Bingo

[AlbanyObserver]

Patch -

 

I agree with your points.

 

However, if you think there is a lot of "fan" pressure to win these kind of games this year (going from last place to top four), think about the position we will be in next year when everyone affiliated with the league predicts us to be a frontrunner to win the title. If we can't handle the heat now with some expectations, imagine the pressure this team will endure next season???

 

The only way to erase Wednesday from our minds is to bring our "A" game on Saturday against Maine. You know they will be hungry to get revenge on us and tie us for fourth in the standings. That should be enough to get our guys up for the contest.

[UA66]

I think "mental toughness" is more than getting up for a game. It means being consistent in effort regardless of whom you are playing; being poised when the opposition picks up their intensity i.e. remaining in control of your emotions and playing smart. It's playing with confidence and not shrinking when challenged - doubts never creep into the pysche. Yes, these are all cliches but you can tell teams that have that kind of mental toughness. You get the same kind of game from them each time out. Even in some of our victories. we've seemed to have let up and failed to stick the dagger in. When you play strictly on emotion, there comes a time when you run out of gas, physically and mentally.

[Patch]

However, if you think there is a lot of "fan" pressure to win these kind of games this year (going from last place to top four), think about the position we will be in next year - AlbanyObserver

 

I don't know how to explain it but I don't think it's "fan pressure" that bothers this team and I don't remember posting that.

 

It's some type of lack of mental toughness. It seems everytime they meet some success they think they have everything figured out and then relax.

 

I think they have to get the mental approach that every game is a major challenge and they have to be ready to put forth their best effort.

 

I do think that this year's experiences both good and bad will help the next version of the Great Danes(05/06)

 

I expect good things the rest of the way from this group but before going to the RACC or listening to the radio I always wonder which team will show up.

 

I expect next year's team to be more ready to handle the pressures they face. They'll have more depth and experience then this season's team,

 

As for next year I think the return of Iati, the addition of Connelly and Covington, having a healthy LIllis and a seasoned B. Wilson will much more than negate our losses through graduation. This is not meant to demean "Q" and Wyatt who have handled their roles very well and helped lead us out of the basement.

[DaneMan]

Patch - Would you agree that this team could be feeling the effects of loseritis? Most of our key players have suffered through two horrible seasons and I am sure that Lucious' experience at Loyola wasn't that much better. It could be that when the other team goes on their run, our guys are saying "Here we go again". They need to get this mentality out of their heads. At least this year we have the talent to combat this feeling most of the time, but against the better teams it seems to sting a little bit more.

 

I also have to say I am disappointed in a certain 7-footer. He came to Albany to play and he's getting a bunch of minutes, but not producing. Now I am not expecting 20 and 10 each night, but he should be an easy double-double guy with his height. The running style of Coach Brown may hurt his game, but when the team gets in a half-court set he needs to realize its his time to take over. He needs that killer instinct!

[GODANESGO]

Although I'm sure we all want, and expect a bit more from Zo, I think it's a bit of a stretch to say that he should be an easy double-double man. Our team is, and should be I believe, a guard centered offense. Although I like seeing Zo hit 10-12 pts a game, I think 8 is a bit more realisitic with our guards driving as much as they do, our relative (I hope it comes back soon this season, although missing Iati does hurt us a TON here) talent at the 3-pointers, and Q's ability to post up in the paint/make the <10 footers.

 

I think averaging at least 10 rebounds day in and day out is even more unrealisitic. True, he is 7ft+ and I think he should be pulling down more than his current 5.3 boards a game, but we must remember that it's pretty tough to grab 10 a game. Only NBA prospect Coppenrath is averaging more than 8, and there are 9 who grab even 6. I think Zo can, and should, be grabbing a good 7-8 boards a game, but averaging double-double for him (in essentially his frosh year in NCAA basketball) right now is asking a bit much.

