Game Thread: FDU @ AZ

[CatsTopPac]

Should be more fun to watch than the LBSU game, but I'd rather have the competition. Let's get to Duke at MSG!!!!

BTFD!!!

 

[JahiiCarson_SqodGeneral]

Im looking for the "Jahii get lost" comment.

 

[CatsTopPac]

Im looking for the "Jahii get lost" comment.

No one is saying that you need to get lost. But you really seem to want to harp on NJ not being a go-to shooter, like it really matters. The shot he air-balled was clearly not "critical". It had no impact on the game whatsoever. And if anything, he made some baskets that took the crowd out of it when SDSU was making some runs earlier (when they actually had the time to get back into it), but those are not important? A go-to shooter isn't just someone who makes a shot at the end of the game when it's close, it's also someone who can nail a shot to swing momentum, and most of the time, those are the critical buckets that go unnoticed.

Besides, look at the '97 AZ team. We really had no go-to shooter. We had a team that could make a basket when we needed it. Michael Dickerson was our leading scorer that year at 19ppg, but he only shot 41% from the field, and 33% from 3. Oh, and he only scored 5 points in the title game. Bibby, Simon, and Terry scored 13, 12, and 10 ppg, respectively that season, and only shot 39%, 40%, and 33% from 3pt, respectively. We never had a go-to player that year. What we did have was a awesome pass first PG (Bibby), and a group of players who wanted it more, and all took turns making a basket when we needed it. If someone was cold, someone else carried the flag.

And when the three teams we've played have only shot 37%, 27%, and 36% from the field against us, respectively, then I think that it's much safer to say that our D is superb, rather than they just couldn't make a shot. Don't get me wrong, they are not a good shooting team, but our D was suffocating all night: great, not good.

No one is saying that you can't criticize AZ. If you want to say that Zeus needs to gain more confidence, or that BA needs to play smarter when the refs can't exhale without blowing the whistle, or that TJ needed to not look behind him, or that Mayes is looking like he is scared, or that AG needs some serious help with his FTs, you would be absolutely correct. But when you take a step back, and really look at how our team has played so far, there is very little to criticize beyond some isolated parts of some players, or individual performances on a given night. I will say that our offense looks a little stagnant when TJ isn't on the floor. It worries me, because if he gets injured, or anytime he needs a rest, there is a noticeable difference. It points to how integral he is to our success, but it also shows a clear weakness that we need to work on. We have no backup PG that is effective. I think that NJ has a ways to go, and he's the closest. But he also needs to focus on his more important role of being a SG. I really wish Mayes could work out his confidence issues.

 

[JahiiCarson_SqodGeneral]

I like to talk basketball. I said NJ was the best all around guard in the country that has to mean something CTP? I just said hes not good off the dribble never has been, hes a great spot up shooter, but hes never been able to come off the dribble and knock down a jumper. I said Uofa was great last night to. The officals called bs fouls and you guys weren't able to get in transition as much as you should of where NJ and Gordon are most dangerous.

Shaq has those same issues the dunk he just threw down. He has Felix potential and hes a supreme athlete but he just has no confidence in his game. Instead of crashing the glass and trying to get rebounds he stands in the corner waiting for a spot up 3 which he cant make. Felix would slash to the basket and fight for everything, Felix would put everything on the line and was confident in himself. Felix would also bolt down in transition (if he wasnt getting the rebound) and was a great finisher at the rim. Shaq just looks lost out there. You can jump go get a fucking rebound! Murray looks like Abbott though.

 

[JahiiCarson_SqodGeneral]

Like GS said im just a kid so listen to me or dont all say some stupid things and sometimes all say something smart. And what do you mean about Mayes no confidence in his shot like Evan Gordon last year where you could tell he was thinking about it or just no confidence in his overall game?

 

[Monte Carlo Wildcat]

Like GS said im just a kid so listen to me or dont all say some stupid things and sometimes all say something smart. And what do you mean about Mayes no confidence in his shot like Evan Gordon last year where you could tell he was thinking about it or just no confidence in his overall game?

Hahaha is this english?

 

[CatsTopPac]

Yeah, I think it was the fact that you made few comments about NJ not bing clutch, and then commented on his skill. But you also called NJ and AG overrated a few times in last two months. So, forgive AZ fans for being defensive about it.

 

[Arizona_Sting]

Ironic that the first word in their team name is "Fair" as this game will be far from it.

 

[JahiiCarson_SqodGeneral]

Hahaha is this english?

NAH!

