insideout wrote:

The Dome posted something about JRob giving the Dukes an offensive lift. But one missed shot landed JRob back on the bench. Not even an 18-0 run by Cleveland was enough to prompt Coach Ferry to put Jrob back in the game. I do not believe Coach Ferry cares about winning at all. What is his issue with Robinson? Because it seems his issue with JRob is bigger than his desire to win. Clearly.

I think the statement that he does not care about winning is a bit of a reach, but I agree with your frustration regarding JRob's lack of playing time. Every time he is out there he produces. Ferry was asked a question in the post game regarding JRob's playing time. He said that we have been playing smaller teams recently which is why he hasn't played more. He stated that with bigger teams and conference play approaching, you can expect to see him more.

Coach Ferry's rationale is beyond "weak." It's actually irrational. When you can put in a power player who gives you an advantage, you don't keep that player on the bench because the opposing team doesn't have the power to match up on defense.

Yes, and what about Kentucky?  Did Ferry think they have a small front-court? 

Sometime coaches just don't like players.
Example from some time ago.
John Carroll was a player short one year and in August one of his assistants, Joey DeSantis I think, was given a tip on a kid from Long Island who was overlooked and he was the last recruit signed.

He played very little since his game didn't fit Carrolls more deliberate style, but in a Friday night game televised by the Duce ( ESPN 2 was referred to this at first) the Duke were being pounded by St Bonaventure and he put this little used freshman in. He responded by putting up 14 points with a series of drives and was pulled out eventually. The player later told me Carroll hated him so much he said he would play a walk on before he would play him again.

Carroll actually did with a 5-7 walk on who couldn't even shoot free throws.

The next year a new coach played that last recruit taken and Mike James became an All Conference player and later He became the Duke to play the longest in the NBA and won a Championship Ring.

Once James was the starting point guard on the Boston Celtics, Coach Jim Obrien was fired and the infamous John Carroll became the interim head coach, I contacted Mike to see how he felt about it, he said " I have faith in my Lord Jesus"

Carroll still the small minded coach he had been traded James to Detroit and Mike played 20 plus min. A game as a defensive stopper, Carroll was fired at seasons end and Mike continued to start and play for years and years.

Maybe Ferry has more in common than we think with Carroll, but at least JC got us to the NIT one year.

Phildog wrote:

Dave Harper was hired and his coach has a big contract, so he backs him and even pays to get him in a post season tourney.

But I have met this man and can't imagine he isn't counting the days when he can bring in a coach that can teach and lead his players to success. For now he is stuck with this turd and has a rough season ahead of him. Can you imagine trying to rally supporters to believe that improve will finally come?

I wish him well but think this season will be a stinker.

Especially when he knows that I can't be the only long-suffering alum, who has drawn Travis's line in the sand at the Alamo and said this is our LAST rebuild we are going to put up with and just disappear.
 

Dome, Insideout and Apples, thank you, thank you thank you! I wish I could say I was surprised when JRob produced, forced one shot and then rode the pine.  JF's rationale as pointed out by Dome and the others makes absolutely NO SENSE!  JRob is clearly their best offensive big man, and by a long shot, and he doesn't play when he could be a force against smaller teams and provide a counter against bigger team.  Ferry clearly has it in for this kid, what a shame.  When I watch DLewis miss at least half of his 3 footers, many of which are basically uncontested, I just cringe.  Robinson is simply more athletic with much better hands than Lewis.  From what I can see when he is in there, JRob's defense has gotten better as well.  He doesn't have the length to block shots like DLewis, but he is wide, gets his share of rebounds and offensively is head and shoulders above DL.  As I said in prior post, at least give JRob 1/2 the playing time.  It won't happen though as I too agree that Ferry doesn't know how to utilize the post size he has.  He'd rather continue to play 3 guards instead of IMike or EJames at the 3 and Sanders with JRob/Lewis in the middle.  Final question, can someone please verify how many years Ferry has on this contract?  I know he got the extra year when Amodio left, but was his original contract 5 years and thus he would have 1 left or was it 6 years and he would thus have 2 left?  

If he played more post players, and took advantage of the size mismatch, he'd have to run an offense through the post, which isn't in his playbook.

His playbook is one guy dribble aimlessly while four others stand around. That's when he's not running a break, which is cross midcourt and shoot.

Maybe the 900 voices in the stands should chant for Robinson, if they can make enough noise over the visiting bench.

Not to beat this subject to death but I can't help it, I Mike is playing the 4 and he has taken the most 3's of anyone. He is shooting 38% from 3 and 57% from the field when he is shooting 2's. Why is your 4 leading the team in 3's?  If he was playing the 3 in a bigger lineup I could live with it. Even worse our guards are horrible shooting the 3's Smith 27%, Blackman 19% Lewis 28% and Castro 38%.

Dome, you're correct that Mike is a 3 offensively. Ferry's unyielding reliance on playing man to man / pack line defense creates problems. Mike can't defend a 3 yet (and as a freshman, he is struggling defending the 4). Lewis can't defend a mobile 5, and none of our guards are above average man to man defenders (but Lewis shows signs that he can develop).

This team is perfectly suited to play zone defense. They have the two key essentials for success - quickness and height. This should have been implemented on day 1 of this season. And it's easy to change things up and keep other teams on their toes; you could go big or small; how would Mike look at the top of a 1-3-1 or a 1-2-2 zone on occasion?

Last edited by PhoenixRising2 (11/29/2016 10:22 pm)

Bingo Dome!  I watched the Pitt game and Stallings seems to know how to utilize his personnel and coach.  This is the first year for him and the players and yet did you see them handle the Maryland press.  Good player positioning and ball movement over-all.  They never let MD get all the way back and then they spread the lead again.  Of course having player like M.Young helps, but how about how Stallings comes in and moves J. Artis to PG?!!!  Coaching my friends, something we are terribly lacking.  Take Pitt and the points on Friday. 

KenOTR73 wrote:

PhoenixRising2 wrote:

Dome, you're correct that Mike is a 3 offensively. Ferry's unyielding reliance on playing man to man / pack line defense creates problems. Mike can't defend a 3 yet (and as a freshman, he is struggling defending the 4). Lewis can't defend a mobile 5, and none of our guards are above average man to man defenders (but Lewis shows signs that he can develop).

This team is perfectly suited to play zone defense. They have the two key essentials for success - quickness and height. This should have been implemented on day 1 of this season. And it's easy to change things up and keep other teams on their toes; you could go big or small; how would Mike look at the top of a 1-3-1 or a 1-2-2 zone on occasion?

Phoenix, you're forgetting a very important fact when you say that Ferry should switch to a zone defense. And that is, he doesn't know how to coach a zone. Remember the year after Ovie left and McKoy was a senior. The team played zone the entire year. We were screaming at him to play man. Do you remember what his excuse was? These kids aren't "coachable" enough to play man. It was too complicated for them. Seriously. So we sat in a zone, never pressured the ball. Our guards collapsed to prevent entry passes and teams shot the lights out from "3". He NEVER changed anything. So, be careful what you wish for.
 

LOL! I remember the complaining very well. One poster said no good teams played zone, which of course is nonsense since Syracuse is famous for their zone, as was Temple under Chaney. We just didn't play it very well. We're probably as good defensively as we've been under Ferry, but the offense is a total mess.