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a, April 25 2024 [ Login ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: 1, [2], 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 ]

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Date Posted: Thursday, December 02, 09:45:17am
Author: El Duque
Subject: The Pitt game

Random thoughts ...

We need a big man, yadda yadda yadda. Yeah, no $#!+. We got beat up by a big man with a big body BUT we didn't use the one tool that we have effectively. Saunders spent a lot of time defensively outside the paint. Not sure if it had to do with his coverage assignment, his ankle, or what, but for the past three years Damian has competed well against opposing big men. We have photos of him dunking over 7-footers, etc. Damian had a couple shots blocked and didn't seem to have his normal explosiveness. So the point again is not what we don't have, but what we have not working. Not that we don't need to add some height in the future, of course, but we still have to play games now.

As much as I like BJ and Damian, they kill the team when they start launching threes and when they don't hit FTs. Neither has three point range and both are needed in the paint to help with our woeful lack of offensive rebounding.

Billy Clark is the MVP of the team so far this year. He plays with such intensity and shows so much leadership. I had concerns at the end of last year but he has stepped up way beyond even the most reasonable expectations.

TJ is better than I thought. He had a couple steals and rebounds that were all about court awareness and anticipation. Oddly, he was the only Duquesne player who received any criticism (and I mean that in a constructive sense) from the announcers last night. "He needed to penetrate further." "He needed to go stronger to the hoop." Stuff like that. I hope TJ gets a recording of the game because it can help his learning process. PS, his shot is reminiscent of BB Flenory. BB, by the way, was one of the best shooters I've seen at Duquesne.

Peggau was largely invisible despite his PT. I missed Andre Marhold last night. I would have thought he could've added some toughness up front for us.

Joel Wright and Jerry Jones looked like freshmen. That's OK; they were playing against the #3 team in the nation, in front of a large crowd, in a nationally-televised game.

Mike Talley impresses the heck out of me. I like his quickness and his cool.

Overall, I liked our toughness and our grit. Team never quit, kept fighting back, and kept hustling and working hard until the end. The spurt to start the second half was all about coaching - everyone wants to knock Ron Everhart because he hasn't produced a miracle yet, but no one gives him credit when it's due.

Finally, despite losing to a team that could win the NCAA tournament, I see weeping and gnashing of teeth. Not a single positive word since last night.

I am not a person who takes losing well, and I ing hate-hate-hate Pitt. But I'm also an educated and intelligent human being who realizes that we were pitted (pun intended) against one of the best teams in the nation last evening. For about half the game, we held our own. Now we need to put together the other half so we can win games against high calibre teams.

And yes, we still have some deficiencies, but I don't think anyone can gameplan based on what they don't have. Let's get the best out of what we do have.

I look forward to seeing everyone in Happy Valley.

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