MBB Improvements Needed? (Non-complaining thread)

[larry]

Anybody notice how Peterson was guarded either full court or at least at half court all while Garrett wasn't pressured as hard. Don't expect that to end until Peterson can show more confidence in his dribble and protecting the ball--major disruption to the offense.

I'm not complaining. I didn't see the end of the game last night, but I saw the score and knew this morning that there would be a number of "interesting threads".

Maybe we need a new forum topic(to be kept off the front page, like politics) titled "******** about the team when ABSOLUTELY NOTHING CAN BE DONE", i.e. replacing players who don't perform well. I think the next time we'll see some new players is next November. Sorry.

[Cydole]

Here are the things I've noticed this year and last year:

1. The guards need to attack the basket when pressured. I get the feeling that Garrett can do this but Petersen can't. It will make the offense look alot better when we do it. Are we not attacking because we want to milk the clock and shorten the game?

2. The bigs need to be more aggressive when shooting. We seem to fade away on our shots. Good teams do not do this. Good teams take it strong to the rack and make the hoop or get fouled (i.e. Coleman).

3. We seem to have a lack of urgency at the end of the game when we're down 5-10 points. It seems like every game I'm thinking "What are we waiting for? Why are we just dribbling around the top of the key?"

I'm not a coach, so feel free to tell me why I'm off base.

[snowcraig2.0]

Jiri isn't mean enough or aggressive enough to ever be a good inside player. And Brakins doesn't have the muscle (yet) or the experience to compete at this level. Unless Vette or CJ make a lot of improvement, we are still in troble in the frontcourt next year. GMac need to take the Brister schollie and recruit the biggest, meanest PF in the JC's, ready to play next winter. A year of experience, plus Staiger, Buckley and Eichmeier, and we will be OK at guard. Meanwhile, I watched Oregon State and Portland on TV Sat. night. OSU is neither talented or physical. That is one we could win, and then we have a few cupcakes at home, not counting Drake, to gain some confidence

Did you watch Jiri in Big 12 play last year? He was great inside. Brackins can't compete at this level? Did you watch the Minnesota game? Be informed before making statements like this.

[snowcraig2.0]

Anybody notice how Peterson was guarded either full court or at least at half court all while Garrett wasn't pressured as hard. Don't expect that to end until Peterson can show more confidence in his dribble and protecting the ball--major disruption to the offense.

I'm not complaining. I didn't see the end of the game last night, but I saw the score and knew this morning that there would be a number of "interesting threads".

Maybe we need a new forum topic(to be kept off the front page, like politics) titled "******** about the team when ABSOLUTELY NOTHING CAN BE DONE", i.e. replacing players who don't perform well. I think the next time we'll see some new players is next November. Sorry.

Exactly. BP actually doesn't have that bad of a handle, but he is no threat to go around anyone. Teams pressure him because of this, and it completely disrupts our offense.

[cybsball20]

Exactly. BP actually doesn't have that bad of a handle, but he is no threat to go around anyone. Teams pressure him because of this, and it completely disrupts our offense.

What really aggrevated me with Peterson were the times where he would back the ball out, THEN pick up his dribble, causing panick mode with 20 seconds left... A point guard should NEVER pick up his dribble, better yet back it out and do it... Even Cory Mac didnt do that...

[cyfanatic]

WE can't accept the old saying wait to next year, we have a AD that will do everything he can to be a winner and respectful in the Big 12

Not trying to be a smarta$$ at all...but what is our AD doing to make us a winner and respectful in the Big 12? He is out there raising a lot of money for sure...is there something else he can do? He hired new coaches...his involvement stops there though...it is on the coaches to make us winners in the Big 12! JP's legacy will not be based on what facilities get built in Ames...it will be based on how GC and GMac perform!

[cycloneworld]

I'm not really getting this love affair with Garrett. I understand he's a freshman, Peterson a junior - so there is an experience/inexperience factor. But look at some of the lines.

Garrett has 9 TOs, Peterson 10.
Garrett has 11 assists, Peterson 15 (ratio of 1.2 to 1.5)

Garrett has played almost exactly 1/3 less minutes than Peterson - and has only one less TO while a equal ratio of assists.

