This team suffers from a lack of leadership

[Quality Is Job 1]

Disclaimer: I apologize, in advance, if my observations/criticism (which can't and shouldn't be taken for gospel) offends the fans/relatives of individual players (or even the players, themselves, if they're reading), but this forum is for fans of the Billikens (and not necessarily just of individual players who play for the team) and this is my place to express my opinion. There may be some of you may be happy if one particular player gets significant time and plays well in a Billiken loss or unhappy if the Bills win but a particular player doesn't play or plays poorly and sits most of the game in which the Billikens win, but many of us don't give a hoot about individual performances and just want the team to win (with integrity). If I find fault with your friend/relative (or yourself), don't accuse me of hating; rather, tell that player to do what it takes to help the team win.

The Billikens should be 3-1, at worst, right now (if they had won the first two games of the Paradise Jam, they probably would have lost to Arkansas). In general, the defense has been great (but there were some occasions yesterday, particularly in the second half, when Billiken guards lost their men at the top of the key or got picked off and Oral Roberts guards were able to drive down the lane for layups -- that's poor team defense). But the offense, while effective at getting good looks, has been lacking, as a result of failure to finish. The Bills missed SEVERAL shots within five or six feet of the basket. Many of the shots came up short or had no "touch." They seem to be too much into finesse; rarely does anyone go up determined to throw one down. Tom Frericks and Izik Ohanon are the worst offenders in that regard.

The offense hasn't clicked; there isn't enough movement of either the players or the ball. There's rarely any inside-out play. There's too much one-on-one offense. Then again, I saw just one game. I liked what I saw against Truman, when Reggie Bryant was out of the lineup, but the offense seems stagnant when Bryant is playing, as if the players are depending on him too much.

Leadership from the upperclassmen is the culprit, in my opinion. Ohanon has improved, and I'm pleased -- somewhat -- but he's still finessing the ball too often. I think he should be dominating. Frericks definitely should be dominating, but he's missing easy shots. Yesterday he had a three-footer that he shot two feet.

Bryant seems to lack a take over mentality. Justin Love, Maurice Jeffers, and Marque Perry were all consistent, dominant, take-over-the-game players when they were seniors, especially when the game was on the line late. Josh Fisher had that characteristic to a lesser extent last year. When the chips were down, get them the ball late in the game, and they would come through more often than not. Bryant has the ability to do it, but so far he doesn't seem to have risen to the challenge. He seems to be more of a complimentary player this year than a dominant player. He'll get double-digit points during the midst of the game, but near the end of the game he's too exhausted to finish off the other team, and someone else has to step up. Erwin Claggett was sometimes the same way, but he had Highmark and Waldman (and Dobbs) who would share the burden of making the big play. Yesterday, it was Dwayne Polk who led the comeback when the Bills went down by eight. Actually, I would have preferred that he take the shot to win the game, but I understand that Bryant is supposed to be the go-to guy. Well, maybe in some instances, when possible, Polk should do it, if he can. There have been many times when a go-to player gets 20 during the game but a teammate who scores little steps up to score the game-winning basket. Don't get me wrong (I may not be saying this as eloquently as I would like), I like Bryant and expect him to lead the team in scoring, but I'm not sure he has the mindset to take over in the last minute -- at least not right now. I hope that changes between now and the end of the season.

Vas'shun Newborne is something of an enigma right now. He was great in preseason practice and in the exhibitions, but he's been mostly a non-factor in the real games, particularly the game the Bills lost. He played just 10 minutes yesterday. I listened to a recording of the radio broadcast, and it seems that the cause of Newborne's lack of action was a matchup problem. He was playing defense against a smaller player, resulting in foul problems and the need to play a three-guard lineup (thus we saw Danny Brown early in the first half). Perhaps Newborne isn't as able to play defense on the perimeter as the coaches thought. For this team to win, Newborne has to contribute. One thing pops out at me when looking at the games the Bills have played this season: when Newborne contributes significantly, the Bills win, and when he doesn't, they lose. The other thing that stands out to me is that when Polk's shooting becomes a focal point of the offense, the team doesn't do as well as it does when when Polk's creating shots for teammates is a focal point of the offense.

