I guess this is as good a place as any to posit this question to everyone ... which is :
What things would you like to see our team do better at?
For me, as most everyone :
1) better defense and 2) rebounding tops the list.
Better defense will lead to better offense, which is a scary thought. It would make the game easier for our offensively confident team. We've seen improvement, I think they can do a lot better.
3) I'd like to see even more effort and hustle, more intensity in the kind of determination and grit from the opening tip off of each game. It really took the crowd out of that environment last night and made the game much easier, just starting off better. ESPECIALLY SO ON THE ROAD.
4) get hands UP ! Don't give up on plays when the guy gets by you. Recover and make life hell for them defensively.
5) Even more HUSTLE ! Don't take any plays off. Don't jog back when the ball goes up the court and a quick shot is taken. having one or two or even three or more guys stand around after getting to halfcourt, then the shot goes up, not seeing players continue on to crash the goal in preparation for a potential rebound is inexcusable. I've seen enough of that lackadaisical pattern for this group. They should know better by now and need to collectively hold each other accountable when it happens here on out, every single play it happens.
6) Hit free throws like we're never getting another one and make them all like the game depends on it. Leaving those points out there at the end of the game is going to cost us games, if it hasn't already.
I shot free throws like Kyle Macy, my childhood idol and hero! Our team sucked in 84' (freshman high school team) but in the city tournament, we caught fire, and I got in the game at the end and shot free throws to ice the game. Once I got in that first tournament game, and we won, coach put me in at the end of all those subsequent games. One game I went 17-18 at the line. They kept fouling. I kept nailing them. Practicing outside, I once hit 379 free throws in a row before darkness had descended and I finally missed. LOL ! We won the city tournament that year. It was a great experience.
So it basically comes down to better defense and rebounding for me. Keeping it as simple as possible.