that's a product of better competition, but I still think he's a better shooter than he's shown here.

I know this may not be a great strategy in the short term, but I'd like to see both of those guys take a few more (open) threes to see if they can find some confidence in their shots and force defenses to respect that.

I know it's largely a futile discussion, but I have to do something to stay engaged in this team.

[Dan]

Bell is a terrible 3 point shooter, I don't care what he did at Drexel. His super high arcing shot will never be consistent.

[Kung Wu]

FG%: 44% to 25% (Goodness, that's a serious drop. About the same number of makes per game)
3FG%: 38% to 28% (About the same number of makes per game)
Turnovers: 1.4 to 2.5 (Could the defense in the AAC be that much better than the B12, or was he playing a bit more conservatively last year?)
Asissts: 2.0 to 1.6 (Probably a reflection of the turnovers and having teammates at OU better at making shots)

He has had the bulk of his minutes against our toughest schedule, hence the best of the AAC. In the B12 maybe he was only getting mop-up minutes against their worst teams once the game was already in hand?

[shock-it-to-me]

Bell is a terrible 3 point shooter, I don't care what he did at Drexel. His super high arcing shot will never be consistent.

I don't know which is worse, his super high arching shot or Pohto's flat shot that never gets above the rim. They both hit the front of the iron every time.

[AZ Shocker]

I don't know which is worse, his super high arching shot or Pohto's flat shot that never gets above the rim. They both hit the front of the iron every time.

Pohto's cause he's only 2-3 feet away.

[shock-it-to-me]

KU's Dickinson's three point ball makes Pohto look like Steph Curry

[Stickboy46]

KU's Dickinson's three point ball makes Pohto look like Steph Curry

Well id gladly take his 35% from 3 vs Pohtos 22%

[shock-it-to-me]

Well id gladly take his 35% from 3 vs Pohtos 22%

He's like 1 out of his last 20 tho

[shock-it-to-me]

This team with Cortes playing his "A game" is way better than they are with Bell playing his "A game". The problem has been Cortes giving his "D game" far too often. Liked what I saw tonight much better.

[asiseeit]

An "A" game vs such a terrible defensive team didn't impress me a bit. He is a DII level player. XB probably a low level D1 but better than BC.

[Stickboy46]

An "A" game vs such a terrible defensive team didn't impress me a bit. He is a DII level player. XB probably a low level D1 but better than BC.

What it comes down to is ... If either of these players is our starting point guard next year we are in for another rough year