To be fair, Garrett has better scoring numbers by .2 pts/game. Peterson has Diante almost doubled up in boards (7 to 12) and is our only 3 pt threat (.455) - Wesley's first game back not withstanding (4-8, .500), Rashon following (.333).

But the main gripe seems to be Bryan's ball handling. Now, I'm not impressed with his decisions and fully comply with the aggrevation of the getting trapped just after half court. And 3 assists/game out of our PG isn't going to get it done.

At this point, I just don't see Diante as any better.

"At this point"

The main difference at this point is that Diante can at least penetrate and get the ball down low to the bigs. BP cannot do that because he is busy dribbling around the perimeter trying to avoid pressure.

[BryceC]

The fact is that obviously the talent is not there. It will be another year before we are truly relevant, and anybody who watched this team and program the last few years knew this would be the case. There were some of us on here trying to say this before the season started and we got shouted down just like we did before football.

When you return 4 scholarship players 2 years ago and they are Clark, Marsden, Jiri, and Gray, you enter rebuilding mode bigtime. When Mac came in he said that this rebuilding process would be slow but that he would do it the right way. Now, when he's rebuilding and doing it the right way people are ****** off about it. Would you guys have been happy if we would have hired Bob Huggins and had Mike Beasley on our team? Would that have been better?

Mac is a good coach and everybody knows this. He and this team deserve our patience. It is frustrating as hell to watch us lose. I hate it. I was just absolutely sick last night to give away another game that we could have won.

There are a lot of things that need to change with the team before it becomes a consistent winner, and in my opinion the two biggest things (talent and experience) take time.

Losing frustrates the heck out of me. I'm sure it frustrates the heck out of the coaches and players as well. I sure didn't think we'd have a losing record 5 games in.

This is the point where we show what kind of fanbase we are. I've been impressed with us last year and the start of this year. It's not easy to watch a team struggle. But it was bound to happen to anybody really watching.

I don't miss Mike Taylor's undisiplined play, and his off the court idiocy... but we would have a better record right now if he was still on this team, no doubt in my mind. If we had all our guys healthy all year we would have a better record. I'd feel better about the state of the C position if McD would have screwed his former school and got Egelseder to come to ISU. But McD said he would build this the right way. That included doing the right thing regarding UNI's recruits and Taylor.

We wanted a standup guy as our coach, and we're taking our lumps now as he builds his program the right way. There was always the Bob Huggins way, and I'm glad we didn't do that.

Coach Orr's first two teams went 19-35. He became a Cyclone Legend. McD deserves the same chance he got from the fans.

[ISUFan22]

The fact is that obviously the talent is not there. It will be another year before we are truly relevant, and anybody who watched this team and program the last few years knew this would be the case. There were some of us on here trying to say this before the season started and we got shouted down just like we did before football.

When you return 4 scholarship players 2 years ago and they are Clark, Marsden, Jiri, and Gray, you enter rebuilding mode bigtime. When Mac came in he said that this rebuilding process would be slow but that he would do it the right way. Now, when he's rebuilding and doing it the right way people are ****** off about it. Would you guys have been happy if we would have hired Bob Huggins and had Mike Beasley on our team? Would that have been better?

Mac is a good coach and everybody knows this. He and this team deserve our patience. It is frustrating as hell to watch us lose. I hate it. I was just absolutely sick last night to give away another game that we could have won.

There are a lot of things that need to change with the team before it becomes a consistent winner, and in my opinion the two biggest things (talent and experience) take time.

Losing frustrates the heck out of me. I'm sure it frustrates the heck out of the coaches and players as well. I sure didn't think we'd have a losing record 5 games in.

This is the point where we show what kind of fanbase we are. I've been impressed with us last year and the start of this year. It's not easy to watch a team struggle. But it was bound to happen to anybody really watching.

I don't miss Mike Taylor's undisiplined play, and his off the court idiocy... but we would have a better record right now if he was still on this team, no doubt in my mind. If we had all our guys healthy all year we would have a better record. I'd feel better about the state of the C position if McD would have screwed his former school and got Egelseder to come to ISU. But McD said he would build this the right way. That included doing the right thing regarding UNI's recruits and Taylor.

We wanted a standup guy as our coach, and we're taking our lumps now as he builds his program the right way. There was always the Bob Huggins way, and I'm glad we didn't do that.

