ElDuque wrote:

I'm not the statistician Duques102. I remember screaming at the television, tablet or laptop every time I saw it, but I never pulled out a stopwatch. I also saw one big on the floor with Colter, Mason, James, and either Jackson or Steele several times. How else do you think Ferry gets his reputation for putting small lineups on the floor?

Hey, not trying to be confrontational but I really just don't think that happened all that much where the forwards were James and Powell, really maybe not at all besides once. And your right, there were times when we played with three guards and maybe three guards and a smaller forward with Jackson or James playing the 4, but when did that occur? When the other team was also playing small, it happens in many games, you give the small lineup look to change up the pace or give yourself a momentum boost from some transition offense, lots of teams do it.

In terms of the general size and lineups being small, I remember that often being something people used to Complain about with Ron's teams. Soko, McKoy, Lewis, Gill, Sanders, Robinson, Watkins, Powell, Abrahamson, Mike, and other guys I can't remember. Ferry has recruited and played size since he's been here. Now that doesn't mean it always has worked or all of those players above were good, some were, some weren't, that's the uncertainty of recruiting. Ferry might be gone next year and you won't see me calling to keep him around but if you'r going to criticize someone at least be right about what your saying.

Last edited by Duques102 (4/21/2016 2:46 pm)

CLK wrote:

NapaDuke wrote:

Duques102 wrote:

How often was the 4/5 combination James and Powell during a game, I mean really? I probably watched every game but 2 or 3 last year and can't remember that at all. I can barely remember James playing the 4 at all.

James was a force early in his first few games, then (I believe)  was not fed the ball much going forward by the 2 shooting guards . Eric is clearly talented, fast, and has court vision (that is rare),  and was unselfish in dishing the ball behind the back under the basket in the RM game. He could be a real force next year if given the green-light, but not if Ferry let's the (now) one guard hog the ball next year ( which is Ferry's "UP-Tempo Style" )  I'd be more than surprise if James matures in this system, really. He deserves better. 

The problem with James was that he was not a good three point shooter or a very good ball handler.  He got his points off rebounds, fast break layups, and driving to the hoop which he was very good at.  The problem was as teams learned to play him he became less effective.  James was an overall .250 three point shooter and only .220 in League play.  He had 48 assists and 68 turnovers a 0.6 A/To ratio.  He compensated somewhat with his defense as he lead the team in steals with 37.  All in all I really think he hurt this team as he confidence diminished he would pass up wide open three point shots and drive into a crowd resulting many times in either turnovers or poorer forced shots by others.  IMHO James needs to come back an improved shooter and ball handler to keep his starting job as an undersized SF.  Unless he does Isiaha Mike should be able to win that position.  I do not see James as a 2 guard either because of these limitations.  He, and the entire team, have to also be better free throw shooters, .65 for a guy who drives the ball does not cut it. 
 

Your right, I have that play burned in my memory that seemed like the only play James could consistently score off of, they swing the ball around the perimeter, it gets to James, He gets a screen, he curls off the screen and goes straight to the basket, layup or reverse layup depending on the shot blocker's move. Like you said the handle wasn't great so he would just go straight to the hoop every time, no cross over, no adjustment, and he couldn't shoot well like you said so teams started realizing it was always going to be a drive from the three point line all the way to the basket every time, no quick mid-range pull up or anything so it was easy to adjust to by camping a help defender underneath the basket as soon as he got the ball screen, so predictable.
 

CLK wrote:

Duques102 wrote:

ElDuque wrote:

I'm not the statistician Duques102. I remember screaming at the television, tablet or laptop every time I saw it, but I never pulled out a stopwatch. I also saw one big on the floor with Colter, Mason, James, and either Jackson or Steele several times. How else do you think Ferry gets his reputation for putting small lineups on the floor?

Hey, not trying to be confrontational but I really just don't think that happened all that much where the forwards were James and Powell, really maybe not at all besides once. And your right, there were times when we played with three guards and maybe three guards and a smaller forward with Jackson or James playing the 4, but when did that occur? When the other team was also playing small, it happens in many games, you give the small lineup look to change up the pace or give yourself a momentum boost from some transition offense, lots of teams do it.