 

[JahiiCarson_SqodGeneral]

Like GS said im just a kid so listen to me or dont all say some stupid things and sometimes all say something smart. And what do you mean about Mayes no confidence in his shot like Evan Gordon last year where you could tell he was thinking about it or just no confidence in his overall game?

WTF DID I TYPE LMFAO!

 

[CatsTopPac]

Like GS said im just a kid so listen to me or dont all say some stupid things and sometimes all say something smart. And what do you mean about Mayes no confidence in his shot like Evan Gordon last year where you could tell he was thinking about it or just no confidence in his overall game?

His overall game. he plays too timid. Mostly it's his passing as he tries to earn his back-up minutes behind TJ. He telegraphs his passes, and makes bad decisions. He regressed in all aspects of his game, except maybe his defense (which was never really that good to begin with). His dribbling is also very suspect. He's just such a liability. He would probably be best as a shooter, because his freshmen year, he went 10-17 from the field, 6-9 from 3, and had a 5:1 assist to turnover ratio in the tourney against Memphis, Texas, Duke, and UConn. His season average that year was 44% fg, and 45% from 3pt with 47 assists and 29 turnovers. That's great as a freshman in a limited role. Then he just got worse from there. He was our most of last year after breaking his ankle in the offseason before last year, and re-injuring it midseason. Many of us thought that being healthy for his senior year, this would be the year that he got back to his freshman year, but with more experience. And sadly, he is just struggling. It's not a foregone conclusion that he is not going to get back there, but it's not looking good at all. He has very short spurts of his former self (3-4 fg against LBSU), but that's also among just atrocious performances too (3 turnovers in his only 4 minutes against Cal Poly).

 

[CatsTopPac]

Like GS said im just a kid so listen to me or dont all say some stupid things and sometimes all say something smart. And what do you mean about Mayes no confidence in his shot like Evan Gordon last year where you could tell he was thinking about it or just no confidence in his overall game?

Here is what it should have looked like:

Like GS said: I'm just a kid. So listen to me, or don't. I'll say some stupid things, and sometimes I'll say something smart. And what do you mean about Mayes? No confidence in his shot -like Evan Gordon last year, where you could tell he was thinking about it- or just no confidence in his overall game?

 

[JahiiCarson_SqodGeneral]

His overall game. he plays too timid. Mostly it's his passing as he tries to earn his back-up minutes behind TJ. He telegraphs his passes, and makes bad decisions. He regressed in all aspects of his game, except maybe his defense (which was never really that good to begin with). His dribbling is also very suspect. He's just such a liability. He would probably be best as a shooter, because his freshmen year, he went 10-17 from the field, 6-9 from 3, and had a 5:1 assist to turnover ratio in the tourney against Memphis, Texas, Duke, and UConn. His season average that year was 44% fg, and 45% from 3pt with 47 assists and 29 turnovers. That's great as a freshman in a limited role. Then he just got worse from there. He was our most of last year after breaking his ankle in the offseason before last year, and re-injuring it midseason. Many of us thought that being healthy for his senior year, this would be the year that he got back to his freshman year, but with more experience. And sadly, he is just struggling. It's not a foregone conclusion that he is not going to get back there, but it's not looking good at all. He has very short spurts of his former self (3-4 fg against LBSU), but that's also among just atrocious performances too (3 turnovers in his only 4 minutes against Cal Poly).

Well hes also a PG on a new team. Takes sometime to get use to the system and then to be around this much talent. Probably just needs to settle down. Jahii was inconsistent at times when he first started off, trust me he was a stud but like when he played Uofa the first time all he was trying to do was cross Lyons up rather than playing within the offense. TJ is a junior but yea I think he will settle down takes any new PG time in a new system, and on a new team and thats at any level. At his worse he still does a much better job than Lyons ever did at running Uofas offense.

 

[JahiiCarson_SqodGeneral]

Here is what it should have looked like:

Like GS said: I'm just a kid. So listen to me, or don't. I'll say some stupid things, and sometimes I'll say something smart. And what do you mean about Mayes? No confidence in his shot -like Evan Gordon last year, where you could tell he was thinking about it- or just no confidence in his overall game?

Im not getting the Ill? Things.

 

[CatsTopPac]

Well hes also a PG on a new team. Takes sometime to get use to the system and then to be around this much talent. Probably just needs to settle down. Jahii was inconsistent at times when he first started off, trust me he was a stud but like when he played Uofa the first time all he was trying to do was cross Lyons up rather than playing within the offense. TJ is a junior but yea I think he will settle down takes any new PG time in a new system, and on a new team and thats at any level. At his worse he still does a much better job than Lyons ever did at running Uofas offense.

