"Offensive Woes Continue as the Bears Fall to ASU 80-66"
Offensive woes? We just gave up 80 points......again. The offense doesn't look so good sometimes, and it is young and has some problems. It doesn't have much post scoring, because it has no big talented post players. But while the offense is a problem, the DEFENSE is a DISASTER.
In the 10 games that Cal has lost, Cal has given up 83 points a game! How can you expect to beat teams, if you hand them more than 80 points? I didn't say that, Randy Bennett said it, when referring to his own team, St Marys, earlier in the season. Against Fresno, we gave up 95 points. Against UCLA, we gave up 98 points. We are giving teams a big gift, just by scheduling them.
In the 5 games that Cal has won, Cal has given up 72 points a game. Cal did manage to win two games in which we gave up 80 points, SDS and SJSU. There were 9 games in all where Cal gave up 80 points, and we won only 2 out of 9. Where Cal needs to be is to start holding teams below 70 points or at least be capable of that, and so far this season, we have held teams below 70 in just 3 games, Hampton, Santa Clara (which was missing two starters), and Cal Poly.
The most talented offensive team in Cal history, 1971, gave up 80 points a game, but averaged 84 points on offense. I think they had 16 wins and finished in 3rd place. The current offense is not capable of averaging 80 points a game. Therefore, I think Cal should focus 80-90% of their coaching, scheming, and practicing on defense, and very little else.
I prefer man defense, because it gives players more confidence and pride, if they can stop an offensive player, or keep him from doing what he wants to do. It depends on sticking with your man, instead of sticking with an area, and reacting to who ever enters the area. Man defense tries to keep the player from entering an area in the first place. Instead we play too much help defense, and too much zone, both of which do not focus on learning individual man defense techniques (required for any defense). With help or with zone, you are spending time chasing or trying to catch up to an offensive player, instead of being in proper defensive crouching position, already in between the player and the basket, the position with the best chance of stopping an offensive player. I only propose this because we are not successful and not improving, defensively, if the scores are any indication. Maybe some of you who have seen more games than I have will be able to point out how we are improving defensively. If I just look at box scores, I don't see it.
Offensive woes? We just gave up 80 points......again. The offense doesn't look so good sometimes, and it is young and has some problems. It doesn't have much post scoring, because it has no big talented post players. But while the offense is a problem, the DEFENSE is a DISASTER.
In the 10 games that Cal has lost, Cal has given up 83 points a game! How can you expect to beat teams, if you hand them more than 80 points? I didn't say that, Randy Bennett said it, when referring to his own team, St Marys, earlier in the season. Against Fresno, we gave up 95 points. Against UCLA, we gave up 98 points. We are giving teams a big gift, just by scheduling them.
In the 5 games that Cal has won, Cal has given up 72 points a game. Cal did manage to win two games in which we gave up 80 points, SDS and SJSU. There were 9 games in all where Cal gave up 80 points, and we won only 2 out of 9. Where Cal needs to be is to start holding teams below 70 points or at least be capable of that, and so far this season, we have held teams below 70 in just 3 games, Hampton, Santa Clara (which was missing two starters), and Cal Poly.
The most talented offensive team in Cal history, 1971, gave up 80 points a game, but averaged 84 points on offense. I think they had 16 wins and finished in 3rd place. The current offense is not capable of averaging 80 points a game. Therefore, I think Cal should focus 80-90% of their coaching, scheming, and practicing on defense, and very little else.
I prefer man defense, because it gives players more confidence and pride, if they can stop an offensive player, or keep him from doing what he wants to do. It depends on sticking with your man, instead of sticking with an area, and reacting to who ever enters the area. Man defense tries to keep the player from entering an area in the first place. Instead we play too much help defense, and too much zone, both of which do not focus on learning individual man defense techniques (required for any defense). With help or with zone, you are spending time chasing or trying to catch up to an offensive player, instead of being in proper defensive crouching position, already in between the player and the basket, the position with the best chance of stopping an offensive player. I only propose this because we are not successful and not improving, defensively, if the scores are any indication. Maybe some of you who have seen more games than I have will be able to point out how we are improving defensively. If I just look at box scores, I don't see it.
SFCityBear