In terms of the general size and lineups being small, I remember that often being something people used to Complain about with Ron's teams. Soko, McKoy, Lewis, Gill, Sanders, Robinson, Watkins, Powell, Abrahamson, Mike, and other guys I can't remember. Ferry has recruited and played size since he's been here. Now that doesn't mean it always has worked or all of those players above were good, some were, some weren't, that's the uncertainty of recruiting. Ferry might be gone next year and you won't see me calling to keep him around but if you'r going to criticize someone at least be right about what your saying.

I think the bigger point is that Ferry really did not effectively utilize the height and size that he had.  The combinations for most of the year were Powell, Lewis and Gill rotating at the 4 - 5.  Sanders and Robinson were picking splinters from their butts on the bench for most of the year.  It was only after Powell left that Sanders and Robinson received significant minutes.  I also remember some strange combinations where we got killed and pushed around by larger player while Powell was playing the 5 and Gill was disguised as a SG while logged in at the 4.  This happened because Lewis was frequently in foul trouble.  When two of these three got in foul trouble is when Ferry went smaller with Jackson and James in the lineup (at least that's what I remember).  I truly believe that lack of significant minutes for Robinson over the past two years is one of Ferry's biggest sins in developing this team.
 

I have defended ferry on quite a few occasions, but the lack of minutes for Robinson is one thing that drives me nuts. It seems like every time he is in, he produces. He has a much more developed offensive game than most (or all) of our other forwards. I just don't get it. Yeah he doesn't have ideal length but let him go bang in the paint with that wide body

Tejas_Duke wrote:

KenOTR73 wrote:

CLK wrote:

You are right my friend, it is all part of the life cycle of a Duquesne Basketball fan.  I wrote the post below in March 2015 and was not far off except for the cupcake party in the preseason.   By the way I am a Duquesne addict and probably the most guilty of the comments below.

As a Duquesne basketball fan there are certain rhythms of life that seem to never change. It starts with the end of another losing season that flushes out more fans with the shaking of heads saying "these guys suck", "waste of my time", "not renewing my tickets next year".   The coaches usually try to say something positive  like "we are going to hit the recruiting trail starting tomorrow", "we are going to work hard to get better" and the focus turns to recruiting.  But soon the news comes that the promsing freshman and a couple others are transferring.  Now the coaching staff are scrambling to fill roster spots from a pool of picked over HS kids and JUCO transfers. As commitments come in the ususal self appointed experts hit the message boards saying how this home school kid is a sleeper, and how great the coaches are for finding this kid.  Some beging to drink the Kool Aid and begin thinking this kid could really fit in, then this kid may just start, and then this kid could be a star as the Kool Aid takes a grip.  Soon the summer league begins and in the Kool Aid stuper the glowing reports come from the summer league of Duquesne recruits making even the most skeptical a little optimistic "maybe these guys won't suck next year after all".  At the end of summer everyone is looking forward toi the start of the season.  After giving up 80 points to a D3 school in the exhibition win of 103 - 80 some of the Kool Aid begins to wear off.  The usual losses to Pitt, Penn State, Robert Morris and by Christmas the Kool Aid is totally worn off and the realization that DU is headed for another losing season.  More fans begin to walk away.  The A10 schedule brings the usual losing streaks with an occasional upset.  The Dukes finish at or close to the bottom, and bow out of the A10 tourney.  What for other schools is March Madness for Duquesne fans is March Sadness.  The consecutive years of not being in the NCAA since 1977 continues.  And the cycle start
 

Yeah, CLK, we've been down this road so many times it's like Michael Keaton and "I Got You Babe". I can vividly recall Castro and Powell tearing tearing up the summer league two years ago....Well, I prefer the Cherry Kool-Aid.
 

 

Don't you mean Bill Murray?  ;-)

I stand corrected. An old mind is a terrible thing to waste away....
 

URI hired Hurley the year we hired Ferry. LaSalle finished last in 15-16. Just sayin'.