I was talking about Mayes with all of that. He's a 4 year senior. He's been around the entire time, so he knows the system, and he should be settled in.

As far as the I'll thing:

Just sound it out. When you say "All say something.." What you are really saying is: "I will say something...". The word "I'll" is a contraction, which means that you are combining two words into one word. Contractions are words like "Don't" (do+not), "didn't" (did+not), "he'll" (he+will), and "I'll" (I+will), etc. So what you are trying to use is the contraction: I'll. The word "all" is used to refer to the whole quantity or extent of a particular group or thing, such as: "All of my brothers are older than I am."

So when you misuse the word "all", you really mean "I'll", or "I will".

Try sounding it out in the future. If you are talking about an quantity, "all" is the correct word. If you are trying to talk about something your are going to do, use "I'll", or "I will".

Also, if you really try to teach yourself, and understand the use of grammar and punctuation, it will become second-nature. After a while, you won't even have to really think about it. These forums are the perfect place to work on it: you constantly post (so you will definitely get enough practice), and it's a topic you are passionate about, so you will want to be understood. Seriously, really discipline yourself to working on it, here, and when you are writing papers or letters, etc., you won't even think twice. Besides, like I told you a year ago, when people can only judge you based on your writing, you will want to be as clear as possible in your intent.

 

[520GGATO]

We need to get some more Cats on this site. Any other convo boards besides CBS, ESPN, PGU with fans on it?

 

[CatsTopPac]

I think this game and the next (basically two of the easiest games on the schedule, and back to back) will be extremely important for Mayes. He stands go get 10-15 minutes in the second half, and he is going to need to impress, in order to be considered a viable bench guard for the rest of the season. If he doesn't carry his weight against these two, I can see Pitts passing him up on the depth chart. He did pretty well against LBSU, but with how terrible he did against Cal Poly, these games will give him the opportunity to prove that those four minutes against Cal Poly were the exception, not the rule. Otherwise, he will be carrying a huge sign all season that says "liability" and I can't see Miller giving him anything more than like 5 mpg for TJ to rest.

Really though, this is disappointing. I was really looking for Mayes to be a viable back-up PG, and if it doesn't work out, it will probably be our biggest drop-off in depth at a position. And that is a little worrisome to have to put so much onto TJ. If the offense goes to shit every minute that he's not in, the we lose like 7 minutes of offense every game, and that is unacceptable in March. We are going to need Mayes to keep defenses honest and at least portray himself to be a viable passing and scoring threat. Even one or the other would be great.

I also see these two games to be important for Korchek, but especially Peters. Peters is just settling in, he looked pretty athletic against LBSU, but also very rusty. I think these games can be opportunities to give him a confidence boost in terms of showing him what he can be capable of by putting in his work to get into being an integral part of the rotation by the end of the season.

We also need to get into a routine for FT shooting. Some of the bigs having trouble is one thing. But TJ??? That is completely surprising. Gottleib was talking TJ up on the line against SDSU saying that he is automatic. TJ didn't have a single FT in the first two games. The ones he made that night were his first of the season!!! Now, TJ's shot looks fine, so ultimately, I'm not worried. He went 3-4 from the stripe against SDSU. But these are the games when he needs to dial it in: no pressure and streamline the muscle memory. Because we will need everything we've got against Duke. And also, AG needs to find his stroke at the line. I understand that these are the areas where it's clear how raw he is. But with how many times he will be at the line this year, he's just giving away points if he doesn't sink those shots. Besides, and-1s are such a momentum piece, and he needs to be all over them this season.

 

[CatsTopPac]

Oh, and Happy 45th Birthday to Coach Miller!!

 

[CatsTopPac]

Not to put the cart before the horse, but I looked up Metro State and University of Rhode Island. Metro State is supposed to be a ranked DII. I can't find much on them other than they are from Denver, and I saw the box scores from both of their games. They have two 6-9 guys that star as their forwards, and they bring another off the bench as their 6th man. Not too dominant.

URI's biggest guys are only 6-8, but they push 240lbs. They have a 6'10" guy but he hasn't logged a minute yet this season. It looks like both teams are pretty small. I wonder how much Zeus is going to play. I assume that since each team's bigs have weight that they are not going to be running up and down the court, so that works out for Zeus. Looks like we will be able to use our height against them regardless. I'm not really worried about the back court matchup.

 

[Arizona_Sting]

For our bigger games (Duke, Michigan, UCLA, Oregon, etc) I think we should do game threads on the CBB forums so we can get others to join in. What do you guys think?