Should Kriener start for Wieskamp at the BIG Tournament?

[MelroseHawkins]

Boy, after reading this thread it really kind of disappoints me. I think many of you need to lay off JW just a bit. The guy is most likely getting the most athletic player guarding him every night. Teams have realized Garza going to be Garza and get his 25 pts a game. They know the key is to neutralize Wieskamp. This all started when Frederick was out and exploited that game plan.

Fran and staff need to take measures to help him get out of the slump. A coach can do various things like trying to get the player to the rim to get fouled and to the line. With Wieskamp I'd maybe try the curl cut to him to get him going or maybe a back door play to get him involved. This would maybe loosen him up a bit and help his confidence and outside shot.

Here is why Sophmore slumps happen. When a player comes in as a freshman, many teams don't know about them. This often allows good to great players get shots and points. They may not have the other teams best defenders on them and have a successful year. Then the Sophmore season comes and teams know much more about the player. Seniors have moved on and now that Sophmore good to great player is getting more attention from the opposing teams defense. When the said player is looked at as the number 2 or 1 scorer on the team, they are going to get the best 1 or 2 defender. This is why scoring for them often goes down the Sophmore season.

When the player starts to get to their junior and senior years, they are now very experienced and upper class having defined more of their game. They are now going against many younger opposing players on defense and have success again which is why scoring will go back up on an arc their junior and senior years.

There is a reason the Sophmore year can be so tricky for a good player and scoring goes down, hence, the slump.

 

[uihawk82]

If I'm Fran, I go with the normal starting 5 against Minn/NW on Thursday. However, if Joe W. and CJ continue to struggle, then I go with Evelyn & Kriener starting instead of Joe W. & CJ on Friday.

Illinois will play the same defense and if Iowa isn't making 3's, might as well play a heavy dose of Kriener and Pemsl to play more physical around the rim. And I think Joe T. and Evelyn aren't as intimidated by physical play. Let Joe W. and CJ then come off the bench to hopefully light a spark.

Wow, who says we are playing on Friday. But overall I agree to stay with the starting 5 but maybe sub in Kriener for JW a little earlier. Let JW see if he can get in the flow. If he does and gets some good shots leave him in but be ready to sub after the first 4 minutes. Same with CJ but I like CJ's energy.

They are in a one and done situation here so see who has the hot hand and is making hustle plays.

 

[Grady]

The answer to the question is: it depends. If you anticipate problems with rebounding, start Kriener to keep the opposing team from getting offensive rebounds at the beginning of the game and getting off to a good start. This is why Kriener should have started vs Purdue on Senior Night -- not starting him when Purdue kicked our ass on the boards in W.Lafayette was a really stubborn and dumb move by Fran. Just terrible. If it's a 4-guard team with quickness and rebounding isn't an issue, I'd stick with starting Weezy, for defensive purposes if nothing else.

 

[1980HAWKFAN]

After Kriener's huge production against Illinois( 2 points) you are kidding right? Benching Joe thinking it will somehow improve Joe's shooting and overall play is a desperate move. I don't always agree with Fran's line ups, but he is not going to bench Joe at this point in the season. Joe will find a way to get his mojo back and it's not on the bench. As far as line ups go, I wanted to see a bit more of JoeT against Illinois late. He had 14 points and can play D , but somehow he never saw the floor late in that game. I get the Hawks were slowly getting back in the game late and maybe that's why Fran didn't want to go back to Joe T. Maybe if he went with Joe T late his defense could have helped slowed Dusunmu. I say we see Weiskamp attack the rim more in the next game and break out of the funk.

 

[SpiderRico]

Assuming we play Minn on Thursday, I'd be all for Kriener getting the start. He played really well against Minn last time and allows Garza to not have to expend extra energy defending Oturu. Sometimes when a guy is in a slump, it's good to switch up some things, so perhaps coming off the bench might help him.

It obviously won't happen, but it probably should.

 

[dirtwrap]

I didn't see any of Wieskamp play in high school so I don't know what has made him such a prodigy. So my question is, when he was "the man", and he needed to get a bucket at the end of the game, what did he do?

I ask because I just don't know what he is good at. Don't roast me over saying that, I love Joe W and am glad he is on our team, but I just haven't seen what apparently everyone else has seen that he is a surefire NBA guy. I look at Uthoff, who is taller, arguably a better shooter and better handles and he hasn't made it off the fence. My honest view of Joe is that he has length and is reasonably athletic but lacks explosiveness at the rim, has a slow first step, average to below average handles and an inconsistent spot upnshooter with a beautiful shot. I've never seen him get the ball at the top of the key at the end of the shot clock and for an NBA guy that is odd to me.

 

[1980HAWKFAN]

I didn't see any of Wieskamp play in high school so I don't know what has made him such a prodigy. So my question is, when he was "the man", and he needed to get a bucket at the end of the game, what did he do?

I ask because I just don't know what he is good at. Don't roast me over saying that, I love Joe W and am glad he is on our team, but I just haven't seen what apparently everyone else has seen that he is a surefire NBA guy. I look at Uthoff, who is taller, arguably a better shooter and better handles and he hasn't made it off the fence. My honest view of Joe is that he has length and is reasonably athletic but lacks explosiveness at the rim, has a slow first step, average to below average handles and an inconsistent spot upnshooter with a beautiful shot. I've never seen him get the ball at the top of the key at the end of the shot clock and for an NBA guy that is odd to me.

