Hello all, I know you all have been eagerly awaiting my next basketball blog! :P
Actually I realized that most of you don't want an in depth analysis of the KSU basketball team so I laid off for a while, but I really feel that I need to come back ever so often so here you go.
I believe last posted right before the Florida game. Ok, I realize I can't make predictions for games that are already done, but if you ask Jen, she'll tell you I had them decided before the games! Ok, I decided that we would lose to Florida and win against UNLV. As most of you know we lost both games. I will explain why here soon.
- Florida Game -
I was very disappointed after the end of this game. I will always be disappointed by a loss, but it was the way we lost. We got blown out by an unranked team. We made terrible shots and went 18 minutes with only one field goal. There is just no reason that should happen. Some underlying problems were no motion on offense, not passing, and just not caring about being there. We jumped ahead somewhere like 20 to 8 and then waited until it was 23 to 25 until we decided to do anything. Later on I realized many were simply waiting for Jacob Poo-len to get open and weren't taking shots on their own. Will was ice cold on offense which you simply cannot have in your point guard. It was like 4 on 5 on offense.
- UNLV -
Right before the UNLV game, we learned that Curtis Kelly and Jacob Pullen were out indefinitely. This is a big deal because they are our two seniors and account for 40% of our scoring!! Apparently the team knew about this a few days before the game, but it wasn't released to the media until about an hour before the game. We later learned that they received clothing from Dillards at a large discount. Jake will be out 3 games for getting a little over $100 in clothes. It still hasn't been decided how long Curtis will be out for. I think like 6 to 9 games.
Well the game was a good game despite losing. If Curtis and Jake would have been there, I believe we would have won by like 8 instead of losing by 4. We scored very little with 6 minutes and less left which hurt us in the end. With some senior leadership, I think it would have allowed the team to keep their composure at the end of the game. Free throws are still terrible. It might have lost us this game.
- UMKC -
Ok, I will preface this game by saying I know UMKC isn't a great team, but I liked what I saw from the team last night. It was less about the score and how we played. First off, I want to congratulate Rodney McGruder for hitting 7 3-point shots last night. He had a new career high at 24 points (I think it was 24...). The thing I loved was how we played like a team. They passed the ball, they moved around on offense, and they played like they cared and wanted to play. I think many of the guards simply waiting around for Jake to get open and then passed it to him. The problem was that Jake could get open less often because he could be double teamed because our guards refused to shoot. Without Jake, they were expected to score. Jamar did not score well, but he often kicked out to Rodney which, as you all know, had a great night.
- Final Thoughts -
Anyway, I am not happy with 2 loses, and playing without Jake and Curtis, but out team is finally playing like a team, and I think losing Jake and Curtis short term will help out team in the long run. Most of our players simply need more confidence. These games where our sophomores and freshmen are our main players, it will help build confidence.
Without Curtis and Jake, there are 4 juniors, but 2 are walk-ons and another is a transfer. Jamar is the only upperclassman that knows how to be in Franks system. We are playing mostly sophomores in Rodney, Irving, Roberts, Russell, and Judge, and playing a Freshman at point guard in Will Spradling. There is a great upside, but with a young team comes inconsistency. Without any leadership to show the sophomores and freshmen how to practice, prepare, and play, it may be a rocky year.
Well that's all for now, Thanks for reading! I'd appreciate your thoughts in the comment section!
Actually I realized that most of you don't want an in depth analysis of the KSU basketball team so I laid off for a while, but I really feel that I need to come back ever so often so here you go.
I believe last posted right before the Florida game. Ok, I realize I can't make predictions for games that are already done, but if you ask Jen, she'll tell you I had them decided before the games! Ok, I decided that we would lose to Florida and win against UNLV. As most of you know we lost both games. I will explain why here soon.
- Florida Game -
I was very disappointed after the end of this game. I will always be disappointed by a loss, but it was the way we lost. We got blown out by an unranked team. We made terrible shots and went 18 minutes with only one field goal. There is just no reason that should happen. Some underlying problems were no motion on offense, not passing, and just not caring about being there. We jumped ahead somewhere like 20 to 8 and then waited until it was 23 to 25 until we decided to do anything. Later on I realized many were simply waiting for Jacob Poo-len to get open and weren't taking shots on their own. Will was ice cold on offense which you simply cannot have in your point guard. It was like 4 on 5 on offense.
- UNLV -
Right before the UNLV game, we learned that Curtis Kelly and Jacob Pullen were out indefinitely. This is a big deal because they are our two seniors and account for 40% of our scoring!! Apparently the team knew about this a few days before the game, but it wasn't released to the media until about an hour before the game. We later learned that they received clothing from Dillards at a large discount. Jake will be out 3 games for getting a little over $100 in clothes. It still hasn't been decided how long Curtis will be out for. I think like 6 to 9 games.
Well the game was a good game despite losing. If Curtis and Jake would have been there, I believe we would have won by like 8 instead of losing by 4. We scored very little with 6 minutes and less left which hurt us in the end. With some senior leadership, I think it would have allowed the team to keep their composure at the end of the game. Free throws are still terrible. It might have lost us this game.
- UMKC -
Ok, I will preface this game by saying I know UMKC isn't a great team, but I liked what I saw from the team last night. It was less about the score and how we played. First off, I want to congratulate Rodney McGruder for hitting 7 3-point shots last night. He had a new career high at 24 points (I think it was 24...). The thing I loved was how we played like a team. They passed the ball, they moved around on offense, and they played like they cared and wanted to play. I think many of the guards simply waiting around for Jake to get open and then passed it to him. The problem was that Jake could get open less often because he could be double teamed because our guards refused to shoot. Without Jake, they were expected to score. Jamar did not score well, but he often kicked out to Rodney which, as you all know, had a great night.
- Final Thoughts -
Anyway, I am not happy with 2 loses, and playing without Jake and Curtis, but out team is finally playing like a team, and I think losing Jake and Curtis short term will help out team in the long run. Most of our players simply need more confidence. These games where our sophomores and freshmen are our main players, it will help build confidence.
Without Curtis and Jake, there are 4 juniors, but 2 are walk-ons and another is a transfer. Jamar is the only upperclassman that knows how to be in Franks system. We are playing mostly sophomores in Rodney, Irving, Roberts, Russell, and Judge, and playing a Freshman at point guard in Will Spradling. There is a great upside, but with a young team comes inconsistency. Without any leadership to show the sophomores and freshmen how to practice, prepare, and play, it may be a rocky year.
Well that's all for now, Thanks for reading! I'd appreciate your thoughts in the comment section!
You sound just like Frank... Inconsistant, young, rocky... Now if only you'd grumble about the bigs not making any shots down low, you'd be just like him!!!
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