Cats carefully rebuilding Skal Labissiere
- Thread starter preacher_tom
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Love this quote:
“Now I’m just playing. I’m not worrying about anything anymore. I’m just going to play basketball,” Labissiere said. “I was just too hard on myself, a little bit harder on myself than I should have been. I think I’m over that now.”
Small steps, build your confidence, and hopefully be a 10 and 6 guy for us come tournament time.
“Now I’m just playing. I’m not worrying about anything anymore. I’m just going to play basketball,” Labissiere said. “I was just too hard on myself, a little bit harder on myself than I should have been. I think I’m over that now.”
Small steps, build your confidence, and hopefully be a 10 and 6 guy for us come tournament time.
He isn't a back to the basket big man, and he never will be, not in college, and not in the NBA. His future is as more of a stretch four. He's mobile and has a nice looking shot. He's athletic and can get up and down the court. We need to be playing a more up tempo game with the talent we have this year. Think Kevin Durant, not Boogie Cousins, not that he in any way has the ball handling skills of a Durant at this point. But I think he is much more comfortable facing the basket.
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The question remaining is why does Cal continue to force him to play the 5 on the block? does not seem to be the best interest for Skal or the team. Almost anyone with any basketball knowledge can see he is not built for the 5 spot but yet Cal keeps rolling him out there anyway. And that is not meant to be a slam on Cal for anyone who takes offense with any negativity slanted his way but a truthful honest question. Maybe Cal will read this and come and answer
The only answer I can think of is that we are so thin down low that Cal is forced to play him in the traditional 4 and 5 spot. In that regards, I guess I agree, because we need SOMEONE.
The question remaining is why does Cal continue to force him to play the 5 on the block? does not seem to be the best interest for Skal or the team. Almost anyone with any basketball knowledge can see he is not built for the 5 spot but yet Cal keeps rolling him out there anyway. And that is not meant to be a slam on Cal for anyone who takes offense with any negativity slanted his way but a truthful honest question. Maybe Cal will read this and come and answer
I tend to agree. Question is will Cal stick with insisting he play like a 5 as he did KAT, or will he in an effort to have a better team let him play more facing the basket. Either way I'm not expecting or asking much. If he could just give us some solid minutes, play good D, block a few shots, and get maybe 6-8 boards and points it would really help us. Doesn't seem all that unrealistic.
Lee on the other hand has developed some nice post moves. His problem is he isn't strong enough to get position, so he ends up reaching and gets called for over the back, and can't stay out of foul trouble.
Hey, I love Cal as much as anyone, and his record speaks for itself. I just think this team would benefit from going all out, balls to the wall, get it and go up the court as fast as possible. We've got the guards to play that way, and we've been a good rebounding team, despite our lack of interior defense. Poythress and Willis are also better in the open court than in the half court.
Hey, I love Cal as much as anyone, and his record speaks for itself. I just think this team would benefit from going all out, balls to the wall, get it and go up the court as fast as possible. We've got the guards to play that way, and we've been a good rebounding team, despite our lack of interior defense. Poythress and Willis are also better in the open court than in the half court.
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I just hope we start to see what this kid can do instead of what he can't do. To be rated so high from so many different experts, the kid has to have some talent. At this point, it's not like we're expecting greatness from this kid. We would all settle for 10ppg and 6 rpg. If he can get us those stats, we are a totally different team and a team that has a shot at actually doing something come March. We hear so much about what this kid can do on a basketball court. It's now time we get to see this on the floor.
He can't play the stretch four, or whatever you want to call it. You think he looks out of place now? Put him out on the court with ball in his hand, facing the basket, and see how quick it gets taken away. I know it is a tempting thought, but if it had any chance of success, Cal would have tried it. Besides, who is going to rebound if he's not in the paint. JMO.
Cal needs to run pick and pop with him a lot. It's frustrating that he doesn't do it with him and didn't do it with KAT. It's a waste
Skal doesn't rebound while being in the paint so not sure what that is supposed to mean.
I hope they get something figured out so he can be effective on the court, tweak away coach, tweak away![[winking]](http://l.yimg.com/j/assets/img/emoticons/classic/wink.r191677.gif "Winking [winking]")
I was seriously about to post a "what's wrong with skal"then I saw this post.