Coach Orr's first two teams went 19-35. He became a Cyclone Legend. McD deserves the same chance he got from the fans.

Nothing else to say.

[MJAnderson]

I'm not really getting this love affair with Garrett. I understand he's a freshman, Peterson a junior - so there is an experience/inexperience factor. But look at some of the lines.

Garrett has 9 TOs, Peterson 10.
Garrett has 11 assists, Peterson 15 (ratio of 1.2 to 1.5)

Garrett has played almost exactly 1/3 less minutes than Peterson - and has only one less TO while a equal ratio of assists.

To be fair, Garrett has better scoring numbers by .2 pts/game. Peterson has Diante almost doubled up in boards (7 to 12) and is our only 3 pt threat (.455) - Wesley's first game back not withstanding (4-8, .500), Rashon following (.333).

But the main gripe seems to be Bryan's ball handling. Now, I'm not impressed with his decisions and fully comply with the aggrevation of the getting trapped just after half court. And 3 assists/game out of our PG isn't going to get it done.

At this point, I just don't see Diante as any better.

"At this point"

I agree with you about not getting into a "love affair" with Garrett however he is our future and shows the most potential. I think as he gets used to this level of play and gains some confidence he will really improve. I think GMac is doing the right thing by easing him into the mix.

Brian Pederson is not a Big 12 point guard but we have to give him credit for giving it his all. I think he brings just as much to the table as Corey McIntosh did. He just needs to continue to give it his all until Garrett develops.....hopefully this is sooner than later.

['Clones Fan]

Our guard play is terrible. We struggle under pressure defense as we are not athletic enough to get by them. In addition, they cant get the ball into the post. Garret is quick and shifty, but still small and inexperienced.

[wheels686]

1. I already thought Dominic Buckley would start next year and I am even more convinced right now after seeing our pg play.

2. Rebounding has got to improve. The other team is getting way to many opportunities and it seems like every odd bounce goes the other teams way.

3. Players need to be more assertive. They are to iffy with what to do with the ball. Players need to be more aggressive and take shots they know they can make. Dont be afraid to make mistakes. They will happen with a young team but be the player they were that got them to where they are. They need to use their instincts and play the way they know how to.

4. Common sense. I want to be a bball coach someday and one thing you have to get grinded in kids head is the down low game. If you get the ball down low they can either work their way in for a shot or set up a three point shot or pass it back to the guy who gave them the ball. The post player can look for people cutting as well.

5. MAKE FREE THROWS. I swear the other team always makes theirs and we miss ours. A good free throw shooter usually will translate into a pretty decent shooter. Remeber larry's motto, MAKE MORE FREE THROWS THAN THE OTHER TEAM ATTEMPTS!!!.

6. Get more involved. Seems like to many players are standing around waiting for someone to make a play.

I do think the team will improved and most people who know Iowa State Basketball knew this would take some time. Be patient

Losing is frustrating because were losing in football to. Thats why to many people are overeacting

Mcdermotts 3rd season is usually were his teams really start to shine. Give it time

Go cyclones

[DaddyMac]

The main difference at this point is that Diante can at least penetrate and get the ball down low to the bigs. BP cannot do that because he is busy dribbling around the perimeter trying to avoid pressure.

I don't know - I've seen Diante lose the ball plenty WHILE doing that dribble penetration.

I'm not bagging on him - he's the future, I completely agree with that. Just a little kabosh on this idea that things will magically come together if he sees 30 minutes a game.

What really aggrevated me with Peterson were the times where he would back the ball out, THEN pick up his dribble, causing panick mode with 20 seconds left... A point guard should NEVER pick up his dribble, better yet back it out and do it... Even Cory Mac didnt do that...

Yep.

[Cutlass]

I'd feel better about the state of the C position if McD would have screwed his former school and got Egelseder to come to ISU.

I thought the same thing last night. We'd be a better team and I'd feel so much better about next year.

[everyyard]

I think our biggest needs outside of rebounding and aggressiveness would be a big12 caliber point guard that will stay here for a few years and a big 12 caliber and sized post player with quick footwork. Both these if found would likely fix the rebounding and aggressiveness problems. I don't know how to solve the foul shot issue except with more practice.