3 guys that can't shoot are graduating!
- Thread starter Hawkfan76
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We also actually won an NCAA tournament game on a legitimate buzzer beater. Can't take that away, unless you tried......
I think there's a good chance of "addition by subtraction." Usually you worry about losing a bunch of seniors because of their veteran leadership, but since this group had very little of that, not as much to miss. It looks like Nicholas Baer could step up to be the next team leader - perhaps in the mold of Eric May - not a super star but a solid player that can rally the troops.
I know you're not comparing them, but IMHO, Baer is miles better than May as a pure basketball player. Athleticism edge to May; total package I take Baer every time. But yeah...he looks like a lead-by-example, hustle all the time, no fear type of glue guy for sure! Now let's hope one or more of our guards has a gritty, "this is my team" attitude and becomes our true leader(s).
My biggest problem with Gessell, Sapp & Woodbury, is each received ample PT from day one, yet ended their respective careers with essentially the same strength and weaknesses that they started with. I would have thought that with the resources available to them the guards would have at least developed an ability to can the open 18-footer with marginal consistency. At 7'1" & 250#, Woody should have figured out a jump hook or spot up 10 footer or something.
When defenses can sag on 60% of your line up, it sure makes it difficult on the couple guys who are capable of creating a shot. As it played out, Gessell & Sapp each had an occasion or two where they drove and scored with success. However, if someone were to chart their collective drives, I would bet big money that they drove and missed without getting fouled more often than they drove and finished. Someone tell me if I'm out of line, but if a guard is gonna drive the lane, he should finish or draw a foul at least 75-80% of the time.
When defenses can sag on 60% of your line up, it sure makes it difficult on the couple guys who are capable of creating a shot. As it played out, Gessell & Sapp each had an occasion or two where they drove and scored with success. However, if someone were to chart their collective drives, I would bet big money that they drove and missed without getting fouled more often than they drove and finished. Someone tell me if I'm out of line, but if a guard is gonna drive the lane, he should finish or draw a foul at least 75-80% of the time.
Agree. It seems like we never really got better in any of these positions. A few times Woody showed a glimpse of using a soft hook shot ... Then it never developed into a regular part of his game. When Gessell was coming out of high school I sort of saw a Bobby Hurley type hard nosed player ... It was a head scratchet to me why there was no consistency from the 3 point line or free throw line.
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