I haven't seen enough of him this year to really figure out how it's gone so south. How could someone be so highly touted and be so bad at the college game. It's not his size. He's a slim guy I get it, but there are other big men that are the same size and playing the 5 that are effective. It's really bumming me out.
I haven't seen enough of him this year to really figure out how it's gone so south. How could someone be so highly touted and be so bad at the college game. It's not his size. He's a slim guy I get it, but there are other big men that are the same size and playing the 5 that are effective. It's really bumming me out.
We need to face him up if we want him to do anything THIS year. Let him take a handful of midrange jumpers each game. Do some pick and pop. He isn't a back to the basket guy like another poster just said. Cal should play him at the 4 and face him up. He's got a good looking stroke from 12 feet or so.
Thanks for the link preacher Tom. I hope his confidence continues to rise. The team needs him in a huge way. Hopefully they'll survive until he can contribute more consistently. I'm wondering what he'll be able to give us at this point, but 15-20 minutes with 6-8 rebounds, a couple blocks, and maybe 6-8 points would be a big help.
Here's the thing, though, I think if he gets his confidence back he could offer even more. But at this point it's baby steps.
Man, I swear if Skal just didn't bring the ball down to his waste or try to dribble every time he got it close to the basket that would cure at least 50% of his problems.
I don't get where this notion comes from that Skal is part of this different species of frontcourt players which can only play away from the basket. Which "face up 4s" who start in the league are you guys talking about who have zero post abilities? Yes, there are an increasing number of guys who step out and shoot jumpers, etc, but all of them who succeed at the NBA level have at least a decent ability to work in the low post - it's absolutely necessary. If you list KD, you're barking up the wrong tree - KD is a guard who happens to be 6'11. He is not a big in any way - if Skal had his handles, then sure, the post moves could wait, but even then, KD, like most NBA guards, has far better post moves than Skal does.
TLDR; Yes, Skal will never be a bruiser in the paint, but it's absolutely in his best interest that Cal is trying to get him to not look like an alien visiting the low post for the first time on an interstellar mission. If you're 7' and nobody even considers the possibility that you are able to score within 5 feet of the basket, guarding you becomes much easier.
TLDR; Yes, Skal will never be a bruiser in the paint, but it's absolutely in his best interest that Cal is trying to get him to not look like an alien visiting the low post for the first time on an interstellar mission. If you're 7' and nobody even considers the possibility that you are able to score within 5 feet of the basket, guarding you becomes much easier.
Beyond everything the bad thing about Skal is he is god awful atrocious at rebounding. You can't have that as your 5 man.
We got time to tweak at him..but he has to start showing some aggression and want for the ball. This kid has to step up if want any chance. Lee cant stay out of foul trouble and Skal is so highly rated but yet barely puts up any numbers at all! Teach him some fundamentals let him practice them, and hopefully we will be set by March.
All these people saying Skal cant play with his back to the basket have not seen him play enough. He is 7ft and has always played with his back to the basket. His problem is when they double down, he panics and does not pass out of it well. But he has prerty good moves with his back to the basket one on one.
Everyone thinks because he gets thrown around trying to get rebounds he has no low post back to the basket game. If he would just learn how to pass out so the ball could be passesd back in so he can repost then make a back to the basket move before the double team, you would see his game.
Right now he just has no feel down low. He has no feel we're the open guy as the double is coming. Townes and cuz we're great at this part of the game. It helped them repost and make a move.
Skal is not a kevin Durant type player. Maybe a Kevin Garnett with nice turn around 10 footers. But i do not think skal getting the ball facing the basket at 15 or 20 feet out is his game.
Everyone thinks because he gets thrown around trying to get rebounds he has no low post back to the basket game. If he would just learn how to pass out so the ball could be passesd back in so he can repost then make a back to the basket move before the double team, you would see his game.
Right now he just has no feel down low. He has no feel we're the open guy as the double is coming. Townes and cuz we're great at this part of the game. It helped them repost and make a move.
Skal is not a kevin Durant type player. Maybe a Kevin Garnett with nice turn around 10 footers. But i do not think skal getting the ball facing the basket at 15 or 20 feet out is his game.