[Patch]

Patch - Would you agree that this team could be feeling the effects of loseritis? Most of our key players have suffered through two horrible seasons and I am sure that Lucious' experience at Loyola wasn't that much better. -DaneMan

 

I understand where your coming from but I disagree somewhat. I have said all along that this team (in my opinion) is still a work in progress. I believe they know their roles but are still trying to get comfortable and fit into them. Sometimes they take shots or attempt plays that shouldn't and sometimes they pass up opportunities they should take. I don't think it's "loseritis", but it does lead to some losses.

 

Remember everyone who was here last season has a new role and everyone who is new to this team has a new role. I don't really know but I think that is really tough teamwise. Most teams have 2 or 3 starters with defined roles returning and must move a couple of players into starting roles. We have 5 players who did not play last year playing big minutes.

 

I also have to say I am disappointed in a certain 7-footer - DaneMan

 

I think the "Big Guy" is sometimes dissapointed in himself. I'm hoping that he is going to be a bonus in the tourney.

 

He has definitely had an impact in the middle defensively. His presence has really cut down the amount of penetration by opposing players.

 

You want a double/double and not even Coppenrath does that. Instead we are getting 7ppg and 5 reb. I was hoping 10 and 8. Remeber no player in the AE is avg 10+ rebounds a game. He's had the # of shots to avg double figures in scoring and if he just rebounded a little better he would be at 7 or 8 rpg.

 

 

I do believe he has the potential to be a double/double next year

In my evaluation (which means zilch!) he has been a very good addition and I believe he will get much better. Just like all players when the guys around them play better it makes their job much easier.

 

What the heck do I know I'm just a hoop junkie and as long as I stay in my seat and keep second guessing I probably won't make too many mistakes. "Hindsight is so much better than foresight"!!!

[Oldtimer]

If Zo continues to miss 5 lay-ups to begin the game the chant of "oh-fer" as heard in Binghamton is going to become a league nickname. ALSO did anyone else think it was strange that we continued to press the whole first half even though it didn't create a turnover and Jamar was on the bench for 10 minutes. Interesting comment at half-time on Bing radio by assistant coach---"pressure on the three's and hammer anyone inside who tried to take a shot"---14 fouls on 4 guys is a "hammer".

[statefan]

Some of you will surely view this post as heresy. The Binghamton coaching staff, as maligned as they are on the AE Board, has done an excellant job at preparing their team to play us. Let's be honest here, in two 40 minute games, they've beat us for about 73 of those minutes and we got a W at home because of their ball handling woes against our pressure, which they corrected. Of specific concern is their ability to reduce Jamar's effective minutes by drawing charges and our inability to be effective without Jamar on the floor. The Binghamton freshman guard, Gordon, made a comment in the Gazette that they had watched film of Jamar and found that when he gets in a certain position, he almost always goes left. Gordon, who drew the two early charges on Jamar yesterday said that if he can get to the spot first, the ref has to make a call. I even think Binghamton's strategy was if only half the charge/block calls involving Jamar go their way, they don't mind taking the extra fouls in order to put him on the bench for substantial minutes.

 

I must now assume that other coaches are going to see how Binghamton contains us and attempt to copy it. Our coaching staff must self-scout our player's tendencies. In my opinion, it is about a 95% probability that we will play Binghamton in the 4-5 game of the tournament.

[Patch]

Some of you will surely view this post as heresy. The Binghamton coaching staff, as maligned as they are on the AE Board, has done an excellant job at preparing their team to play us. - statefan

 

I think your perfectly correct!

 

Let's be honest here, in two 40 minute games, they've beat us for about 73 of those minutes and we got a W at home because of their ball handling woes against our pressure, which they corrected. - statefan

 

The bottom line is we are 1 and 1 vs Binghamtom - basketball is a strange game.

 

Interesting comment at half-time on Bing radio by assistant coach---"pressure on the three's and hammer anyone inside who tried to take a shot"---14 fouls on 4 guys is a "hammer". - Oldtimer

 

The above philosophy worked last night, I guess. Next time out they may not shoot as well and we might shoot a little better and that same philosophy could hurt them.

