Pg play -- Carl Blair

[luckyc1423]

He def makes everyone better on the offensive end

But he is absolutely a defensive liability...balbay killed him...in order for us to be better next year either we need a pg that plays better defense or Carl gets better on defense

 

[OUhoops11]

I'm shocked that our first year sophomore struggled to guard a 4th year senior who also has experience playing for his country

 

[okcsooner83]

Blair lacks lateral quickness, he gets beat by even slow players such as keiton page. How hard is it to keep your man in front of you?

 

[Sam]

This is my biggest (maybe only one as he's become a really good offensive option) beef with Blair he lacks quickness and it kills him on defense when going up vs good guard he's a liability. That why he was pulled early in the year after his poor defense in the exhibition game. I am not sure how far he can progress but I'm sure he could become at least a serviceable defender, learn the little tricks and adjustments on defense.

 

[topcat]

Fitz, Blair and Pledge all need to lose some weight. That will help their quickness.

 

[Sam]

How much more weight can Fitz lose? At this point I think he needs to add muscle and get some of it back. I think he's reached his optimal quickness already.

Pledger is fine where he is, he's a lot leaner that last year as well. Its noticeable too, especially on offense when he drives.

I will agree that Blair could lose about 10 pounds and be a lot better for it.

 

[campbest]

I'm shocked that our first year sophomore struggled to guard a 4th year senior who also has experience playing for his country

Come on, he doesn't have to guard Balbay within 10 feet of him, he's not going to shoot.

Balbay getting back-to-back, coast-to-coast transition layups was an embarrassment to basketball everywhere. That will be shown in the film room tomorrow, over and over.

 

[Dem Coltz]

I'm shocked that our first year sophomore struggled to guard a 4th year senior who also has experience playing for his country

You're being too reductive. Our 1st year sophomore is in his 2nd season of D1 play. That 4th year senior has scored double figures twice this year not including tonight and has scored 322 points in his "4 year career" in which he's only played for 3 years. Blair struggles to keep people in front of him, simple as that. If this was his first game getting toasted, or if it was by a player averaging more 5 ppg this year I might not argue. Are you contending he is a good defensive player and met an unstoppable force tonight in Balbay? Or that 2 years from now he'll be able to contain the next lightning quick pg at Kansas or Texas?

Btw I like Blair and love his passing and improve O game. I also understand how hard it is to keep quick strong guards in front of you, having been toasted routinely in the past due to slow lateral movement. There is room for improvement, but the best chance we have of covering Blair's defense up is getting some athletes behind him to clean up the mess.

 

[I love lamp]

Blair is not the answer at PG. I really hope we land CG

 

[trueou]

Come on, he doesn't have to guard Balbay within 10 feet of him, he's not going to shoot.

Balbay getting back-to-back, coast-to-coast transition layups was an embarrassment to basketball everywhere. That will be shown in the film room tomorrow, over and over.

I agree that happening two times was an embarrassment. The first time the embarrassment was Blair's. The second time it was his and the entire team's. Anyone of 5 guys should have been prepared to step out and turn him away from the drive.