I pretty much agree with just about everything you are saying here which is expressed in a fair manner as opposed to just an emotional reaction to something like only a game or two. Only thing I will comment on here regards your documentation of the lack of turnovers caused by the Stags. Actually there are many good defensive teams that tend to play a "straight up" man to man without extra pressure or double-teaming, with that style leading to a good protection of the basket and I think Jay Young's type of coverage fits that description. But that said, and to your main theme, sometimes variety is needed to change things up if something isn't working. So whether it is having pressure or a zone or anything else in reserve as a backup, in that I am in complete agreement with you as noted above.
Of course there are teams that just play great defense, but I think the truly great defensive teams score points off turnovers, and we really haven't had that. Maybe Jay fees we lack the team quickness to press or maybe he doesn't believe in it I don't know. But I have seen some pretty bad offensive teams at Manhattan win with pressure by scoring off turnovers. We certainly saw what pressure did for Wagner.
I think we have a good team this year but I don't think there is any team in the conference that is not capable of beating us with the right game plan. Expect Marist to take the ball to the hoop, Manhattan to press us up and down the floor and Siena to try to shoot over the defense. On any given night we are beatable to these strategies, we also seem good enough to beat most teams when things go our way.
Wagner and Loyola were the games this year where you might argue Jay was outcoached and Young did not make adjustments. To his credit, he did make the right adjustments in the next two games following Loyola, I will be interested to see what adjustments if any he makes versus Marist. I think we have to start "beating the press" if we are seeing team press us all the way down the court.
Thanks Nashville for your kind comment on my recent "scouting report". I believe you do or have resided in Connecticut. Perhaps you remember John Williamson of Wilbur Cross fame and then the ABA Nets. When I watched the Marist game yesterday and observed Ituka I immediately thought of John Williamson. He drove to the hoop just like Williamson but of course has ( and probably won't ever have) no deadly outside shot like Big Bad John. Your thoughts?
I've been back in Connecticut since 2005 after living in Tennessee for 7 years (for your info). Anyway, regarding 'Super John,' of course I remember him, especially since I was at the last ABA contest ever played which was game 6 of the finals in 1976 played at the Nassau Coliseum as his Nets competed against the Denver Nuggets. And in one of the greatest games ever played in that league, Williamson was the star (despite the Nets having Julius Irving) as they rallied from over 20 points down in the second half to come back and win the game and hence the league championship. And more to the point of today, no, I don't think this kid from Marist will ever have the same outside shot as John did. I certainly hope he doesn't prove me wrong against the Stags on Friday night!
I was a Freshman at Central HS when SUPER John Wililamson was a Senior. Even though Central beat Wilbur in the Semi's, Wiliamson was best player in the State of CT Hoops
I've been back in Connecticut since 2005 after living in Tennessee for 7 years (for your info). Anyway, regarding 'Super John,' of course I remember him, especially since I was at the last ABA contest ever played which was game 6 of the finals in 1976 played at the Nassau Coliseum as his Nets competed against the Denver Nuggets. And in one of the greatest games ever played in that league, Williamson was the star (despite the Nets having Julius Irving) as they rallied from over 20 points down in the second half to come back and win the game and hence the league championship. And more to the point of today, no, I don't think this kid from Marist will ever have the same outside shot as John did. I certainly hope he doesn't prove me wrong against the Stags on Friday night!
I was a Freshman at Central HS when SUPER John Wililamson was a Senior. Even though Central beat Wilbur in the Semi's, Wiliamson was best player in the State of CT Hoops
JS, I was the team manager for Central High during his soph year. Cross beat Central in the finals by 41.