If you don't watch high school basketball, and only the highlight videos, you aren't going to see much, if any defense. Team defense is taught at the high school level, at most programs. If the coach is worth a spit, anyway.I don't watch high school basketball. I do watch the video clips of the players with whom the Hawks are interested. It certainly appears that the hs game is offense oriented. That is where the attention lies. Nobody really watches the highlight video to observe defensive prowess. Occasionally a highly ranked player will block a shot or intercept a pass, but the emphasis is on what he does offensively after the steal or block.....
Nonetheless, D can be taught. It is not really that difficult. It is rather basic. Stay in front of your man with a wide stance, preventing him from driving by you. Keep your hands near the ball, follow the ball everytime he shifts it. Play your opponent close. When he attempts a three, be right there with your hands in his face, in front of the ball, hopefully preventing a clean shot while interfering with his point of view.....
Rather simplistic, and only refers to perimeter play. That is how I played in another dimension, eons ago.....
I did have the ability to knock the ball away from the opponent when he started his dribble. Usually I slapped the ball out of bounds off his legs.....
Not certain if that strategy will work these days, players being Allen Iverson like and all....
It is difficult to believe that none of the Hawks learned to play some D in high school. They all, with the exception of Baer do not seem to have a clue. The team D is pathetic. It should be somewhat automatic. You have to be able to depend on a teammate covering when one helps out. Three or more Hawkeyes do Not need to help defend one player.....
I know this will be ridiculed, but Uhl and Kriener know how to play D.....
Kriener suffers from lack of playing time. He needs to be in the game more than 2/3 minutes to develop experience and comfort about being in the game.....Agree. He is a terrific "all around" player and can give you points from the perimeter. Active long body.
Dom knows how to play D and would certainly help bringing the ball downcourt. Might as well use him when we are outmatched by quickness and speed on the perimeter. He would help defend the perimeter.....
Of course, the jury is out on him playing at all this season....,
I don't watch high school basketball. I do watch the video clips of the players with whom the Hawks are interested. It certainly appears that the hs game is offense oriented. That is where the attention lies. Nobody really watches the highlight video to observe defensive prowess. Occasionally a highly ranked player will block a shot or intercept a pass, but the emphasis is on what he does offensively after the steal or block.....
Nonetheless, D can be taught. It is not really that difficult. It is rather basic. Stay in front of your man with a wide stance, preventing him from driving by you. Keep your hands near the ball, follow the ball everytime he shifts it. Play your opponent close. When he attempts a three, be right there with your hands in his face, in front of the ball, hopefully preventing a clean shot while interfering with his point of view.....
Rather simplistic, and only refers to perimeter play. That is how I played in another dimension, eons ago.....
I did have the ability to knock the ball away from the opponent when he started his dribble. Usually I slapped the ball out of bounds off his legs.....
Not certain if that strategy will work these days, players being Allen Iverson like and all....
The problem to me is still the minutes going to Garza, Pemsl, and Kriener, as opposed to Nunge, Dailey, and Baer.
The problem is they overhelp/collapse after somebody gets beat on a perimeter drive (which happens nearly every possession) and the ball gets moved around until they find the wide open shooter. They are regularly so far out of position that length and athleticism don't matter
It'll never happen of course... but when we think about what "good basketball" used to be, if we're honest it was before the 3-pt line came into existence.
