Lack of Blocks and an Inside Presence?

[ShockerHoops]

One of the most awesome aspects of our team the last few seasons is the way we challenged almost every shot in the paint. Lots of blocked shots by Coleby, Orupke, Carl Hall, Chadrack, Cleanthony, etc. The team was in the top 50, I believe in blocks. You come in the paint, you get blocked or fouled, but it won't be easy.

This year's team is in the 200's in blocked shots so far, and I just don't see the type of inside presence that challenges all shots in close. Nurger, Shaq, Kelly (so far) are not providing it. Darius isn't a shot blocker. And the one who I though could replace Kadeem and Chadrach is getting very little playing time and when he does, it's not very good. That would be Bush Wamukota. Poetl had his way against us inside.

So what are your thoughts about this team's ability to block shots and present an imposing challenge to team's wanting to come inside?

[7hottamales]

My thought is that we have no real post presence on defense or rebounding, but we can get by with that with our schedule until the NCAAs.

Unfortunately, the guys with the most upside to develop this year are not very long so we'll have to maximize every other advantage we have to matchup with truly high level teams by the end of year.

[another shocker]

i don't think it's going to happen (major blocks and inside presence) this year. wichita state reminds me of georgia tech 2003, the team that made it to the national championship game with three guards dominating, or st josephs that made it to the elite eight with three guards dominating. that just seems to be the shockers m.o. at this time- three great guards. 'could be worse.

[Blackmag]

our problem is were very young along the frontline, except for Carter. I don't think we were over-matched inside other than foul trouble for Carter (17) min. He was scoring at will against their 7 footer. Then he picked up his second foul. I believe their center only scored 5pts in the second half. What beat us was some of the little things (missed break-away dunk) by Ron and Darius only playing 17min, and Ron having a horrible night and we still take them to overtime. The inside -game will come along, they have the talent, they just need some more experience. Its only going to get better...

[wufan]

Nurger, interestingly, is a very good shot blocker when his guy has the ball. He had a couple on Poetl. He doesn't block those that are driving the paint. Shaq could be a force, but he's a half step slow to reacting on the dribble drive and prone to foul. Next year maybe. This years team is found to have to be one of post denial and box outs.

[asiseeit]

I pointed this problem out after watching the madness scrimmage, however,
collectively I think RN, SM and WB could make a positive impact. None are
going to get more than a few minutes at a time so they ALL THREE need to
be VERY active and play VERY angry in their short stints. By being extremely
active/angry they could be real PESTS to opposing big men. Move your feet,
wave your arms, and contest anything in the paint. Don't worry about
fouls or stamina but play your a** off for the couple minutes your in there.

[jocoshock]

That might change if Rauno earns more minutes. Someone posted stats on the bigs and Rauno was averaging 3+ on a 40 minute basis..

[Jhook89]

Our bigs are all so young besides DC. Maybe by the end of the year they will have a little more presence than they do now, but who knows. Honestly, I don't expect Bush to contribute much this year, if ever. He is tall and lengthy, but besides that has he really shown anything to make you think he will be able to contribute much? I mean, he wasn't even able to contribute much at the JC level. He is an interesting prospect, but I really don't see him passing any of our bigs for playing time. Even next year I'm not sure how much time he will see with everyone but DC coming back in the frontcourt.

Nurger is the one I am most excited about. I think he has the potential to be the best true big man we have had in a long time. He is so athletic for how big he his. He runs the floor so well. He already has range to his shot. He needs to get more physical and looks lost at times, but I'm excited thinking about what he will look like as a senior with 4 years of adding muscle to his frame and learning 3Gs system.

[wusphlash]

We do miss the senior inside presence of last year, no doubt. Part of it is the freshman aren't as quick to plug the gaps yet. I think our guards are sometimes surprised when they take a chance at a steal or overplay, expecting inside help, and that help is a step late. Not looking for much from the Jucos. If they aren't ahead of the freshmen by now Gregg is going to spend his time developing the younger players.

Success in March will depend on how far the 3 freshmen progress in this area.

[Good News]

One of the most awesome aspects of our team the last few seasons is the way we challenged almost every shot in the paint. Lots of blocked shots by Coleby, Orupke, Carl Hall, Chadrack, Cleanthony, etc. The team was in the top 50, I believe in blocks. You come in the paint, you get blocked or fouled, but it won't be easy.

