Pilots vs Texas Pan-American Saturday Dec 29 @ 7:30pm

Just plain awful for 40 minutes tonight. I mean, "Montana State" awful.

I was in denial most of the second half, but why was Carr on the bench in the last minute? I don't know why van der Mars got so few minutes in the second half, either.

How we didn't drive to the hoop every possession, I dont know. A very disappointing performance tonight.

PilotNut wrote:

How we didn't drive to the hoop every possession, I dont know. A very disappointing performance tonight.

This is what I've been wondering all season. Guys have been doing it occasionally but not consistently.

I don't know why we didn't throw it to our posts every possession. They fronted our posts defensively without any backside help almost every defensive possession. Nicholas and VDM worked hard to get position. The few times we did pass it down to the post good things happened. They simply didn't have an answer for our bigs and we didn't exploit that weakness. We were much too satisfied with passing it around the perimeter and settling for difficult shots.

Actually I was told the game plan was to go to the bigs, particularly vdm.
I kept looking for it. Didn't see it much.

oh brody wrote:I don't know why we didn't throw it to our posts every possession. They fronted our posts defensively without any backside help almost every defensive possession. Nicholas and VDM worked hard to get position. The few times we did pass it down to the post good things happened. They simply didn't have an answer for our bigs and we didn't exploit that weakness. We were much too satisfied with passing it around the perimeter and settling for difficult shots.

This is actually what I meant--you stated it much better; I am apparently too frustrated to form logical sentences.

After looking at the box score, I see just how bad it was. Absolutely dreadful in a game we should have dominated in the paint.

Van dee mars had our first 6 points. And then... I went to king burrito after the game. Highlight of the night.

Can someone explain the off ball foul--count the three pointer--give UTPA the ball again under the basket call?

Also to quote from an earlier post, the Chiles Center had the atmosphere of "a wet sponge." No one supported our team tonight -- not even the team apparently.

Well we did get more offensive than defensive rebounds. Of course you know what that says about how many shots the Pilots missed.

I mean, did I not say in the first post in this thread, just by looking at their stats and roster, that UTPA was not that big? Or that they like to shoot threes?

At least school's out so they can completely focus on basketball and trying to figure this out.

The foul happened during the shot, so the basket counts. Same play happened earlier this season too. What happens after a common foul (as in, not flagrant) on the defense when the offense isn't in the bonus? A throw in.

I didn't like that call. Seemed to me the whistle was before the shot, but I have no replay to verify.

What the heck? Not often you out-rebound a team 39-17 and lose.

But then again, not often do you shoot 34% from the field and win.

I guess something had to give. Sounds like it was a good game to not watch.

You call that coaching. This staff has been together now for 7 years ? Rev is a big mans coach but he doesnt utilize the post against an undersized opponent. All too often our team underperforms , l feel to poor coa hing thru preporation

mikemac65 wrote:You call that coaching? This staff has been together now for 7 years! Rev is a big man's coach but he doesn’t utilize the post against an undersized opponent. All too often our team under performs. I feel it's due to poor coaching through lack of preparation.

Mike, I took the liberty of editing your post a bit just so I could get your complete meaning.

I think you make a valid point, one that we've been reluctant to discuss because most PN writers have, for the most part, been pleased with the coaching to this point. The need for a different approach to coaching is probably worth discussing, but I think someone with a better basketball mind than mine will have to begin the discussion.

All I can say is I’ve been to a number of practices….they’re all open to the public….and I’ve seen how the coaches prepare the team for their next opponent through the use of video and the smart board, and I’ve seen how the coaches work with individual players and the team on skills, tactics, and plays. I can also say I’ve seen the coaches kick butt when needed and console, comfort, and encourage when needed too.

The first coach I had the opportunity to sit and watch at practice after practice was Cal’s Pete Newell. No, Coach Reveno is not Pete Newell, I don’t know any coaches who are, but I can say Coach Reveno has shown many of the same positive personal traits and coaching techniques that Coach Newell had….but Coach Reveno has had fewer high quality players than Coach Newell did.

I guess if anyone were to begin questioning Coach Reveno, it might be his in-game coaching but I challenge anyone to find a better WCC coaching staff better at team preparation.

All I can say regarding last night’s game is the game-plan was to work it inside and take advantage of the UP’s height advantage, but I think TPA’s athleticism and leaping ability changed UP’s offensive philosophy despite the huge disparity in rebounding numbers.

The Pilots are just plain dreadful shooting the ball, and last night’s performance showed how that weakness will put the Pilots in last place in the WCC unless there is an unexpected turnaround.

Even in the loss I was very impressed with Derrick’s all around play…sure he had that unfortunate turnover in the closing seconds, but his overall play was solid and he scored a career high 13 points on 6-8 shooting.

Ryan may have had a double-double, but I think he will agree he was forced to throw up some wild looking shots that didn’t come close to going in.

Kevin was obviously adjusting to the mask and attempting to get his legs back after the break….he did not score at all in the first half and looked winded, but had a respectable 8 points for the game.

Biggest concern going forward…..where do the Pilots find their offense? Coach Reveno and others have often said a good defense will generate offense, but that has not been happening.

Second biggest concern….Oskars’ health. For those who have suffered from plantar fasciitis, you know it is a condition that can take months of rest, stretching, and anti-inflammatory meds to solve the problem. Oskars and the Pilots don’t have months to get the offense going.

