How long do you stick with Oglesby?

[DP5555]

How long do you keep giving him minutes? This is the main question I've been pondering lately. First and foremost, let me say that I know Oglesby is a good kid and I'm sure it rips him apart being in a funk like this. My goal is not to bash him.

With that said, I think it's pretty clear he is a liability when he's on the court and isn't contributing offensively (which outside of the Northwestern game he hasn't really done all year). Fran puts him in and they almost immediately try to get him shots. When he isn't making these shots it ruins multiple offensive possessions and can put the nail in the coffin in what was a tightly contested game prior to his entrance. I noticed this in both the Mich. State game and in the Michigan game. Not to mention he isn't the best defender.

I wonder how long you continue to give him minutes when he hasn't shown the ability to get out of this slump? I know he's the best shooter in practice, but it's become pretty clear that isn't transitioning over to the games where it counts. He adds value to the team when he's knocking down his shot. If he isn't able to do that then at what point do you pull the plug?

 

[Section136]

I have no problem with the minutes he is getting right now. If he starts to get hot, then you up his playing time by 6-8 more MPG.

When he is out there, the defense is still respecting him and will not send the guy guarding Josh to help.

And I disagree with you on his defense. While he is not a great defender, he does not hurt you out there on defense. He is a smart player that rarely gets beat on the defensive end.

 

[dave3912]

I don't know the answer to that question but it was awesome to see him hit his first 3-pointer since the NW game. Fran high-fived him and the whole team went crazy, they were excited for him. It seems this team has chemistry, everyone seems to get along. Just an observation. When I watch other teams, a lot of teams seem to lack that unless they are winning by 20-30 points.

 

[WinOneThisCentury]

I'd have given him three games ago. I think May deserves his minutes. He brings toughness and athleticism. That's what this team is sorely lacking. If Josh doesn't hit the 3s, he is a liability...plain and simple.

 

[kicker22]

How long do you keep giving him minutes? This is the main question I've been pondering lately. First and foremost, let me say that I know Oglesby is a good kid and I'm sure it rips him apart being in a funk like this. My goal is not to bash him.

With that said, I think it's pretty clear he is a liability when he's on the court and isn't contributing offensively (which outside of the Northwestern game he hasn't really done all year). Fran puts him in and they almost immediately try to get him shots. When he isn't making these shots it ruins multiple offensive possessions and can put the nail in the coffin in what was a tightly contested game prior to his entrance. I noticed this in both the Mich. State game and in the Michigan game. Not to mention he isn't the best defender.

I wonder how long you continue to give him minutes when he hasn't shown the ability to get out of this slump? I know he's the best shooter in practice, but it's become pretty clear that isn't transitioning over to the games where it counts. He adds value to the team when he's knocking down his shot. If he isn't able to do that then at what point do you pull the plug?

I totally get what you're saying and agree with most of this, but lets be honest nothing he did in the Michigan game made a difference in the outcome.

 

[DP5555]

I have no problem with the minutes he is getting right now. If he starts to get hot, then you up his playing time by 6-8 more MPG.

When he is out there, the defense is still respecting him and will not send the guy guarding Josh to help.

And I disagree with you on his defense. While he is not a great defender, he does not hurt you out there on defense. He is a smart player that rarely gets beat on the defensive end.

That's fair. Let me ask you this...

What is the reason Fran puts Olgesby on the court? It isn't for size, rebounding, or defense. It's for knocking down shots. I guess the way I look at it is if he isn't knocking down his shot then why leave him out there when you have other players who can contribute more in other ways.

 

[WindsorHawk]

Agree.

I have no problem with the minutes he is getting right now. If he starts to get hot, then you up his playing time by 6-8 more MPG.

When he is out there, the defense is still respecting him and will not send the guy guarding Josh to help.

And I disagree with you on his defense. While he is not a great defender, he does not hurt you out there on defense. He is a smart player that rarely gets beat on the defensive end.

 

[WindsorHawk]

Agree.

I don't know the answer to that question but it was awesome to see him hit his first 3-pointer since the NW game. Fran high-fived him and the whole team went crazy, they were excited for him. It seems this team has chemistry, everyone seems to get along. Just an observation. When I watch other teams, a lot of teams seem to lack that unless they are winning by 20-30 points.

