BBall Players

[bobcats35]

Been around MSU for many years watching BBall Games. It certainly seems, at least to me, that both of our teams (Coaches) have recruited some players that are not capable of playing at our level. Good or better coaches have always maintained that a college recruit must meet two criteria; Maintain passing grades and be able to shoot reasonably well. We have players on both teams that do not meet these expectations when it comes to shooting and never will. In too many cases our players do not play sound fundamental basketball. And that would seem to be coaching.
In addition, if anyone can explain what our offensive systems are I wish they would. It looks like we play Sunday afternoon outside blacktop style most of the time. Doesn't look like anything you see other teams play.
My guess is Fish better do something in the Tourney or update his resume. Four years in and basically very little if any improvement. Actually maybe going downhill this year. Have feeling our current players don't much enjoy playing for him. His constant antics on the court are I think annoying to most fans and I'm sure to the players.
It just seems that with the great facilities such as we have to play in, and the chance to get a quality education, we should be able to recruit a lot of good players, both men and women.

[allcat]

Been around MSU for many years watching BBall Games. It certainly seems, at least to me, that both of our teams (Coaches) have recruited some players that are not capable of playing at our level. Good or better coaches have always maintained that a college recruit must meet two criteria; Maintain passing grades and be able to shoot reasonably well. We have players on both teams that do not meet these expectations when it comes to shooting and never will. In too many cases our players do not play sound fundamental basketball. And that would seem to be coaching.
In addition, if anyone can explain what our offensive systems are I wish they would. It looks like we play Sunday afternoon outside blacktop style most of the time. Doesn't look like anything you see other teams play.
My guess is Fish better do something in the Tourney or update his resume. Four years in and basically very little if any improvement. Actually maybe going downhill this year. Have feeling our current players don't much enjoy playing for him. His constant antics on the court are I think annoying to most fans and I'm sure to the players.
It just seems that with the great facilities such as we have to play in, and the chance to get a quality education, we should be able to recruit a lot of good players, both men and women.

So big sky players of the year are not good enough? I think any team in the Big Sky would take Tyler or Harald.

[bobcats35]

You obviously can't read. I didn't say all, I said some. Hall and Frey are definitely exceptions. It kinda ends at that point

[mslacat]

We have a great group of players right now and even better group when we started the season! It starts with Hall and Harald, and the roster is stalked with very good players. I know a good number of folks out there would rather put the blame on the players but THAT IS NOT WHERE IT BELONG! Even if you look at our top players, who proved themselves last year they are not playing as well as they did last year. We have big men (this year and past) that can not get on the floor because they can not play this be all end all defense with out fouling out in in 10 minutes! Player after player after player! So we put play guards at the power forward and small forwards the center position. I listen to Fish talk about how Konner Frey is a much better scorer that he has shown so far and Fish says he needs to figure out how to get him some more scoring opportunities! Hey I got an idea! Move him to the small forward spot and maybe he could get a few more shots off. Fish is a GREAT recruiter both in spotting talent (that others don't) and landing talent if he can get them on a trip to Bozeman. As a coach though I have big questions about demeanor, communications skills with players, and X'sO's. Everybody tells me about what a great guy he is, but there never was a better "guy" personally than Brad Huse! If Brad married by daughter or move into the house next to me I would be tickled to death! Brad is truly not only a great guy, but a solid human being, but we had to move on from him! Before any one tells me this season is only a blip on a program on the rise, let me remind you this was supposed to be the season for BIG things. Things are going to get rougher next season, we will lose a lot of talent. We lost our young upcoming talent over winter break. Fish is scouring the JC ranks for new players but his record of find successful JC is only about 20% the remaining 80% leave or never make a contribution. We do have 3 VERY intriguing freshman coming on board, but if you depend on the 3 freshman taking up the slack AND improving the team you are courting disaster. The biggest and most positive move Fish could make in the off-season, and I believe he will be back if for nothing else he still has a year on his contract, is to lose one of his assistants and replace them with an older experience coach who could bring some new offensive and defensive schemes into the program.

