Gator Basketball Florida beats Xavier 70-65

[lizardbreath]

Not running away with it a little at the end invites loss. Obviously, it's losing ... ground.



Right Sas. White, in taking the air out of the ball, just drains the enthusiasm from UF's souped-up hot-rods. Leaves all with nowhere to put their determination. It's White fleeing the pressure of the high expectations of dominating. Psychiatry refers to this as "approach-avoid". Thus, it is an ingrained response that is dictated by that habitual adjustment White used long ago to void fear-generating tension. It's gonna be up to these kids to re-install bravery into their Coach. (IDK?) If possible?



White should enlarge several photos of that trophy presentation and put it on the locker-room wall. Point to it often for their motivation-orientation.



Yep, Blackshear plus his teammates need to practice & practice taking the ball closer to the hoop. It's gotta be a "team-coached" factor. Blackshear and Payne already can get there, but their teammates aren't attuned to the dominating concept of getting the ball to them. Neglecting this = coaching failure.

1) White, as coach, needs to persistently inject combinations that will eliminate "end-game" sputtering.
2) Emphasize in film-study to players how they shot 54% FG for repeat performances. Don't let them start future games like they don't know what to do.
3) Early losses came from White's coward-style. The players we got now cannot succeed in playing that way. Time to play bravely, so it's time to coach bravely.
4) White has well coached them at defense.
5) We all should enjoy watching this team unless they backslide like so many of White's students have so often?

Give us 4-5 more games like this and I can sit back restfully for the remainder of the season. Winning creates belief.

I agree. We saw some really promising talent and decent overall depth last night. But MW needs to grow a pair and get the hell out of the way of the team doing what it's capable of doing. He's "letting the air out" of the program with his pussy-assed "play not to lose BS," and he'll eventually either discover a spine or get himself fired. I've had little to say about BB since the offense collapsed after the brilliant showing out west to start the 2017 season. Call it an overload of disgust with bungling what could have been a great season that year - or simple weariness with watching UF slip into utter mediocrity in both major sports. One way or the other, this season is make or break for MW. If he can't find a way to win big with this talent he, needs to go sooner rather than later.

 

[ChiefGator]

We became too passive near the end of the game, both against the press and eventually driving the ball to get fouls. Two clock expires issues were two too many. I have no issue with keeping the clock running, but too passive is an issue. I totally disliked those announcers, you would have thought we lost instead of dominated most of the game.

 

[fischerwood]

Message to Mike White: "Dance with the girl that brung ya'"...translation needs no splaining'...all this talent & a lame coach...

 

[Born2beagator]

I coached my middle school basketball team last year. We lost the first 2 games by a close score,because them not giving full effort and me having two players out of position. After game 2 I lit them up in the locker room, told them "You decide how you want this season to go." I swaped my point guard and shooting guard too.

We blew the rest of the teams we played out. In the last two games of the year I realized something: "Holy **** I don't have to coach these guys."

I got the hell out of the way and let their talent take over. I even told them in a time out "Hey, you guys dont need me tonight. You do what you do."

White needs to do this. Not in the last games of the year of course, but get out of the way when its clear our talent has taken over

 

[Ancient Reptile]

I agree. We saw some really promising talent and decent overall depth last night. But MW needs to grow a pair and get the hell out of the way of the team doing what it's capable of doing. He's "letting the air out" of the program with his pussy-assed "play not to lose BS," and he'll eventually either discover a spine or get himself fired. I've had little to say about BB since the offense collapsed after the brilliant showing out west to start the 2017 season. Call it an overload of disgust with bungling what could have been a great season that year - or simple weariness with watching UF slip into utter mediocrity in both major sports. One way or the other, this season is make or break for MW. If he can't find a way to win big with this talent he, needs to go sooner rather than later.

82.6 per cent certain that it's not a problem.

 

[Ancient Reptile]

I coached my middle school basketball team last year. We lost the first 2 games by a close score,because them not giving full effort and me having two players out of position. After game 2 I lit them up in the locker room, told them "You decide how you want this season to go." I swaped my point guard and shooting guard too.

