Jump to content

Defense this year


Quest

Recommended Posts

How dare you try to actually talk Billiken basketball on this forum. Just kidding, actually I was thinking the same thing. I was wondering if Brad was going to be more flexible on defense, using zones and pressing along with the pack man they run. I would like to see some of these different looks and could make us that much tougher to prepare for.

Anyone who has been to practices have any comments on this.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow, an actual post about a basketball issue...how clever...how unique. I think the answer depends upon what or who develops at the 4. We've played a pack because IV needed help on defending teams with good inside games. This isn't an approach that lends itself to up tempo basketball, as everyone is too busy defending or rebounding. If one of the 4's comes along, I think the pack will not be the defense du jour, especially against teams with weak inside play.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Didn't someone already post that we were working on the press at practice? Maybe I was just dreaming. I would like to see our defense alot more aggressive, imo we should be able to force the action and get some easy buckets. Of course the downside is that you have to make sure you are not getting beat and allowing more easy points than you score. Everyone remembers the steal that went for the breakaway dunk ... but no one remembers the 2 easy layups given up at the other end.

Official Billikens.com sponsor of H Waldman

Link to comment
Share on other sites

>I think the answer depends upon what or

>who develops at the 4. We've played a pack because IV needed

>help on defending teams with good inside games. This isn't

>an approach that lends itself to up tempo basketball, as

>everyone is too busy defending or rebounding. If one of the

>4's comes along, I think the pack will not be the defense du

>jour, especially against teams with weak inside play.

"We've played a pack because IV needed help on defending teams with good inside games."

That's not true at all. Coach Soderberg's teams play the "pack" defense because that's his philosophy. It has nothing to do with the personnel. Soderberg may mix things up a bit, when he has more athletes to press (and he's already demonstrated some adjusting on occasion), but the "pack" will most likely always be the staple of his defense.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't completely agree Thicks. The Pack is UB's defense, but our personel has also predicated that we play it. It does slow down attempts to push the ball. If UB wants to play more uptemp he will have to move from the Pack or make some serious adjustments to it.

Official Billikens.com sponsor of H Waldman

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah, the pack defense has nothing to do with Ian Vouyoukas. The pack defense is his system and that system comes from his mentor Dick Bennett. I feel Soderberg needs to mix it up a little more on defense and he has not shown that he is willing to do that in the past. I feel like two seasons ago we could have won a couple of those terrible losses had we pressured teams a little bit. I specifically recall losing to SEMO that year and we started pressing a little bit and forcing turnovers late in the game, but it was too late. I think you have to go with what is going to give you the best chance of winning each game. If you are playing a UNC the pack may be the move, but the pack can kind of bail out teams that are not very good. The pack defense in my opinion is almost like a match-up zone. You are trying to prevent drives to the basket for easy baskets, but you are giving the outside shot. Bad teams can get hot and score because they know with their man sagging off them in the pack that they can get the catch and shoot off. The pack seems to be good if we are overmatched and playing a team with superior athletes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wasn't there a game a couple years ago against Houston where we were getting beat pretty bad until we turned up the pressure and started pressing and forcing turnovers? We made a seemingly miraculous come-back and won the game. I'd just like to see that sort of pressure every now and then when we need a spark, not all the time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think Brad is going to do some different stuff this year. While the pack defense will be used the vast majority of the time I think we'll press a little. I also would not be surprised to see a zone with the twin towers in the game. I believe Brad is going to find a way to get Husak some meaningfull playing time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...