I tell you what half way through typing this over blown opinion it came to me. Can you imagine what Mick Durham could do with this team! Durham had his "systems" but he was so flexible about changing up every year depending on his personnel for that season! No trying to force a round peg in a square hole! I have never seen a coach better at bring in JC players and getting them up to speed in less than 8-10 games! Now that would bite him in the butt come conference as his team could peak early while other were still improving. Osayande would be starting at center. He would not have huge stats (maybe 6 points and 4-5 rebounds) but we would have a defensive presences in the middle. Remember what Durham did with Al Beye who was a career 1.8 points and 2.1 rebounds a game in the JC ranks! Durham said of Beye you give me a guy with that much athleticism and height in the Big Sky and I will make him one of the better centers in the league! Tyler Hall would be league MVP (if he could make Jason Erickson a MVP imagine Hall) and Issac Bonton would be freshman of the year. One of Durham's biggest trademarks was he had the ability to make good Point guards great and great point guards all league point guards!

OK Phantom take your shots!

[MamaRock]

Big Sky player of the year or not, something has got to give. They started out so hot this season and then have fizzled. Just when you think the momentum will swing and they'll get on a hot streak they lose it, usually within the last 8 minutes of the game. Now don't get me wrong we love our Bobcat Men's Basketball but Fish is a loose cannon, I don't understand his coaching methods. Are they saving it for Reno? I sure hope so. I'll be there cheering them on at their first game and hopefully a couple more there in Reno. They can do it, but they need more than one or two players to be on. They need to make their free throws, and get rebounds and play better defense. Maybe they'll win from here on out. Costello may need to do some recruiting of coaches here soon.

[allcat]

You obviously can't read. I didn't say all, I said some. Hall and Frey are definitely exceptions. It kinda ends at that point

I guess I can't read, however, by making a short response to an idiotic post, you went to the insult which means I defeated your arguments without even trying. You seem to play a game that was coached by Fish, you throw a lot out there but then can't seem to make it gel. Now that I went to your level of response do you feel better.

[Bobcat4Ever]

Shooting — women’s team — 7th in the nation in 3-point shooting — that's reasonably good.

[lutecat]

That binford team last year really sucked......we have one of the better women's teams in the big sky. Hm.....

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

[mslacat]

Binford's Bobcats I was hoping for a little better showing, but I think they are capable of taking down any team in the conference on any given night. I think this team is really missing the fire that Nordgaard and Ferris brought on the court. Those two players were talented but also scrappers on the court. They would not let the team lose. I was hoping Squires would bring that spark, but this team is a little more laid back. Like I said they still have the capability to catch fire in the tournament so we will see. What is promising is that Binford's best player this year is sitting on the bench as a redshirt transfer. Claire Lundberg is really going to be something special on the front line and Martha Kruder also a redshirt transfer will fill the void left by Junkimier. Also keep an eye out for true Freshman to be 6-1 SF/PF/C Halle Wright she could be really good. Things are looking very promising for the Bobcat Women

[aucat]

I guess I am old-fashioned but I still think that it is DEFENSE that makes the difference between winning and losing
in most sports, and that certainly includes basketball.

When I attend a basketball game the first thing I look for is the "separation" between players when the other
team has possession. The Idaho women made 17 3-pointers on Thursday night. 17!!!!

Most of those made shots I noted LOTS OF SPACE between the shooter and our defender.

Playing really tough defense if not fun. It requires an attitude. It requires passion. It requires motivation.
It requires tough coaching. It requires leadership from your players.

Yes, Idaho had some great shooters. But you know, the Rib and Chophouse shootout usually features very average shooters
at halftime, but have you noticed how many times they end up earning 1000 bucks? That's because there is no defense.

Can you imagine Geno at Uconn having a team that would give up 17 made 3-pointers?

So from what I can see, as much as I enjoy our Lady Cats and pull for them, I am not seeing passion, effort, dedication.