Again, I will admit that the sample size is small, but the Bills are 1-3 and are probably looking at a 7-6 non-conference record (providing they get their act together to win the remaining non-conference home games, including tough ones against Hawaii, Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and Dayton). In order to earn an at-large bid, they'll have to finish in the top four of Conference USA, something that will likely take a 12-4 conference record. I'm not throwing in the towel on the season, but this start has been extremely disappointing.

[slufanskip]

thicks ... I agree with everything you said ... but we talked during the game and were of the same mindset on most things. I have no problem with VN not getting alot of minutes when the matchups are right ... and in this game it shouldn't have made a difference ... just hit easy open shots.

Official Billikens.com sponsor of H. Waldman

[former_d1]

I think we have to make a big run now like a few years ago to play any post season.

[thetorch]

Reggie is definetely not a vocal leader or a take charge personality but last year he had the sack to take the big shot and be the man on offense. Soderberg has made it a point to push Reggie on the defensive end this year, I question the wisdom of that move. Reggie cannot be our defensive stopper, nor anything approaching that. This responsibity may be hindering Reggie's approach on the offensive end.

Our seniors just don't seem to be the leader types. Izik and Reggie just aren't those types of guys and Tom seems a more introspective player, he can get fired up but about his play. More than once when the team was huddled up yesterday and Polk or Izik were bring them together Tom was lingering outside not paying any attention. The leader on this team will have to be Polk. He is not there yet, but game by game he is getting closer. We will be a good team by the end of the season when he has settled into his role as floor leader but until then we may have a rocky time, especially if our shots fall at a 30% clip.

[Sheltiedave]

Newborne is not catching enough minutes to be a prominent floor leader, which has taken me by surprise. Dwayne needs to grab the bull by the horns this season. He is going to struggle a little trying to learn Brad's motion offense, and Brad needs to add a wrinkle or two to adjust to Dwayne not being able to pass over anyone when guarded, and not being able to step through to pass on a lot of guards.

I see Brad adding a double off ball pick following Dwayne on the strong side, with the back player dropping into the paint for a pass. Dwayne showed Saturday that he can deliver while going to his right with his right hand, so this would be effective from either shoulder of the key.

Colleg ball is interesting...I had TF pegged as our closer in the paint, Newborne as our garbage finisher, Polk being a little stronger on the ball, and Bryant as our deadeye open jump shooter. Instead, Isik has been our paint scorer, we really don't have a garbage finisher right now, and we have no jump shooters to date that can consistently hit the ocean. Dwayne is about fifteen pounds away from being an immovable force like Marque was his senior year.

Keep in mind we have Ian for two more years, and Bryce for three more years in the middle. We are going to be damn good with the likes of Dwayne, Tommie, Kevin,(Jared?) et al funneling guards into the paint, when Bryce can block five or six shots in his first game as a freshman. In the meantime, give this team a chance to mature, and we will turn the season around.

[tseugnekillib]

torch said...."Soderberg has made a point to push Reggie on the defensive end this year.........."

Defense is a team game, it's not one defensive player against only his man. It's 5 defensive players versus 5 offensive players, not

4 guys vs 5 guys. It takes all five defensive players playing 100% to have a chance against the five good offensive players.

Reggie is a terrific athlete and has all of the required tools to be a good defensive player.

Today, a friend suggested that perhaps the foot injury that RB had this summer, which prevented him from participating in summer player workouts, plus the leg or ankle injury RB had for a few weeks prior to the start of practice, together have taken the edge off of RB's game.

Unfortunately, RB being a fifth-year senior has no options but to gut it out. I'm confident RB is giving his usual 110% effort, but I'm starting to think he is playing with different legs this season.

[brehms13]

I think that it's a little of everything. That most on this thread are correct. As Thicks said, Reg isn't vocal enough (Definitely not enough for my taste). I stress the fact that he has to step up and get the guys going, I don't know how much this happens, I'm not in the huddles, but it should be done. Torch, u spoke on Coach pressuring his defense...that's true, In workouts they worked on defense (offense was supposed to be in the bag). I feel that Reg is not playing his game. Now that he's so defensive minded, he's lost his offense. Of course it doesn't make it better that he's hurt. He has lost some of his legs Tseungnekillib. The combination of the two injuries are making things extra hard for him.

I'm glad that u all picked up on those things, I didn't know how it would be received, so I just kept quiet. But I do think u all have raised some valid points.