 

[Section136]

That's fair. Let me ask you this...

What is the reason Fran puts Olgesby on the court? It isn't for size, rebounding, or defense. It's for knocking down shots. I guess the way I look at it is if he isn't knocking down his shot then why leave him out there when you have other players who can contribute more in other ways.

By this reasoning Josh would never play another minute. If you dont put him out there, how can he knock down shots?

 

[IowaFan81]

If you take his minutes away now, then he's done for the season.

 

[Wassabbe]

Is Fran still sticking with the silly comment that Josh is the best shooter he's ever seen? Not only is he not making them, but most aren't that close.

 

[ssckelley]

The problem is almost the entire team is in a funk, it is not just Oglesby. Since he cannot bench the entire team he is going to stick to his rotation and hope someone starts knocking down the outside shot.

 

[NEIChawk]

As long as Fran has faith in him, he stays on the floor (in a limited capacity)...there's obviously something he's doing right...I think it's all in his head....I know we've heard Fran say "he can't miss in practice", and to me that's getting old, so he must be playing good enough defense, and to be honest, sometimes he's the only guy moving when on offense....time will tell, but for this year anyway, he gets a few minutes, next year will be different...

 

[DP5555]

By this reasoning Josh would never play another minute. If you dont put him out there, how can he knock down shots?

Which, unfortunately, is exactly what I'm wondering. Has it reached the point where you give his minutes to someone else who can contribute more to the team? If not, when do you come to that conclusion?

It's clear Fran views Josh as a sharpshooter. In my opinion, sharpshooters have to have a mental block that allows them to knock down wide open shots no matter what the situation. Whether you've played zero minutes and it's the last few seconds of the game, or if it's 5 minutes into the game. You have to be able to knock down open shots when you're called upon. I hate to say it, but he hasn't done that for whatever reason and let's be honest... the kid has had A LOT of open shots.

In my opinion, I think it's approaching the point where you need to bench him if he isn't contributing. Now I hope more than anything that the young man proves me wrong.

 

[ssckelley]

Is Fran still sticking with the silly comment that Josh is the best shooter he's ever seen? Not only is he not making them, but most aren't that close.

In practice he probably is, anybody can be. During the broadcast they showed Marble draining a basket while sitting on the bench. Impressive, but in game....clank!

 

[hoffahawk]

I'd have given him three games ago. I think May deserves his minutes. He brings toughness and athleticism. That's what this team is sorely lacking. If Josh doesn't hit the 3s, he is a liability...plain and simple.

I agree but the reason Fran still puts him out there is if he does ever shake the slump he will make the entire team that much more dangerous. Just take a look at the one game he has shot well from 3 in the last month-

Northwestern- the only comfortable win we have had.

 

[Wassabbe]

In practice he probably is, anybody can be. During the broadcast they showed Marble draining a basket while sitting on the bench. Impressive, but in game....clank!

You are impressed by a bball player making a shot while sitting on the bench?

Do you know who else was great in practice? Alex Thompson. Sean Sonderleiter. I don't care about practice. In games he is a very average shooter at best.

 

[1hawkeye1]

Here is my off the wall conspiracy theory:
Iowa is not a good shooting team. It isn't a "slump." Just bad shooting all around. FM knows this. So to make teams respect at least one of his shooters, he pimps JO at every chance he gets. By doing that, he can make the defense loosen up inside by putting JO into the game. They automatically focus on Josh which opens up other players.

Yeah, I know, weak. But I can see no other reason to put him into the game. He brings nothing to the court.

 

[ssckelley]

You are impressed by a bball player making a shot while sitting on the bench?

Do you know who else was great in practice? Alex Thompson. Sean Sonderleiter. I don't care about practice. In games he is a very average shooter at best.

Yeah, I thought it was pretty cool but you are making the same point I was trying to make. What matters is what happens during the game.

 

[hawkfan33]

Ogelsby shoots not to miss at this point. It's pretty obvious, and it's why he won't take contested shots. He needs to just say **** it and start pulling even if it's not a great look. Hitting a contested shot can get you back in a rhythm faster. What he's doing right now isn't working, a shooter who is scared to shoot isn't someone who should be playing.