I put a lot of this on the coaching. Our girls need to really get tough.

I hope they are successful today. I know they are capable of playing very well on both sides of the ball

[BelgradeBobcat]

When I attend a basketball game the first thing I look for is the "separation" between players when the other
team has possession. The Idaho women made 17 3-pointers on Thursday night. 17!!!!

Most of those made shots I noted LOTS OF SPACE between the shooter and our defender.

Numerous times the Idaho player would penetrate on the dribble inside the three point line. Our player would hold her off and the Idaho player would just casually back up on the dribble. Our player just stayed put thinking job done and the Idaho player would launch the three.

After the home winning streak was broken this team seemed to have lost a little mojo. I was expecting them to take a step back this season after what we lost last season in Ferris, Nordgaard, and Lai, but I thought we'd get better as the season went on. Unfortunately, the good 'ol February swoon is back.

As for the men. Our two best players have played worse this season than last season. Injury, illness, too much added weight, different defenses-probably a combination of everything. I have no idea. A developing Bonton learning to play team ball could have been that elusive third scoring option we needed, but alas that ship has sailed. This season is a total bust and unless Fish pulls off a recruiting miracle and then manages to actually retain said recruits, next season will be more of the same.

[phantom]

We have a great group of players right now and even better group when we started the season! It starts with Hall and Harald, and the roster is stalked with very good players. I know a good number of folks out there would rather put the blame on the players but THAT IS NOT WHERE IT BELONG! Even if you look at our top players, who proved themselves last year they are not playing as well as they did last year. We have big men (this year and past) that can not get on the floor because they can not play this be all end all defense with out fouling out in in 10 minutes! Player after player after player! So we put play guards at the power forward and small forwards the center position. I listen to Fish talk about how Konner Frey is a much better scorer that he has shown so far and Fish says he needs to figure out how to get him some more scoring opportunities! Hey I got an idea! Move him to the small forward spot and maybe he could get a few more shots off. Fish is a GREAT recruiter both in spotting talent (that others don't) and landing talent if he can get them on a trip to Bozeman. As a coach though I have big questions about demeanor, communications skills with players, and X'sO's. Everybody tells me about what a great guy he is, but there never was a better "guy" personally than Brad Huse! If Brad married by daughter or move into the house next to me I would be tickled to death! Brad is truly not only a great guy, but a solid human being, but we had to move on from him! Before any one tells me this season is only a blip on a program on the rise, let me remind you this was supposed to be the season for BIG things. Things are going to get rougher next season, we will lose a lot of talent. We lost our young upcoming talent over winter break. Fish is scouring the JC ranks for new players but his record of find successful JC is only about 20% the remaining 80% leave or never make a contribution. We do have 3 VERY intriguing freshman coming on board, but if you depend on the 3 freshman taking up the slack AND improving the team you are courting disaster. The biggest and most positive move Fish could make in the off-season, and I believe he will be back if for nothing else he still has a year on his contract, is to lose one of his assistants and replace them with an older experience coach who could bring some new offensive and defensive schemes into the program.

I tell you what half way through typing this over blown opinion it came to me. Can you imagine what Mick Durham could do with this team! Durham had his "systems" but he was so flexible about changing up every year depending on his personnel for that season! No trying to force a round peg in a square hole! I have never seen a coach better at bring in JC players and getting them up to speed in less than 8-10 games! Now that would bite him in the butt come conference as his team could peak early while other were still improving. Osayande would be starting at center. He would not have huge stats (maybe 6 points and 4-5 rebounds) but we would have a defensive presences in the middle. Remember what Durham did with Al Beye who was a career 1.8 points and 2.1 rebounds a game in the JC ranks! Durham said of Beye you give me a guy with that much athleticism and height in the Big Sky and I will make him one of the better centers in the league! Tyler Hall would be league MVP (if he could make Jason Erickson a MVP imagine Hall) and Issac Bonton would be freshman of the year. One of Durham's biggest trademarks was he had the ability to make good Point guards great and great point guards all league point guards!