This year's team is in the 200's in blocked shots so far, and I just don't see the type of inside presence that challenges all shots in close. Nurger, Shaq, Kelly (so far) are not providing it. Darius isn't a shot blocker. And the one who I though could replace Kadeem and Chadrach is getting very little playing time and when he does, it's not very good. That would be Bush Wamukota. Poetl had his way against us inside.

So what are your thoughts about this team's ability to block shots and present an imposing challenge to team's wanting to come inside?

I think what I hear you pointing out is not just blocks on the man someone is guarding, but more specifically those blocks that come from "hunting the play" and leaving your man to unexpectedly challenge or block someone else's shot.

Carl Hall, CJ, Kadeem, and Cle all did this exceptionally well, and it is maybe the single biggest absence I see from previous years' teams. It has a significant effect on the other team (the one that comes to mind first is Ohio State in the LA Elite Eight game) when shots in the paint are blocked by someone you don't even see coming.

However - I do think I see this in Shaq (he had a play in the last couple of games like this), and I also think Kelly has a lot of this in him with the way he hunts the follow-dunks. But they're young - Shaq needs to develop into a player that takes zero possessions off and Kelly just needs to get more experienced and continue to learn the angles.

Long story short - it is definitely missed but I think we'll have significantly more of this presence by St. Louis than we do now from 2 freshmen continuing to develop.

[Shockeriffic]

i don't think it's going to happen (major blocks and inside presence) this year. wichita state reminds me of georgia tech 2003, the team that made it to the national championship game with three guards dominating, or st josephs that made it to the elite eight with three guards dominating. that just seems to be the shockers m.o. at this time- three great guards. 'could be worse.

You don't even have to go back that far to find another team that rarely blocked shots but was still super successful. Just last year Florida ranked 216th on a per minute basis for blocked shots but that didn't stop them. Scottie Wilbekin getting destroyed by Napier and Boatright stopped them.

[Speak2me]

I think several of the players the coaching staff had hoped would be that inside presence have not panned out. Glass and Wamukota have been way below expectations. Everybody keeps worrying about scholarship numbers for 2015, I personally do not expect to see either of those guys back next year and for Marshall to go after a juco big guy again. Nurger and Shaq have great promise and will be nasty in a few seasons, but they are up and down each game as most freshman are. Kelly is going to be a complete stud for us as well. Overall though, we are several notches down inside from the last several seasons and will be playing "small ball" for most of the season with a guard heavy lineup.

[Rlh04d]

Poetl had his way against us inside.

That's not true. Poeltl scored 8 points on four consecutive makes over a 2:22 period, with the pick and roll. In the other ~34 minutes he was on the floor, Poeltl was 0-2 with four points (4-10 FTs).

I don't think that has anything to do with "having his way against us inside." Utah hit a moment in the game where they were able to run one play that was working four straight times. We had a timeout, made the necessary correction, and it never worked again.

I agree with your overall point, but it's not like Poeltl was dominating us in the post on offense all game. He had a good two minute stretch, and that was it.

[jocoshock]

I think several of the players the coaching staff had hoped would be that inside presence have not panned out. Glass and Wamukota have been way below expectations. Everybody keeps worrying about scholarship numbers for 2015, I personally do not expect to see either of those guys back next year and for Marshall to go after a juco big guy again. Nurger and Shaq have great promise and will be nasty in a few seasons, but they are up and down each game as most freshman are. Kelly is going to be a complete stud for us as well. Overall though, we are several notches down inside from the last several seasons and will be playing "small ball" for most of the season with a guard heavy lineup.

I dont think Wamukota is below the coaches exoectations at all. He was expected to be a project and he is. Glass's size/weight was a known issue. He may or may not be meeting expectations. I would not write off just yet.

[Jhook89]

I think several of the players the coaching staff had hoped would be that inside presence have not panned out. Glass and Wamukota have been way below expectations.

Glass has by far been the biggest disappointment for me. I thought he was going to step in and fill a lot of the minutes at the 4. He has 2 years of college experience under his belt, so I figured he would be be getting a lot of minutes early on. He has basically been a nonfactor. The fact that true freshmen are beating him out is not a good sign for him going forward..