Final Thoughts on This Team and Look Ahead

[WichitaSooner]

Easy now. Some around here hate hearing that.

No, some around here hate hearing the idiocy that we run no offense. Running offense doesn't always mean running set plays. How many set plays does UNC run when they sprint down the court at every opportunity?

Again, I know you are incapable of ever giving Kruger any credit for anything, so you surely won't acknowledge this. I guess it really was just a miracle that the ball kept finding Doo to take advantage of the mismatches he had against Ole Miss. Also, all those screens that led to lobs to Manek and Doo all season just happened by luck -- our screeners just accidentally bumped into people and the pass recipient just happened to be open at the rim at just the right moment.

 

[BCSooners]

I can't agree here Boulder. Cousins was not a better pg than Woodard.
Cousins was better for the job at OU that season for a couple of reasons:

1) OU ran very few sets

2) Cousins played at a faster pace

3) The staff struggled the year before with the ball touching Buddy on a second side if it started on Cousins wing--Having Cousins starting the offense actually improved offensive flow because Woodard was a far superior passer.

4) OU did not ask the PG to orchestrate offense--rather to facilitate pace. Which benefited with Cousins skills.

In any other system--Woodard was by far the better "pg." However, if you were not talking skill set, and just talking about that particular job for that team, then I can understand.

Cousins was the better pg hands down, Woodard was just shorter.

 

[AdaSooner]

Some people that have talked to his family. JB is preparing for a different role next year. Doesn't mean he won't end back up as our PG. It just doesn't seem to be the plan.

It doesn’t seem to be the plan because that is not the plan! Harmon will start at the point next season.

I’m a huge JB fan! I was sold on him before he even arrived on campus. When some were asking who would back up Harmon next season, I named him as my #1 candidate. Jamal is a more than adequate PG, but he is not an Isaiah Cousins. He’s terrific at controlling the ball and the tempo. Harmon will be much better at putting pressure on defenses, scoring in the lane and setting up his teammates with open shots from the perimeter. Players like Reaves, Brady and, yes, JB, will benefit by what De’Vion can do.

It’s interesting that most here don’t see JB as a shooter. Check the stats. He leads the team in three point shooting with better than a 40% average (27 of 67). He just doesn’t shoot enough. Don’t forget what everyone was saying about him taking more shots. That wasn’t because he couldn’t shoot. It was because he was too unselfish.

That will change with Harmon at the point and Bieniemy accepts his role at the two. With his high basketball IQ the transition will be a lot smoother than some may think. The beauty, of course, is that De’Vion and Jamal will be interchangeable. It will be like having two point guards and two shooting guards on the floor at the same time. The best of both worlds in my opinion!

 

[WichitaSooner]

It doesn’t seem to be the plan because that is not the plan! Harmon will start at the point next season.

I’m a huge JB fan! I was sold on him before he even arrived on campus. When some were asking who would back up Harmon next season, I named him as my #1 candidate. Jamal is a more than adequate PG, but he is not an Isaiah Cousins. He’s terrific at controlling the ball and the tempo. Harmon will be much better at putting pressure on defenses, scoring in the lane and setting up his teammates with open shots from the perimeter. Players like Reaves, Brady and, yes, JB, will benefit by what De’Vion can do.

It’s interesting that most here don’t see JB as a shooter. Check the stats. He leads the team in three point shooting with better than a 40% average (27 of 67). He just doesn’t shoot enough. Don’t forget what everyone was saying about him taking more shots. That wasn’t because he couldn’t shoot. It was because he was too unselfish.

That will change with Harmon at the point and Bieniemy accepts his role at the two. With his high basketball IQ the transition will be a lot smoother than some may think. The beauty, of course, is that De’Vion and Jamal will be interchangeable. It will be like having two point guards and two shooting guards on the floor at the same time. The best of both worlds in my opinion!

Yeah, it feels like people seem to treat this as an either/or. It isn't. My guess is that Harmon will start at the point, JB will start at the 2, but both will handle the ball a lot. When you have two guys like that on the court, either one can bring the ball up in transition, depending on who gets the rebound and who is in better position to receive the outlet pass. In the halfcourt, Harmon will likely be the guy to primarily initiate the offense. But when Harmon isn't on the court, JB slides to the point. I would be surprised to see them both out of the game at the same time.

Having two guys with very good point guard skills on the court together is a massive advantage. Combined with more athleticism and better shooting on the wings, I think we will play much faster. If we can combine that with continuing the defensive improvement from this season, it sets us up well.

 

[AdaSooner]

Yeah, it feels like people seem to treat this as an either/or. It isn't. My guess is that Harmon will start at the point, JB will start at the 2, but both will handle the ball a lot. When you have two guys like that on the court, either one can bring the ball up in transition, depending on who gets the rebound and who is in better position to receive the outlet pass. In the halfcourt, Harmon will likely be the guy to primarily initiate the offense. But when Harmon isn't on the court, JB slides to the point. I would be surprised to see them both out of the game at the same time.

Having two guys with very good point guard skills on the court together is a massive advantage. Combined with more athleticism and better shooting on the wings, I think we will play much faster. If we can combine that with continuing the defensive improvement from this season, it sets us up well.

Well said, Wichita! That’s exactly what I meant by “the best of both worlds.”

