NCAA basketball doesn't have a dominating team, so far, this year. Lots of decent teams. But nothing like Kentucky was when they won their last natty. The "sky isn't falling" but there are common themes that are existing at even the best of programs.. Coached by the best of coaches.. Some of these teams will be better come NCAA tourney time, no doubt.. But there is no team that is dominant, in what I have seen so far. .
Duke just lost 3 in a row.. Don't see that often.. Michigan State is 3 games behind the leaders in the Big Ten already and players have called a team meeting. The Iowa losses are somewhat understandable(though the home loss was ugly) but the Wisconsin loss was not tolerable, to their program. Iowa State knocked off Oklahoma last night.. Kansas has been beaten, Kentucky has been spotty. Maryland just hammered Ohio State but that game with Iowa coming up is going to be a good one to watch, I would think. I can see either of those teams winning that game. Purdue has been inconsistent. There are 4-5 teams in the Big 12 that can beat any other team, on a given night. Parity is fun if the basketball is quality but I have read enough articles to see common themes that are distressing the coaches and fans.
The common themes in articles I have read is lack of team defense and rebounding.. Sounds familiar around here. Yes, the other teams that have complaining fans and coaches are still winning games so no one is panicking. But I still think that this is the result of kids who play a ton of AAU ball that emphasizes individual play.. We have guys 6-7 to 6-11 that face up and shoot from the 3 very quickly without teammates who are rebounders in position. I think that is why the scores aren't as high as they could be. More about missed shots than about good defense. I have read the same thing from Coach K, Izzo, and other coaches. These are coaches of programs recruiting the best of the best.
I dont think the path to correct this trend will be easy because you have to have players who genuinely love to learn the team game as well as coaches that love to teach it. Kids that have to learn patience in the things they are being taught, will make them a better player.. Lets face it, communication on defense as well as being a good rebounder takes work and it isn't 'sexy' to learn.. You cant just be in your backyard at your house or in a gym by yourself to learn it.. It takes purposed time by the coaches and players. When people think of the "romance" of movies like HOOSIERS, there is validity to kids who come from situations of farm communities where there has to be patience in all phases of their lives. Everything in their lives took time and a process, whether it is farming a field, fixing equipment, or tending to animals.. Today, with technology, everything is FAST FAST FAST. Kids have gotten used to it. They have benefitted from the technology, no doubt, but it has come at a cost. . It affects a lot of areas in life besides sports that require concentration as math and science are PROCESS THINKING as opposed to just giving an answer to a question. I guess the US is slipping in this area, compared to the rest of the world. Many of the processes in math and science are tedious so it becomes mundane to go through the process. Few see the REWARD as worth going through the PROCESS TO GET THERE.. So too is learning team basketball, whether it is team defense or rebounding. This is true lots of places and not just with our Gophers.
Kids are playing more basketball in AAUs than ever. But there are too many "oohs" and "aahs" with the dunks. Fancy passes in HS that get people's attention are successful only because the opponent is not playing fundamental defense Oh for the days of Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Horace Grant, AC Green,Michael Cooper, James Worthy, Joe Dumars, Dennis Johnson.....Guys that understood fundamental defense that would make their opponents scratch their heads wondering "Gosh, how did they get such a big lead in this game?" They valued possessions and understood a rebound or effort for a loose ball is vitally important in either extending your team's possession or terminating your opponents' possession. Help defense is sustaining intense play THROUGH THE ENTIRE POSSESSION. They understand that good defense can be had for all of a possession but maybe 2-3 seconds. But that scorer can make that 2-3 second window of opportunity, where the defense slacks, count so defense has to be played throughout the entire possession. That means communication HAS to be part of the equation if you plan on helping your teammates on defense. It has to be purposed and planned. Just realize that though Duke, Kansas, and Michigan State may have more talented players right now, this is a trend that is affecting even the best of programs besides what is going on here. Coaches are fighting an uphill battle everywhere so that may indicate we need a little patience with what is happening because its going on everywhere.
Duke just lost 3 in a row.. Don't see that often.. Michigan State is 3 games behind the leaders in the Big Ten already and players have called a team meeting. The Iowa losses are somewhat understandable(though the home loss was ugly) but the Wisconsin loss was not tolerable, to their program. Iowa State knocked off Oklahoma last night.. Kansas has been beaten, Kentucky has been spotty. Maryland just hammered Ohio State but that game with Iowa coming up is going to be a good one to watch, I would think. I can see either of those teams winning that game. Purdue has been inconsistent. There are 4-5 teams in the Big 12 that can beat any other team, on a given night. Parity is fun if the basketball is quality but I have read enough articles to see common themes that are distressing the coaches and fans.
The common themes in articles I have read is lack of team defense and rebounding.. Sounds familiar around here. Yes, the other teams that have complaining fans and coaches are still winning games so no one is panicking. But I still think that this is the result of kids who play a ton of AAU ball that emphasizes individual play.. We have guys 6-7 to 6-11 that face up and shoot from the 3 very quickly without teammates who are rebounders in position. I think that is why the scores aren't as high as they could be. More about missed shots than about good defense. I have read the same thing from Coach K, Izzo, and other coaches. These are coaches of programs recruiting the best of the best.
I dont think the path to correct this trend will be easy because you have to have players who genuinely love to learn the team game as well as coaches that love to teach it. Kids that have to learn patience in the things they are being taught, will make them a better player.. Lets face it, communication on defense as well as being a good rebounder takes work and it isn't 'sexy' to learn.. You cant just be in your backyard at your house or in a gym by yourself to learn it.. It takes purposed time by the coaches and players. When people think of the "romance" of movies like HOOSIERS, there is validity to kids who come from situations of farm communities where there has to be patience in all phases of their lives. Everything in their lives took time and a process, whether it is farming a field, fixing equipment, or tending to animals.. Today, with technology, everything is FAST FAST FAST. Kids have gotten used to it. They have benefitted from the technology, no doubt, but it has come at a cost. . It affects a lot of areas in life besides sports that require concentration as math and science are PROCESS THINKING as opposed to just giving an answer to a question. I guess the US is slipping in this area, compared to the rest of the world. Many of the processes in math and science are tedious so it becomes mundane to go through the process. Few see the REWARD as worth going through the PROCESS TO GET THERE.. So too is learning team basketball, whether it is team defense or rebounding. This is true lots of places and not just with our Gophers.
Kids are playing more basketball in AAUs than ever. But there are too many "oohs" and "aahs" with the dunks. Fancy passes in HS that get people's attention are successful only because the opponent is not playing fundamental defense Oh for the days of Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Horace Grant, AC Green,Michael Cooper, James Worthy, Joe Dumars, Dennis Johnson.....Guys that understood fundamental defense that would make their opponents scratch their heads wondering "Gosh, how did they get such a big lead in this game?" They valued possessions and understood a rebound or effort for a loose ball is vitally important in either extending your team's possession or terminating your opponents' possession. Help defense is sustaining intense play THROUGH THE ENTIRE POSSESSION. They understand that good defense can be had for all of a possession but maybe 2-3 seconds. But that scorer can make that 2-3 second window of opportunity, where the defense slacks, count so defense has to be played throughout the entire possession. That means communication HAS to be part of the equation if you plan on helping your teammates on defense. It has to be purposed and planned. Just realize that though Duke, Kansas, and Michigan State may have more talented players right now, this is a trend that is affecting even the best of programs besides what is going on here. Coaches are fighting an uphill battle everywhere so that may indicate we need a little patience with what is happening because its going on everywhere.
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