Post Kansas thoughts (shorter)

[DanHawkPella]

• We may be one of the most physical teams in the country - we knock girls down all over the place and push them around and jump on loose balls, and it's almost universal from the freshmen to the seniors, with maybe only McCabe as the odd one out. It's almost like they seek out contact even when it's not necessary. We bullied Kansas for parts of that game.
• Much, much respect for Kylie F. She just oozes senior leadership this season after losing her confidence early last season and then righting the ship a bit. She is shooting confidently, being aggressive on defense, and when she drives she is finishing hard. Even her missed lefty spin layup was really close and that release was at the advanced level. She's playing a lot higher level than I anticipated.
• Affolter might be the most affected player from Clark's departure - she's having a hard time on the offensive end in this new system. It could come around yet, but it doesn't seem to be due to rust or injury imo. We'll see.
• Kansas gave up way fewer post lobs than other teams did by not fronting as severely, and it showed. Our offense was slowed down a bit by not getting those easy post entries and layups.
• I love Stremlow and Heiden. I really, really, really love Mallegni - and not just offensively. Last night it seemed like the coaches were having her work on passing rather than being a gunner, as she was really looking to pass even when she had a look that she normally takes. Later she shot a little. She does airball a few but overall she has a higher variety of shots to work with than anyone on the team by a long shot - 3's, floaters, fade aways, Sikma baseline shots, post moves, scoops etc. She is still sorting out shot selection and getting comfortable, but her ceiling is 1st team All B10 and I could see her doing that in year 3. Part of the reason is her defensive IQ as well. She moves way better than her size indicates, and her intuition on defense is next level - she anticipates, plays angles and is physical.

Regarding that last bullet: There was a 2 on 2 fast break for Kansas last night and the ball handler attacked Stremlow on the left side. Stremlow was ahead of her so could pick her placement, but almost all women/girls pick a spot that allows the ball handler to still get to a spot where they can get their right shoulder into you and shoot a left handed bank shot in from around 5 feet. I've seen this 1000 times at all levels, and most Iowa players the last 10 years would have done the same. However, Mallegni positioned herself to overplay the girls left hand and when she reached the shooting area she couldn't get her left hand release to where it needed to be.

It's hard to explain, but this is really, really advanced positioning and recognition by Mallegni. I actually was surprised with it, then extremely impressed - and then impressed again when one of the announcers alluded to it. It's a very, very subtle thing that most people wouldn't notice, but I keep seeing these small things on both ends from her that indicate to me that she is going to be super good. Just wait.

 

[chaneccooms]

Good point on the physicality. Stuelke seems significantly stronger this year.

I get a kick out of how AOG will knock an opponent to the floor on a hard foul and just laugh. She just seems so much more comfortable out there this year.

 

[BrewHawk]

Kylie has always struck me as a player who doesn't realize just how athletic she is and still has a bunch of room to grow.

The injury might have made her a little hesitant to let it all hang out, but I would put her athleticism as tops on the team by quite a bit.

 

[cmhawks99]

Kylie has always struck me as a player who doesn't realize just how athletic she is and still has a bunch of room to grow.

The injury might have made her a little hesitant to let it all hang out, but I would put her athleticism as tops on the team by quite a bit.

Hannah has next level bounce, but I agree, both of those girls have yet to understand they are typically better athletes than anybody else on the court

 

[cmhawks99]

• We may be one of the most physical teams in the country - we knock girls down all over the place and push them around and jump on loose balls, and it's almost universal from the freshmen to the seniors, with maybe only McCabe as the odd one out. It's almost like they seek out contact even when it's not necessary. We bullied Kansas for parts of that game.
• Much, much respect for Kylie F. She just oozes senior leadership this season after losing her confidence early last season and then righting the ship a bit. She is shooting confidently, being aggressive on defense, and when she drives she is finishing hard. Even her missed lefty spin layup was really close and that release was at the advanced level. She's playing a lot higher level than I anticipated.
• Affolter might be the most affected player from Clark's departure - she's having a hard time on the offensive end in this new system. It could come around yet, but it doesn't seem to be due to rust or injury imo. We'll see.
• Kansas gave up way fewer post lobs than other teams did by not fronting as severely, and it showed. Our offense was slowed down a bit by not getting those easy post entries and layups.
• I love Stremlow and Heiden. I really, really, really love Mallegni - and not just offensively. Last night it seemed like the coaches were having her work on passing rather than being a gunner, as she was really looking to pass even when she had a look that she normally takes. Later she shot a little. She does airball a few but overall she has a higher variety of shots to work with than anyone on the team by a long shot - 3's, floaters, fade aways, Sikma baseline shots, post moves, scoops etc. She is still sorting out shot selection and getting comfortable, but her ceiling is 1st team All B10 and I could see her doing that in year 3. Part of the reason is her defensive IQ as well. She moves way better than her size indicates, and her intuition on defense is next level - she anticipates, plays angles and is physical.

