Figured I’d put together a thread with some of our postgame content, if anyone wants to read & discuss:
HGN’s Quick Reactions from last night, hitting on most of the key points from the game: Quick Reaction To Virginia's Loss Against Navy - Locker Room Access
My five takeaways from rewatching Virginia-Navy, with film breakdown: Tale of the Tape: Five takeaways from Virginia's season opener
Also, here are Zach’s five takeaways over on Streaking the Lawn: Five takeaways from Virginia’s loss to Navy - Streaking The Lawn
These are great summaries, thanks. The 400+ replies in the game thread are overwhelming and didn’t read them, so maybe already covered - but my general question is do others feel like it would be beneficial to have an analytics specialist on staff? It doesn’t have to drive the boat, but IMO some of stuff we are doing is antiquated. For example:
Like I said, we don’t need Mina Kimes (or Kenpom, I guess) on payroll and I understand the staff likes to go off of gut vs. analytics as a general theme. But is there anybody in the room suggesting maybe we take a deeper look at some of these decisions?
I thought Johnny Carpenter sort of served that role (analytics specialist), but I think the bigger thing is that we need someone in Tony’s ear in game convincing him to do actually do those things. I said it elsewhere, but I think Tony needs another summer on Team USA to see his peers operate (Painter, Wright, et al) and see where his in-game approach could be tweaked. Basic point – I don’t think the issue is collecting the data (though maybe it is) or analyzing the data (though maybe it is), but in using the data.
Also worth pointing out that this is the first year you can have someone on the bench with an ipad crunching all this stuff in real time. Do that!
I think this hits the nail on the head. It’s one thing to understand what’s analytically sound in theory (e.g. taking shots at the rim & from three in lieu of midrange jumpers) and another thing entirely to translate that to the court in real time. Agree that it’s weird that they don’t, at least, have someone tracking data on the bench. It can be as simple as saying “this ATO has worked the last three times we’ve run it, let’s use it again after this media timeout” to Tony.
The 2-foul thing is just frustrating, too. It’s been disproven as a strategy — why take your best players off the floor?! — but it’s clearly part of the team’s philosophy. I don’t expect that to change ever.
I think we should move Franklin to the 2 and start Kody at the 3, unless Murray develops quickly. We don’t lose much, if anything, defensively, and have a legitimate (assuming it was an off night for Franklin) shooter in the back court. Clark should be getting 10-15 minutes a game, he’d be a great spark off the bench to spell Reece. What I don’t want to see is both Reece and Clark on the floor together.
By the way, this was a really good article. As a notorious sides hater, I thought our sides offense looked REALLY GOOD in the 1H. I thought the high ball screen was good, too, but my memory, it seemed a bit inefficient. The lack of perimeter shooting ultimately doomed us in our zone offense, though I think that could use some structural tweaks, too. Thanks.
Also, thought – and please tell me if I’m offbase. On defense, Kody seems really good at stopping penetration, but doesn’t really defend the 3 point line well (esp. for someone who’s so tall), though maybe I’m just fixated on that play where he goes under the screen on their hot hand…
I didn’t look at any other threads during or after the game. The result was a bummer but I’m not really worried about one game result. Some of my observations that I think are more enduring:
Guard shooting - Was disappointed that Reece didn’t shoot any threes (not counting the end of game). This could set up again as all defenses just backing off him and clogging the lane. Kihei tried to shoot more, but turns out he’s still 5’9". A defender can play about 2-3 feet further off of him than normal and still challenge the shot; but it also makes it harder for Kihei to get in the lane. That forced penetration where he took on two defenders, got his shot blocked by the backboard, and gave up a transition bucket, was one of the ugliest plays I’ve seen in a while. Armaan was off, but I think it was just an off-game. Still, with two guards unwilling/unable to shoot, if Armaan is off, games can get ugly.
I am disappointed that Carson, Taine, and Igor have not earned any playing time. I do believe it has to be earned, but it’s not good that their practice showings didn’t warrant more than a brief appearance. I understand adjustments can be difficult for young players. I get extra frustrated when players like Keels and Banchero absolutely take over a game in their debuts. Different talents for sure, but two guys looking first team A-A versus our guys who can’t get a sniff against Navy. I really hope they get worked in in Nov/Dec.
No way around acknowledging we have some mid-major talent in our rotation. I do appreciate their fight and will continue to root for them. But there’s a ceiling with some guys…
Caffaro is a blunt force instrument. His style of post play, especially rebounding, looks like a World Series dog pile. Gotta love his effort though.
Looking forward to this team becoming all it can be.
Who was the guy in the hoodie next to Mike Curtis on the bench last night?
I chuckled. This is also highly accurate.
Really inexcusable to not play the young guys and still lose comfortably. This year should
Be all about the 5 underclassmen
Ugh
I think Bennett has shown a willingness to play ready freshmen. Joe Harris, Brogdon, London, Guy, Jerome, Reece. Also didn’t play those who aren’t ready, like Jabri, McKoy. Obviously a lot of time for them and I have hope for the young’ns, but in all likelihood they aren’t ready now or they’d play
Before it’s lost- I completely agree with the point about having the ball right before half. I get why we would do that at the end of a close game (not letting them get a chance to tie/win), but that’s not the situation here. This is just like any other part of the game where we should just run an offense geared to score points and then play defense. As you said, instead we give ourselves little time on purpose and not score, which is just as bad as scoring and then them scoring. But at least if we score, we have chance of being up +2 or 3 if our defense (which is supposed to be our strength!) holds.
That’s been my takeaway as well. Plenty of freshmen and underclassmen have played for CTB. They just have to earn it and prove they are ready. I don’t recall there being some rule that only upperclassmen or some seniority thing, it’s merit based. It’s been 1 game lot of time for things to play out and change.
I don’t like to be too negative on guys, and Kody definitely has a chance to be a solid contributor. But I can confirm that the example of him getting lost on the Carter screen definitely wasn’t the only time he was late getting to his man.
I get where you’re coming from on this, and I think this is 100% the right tack to take, especially if you have any professional aspirations in this regard, but my view on this is: literally every person I love dearly – my wife, my 2-year old, my Mom/Dad/brother/sister, etc., etc., – literally all of them would do just an awful awful job staying with their man coming off a screen. My 2-year old, who I love more than life itself, would get roasted by the worst player in D-3. Just absolutely roasted.
This is just hoops!
That’s why I got my toddler working on their slides and fighting over screens already.
There was one possession last night where I think it was Kihei guarding the guy bringing it up. He slipped under I think three screens just effortlessly. It was really beautiful to watch.
This program has to figure out what is causing the problem at the off guard position(S). We’ve just gone through 2 seasons of arguably worst in the power 5 level play from that group (only real pushback against that idea is if you throw Trey in the guard group last year). Last night didn’t look any better.
I get the notion that players have to earn trust in practice but sometimes the roster doesn’t leave many options. Even if Carson and Taine aren’t as ready as Tony would like in an ideal world, sometimes you just gotta let guys learn on the fly because you lack better options. Like what we did upfront with Jack and Mamadi in 16/17. Hurt that year but paid off big time the next two. By not taking a second transfer guard in the Spring we made our choice: we are going to take our lumps with Carson and Taine. It’s only been one game but I really hope we aren’t chickening out on the decision we made in the Spring and putting the program in the worst of both worlds.