Harmon and JB will also be really good on the defensive end. They’re both ball hawks—one with long arms, uncanny instincts and great hands, the other with the speed and quickness to give the majority of our opponents fits.

 

[WTSooner]

It doesn’t seem to be the plan because that is not the plan! Harmon will start at the point next season.

I’m a huge JB fan! I was sold on him before he even arrived on campus. When some were asking who would back up Harmon next season, I named him as my #1 candidate. Jamal is a more than adequate PG, but he is not an Isaiah Cousins. He’s terrific at controlling the ball and the tempo. Harmon will be much better at putting pressure on defenses, scoring in the lane and setting up his teammates with open shots from the perimeter. Players like Reaves, Brady and, yes, JB, will benefit by what De’Vion can do.

It’s interesting that most here don’t see JB as a shooter. Check the stats. He leads the team in three point shooting with better than a 40% average (27 of 67). He just doesn’t shoot enough. Don’t forget what everyone was saying about him taking more shots. That wasn’t because he couldn’t shoot. It was because he was too unselfish.

That will change with Harmon at the point and Bieniemy accepts his role at the two. With his high basketball IQ the transition will be a lot smoother than some may think. The beauty, of course, is that De’Vion and Jamal will be interchangeable. It will be like having two point guards and two shooting guards on the floor at the same time. The best of both worlds in my opinion!

Not saying this to knock JB, but it's easier to shoot that percentage when you take limited shots. If his shot volume goes up next year, I fully expect his shooting percentage to go down. The million dollar question is how much?

Nobody knows. We'll just have to wait and see how he adjusts to a new role. He'll probably be asked to do different things next year, given his teammates will have different skill sets.

 

[hoopsaustin]

Bieniemy will be our starting PG next year.

I bet he goes to back up #1 imo. I thought wed start both but im guessing not now imo

 

[hoopsaustin]

I can't agree here Boulder. Cousins was not a better pg than Woodard.
Cousins was better for the job at OU that season for a couple of reasons:

1) OU ran very few sets

2) Cousins played at a faster pace

3) The staff struggled the year before with the ball touching Buddy on a second side if it started on Cousins wing--Having Cousins starting the offense actually improved offensive flow because Woodard was a far superior passer.

4) OU did not ask the PG to orchestrate offense--rather to facilitate pace. Which benefited with Cousins skills.

In any other system--Woodard was by far the better "pg." However, if you were not talking skill set, and just talking about that particular job for that team, then I can understand.

I came to post this post about word for word. Crazy actually. Im 1000% with you

 

[inoref]

They finished about where most on here thought, far as the future goes if we're talking just next year I think they could do about the same as this year. Maybe one or two more wins

 

[Ghost of Gar Heard]

It doesn’t seem to be the plan because that is not the plan! Harmon will start at the point next season.

I’m a huge JB fan! I was sold on him before he even arrived on campus. When some were asking who would back up Harmon next season, I named him as my #1 candidate. Jamal is a more than adequate PG, but he is not an Isaiah Cousins. He’s terrific at controlling the ball and the tempo. Harmon will be much better at putting pressure on defenses, scoring in the lane and setting up his teammates with open shots from the perimeter. Players like Reaves, Brady and, yes, JB, will benefit by what De’Vion can do.

It’s interesting that most here don’t see JB as a shooter. Check the stats. He leads the team in three point shooting with better than a 40% average (27 of 67). He just doesn’t shoot enough. Don’t forget what everyone was saying about him taking more shots. That wasn’t because he couldn’t shoot. It was because he was too unselfish.

That will change with Harmon at the point and Bieniemy accepts his role at the two. With his high basketball IQ the transition will be a lot smoother than some may think. The beauty, of course, is that De’Vion and Jamal will be interchangeable. It will be like having two point guards and two shooting guards on the floor at the same time. The best of both worlds in my opinion!

Harmon is a natural PG & Bieniemy is more a natural wing. He's going to be great playing off the ball bc we saw this year how well he can shoot and how well he can penetrate when he has space. Playing the point didn't allow him that space bc the other team's PG had to be all over him since he had the ball.

Harmon can penetrate & kick or dish it to Manek, Doo, or Reaves. Those scorers & Harmon will draw help which will free up Bieniemy to score. It also cannot be overstated how much better a ball handler is than James & having multiple ball handlers on the court will allow us the opportunity for transition buckets. We didn't have enough ball handlers this year and that slowed the offense down.

 

[SoonerinNC]

We should be quite a bit better next year unless Reeves and the incoming group bombs out.

We have our most improved players (Doolittle, Manek, Bieniemy) back with still considerable upside. We have Reeves who has often been described as the best player in this years practices. We have the best recruiting class since the Hield/Cousins group. Maybe even better. Depends a lot on the quality of the bigs.

Most of all is we are not losing that much. With all due respect to our departing players who admittedly played hard all year, the numbers tell the tale. The five key guys leaving averaged a collective 39.5 points a game which was 55% of our total scoring. They played 6,824 of the total minutes played (52.4%).

But most of all their contribution in 13 tough games we played was an aveage of 28.4 points a game and they scored under 30 points in 8 of those 13 contests. And less than 22 points 4 times.

Of course it will depend on really how good the newcomers are and how soon and/or how well they fit into the overall team effort.