Regarding that last bullet: There was a 2 on 2 fast break for Kansas last night and the ball handler attacked Stremlow on the left side. Stremlow was ahead of her so could pick her placement, but almost all women/girls pick a spot that allows the ball handler to still get to a spot where they can get their right shoulder into you and shoot a left handed bank shot in from around 5 feet. I've seen this 1000 times at all levels, and most Iowa players the last 10 years would have done the same. However, Mallegni positioned herself to overplay the girls left hand and when she reached the shooting area she couldn't get her left hand release to where it needed to be.

It's hard to explain, but this is really, really advanced positioning and recognition by Mallegni. I actually was surprised with it, then extremely impressed - and then impressed again when one of the announcers alluded to it. It's a very, very subtle thing that most people wouldn't notice, but I keep seeing these small things on both ends from her that indicate to me that she is going to be super good. Just wait.

I enjoy your write ups, this was a good one

 

[cmhawks99]

Good point on the physicality. Stuelke seems significantly stronger this year.

I get a kick out of how AOG will knock an opponent to the floor on a hard foul and just laugh. She just seems so much more comfortable out there this year.

Her & Addie both

 

[amahawk]

• We may be one of the most physical teams in the country - we knock girls down all over the place and push them around and jump on loose balls, and it's almost universal from the freshmen to the seniors, with maybe only McCabe as the odd one out. It's almost like they seek out contact even when it's not necessary. We bullied Kansas for parts of that game.
• Much, much respect for Kylie F. She just oozes senior leadership this season after losing her confidence early last season and then righting the ship a bit. She is shooting confidently, being aggressive on defense, and when she drives she is finishing hard. Even her missed lefty spin layup was really close and that release was at the advanced level. She's playing a lot higher level than I anticipated.
• Affolter might be the most affected player from Clark's departure - she's having a hard time on the offensive end in this new system. It could come around yet, but it doesn't seem to be due to rust or injury imo. We'll see.
• Kansas gave up way fewer post lobs than other teams did by not fronting as severely, and it showed. Our offense was slowed down a bit by not getting those easy post entries and layups.
• I love Stremlow and Heiden. I really, really, really love Mallegni - and not just offensively. Last night it seemed like the coaches were having her work on passing rather than being a gunner, as she was really looking to pass even when she had a look that she normally takes. Later she shot a little. She does airball a few but overall she has a higher variety of shots to work with than anyone on the team by a long shot - 3's, floaters, fade aways, Sikma baseline shots, post moves, scoops etc. She is still sorting out shot selection and getting comfortable, but her ceiling is 1st team All B10 and I could see her doing that in year 3. Part of the reason is her defensive IQ as well. She moves way better than her size indicates, and her intuition on defense is next level - she anticipates, plays angles and is physical.

Regarding that last bullet: There was a 2 on 2 fast break for Kansas last night and the ball handler attacked Stremlow on the left side. Stremlow was ahead of her so could pick her placement, but almost all women/girls pick a spot that allows the ball handler to still get to a spot where they can get their right shoulder into you and shoot a left handed bank shot in from around 5 feet. I've seen this 1000 times at all levels, and most Iowa players the last 10 years would have done the same. However, Mallegni positioned herself to overplay the girls left hand and when she reached the shooting area she couldn't get her left hand release to where it needed to be.

It's hard to explain, but this is really, really advanced positioning and recognition by Mallegni. I actually was surprised with it, then extremely impressed - and then impressed again when one of the announcers alluded to it. It's a very, very subtle thing that most people wouldn't notice, but I keep seeing these small things on both ends from her that indicate to me that she is going to be super good. Just wait.

Mallegni is a warrior!

 

[Bro D]

I wouldn't worry about Affolter. Give her a few more weeks

 

[mphawk]

.

Regarding that last bullet: There was a 2 on 2 fast break for Kansas last night and the ball handler attacked Stremlow on the left side. Stremlow was ahead of her so could pick her placement, but almost all women/girls pick a spot that allows the ball handler to still get to a spot where they can get their right shoulder into you and shoot a left handed bank shot in from around 5 feet. I've seen this 1000 times at all levels, and most Iowa players the last 10 years would have done the same. However, Mallegni positioned herself to overplay the girls left hand and when she reached the shooting area she couldn't get her left hand release to where it needed to be.

IF you have the time (and that is a big ask), could you post a cut-up of that play so we could better understand what Teagan did?

 

[pablow]

Your observation about physicality is a good one. But I'd take it a step further - Stremlow, Mallegni, Affolter, and Stuelke are also very quick. Mallegni is actually lightening quick.

Also, Jan defense has these player jumping into help position immediately. It's so much more disruptive than switching or help that arrives only after the primary defender gets beat off the dribble. This is Bobby Knight level proactive disruption. And, Jan's got the personnel to run this kind of defense.