Four tweets from Coach Reveno on Sunday addressing some of the concerns expressed after the Texas-Pan Am game:

Coaches need to develop player’s skill and put them in position to be successful. When met with failure, yelling "finish!!" is not coaching

Missing "bad" shots, need to develop team sense of good shot. If missing "good" shots, need to continue to develop skill in game conditions.

Team got almost 4 hours of work in today with video (went a little long), practice, and lift with Coach Scott. Embrace the grind!

Back at PDX for a quick recruiting trip. Thinking I was hard working dude then run into 2 other coaches doing the same

DoubleDipper wrote:The Pilots are just plain dreadful shooting the ball, and last night’s performance showed how that weakness will put the Pilots in last place in the WCC unless there is an unexpected turnaround.

Our three leading scorers were a combined 12-38 from the field.

NoPoNeighbor wrote:

DoubleDipper wrote:The Pilots are just plain dreadful shooting the ball, and last night’s performance showed how that weakness will put the Pilots in last place in the WCC unless there is an unexpected turnaround.

Our three leading scorers were a combined 12-38 from the field.

Well, 15-38, but the shooting was not good.

What makes that stat amazing is that in includes Rogers, who was 6-8 from the field and 1-1 from beyond the arc.

Our lone Senior had a good game.

I really wish our lone senior would take more 3 pt shots. He's not bad at them, but he almost never takes them.

dholcombe wrote:I really wish our lone senior would take more 3 pt shots. He's not bad at them, but he almost never takes them.

Lets not get carried away. Dribble and penetrate is his strength.

Nicholas going 6-16 and ending up with 15 pts and 12 rebounds is a good night. 38% from the field is liveable considering that one of those shots was a last second tip attempt at the end of half that had zero chance. So he was one fg away from 50% for the night, I will take that every day. Minus a running hook shot from the baseline I thought the shot selection was solid, some days more shots fall than others. Better now than Thursday I say.
The problem is that Carr went 0-5 and Kevin 3-14. Now you have an issue when both of them struggle and Nicholas goes 6-16.

My one thought regarding the overall offense is this. This years offense seems to revolve around downscreens, most of them set by Nicholas. The problem with downscreens is that they create a pass to the wings that is above the free throw line extended. Our wings, point guard and most of the time 4 man are all above the free throw line in this offense. What is the key to that you might ask? Let me share. Angles. The game plan was to use the height advantage inside. Thats great if you are using the angles. You can not have an effective entry pass unless your passer is below the free throw line extended. Sure there can be the occasional high/low between posts but as a rule the wing player needs that angle.
So what did we see in that game? Forcing the ball into Thomas using bad entry pass angles. It resulted in two turnovers in the first three posessions and the team quickly went away from using the low post. Angles.

Better to shake that Christmas rust against TPA than Thursday against USD. I think we will see a team more closely resembling the one that played Bradley.

PS Why didnt UP press the heck out of that team??? I think that would have created a lot of turnovers.

oldtimer wrote:

dholcombe wrote:I really wish our lone senior would take more 3 pt shots. He's not bad at them, but he almost never takes them.

Lets not get carried away. Dribble and penetrate is his strength.

Agreed. I wish he would take the wide open ones though. I don't want him taking 5 or 6 threes a game, but I think there are usually at least two wide open ones I'd like to see taken. Typically those opportunities get passed up.

Oregon State, who just lost at home to Towson, beat UTPA by 25 today. Just emphasizes how bad that loss was for UP.

up7587 wrote:Oregon State, who just lost at home to Towson, beat UTPA by 25 today. Just emphasizes how bad that loss was for UP.

I went down there (was planning on it regardless of Saturday), and lo and behold, OSU got the ball to their biggest guy, Joe Burton, and he gets 18 points. Funny, that.

For some reason Brandon Provost (#1, the guy who made all the threes) didn't play.

While I was down there I found a Pilot Hall of Famer.

PurplePrideTrumpet wrote:For some reason Brandon Provost (#1, the guy who made all the threes) didn't play.

From their web site:

The Broncs' (7-9) leading scorer, Provost was held out with a sore back for precautionary reasons. This is the only game he is expected to miss.

He didn't look too sore at the EACC.

PurpleGeezer wrote:

NoPoNeighbor wrote:

DoubleDipper wrote:The Pilots are just plain dreadful shooting the ball, and last night’s performance showed how that weakness will put the Pilots in last place in the WCC unless there is an unexpected turnaround.

Our three leading scorers were a combined 12-38 from the field.

Well, 15-38, but the shooting was not good.

I should have been more specific. I meant that our three leading scorers on the season (Nicholas, Bailey, Van der Mars) were a combined 12-38 against UTPA. PurpleGeezer is right that our three leading scorers for the night (Nicholas, Rodgers, Bailey) were 15-38.

NoPoNeighbor wrote:I should have been more specific. I meant that our three leading scorers on the season (Nicholas, Bailey, Van der Mars) were a combined 12-38 against UTPA. PurpleGeezer is right that our three leading scorers for the night (Nicholas, Rodgers, Bailey) were 15-38.

Funny, I knew exactly what you meant. A look at the game and season statistics should have cleared it up for anyone questioning your numbers.