If there has ever been a roster with the depth and quickness to full court press(and run the opponent ragged) this looks like the team to do it with. Does Cal put one in at some point this season?
Perfect roster for full court pressing
- Thread starter Darrell M1234
- Start date
Most good teams easily break the press now.
There’s so many media timeouts now, it’s hard to fatigue a team like you used to be able to. Also we aren’t nearly as well conditioned as we were in the 90’s. Cal doesn’t run them till they’re puking in trash cans like Pitino used to.
Definitely not tomorrow; need a team w/ a weaker set of guards than Miami
I was thinking the same thing. Between glass ankles and hatred from the NCAA, the only fatigue that’s gonna take place is to our guys.
We’ve had a LOT of teams under Cal that I felt would be a perfect pressing team. Length, athleticism, unlimited depth.
But then again, that would eat into “his guys” playing time and we can’t have that. Also completely against his philosophy (whatever that may be).
Just more proof the man is a clown and does not put 100% effort into winning games.
But then again, that would eat into “his guys” playing time and we can’t have that. Also completely against his philosophy (whatever that may be).
Just more proof the man is a clown and does not put 100% effort into winning games.
A really good pressing team has a good shot blocker at the back of the press to limit easy baskets when it’s broken. We don’t have that (yet).
Even going back to the 90s there’s always been more misinformation about the press than actual information. I’d love to see this team press consistently.
Smashcat has the answer. A press is somewhat effective today when you spring it on someone toward the end of the game when they are just trying to get out of there with a win. If you constantly press, most good teams will easily break it and score much easier than going against an even weak half court defense. Pitino gave up points on some nights when trying to press good teams, but he was OK with that because he could wear you down. Neither are really factors in today's college game, and honestly become even less effective come tournament time.
Pressing and Zones are gimmicks mainly used by lesser talented teams to try to close the talent gap. Sometimes it works, but often times it doesn't. Both can be effective as a few possession change up to try to catch the opponent off guard, but neither are very effective as a staple of your system in college basketball today.
No depth, especially in the front court.
No lock down defender on the entire team, much less the front court.
Overall poor individual defensive skills.
Zero team defensive skills.
No press at least consistently. That said some of you like to see offense at the expense of winning. A press likely would result in lots of scoring by the other team so your mileage may vary.
No lock down defender on the entire team, much less the front court.
Overall poor individual defensive skills.
Zero team defensive skills.
No press at least consistently. That said some of you like to see offense at the expense of winning. A press likely would result in lots of scoring by the other team so your mileage may vary.
The only problem, Miami is a team of grown men. Their experience will be hard to handle. Cal doesn't usually get indepth about defense until the Christmas holidays, that concerns me in this game. Think we'll learn a lot about our team tonight.
Nobody regularly presses anymore ...
Some of you guys have short memories. Cal has used the press before at select times and with select teams. Every time we play a team that presses he says one of his Calisms "you press a pressing team"
We beat WVU by 40 in the S16 as a combo of us destroying their press and also pressing them some.
We beat WVU by 40 in the S16 as a combo of us destroying their press and also pressing them some.
Cal uses the press occasionally. But he is not a press coach.
It’s not his style and it won’t be other than situational.
He will play a zone before he employs a regular press. And that’s not happening either.
It’s not his style and it won’t be other than situational.
He will play a zone before he employs a regular press. And that’s not happening either.
Most good teams could break the press in the 90s as well. Coaching hasn't gotten better. It's a myth that it has.
The point of a press is to speed up the game and, over time, to force your depth onto the opposition so that in the last 5 minutes of a game, you can win the fatigue game.
Presses have always been risky, even with Nolan Richardson and Pitino were throwing them at opponents. But once again, the point is to force a war of attrition.
To the OP's point, we could easily employ a press for 5 minutes a half and go crazy on opponents. This team has the pieces for it.
It's a technique that most coaches historically have stayed away from, even in Pitino's/Richardson's day.
The point is to wear down opponents over the course of 40 minutes and speed up tempo, thus allowing a superiorly athletic/deeper team to take advantage in the last portions of a game.
Arkansas and Kentucky could pull it off in the 90s because they had great depth and elite guard play.
Not many teams go deeper than 7 or 8 guys these days, and if they do, there's a significant drop-off in talent. So if there was ever a "technique", it wasn't a popular one, mostly made rare by the fact that most teams couldn't go 9 or 10 deep with elite talent.
I want to thank each of you for taking the time to comment on my question. You all brought up some things to consider. Good discussion.
Too many, and too lengthy t.v. time-outs have taken the bite out of the fatique factor. Especially for tournament games
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