 

[Pentacrest]

IF you have the time (and that is a big ask), could you post a cut-up of that play so we could better understand what Teagan did?

I agree. I’d like to see the play too. You start by talking about Stremlow, and then switch to talking about Mellegni. Did you mean Stremlow instead of Mellegni? At what point in the game did this play occur? As always, thanks much for posting your analysis. Much appreciated.

 

[DanHawkPella]

I agree. I’d like to see the play too. You start by talking about Stremlow, and then switch to talking about Mellegni. Did you mean Stremlow instead of Mellegni? At what point in the game did this play occur? As always, thanks much for posting your analysis. Much appreciated.

I spent time looking for it but it wasn't in the highlights / clipped version on Youtube. I know it was in the 2nd half but it must have been edited out. I don't think the full game is on Youtube at least right now.

 

[UpstreamHawkeye]

Was it during a Kansas fast break when one Iowa player ran back and positioned herself under the basket to the left side of the KU player, and another Iowa player caught up on the right side and swapped the ball away on the layup attempt? I was doing other things and not very close to the TV and didn't recognize whom the Iowa players were.

 

[DanHawkPella]

Was it during a Kansas fast break when one Iowa player ran back and positioned herself under the basket to the left side of the KU player, and another Iowa player caught up on the right side and swapped the ball away on the layup attempt? I was doing other things and not very close to the TV and didn't recognize whom the Iowa players were.

Yes!

 

[HawksGoneWild1]

Was it during a Kansas fast break when one Iowa player ran back and positioned herself under the basket to the left side of the KU player, and another Iowa player caught up on the right side and swapped the ball away on the layup attempt? I was doing other things and not very close to the TV and didn't recognize whom the Iowa players were.

Yes!

I think this is what UpstreamHawkeye is talking about:

 

[ghostOfHomer777]

I think this is what UpstreamHawkeye is talking about:

View embedded media

Feuerbach and Olsen there ...

 

[HawksGoneWild1]

Feuerbach and Olsen there ...

There was a 2 on 2 fast break for Kansas last night and the ball handler attacked Stremlow on the left side. Stremlow was ahead of her so could pick her placement...

I spent time looking for it but it wasn't in the highlights / clipped version on Youtube. I know it was in the 2nd half but it must have been edited out. I don't think the full game is on Youtube at least right now.

That's why I posted what I thought UpstreamHawkeye was talking about.

It doesn't seem to match up with Dan's posts on it.
1) This seems like more of a 1 on 2 situation, not 2 on 2.
2) Lucy is not ahead of the Kansas player.
3) This fast break happened in the 1st half, while Dan said or thought it happened in the 2nd half.
4) Players are not the same.

I think Dan may be talking about another fast break and not the Feuerbach and Olsen one in the video I posted.

 

[UpstreamHawkeye]

Yep the one in the video is the one I remembered, so not the one Dan talked about.

 

[UpstreamHawkeye]

Why can't they sync the audio in the games? The sound is half a second ahead of the video in this one. It's like that in every game.

 

[HawksGoneWild1]

I'd like to point out two other areas I love about our defensive emphasis and add to Dan's defensive IQ.

A total of 4 charges: 1 in Qtr 1. 3 in Qtr 4. Hannah takes 2 charges. Stremlow takes a charge. Feuerbach takes a charge. Kansas takes 0 charges, although one may have been a charge but the announcers didn't seem to call it that way.

One charge I'd like point out was the one taken by Hannah. From the surprise jump out above the arc all the way to the rim. Hannah seemed to bait Nichols into coming down to the block area and then entrapping her there. ~halfway down she even slows her with a bump to even lessen the impact of the charge a little later. This was a clinic on defense and Hannah stuck Nichols with a charge. That's how you do it from top to bottom. A little rope-a-dope action you might say.


Plus, they had a total of 6 steals to boot.

Being a defensive person and seeing 10 takeaways in this manner without a shot, makes your toes curl. The reason I place more value on this type of disruptive defense over rebounds first is because rebounds implies a shot was taken, while takeaways like this denies a good amount of shots to the bucket.

Deflections are also high value because they wreak havoc on the flow of movement/momentum and it will most likely cause a reset (put them up against the shot clock as another defender on your team) or even a turnover. Get them out of rhythm/sync any way you can before a shot is taken.

This how you take air out of their bubble to make runs. Runs are what kill a team. Stop the momentum before it builds. Then a boxed out rebound is your last line of defense. This is what I'm seeing with Jan/Raina/Sean's D and its expanded defensive IQ.

We'll see if they try to expand it even further with a press. Sometimes you don't break what's working. Although I'd give it a try and if it doesn't work you can always fall back to what was working.

 

[DanHawkPella]

Yea

Feuerbach and Olsen there ...

h that’s not it but a great play by Kylie. It was on the other end.