- Aug 17, 2018
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The article went into that, though I'm not sure I fully buy the entire explanation (namely that plenty of winning teams have played slow in recent years).
It somewhat hints that we should play two different styles to better utilize our talent. When Nembhard, KJ, and Blackshear are in the game: play slow and methodical/defensive oriented basketball (pointing out that while Nembhard and Blackshear are high Bball IQ players, they aren't as elite of athletes as the others on our roster and likely wouldn't succeed as much if they went fast). When the freshmen are in the game: play faster since it'll cause them to think less and play more on instinct.
Left unsaid in the article is the why though: we roll at least 10-12 deep this year. I can't think of many teams--if any--who can rotate like that. Switch up tempo to go slow/fast/slow/breakneck pace and you'll quickly exhaust the other team and get them playing reactive basketball, as they respond to our moves. Especially down low: few opposing teams have 4-5 bigs they can run out...White is using our depth there, but he's not doing so strategically IMO. Facing a smart bball player like Blackshear to open the game...then having to deal with Bassett, Gak, and Payne running the floor...and top it off with Jitiboh wearing you out when you're already tired...yea, opposing bigs are going to be tired, in foul trouble, or both midway through the 2nd half. THAT is when you rotate in Blackshear to do work on their 2nd or 3rd string guy down low...