Well he is the all time leading scorer in class 4A in Iowa. His average was 30 points a game as a junior and 33.5 as a senior. Those are crazy numbers so that would explain the prodigy you wondered about. I did see him play a number of times and in high school no one and I mean no one could guard him 1 on 1 in the conference he played in (MAC). He could shoot over almost everyone, could go inside any time he wanted (double and triple teamed..didn't matter)and he would score. Joe could have racked up more points ,but he was a team player and would share the ball on top of that. Now we move to the Big Ten and we have some of the best players in the country facing each other and it's not as easy. Teams are keying on him and CJ and it shows in their production. Joe hasn't made it to the Garza level yet where teams are trying to stop you but they can't. How many times have we seen teams pay little attention to CMac and Joe T at the top of the key? Where are their defenders when CMac and Joe T find themselves wide open???? They are mostly in help position and in CJ's lanes and Weiskamp's space. He's got the tools and when CJ, Jbo, and Weiskamp are all heathly and on the floor together, teams will not be able to sag as much. Whole different game plan then from other teams, especially if Garza is still in a Hawk uniform.

 

[dirtwrap]

Well he is the all time leading scorer in class 4A in Iowa. His average was 30 points a game as a junior and 33.5 as a senior. Those are crazy numbers so that would explain the prodigy you wondered about. I did see him play a number of times and in high school no one and I mean no one could guard him 1 on 1 in the conference he played in (MAC). He could shoot over almost everyone, could go inside any time he wanted (double and triple teamed..didn't matter)and he would score. Joe could have racked up more points ,but he was a team player and would share the ball on top of that. Now we move to the Big Ten and we have some of the best players in the country facing each other and it's not as easy. Teams are keying on him and CJ and it shows in their production. Joe hasn't made it to the Garza level yet where teams are trying to stop you but they can't. How many times have we seen teams pay little attention to CMac and Joe T at the top of the key? Where are their defenders when CMac and Joe T find themselves wide open???? They are mostly in help position and in CJ's lanes and Weiskamp's space. He's got the tools and when CJ, Jbo, and Weiskamp are all heathly and on the floor together, teams will not be able to sag as much. Whole different game plan then from other teams, especially if Garza is still in a Hawk uniform.

Thanks for the response. I knew that he scored all those points in high school and did just as well at that Nike camp, so he obviously is the real deal. But I figure that anyone that is that dominant at any level will be able to get the ball and then do something with it. Is it a Joe thing or an Iowa offense thing, that at the end of the shot clock when all has broken down that one of CMac, Evelyn or Kriener take a shot or we give it to Garza on the perimeter. I just think it cant be a foreign concept for Joe to get the ball with the clock winding down, at the top of the key, and either shoot over someone, draw a foul or take someone to the hole because to be as successful as he has been he has had to have done that before. And that option has to be a better option than a role player taking a 3. Is that something you think that Joe wants to do or can do?

 

[PCHawk]

Thanks for the response. I knew that he scored all those points in high school and did just as well at that Nike camp, so he obviously is the real deal. But I figure that anyone that is that dominant at any level will be able to get the ball and then do something with it. Is it a Joe thing or an Iowa offense thing, that at the end of the shot clock when all has broken down that one of CMac, Evelyn or Kriener take a shot or we give it to Garza on the perimeter. I just think it cant be a foreign concept for Joe to get the ball with the clock winding down, at the top of the key, and either shoot over someone, draw a foul or take someone to the hole because to be as successful as he has been he has had to have done that before. And that option has to be a better option than a role player taking a 3. Is that something you think that Joe wants to do or can do?

In my opinion, he isn't a good enough ball handler to do that. It's not a winning play at this level yet because of the odds he gets the ball stripped from him. I think every part of his game is NBA ready (pr really close to it) except ball handling. He's a long ways off on that one.

 

[1980HAWKFAN]

Thanks for the response. I knew that he scored all those points in high school and did just as well at that Nike camp, so he obviously is the real deal. But I figure that anyone that is that dominant at any level will be able to get the ball and then do something with it. Is it a Joe thing or an Iowa offense thing, that at the end of the shot clock when all has broken down that one of CMac, Evelyn or Kriener take a shot or we give it to Garza on the perimeter. I just think it cant be a foreign concept for Joe to get the ball with the clock winding down, at the top of the key, and either shoot over someone, draw a foul or take someone to the hole because to be as successful as he has been he has had to have done that before. And that option has to be a better option than a role player taking a 3. Is that something you think that Joe wants to do or can do?

I would think Joe is trying as hard as he can to do what his coaches are telling him to do. What is a better option...CMac Joe T Evelyn wide open 3 or a Weiskamp shot over the other teams' top defender all over you? I'm pretty sure what Joe W would tell you.

 

[chucktownhawk]

JW will be effective if and when we hit 3's on a more consistent basis. Evelyn, Cmac, JT and CJF need to pull up and knock them down, then that opens up some room for JW to drive. My 2 cents

 

[trj]

Assuming we play Minn on Thursday, I'd be all for Kriener getting the start. He played really well against Minn last time and allows Garza to not have to expend extra energy defending Oturu. Sometimes when a guy is in a slump, it's good to switch up some things, so perhaps coming off the bench might help him.

It obviously won't happen, but it probably should.

Pitino screwed that up last time. He put Demir on Garza and Oturu on Kriener at the start of the game. Garza abused Demir. Don’t know if Pitino goes back to that or not. Having Kriener or Garza go at the dude Oturu isn’t guarding could work.

 

[WindsorHawk]

Absolutely no way do I want JW on the bench to start the game. People do realize we also have to play defense. And JW managed 3rd Team All Big 10. The idea is preposterous IMO.