 

Not to over simplify things but the bottom line is we are not hitting shots Brent 1-6 fron three and Zo and Lucious combining for 2 for 16 from the floor. It's amazing when your team is hitting shots everything else seems to click.

[reeder]

I think Patch makes a good point about losing Iati - Iati would keep the defenses honest. Regardless of what the stats early in the year said, this is not a good perimeter shooting team. This team has struggled offensively against several of the AE teams that play tough D - Boston U - Binghamton twice (the first game was won because Binghamton couldn't beat the press), Vermont, even Maine for most of the game. The teams that they beat are the teams that let them run the floor. For Albany to win the tough games, someone has to step up and make perimeter shots. They run the weave a lot, but the weave doesn't work if you can't get a shot up. At the BPG, I think there were atleast two occassions where Jordan chose not to take a jump shot that he would have taken and made earlier in the season. Nobldy appears comfortable taking that shot.

 

After the non conference season, the team made it a focus to go to the basket more, they need to take time now and focus on perimeter shooting. I don't think anyone (besides Jamar) can consistently make a perimeter shot. I think that as a team they have almost abandoned it. In the second half, they came out and Brent Wilson made a 3, I think Jordan made one as well. Levi made a 12 footer. So I think Coach told them to take those shots. If you don't make those shots, they can run the weave but the defense is going to look for the penetration and not respect the perimeter shot.

 

Another point about the game last night is that they pressed the entire game and Binghamton had no problems with it. They may have been better off in a match up zone to avoid some of the easy layups.

[reeder]

A few more points. I think Binghamton showed how to beat Albany:

1. Don't let Jamar go left - interesting that the Binghamton freshman picked up on that. I have not seen as many games as most of you (I've seen 4 this year), but Jamar does a lot of damage going to the basket to the left.

2. Make them shoot perimeter shots - not made them consistently since the first Hartford game.

3. Get Zoellner away from the basket - on offense and defense. Zoellner does damage on offense when he is close enough to dunk and on defense he alters shots around the basket - that doesn't work when he 5 to 7 feet from the basket.

 

If I were Coach Brown, I would have Jamar penetrate less. I believe he is the best perimeter shooter on the team. I like to get to the games an hour before tipoff to watch the shootarounds - in each shoot around that i've seen, Jamar has been the best perimeter shooter by far. He can make the perimeter shot coming off a screen but that takes a pretty big shift in his thought process. I've also noticed that Lillis has an excellent shot, he just does not use it in the games - he needs to put up some perimeter shots.

[Urban Barrister]

In my opinion, it is about a 95% probability that we will play Binghamton in the 4-5 game of the tournament.

 

The real question, then, is which team will be the fourth seed?!

[statefan]

Objection - irrelevant.

 

While I certainly hope and root for my team to be successful all the time, the truth is there is absolutely no difference between finishing 4th or 5th in the AE regular season.

[AlbanyObserver]

A loss at UNH makes your recent win over Albany meaningless. If we win and you lose today, you are back in the hole.

[Patch]

This last Binghamton game really confused me so I looked at it in some depth.

 

I think Binghamton showed how to beat Albany: - reeder

 

reeder, I agree with most of your points but then I went back and checked some things out. First off I want to clearly state BU played great "D" with great energy and deserved the win. But...

 

1. Jamar and Zoellner both getting 2 early fouls really hurt.

 

2. We shot the ball terribly mainly due to the BU's "D" but even on open looks we didn't convert.

 

3. On top of that let's realize Shafer Jackson and Fithian shot lights out 9/11 including 4 of 5 from three where they combined normally shoot 34% from 3.

 

4. On the radio I think they said 3 balls we clearly had total posession of under our defensive boards were knocked loose and converted into BU hoops.

 

If you look at 1 through 4 you realize the result was from a combination of things

and therefore if we had shot 5/13 instead of 3/13 from 3, held onto the ball under our hoop, and Jamar and Zo didnot both get into such quick foul trouble this might have been a much more competitve game.

 

What I'm trying to get at is as ugly a loss as it was - if a couple of things change it could have been much closer.