OK Phantom take your shots!

I'm going to pass on taking shots at you mslacat. You're a passionate fan and I respect that. I presume you're very good in your profession, but that profession is not coaching basketball. I'm guessing while you are now talking well of Mick Durham, if internet message boards would have been popular in the mid-90's, you would have been on them hammering him as well. lol
You talk about how much talent the Bobcats lose this year, but is that really true? Starting 5 comes back in tact (as of now) and they've put up the bulk of the production. The Bobcats are not that far away from improving a great deal. You are correct when you said you can count on freshman to be go to guys, but they are good pieces and you at least one of them will work his way into the rotation. As far as "scouring the JC ranks", you understand, at the Big Sky and similar levels, that pretty common, right? Teams sign high school guys in the fall, then fill needs they discover or spots that open up during the season. It's the way of the basketball world today.
Typically, you get hung up on height, and in today's game that is a dangerous assumption to think bigger is better. In today's game, positions aren't defined like they used to be. Would Konner Frye be the answer for the Bobcats at the 3? Not if he doesn't shoot it better at the 3 than he does the 5. Plus, playing 5 vs. playing 3 doesn't limit his shots.
When you watch games like Thursday night vs. Idaho, you realize the games often times come down to a handful of plays at crucial times. It was a 4-point game, Tyler hit a 3, Idaho answered with a 3. Then the Bobcats took a couple of questionable shots, had a huge defensive rebound (that hit the floor), that they didn't get and Idaho hit a 3 and that was the difference in the game. Within conferences, typically, the talent disparity isn't that great ... games are going to come down to those handful of plays.

[desmond1957]

In summary, in the 12 team Big Sky Conference prior to todays games the men are in 6th place, the women are in seventh place. In short, based on what most of us expected (hoped) at the start of the season both teams are disappointments and their current level of play frankly SUCKS!! Neither team seems to have any leadership on the floor, both lack any fire, both seem to get pushed around by most of the competition. What the problem is I have no idea, coaching, lack of ability, don't give a sh** attitudes, pick your poison but it comes down to the same analysis, both teams SUCK.

[mslacat]

Yeah the women suck so bad they've only when the big sky championship last year go put it where the sun don't shine


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[desmond1957]

Yeah the women suck so bad they've only when the big sky championship last year go put it where the sun don't shine
Perhaps you need to reread my post, I didn't say anything about last year my post WAS STRICTLY ABOUT THIS YEAR AND THE PRESENT LEVEL OF PLAY BY BOTH TEAMS!!!!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[wapiti]

Been around MSU for many years watching BBall Games. It certainly seems, at least to me, that both of our teams (Coaches) have recruited some players that are not capable of playing at our level. Good or better coaches have always maintained that a college recruit must meet two criteria; Maintain passing grades and be able to shoot reasonably well. We have players on both teams that do not meet these expectations when it comes to shooting and never will. In too many cases our players do not play sound fundamental basketball. And that would seem to be coaching.
In addition, if anyone can explain what our offensive systems are I wish they would. It looks like we play Sunday afternoon outside blacktop style most of the time. Doesn't look like anything you see other teams play.
My guess is Fish better do something in the Tourney or update his resume. Four years in and basically very little if any improvement. Actually maybe going downhill this year. Have feeling our current players don't much enjoy playing for him. His constant antics on the court are I think annoying to most fans and I'm sure to the players.
It just seems that with the great facilities such as we have to play in, and the chance to get a quality education, we should be able to recruit a lot of good players, both men and women.

I think you need players who are more than just shooters. You need players who are ball handlers, ie: they can dribble, pass and have a good strong grasp on the ball.
You also need players who have a high basketball IQ. ie: they know where everyone is on the court, they can read a defense and know where to take the ball too, to get a clear shot (our team does this very poorly), they can read an offense and know where to defend.

Without at least two good dribblers a team is toast against a full court press.