Agree 100 percent! Sometimes Cal just needs to back off his agenda and focus on the fans...do whatever is going to give us a championship for once! Kinda kidding, kinda not.
watching Skal from the beginning of the season until now one saying comes to mind,if it works don't fix it
When he is rebuilt will it be a; HE'S ALIVE moment...sort of like Young Frankenstein type... I mean Cal is the doctor but geez...
I remember when Josh Harrellson broke out,1st in the Louisville game ,then he dominated in the tourney especially against Ohio State and UNC
Skal doesn't have the ball skills to be a face up 4 right now. He is way too soft with the ball and prone to turnovers when he catches the ball 15ft from the basket. The kids has a lot of work to do in order to develop into a face up 4. Right now he needs to focus on being an athlete, getting garbage buckets, rebounds, block shots. That's his ticket right now
Yes, saying he can play stretch four may be a bit of a stretch. How about playing him as more of a high post player, kind of like Hall did with Sam Bowie on the Twin Towers, and what we did primarily with WCS last year? It's true he does have some back to the basket moves. He showed them early in the season. It's also true he doesn't have the range or ball handling ability to play out on the wing.
We already have 3 guards who can shoot the mid range jumper; we need a guy who can score in the post and rebound, alter shots. Putting Skal out on the perimeter facing the basket doesn't help him or the team.
Said this before. This is a bit more severe case of what TJ went thru his Fresh year and a little similar to Randall. You start off the season teams haven't got much footage to scout you. So they play you differently. TJ looked like a world beater sure fire top 5 lotto pick the first part of his Fresh year. Teams scouting him and figured out how to play him. When teams first saw us on paper at the beginning of the season we looked like a team who would be a great outside shooting team. Tyler, Murray, Mulder looked like world class shooters then throw in preseason games and Willis and Poy were lighting it up. Tyler struggled with being a defensive focus. Murray with shot selection. Mulder and Willis with defense and Poy went cold. The lane at first was wide open for Skal to work. Teams changed how they played us and took the inside away and dared us to beat them from the outside. Biggest difference in Skal and TJ is TJs defense and rebounding stats were better because of strength but by the end of the season TJ had started to rebound offensively. Why we went to the pick and pop with Josh, and Knight and Lamb caught fire. Now the outside shooting is improving and if Tyler ever finds his range consistently look out plus if Mulder does really look out. We are seeing a ton of zone and this team and Skal needs to run run run. We shoot teams out of the sagging zone look for Skals offensive numbers to get better. HIs rebounding is weak but his shot blocking is solid considering min played. If Tyler gets to the high 30s low 40s shooting percentage from 3. Murray is getting there and is already shooting a good enough percentage and will get even better. Now the big if is Briscoe stays consistent on his midrange and Willis Mulder or Poy add some outside shooting. We could see signs of the high lotto pic Skal should be. Some big if there and 2011 and 2014 are the teams we should look at how we improved as the season ended and how Randall and TJ dipped stat wise second part of the season but started to come out of it by the tourney. Skal is weaker and had less basketball late in hs then those two so I think he has had more severe of an adjustment he is getting better as the article shows.
Early on, I though he had a pretty good jump hook.
Agree jkwo, there is no question in my mind that it is in Skal's best interest to learn to play with his back to the basket. He may play facing at times in the NBA (assuming he plays in that league), but he needs to have the ability to play back to the basket also. Our team also needs him to be able to do this.
That would be optimal but who is our Melvin Turpin?
This team lacks a threat in the post.
I'd say Labissiere is more Bosh. Aldridge I can get that, but Duncan has a much more rounded game than either. Can score face-up and back to the basket.
I can understand Skal having problems offensively in the post due to his physical build. He's skinny. Everyone sees that. But, there's no excuse for his lack of rebounding. Nerlens and Davis were not exactly Cousins in the paint either. Davis was not quite as skinny as Skal, but there wasn't that much difference. I don't believe Nerlens weighed any more than Skal nor was he any stronger than Skal. The difference is mentality. Davis and Nerlens were both very aggressive, especially on the defensive end and grabbing rebounds. Skal is just WAY too timid. He needs to develop a bit of an attitude and quit getting outworked by everyone he plays.
I'd try Humphries at the 5 and Skal at the 4 for a few minutes and see how it works out. You never know until you try.
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