We blew the rest of the teams we played out. In the last two games of the year I realized something: "Holy **** I don't have to coach these guys."

I got the hell out of the way and let their talent take over. I even told them in a time out "Hey, you guys dont need me tonight. You do what you do."

White needs to do this. Not in the last games of the year of course, but get out of the way when its clear our talent has taken over

I don't disagree with all these comments. I can think of only one possible excuse. He is teaching them to slow down and hold the lead because he believes that it will be a critical skill at the end of the season.

 

[Jbossgator8]

Gators Growing, Figuring Things Out on the Fly - Florida Gators

 

[Jbossgator8]

Dancin' The Charleston: Johnson, Gators Top Xavier for Title - Florida Gators

 

[Towels 'N Sporks]

Great win. However Ques was the only one to make a FG in the last 10 minutes. Team made NO FG's for last 6:30 of the game. Pathetic stall ball continues year after year when we are ahead in the last 10 minutes. Rest of the game up until the last 7 minutes or so was pretty good though.

Hopefully we can keep improving.

 

[Egor's Assistant]

Don't forget Johnson, he had a nice game.

named MVP of the tourney. And best dancer on the team.

 

[Born2beagator]

I don't disagree with all these comments. I can think of only one possible excuse. He is teaching them to slow down and hold the lead because he believes that it will be a critical skill at the end of the season.

I dont agree with that. The way you hold a lead is to go full throttle and crush their spirit. Let your horses run. Let them play their game. A team thats down by 20 in the last 8 minutes is a lot less dangerous than one down by ten

 

[gatorev12]

I dont agree with that. The way you hold a lead is to go full throttle and crush their spirit. Let your horses run. Let them play their game. A team thats down by 20 in the last 8 minutes is a lot less dangerous than one down by ten

I don't think that's what AR was trying to say: it's more his observation that White wants us to learn how to play slow ball for later in the season, when the stakes are higher.

I agree that playing fast and fearless is probably the best thing for us this season: we have depth all over the floor and can wear out opposing teams with steady rotation and a faster pace they can't hope to match. The drop-off from our starters to backups is going to decrease as the season goes on and freshman like Mann, Glover, Lewis, Payne, and Jitobah get more minutes.

But that said: it doesn't hurt to have an extra club in the bag later on in the year. While it's been observed that the last few champs have not been in the top 100 of tempo teams...the why is probably easier to figure out: like good defense, slow tempo "travels." If you aren't used to it or don't play that style, it's frustrating to play against or come across. Big 10 teams win a high percentage of their tournament games bc they played slow and physical and not everyone likes to play like that.

Again, I'm with you in that I think we're better suited to play fast and should. I think the main reason teams play slow is because it conserves energy and they don't have a ton of depth off the bench. We do, so that logic doesn't really apply for our team IMO, but I can understand to a degree why White wants us to have experience doing it.

 

[Marine1]

Nobody likes slow ball. But many coaches slow the tempo with a late game lead. Our problem is we don’t seem to have go-to sets in those situations. We rely on Nembhard to dribble down the clock and then simply create something which often goes awry.

White is not predisposed to slow ball if you look back on his career. Last year was an aberration because that team had to slow the pace. We had zero inside presence and very few that could create off the dribble.

But White said something very curious after the FSU loss. He said he felt the team played better slow right now which was odd because we have some thoroughbreds now. Guys that can get after it offensively and defensively. But the more I watch this team I don’t think the Coach trusts these young guys fully yet to just turn them loose. We have some very talented young guys that appear to play a little out of control....sometimes resembling an AAU style of play. Coach may well be attempting to rein them in early to provide some structure and discipline to their game.

I still believe that Lewis, Mann, Payne and Glover will continue to develop and breakout eventually.
I also wonder how suited Nembhard is to an uptempo pace. He’s a good player but not exceptionally quick and seems more comfortable with a slower tempo.

At any rate I anticipate some more ups and downs in the near future but think this team will be in a good place come tourney time.