Gonzaga East

[Rockfly78]

When I watch our squad I can’t help but be reminded of any number of Gonzaga’s teams over the years. Very well coached, good shooting, great ball movement and overall offense. But it’s finesse basketball

We always wanted to see how they’d fare over in the sec and I think we are seeing it. Our physicality isn’t innate, it’s forced and deliberate. Tonight we were flailing into people. So unnatural. I expect we handle it better as the season goes on. Hell I hope so

 

[Lightbringer12]

Honestly think this aspect will improve as Pope gets his own recruits and we become an athletic team again. I think people forget he cobbled this roster together with little time and no time to recruit.

 

[UK67KU59]

When I watch our squad I can’t help but be reminded of any number of Gonzaga’s teams over the years. Very well coached, good shooting, great ball movement and overall offense. But it’s finesse basketball

We always wanted to see how they’d fare over in the sec and I think we are seeing it. Our physicality isn’t innate, it’s forced and deliberate. Tonight we were flailing into people. So unnatural. I expect we handle it better as the season goes on. Hell I hope so

I hope so too! 😳

 

[UK67KU59]

When our offense is being stifled, we start making poor decisions on both ends. Hope we can find the mental resolve to overcome bad offense (good opponent defense) soon.

 

[UKSanders]

When I watch our squad I can’t help but be reminded of any number of Gonzaga’s teams over the years. Very well coached, good shooting, great ball movement and overall offense. But it’s finesse basketball

We always wanted to see how they’d fare over in the sec and I think we are seeing it. Our physicality isn’t innate, it’s forced and deliberate. Tonight we were flailing into people. So unnatural. I expect we handle it better as the season goes on. Hell I hope so

Please define "physicality vs finesse".

What I unfortunately see is basketball has become is rugby or football on the hard court. The game is supposed to be about "moving" your guy out of position. Every player has the right to be on their position on the floor.

The game is supposed to be as much about quickness/agility, but so many fans just say guys just need to "Man up", and play more physical... which usually means players are committing fouls.

Many of the times UK has struggled guarding picks at the top of the key isn't lack of strategy or physicality... there are illegal screens galore.

I just want to see the physicality of the game be called fouls when they are fouls, and that would eliminate all these coaches whose strategy is to create these "rock fight" games. It may take a season or two, but coaches would adjust, and the games would be so much more appealing to watch.

 

[Rockfly78]

Please define "physicality vs finesse".

What I unfortunately see is basketball has become is rugby or football on the hard court. The game is supposed to be about "moving" your guy out of position. Every player has the right to be on their position on the floor.

The game is supposed to be as much about quickness/agility, but so many fans just say guys just need to "Man up", and play more physical... which usually means players are committing fouls.

Many of the times UK has struggled guarding picks at the top of the key isn't lack of strategy or physicality... there are illegal screens galore.

I just want to see the physicality of the game be called fouls when they are fouls, and that would eliminate all these coaches whose strategy is to create these "rock fight" games. It may take a season or two, but coaches would adjust, and the games would be so much more appealing to watch.

Look at our best wins and who those wins were against….duke, Zaga, and Florida. All three teams play much the way we do. Beautiful basketball without a lot of physicality. Now look at our losses, all three to football schools with less talent than us. What’s the common denominator in those losses? Rock fights. Rugby, super physical.

All I’m saying is that we have to find a way to match the other teams physicality. Whether we like it or not, other teams will exploit us. I would.

 

[tf4fun]

If Pope is going with a finesse passing 5, he better go with a very physical rebounding 4!
That what made Florida so tough!

 

[CapnBlubs]

Please define "physicality vs finesse".

What I unfortunately see is basketball has become is rugby or football on the hard court. The game is supposed to be about "moving" your guy out of position. Every player has the right to be on their position on the floor.

The game is supposed to be as much about quickness/agility, but so many fans just say guys just need to "Man up", and play more physical... which usually means players are committing fouls.

Many of the times UK has struggled guarding picks at the top of the key isn't lack of strategy or physicality... there are illegal screens galore.

I just want to see the physicality of the game be called fouls when they are fouls, and that would eliminate all these coaches whose strategy is to create these "rock fight" games. It may take a season or two, but coaches would adjust, and the games would be so much more appealing to watch.

Completely agree...the game has changed for the worse.

Still...we have to either adapt or keep losing.

 

[UKSanders]

Look at our best wins and who those wins were against….duke, Zaga, and Florida. All three teams play much the way we do. Beautiful basketball without a lot of physicality. Now look at our losses, all three to football schools with less talent than us. What’s the common denominator in those losses? Rock fights. Rugby, super physical.

All I’m saying is that we have to find a way to match the other teams physicality. Whether we like it or not, other teams will exploit us. I would.

That's fair, and I agree that it's either try to play that way or pay the consequences. The problem with trying the play that way is that it allows the officials opportunities to interject themselves a lot and allows them to be more inconsistent.

There were several foul calls against the Cats last night that were no more physical than what UGA was doing without having calls against them. Would I argue those weren't fouls against the Cats? No, but if they are going to call the "physical contact" fouls against UK, then it needs to be at both ends, which it hasn't been. Hence, the Cats were in foul trouble all night, and UGA wasn't... that shouldn't have been the case.

I really don't understand how any coach can get guys to play "more physical" without getting into foul trouble.

 

[Rockfly78]

That's fair, and I agree that it's either try to play that way or pay the consequences. The problem with trying the play that way is that it allows the officials opportunities to interject themselves a lot and allows them to be more inconsistent.

There were several foul calls against the Cats last night that were no more physical than what UGA was doing without having calls against them. Would I argue those weren't fouls against the Cats? No, but if they are going to call the "physical contact" fouls against UK, then it needs to be at both ends, which it hasn't been. Hence, the Cats were in foul trouble all night, and UGA wasn't... that shouldn't have been the case.

I really don't understand how any coach can get guys to play "more physical" without getting into foul trouble.

to answer your last question, I think it's pretty apparent. True physical teams initiate and maintain contact with their bodies. What we do is use our hands too much. We get tons of fouls called on us because we use our hands too much. Also, physical teams will hunt contact when they score the ball and what we do is try to avoid contact when trying to score in the paint. That will lead to lopsided free throws.

In short, a player either invites contact or they don't and its kinda in their DNA.