What do we need to get to the next level?

[mat1992 2,239]

Pat's not going anywhere for awhile. How about trying to figure out how we get to that next level and that's making a final in the CAA next season. 

1)Play smarter basketball on both ends. On offense, attack a zone from the foul line and try to dump it down low or move the ball an open shooter. Too often, we just settled for 3-pointers. Not all Mike's fault, but he was the main culprit. When Zane hits his first three, there's zero reason for him to come right down the court Of and launch a contested 3-pointer. What I did love about Zane today was that he was a willing passer though he played a lot of point guard.

2)Captain Obvious. We need a point guard. I'd love to have a Pusica or a Talley. Another point guard that can score. I'm old school about point guard play. I want the guy to pass first and not turn the ball over a ton. But we're in a new era. Whoever runs the point HAS TO be a scoring threat. Tired of guys like Starr and Ivory, who really weren't threats. You look at Charleston with Chealey. Not a great shooter but can score when needed. We have to get a player that's a big upgrade unless we play Zane more at the point, which is only good if you have two more balhandlers to help out.

3)Nakye Sanders vs. Alex Thomas

I butchered Sanders' first name all year. In his last season with Duquesne, he averaged 5.1ppg, 5.9 rpg and had 40 blocks in 32 games on 59% shooting (46% FT). Thomas averaged 2.8ppg, 4.0rpg and had 26 blocks in 16mpg. He's 6-8, 240 and pretty athletic unlike Big Al. That's a pretty good upgrade right now.

http://www.goduquesne.com/sports/m-baskbl/stats/2016-2017/teamcume.html

http://www.goduquesne.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/nakye_sanders_972235.html

 

4)Can Zane play the 3?

Why not. At 6-4, 210, that's big enough to play small forward in this league. Then you can add quicker guards at the 1 and 2. McNeill is not a starter in this league and Drayton is a redshirt freshman. Probably not ready yet. Betrand looks like he wil help defensively but he's just a freshman. Might be easier to get a combo guard and a point guard.

5)Need to keep pressing

I don't have a clue what the rotation will look like next season but I'm guessing, Dotin, Betrand, McNeill/Drayton, Tunstall and Solomon O. off bench. That's deep and pretty athletic. Maybe not as athletic as when we had Ingram and Morman but these youngsters are pretty athletic. Tunstaill should be more explosive and stronger after off-season surgery. We need to stick with the press at least half the game, esp. with Tunstall's length and leaping ability as the anchor either up top or in the back. We stopped pressing after the four-game losing streak early. Well, we ended on a four-game losing streak.

[TuTigers2012 1,071]

Guards guards guards. Ones that control the game and pace. We can load up on bruisers and forwards all we want. It will not translate into winning the caa. I just don’t see us getting to many of those types of players, they don’t fit the skerryball strategy 

watching Uncw last night and if we had Jordan Talley on our team...  senior, leader, tough, level headed and had complete control of his team and everything on the court. Maybe 4 years from now we will have one 

[TSU88 1,074]

A good PG & a guy who can knock down 3’s. Those are the two glaring issues that Skerry needs to address with the last 2 open scholarships, in my opinion. 

[mat1992 2,239]

I threw Sanders in there because he was a need considering what Thomas gave us at center all year. You need some production at center, not zero. You look at Hofstra and their inexperience and lack of defense caught up with them. Talley went off for a career game in their biggest game. Morsell couldn't do that yesterday and he had plenty of chances. Zane couldn't either though hopefully this experience will help him next season.

Guards are great and we only have one but I'd also take a Cacok-type to clean-up the boards and defend.

[tualum 108]

Moot topic since a new coach is the obvious answer.... Sorry..

[TSU88 1,074]

I’m a big ZM fan, but his inability often times to score in the 1st half of games is perplexing.

Nothing wrong with having a good front court. In fact, it is possible we’ll have the best one in the conference next season. That’s why it’s paramount these last 2 scholarships go not just to guards, but good guards. Or at least a good PG & a 6’5 6’6 guy in the mold of Damas

[sr16 161]

Skerry has to know how badly he needs a point now

[mat1992 2,239]

1 hour ago, sr16 said:

Skerry has to know how badly he needs a point now

He mentioned his point guard got outscored 24-0 on the postgame so I think he knows. Like I've said many times, they want a grad transfer for next season at the point but are high on Dottin's potential. It's not like Skerry sits back and says, well, just signed a long extension. F it. I'm just going to throw out six freshmen (counting Drayton), with our four juniors (Sanders) and kind of rebuild. Maybe that's the right way for the long term but for the short term, they need two "quality" transfer guards.

[Tgr4life 170]

I watched Northeastern last night. They are a team that made no unforced errors. They played every possession in a disciplined offense. They no unnecessary chances on defense but rather stayed where they needed to be and forced UNCW into many mistakes. I have always their Coach as a teacher of the game. Very solid team effort.